Dukes Anonymous :)

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I was just checking the timeline and looks like 2 Duke faculty read your secondary and decide if an interview will be granted. I wonder if you need 👍👍 to get an interview.
 
could a Duke student give nova and I some insight about how your application is considered post-interview? (i.e. scoring of grades, mcats, interview etc etc)..if u do very well on the interview, are you guaranteed an acceptance....?
 
Tropicana100 said:
really? this page makes it look like the deadline is Dec. 1:

http://dukemed.duke.edu/AdmissionsFinancialAid/index.cfm?method=AdmissionsTimeline
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Ah, that timeline is pretty misleading (and I hope it's wrong...). This is the blurb in the email that is sent to you after you access Duke's secondary website for the first time:

"Remember, the AMCAS deadline is December 1, 2007. After December 1, 2007 AMCAS will not transmit your application data to Duke. Since the estimated processing time for verifying your application and transcripts by AMCAS can be from four to six (4-6) weeks, Duke will NOT be responsible for missed deadlines because the applicant did not consider the processing time required by AMCAS. If the December 1, 2007 deadline passes and your application data has not been transmitted to Duke, you will not be considered for admission to the 2008 entering class. The December 1, 2007 AMCAS deadline is not negotiable.

Likewise, you should plan to submit your Supplemental Application well before the December 20, 2007 deadline. It is recommended that you apply as early as possible since supplemental applications received after the December 20, 2007 deadline may take considerably longer to process and screen as the applications Duke receives continues to rise. Also by submitting later rather than soon, you run the risk of being locked out of interview dates. Given past experience, we anticipate that many candidates will submit their online Supplemental Application very close the December 20, 2007 deadline. To avoid heavy server traffic and potential delays, we encourage candidates to submit application materials as early as possible. "
 
Jessie12 said:
could a Duke student give nova and I some insight about how your application is considered post-interview? (i.e. scoring of grades, mcats, interview etc etc)..if u do very well on the interview, are you guaranteed an acceptance....?
Click to expand...


someone posted earlier that each aspect of your application is rated in a 5-point system, which is then averaged to give you a numerical score. it's unlikely that an interview will guarantee anything, considering it is only another part of your application.
 
oh ok, i thought it was the interview alone that was ranked out of 5. thanks.
 
How much is the Duke secondary? I can't find it on the website and I'm weighing the pros and cons of finishing it since I'm so close to the deadline (MSTP deadline is Dec. 1st)
 
The Force said:
How much is the Duke secondary? I can't find it on the website and I'm weighing the pros and cons of finishing it since I'm so close to the deadline (MSTP deadline is Dec. 1st)
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$80
 
i'm so relieved to see the discussion about the dec 1 vs dec 20 secondary deadline because i was freaking out about it for a while.

i called the admissions office about 5 minutes ago and the lady said that the deadline was still dec 20.

THANK GOD ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US PROCRASTINATORS

this secondary is a motherload. i can only imagine that the interview will be the same. not that i'll get an interview, haaa

i am having a lot of difficulty thinking about a good topic for the "most humbling experience" essay.

and does anyone think it would be a bad move to talk about my internal struggle about becoming a vegetarian for the "moral/ethical dilemma" essay? i've had several people tell me i should stay away from it, but i'm having trouble thinking of anything else that's really meaningful.

i'm still going to try to finish the secondary before next week. finals are coming up and i don't want to be caught at the deadline (like i have been for like... 5 other schools? x.x)
 
jmw38 said:
i'm so relieved to see the discussion about the dec 1 vs dec 20 secondary deadline because i was freaking out about it for a while.

i called the admissions office about 5 minutes ago and the lady said that the deadline was still dec 20.

THANK GOD ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US PROCRASTINATORS

this secondary is a motherload. i can only imagine that the interview will be the same. not that i'll get an interview, haaa

i am having a lot of difficulty thinking about a good topic for the "most humbling experience" essay.

and does anyone think it would be a bad move to talk about my internal struggle about becoming a vegetarian for the "moral/ethical dilemma" essay? i've had several people tell me i should stay away from it, but i'm having trouble thinking of anything else that's really meaningful.

i'm still going to try to finish the secondary before next week. finals are coming up and i don't want to be caught at the deadline (like i have been for like... 5 other schools? x.x)
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I am also glad the deadline is Dec. 20 even though I finished it 3 months ago. It means they're still pretty far from giving away all their invites.
 
jmw38 said:
i'm so relieved to see the discussion about the dec 1 vs dec 20 secondary deadline because i was freaking out about it for a while.

i called the admissions office about 5 minutes ago and the lady said that the deadline was still dec 20.

