<p>Let's say I applied with Music as an intended major because most of my ECs reflect that. However, I also submitted the optional art supplement, and although my actual performance was all well and good, my instrument was not in good condition. I was in marching band at the time (during first quarter; I applied ED and was deferred) and had little money/time to get it set up again, so I recorded my supplements on this instrument with horrible intonation. :(</p>
<p>Basically I thought they'd only be looking at performance, but if they see me as a music major, I just realized they might look down horribly on this and think that I didn't KNOW it was that badly out. Ouch. I didn't want to explain this cuz I figured it would come out like whining and making excuses no matter what, so I sent it in as is....I never should have sent it at all! I just felt obligated to cuz I agreed to it on the app and felt like I had to prove myself cuz of how music-based my app was.</p>
<p>Anyway, if you've managed to read this whole thing so far, here's my question: Is there anything I can do to fix this, or anything that even would help me? Should I/Could I ask them not to consider the supplements? Could I/Should I ask them about changing my major to my other main academic interest, Pre-Med?
^The things about changing it to pre-med that worries me are: 1) My ECs are much more inclined to music: recording, composing experience, sound technician at school events, etc.
and 2) Pre-Med is honestly a dime a dozen. I honestly know a lot more of what I'm getting myself into than most, but Duke won't see that. So is a generic major with little ECs better than a unique major in which they might think I suck?</p>
<p>Please, any comments or advice you have are greatly appreciated, and if nothing else I will just end up calling the Admin Office and asking them of my options.</p>
<p>1) The supplements usually either have a positive or neutral effect on your application. Unless you did something foolish like write something terribly offensive in a writing sample, a mediocre supplement will not hurt you.</p>
<p>2) The music program at Duke incorporates a good amount of theory and music history, and many students concentrate in those areas. Performance is not the be-all-end-all for potential music majors. </p>
<p>3) Admissions officers realize that the vast majority of students change their intended major, so it’s not really taken into account in admissions.</p>
<p>4) Pre-med is not a major, so you’d have to select a major anyway.</p>
<p>I know pre-med is not technically a major but on some colleges it’s available on their list of intended majors, and I believe Duke was one of them.
Thank you for your input; hopefully you’re right lol :)</p>
<p>I don’t know if this will help any but I applied as a chemistry major (& idr if Duke had pre-med but if it did I absolutely put it) with bio as my 2nd choice. That or the other way around-- or I may have put biochemistry as my 1st option & then chem. Point is-- I only had AP Chem on my transcript for junior year & didn’t even report an AP chem score. As for my senior year schedule, I’m taking pre-ap physics (didn’t take it last year b/c of AP chem) and anatomy. My school doesn’t even offer any AP science courses. Last yr’s AP chem was a one time thing cuz a few of us nerds (8 to be exact) begged a teacher to offer it. I had been telling myself to volunteer at a hospital or SOMETHING so that when college app time came around I’d have something to show that I was serious about pre-med. Didn’t work out. So, no AP science scores, 1 AP science class, no ECs with ANYTHING having to do with pre-med or science at all, & i got in. The only thing I may have had going for me is that I’m taking 2 science classes this year (& that last year’s chem class was split into 2 pds w/ 2 diff names so it may have looked like 2 seperate sciences… but i’m sure admissions caught on to that). So, I am no expert whatsoever, but I do spend quite a bit of time reading everything duke related on CC & anywhere else. and here’s what I think about ur concerns</p>
<p>1) IF you decide to go the route of changing your intended major, I think all ur music experience will be a plus. I think it looks better that you have an interest in pre-med but yet are musically talented and have devoted all this time to even going beyond what the avg band kid would be doing. That’ll just add to you being well rounded in my opinion.
2) I could be very wrong, but music majors seem to be getting more & more common so a music major might not be as unique as you think . and i def with hippo2718’s # 3 </p>
<p>Also I’m more than sure that whoever listened to your supplement will not look down on you by assuming you weren’t aware of your instruments condition. They should be perfectly aware that many students don’t even have instruments of their own and borrow school instruments & that it costs to repair an instrument, & while we all wish we had a new pro selmer alto sax for ex (that’s what i wish!), that’s just not always possible as a high school senior.</p>
<p>BIG NOTE: i don’t know much. but what I did say makes sense to me & will hopefully make you feel a little more at ease.</p>
<p>also, if this helps any-- duke really means “optional” when they say optional. so ur supplement shouldn’t hurt-- it was just optional after all. I didn’t even write a Why Duke essay.</p>
<p>Can you incorporate music with something else? I am a freshman, and when I went to an accepted students meeting in the spring, the Dean said they wished more students strong in the arts/humanities applied to Duke - they attract more science/econ students. However, that was just in answer to an accepted student’s question and nothing official.</p>
<p>What do you mean incorporate music with something else? I’d love to do music on the side in undergrad while getting my pre-med requirements but aside from musical therapy (which is probably the first thing almost everyone mentions when I tell them I’m interested in music and medicine >_<), I can’t see integrating music into my future without just going full into it.</p>