<p>What on earth makes you think Duke is easier to get into? I think the OOS acceptance rate Dean J gave after admissions decisions was 24%? College Board has Duke at 19% and their posted scores are higher. Is there something I’m missing? Look at UVaHoo’s post, her son sounds amazing, and he was a legacy. My son had great stats, ecs, recs, great school, the whole picture - sometimes it still doesn’t get you there. I think the people posting here just want you to be realistic. Yes, go after your dream, but have an alternate plan that you’re happy with.</p>
<p>Don’t stop testing. Do start putting in Common Data Set into your colleges and realizing that those getting into these schools with bottom quartile test scores have some extra hook or factor.<br>
Put the cart behind the horse…build up your own Personal Bests…and then make your list.<br>
There is an extensive series in the Duke Chronicle about admissions this year which ended up with a waitlist of 3000 fully qualified students. My son was a Duke tour guide. One in four Dukies had an 800 on something…usually math. Duke turns down most valedictorians. </p>
<p>You can also see looooong interview with the Duke Guttentag on youtube and Dean J’s UVA blog is full of very frank and helpful posts…look at the months when results came in for the last two years…in March and April and take a look at the waitlists and rejections at these colleges. </p>
<p>don’t let that happen to you. There are many colleges which deliver rigorous educations</p>
<p>Don’t get discouraged about your list. Build a list that makes sense. And get two SATII books and actually do the practice exams and take one each day that is left this year…don’t take two or three at once in my opinion. You can also take those SATIIs in sittings in the fall. Supplementary test scores are big tipping factors. </p>
<p>You should be looking at many many other colleges besides Duke and UVA. No one is asking you to not apply…but you are mistaken to think that enthusiasm is a factor in any college. Duke and UVA also have a ton of international applicants and students who would give blood to get in who have incredible back stories. Obviously the entire applicant pool is usually enthusiastic.</p>
<p>I’m just playing by what the scattergrams at my school says. Remeber guys I do not go to an easy public school… The average accepted ACT to duke from my school is 31… The average accepted GPA to duke from my school is 3.81… Either these scattergrams are very messed up or Duke isn’t as hard as everyone says to get into.
Secondly, My school is a target school for BC. Since my prep school is Jesuit all I need to get into BC is a 28 ACT and a 3.7 GPA so this is basically my saftey. I will be applying to all reaches and maybe 1/2 safteys.</p>
<p>Okay, you really aren’t getting it. You need to sit down and talk to your school’s college counselor. My son also goes to a rigorous private school. On his school’s scattergram the average ACT for UVa was 31, he had a 34. His other stats were all compareable to the accepted stats. He didn’t get in. There are lots of kids with great stats that go to rigorous private and public high schools. Yes, you need the stats but you also need to look beyond stats. Again, please pursue your dream, just be realistic about the real chance of admissions to any top university.</p>
<p>I hope your Guidance Counselor is going to be able to get through to you in time. Naviance is not reliable. Duke had a huge surge in applications this year alone. We are also in a major recession and seats at UVA are very coveted. </p>
<p>[Duke</a> invites 3,372 to join Class of 2014 | The Chronicle](<a href=“The Chronicle”>http://dukechronicle.com/article/duke-invites-3372-join-class-2014) the articles are all around here…linked. I can’t remember what RD was…overall 14%…so I think RD was 9% this year. </p>
<p>You should develop a list that includes good colleges like Lafayette, LeHigh, Wake Forest and Furman where classroom rigor is quite high.</p>
<p>I also have to question your judgment re the statements about your “not easy public” high school. My sons attended a public school with a 50% drop out rate. The applications that make it in are based on your personal talents, not your school connections more and more.</p>
<p>You are not in a position to have a viable application without supporting supplementary exam scores in keeping with the expectations adcoms would have for someone with the advantage of a good high school.
