i wanna go to duke? nahh, but heck

<p>Duke.. chance me pls.. </p>

<p>GPA: 4 (UW), 4.5 (W)
Rank: 4/400
SAT II's: Math IIc: 710, Physics: 760, Bio: purrfect 800
SAT I: 1900.. I am taking it again in, lets see, 12 hours.. (~2100)
AP's: Will graduate with about 10..
AP US HIstory: 5... AP BIology: 5</p>

<p>This is basically my academic resume.. really typical, yes, but I do this all while;</p>

<p>-Captain, 1st singles (Top Varsity) of my Tennis team (lettered multiple times)... Strong regional rankings
-Varsity Track (had to quit bec/ of my commitment to tennis..)
-Co-captain of Academic Quiz bowl team
-Rep. for School's Student advisory Board...
-Vice President of National Honor Society..
-and other minor chit.. Asian Club
Interact Club
Juggernauts (academic quiz bowl)
Student Advisory Board
Waklsman Students Scholar program
Elementry tutoring
Math tutoring (I tutor science and other subjects out of my own time aswell)
Math Club
Ecology Club
Tennis (varsity; first singles)
Track & Field
Model UN
National Honor Society (and SHS, it isnt organized yet for spring)
Science Research (completed 2 physics project in my own time since I do not have the class)</p>

<p>I also work heavily:
Tennis instructor..
Library..
Religous Place..
Supervisor of Local Clubhouse (I kinda own in.. party xD)</p>

<p>I will have great essays:
Major one is about our society's shift from being a coherent one to an incoherent one.. how in today's society, relevance is irrelevant.. should be very insightful..</p>

<p>Reccomendations are effin great:
US AP History Teacher: haha, she will focus on how I was a "robber barron," and how I recieved the highest grade in class with the least effort; how I won all the Jeopardies.. and how i managed the course with other chitloads to do (wasnt bad)
Tennis coach..(eh..)
I also have an excellent recommendation from the Chair of Applied Physics and Department Head of Material Science at Rutgers University ;-) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He will write about how impressed he was during my intense faculty level work-study/research (he really was...) He will talk about how my research results were the best in 10+ years and will compare me to undergrads he has worked with...</p>

<p>Awards:
Regional placement (2nd) for two consecutive years .. Science fair, Category Physics...
Distinction of National US Physics talent...
other crap to do with science (gifted and talented program ...)
..........
..........
and now what i most treasure: faculty level research at rutgers (400+hrs.) NO words to describe that intense experience.. and wont attempt to..it changed my life</p>

<p>WAKE UP!!!
okay okay, finally, phew..</p>

<p>My supplement will include abstracts for 2 original research project..
-One has intense practical appoication and will change our insulations we use at home ;-)
-Other, through rutgers (my own tho), is a way to shape memory and extensive memory storage in nano-checkerboards.. yessir...</p>

<p>thanks.. i'm very research oriented.. n i'm conversing w/ MIT for tennis (no commitments.. bec/ i think MIT is the most arrongant school in the nation.. eh?)</p>

<p>Your chances look very good. Are you applying to anywhere else besides Duke/MIT? If you want, PM your essay to me and I'll take a look @ it.</p>

<p>do you really think i have a good chance at duke?! w/ my scores?</p>

<p>and yes, my dream school is University of CHicago.. i'm doing EA there.. and if i get in, i am not applying anywhere else</p>

<p>Chances are alright.. however, to let you know, Duke is EXTREMELY test score focused from what I see.
I think ull get into Chicago early though and that will be it.</p>

<p>yea,, if i get into chicago.. that'll be in ;-)</p>

<p>dont you think my other activities and commitmetns will compensate for my scores? (by the way, I am expecting 650 CR, 700 W, 800 M(i am 99.999 percent sure I got a perfect math.. not a single question wrong.. i know that becuse I went through 54 pages wroth of anaswers for SAT's put on this website..)</p>

<p>anyone else?</p>

<p>If you get those scores.. u will definitely have a chance.
Are you planning to apply to Pratt or Trinity?
I know of a lot more people with high math/low CR scores in Pratt than Trinity.. so I'd guess your chances would be somewhat easier.</p>

<p>yes, def. Pratt if either... and bro, Duke at this point is not even desirable..
I see myself at Univeristy of Chicago.. nowhere else.. Its my dream.. I will do anything to get in there, and I will do everything once I am in.. you dont understnad how much I want U Chicago... and I really feel they need me as much as I need Chicago >.< </p>

<p>But yes, If I get rejected.. i'll give Duke a shot</p>

<p>I'm really stressed about Chicago.. everyone tells me I have a decent chance.. but I wont settle until I get my EA decision</p>

