Indian Male from Bay area for Duke ED1 (LEGACY) and Vandy ED2 [CA resident, 3.9 GPA, 34 ACT, economics, philosophy, finance, accounting]

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Demographics: Indian Male, Bay Area Public High School (Sent 10ish to T20s and 30+ to UCB/UCLA), Duke Legacy

Intended Major(s): Econ/Philosophy/Finance/Accounting

ACT/SAT/SAT II: 34 (Hoping for a 35 October ACT but not optimistic…)

UW/W GPA and Rank:
10-12 GPA: 3.85/4.6
9-12 GPA: 3.9/4.31
Calculated GPA with Outside Courses (10-12): 3.91/4.4
Calculated GPA with Outside Courses (10-12): 3.93/4.7

(I hate my GPA, I got 3 Bs Junior Year (APUSH, Calc II, AP Chem) cuz my grandma was diagnosed with Stage 4 rheumatoid arthritis. My grandma raised me when I used to live in India (I am a Permanent Resident now). I had a 4.0 up until junior year and now could have screwed myself. I took many outside courses to remediate my poor GPA)

AP Coursework (Took outside courses too to make up for poor GPA): AP Euro, AP World, AP CSP, APES, AP Calc AB, AP HUG, AP Calc BC, APUSH, AP Chem, AP CSA, AP Lang, AP Bio, AP Physics Mech, AP Physics EM, AP Art History, AP Comparable Gov, AP Statistics, University Microeconomics, AP Macro, AP Gov, AP Lit, AP African American, Multivar Calc, Linear Algebra, Diff Equations, Syracuse Public Policy, Syracuse Sociology, Some Notre Dame for-credit course on Israel, Some other APs and 2 other University DE courses (law, data science) In total I should have about ~30 honors/APs/DE courses that I will submit through the various institutions I took them from.

Extracurriculars: (in no particular order)

  1. Ebay and Etsy eCommerce Business: Generated over 20k+ in revenue and national recognized awards for it (4 years), Awarded National eBay Top Rated Plus Seller Badge (most sought after eBay seller status) and National Etsy Star seller recognition
  2. Bay Area District Attorney Internship
  3. District Task Force member for Transportation Initiative & Paid Internship under San Francisco government to implement a transport plan for Bay Area. Will pitch idea to San Francisco Transportation HQ Council Members.
  4. Financial Literacy NPO Founded: Education on financial literacy initiative, small business financial consulting, and providing microloans to small businesses (obtained CA Lending License); The NPO has achieved a partnership with the Indian Central Government to support sponsorship. Providing microloan to URM beekeeping business in India to provide education and jobs to widows and divorced.
  5. Santa Clara University Young Scholar in Economics and first and only high schooler apart of university community action team (3 years including Sophomore summer)
  6. Econ/Finance Research (Probability Bethel SSI Program (This program was sponsored by the College to do research), Assisting Vanderbilt PhD Research in Economic and Social impact of Drug Production ) (2 years)
  7. Director of Finance for DECA Chapter: Gave $300 scholarship to each of our ICDC competitors (3 years)
  8. Civic Leadership? (Civics Unplugged Fellow, Youth in Policy Fellowship, MAYBE a paid fellowship with George Washington University) (2 years)
  9. XC/Track (3 years)
  10. Boba Worker Part Time

Awards: (in no particular order)

  1. Coke Scholar Semi-Finalist
  2. YYGS in Politics Law and Economics
  3. Tulane University AND Brown University Book Award (Awarded partially because of NPO)
  4. National Stock Trading Competition Qualifier/Winner (Stevens Institute of Technology 5th Place, Bentley University 1st Place, UT Dallas 3rd Place)
  5. ICDC Qualifier (First in State of CA)

LOR:

  1. Economics of Business Teacher (I have had her for a year and she general likes me and I will TA for her. She is also the DECA advisor so I have to work with the finances of DECA with her)
  2. APUSH Teacher (Only been in her class for a semester but she likes me and I will TA for her as well; she also writes great LORs cuz I have seen them)
  3. Counselor (She said she will qualify my extenuating circumstances during junior year and just brag about me in general)

Reaches: Duke, Ivies, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Colgate, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, UCs, Georgia Tech, UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, JHU, WashU

P.S. So, how much will my GPA affect me. I am really hoping that after being recalculated, it will get me in the door!

