Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:43     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
If you're at a school like St Albans that has significant grade deflation, a few B+s unrelated to proposed major won't kill an AP to Duke or Brown with a 1550 SAT, good APs and solid extracurriculars and full pay.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:40     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think if you don’t have a good test score, go with Duke TO.


Has a 35 ACT superscore. Is that strong enough to compensate for the B+'s?


It never fully compensates your gpa. It’s just an evidence of your academic competence.

Look at naviance. If they accepted kids in the same gpa range before, then it’s unlikely an issue. This is so school specific. No one can advise you.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:39     Subject: Re:Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Anonymous wrote:DP- also with a child who will have a B+ or two in current junior year. So if you have a few B+ grades in academic subjects you should just not bother applying to top 20 schools unless you have an outstanding EC/hook/meet institutional prioririties? Is this because your cumulative gpa will be below a certain cutoff and they will toss your application out without looking at anything else ? Does this apply even if you have a standardized test score in their top 25%? Is there any way to make up for the B+ ? Thx for any insight !

What is approx class rank? Even if no official class rank, AOs have a sense. If not top 20% do not apply, unless possibly ED1 at Chicago if close to top 20% and 1550 and not Econ or oversubscribed major…
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:38     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
*stats
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:38     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think if you don’t have a good test score, go with Duke TO.


Has a 35 ACT superscore. Is that strong enough to compensate for the B+'s?


Strong test is great, but still need a wow factor/factors. Stars get you through the door to be looked at, it’s all the rest that potentially gets you a seat at the table.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:37     Subject: Re:Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Anonymous wrote:“Least competitive” isn’t really a think when you’re taking about schools with acceptance rates like these. Need to go down the rankings list for that, even from a rigorous private.


Do all applicants apply with 4.0?
Sadly the school is a bit grade deflationary.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:36     Subject: Re:Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
DP- also with a child who will have a B+ or two in current junior year. So if you have a few B+ grades in academic subjects you should just not bother applying to top 20 schools unless you have an outstanding EC/hook/meet institutional prioririties? Is this because your cumulative gpa will be below a certain cutoff and they will toss your application out without looking at anything else ? Does this apply even if you have a standardized test score in their top 25%? Is there any way to make up for the B+ ? Thx for any insight !
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:35     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Anonymous wrote:I think if you don’t have a good test score, go with Duke TO.


Has a 35 ACT superscore. Is that strong enough to compensate for the B+'s?
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:29     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
I think if you don’t have a good test score, go with Duke TO.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:24     Subject: Re:Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
“Least competitive” isn’t really a think when you’re taking about schools with acceptance rates like these. Need to go down the rankings list for that, even from a rigorous private.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:23     Subject: Re:Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
All of them 100%
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:20     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
I think it's a complete waste of application unless scores are 1500+ and there's an incredible extracurricular.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:20     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Are you kidding?
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:20     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Good luck to you.
Anonymous
Post 01/05/2026 15:19     Subject: Help with least competitive of the three colleges: Duke, Brown, Dartmouth
Student has a couple B+ from rigorous private school, otherwise the rest are A's or A-'s. Which of the three colleges Duke, Brown, or Dartmouth will be most selective about the grades?