Friend with a 1540 MV SAT denied at Duke with many regional honors as an athlete–in our region…one person per year maybe admitted. Valedictorian not even waitlisted. The only person admitted to Duke from our school was also admitted to Harvard and Yale this student also had an amazing record with multiple test scores and a Presidential Scholar status.</p>
<p>Alright guys thanks for the input. Well I really want to go to UVA but I know it’s a dream… I mean I will app to safteys and such it’s just that I’m almost definent I will get into a top 30 school… Well I have to make the horrible decision of wether or not I am going to app ED to somewhere… UHHH</p>
<p>UVAorBust…I couldn’t agree more with Faline’s advice. You need to recognize that NONE of these top 20-25 schools is a sure thing for ANYONE! Did you read the thread shortly after decisions were released about the applicant (Stupefy) who had a 2390 and was waitlisted at UVa? That applicant had a phenomenal profile and was waitlisted at numerous schools. There wasn’t anything “wrong” with her app – recognize that often luck plays a role in admissions. Yes, she is going to a great school (Williams I believe). My faith leads me to believe this is where God has intended for he to be. Similarly, my D was accepted at several of the schools she applied to including UVa; however, she was waitlisted at several, too, including Vanderbilt, the school she always thought would be a low match based on her stats. She couldn’t have known that Vandy would have a surge in applications, and their RD rate would plummet, like Faline said, to a mere 13%! Because she cast a wide net, though, she has excellent choices, and will attend either UVa or Northwestern this fall. She’ll be fine, as you will, and is in prayer about this decision. My point is that you shouldn’t get too excited or over-confident about one school in particular that’s in the top 35; it’s quite likely you won’t be accepted. You will, however, be accepted somewhere and with the proper attitude, will be very happy. Good luck!</p>
<p>choosing your ED school is a very very important strategic decision because it is indeed the only way to avoid the crush of completely qualified applicants in RD rounds. </p>
<p>I also question your tone on the subject of “safety schools.” Students with an ACT of 30 are often denied at Wake Forest for instance. You have to be top quartile to consider a school a match, and then you have to factor in the intangibles. Are there more guys than girls applying (here you are advantaged at all Liberal Arts colleges in most cases). Is there an unstated need for a boy from a northern Catholic school to represent a background that is underrepresented in a college? (Furman would likely consider you as just the kind of person they want…they want more kids from non Protestant backgrounds from other regions who will come get to know the southern kids) The University of Richmond would likely be interested in you…however, they serve many Middle Atlantic State students…you are from a not uncommon region there. Dig in and think more about your potential strengths and your major and your possible career path and think about which school will push you just hard enough. Have you looked at Oberlin or schools in the midwest? Think outside the box. </p>
<p>I am almost glad our school system can’t afford Naviance so we didn’t get confused by looking at the past. I feel that our sons were treated fairly because they applied to schools that made sense but we had to do a lot of personal research to get realistic. </p>
<p>ps Best wishes to jc40’s girl…she can’t lose with UVA or Northwestern as choices regarding the incredible people she will meet immediately. And who knows which other waitlist will suddenly open up in May and June!</p>
<p>Do you have a personal story to tell…everyone does. Make sure to tell it. Anyone who has held a job for a good while in high school already has something going on that is cool.</p>
<p>Also, don’t give up your dream if you love UVA. Do exactly as you said and come at it with your upped test scores and best game. we will all be most happy for you in one year</p>
<p>I’m not going to keep a 30… I plan on getting a 33 or higher. I know I am accepted to BC with a 32. There is no doubt in my mind I will be accepted to BC with a 32… I’m just applying to reaches now</p>
<p>Uvaorbust, I agree with the others. You do need to consider other schools. My son is an IS junior with a 4.66 wGPA, numerous APs, some UVA credits, great ecs, etc. He is ranked top 5% of his class and his guidance counselor and GRT commented that his stats will “get him ‘looked at’ at all the top schools, but there are no guarantees.” While they feel he is a strong match for UVA, I see that many with stats like his were rejected or waitlisted. Even with “triple legacy” (my undergrad and grad degrees are from UVA) and his excellent stats, I am encouraging him to apply to more “safety” rather than reach schools. I think in this economy that many people are recognizing UVA as the bargain that it is. I would caution you not to put all your eggs in one basket.</p>