2

Others can comment on the UCs.

For the reachy privates, the most useful information you might be able to get would be what sorts of credentials those 10ish people your HS send to T20s had if they were successful as unhooked applicants. This is because those colleges are going to look at your grades in context, and it is not really possible for us to know how they are going to evaluate the grades you reported in context.

Generally speaking I believe those colleges will consider grades for courses you took for HS credit and that actually appear on your HS transcript, but you should probably have modest expectations for any courses/grades that do not appear on your HS transcript.

In terms of your list, I would suggest you consider some private research universities and LACs that are not as reachy as the ones on your list, that might indeed be interested in offering you merit. The reality of the situation is there is a good chance you will not get into any of your reachy colleges (this is true for almost everyone, not just you). But you could still end up with some great offers to choose between if you carefully select your Likely and Target colleges.

1 Like
3

I agree that your list is reach-heavy. But before we can suggest other schools you need to tell us your budget. This is an important part of the chance-me/match-me template that you seem to have skipped. Please let us know so we can help you.

2 Likes
4

Calculate your UC GPAs here: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub

I’m sorry to hear about your grandma, but do not write anything that blames the B’s on this. B’s aren’t bad grades, not sure why you would remediate those.

Do you have any AP test scores to report?

Your list is basically all reaches. Do you have at least one affordable safety? Which leads me to the next question: What is your budget? If you are applying for financial aid, run the NPCs at the schools on your list. Here’s Duke’s to get you started: Net Price Calculator

I would also think about your majors…they are a bit all over the place. Your ECs don’t align that well with philosophy or accounting. At schools where you have to apply to a major or school, for which major/school will you be applying?

1 Like
5

You are a fine student. You challenged yourself and so you got some Bs- life goes on. In math classes, you want to ensure you understand the material as it builds later.

Agreed - don’t try to justify the B+. You don’t know why you got them. You are trying to justify them and that’s excuse making. Now taking care of grandma - that’s an activity ie you can note it in additional info. But don’t correlate to the grades.

Is most interested in what you want in a school. You picked random names that rank high.

How else do you get Georgia Tech and Bowdoin coming from CA ?

You should figure out what you want - Econ or Finance/Accounting.

They are very different. Which do you want to study. If it’s finance or accounting, you’ll need to redo your entire list.

So give that some thought. Accounting, especially, is very employable and where you go won’ matter much. But it won’t happen from most of your list.

Econ is a social science with a lot of theory as opposed to business which is more project / practice.

These are vastly different.

So I would look at curriculums and decide up front - and if it’s possible you want business you need to start a school list again.

And if you might want a business degree but aren’t sure - I’d start there. It’ll be easier to go business to Econ than vice versa.

For small schools that might mean a W&L, Richmond or Bucknell (and yes you need a few likelies as others noted although I can see you getting in somewhere ).

For mid size, instead of a Duke or Vandy, a W&M.

Figure out what you want - budget, environmentally (urban, suburban, rural), size, weather etc. and find the right school. You will be somewhere for four years, day after day. You want it to be the right place.

And if there’s any chance you want finance/accounting - that requires a redo.

Good luck

2 Likes
6

Hello, all the courses I took outside are for-credit from accredited institutions. I just cannot put them on my transcript my California LAW which limits the amount fo 4 classes outside of school that go on a transcript. Also for some classes, namely Multivar Calc, Diff Eq, and Linear Algebra, I would have no way to put these on my transcript so I have to report them outside.

