If I apply ED next year, do senior year grades even matter?

<p>One of my friends was telling me that applying ED for Duke would mean that they would only look at your GPA from 9th to 11th. I feel this is wrong, but I just want to get a clarification from CC. Also if they factor in senior year 1st semester grades, how do they get it in time? my school's 2nd quarter ends in late January, and I feel that would be too late to help my case. I have a sub par GPA and could REALLY REALLY use 1st semester senior year grades to boost my GPA up and also if you guys don't mind, when is the last possible date to the SAT senior year and still have it count towards ED???</p>

<p>srry for the noob questions.</p>

<p>oh also, say I dont want financial aid, would that help my chances??</p>

<p>I believe Duke asks for your first quarter grades for ED applicants (most schools 1st semester/2nd quarter end, as you said, after decisions have been made).</p>

<p>And, for US applicants at least, Duke is 100% need-blind. Applying or not applying for financial aid makes absolutely, positively no difference in your admissions decision.</p>

<p>Yeah, jk242’s right, they do look at your first quarter grades. I was ED and had to submit my first quarter grades, but there’s a good thing and a bad thing for that in your situation. It’s good that you have a chance to improve your grades so that Duke will see your first quarter grades. However, the bad side is that I don’t think high schools (I maybe wrong on this) recalculate GPAs for just first quarter grades. I know mine didn’t, and so I don’t think yours will either. So you’ll GPA will remain the same as it will the end of your junior year, but you can still show improvement when they physically see the A’s.</p>