Scholarship Competitiveness

Colleges & Universities Duke University
1

I’ll try to keep my situational sob story short: my parents make a lot of money, but have absolutely no interest in helping me pay for college, which puts a major strain on my ambitions of attending a prestigious and expensive university like Duke. That means that everything from cost of attendance to application fees falls upon me. That said, said application fees can really add up, so I want to be somewhat frugal and only spend my money to apply where I know I have at least some chance of attending should I be accepted, which, in the case of Duke, means receiving one of a select few uber-competitive merit scholarships. I’ve been on this website before: I know that no one besides the scholarship committee can say anything with 100% certainty, but could you at least tell me whether or not I’m competitive for the likes of the AB Endowed Scholars or University Scholars Programs? I really do love Duke, but if your brutal honesty can save me from naively wasting close to $100.00 in application fews and months of futile hoping, it would be greatly appreciated. Please evaluate my profile and give me an evaluation if you could:

STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES/GPA
-GPA: 4.00 unweighted; 4.59 weighted (as of the end of my junior year)
-ACT Composite: 35 (English=36, Math=32, Reading=36, Science=36, Writing=9)
-SAT Subject Tests: 770 in literature; 720 in Physics (plan to retake Literature as well as try Spanish and Biology in the future)
-PSAT: 216 (I live in Kansas, and this score has never not been high enough to make National Merit Semifinalist status {knock on wood})
-AP’s: AP European History=3; took 5 my junior year and am waiting on my scores; taking 7 my senior year

EXTRACURRICULARS
-Cross Country: 9, 10, 11, 12?
-Swimming: 9
-Track: 9, 10, 11, 12 {varsity}
-Debate: 10, 11, 12 {varsity}
-Book Club: 11, 12
-Student Council: 11, 12
-Tiger Mentor (council a group of underclassmen on high school life for about 1 hour per week): 11, 12
-Science Outreach (go to grade schools and do science experiments to get kids interested in science): 11, 12

LEADERSHIP
-elected Junior Class Secretary
-elected Executive Student Body Secretary
-elected Secretary of my high school’s chapter of the National Honor Society
-regional leadership conference attendee
-Herff Jones leadership seminar attendee
-chosen to represent my high school by serving on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board, a committee that meets every semester to discuss how the school district can best adapt to meet the needs of its students

COMMUNITY SERVICE
-volunteer weekly during the fall and winter as a youth group leader at my church (10, 11, 12?)
-involved in Gift of Life Rally (an organ donation education group; 11, 12)
-a myriad of other things through my involvement in student council

HONOR SOCIETIES/AWARDS
-Principal’s Honor Hole every semester
-National Honor Society
-National Spanish Honor Society
-National Science Honor Society
-National History Honor Society
-Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society)
-National Forensics League (Debate Honor Society)
-Ayn Rand Anthem Essay Contest Semifinalist
-NCTE Award for Superior Writing Performance
-1st Place Winner of the District Poetry Contest
-Published Author of Poetry (in a national anthology of high schoolers’ work; less than 2% of entries were accepted for publication)

For what it’s worth, I’m a rising high school senior and a white male from (as previously hinted at) eastern Kansas with interests in English and Pharmaceutical Science.

2

First, I am sorry for your difficult situation and I sincerely congratulate you on a superb high school record.

Second, it is my belief you’ll be competitive for Duke merit scholarships (and, as you’re aware, they are comprehensive, generous, and very selective). This does not mean you are a “sure thing” – no one is – but I believe you have a fair (maybe, and this really is speculative, a >25 percent shot). Whether that is worth a $100 fee, only you can judge.

Finally, using your essays, your GC’s recommendation, the comments section of a Common App, and even a very well written letter to the Dean of Admission, I believe you MUST let Duke know (in some detail) about your situation. Doing so (particularly if thoroughly substantiated by your GC) will, in my opinion, almost certainly be helpful both in acceptance and in at least making the initial “cut” for merit scholarships.

3

@TopTier, I have a general question for you, which the OP’s post brings up. It seems to me that @abcninja has a tremendous record of excellence and breadth of qualifications in the necessary areas (GPA, curricular rigor, standardized tests and ECs). But don’t the merit awards generally look for something more? I’m under the impression - though certainly not an expert - that the AB Duke looks for “interesting” as well as smart kids who take risks and display a real intellectual passion - kids who display “exceptional promise, intellectual hunger, and an inquisitive spark”. For @abcninja, poetry might be the most distinctive area that really stands out. Otherwise, I see a superbly qualified applicant, but not necessarily one who stands out in terms of intellectual hunger and inquisitive spark. Do you? As for the other merit scholarships, there seem to be a significant emphasis in terms of either service (Robertson) or the applicant’s circumstances. I was under the impression that the University Scholars program is at least part need-based, and I have no idea how the OP’s unique situation would be received in that context.

4

I agree with renaissancedad. But I also believe it’s worth an application anyways.

5

@renaissancedad: Which is precisely why I suggested the OP’s selection opportunity was – pure guess – “>25 percent,” not >35 or >55. It is also why I emphasized the OP’s need to ensure Duke understands the details of his situation. You might do well to appreciate that demostrating the “intellectual hunger,” “inquisitive spark,” etc. that you properly cite may be considerably more difficult in many Kansas communities than it is in school districts in (for example) California or Massachusetts; Duke will understand – and not penalize – that difference.

6

@TopTier, you might do well to tone down the condescension. I asked a general question, not for a patronizing lecture. I’m sorry I bothered to ask.

7

@renaissancedad Got no sense of condescension in his post at all. But you both make great points.

8

Then my apologies to @TopTier for being thin-skinned.

9

@renaissancedad I see no ill intents or condescension on the part of @toptier.

Nonetheless I agree that if your story involves poetry as well as your being from Kansas it might be enough to propel you into AB