<p>I just read that entry to this program requires a separate application. What does it entail and how competitive is it?</p>
<p>You have to write an essay, and its competitiveness depends on the program you are applying to. Genome revolution, for example, is very competitive. For FOCUS, you spend your first semester in small classes discussing one topic.</p>
<p>exploring the mind is my first choice, how competitive is that?</p>
<p>what sort of essay should we write?
Can we find out the competitiveness of each program?</p>
<p>Power of an Idea is mine</p>
<p>When is the due date, and is it first come, first serve?</p>
<p>I believe the due date is July 1st, to find out about the competitiveness you'd probably have to ask people in those programs, and I don't think it is first come, first serve. You write essays on why you want to participate in those focus programs</p>
<p>Due date is like May 19th for the Power of an Idea one, I checked its site</p>
<p>oh maybe July 1st is the notification date...or the housing due date...it's some date.</p>
<p>hey guys, is anyone else considering doing the FOCUS on evolution and humankind? Thats my first choice right now, followed by the genome revolution one</p>
<p>the due date for ALL is may 18th </p>
<p>my top 3 choices are
1. Exploring the Mind
2. The Power of Ideas
3. The Genome Revolution and its Impact on Society</p>
<p>does anyone have any numbers of how many people apply for each program or what percent of people get in? we already know that the genome one is competitive. how about the others? i'm guessing the russia one is least competitive..</p>
<p>I was one day off!</p>
<p>I'm the man</p>
<p>I remeber reading on the Duke accepted student website that the maaority of whom apply to the focus program get in</p>
<p>Hey-
Actually, the Russia FOCUS is fairly competitive, because pretty much every year the students in the FOCUS actually get to go to Russia for a very subsidized cost. (That's one thing about FOCUS: you go on a trip, usually just a weekend, and usually somewhere close-ish, but it's paid for). </p>
<p>I don't think numbers and percentages are released for FOCUS applications... it isn't getting into college or anything, don't sweat it. Pretty much everyone will get into their first choice FOCUS program, and if they don't, they'll be in their second choice. That's why you're required to apply to at least three, but it's recommended that you do more. </p>
<p>Some hints:</p>
<p>-If you're applying to a more popular FOCUS (genome, exploring the mind... the ones that seem to have more of a science slant are the most popular, I feel) write REALLY good essays. These essays are really just paragraphs explaining why you want to be in the program and why you'd be an asset to the program. I heard that the most common reason why people don't get into their program of choice is because they don't write enough. One paragraph doesn't equal 1 to 3 sentences in this case.</p>
<p>Whoops, I clicked send too soon.</p>
<p>Back to the actual writing of the FOCUS application. If you write an adequate paragraph, you're in good running.
-I don't think it's first come, first serve, but be very cognizant of the deadline. Unlike applying to colleges, the deadline the FOCUS program gives you isn't when the envelope needs to be postmarked, it's the time & date when the envelope must be sitting on the director's desk at Duke. If your application is late, even a day late, it won't be considered. You definitely won't get into your first choice if it's a very popular one, and you probably won't be able to participate in the program at all. Maybe they give some leeway with that, but I was under the impression that it's very minor if at all.</p>
<p>thanks for the info! :)</p>
<p>so the essays only have to be 1 paragraph? do we write one for each of our 3 choices or one for all 3 put together?</p>
<p>I think I recieved most of my rejections on the basis of waiting until 10 minutes before the deadline. This time, I just did it, wrote it, and sent it.</p>
<p>Who bets I get into Genomics because of it?</p>
<p>You write one paragraph for each of your choices.</p>