2014-2015 Duke University Application Thread
Started by gettheleadout
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
This seems right...19 isn't too many, maybe our letters are just lost in some post office. There's a lot of snow in my area...maybe they had to resort to dog sleds?
I'm sorry. I don't want to contribute to the stress! I think I've been avoiding work on this forum too much, realized how awesome you all are and now really want you to all get accepted and come to Duke....lol.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Perhaps there was some confusion and not all letters were sent out Friday and Saturday, maybe a few more were released when WL/R went out
Haha no your post have me a bit of hope the mail truly could have been lost. I've been a zombie all day, don't think I've had any thoughts other than: am I accepted or not! And so it will continue tomorrow...
How many reported rejections have there been? Not too many (right?), but lots of reported acceptances? Wondering if admissions staff were wrong about all emails having gone out and tomorrow is still THE day for rejections.
Still hoping that this isn't the case but trying to be realistic 🙂
Still hoping that this isn't the case but trying to be realistic 🙂
I know one other person who hasn't heard anything at all and he doesn't come on this forum at all...so there are probably more than 19 out there, for what it's worth
Thank you for compiling, you're awesome
*20 😉19 on SDN alone in limbo??
Decided to check my apartment mail even though it's not the one I use for med schools...I got my electric bill, it's so close to an acceptance letter I basically feel like I'm in.
19 on SDN alone in limbo??
Yeah. This makes me think that either it's a huge systematic error, or it's something else that may have been intentional.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Received second look email today around 3 pm. Anyone in limbo get one as well?
Echoing @Cambover (hiiiiii friend 
), mail did not come in or out of Durham Thursday. I would be surprised if admissions came in to mail them on Friday since many were still without power and classes were canceled. The trash chute in my apartment building was overstuffed and the trash room filled to taller than I am because garbage trucks didn't even come between Wednesday and Monday, and I live across the street from DukeMed. So, yeah, it is actually possible letters were either lost or didn't leave Durham until Saturday or Monday. However, email mistakes/glitches of all types are also possible (I don't consider the 4th floor the most tech savvy). This is definitely not a further test or an intentional way to give y'all acute myocardial infarcts (though def. poorly planned). Best of luck to all of you penguins!! 
), mail did not come in or out of Durham Thursday. I would be surprised if admissions came in to mail them on Friday since many were still without power and classes were canceled. The trash chute in my apartment building was overstuffed and the trash room filled to taller than I am because garbage trucks didn't even come between Wednesday and Monday, and I live across the street from DukeMed. So, yeah, it is actually possible letters were either lost or didn't leave Durham until Saturday or Monday. However, email mistakes/glitches of all types are also possible (I don't consider the 4th floor the most tech savvy). This is definitely not a further test or an intentional way to give y'all acute myocardial infarcts (though def. poorly planned). Best of luck to all of you penguins!! 
It seems the portal does log email activity, since the initial email was logged for me at least:
Email Sent - Sent 'Applicant Initial Invitation' email communication to applicant.
Maybe WL and RJ applicants can comment whether that they have an "email sent" activity after the interview? And maybe those who received second look email can see if their SL look email was logged?
Email Sent - Sent 'Applicant Initial Invitation' email communication to applicant.
Maybe WL and RJ applicants can comment whether that they have an "email sent" activity after the interview? And maybe those who received second look email can see if their SL look email was logged?
Idk if this helps at all, but the official fb group is currently sitting at 176 members. There are about 10 admins and probably another 10-15 current students. So that leaves ~150 confirmed acceptees.
Edit: confirmed 69 current students so far. haha sorry my estimate was way off
Edit: confirmed 69 current students so far. haha sorry my estimate was way off
Last edited:
Would you mind reposting the link? The one shared by @kingtba doesn't seem to be working?
21!
hmm.... so if it's ~150 confirmed acceptances, do you think that includes just about all of the initial acceptances? what does this mean for us....?
it's been such a roller coaster of emotions for the past week and a half.... I'm so exhausted from it all that I don't even know what to think or believe anymore...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DukeMed2019/
This is not the same group kingtba created though. This is the official group sent with the second look email.
This is not the same group kingtba created though. This is the official group sent with the second look email.
Do you think all PCLT acceptees received official acceptances via email? When I called admissions office to ask about my limbo status and mentioned PCLT, she said "I don't know anything about that program.".....Do you think it's worth a shot for me to call the PCLT rep tomorrow to clarify?
