Top Ten Percent

I was not in the top ten percent of my high school graduating class. With a 3.7 GPA, I was in the top seventeen. I always thought my qualifications were pretty good. Senior editor of my newspaper, numerous journalism awards, eight years of orchestra (and a couple of first chair positions), eight AP classes, fours and fives on my AP tests, Latin Club officer, got the Duke TIP state award, went to two Duke TIP writing programs. Got into the summer session.

I'm just glad to be here, I guess. Of course you can argue that top ten means most qualified, and that it brings racial diversity, and that it's just sort of easy for admissions. But for the rest of my life, I'll wonder if I would have gotten into the fall session if the top ten rule hadn't been there. It's really odd when the law affects you so explicitly—and, maybe, negatively.