<p>You’re a solid applicant. Wonderful scores. A mediocre rank although it’s understandable because of the relatively small class size/</p>
<p>You also have great ECs. However, the adcoms will put this in perspective. For example, there aren’t many debaters in states like South Carolina as there are in Texas or, say, New York. So you’ve always gotta weigh stuff like that.</p>
<p>All in all, you have great chances.
Stanford - High Reach - for everyone
Harvard - High Reach - for everyone
Penn - Reach
Duke - Reach
JHU- MATCH!
WUSTL-MATCH!
Vanderbilt - MATCH!</p>
<p>There are VERY few people who are shoe in’s at any of these places, and they tend to have a trump card (e.g., the best chess player in the country or likely college quarterback or be good enough at math to compete in the Putnam). Otherwise, it is so much a crap shoot that there is no reason to ask anyone on the internet what they think. </p>
<p>I know people who had no particular connection to any school or any particular trump card who were accepted to H,Y, or P, for example, and rejected from Duke. Most very strong applicants (of which you are one) look very much the same. </p>
<p>The only thing you should add to your list of variables is that Duke does try to maintain a sizable contingent from the Carolinas (just as Harvard’s admissions are a little more flexible for students from Mass and Yale for students from CT), and so that should help. </p>
<p>And the only thing I’d add is that the similarities among these schools far outweigh their differences. The difference will be what you make of it.</p>
<p>I chanced you a while ago, but just saw you had replied to that. The reason that I said you had a lesser chance at Stanford is because I think Stanford looks for a specific type of student. Test scores aren’t -as- important to them as Harvard, but doesn’t mean that they are any less impressive. They generally are basically looking for outstanding, absolutely amazing students–whether those students just be amazing/outstanding in just one area or not. Meaning I think a kid who started a hugely successful nonprofit organization, but had a 3.7 UW GPA and a 2150 SAT would still get in. Idk, this is just from what I’ve observed and what I think. I’m of course no expert at all on the subject, I’m just another teenager, same as you.</p>