Will I be competitive for Duke?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I've updated my thread a little. I'm thinking about Duke ED and I know that nobody can accurately predict someone's chances, but based off your knowledge, do you think I have a decent shot (like rate my chance between 1-10)</p>

<p>Male from a rather well respected prep school</p>

<p>ACT: 33- (might retake in Sept) </p>

<p>SAT II: 770 US
730 Math I</p>

<p>UW GPA is like a 3.7-3.8, weighted is just under 4.0 (like 3.98ish)</p>

<p>Grades:
Freshman year (3.539 W)</p>

<p>English A-
Math Honors B+
French II B-
religion A-
Biology A-
Music B+
Health A
History A-</p>

<p>Sophomore Year (4.02 W)</p>

<p>French III A-
Algebra 2 Honors A-
English Honors A-
US Honors A-
Religion A
Chem A
Health A
art A</p>

<p>Junior Year (4.3 W)
US AP A (5)
English AP A- (5)
Physics honors A-
Calc Honors A
French IV A-
Music A
Religion A</p>

<p>Next year I will have 4 APs. </p>

<p>ECs
Track (Indoor and Outdoor)- about 16 hrs a week- every year (dec 1-June 10ish)
-I've won some awards like conference champ, all-star, state competitions and national competitions, and have placed high at state HS meets and Northeastern regionals (some D1/D3 schools want me, but not duke or nd)</p>

<p>XC- one year- captain of frosh team</p>

<p>Student council-3.5 years about 1.5 hrs a week and Im a committee chair</p>

<p>GAA Club Founder and captain- 2 years- Irish football and hurling 3 hours a week in the fall</p>

<p>School fan club founder and pres (Jr and sr years) Few hrs a week</p>

<p>200ish hrs of volunteering, mostly with special needs children
Work</p>

<p>Internship at colligate summer baseball league (I'd do set up, get money, etc) for 2 years (12 hrs a week in summer)</p>

<p>Lead writer for yearbook for the above baseball and edited it too- 3 years</p>

<p>Mowed lawns every summer for a few hrs a week- my own "company"</p>

<p>This summer I had an internship in a European government for a month where I shadowed a politician (2nd in charge of party) answered phones, took notes on meetings, etc and next summer I can go intern at the European Union in Belgium </p>

<p>Intended majors: Econ and political science/public policy</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>Please?! Anyone?</p>

3

<p>You certainly have a shot, but it is really impossible to predict, because they get so many other good applicants.</p>

<p>You need to apply to ten such schools, and you will get into two or three.</p>

4

<p>Thanks. I’m going to apply to a lot of other schools, but Duke is my big reach so I wanted to know what my chances would be like there.</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

5

<p>I’ll chance back!</p>

6

<p>Please anyone?</p>

7

<p>Sorry I don’t know much about Duke except that it’s a really good school but I felt like I should give some input since you helped me. Your ACT is pretty amazing and I think it will help you a lot on your application. Your GPA isn’t the strongest but you have an upward curve and challenging courses which Admission Deans love. And you have really good extracurriculars including sports and community service. While I can’t predict anything, I feel like you have really good potential to get into a lot of schools. I think you should apply ED to Duke and see what happens. I feel like you have a really good chance of getting in but you can never predict the admission process so I wouldn’t get cocky or anything about it (:</p>

8

<p>I think you are definitely competitive!
Good scores, Good grades, Good ECs… have strong essays and you’d be even more competitive!</p>

<p>Duke is pretty much a crapshoot, i think, [unless you apply ED], but I think you have the potential to get in, for sure.</p>

9

<p>Your essays are going to make/break you for Duke. I would love to go to Duke since i’ve heard they’ll help with financial aid completely.</p>

10

<p>In terms of academics, 33 could be better and transcript is riddled with A- which do lower the gpa average (and probably class rank) a fair amount. ECs aren’t bad, but overall, can’t say “competitive.” Just “a chance.” but your prep school advantage combined with ED (optimal choice) could help out a lot.</p>

11

<p>Alright will my government internship not really stand out?</p>

12

<p>It’s good but it won’t stand out.</p>

13

<p>Ok thanks.</p>

<p>Do you thinknit will provide a uniqueness factor or help a bit because it relates to my potential major? I also have a pretty nice rec from the person I worked with.</p>

14

<p>I don’t know about unique, but it adds to your overall profile. A rec wouldn’t hurt, but don’t how much it will help. Given your probably high income bracket, extrapolated from the fact that you attend a prep school, it’s fortunate that you were able to afford such a trip. But such things are taken in the context of your income and or connections which allowed you to have such an opportunity in which case it would not help yous so much. What it can help with, though, is a good experience to write an essay about.</p>

15

<p>alright thanks, but prep schools give good FA haha</p>

<p>So the experience really won’t help much if all because they assume I had the money to go there? Oh well thanks for your imput, I guess I’ll just have to make my essays show that I did a lot and learned a lot while I was there (which I did), and hopefully that will help.</p>

16

<p>What I’m saying that it shows that you’ve had varied experiences and, if it’s what you’re interested in, a degree of focus. But the fact that it’s overseas will not make it stand out as opposed to do a congressional internship in the u.s. The fact that it was overseas highlights what you can afford more than anything. but what counts is the experience (which it shows) and which you can delve into your essay. So it’s good, but the fact that its overseas is not much more of an advantage.</p>

17

<p>^alright thanks for the clarification. Ya the overseas thing isn’t too big of a deal (expect im kinda interested in foreign relations more so I thought that would be a good experience) but that it counts for something is good!</p>

18

<p>Anyone else please?</p>

19

<p>What is your class rank? How about rigor of courseload? Have you taken the most rigorous courseload possible for your school?</p>

20

<p>Your academic profile looks good. Your extracurriculars are decent. Overall, your candidacy looks promising. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1187535-what-my-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1187535-what-my-chances.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;