Hi everyone. I am feeling really defeated because I did not get into my ED choice, which really puts me at a disadvantage in terms of getting into a top-tier school RD. Duke is now my top choice, but I feel like I basically have no chance because of my ACT score, which is a 33. It is a 34 superscore. I applied to Trinity for public policy, but am really just wanting some input on how much of a disadvantage I am at because of my ACT. Please give it to me straight because I got my hopes up for my ED choice and was told by everyone I had a great chance but was crushed.
I would say it is a crapshoot. The general acceptance rate is quite low to begin with. The pool that applies tends to be a high stats pool. In our neck of the woods, virtually nobody gets accepted despite perfect grades and high ACT scores. You should have a viable backup plan. Your ACT, by the way, is excellent. But is is just average for Duke.
I’m in the same boat (ish). I was debating between Stanford REA and Penn ED. I chose Stanford REA and was Rejected by Stanford. I recently gained a lot of interest in Duke. Honestly, just pray and trust the process. Do all you can to remain hopeful and experience your senior year without too much worrying. My Duke interviewer went to BYU and ended up at Duke Law School. He’s perfect proof that it’s not the undergrad name that defines you.
^It’s not the grad school that defines you either. It’s you who defines you. For the rest of your life…
Your ACT score is fine for Duke in that it will get you into the pile of applicants who are being considered seriously. But there are way more of them than there are places so it will simply be a matter of whether you offer something they feel they need for their class. It is, in that regard, a crapshoot.
A 33 is fine for Duke. They will move past the number (seeing that you meet the standards) and focus on the rest of your application. College is a crapshoot though, so don’t put all of your energy into one school.