THANK GOD ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US PROCRASTINATORS

this secondary is a motherload. i can only imagine that the interview will be the same. not that i'll get an interview, haaa

i am having a lot of difficulty thinking about a good topic for the "most humbling experience" essay.

and does anyone think it would be a bad move to talk about my internal struggle about becoming a vegetarian for the "moral/ethical dilemma" essay? i've had several people tell me i should stay away from it, but i'm having trouble thinking of anything else that's really meaningful.

i'm still going to try to finish the secondary before next week. finals are coming up and i don't want to be caught at the deadline (like i have been for like... 5 other schools? x.x)
Click to expand...

i heard a rumor that all duke students get an interview invite, although im not sure about it. anyone else know?

haha, and this dec 20th thing is awesome for me. yay putting off essays longer! im essentially in the same boat as you, in that i have no idea what to talk about.
 
OMFB said:
i heard a rumor that all duke students get an interview invite, although im not sure about it. anyone else know?

haha, and this dec 20th thing is awesome for me. yay putting off essays longer! im essentially in the same boat as you, in that i have no idea what to talk about.
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these questions are driving me insane. i am so glad i'm not the only one that has not finished them yet, although i essentially haven't started them.

you know i heard that duke rumor too but i have no idea if it's true. every duke applicant *i* know has been interviewed, but then again i've only known like, 2?

haha, so yeah.

i guess i'm going to try and finish these essays before finals. but god i REALLY need to be working on finals instead. i would most definitely prefer not to get a C in biochem x.x.x.x.x.x.x
 
OMFB said:
i heard a rumor that all duke students get an interview invite, although im not sure about it. anyone else know?
Click to expand...

Well, speaking as a Duke grad who got the "we won't be considering you for an interview" status message this year, it's certainly not true for all Duke students AND grads, but I can't speak as whether it might be true just for current Duke students.
 
anyone gonna be at duke on 12/4 for an interview? I am gonna be there then for mine...
 
Terry4568 said:
Well, speaking as a Duke grad who got the "we won't be considering you for an interview" status message this year, it's certainly not true for all Duke students AND grads, but I can't speak as whether it might be true just for current Duke students.
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oh my, you just shattered my excuse for further procrastination. im going to finish the secondary as soon as this round of tests/papers is over.
 
First off, big ups to Tropicana for the shout out at the beginning of the thread. I saw some things in this thread that I wanted to correct. First off, there were 8 people let off the WL this past year. The other numbers were correct as far as the 170 getting in and 100 WLed. Second thing is that The Doctor said that our class avg MCAT was a 37 but I think it is actually a 36... so rest easy kiddos 😛

Anyway... I wish all of yall the best of luck in this process. I have been trying to give tours as much as I can and go eat lunch with interviewees to answer questions so I may have run into some of you around Duke at some point if you've interviewed. Anyhoo, send me a PM if you have any questions. Holla!
 
OMFB said:
oh my, you just shattered my excuse for further procrastination. im going to finish the secondary as soon as this round of tests/papers is over.
Click to expand...
uhhh uhhhhmmm :: panics ::
 
FemalesCANTDriv said:
First off, big ups to Tropicana for the shout out at the beginning of the thread. I saw some things in this thread that I wanted to correct. First off, there were 8 people let off the WL this past year. The other numbers were correct as far as the 170 getting in and 100 WLed. Second thing is that The Doctor said that our class avg MCAT was a 37 but I think it is actually a 36... so rest easy kiddos 😛

Anyway... I wish all of yall the best of luck in this process. I have been trying to give tours as much as I can and go eat lunch with interviewees to answer questions so I may have run into some of you around Duke at some point if you've interviewed. Anyhoo, send me a PM if you have any questions. Holla!
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yay i knew you'd make a cameo. hopefully i will get an interview so i can come meet you in person. 😀
 
my letter of interest should be in durham by today. hopefully it arrives safely on Mr. Wallace's desk hehe. :luck:
 
Ah ha, yes, 36 MCAT sounds much more reasonable, Females - thanks for letting me know; I'll have to correct my lab partner source.

In answer to Amers' questions from earlier, I have to agree with Mr. Burns. The support system at Duke is great; the advisory deans really do seem to care that you succeed and there are many resources in place to make sure that you do. That said, the aforementioned Oct.-Nov. stretch just passed for us first years, and I have to agree that it was not always happy times here in Durham. Having an exam every Monday week after week can really start to wear on you after a time. Still, like Mr. Burns said, that depends on whether you are gunning for honors (90 percent in each of our three classes) or just passing (70%) - that's a big difference.

I also think there is a big difference in the stress level based on people's personalities and preparation. Some people are just going to be stressed no matter where they are, and some people, like me, unfortunately, will procrastinate no matter where they are. Those who do the best seem to always be those who come in to the exam bright-eyed and bushy tailed, with a full night's sleep and having done their studying a week early (maybe someday I'll get to that point?). I think there is a wide range of stress levels in our class, but I definitely wouldn't put it as, you did, Amers "struggling to get thru on a day to day basis" for any of us. I don't think our exams are that difficult or unmanageable - the real key lies in how well you manage your studying beforehand (something we're all getting better at).

