^^ you should follow up with tour guidance counsellor on this as they should be helping the teachers write relevant references for a place like Duke.
lhw1998 A 32 ACT is good enough. My son had no hook and he got in with a 32 composite. Since you realize that your score is not top, make sure that your application stands out in essays and activities.
@neonpinklime Yes, but I am half-Chinese, so affirmative action hurt me a lot there. My Naviance does ACT breakdown by ethnicity for schools, and the average score for Asians is 35/4.46GPA, White is 32/4.19GPA, URM is 30.5/3.8GPA.
@bubblepop12444 I understand your concern; however, my son had a 32 composite and got in ED to Pratt. Every candidate has negatives.
UPDATE****. I raised by ACT score up to a 34. However, I applied ED2 to Pomona.
Good job on the ACT score. My fingers are crossed for you.
Did you write an update letter to Duke? Your new score might put you in the running.
@sgopal2 Nope, I did not write an update letter to Duke. Right now, I’m going to take my deferral as a rejection until April and focus on other schools. 
^ you really should update Duke with your new score.
Although I raised my ACT score in December, I don’t want to write them an update letter because I don’t want to be devastated again. I think that it’s best for my sanity to just forget that I even applied until I get rejected in April.
Did you apply ED to Duke then also ED2 to Pomona? Are you even allowed to do this? Sorry for bringing up an older thread of yours.
Yes, you are allowed to do that and it is what appears the OP did. Once you get deferred from Duke during the ED round, you are no longer obligated to attend if accepted RD so are free to apply to schools with other early decision rounds or rolling admissions.
UPDATE: I’M GOING TO WELLESLEY!
Thanks so much for the encouraging words! Wellesley is a great school and I’m so happy to be 2021.