<p>thanks, any other commetns?</p>

<p>I applied to both Duke and Chicago RD but I'd say that the two schools have INCREDIBLY DIFFERENT social scenes and if I would have done it again.. I wouldn't have applied to U-Chicago.
Of course.. I'd encourage you to apply to Duke. ;).
I can see you getting into Chicago EA though..</p>

<p>I hope, </p>

<p>whats it about Chicago that you dont like? If its the city, I can understand lol, but the Universtiy area is well established</p>

<p>this guys a douche hes posted similar threads on mit and other forums about how he doesnt want to go to school x, but still wants to kno his chances</p>

<p>well.. i posted chances for vandy, Uchicago, MIT, duke, and CMU.. thats my absolute list of schools; I am doing Uchicago early, and if I dont get in there.. then I am doing the rest...</p>

<p>and me posting multiple threads of my chances makes me a douche? </p>

<p>and no, I wouldnt go to any school other than UChicago; alas, my admission is not in my hands.. so I HAVE to apply to other schools if i dont get in..</p>

<p>wow.. you defy .. nvm.</p>

<p>yes if you raise your SAT your chances are very good</p>

<p>i am expecting an 800 math, 650 CR, 700 W</p>

<p>As for Chicago.. I'd say the city is a part of it.
Also the impression I got from Chicago is that it is a very cut-throat place and not as intellectual as one makes the school out to be, but that's just my opinion without much evidence, I don't actually go there.
Duke doesn't have much of that hardcore competition amongst students.. </p>

<p>Another important difference which I feel does make Chicago>Duke is that Chicago students tend to be much more involved politically and intellectually. Duke students, while just as accomplished and intelligent as Chicago students as a whole, are much more career-focused.</p>

<p>The concern is not the multiple thread-posting.</p>

<p>It's not very polite to go to a board, insult a school ("Do I want to go there? Nahh.") and then ask for a favor.</p>

<p>I have to agree...</p>

<p>(hi, spillover from the Chicago forums... I did a search and this thread came up).</p>

<p>Though I could see an applicant finding something appealing in Chicago and Duke (strong academics, gothic campus) I do think it's important for the OP to consider that he or she doesn't really want to attend Duke. Don't apply to Duke just to apply to Duke-- if anything, find schools that remind you of Chicago and apply to them. If Duke reminds you of Chicago, that's wonderful, but it's still unfair to insult the school. There are many, many students who want to go.</p>

<p>Mondo's post also piqued my interest.... the feelings of "academic intensity" that I interpret here come off to many as "cutthroat." The two, in my mind, are not at all the same. I am very intensely involved in my work; I don't know what my GPA is (I checked over the summer but I've already forgotten). Talking about grades or academic horsepower (SAT scores, etc.) is a major social faux pas here; bringing up Karl Marx at a party or saying something potentially offensive isn't.</p>

<p>I do think, though, that if one either a) wanted to be in a more pre-professional environment, or b) felt more comfortable being on the "fast track" to professional school rather than dillydallying in the Core, Duke is the better option.</p>

<p>I agree with bluedevilmike, although I think the thread title was intentionally annoying to grab attention. </p>

<p>Unalove also brings up a good point. I myself had a very difficult time deciding between Chicago</a> and Duke and was still unsure about my decision my freshman year, so I can easily see someone liking both schools. That said, the OP does NOT seem to share a similar love for both schools, so I think he needs to evaluate the list. There are plenty of schools that fit Chicago's profile and that have good physics programs. Carleton immediately comes to mind, for example.</p>

<p>I must say that the "fast track" comment irks me, though. Duke actually has fairly complex curriculum requirements, and (unlike Chicago) AP credit doesn't count. It's a real alphabet soup, with requirements for 2 courses each in ALP, CZ, NS, SS, QS, CCI, EI, and STS, not to mention the seminar/independent study, foreign language, and research requirements!</p>

<p>Yes, the title was suppose to grab attention, and nothing else..</p>

<p>Well, I have been doing a lot of research for past couple of days, and I have narrowed my list down to 3 top priorities: UofChicago, Vandy, and Duke.. Although they are 3 totally totally different schools, I like what each has to offer.. My cousin has gone to Vandy, so he tells me a lot about it. I have been to U Chicago (will visit again), however, whatever I know about DUke is from the thread and some by my research.<br>
The biggest biggest concern: I want to be in a competitive enviornment, I cannot thrive if I am not sorrounded by severe competition; I do better under pressure. For example, I will not get an A in a class if there is noone for me to go against.. either at the tennis court or in school.. i seek competition, which drives me.. so thats one good characteristic.. which Chicago has!</p>

<p>I also want access to the city; Chicago is great. Boston is the best.. but I again, would not want to go to BU, BC, Harvard.. maybe MIT, but its a crapshoot for me</p>

<p>SO, does Duke provide a competitive enviornemtn? is it an "urban" setting?</p>

<p>ThankS!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>I wouldn't call it an "urban" setting.</p>