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I have noticed that those from the west i.e. Californians like myself are under-represented at Duke (8%) compared to the much higher percentages from other areas such as the south and northeast. I know Cornell has the same problem and actively looks for westerners. Does Duke do the same, or is the 8% a choice on their part to admit less of us out west.

I am applying ED from SoCal and think it probably helps my chances. What do you think?

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 01:42 pm: Edit

I wouldn't count on being from California giving you a tremendous advantage at Duke or any other major east coast school. There are simply too many applicants from California at east coast schools. Now, if you were from Arkansas or Wyoming, THAT would make a difference.

By Dpop (Dpop) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 01:17 am: Edit

Wait a second, there are not a tremendous number of applicants from the west for Duke. Only the upper (read: non-doormat) ivies get huge consistent numbers. I am one of two Duke applicants form my school ED. My school happens to be the top public high school in California and 49th in the nation according to a recent ranking. We have an infinite number of Harvard Stanford Yale applicants, but few to other big east coast schools. Clearly the 8% says something about the number of applicants.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 02:00 pm: Edit

The OP said 8% of ADMITS at Duke are from California. That doesn't say anything about the number of applicants from California but if 8% of Duke students are from California, it's clear that they must get a fair share of applicants from the state. In fact, a Duke admissions counselor whose territory was Calif. actually wrote a book that discussed the number of Duke applicants from Calif. Those applicants didn't get any special preference in the admissions process because they were from Calif. The original poster's question was whether being from Calif. would give him geographic preference - geographic preference usually goes to people applying from states where there are FEW applicants, not many. So, overall, I don't think being from Calif. is going to give you much geographic preference at Duke.

By Dpop (Dpop) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 04:37 pm: Edit

actually it was 8% for all of the west.

if you compare those %'s to other regions it is pretty clear something is different

By Bear363 (Bear363) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 10:46 pm: Edit

I am from Seattle. What about WA?

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 10:58 pm: Edit

I know it's hard for Harvard to attract applicants from the Pacific NW.

By Andrey1225 (Andrey1225) on Thursday, October 30, 2003 - 12:30 am: Edit

no one in my school is even applying to duke. and im in california. we all hate the south here.

By Dpop (Dpop) on Thursday, October 30, 2003 - 04:08 am: Edit

Exactly, people have very naive views about the "south" when in reality The research triangle is more cosmopolitan than my home town San Diego in southern california.