Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 23:15     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


Yeah, strong ECs and very high stats can still get you in. But highly dependent on the competition at a given school.


PP with Duke ED deferral here. My DD has over 1000 volunteering hours and high stats (and research and other leadership positions). We are in MCPS public. Many classmates are deferred.


Was your DD looking to major in a STEM field? My high stats, great EDs with many awards kid was also deferred from Duke this year. Another kid at our public with lower gpa and lower rigor got in, and if I had to guess, it was because that kid was pursuing a less popular major than my kid, who plans to major in biology.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 19:27     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:I'm seeing a lot of more Duke admits from our area in CA this year (not just legacy as in years past). Duke traditionally hasn't had a lot of west coast applicants.... I think word is out that it might be beneficial to apply from CA?


what area in CA?
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 19:23     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


Yeah, strong ECs and very high stats can still get you in. But highly dependent on the competition at a given school.


PP with Duke ED deferral here. My DD has over 1000 volunteering hours and high stats (and research and other leadership positions). We are in MCPS public. Many classmates are deferred.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 19:19     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


Amazing- congrats!
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 18:07     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
I'm seeing a lot of more Duke admits from our area in CA this year (not just legacy as in years past). Duke traditionally hasn't had a lot of west coast applicants.... I think word is out that it might be beneficial to apply from CA?
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 16:36     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


Awesome! Congrats.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 12:18     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


Yeah, strong ECs and very high stats can still get you in. But highly dependent on the competition at a given school.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 12:17     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.


That’s great to hear! What major? Public or private?
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 12:15     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
DD got into Duke and we are not legacy or have any hooks. Lots of volunteering and multi sport athlete but not recruitment level.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 11:57     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Duke deferral here. Tough day for DD, but she will be fine tomorrow.


I honestly do not know how anyone gets into Duke, so even though she may not be feeling it now, a deferral is super impressive. I know it is not the outcome she wanted, but that is laudable!


The only kids I know who got in in the past couple of years have been legacies.
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 09:14     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:Duke deferral here. Tough day for DD, but she will be fine tomorrow.


I honestly do not know how anyone gets into Duke, so even though she may not be feeling it now, a deferral is super impressive. I know it is not the outcome she wanted, but that is laudable!
Anonymous
Post 01/07/2026 06:12     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How are you feeling now that there's been time to digest the news?



My DC didn’t get into their ED at the beginning of the month. That weekend was not great but since then (days later in fact) they received a very strong acceptance (reach school) they applied EA to plus have quite a few more coming Jan - Mar.

Also has acceptances to the three safeties they applied to (if they had to do it again, probably would’ve applied to one safety but hindsight and everything…) - after the reach acceptance, those are in the rearview mirror.

Has had a school email to offer moving their RD up to EDII but they decided to stay RD and see how everything comes in.


Can you say which school offered the switch from RD to EDII?


Not PP, but JHU does this every year.
Anonymous
Post 01/06/2026 23:14     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How are you feeling now that there's been time to digest the news?



My DC didn’t get into their ED at the beginning of the month. That weekend was not great but since then (days later in fact) they received a very strong acceptance (reach school) they applied EA to plus have quite a few more coming Jan - Mar.

Also has acceptances to the three safeties they applied to (if they had to do it again, probably would’ve applied to one safety but hindsight and everything…) - after the reach acceptance, those are in the rearview mirror.

Has had a school email to offer moving their RD up to EDII but they decided to stay RD and see how everything comes in.


Can you say which school offered the switch from RD to EDII?
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 12:58     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Kid denied at ED, then accepted at two EA with a lot of merit. One of those is a really great option. Decided not to ED2, and is putting in a bunch of RD apps, so we’ll see how it all plays out. I’m feeling pretty chill about the whole thing now that kid has some acceptances in the bag. I predict in the end kid will have a bunch of choices — maybe 14 out of 19?


19 is so many apps!


Insane and unnecessary.


Kid wants options and is willing to do the work. Applying to lots of selective schools so not assured of admission. If I were them I would whittle down the list, but this is a kid who does things their own way.
Anonymous
Post 12/28/2025 12:50     Subject: Awaiting ED decisions — how are you feeling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Kid denied at ED, then accepted at two EA with a lot of merit. One of those is a really great option. Decided not to ED2, and is putting in a bunch of RD apps, so we’ll see how it all plays out. I’m feeling pretty chill about the whole thing now that kid has some acceptances in the bag. I predict in the end kid will have a bunch of choices — maybe 14 out of 19?


19 is so many apps!


Perhaps they apply to UCs: one click for nine colleges.