I’ll tell you a few major stuff about me:
-wanting to major in biomedical engineering (at Duke)
-enrolled in International Baccalareate (IB)
-GPA unweighted = 3.92
-plays oboe (very well) and many (5) other instruments
-drum major of band (junior AND senior year)
-district National Honor Society president
-first place in my category at the district science fair
-many other awards of musical performances, community service and leadership
However, sat and act scores are low:
SAT 1240 (out of 1600)
ACT 27
Could I get in?
Very unlikely. Those scores are incredibly low.
virtually no chance
A 3.92 unweighted is impressive in an IB program. You need a higher ACT (32-35, highest scores in Math and Science) or you stand no chance. Also, don’t submit SAT scores.
Okay thank you so much! I am a super hard worker and very dedicated to things once I set my mind to it. I can do this. Once again, thank you!
Get the numbers up, as said above, but Duke is about more than numbers. It is too difficult from the limited info above to determine whether you have anything in your resume that makes you truly unique. Make sure your application shows what makes you stand out, what your life experiences have taught you, and make sure you take the time to think through and articulate WHY you want to go to Duke in particular.
Hey, I personally think you are capable of getting in. I got into Duke with limited stats and lower test scores. By the way, I graduated with a 3.92 GPA as well and a 23 ACT. People who say you are not good enough because of test scores are ignorant. I think what matters is your potential to succeed at Duke and how you will contribute to the academics. You have to be committed and have strong determination to be what you want to be. There are all of people who don’t have perfect scores or GPA but that doesn’t matter. And it’s true that you have to stand out from everybody else, because everyone is different in their own unique way. It’s good to just stick to your goals and passion rather than your grades or scores… But still try to be academically successful. This is Duke! Good luck and I hope you’re motivated to succeed
To get into Duke with an ACT in the 20s, you almost undoubtedly MUST have a strong hook. So, yes, it’s not correct to say “you can’t get in with low test scores,” but it’s certainly not the norm and you have to have something in your application that sets you apart in others ways. Some examples of this include being a recruited athlete, a legacy with major financial donations, having an extremely impressive resume on the art or music side (national awards), overcoming major obstacles (e.g. being at a school that is >50% below poverty and an average ACT of 18), being a first generation American/first gen college student or an underrepresented minority, started a company with great success (already making profits, started from the ground up) or having MAJOR leadership positions (not talking about president of a club in high school, more like part of a non-profit board somehow which is extremely rare for a high schooler), etc.
Having a 3.95 GPA alone will not counteract poor test scores as Duke has its pick of applicants of those with GREAT test scores AND GPA, but Duke will take a “chance” on somebody who exhibits other attributes that they think will positively contribute to the community as they want to have a dynamic, interesting, and diverse set of students. Picking only people with 4.0 GPAs and perfect SAT scores coming from wealthy college-educated households would be a bit boring…So, if you don’t have a major hook, I’d say your chances are slim, but you never know.
Are you Black or Hispanic? If so, then you have a good shot at getting in.
What is your predicted IB score? If you can get 41+ that may help. At the same time, retake SATs and ACTs.
@EliteKnight is right. Unless you’re a URM, your chances are essentially zero. If you do happen to be a URM, then it’s probably a possibility. Certainly not likely, but no school at this level is for anyone.