I agree with everything you said.
It can’t be totally about fit…you’ve also got to consider ROI, opportunity, and a ton of other things.
We tried to be thoughtful about putting the list: one of our strict mandates was not to put any school on the list that S21 wouldn’t be excited about attending. Berkley is higher ranked in math, but we there are other factors to consider: size, fit, distance, support network.
To be honest, S21 was a little down on Duke a few months ago, precisely because some of the other schools on his list are higher ranked in math and there are few Math majors at Duke. He got some interesting advice from a math professor at Rice which led him to investigate the courses some more and reach out to faculty with some questions. A few weeks ago he came back all in on Duke.
I graduated from Duke for business school and am very familiar with the area. My kids have been to the area a couple of times. I think its easier to picture yourself at a particular school if you’ve been there before. Berkley is one of the few schools on his list that we didn’t know (had to cancel our visit last year).
Finally, the support network angle is something my wife and I give a certain amount of weight (S21 less so). College is certainly a time of personal growth and independence. As an international, however, there is certain comfort in having someone familiar nearby, be it for emergencies, for logistical support or just someone to lean on. We have found friends nearby at almost every school, but at Duke he has an elder cousin who would be a big help. She was as excited as anyone when he got accepted.
4 Likes
Rejected
1470 SAT, Rank 2/350, 4.32/4.33 GPA
1 Like
Tough year. Get into any schools you like so far?
does getting rejected from duke mean a prediction for getting rejected from Ivy’s?
Accepted RD round: Stanford (early acceptance letter), Yale (likely letter), Cornell (likely letter), Rice (awarded Trustee Distinguished Scholarship and the Rice Century Scholarship, plus Rice/Baylor Med w/l for one of 3 overall spots out of 1600+), WashU, MIT, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame (Merit Scholar Finalist-awaiting result after second interview), Swarthmore, Pomona, Amherst, GT, Northwestern
Denied: Duke 
1 Like
NO 
So many acceptances!!
Wasn’t expecting all that, but it’s happened so far. Sort of freaked out and humbled. Point is though, don’t get down about Duke.
1 Like
I got rejected from a lot of places u were accepted to already! Idk what’s gonna happen today 
Congrats!!
1 Like
You will probably be successful elsewhere. Getting rejected at one doesn’t mean you’ll be toast at the others.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOW^{inf}. What were your stats
Amazing choices! You rocked it! Which school are you leaning towards? That Rice/Baylor program would be beyond fantastic.
Can I give them out after I hear back from the others tonight?
One kind of tends to lean to where one is really wanted. I love that school, but it’d be especially nice to get awarded that Med thing.
Slightly more of the ED deferred were accepted this year. Historically it’s about 10% that get deferred, get an acceptance in RD.
1 Like
My D21 was accepted to Michigan and GT as well, but also Duke (likely letter) and Columbia ( likely letter). The financial package is right now far better at these private colleges. Did others experience the same?
2 Likes
Can you share your stats
Female
UW GPA 3.9
10 additional university courses (all A’s in those)
730/790 one sitting SAT
Private high school (non-parochial)
DNA research, publications, museum volunteer and internship, archaeological site volunteer, digs in Mesoamerica with university faculty, linguistic research and critical language research-developed apps for that, all-state flute (in a state where few make it to this), 2x national flute competition winner, author of articles for national online journal
LOR: 10/10 (additional letter from tenured prof.)
Did not apply for FA. Upper income bracket.
In addition to what’s listed above, also got in Penn (Ben Franklin and University Scholar-letters said must choose and can’t do both), Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton.
4 Likes