<p>And, do not apply ED to ANY school that you are not willing to commit to–that would be a mistake.</p>
<p>“There is no doubt in my mind I will be accepted to BC with a 32”</p>
<p>Again, UVAorBust, listen to what has been said: THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES FOR TOP TIER SCHOOLS! I know you go to a prestigious prep school, and although that might help somewhat at certain institutions, NOTHING IS A LOCK! Please review BC’s acceptance boards carefully. I suppose I find it somewhat bold and brazen that one student with say a 32 ACT and A/B average feels as though they are better candidates than those with equal or better stats who were waitlisted or rejected. Recognize that rarely is this true. I understand that you might have a slight edge at BC because you go to a Jesuit prep, but there are many kids, UVAorBust, who go to equally great schools (some of which might be prestigious Jesuit schools) who have fantastic stats that DON’T GET INTO BC! Their acceptance rate this year was in the low 20’s. In short, BC is nobody’s safety. Like Faline alluded to, demographics play a role and yours are a dime a dozen at BC (northern Catholic); the southern Protestant will have a slight edge. My daughter was asked to be in their honor’s program, and she KNOWS how blessed she is and looks upon it with gratitude. Were her stats above that of BC’s? Yes, but again, she now understands after we’ve experienced this process this year, that regardless of fantastic stats, there ARE NO GUARANTEES! I do hope you get into UVa, but I also want you to acknowledge that there’s a strong probability you won’t or some of the other schools you mentioned. You will, though, get in somewhere, and you need to recognize that most likely, it’s the place where you probably should be.</p>
<p>By the way, Faline, thank you for your kind words. She’s still struggling with the decision. (May 1st is a ticking time bomb; however, I want it to pass so that we can move on and be done with this phase.) I’ll keep you aprised of the outcome:)</p>
<p>Thank you guys for the fantastic responses. Keep them coming. Ohh and just to let you guys all know if you haven’t figured it out already… I like to be cocky when it comes to colleges because then I can atleast feel like I’m going to get in. I know I probably won’t get in more than 3 top tier schools but hey I’ll be happy. Not as much ast at UVA but what can you do :(.</p>
<p>It’s better to feel like you won’t get in, then it’s a pleasant surprise when you do.</p>
<p>Thats exactly how I feel dreaming. I know I won’t get into most places so it will be really nice when I do get into a few :)</p>
<p>Focus on what you have time to alter. SATIIs, AP exams, summer job. Save time to reflect on your colleges this summer. Read college newspapers. Present yourself in your essays as someone who understands where he may contribute to campus community and what part of the college will impact him the most.</p>
<p>Every college is a country unto itself with a history of making a difference… and deserves your respect. Never underestimate the worth of colleges that are not in the top 30 dogfight on USNWR. Many many colleges deliver the goods. </p>
<p>It is best not to be dreaming now but to get into sort of battle mode. Starting with the SATIIs if you want some new cards to play. You don’t have to report them. You may be able to benefit from them.</p>
<p>Excellent advice in this thread. </p>
<p>Wish there had been something like CC back when I was applying to college!</p>
<p>Yea this thread is full of great advice! I would advise anyone looking at this thread to read all the comments. They’re all helpful (besides my cocky ones lol)</p>
<p>You are a good sport, UVAorBust! 
Channel your high spirits towards your A game and towards realizing that many colleges are very challenging in the classroom and full of great mentors, opportunities and peers. The differences between the colleges are more cultural than academic in many cases, and each college has unique qualities and intentions.</p>
<p>On top of Faline2’s solid advice UVAorBust should be looking at a safety school or two where admissions might be assured and then she can bring on the cocky. So advise looking at perhaps U of Delaware, James Madison, U of Iowa, and a host of others, and schools where you can apply EA, or that have rolling admissions.</p>