<p>Hi, I just joined and I recently visited Duke University and LOVE it. I am 14 and entering my 11th grade year at a very good private school in South Carolina. Through my 9th and 10th grade years, I have maintained a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA and had all A's and A+'s. I played football during my sophomore year, and this summer I have been doing a lot of work at the animal shelter, which is basically the first community service work I've done. I plan on several extra curricular activities this fall, such as becoming the sports writer/journalist for my school football team, and assisting my dad in coaching his youth soccer team. I know I have a lot of community service to do, which I will. There are no AP classes available at my school, but I am so far ahead in some subjects, particularly math, that the school had created several classes for me this past year, all of which I aced. When I turn 15 in February, I plan on applying for a worker's permit to get a job for more to put on my college application. I am taking the PSAT this fall and plan on taking the SAT several times to boost my score, but in an old SAT this past spring, I scored a 1950 (780 Writing-12 Essay, 620 Math, and an embarrassing 550 in Critical reading). At this point, with two years in high school remaining, what do I need to do and improve on to get into Duke University? Thanks!!!</p>
<p>Also, just to let you know, I am caucasian and my family is an upper-middle income, if that makes a difference.</p>
<p>Oh, and also, just to add more info, I have never had a B on any progress report or report card, and my school is private and a great school but very small: out of maybe 75 kids in my grade, I am probably #2, within striking distance of the top student…</p>
<p>How are you #2 if you’ve maintained perfect grades, and have taken the most challenging courses available? If you continue to keep up your grades, and get your SAT scores up, you have a great chance at getting into Duke. Still, Duke is a reach for practically everyone. You should find something you are very interested in, and pursue it, instead of just getting a job to “have one more thing on [your] application.”</p>
<p>Well, I’m only number two because I finished taking Calculus AB this past year, while the person ahead of me was only taking Geometry, so he had a 100 in an easier class and I had a 99 in a class my school doesn’t even usually offer, so I guess you could consider me number 1. Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>Bamafan your SATs need to go up some as you already know. </p>
<p>Also, find something that you have a passion in and pursue it vigorously. It is this passion, and the impact that you have on the community with that passion that will help you get into Duke.</p>
<p>keep in mind nobody cares about writing on the SAT.</p>
<p>I’m just gonna piggyback off him, duke is my reach</p>
<p>2100 SAT, 1400 raw dog SAT, 4.6 Weighted, 4.0 Unweighted. Beta club, Student Gov, NHS, Academic Team, Soon to be Eagle Scout, 3 year job. white middle class.</p>
<p>Your SATs scores need to go up for a school like Duke. Furthermore, a post like this should go on the “what are my chances?” forum. But welcome to CC!</p>
<p>“keep in mind nobody cares about writing on the SAT.”</p>
<p>I don’t think that is true. You can look at the common data set of most schools to see how they view the writing and/or essay portion of the SAT.</p>
<p>Duke reports it’s midrange writing score as 660-760.</p>
<p>and also are you going to apply to pratt or trinity? I’m going to Duke next year and I can tell you that for Pratt, it’s important to have a good SAT score and good grades in science and math. But as someone said before, make sure you have something that you are extremely passionate about and follow through with that.</p>