<p>It really seems like a complete hit or miss. Not saying anyone can get in, but knowing someone who got a 35 on their ACT, plenty of extracurriculars and leadership positions, they even got into Yale, not get in, it really ruins any hopes I have of getting in. At one point Duke was my number 1 school, but now I realize it's not possible to get into no matter what I try to do. </p>
<p>I aspire to get into Georgetown now, which I feel is somewhat more reasonable. </p>
<p>So, can anyone apply to Duke and feel confident that they can get in?</p>
<p>Not everyone can apply to Duke and feel confident about there chances of getting in, but anyone who has a strong portfolio can feel they have a chance. Just because other elite candidates were rejected, that doesn’t mean you will be. </p>
<p>At various sources online, you can find graphs that outline the GPA and SAT/ACT scores of accepted and rejected applicants. As long as you lie someone in the field of accepted students, you should feel that you have a chance even if some others with higher scores were rejected.</p>
<p>Based on the graph I looked at, I’ll need a 3.9 or greater, and at least a 33 on the ACT. I have the GPA, and I’ll need to bring my ACT up 2 points (I took it in October, and I am a junior)</p>
<p>Other than those two aspects, I’ll probably also need a strong extra-curricular resume. Is there anyway I can add things in this summer without looking like I am cramming activities in? Or am I pretty much stuck with what I’ve done the other years of highschool. Which isn’t a paltry resume to say the least.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s ever too late to add some extracurriculars. Yes, it would be better to have been involved in activities throughout high school. But getting involved now is better than never getting involved in extracurricular activities at all.</p>
<p>Also, as a junior, you have a few more chances to take the ACT and bring it up to where you want it to be. You could also try the SAT, some applicants do better on one test than the other. Remember as well that private universities weigh in how much interest an applicant expresses in the school. So make sure you make it clear to Duke that they are your first choice (just don’t sound desperate).</p>
<p>Considering a school as competitive as Duke is, the odds are stacked against you. But that isn’t an indictment of your accomplishments or potential. The fact is, the odds are stacked against EVERY single Duke applicant. And yet, hundreds manage to make it in each year. So even though it isn’t exactly likely to be admitted, don’t sell yourself short and assume that you won’t make the cut. Try your hardest and give it a go. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. But at least give yourself a shot at it.</p>
<p>As a currently deferred ED applicant, I can tell you that getting in is literally impossible. I had (what I thought at least) a great chance of getting in, but alas. You shouldnt forget the school though – someone has to get in.</p>
<p>That’s what I’m thinking will happen Evan, it being impossible. I can’t ED there because Georgetown’s requires that if you do EA there you can’t do ED anywhere else, and I think I have a better chance of Georgetown than Duke. If I just get some leadership positions I’d feel better…</p>
<p>CSIHSIS, it’s nothing personal against Georgetown, it’s just statistically easier to get into. The chances of getting into them are both extremely low, but number never lie. I do agree that it is essentially random though</p>
<p>You aren’t rejected until you get rejected. While Duke (or any university of its caliber or higher) should never be a “match” or “safety” school, it can always be a reach school. Don’t bank your chances on getting in, but at least hope and try. Essentially, it is not a stats game. Rather, they review you as an entire person. Just because someone else with higher stats didn’t get in doesn’t mean you won’t.
Seriously, if you don’t believe in yourself, why in the world would admissions?</p>
<p>It’s always a game of chance with top universities, especially if you have no hook. I know very well qualified individuals who applied to numerous ‘reach’ schools and were rejected from every single one, whereas there are those who manage to get into several of them. </p>
<p>Unless you have a hook/ridiculous profile, your chances of being admitted to Duke are slim, but that does not necessarily mean you won’t be admitted to a top tier university. Nor does it mean you won’t be admitted into Duke. Apply to Duke and Georgetown, it only increases your chances.</p>
<p>It is definitely reasonable to aspire to get into Duke! I’m a plain white girl with a 31 ACT and 3rd in the class, and I got in! You never know what they’re looking for.</p>
<p>Just keep the faith and remember yes it’s hard to get into, but 1,000s get in each year and even if you don’t you’ll end up at a good school I’m sure if you are applying to Duke.</p>
<p>Okay, so I have this thing that using data tries to predict a person’s chances of getting into a given college.</p>
<p>A student with perfect SAT scores, perfect GPA, perfect class rank, etc., and average (for his/her stats, which is not at all average) ECs and PQs who’s race is “none indicated” has but a 67% chance of getting into Duke — only 2/3 of people who apply with those stats get in. That’s the ceiling. After than, every factor useful for predicting chances is all arbitrary, at best driven by how well you and your recs charm the adcom, which is arbitrary.</p>
<p>You do, of course, have control over your chances of getting in. Get any less than perfect stats and your chances go down a little. Be a boring person, write crappy essays, your chances go down a lot. You can’t achieve certainty, but you can do something. </p>
<p>One thing you can do to increase your chances of getting into a college you love is to increase the size of the pool of colleges you love. Apply to two schools you have a 67% of getting into (per school) and you have an 89.11% chance of getting into at least one of them. Make that three schools, it increases to 96.4% — and it doesn’t have to stop there.</p>
<p>The lesson is to stop idealizing a single school as the end-all be-all of college education. Guess what? It isn’t. Never will be. Apply smart. Control your romance. Use your head.</p>
<p>Students with extremely high stats don’t always get in obviously BUT keep in mind they at least have a realistic shot. Someone with a 2050 SAT or 30 ACT and top 10% almost certainly will not get a second look at their app at Duke.</p>
<p>TL;DR It is reasonable to aspire to get into Duke if you’re in the top ~1% of your class and have 2200+ or ~33+ACT score. Otherwise Duke is an extremely long, probably unrealistic, shot, unless you’re hooked.</p>
<p>DS3 was accepted yesterday. We are immensely grateful for the offer. His stats/EC’s are good. But, his LORs are only fair since he did not try to impress any of his teachers. His essays are pretty decent. In fact, he talked about a thread on this forum in his why Duke essay. That one was still impressive when I read it again yesterday. So, thank you all the posters on this board. And, I would have to agree that essay counts a lot. Also, at least one of them should match up with your EC’s so that adcom can feel your pain/share your joy/hear your voice while reviewing all other info in front of them.</p>
<p>Really, it’s a hit or miss. My scores were well above the averages, I had good ECs, etc…, and I got waitlisted and eventually rejected from about 3 of my back up schools and ended up getting offers to programs and universities I wasn’t quite expecting. All of those online programs that give you chances? Somewhat helpful, but I wouldn’t read too much into them at all if you’re in reasonable range.</p>