ACCEPTED!
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2350 — (800 CR, 770 M, 780 W)
ACT (breakdown): 33 (didn’t send)
SAT II: 790 US History, 750 Math II
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 in AP World, 5 in AP US History, 5 in AP Statistics, 4 in AP Lang
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Biology, AP Calculus BC, AP Literature and Composition, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Comparative Government, French 5, Peer Leadership
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Commended Scholar, NYS Scholar Award, Character award from the NYS Attorney General’s Office
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Model UN (Secretary-General), Mathletes (Officer), Young Women’s Forum (President), National French Honor Society (Treasurer), Bollywood Culture Club (Public Relations), Forensics Speech and Debate [State quarterfinalist in speech; Octofinalist for debate, Forensics National League inductee with distinction), Mock Trial (Team made top 8), Science Olympiads (Consultant), National Honor Society
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: Muscular Dystrophy Association ( Fundraising team leader – over 100 hours per year), Church Student Leader (worked weekly to sponsor children in the Dominican Republic, World Vision International, and Silver Linings Ministry), Literacy For Life NY (Head of women’s literacy chapter of a student-run non-profit organization), volunteered as a TA at children’s summer camp, Cure Dystonia Now (Staff member at 2 annual fundraisers), Relay For Life (fundraised as part of 4 years of leadership classes)
Summer Activities: Traveled to China with family, worked as intern at a regional women’s organization, volunteered as a TA at a summer camp, attended summer camp for children with muscular dystrophy
Essays: Common app – I worked very hard on this essay over the summer because I knew it would be important. I wrote about how from grades 2 to 6, I had an aide in the classroom to help me with obstacles posed by my physical disability (a form of muscular dystrophy) and how she inspired me to always work towards my potential. I emphasized the importance of helping others and the concept of paying it forward.
Teacher Recommendation: I had three recs, and had very good relationships with all three teachers; didn’t get to read them but they must have been all great :’)
Counselor Rec: I’m super close with my guidance counselor, so I know the rec was very personal and well-written.
Additional Rec: Had a recommendation from a camp counselor I had for two years from my summer camp. She wrote about my leadership and how I mentored younger girls with the same disability. The other was from my peer leadership teacher of 2 years, writing about how I was interviewed then selected to be in an exclusive peer leadership class and my work there. (So grateful to the both of them!)
Common App Essay: See above 
Duke Supplement Essays: Well-written. For the Trinity one, I wrote about my interest in economics of education and my desire to work with a certain professor in the FOCUS program. For the optional one, I wrote about how going to summer camp with kids with the same disease as me really empowered me, and made me grateful for everything I have and can do.
Interview: Didn’t have one
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Economics
State (if domestic applicant): NY
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Large, suburban public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: >180K per year
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Was born in a different country and lived there for 5 years, had a somewhat unique essay because of life experiences living with a physical disability that affects under 1% of Americans – if that counts? 
Reflection:
Strengths: SAT scores/GPA, strength of curriculum, leadership class, extracurricular leadership, worked hard on essays, close relationships with rec-writers
What you tried to focus on in your application - any hooks you tried to make for yourself: My love of learning, urge to help others, and leadership abilities.
Weaknesses: No huge national awards or Intel/research-related competitions
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: I honestly have no clue how such a prestigious college like Duke could accept me. God has really blessed me and I hope I can use this opportunity to leave a positive mark at Duke while it molds me into a better student/person. This sounds so corny, but it still feels like a fairytale two days later.
Where else were you accepted/deferred/rejected:
Accepted to Rice University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Rochester, and Stonybrook Honors College
Waitlisted at Hopkins and WashU
Still waiting on Harvard, Cornell, Yale, and Princeton
Notes: Again, I’m still shocked over the acceptance. I have the Duke poster that just came in the mail hanging in my room and the acceptance letter, but it all feels unreal. I’m honestly so lucky to have gotten in, and I’m so excited to meet everyone at the Blue Devil Days. Congrats to all accepted, and my best wishes to all those rejected/waitlisted.
On that note, GOOO BLUE DEVILS!!!