Also in lurking limbo here so we're at least up to 21! If it's any consolation to us I bet that number has self selected to be relatively close to the total number of people who haven't heard anything. It would take some pretty impressive patience at this point to not be checking out the sdn thread to try and figure out what's going on 🙂
22!
I guess we longtime SDN lurkers are finally making our way into the light thanks to this communication fiasco...
I guess we longtime SDN lurkers are finally making our way into the light thanks to this communication fiasco...
Wow, after reading this thread, Duke is dropping from one of my top choices for the next cycle. This is really painful to watch all of you go through this limbo. The transparency (and rolling admissions) of University of Michigan is looking better and better every day. Being from Michigan, I am laughing that a little weather is bringing such a fine institution as Duke to its knees.
I think I counted you lol
Here's the list I have:
willy38
pompompom
wjk12
scoville
inventor of post its
cell-R
Jibblesnbits
peyton91
armadaskijunky
flowerpower123
westernblot
premedlyfe123
yogini13
lurking892
Pluto2
RuffRyder22
Impuer
firstsecondthird
FullMetalDuck
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I read on the FB page that that they'd only be allowing accepted and current students onto it. Some of the page admins also have an accepted student list. Maybe try requesting access to the page? I don't think it would hurt to ask one of the Second Look coordinators if your name is on the list.
Welp, looks like they finally finished deliberating. Rejected. Cool.
Last edited:
Last I called I was specifically told over the phone that all waitlist and rejection emails had gone out and I should just wait for something in the mail.
...This was really, really ****ed up of you, Duke.
...This was really, really ****ed up of you, Duke.
+1 No words...
Last edited:
Yeah, honestly, it would have been much better for them to send us rejection e-mails right off the bat. What makes this so infuriating is that they told multiple applicants that called that all rejection and waitlist e-mails have gone out, and we just have to wait patiently for postal mail. For the past week and a half, I can't quite verbalize the overwhelming amount of emotions and thoughts I (and we all) went through..... Especially yesterday, after originally expecting bad news re: limbo status, I was almost cautiously EXCITED the whole day, thinking that I was accepted after all. I just imagined that moment of seeing my letter in the mail in my head over and over again. I was at work, but I couldn't focus at all, and even my supervisor told me to think about it logically and level-headedly: that as they stated, if I had been R or WL'd, I would have heard via e-mail by now. After all that they preached to us about empathy and compassion, how can they treat their applicants like this, after the time, energy, effort, and heart we poured out into those essays, more than any other school? I'm so hurt and disappointed by Duke right now-- more so than the decision, how they handled all of this.
This is just a thought, but could it be possible that the applicants stuck in limbo had their applications misplaced or "lost" way before the WL/Rejection emails went out earlier this week? As a result those in limbo may not have even been considered at the same level as other applicants, standing no change at good news?
I know it's sounds ludicrous, so obvi take it with a grain of salt
I know it's sounds ludicrous, so obvi take it with a grain of salt
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Rejected as well.
This just occurred to me. I just got rejected for a secondary I didn't complete (didn't finish, so didn't withdraw my app) and it made me think of what Dr. Armstrong said about completing the post-interview survey.
Did all of you who were stuck in "limbo" complete your post-interview feedback survey? Dr. Armstrong said that was the only way our applications would go to committee to make a decision. Perhaps if that wasn't done, you weren't included in the original decisions that were sent out (i.e. accept/WL/reject), and they sent a later set to people who didn't do the survey. Not trying to accuse anyone of anything here, just trying to consider reasons this whole thing could be so messed up.
Either way, best of luck to all of you! As others have said, the fact that you even interviewed at Duke means that you're well on your way to a successful career in medicine, regardless of where you end up in the coming years.
Did all of you who were stuck in "limbo" complete your post-interview feedback survey? Dr. Armstrong said that was the only way our applications would go to committee to make a decision. Perhaps if that wasn't done, you weren't included in the original decisions that were sent out (i.e. accept/WL/reject), and they sent a later set to people who didn't do the survey. Not trying to accuse anyone of anything here, just trying to consider reasons this whole thing could be so messed up.
Either way, best of luck to all of you! As others have said, the fact that you even interviewed at Duke means that you're well on your way to a successful career in medicine, regardless of where you end up in the coming years.
I would really like to hope that Duke has to pay for their mistakes during the next application cycle, but they're such an "elite" school otherwise that I unfortunately doubt they will.
Most plausible theory I've heard yet
