[Farm93]

Two thoughts.
First, I think it says a lot that a thread pondering the state of indifference related to the basketball program has drifted into a non-basketball admissions process discussion.  THAT pretty much tells the story sadly.

Second, I am always amazed at how many people in our region want to attend Stanford and have not given any thought to any schools outside of our region.  I am constantly in conversations with students and parents about the need to think outside of the region.  Most schools (don't know the Duke situation) seek geographic diversity and have no problem getting students from their home region.  The family is not going to be able to change their social and economic status, so their best admission equation altering value is geographic diversity.  Many Cali kids are afraid of snow, humid climates, etc.  If you are from coastal cali then embrace the idea of Dartmouth, Duke, Rice in addition to applying to Stanford.

I would be stunned if Duke needs more suburban Charlotte applicants, but I could imagine that Duke has a strong preference, or even mission, to attract for poor or working class Carolinians over "working class" Bos-Wash I-95 types.

[Farm93]

Two thoughts.
First, I think it says a lot that a thread pondering the state of indifference related to the basketball program has drifted into a non-basketball admissions process discussion.  THAT pretty much tells the story sadly.

Second, I am always amazed at how many people in our region want to attend Stanford and have not given any thought to any schools outside of our region.  I am constantly in conversations with students and parents about the need to think outside of the region.  Most schools (don't know the Duke situation) seek geographic diversity and have no problem getting students from their home region.  The family is not going to be able to change their social and economic status, so their best admission equation altering value is geographic diversity.  Many Cali kids are afraid of snow, humid climates, etc.  If you are from coastal cali then embrace the idea of Dartmouth, Duke, Rice in addition to applying to Stanford.

I would be stunned if Duke needs more suburban Charlotte applicants, but I could imagine that Duke has a strong preference, or even mission, to attract for poor or working class Carolinians over "working class" Bos-Wash I-95 types.