2013-2014 Duke University Application Thread

[GrabSlamBoot]

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On MSAR their 10th percentile for verbal is a 10, do you still think it is worth me applying if I have a 9? It would already be one of my reach schools regardless because of a 32 MCAT but I have a 3.9 GPA.

Thanks guys!

Definitely apply! I had a 33/4.0 and got in. Duke isn't a school that's all about numbers there is a lot more to your application (hence the secondaries) haha.

And to add to that, the class average for matriculants typically hovers around 34 from what I read when I was applying (on their site under FAQs) so while there are those superstars with 39+ getting in, it definitely isn't a requirement for Duke.

 

[yoyohomieg5432]

Duke is my dream but do I realistically have a shot? I graduated with 3.97 in electrical engineering from a top school but only got a 32 on the MCAT and my verbal was a very disappointing 8. (12 in BS and PS)

 

[Soulstice]

Definitely apply! I had a 33/4.0 and got in. Duke isn't a school that's all about numbers there is a lot more to your application (hence the secondaries) haha.

And to add to that, the class average for matriculants typically hovers around 34 from what I read when I was applying (on their site under FAQs) so while there are those superstars with 39+ getting in, it definitely isn't a requirement for Duke.

This is somewhat uplifting. I'm a bit underpowered at 34/3.7 but really hoping that whoever reads my essays really finds something here that they like (!!)

Definitely very happy about all the secondary questions; it gives me a solid chance to try and add more substance to my application!

 

[Lya]

Duke is my dream but do I realistically have a shot? I graduated with 3.97 in electrical engineering from a top school but only got a 32 on the MCAT and my verbal was a very disappointing 8. (12 in BS and PS)

In the same boat, except I have 11 on BS not 12. It was my retake and both of my previous 2 MCAT scores had 10 verbal, so hopefully they'll see this 8 verbal as a fluke.. fingers crossed..

I am applying to Duke anyway. I feel that I have slightly better chance at Duke than Ivies, Emory, and etc, so I chose it as one of my few reaches in my list. Just curious, what other reaches are you applying?

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

Duke is my dream but do I realistically have a shot? I graduated with 3.97 in electrical engineering from a top school but only got a 32 on the MCAT and my verbal was a very disappointing 8. (12 in BS and PS)

I'm not sure if Duke has subsection cutoffs. I would suggest that you apply though! Work hard on your secondaries, and you never know what may happen! If you guys flip through last years thread, you'll see that the applicants who interviewed and got accepted at Duke represent a range of MCAT scores. A 32/33/34 MCAT is a very respectable score, and after all it is only a portion of a huge application. Try your best to show Duke that you possess those traits that will allow you to benefit others as a physician through your essays, and then hope for the best. Remember Duke is first and foremost trying to produce caring, competent, and compassionate physicians, you can't see any of that through an MCAT score, that's what the essays attempt to do 🙂

 

[ewelling]

Anyone know when the secondary will open today? Still having trouble logging in.

 

[lilsnowskier711]

Anyone know when the secondary will open today? Still having trouble logging in.

Same. I don't have a place to enter the verification code they emailed us -- only AMCAS ID, email, last name, and birth date. When I hit submit it just goes back to the blank form again...

 

[ewelling]

Same. I don't have a place to enter the verification code they emailed us -- only AMCAS ID, email, last name, and birth date. When I hit submit it just goes back to the blank form again...

Same here. Do you think they are aware of this or should I call?

 

[blc]

Has the application opened up yet? I'm still seeing no slot for the verification code when I try to verify my application to access it.

Edit: Others are noting this issue as well, it seems.

 

[yoyohomieg5432]

In the same boat, except I have 11 on BS not 12. It was my retake and both of my previous 2 MCAT scores had 10 verbal, so hopefully they'll see this 8 verbal as a fluke.. fingers crossed..

I am applying to Duke anyway. I feel that I have slightly better chance at Duke than Ivies, Emory, and etc, so I chose it as one of my few reaches in my list. Just curious, what other reaches are you applying?

a few others would be Yale and University of Chicago although my chances are incredibly slim.

 

[ewelling]

Has the application opened up yet? I'm still seeing no slot for the verification code when I try to verify my application to access it.

Edit: Others are noting this issue as well, it seems.

So I was just able to log in and start my application but there are definitely still technical issues going on. I can't submit the "academic courses" section and at the bottom it says applications cannot yet be submitted. Weird.

 

[GLOBAL]

So I was just able to log in and start my application but there are definitely still technical issues going on. I can't submit the "academic courses" section and at the bottom it says applications cannot yet be submitted. Weird.

