Chances for a Rising Senior from Redneckville

Colleges & Universities Duke University
1

<p>I live in Southeatern Ohio which is in the middle of no where and surrounded by rednecks (you’re only as cool as the size of your truck). My high school is sub par (only offers 4 APs and was on academic probation from the state my freshman and sophomore year). I decided to take classes at the local community college starting my freshman year due to the lack of academic opportunities at my high school. I went back to see if I missed anything my Junior year (I realize that I made a terrible choice because I am bored out of my mind but it is fun to scoff at the valedictorian and salutatorian when we receive our exams and I beat them by 20 points everytime). I am going to take classes at the college my senior year.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.94 UW (will be 4.09 or 4.10 after my Junior year)
Class rank: 5/167 (Getting a B in precalculus your freshman year kills you)
PSAT: 187 (did not know it was the most important thing for colleges and scholarships so I did not care and did not study for it)
ACT: 32 (E-35, M-35, R-27, S-31, W-8)
Prospective Majors: Music, Physics, Mathematics, and Biology (truthfully, I have no clue, but figuring this question out is the point of college)
APs: AP Calculus AB (pending), AP Government and Politics (pending)</p>

<p>Senior:
I plan to take Gen Chem I and II, Music Theory III and IV, Am History I and II, Brit Lit I and II, and I will audit Human Physiology (400 level class) and Multivariable Calculus in the fall (I will spend this summer learning Calc II concepts and I am hoping that I do well on the “tests” in MC so that I can get signed into Differential Equations I in the spring). I will send my tests from Multi and Physio because I will not have a grade for the classes, but I think that it is unique that I have tried to challenge myself when I am not able to take the courses for credit) I plan to take the AP Calc BC test my senior year and I will take the SAT II tests in Biology and Math II in an attempt to strengthen my application.</p>

<p>ECs:
Football: Freshman year
Track: Freshman and Sophomore years
Soccer: Sophomore and Junior years
Swimming: Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years (plan to swim Senior year)
Key Club: Junior Year
NHS
Church Choir (throughout high school)
Shadowing a Radiologist and Dental Anesthesiologist this summer
I do not have a lot of ECs because my school consumes my life. The time that is not spent studying (whether it is for school or for pleasure) is spent playing the piano. My repertoire includes Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Brahm’s Rhapsody in G Minor, and Debussy’s Clair de Lune to name a few. I am currently working on Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and will start Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude (if I ever get done with the third movement in which Beethoven got the bright idea to try to kill the pianist).</p>

<p>My letter of recommendations should provide stories about my work ethic (i.e. showing up an hour before school to read chemistry books) and my success in the classroom. I also plan to submit a letter of rec from my piano pedagogue because he has know me a long time and has seen me develop as a student, pianist, and person.</p>

<p>I am currently on a visit to Duke and realize that I will apply ED because it is the place for me. Everyone has been friendly, I talked to an admissions officer for thirty minutes, toured the music department, and have an appointment to meet with a piano faculty member Monday. I was totally taken aback by the beauty of the campus, the majesty of the Chapel and the Gardens, and the staggering facilities (then again I come from a high school that is about 60 years old, at least, where the assistant principal had to ask if gas was used during chemistry labs). Best of all, the student body was unbelievably accommodating and intellectually stimulating. I was eating lunch at The Loop and overheard a conversation among four Duke undergrads that included grad school rankings, different ways of teaching Lewis structures, what it would be like to take a class from Dr. John Forbes Nash Jr., and an analysis of da Vinci artistic style. It would be utterly amazing to be part of that in a year.</p>

<p>Please chance me and give me any advice to strengthen my application. Thanks to everyone and good luck to the college adventure that other rising seniors are experiencing.</p>

2

<p>It can be difficult for a student who has not had a thoroughly rigorous experience in high school to be successful at an elite college like Duke. Most of the students there have had multiple APs, very high SATs and are accustomed to putting focused, serious time into classes as well as involvement in extracurriculars. </p>

<p>You haven’t mentioned SAT scores or SAT subject test scores. Very good ones could help you. Something very good also that you mentioned is your interest in specific professors and classes at Duke. Communicating those interests might help.</p>

<p>You might want to look at Wake Forest or Vanderbilt - if you want to stay in the south. Rice or Penn State could be options, too. There are so many good colleges out there.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

3

<p>I would say mention but not dwell on specific classes or professors. Adcoms know that any number of circumstances can intervene between your application and when (if) you get the chance to take those classes. If you make a big deal out of that, it could come back and bite you in the ass. Cast your net widely and be broad with some details.</p>

4

<p>There are successful students at Duke who did not come from high schools with thoroughly rigorous curricula. Those students may have to make a greater adjustment that others, but it can be and is done. I know this is true.</p>

5

<p>I am studying for the SAT II test in Biology right not and plan to take the Math II test also (I am hoping for 750s or higher in both). I did visit Wake Forest and loved it there too, but it just didn’t have the same undescribable feeling as Duke. With that being said, I did make a connection with a piano instructor at Wake and he seemed excited to have a prospective student. Another thing I noticed about WF is everyone was happy and I could see myself attending, but Duke is still my dream school. And I understand what you are saying SBR, but I think that having Multivariable Calculus and Human Physiology from a small community shows that I have tried to find academic opportunities…I will just audit them though because I am not able to take them for credit (lack of prereq for MVC and too high of a class for HP). What would you send them about these two classes? Thank you Shiloh, SBR, and mafool for your input. It is deeply appreciated.</p>

6

<p>OP: I think my comment was more directed towards classes/profs at Duke. As for your audit classes, mentioning them as support for seeking academic rigor somewhere would be nice, but the fact that you were just auditing would make it hard for you to show academic success at meeting those rigors. You have to remember that seeking to challenge yourself is only half of te equation, you have to prove that you are up to the challenge also…</p>

7

<p>Ok thank you very much SBR</p>

8

<p>Last night a Duke representative came to our town and said that Duke is definitely looking for more first generation college students,atypical students, and students who are strong in the arts (your piano may help here if you are really good). Your “redneck” background, and sense of humor about it - should help you.</p>

<p>Still, you need great scores to show them you are as capable as studnets who have been successful in a more rigorous academic environment. Do what it takes to get really high scores and you should have a good shot.</p>

9

<p>dude don’t worry about coming from a “redneck” school…Thats why there are standardized tests, so kids who come from “easy” schools and kids who come from “hard” schools are put on an even comparison scale. Your 32 on the act puts in the average of Duke students…HOWEVER, duke is very compeitive, you need to make yourself stand out from the thousands of “average” duke applicants(average Duke applicant has a 3.9+ gpa and a 32+ act, or a 2100+ sat score)…Your chances would increase if your act was 34+, duke likes high standarized test scores.</p>

10

<p>i def feel you have an amazing chance at duke
if you want %numbers google “mychances” and there are sites that break it ALL down
but my guide when i went to duke had 2290 and other similar stats</p>

<p>are u applying ED or RD?</p>