Will I Get Rescinded or Have to Write a Letter of Explanation?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Duke University
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<p>Sorry in advance for the long post:</p>

<p>I got into Duke RD and applied with 4 B's (1 from sophomore year Honors Precalc and 3 from senior year BC Calc, AP Lit, and Honors Physics).
When final transcripts are sent in, I will have a C in Physics along with 2 B's in Applied Science, an unweighted engineering class, and Spanish 6, which is weighted. I know that a lot of people chalk up the downward trend to senioritis, but I never slacked off. I earned A's in all three of my AP classes (an upward trend in comparison to first semester), and graduated in the top 1% of my class because my cumulative GPA dropped only .006 points after the B's and C were factored in.
Physics absolutely consumed my life and my Applied Science and Spanish 6 grades were negatively impacted because I spent every waking hour on Physics. I invested an exorbitant amount of time, effort, and money on every single source of help possible and spent so much time with my teacher in the Physics department that I was on a first-name basis with the other teachers. Yet, I still struggled in that class and my B from first semester dropped down to a C.
I'm really worried that Duke will rescind me. Even if they don't rescind me and just ask for a letter of explanation, it would be devastating because having to explain how your best just wasn't good enough is a pretty big self-esteem blow, especially since I always believed that hard work and dedication will lead to success.
I'm definitely not saying that the C wasn't my fault. However, I have literally worked myself to death for the past 12 years of my life for my dream school--and turned down full-rides and Ivy offers in favor of Duke--and getting rescinded just a couple of months before enrollment based off of a single class that I've NEVER been good at is pretty tough to swallow. </p>

<p>Does anyone have any experience with how Duke admissions goes about reviewing final transcripts? Is it just a cursory glance-through to make sure students didn't completely blow off their second semester senior year? Or do they comb through the entire transcript and note every single downward trend and demand an explanation for anything below a B?
Also, is it a good idea to contact admissions and prematurely draw attention to my situation? Should I just hope that they don't care that much or is a preemptive strike a better approach?</p>

<p>So sorry for the long post! I'd really really appreciate any insight you can offer! Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>From page 7 of your Blue Book and the final school report:</p>

<p>“The Admissions Office routinely reevaluates the application of every accepted student who received a grade of “C” or lower in his/her final semester. If this student received such a grade, please comment as well as you can on the reasons for this grade”</p>

<p>If it’s just 1 C, you should be fine, but they may indeed reach out and ask what caused the C.</p>

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<p>I’m in the same situation as you!
I wrote to Duke reaffirming my love for the school and explained how I’m just terrible at Physics and had my teachers and counselors and principal corroborate the amount of effort I put in that class.
Hopefully it will work out for both of us!</p>

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<p>I did read that Duke reevaluates but they didn’t say anything about asking for an explanation, even though my counselor did make a note of how hard I worked in that class and how Physics is the hardest subject in my school.</p>

<p>In any case, I’m not really sure how to explain the C. It definitely wasn’t the result of senioritis. I did have added pressures from my extracurriculars and some family drama that caused me to miss school (all excused absences) but nothing life-altering that i couldn’t handle. I’m just worried that Duke will doubt my capabilities since the only honest explanation I can give is that I worked myself to death in that class and still struggled. </p>

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<p>You’ll be fine, don’t worry. I highly doubt they will even notice. You need multiple Ds/Fs to get rescinded. One C is no big deal. They write that to keep you motivated (not that most Duke aceptees need external motivation! ) and afford them flexibility. I wouldn’t sweat it, but it does seem like Duke had changed the wording since I had last seen it asking the student to be proactive and explain the grade instead of relying on Duke to reach out…</p>

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<p>I got 3 C’s my last semester of high school and did not get a notification from them. You’re good.</p>