Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 16:04     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Duke seems to like private schools and magnet public schools in the South
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 15:06     Subject: Re:Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:Our high school hadn't gotten anyone into Duke in 6+ years. Last year they rejected all 13 applicants. The kids who were rejected went on to Ivies, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Naval Academy, etc. They were strong candidates.

Then this year, a completely unhooked kid got in ED. She's my close friend's daughter -- she had a great GPA and strong scores, plus some very good ECs, but nothing award winning or THAT special.

So it seemed like maybe our school was blacklisted .... until it wasn't. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to this.


I think I know what school this is — happened to us this year as well. But if I’m being honest, she actually had some of the best grades/scores in the grade and her extracurricular work was very impressive. I had a feeling she would be one & done.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:58     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD is a sophomore at a feeder (non-DMV), and looking at SCOIR/Naviance data, it seems like we're on an unofficial Duke blacklist. The graph is barren: a sea of red. Other elite schools are nothing like this. Does anyone else know if these universities have unofficial blacklists against certain high schools?


Are you a UNC feeder? Because Duke hates UNC.

I find most of that data to not be statistically significant and not to tell the whole story. I think some schools definitely are more harsh towards some high schools for reasons that are often difficult to explain. But there is often a story behind it.


Nope, we barely send any to UNC. And I'm curious about that story, which will likely never surface.


I was largely kidding. It is a big rivalry but I don't think it impacts admissions.


+1 Translation since it seems to have gone over the OP's head: the PP is gently mocking you with the UNC comment, and also telling you that making conclusions about a "blacklist" because your tiny private school hasn't had success at Duke is not supported by data. Most HS don't have success at Duke--they're not "blacklisted," they're just not competitive in a tough admissions environment.


The data supports my theory -- ~100 kids applied in 4 years and 3 were accepted. And those 3 were all HYP admits. And our school isn't some irrelevant private either.

That’s not what the data says no matter how fervently you want it to mean that.

Feelings + some numbers =/= fact
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:56     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
No, it’s just really hard to get in.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:34     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD is a sophomore at a feeder (non-DMV), and looking at SCOIR/Naviance data, it seems like we're on an unofficial Duke blacklist. The graph is barren: a sea of red. Other elite schools are nothing like this. Does anyone else know if these universities have unofficial blacklists against certain high schools?


Are you a UNC feeder? Because Duke hates UNC.

I find most of that data to not be statistically significant and not to tell the whole story. I think some schools definitely are more harsh towards some high schools for reasons that are often difficult to explain. But there is often a story behind it.


Nope, we barely send any to UNC. And I'm curious about that story, which will likely never surface.


I was largely kidding. It is a big rivalry but I don't think it impacts admissions.


+1 Translation since it seems to have gone over the OP's head: the PP is gently mocking you with the UNC comment, and also telling you that making conclusions about a "blacklist" because your tiny private school hasn't had success at Duke is not supported by data. Most HS don't have success at Duke--they're not "blacklisted," they're just not competitive in a tough admissions environment.


The data supports my theory -- ~100 kids applied in 4 years and 3 were accepted. And those 3 were all HYP admits. And our school isn't some irrelevant private either.


Then why don’t you ask your guidance counselor at your “ highly relevant” private instead of crowdsourcing advice for free where people have no idea what your school is and why Duke keeps rejecting kids from there.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:13     Subject: Re:Unofficial "blacklist"
Our high school hadn't gotten anyone into Duke in 6+ years. Last year they rejected all 13 applicants. The kids who were rejected went on to Ivies, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Naval Academy, etc. They were strong candidates.

Then this year, a completely unhooked kid got in ED. She's my close friend's daughter -- she had a great GPA and strong scores, plus some very good ECs, but nothing award winning or THAT special.

So it seemed like maybe our school was blacklisted .... until it wasn't. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to this.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:07     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD is a sophomore at a feeder (non-DMV), and looking at SCOIR/Naviance data, it seems like we're on an unofficial Duke blacklist. The graph is barren: a sea of red. Other elite schools are nothing like this. Does anyone else know if these universities have unofficial blacklists against certain high schools?


Are you a UNC feeder? Because Duke hates UNC.

I find most of that data to not be statistically significant and not to tell the whole story. I think some schools definitely are more harsh towards some high schools for reasons that are often difficult to explain. But there is often a story behind it.


Nope, we barely send any to UNC. And I'm curious about that story, which will likely never surface.


I was largely kidding. It is a big rivalry but I don't think it impacts admissions.


+1 Translation since it seems to have gone over the OP's head: the PP is gently mocking you with the UNC comment, and also telling you that making conclusions about a "blacklist" because your tiny private school hasn't had success at Duke is not supported by data. Most HS don't have success at Duke--they're not "blacklisted," they're just not competitive in a tough admissions environment.


The data supports my theory -- ~100 kids applied in 4 years and 3 were accepted. And those 3 were all HYP admits. And our school isn't some irrelevant private either.


And Duke's admission rate is about 4%. It doesn't mean the school is being blacklisted.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 13:02     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
For whatever reason, and as of 2 years ago, Duke never or almost never takes anyone from DC’s biggest public high school.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 00:31     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I do think that Duke has favorites and unfavorites among high schools. Not much to be done about that. Apply and see.


This. If no one has ever gotten in, it won't be your kid. Don't waste an ED.


Disagree. Duke was like this for my DS's public school. Kids never went to Duke - 1 RD acceptance from the naviance. DS applied ED because it was his true dream school and got in. If it's your child's true dream school, apply ED, knowing that rejection is very common. Your kid will have regrets at the end of the process if they don't.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2026 00:23     Subject: Unofficial "blacklist"
Anonymous wrote:I do think that Duke has favorites and unfavorites among high schools. Not much to be done about that. Apply and see.


This. If no one has ever gotten in, it won't be your kid. Don't waste an ED.