I think one of the good things about Duke, is that I'm not necessarily as worried about making honors/top grades/AOA as I would be at a state school (no offense to state schools, I love them), and that makes it a bit less stressful. Even more important, I'm thankful that Duke recognizes each learns best by his or her own means - neither class nor lab attendance is mandatory (and that makes it a lot less stressful for me). You can go to class or not, stream the lectures or not, read the textbooks/review books or not, read the professor's notes, or just learn from our "notes group" lecture notes*. There are enough ways to learn the material that everyone should be happy.

*notes group = 100 people in our class take turns sending out notes for each lecture - works really well
 
A 36 MCAT average is extremely high. I think someone with a below Duke's average MCAT would have to make it up with some pretty spectacular EC's. I'm very well-rounded, but nothing really shines like (such as publications, founding non-profits, national awards etc.) and my numbers aren't high enough to make up for it. I would have seriously considered retaking the MCAT a 3rd time had I known that I wouldn't be accepted anywhere last year. Oh well, what's done is done. I was really lucky to get a waitlist at Duke last year. I will definitely need a LOT of luck this year too.
 
Ya don't worry about the MCAT. What's done is done, and honestly you will end up at the med school that is the best fit for you. Plus, once you are finally in, you can breathe a nice sigh of relief that you never have to try to get into med school again. I know every single time I give tours to interviewees or just go in to talk to them, I'm reminded how glad I am to finally be in med school and not just in preparation to get in. Moral of the story, enjoy your life before med school cuz no matter where you go, your life will more or less be consumed by school (that is a fact -- not Duke specific).
 
yeah, i'm going to try not to fret too much about duke. i can get an awesome med school experience from a lot of other schools too.
 
duke's been quiet. it feels like an endless wait. i wish there's something to count down to. does anyone know when (specific date) the last invites go out?
 
Alright, started on my Duke secondary. I am sure I can write for them quite a bit, though I wish there were still word limits like I've read about in the past.
 
how does very one who interviewed at duke feel about the interviews?

does anyone have information on the number accepted post interview?
 
Tropicana100 said:
duke's been quiet. it feels like an endless wait. i wish there's something to count down to. does anyone know when (specific date) the last invites go out?
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I suppose I have my own experience you can compare to. I completed my secondary about the end of August and got my rejection end of November, about 3 months time. I hope your wait hasn't been that long.
 
GZA said:
how does very one who interviewed at duke feel about the interviews?

does anyone have information on the number accepted post interview?
Click to expand...

I thought Duke had outstanding opportunities, individuals, and facilities. The interviewers asked questions mainly about what I wrote in my essays. The interviews seem to be exceptionally important, as they end up rejecting 75% of the students they interview.

The overall experience was probably the best I've had among my interviews.
 
Orbo said:
I suppose I have my own experience you can compare to. I completed my secondary about the end of August and got my rejection end of November, about 3 months time. I hope your wait hasn't been that long.
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thanks. it's almost 4 months since my complete date - applying early probably doesn't help for Duke. last year i sent my secondary in Oct and got the invite late Nov.
 
How long should these essays be, by the way? I can really tell quite a story for my ethical dilemma essay if I feel like it will be read and appreciated. On the other hand, I'm not so sure they'll appreciate that. Still, I think they'll get to know me a bit better the more I write. I feel so many of the character lengths on these essays confine me, so I am actually somewhat relieved by having no limits on these Duke essays, though a bit perturbed and worried that I might write so much that it may bother the reader.
 
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

*just finished surgery, is now free to peruse SDN again*

Diosa and Burnsie, y'all just don't quit, do you? 😉

Females, you happy Gross is almost done?

Tropicana et. al. Chins Up! Don't forget - nobody's gonna get an acceptance before March, they interview all the way 'til Feb. (usually Valentine's Day) and from what I've heard the retention rate last year was kind of a freak incident. The year before that (my year) it was a freak incident in the other direction, so it just goes to show you that you can't predict WL movement at all.

PM me or diosa or Burnsie or Females with questions. I will leave you with a quote from a wonderful book that you should all read if you haven't:

"We're all mad here"
 
thanks for the words of encouragement. this process is tiring but i'll try to think positively. :luck::luck::luck:
 
pagemma... where were you at the date auction?!?!?! i can't wait till the semester is over. u should come to g-loft on the 14th for our end of block party 🙂

for the question about acceptances... 170 accepted for class of 100... 100 are also WLed.

:banana:
 
100 waitlisted!?!?!??!!? why so many? that's absolutely ridiculous...gives people false hope
 
Jamorama said:
100 waitlisted!?!?!??!!? why so many? that's absolutely ridiculous...gives people false hope
Click to expand...

