<p>Hey guys, I'm a rising senior living in the deep south and looking at applying to Duke. Unfortunately, I'm not very experienced or informed on what would help my chances at applying to Duke...</p>
<p>I have not taken the SAT because it isn't very common around here, but my current ACT is a 32 (Superscore is 33 but that probably doesn't matter). I am not sure if I want to apply to Trinity or Pratt, but would taking any SATII subject tests help me? If so which ones? And is taking the SAT advisible, or should I just try to focus on getting my ACT up? Or is this fine?</p>
<p>Sorry for all of the questions! I told you i wasn't informed.... Oh yeah, i'm interesting in biology or biomed engineering as a major. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>if you want to submit SATII scores, you must also submit SAT scores. If you submit ACT scores, there’s no need for SAT or SATII although the ACT must include the writing exam. </p>
<p>With the standardized tests out of the way, I must caution you on your major choices. Just because Biology and biomedical engineering both have “bio” in them doesn’t make them similar in any way. Those two are very different subjects and if you go into BME thinking you’ll be studying anatomy all day long you’ll be in for a shock.</p>
<p>That’s not completely correct SBR. You got it reversed. That is, if you submit SAT scores, you must submit SATII scores. Not the other way around. I submitted ACT and my SATII scores and never took the SAT and got into Duke. While it certainly wasn’t necessary to submit the SAT II scores since I took the ACT, I did well so I thought they couldn’t hurt me. Plus admissions told me they’d still look at them and consider the results as part of my profile. Now, is it vital that you take the SAT IIs if you took the ACT? No. But taking and submitting them is allowable even if you take the ACT and *can *help you if you do well. And if you don’t do well, then just don’t submit them.</p>
<p>Also, a 32 on the ACT is fine. It’s definitely in Duke’s range. I wouldn’t concern myself too much with improving that as other parts of the application. I wouldn’t even bother taking the SAT. And I’d take the SAT IIs you’d think you do the best on. Most likely, though, Math IIC, bio/chem/physics. But anything would work really. If you don’t take them, though, it’s not a big deal either.</p>
<p>not true… i submitted my ACT and my SATII tests to show my strengths. i did not even touch the SAT. you can simply submit the ACT + writing though. my advice would be to not give the collegeboard more money and just don’t take the SAT.</p>
<p>when it comes to pratt, kids are generally very, very math+science orientated. bme is one of the duke’s premier programs.</p>
<p>Oh don’t worry, I was aware of the differences in each major… and I fully realize that the added math and physics makes BME a much more rigorous selection. Thanks so much for the help guys… and is a 32 really good enough for Duke? And I think I’m planning to take the Biology and Chemistry SATII tests in October</p>
<p>wait SBR, didn’t you apply to Duke when there was not score choice? cause I know now that you can send in SAT IIs without having to send in SAT because of score choice.</p>