<p>School Type: Public
Location: Cayce, SC, USA
Race/Gender: White Male
Prospective Major: Economics
Unweighted GPA: 3.96
Weighted GPA: 4.78
Class rank: 7 of 240 </p>
<p>SAT I Scores
SAT I Math: 760
SAT I Verbal: 690 </p>
<p>SAT II Scores
SAT II Writing: 670
SAT II U.S. History: 690
SAT II Math IIC: 780 </p>
<p>Extracurricular Info
Math Team; Vice President - 11th and 12th
SAT Team
Academic Team (State Champs); Captain 11th & 12th
JROTC; Battalion XO
Varsity Wrestling
Interact Club
Finalist for SC All-State Math Team
Work 15-20 hours a week at Chick-Fil-A
National Honor Society
Student Council Treasurer (11th Grade)
Newspaper Editor-in-Chief
Also I am active in my Methodist Church </p>
<p>AP Scores:
US History (self studied) - 5
English Language - 4
Calculus AB - 5
European History - 4 </p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
1st Semester - BC Calculus AP
JROTC
English Literature AP
Newspaper </p>
<p>2nd Semester - Statistics AP
Psychology AP
American Gov’t AP
Economics Honors
Teachers Aide (Econ AP Ind. Study) </p>
<p>I also work at Chickfila (Since Beginning of Junior Year) about 15 hours a week.</p>
<p>I have been accepted to Univ. of South Caro. and expect to get into U. of South Carol. Honors College and Wofford with no difficulty. I am really hoping to get into Duke RD and Harvard EA. My rec’s were all excellent (best ever etc…) and my essays were good (especially USC Honors). What do yall think. All apps are in. I’m really hoping for Carolina Scholars (USC) and Robertson Scholars (Duke). My Robertson essays were great and my recommendation letter from my principal was awesome.</p>
<p>Your chances at Duke are good. Harvard is hard to say. I would say it is a reach, but then again, Harvard is always a reach. Did you apply to any other schools? I would apply to schools like the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. They are not safeties, but they are more of a safe bet than Duke.</p>
<p>I didn’t really apply to other out of state schools. I think if I don’t get into Harvard or Duke or the money isn’t there, I’m just going to go to Univ. of South Carolina Honors. After all USC Honors does have a higher SAT average than Yale. lol</p>
<p>To be honest, I believe your chances at Duke are marginal and your chances at Harvard are very slim. Your scores and accomplisments are not outstanding at either school, and you do have the advantage of being from a Carolina at Duke.</p>
<p>I would not say Duke is marginal. In act, I would say his chances at Duke are above average. Harvard certainly is a stretch…as it usually is. But Duke is not a guarantee, and if they reject him, he will end up at USC…which is a big step down. He really needs to apply to schools of Duke’s caliber that are a little less selective. Michigan and Chicago are good ones. If he needs aid, both will provide some.</p>
<p>I would say that my chances at Duke are pretty good. Harvard is a stretch, as it is for everyone, but USC Honors is a great school. I really don’t want to go out of state unless to harvard or duke, but I really didn’t like the U Chicago campus.</p>
<p>Hmm, as a college counselor of 20 years, I’m not so sure you stand a chance at Harvard or Duke. Based on your SATs and GPA, the only way you will get in at either of these schools is if you invent a time machine and go back to retake the tests. But then again, if you invent a time machine, you dont really need to go to college do you?
Well, what do I know? Good luck!</p>
<p>Rishsinha, I am not sure what you are talking about. BC has a 4.0 unweighed GPA and a 1470 on his SAT. Both are above the norma at Duke. I am not sure how you figure that he does not stand a chance at Duke?</p>
<p>all of your stats seem mediocre. You have ok ecs and ok test scores and you go to a southern public school. Harvard is a no and Duke is a maybe. Harvard just has so many applicants with more credentials in all aspects of the application. Good luck</p>
<p>I think the Harvard is a reach. Scratch that I know it is, but they compare based on means, and I have maxed out classes/clubs at my school. Who konws.
Thanks for your critique.</p>
<p>Samtrob, are you and I looking at the same candidate? </p>
<ul>
<li>Do you consider a 1450 SAT score “mediocre”?</li>
<li>Do you consider a 4.0 unweighed GPA taking a tough course load “mediocre”?</li>
<li>Do you consider two 5s and two 4s on AP exams “mediocre”?</li>
<li>Do you consider a top 2% class rank “mediocre”?</li>
<li>Do you consider a 710 average on SATIIs “mediocre”?</li>
</ul>
<p>I am trying to understand in what way BCs stats are “mediocre”. </p>
<p>I agree that Harvard is a serious reach. And I agree that applying to Harvard, Duke and USC is not a wise decision, but there is nothing “mediocre” about BCs stats.</p>
<p>Thanks Alexandre. I know I could apply to places like UChicago and get in, but if I don’t get into my “big 2”, Harvard and Duke, then I want to go to USC Honors. That is where my heart is. By no means take any offense to this anyone, but I think USC Honors has just as good of an education to offer as Yale or Brown, it is all about what you make of it. N. Gregory Mankiw, a Harvard Econ Prof., did a study of students accepted to Ivies and State schools and found that regardless of the choice between the two that they made, their success in life was not substantially different.</p>
<p>its not true that HYPS is always a reach. my guidance counselor told me they were matches for me, but a quick glance at the columbia board will remind you that no one can say whether you will get in. everybody has a chance at being accepted, and everyboy has a chance at being rejected. (unless you’re a national or international winner of some prestigious competition or are the kid of some famous or powerful person.)</p>
<p>Actually my SAT I and my SAT II writing are over the 50th percentile at Duke, and I know my SAT II MATH IIC is over 80th probably. So check your facts jayman.</p>
<p>alexandre, i was just giving my honest opinion. I would stand by my statement that he is a mediocre applicant in terms of ivy league (Duke might as well be). Why do people post if they cannot handle criticism…i hope you get in BC im just saying that its very tough for a kid from a southern school, who is not valedictorian/salutorian with SAT scores below 1500 without exciting ecs to get in. Your are a qualified applicant among many. Good luck</p>
<p>I have just read this post and I have to agree with Rishsinha. He draws a good point that Duke and Harvard have ridiculous standards. Also, if i was head of admissions at Duke, I wouldn’t want any chicken peddling teenager in my classrooms. A respectable job is of escence. You either must invent a time machine, or settle for Ole Miss. Also, being part of the “Rebel Wrestlers” has a good ring to it.</p>
<p>Sam, the mean SAT I at Duke is 1425. The mean combined SAT II at Duke is 2200. BC has a 1450 on his SAT I and a combined 2140 on his SAT II. So his SAT I is actually slightly superior to the average Duke student and his SAT II is truly slightly inferior to the average Duke student. His unweighed GPA is perfect, his course selection is as hard as they come. In that respect is is above average by Duke standards. Again, I fail to see how he is mediocre by Duke standards or by Ivy League standards. Some people overestimate the Ivies. The Ivy League are not that difficult to get into. H, P and Y are, but the others are not. I was an average student (3.6 GPA) and I got into all 4 Ivy League schools. What separates those accepted from those rejected at most of the lower Ivies and schools like Duke is not the 30 points on the SAT or the 0.1 GPA differences…it is the essays. BC is a reach where Harvard is concerned. I seriously doubt he will get into Harvard. But he is a match where Duke is concerned. Whether he gets into Duke or not depends entirely on his essays.</p>