Additionally, I was really looking into my chances as a Duke ED + Legacy with my stats. Duke requires me to submit my outside for credit courses s o I do not understand why they would not be factored.

I did not include my Targets or Safeties simply because if I did not get into a decent UC or ~T25, I would just end up choosing to go to UCR/UCM. I also do not require nor qualify for financial aid.

7

I did not include my Targets or Safeties simply because if I did not get into a decent UC or ~T25, I would just end up choosing to go to UCR/UCM. I also do not require nor qualify for financial aid.

This was post was more gauge my chances for Duke ED Legacy specifically :slight_smile:

8

Hello, I do have AP Scores which are all 4s/5s with one 3 in CSA.

I did not include my Targets or Safeties simply because if I did not get into a decent UC or ~T25, I would just end up choosing to go to UCR/UCM. I also do not require nor qualify for financial aid.

I chose philosophy because I consider it a Pre-Law major. If not, then I will stick to applying as Finance/Econ?

9

I really wanted a ChanceMe for specifically Duke ED Legacy cuz it is my “dream school”.

I did not include my Targets or Safeties simply because if I did not get into a decent UC or ~T25, I would just end up choosing to go to UCR/UCM. I also do not require nor qualify for financial aid.

10

Only Duke knows but I’d say unlikely. And not because of a 34 ACT which is great and in range.

There are no dream schools. Get it out of your mind.

There are bad profs, food, roomies everywhere.

At Duke, there’s a bus from your dorm to class.

You missed my point - what do you want to study - because if you truly want to study accounting or finance and you are making a life decision (not four year decision), Duke shouldn’t even be on your list.

11

Duke’s acceptance rate is well under 10% so, even with legacy, you should consider it à reach. If Duke is your top choice and it is affordable then it makes sense to apply ED.

Agree that it is best to avoid the “dream school” trap – especially for a college like Duke with such competitive admissions. Create a list of reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable and that you would be excited to attend and things will work out.

1 Like
12

Wouldn’t the colleges you apply to want your academic record from all high schools and colleges you attended, regardless of whether any other courses appear on your main high school transcript?

13

ED - Duke is not coy about the fact that you’re all in or not - I actually think legacy is a detriment in RD

r
r

14

I hope you don’t mind that I changed your subject to make it clearer.

I think your list is a bit top heavy…but that’s my opinion.

Do you have a sure thing for admission, affordability and that you would be happy to attend? If so…what is it? In my opinion, you need to find this school…now.

I see this now:

I did not include my Targets or Safeties simply because if I did not get into a decent UC or ~T25, I would just end up choosing to go to UCR/UCM. I also do not require nor qualify for financial aid.

There are a lot of good colleges between the T25 schools or “decent UCs” and UCR and UCM. Would you like some suggestions!

3 Likes
15

Will UCR and UCM be on your application list?

16

And if you want accounting, not UCM. But UCR has a b school.

And there’s plenty of other great schooks for business - from Indiana to Ohio State to the two Arizonas - that have great b schools.

Again with your list - with Duke - you need to rule out a career.

That’s for op.

17

What does this mean?

1 Like
18

If the student wants to study finance or accounting, it won’t be at Duke.

That’s why if it’s possible you want to study something, you go to a school that offers it.

Duke does not offer an undergraduate business major - so why would you attend a school that doesn’t offer what you possibly want?

If the student decides they want econ or philosophy, great. If they’re not sure, then Duke isn’t right for them.

This is not a four year but life decision - so they should opt for a school that keeps their desires possible.

19

The student mentioned a number of majors…this one at Duke would work.

Duke is a feeder for finance jobs in some places, IIRC.

3 Likes
20

Theory - if the student wants to student actual finance or accounting, it won’t.

It’s fine to go to Duke - but if OP wants to be an accountant, for example or it’s possible they want to be, it won’t work.

It’s all I’m saying.

So they have to be prepared to give it up.