Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid from DD’s high school was accepted. DD said he’s considered the best student in the school so it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Congrats to everyone who was accepted, it’s a major accomplishment!

My friend’s kid is an athlete; had a 1590 and a 4.0 and was deferred. Very disappointed.

Yep yep yep Duke seems as tough of an admit as it comes. Friend’s kid from NE public with a 36 ACT and near top of the class was deferred. I’m getting the sense Duke cares about much more than stats, they must be paying close attention to the essays or recommendations. We’re keeping that in mind for next year when our son applies

PP here with the unhooked, overrepresented minority niece who was accepted. She’s just one data point out of 745, of course, but her essays were deeply personal and beautifully written (she let Nosy Auntie read them because my DC may apply next year). Having known her since babyhood, I can only imagine her recommendations were out-of-the-park too. It definitely seems that high stats alone aren’t enough, but legacy/URM/other hooks aren’t necessary either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke likes legacies. From our public HS to friends across the country, the only ones who got in had a parent that attended.

Yup, I know of two legacy donor families whose kids got in this round. Both mediocre students who went test optional. I know many many more qualified but less connected kids who did not get in.

To be fair every top school does that. Harvard was flamed for having 43% of its white admits be legacies, athletes, or children of donors. Harvard passes on many more qualified applicants for these ones, but just like with Duke, you still have to try your hand at getting in

Wow 43%?! The backdoor is almost as large as the normal one

The backdoor is actually the normal one

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke likes legacies. From our public HS to friends across the country, the only ones who got in had a parent that attended.

Yup, I know of two legacy donor families whose kids got in this round. Both mediocre students who went test optional. I know many many more qualified but less connected kids who did not get in.

To be fair every top school does that. Harvard was flamed for having 43% of its white admits be legacies, athletes, or children of donors. Harvard passes on many more qualified applicants for these ones, but just like with Duke, you still have to try your hand at getting in

Wow 43%?! The backdoor is almost as large as the normal one

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Duke likes legacies. From our public HS to friends across the country, the only ones who got in had a parent that attended.

Yup, I know of two legacy donor families whose kids got in this round. Both mediocre students who went test optional. I know many many more qualified but less connected kids who did not get in.

To be fair every top school does that. Harvard was flamed for having 43% of its white admits be legacies, athletes, or children of donors. Harvard passes on many more qualified applicants for these ones, but just like with Duke, you still have to try your hand at getting in

Anonymous wrote:Duke likes legacies. From our public HS to friends across the country, the only ones who got in had a parent that attended.

Yup, I know of two legacy donor families whose kids got in this round. Both mediocre students who went test optional. I know many many more qualified but less connected kids who did not get in.

Duke likes legacies. From our public HS to friends across the country, the only ones who got in had a parent that attended.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A kid from DD’s high school was accepted. DD said he’s considered the best student in the school so it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Congrats to everyone who was accepted, it’s a major accomplishment!

My friend’s kid is an athlete; had a 1590 and a 4.0 and was deferred. Very disappointed.

Yep yep yep Duke seems as tough of an admit as it comes. Friend’s kid from NE public with a 36 ACT and near top of the class was deferred. I’m getting the sense Duke cares about much more than stats, they must be paying close attention to the essays or recommendations. We’re keeping that in mind for next year when our son applies

These results are crazy.

Duke?

Anonymous wrote:A kid from DD’s high school was accepted. DD said he’s considered the best student in the school so it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Congrats to everyone who was accepted, it’s a major accomplishment!

My friend’s kid is an athlete; had a 1590 and a 4.0 and was deferred. Very disappointed.

A kid from DD’s high school was accepted. DD said he’s considered the best student in the school so it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Congrats to everyone who was accepted, it’s a major accomplishment!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daughter flat-out rejected with 1590/4.0, principal cellist, lots of volunteer work and leadership. Several national awards too. Just a data point if anyone wants it, but she’s strong and has already started finishing her other supplements. I suppose the Duke dream will have to wait for medical school.

I'm sorry she didn't get her dream school, but she sounds fantastic and she'll undoubtedly land somewhere great ! Good luck!

Apply to Brown. They love talent in the arts! Your kid sounds amazing.

Brown is one of her top choices now with Duke off the table! She also likes Yale a lot

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daughter flat-out rejected with 1590/4.0, principal cellist, lots of volunteer work and leadership. Several national awards too. Just a data point if anyone wants it, but she’s strong and has already started finishing her other supplements. I suppose the Duke dream will have to wait for medical school.

I'm sorry she didn't get her dream school, but she sounds fantastic and she'll undoubtedly land somewhere great ! Good luck!

Apply to Brown. They love talent in the arts! Your kid sounds amazing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. My DD didn’t apply. But she knows of a classmate who isn’t too sharp. But Daddy went to law school there and likely has made generous donations. I guess this helped to get this young lady admitted? We just couldn’t believe she got in. Not what we think of as Duke material.

I know several big donor kids who go there/went there. Duke is still one of the schools where you can be fairly sure of getting a kid in with enough $ and board member phone calls. I heard this from a board member who was pleased about it.

I can’t believe a school takes lower score legacies over kids who score 1590 on the SAT. But I am not a legacy nor am I into that whole game.

It’s sad but it happens at all the top schools. That’s why Asians are currently taking Ivy/Stanford/Duke to court for discriminatory practices

Anonymous wrote:Daughter flat-out rejected with 1590/4.0, principal cellist, lots of volunteer work and leadership. Several national awards too. Just a data point if anyone wants it, but she’s strong and has already started finishing her other supplements. I suppose the Duke dream will have to wait for medical school.

Congratulations on getting first chair! That is not easy. Are they applying to any of the conservatories? Juilliard? Peabody? Eastman?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. My DD didn’t apply. But she knows of a classmate who isn’t too sharp. But Daddy went to law school there and likely has made generous donations. I guess this helped to get this young lady admitted? We just couldn’t believe she got in. Not what we think of as Duke material.

I know several big donor kids who go there/went there. Duke is still one of the schools where you can be fairly sure of getting a kid in with enough $ and board member phone calls. I heard this from a board member who was pleased about it.

I can’t believe a school takes lower score legacies over kids who score 1590 on the SAT. But I am not a legacy nor am I into that whole game.