Ummm there are schools that waitlist everyone they don't accept. So it's not really that many at all. And the waitlist is so long because (rumor has it) Dr. Armstrong likes to replace ppl who decide not to come with a similar person from the waitlist (ie, non-trad from CA will be replaced with non-trad from CA). So I guess it leaves open a "selection" of people to ensure the class is as diverse as the adcom would like it.
 
pagemmapants said:
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

*just finished surgery, is now free to peruse SDN again*

Diosa and Burnsie, y'all just don't quit, do you? 😉

Females, you happy Gross is almost done?

Tropicana et. al. Chins Up! Don't forget - nobody's gonna get an acceptance before March, they interview all the way 'til Feb. (usually Valentine's Day) and from what I've heard the retention rate last year was kind of a freak incident. The year before that (my year) it was a freak incident in the other direction, so it just goes to show you that you can't predict WL movement at all.

PM me or diosa or Burnsie or Females with questions. I will leave you with a quote from a wonderful book that you should all read if you haven't:

"We're all mad here"
Click to expand...

Hate medicine. Don't want to study.
 
Jamorama said:
100 waitlisted!?!?!??!!? why so many? that's absolutely ridiculous...gives people false hope
Click to expand...

Approximately 40-50% of offers at top schools are accepted by applicants. Duke probably calculated 170*.4 = 68 students would accept. That would mean they would need to take 52 people off the waitlist. A waitlist of 100 would be good because some people will decline the WL or go to other schools. They probably didn't anticipate that ~110 people out of 170 would take the offer, allowing only about 8 people off the waitlist. On a good year, being on a waitlist could mean a 50% chance of getting in post-waitlist, but I guess last year was especially sucky.
 
is it true that there are no admissions committee meetings at duke like at other schools? some thread was saying that everything on your app is given a number on a 5 point scale and your interviews give you a number and everything is averaged and top 170 are accepted...is there any truth to this? this is a rather unique selection method, more systematic less subjective maybe?
 
Jamorama said:
is it true that there are no admissions committee meetings at duke like at other schools? some thread was saying that everything on your app is given a number on a 5 point scale and your interviews give you a number and everything is averaged and top 170 are accepted...is there any truth to this? this is a rather unique selection method, more systematic less subjective maybe?
Click to expand...
The numerical method is true but they do have weekly (I think) or biweekly adcom meetings. Three people score your essays, your two interviewers score those, and they all meet to talk about your overall application, including scores, ECs, and the rest of it. I believe all these things get numbers, too. Then you're given a final number, which corresponds to an acceptance, rejection, or waitlist.
 
FemalesCANTDriv said:
pagemma... where were you at the date auction?!?!?! i can't wait till the semester is over. u should come to g-loft on the 14th for our end of block party 🙂
Click to expand...

Had surgery. Had to be back at ho-pital at 5:30. Date Auction bad news. Didn't want to repeat last year's Fuqua-boy affair, despite my $110 price tag. 🙁

Am hoping to be either at G-loft party or on my way to snowboarding on the 14th. 😉
 
Aaaand, we've effectively hijacked ANOTHER year's Duke thread. Good work!
 
Ah, the legal prostitution that was the date auction. I was disappointed that the dancing cage stayed empty all night, but impressed by FCD's mad MC skillz.
 
Dr. D... nice to see you back in action... I tried to stay off sdn but it's a good distraction when I've already used up my facebook and youtube quotas for the day.

There was actually some guy in the cage at one point. Pagemma, diosa, and burnsie, you missed two of your classmates making asses of themselves and one of your classmates tried to buy me but then decided to stop bidding at like $150 or soemthing... and then she got mad at me. Freakin girls 👎

Oh ya btw, pagemma, are you single now?
 
anyone receive an interview recently?
 
Got an invite today from Duke. I was surprised because I only finished my secondary a week ago. It was a fast turnaround time!! I was very excited but after reading this thread and realizing that they reject 3/4 of interviewees I'm not feeling so hot anymore. Oh well, I guess I should be thankful still.

Hang in there, Tropicana, my fellow cardinal! I'm intensely jealous of your Cornell and UCSD invites! But unfortunately I'm on hold at UCSD =(
 
FemalesCANTDriv said:
Dr. D... nice to see you back in action... I tried to stay off sdn but it's a good distraction when I've already used up my facebook and youtube quotas for the day.

There was actually some guy in the cage at one point. Pagemma, diosa, and burnsie, you missed two of your classmates making asses of themselves and one of your classmates tried to buy me but then decided to stop bidding at like $150 or soemthing... and then she got mad at me. Freakin girls 👎

Oh ya btw, pagemma, are you single now?
Click to expand...

Only 2? How disappointing. You'll have to fill me in on the details.

DONE DONE DONE WITH MEDICINE. Well, except for the shelf and the CPX...
 
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