Samesies here. But I did answer the 4 "yes or no" questions and it says my application is 63% complete!! Now just the essay, piece of cake lol.

 

[Pandaeac]

Can someone post this years essays once they're able to see them?

 

[ewelling]

Can someone post this years essays once they're able to see them?

Same as last year for the MD program. Although it looks like they have replaced the question about their curriculum with one that just asks if there are any additional considerations they should know about. I'm not sure what to do with that one.

 

[Soulstice]

Same as last year for the MD program. Although it looks like they have replaced the question about their curriculum with one that just asks if there are any additional considerations they should know about. I'm not sure what to do with that one.

What's the wording on the replaced question, if you don't mind?

 

[Pandaeac]

Same as last year for the MD program. Although it looks like they have replaced the question about their curriculum with one that just asks if there are any additional considerations they should know about. I'm not sure what to do with that one.

Thanks! Are there character or word limits?

 

[GLOBAL]

Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine?



What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced? What resources did you marshal to confront it? How did the experience affect you and/or transform your life?



What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients?



Pick ONE OPTIONAL:

Giving Back To Your Community: What is the value of giving back to your community? Is it a more important attribute of a physician than of others performing other roles within a community?

How Are You Misunderstood: What are people most likely to misunderstand about you and why?

Toughest Feedback: What is the toughest feedback that you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?


**No word limits**

 

[ewelling]

What's the wording on the replaced question, if you don't mind?

Optional additional considerations: please let us know of any additional information that you would like us to consider while reviewing your application.

 

[yoyohomieg5432]

anybody having trouble logging in?

when i go to the link dukemed.duke.edu then click supplemental application it gives me a warning that the site isn't trusted. i click continue anyway and the site loads but when i click to sign in it's not working like a link, it's like text only.

could somebody give me that link to the sign in?

 

[flippedtungsten]

anybody having trouble logging in?

when i go to the link dukemed.duke.edu then click supplemental application it gives me a warning that the site isn't trusted. i click continue anyway and the site loads but when i click to sign in it's not working like a link, it's like text only.

could somebody give me that link to the sign in?

I'm having the same issue!

 

[flippedtungsten]

anybody having trouble logging in?

when i go to the link dukemed.duke.edu then click supplemental application it gives me a warning that the site isn't trusted. i click continue anyway and the site loads but when i click to sign in it's not working like a link, it's like text only.

could somebody give me that link to the sign in?

jk here it is https://admissions.duhs.duke.edu/DukeMedApp/index.php/

 

[ewelling]

Samesies here. But I did answer the 4 "yes or no" questions and it says my application is 63% complete!! Now just the essay, piece of cake lol.

Just called admissions. They said the application won't open until later this afternoon. That's probably why there are so many technical issues right now.

 

[GLOBAL]

Can anybody help explain what "humbling experience" means in this context?

 

[Pandaeac]

How are people answering the first question (about the environment you grew up in)? Do they want us to go into the ethnicity of the majority of people in our neighborhood? Or can we stick with income/education level kinda stuff to answer the question about demographics?

 

[Amba]

Last night I wrote all my Duke essays except for the moral/ethical dilemma one. Now that the secondary is open, I can see that question has been removed. Thanks Duke 👍

 

[Espadaleader]

This school is amazing. I can write to my hearts content. Also, I love how the courses drop down. Best secondary ever.

 

[Amba]

This school is amazing. I can write to my hearts content. Also, I love how the courses drop down. Best secondary ever.

+1 to this. Definitely the most user-friendly secondary I've done. Case gets last place.

 

[plumazul]

+1 to this. Definitely the most user-friendly secondary I've done. Case gets last place.

except, I can't seem to get it to save my selections 🙁

 

[Amba]

except, I can't seem to get it to save my selections 🙁

Have you tried recently? It wouldn't save my course selections like an hour ago, but it does now.

 

[Soulstice]

Last night I wrote all my Duke essays except for the moral/ethical dilemma one. Now that the secondary is open, I can see that question has been removed. Thanks Duke 👍

Noooo that's the only one I've done so far.

 

[plumazul]

Have you tried recently? It wouldn't save my course selections like an hour ago, but it does now.

Not for an hour or so. I moved on to other stuff. I'll try again, thanks. 😀

QUESTION: Does anyone else see only one essay question, 😕

 

[ThrombinHood]

I see all four questions. The moral/ethical dilemma question was changed to "what is the greatest challenge you have faced".

To those who have contacted the admissions office, why is the submission button locked?

 

[Pandaeac]

I see all four questions. The moral/ethical dilemma question was changed to "what is the greatest challenge you have faced".

