Morehead-Caine vs Duke ED

<p>I was planning on applying to both Duke ED and risking my chance of having to revoke my Morehead application if I was accepted at Duke. But after starting my Morehead account I realized that the scholarship basically is binding. Now I have NO CLUE what to do. I love Duke and it has a great environmental program (which is what I will major in) but I also don’t have any objections to going to Chapel Hill. Do I even have a chance at either? My school nominated me for the Morehead and the Park (full ride for NC State) scholarship and I feel like I have a shot at them but I don’t know if it is worth risking Duke, my dream school. Help!</p>

<p>My transcript and EC are good but my test scores are low. Also, I have done big community service projects but I don’t volunteer anywhere regularly. I’m hoping that my concentration of environmental classes will make up for the fact that I only have 2 language credits. </p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 4.0<br>
Weighted: 4.9 – 5.0 (don’t remember the exact #)
Rank: 2/352
ACT: 31
SAT: 1970 CR-760 Math- 620 Writing- 590</p>

<p>Freshman:
Honor Classes: Earth Science, English1, Geometry, World History</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Honor classes: Algebra2, Civics, English2, Pre-calc, Biology, US History(online class over summer)</p>

<p>Junior:
Honor Classes: Calc, Chem, English3, Green Environmental Geology (through NCSSMO), Climate Change Biology (through NCSSMO)
AP: CalcAB (4), US (4), Lang (4)</p>

<p>Senior:
Honors: English4, International Relations (through NCSSMO), Genetics& Biotechnology (through NCSSMO)
AP: Earth, Stats, World, Bio, Calc BC, Chem</p>

<p>Sports:
Indoor and Outdoor track – 9th through present
Cross-Country – 10th through present, varsity all years, team captain 11th and 12th, all-conference junior year and most likely #1 in conference this year
Competed in half-marathons and placed in top of age division/ womens overall</p>

<p>Clubs/ leadership/volunteer:
Susan G. Komen 3-Day walker (raised $2300 and walked 60 miles for breast cancer awareness and research) (2011-2012)
Participant of mission trip to repair houses of low-income families in the Appalachian mountains (summers prior to 9th, 10th, 11th)
President of Honor Society (12th), creator and president of Green Team (11th and 12th), member of Junior Civitans (10th-12th) and secretary (11th&12th), Team group leader for THINC (science competition held by UNC Chapel Hill), placed 3rd overall (11th); handbell and youth choir at church (9th-12th); Presider at Ethics and Leadership Conference (11th)</p>

<p>Honors:
Completed paid research at Meredith College on stream erosion&morphology (summer before 12th); Accepted into NCSSM Online Program (11th); AP Scholar; Participant in Field Research Experience Seminar on Lichens at Duke University (11th)</p>

<p>If I do the Morehead I plan to get a rec from my math teacher who I’ve had for Geometry, Calc, and Calc AB. If I go for Duke I’m going to get an extra rec from the professor I did research w/ this summer (an alum of Duke)</p>

<p>Also, what are my chances of Duke regular decision?</p>

<p>Other colleges I’m applying to: NC State; UChicago; BU; SUNY-ESF</p>

<p>Duke: Reach (Trinity or Pratt, ED or RD)
NCSU: Low match
SUNY-ESF: safety
BU: Low match/Match
U Chicago: Reach (beware the essay prompts)
UNC-CH: Match</p>

<p>Many schools automatically nominate the top GPA ranked students for the Park and Morehead without taking other factors into account. I agree that these scholarships would be a reach given your test scores. If you can afford Duke and don’t need to wait to compare aid offers from other schools, you stand a better chance if you go ED.</p>

<p>I chanced you for UNC without the Morehead…</p>