To those who have contacted the admissions office, why is the submission button locked?

Okay, now I'm confused. Are these the questions? Or is there also an additional question which asks about your greatest challenge?



Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine?



What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced? What resources did you marshal to confront it? How did the experience affect you and/or transform your life?



What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients?



Pick ONE OPTIONAL:

Giving Back To Your Community: What is the value of giving back to your community? Is it a more important attribute of a physician than of others performing other roles within a community?

How Are You Misunderstood: What are people most likely to misunderstand about you and why?

Toughest Feedback: What is the toughest feedback that you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?

 

[ThrombinHood]

I apologize for misspeaking. I meant to say difficult obstacle.

 

[piggle]

Okay, now I'm confused. Are these the questions? Or is there also an additional question which asks about your greatest challenge?



Describe the community in which you were nurtured or spent the majority of your early development with respect to its demographics. What core values did you receive and how will these translate into the contributions that you hope to make to your community as a medical student and to your career in medicine?



What is the most difficult obstacle you have faced? What resources did you marshal to confront it? How did the experience affect you and/or transform your life?



What has been your most humbling experience and how will that experience affect your interactions with your peers and patients?



Pick ONE OPTIONAL:

Giving Back To Your Community: What is the value of giving back to your community? Is it a more important attribute of a physician than of others performing other roles within a community?

How Are You Misunderstood: What are people most likely to misunderstand about you and why?

Toughest Feedback: What is the toughest feedback that you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?

Those are the questions I'm seeing

 

[Pandaeac]

I apologize for misspeaking. I meant to say difficult obstacle.

Thanks for clarifying! Sorry if I sounded snarky, wasn't meaning to! 🙂 I'm more confused cause people are mentioning 4 questions... is this still one of the questions? "The curriculum at the duke university school of medicine is unique and academically challenging. Please describe how the duke curriculum is well-suited to your learning style and how it will serve your long term career objectives."

 

[Amba]

Thanks for clarifying! Sorry if I sounded snarky, wasn't meaning to! 🙂 I'm more confused cause people are mentioning 4 questions... is this still one of the questions? "The curriculum at the duke university school of medicine is unique and academically challenging. Please describe how the duke curriculum is well-suited to your learning style and how it will serve your long term career objectives."

Nope, this one is out

 

[ayswim]

Those are the questions I'm seeing

How "Optional" do you think the optional essays are? Is everyone answering them?

 

[ewelling]

Has anyone been able to submit? It still says "application submissions are not yet available" at the bottom.

 

[Pandaeac]

Can anybody help explain what "humbling experience" means in this context?

I'd love some insight on this also! Are people taking it to mean an experience where our ego/self-esteem was taken down a notch?

 

[plumazul]

Those are the questions I'm seeing

I'm still just seeing one essay question 🙁👎

 

[premedlol]

anyone knows the word limit for the essays?

 

[Amba]

I'm still just seeing one essay question 🙁👎

Huh. I suppose it could be an MD/PhD thing, but I don't know why they'd cut 3 essays for your app 😕. Hopefully they get these kinks worked out by tomorrow.

anyone knows the word limit for the essays?

No word limits 🙂

 

[piggle]

Yeah, maybe it is an MD-PhD thing...hmm very curious indeed

 

[ewelling]

Yeah, maybe it is an MD-PhD thing...hmm very curious indeed

The primary care track has different essays too.

 

[yellowfish]

How "Optional" do you think the optional essays are? Is everyone answering them?

I would say very optional. Unless you have something to write that would constructively add to your description of yourself or your application, I wouldn't write it. Contrary to popular thought writing excessively and needlessly definitely can hurt your application. I didn't fill out the optional essays and it ended up not affecting me at all.

 

[jeghaber]

I would say very optional. Unless you have something to write that would constructively add to your description of yourself or your application, I wouldn't write it. Contrary to popular thought writing excessively and needlessly definitely can hurt your application. I didn't fill out the optional essays and it ended up not affecting me at all.

I don't think anecdotal "evidence" from KDizzle can hardly qualify as reassurance for the rest of us 😛 That being said, I do agree that writing too much can detract, especially if you don't have a new and compelling facet of yourself to present through it.

 

[Innocuous]

Has anyone been able to submit yet?

 

[plumazul]

Huh. I suppose it could be an MD/PhD thing, but I don't know why they'd cut 3 essays for your app 😕. Hopefully they get these kinks worked out by tomorrow.

So, it appears this is no "kink". 👍👍👍👍

 

[274631]

The primary care track has different essays too.

Are you referring to the PCLT track? If so, are these just the extra essays they have on the website? Or is it like a completely different secondary?