The Common Application is a standardized college and university application used by numerous institutions in the United States, including Duke University. The application itself is fairly straightforward, requiring you to fill in information concerning your contact information, schools attended and other questions. All materials are due by November 1st for Early Decision and January 15th for regular decision. Early Decision requires a first-quarter grade report and commits students to enrolling if they are accepted for admission, in exchange for an earlier notification of your acceptance. This form is part of the basic Duke application package, and it involves questions specifically related to Duke University, such as whether you have relatives who graduated from Duke University or are employed at Duke University. The form also includes optional questions about why Duke University is a good fit for you. Good answers to this section will involve familiarity with the program to which you're applying, your ability to name specific instructors or cite the reputation of the program, and the way Duke will help you achieve what you hope to achieve during college. When you take the ACT or SAT, you need to request that the scores be sent to the school's admissions office by the application due date. Duke University's SAT code is 5156, and the ACT code is 3088. Duke requires that your entire test history be sent to the admissions office when you apply. So, if you're not happy with the first score you receive on one of the tests, it's important to know that, even if you retake it to hope for a higher score, you'll still have to report your initial score. . Each application will require that you respond to one of five long essay prompts, which will need to be about 750 words long, as well as a shorter essay of about 150 words, in which you address why Duke is right for you. One of the most important and useful ways of standing out on your application is in completing the essays and making them as polished, unique, and articulate as possible. The prompts will change somewhat, but are usually some variation of the following:  Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure.  How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content.  What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family. If you're applying as a liberal arts student, you're encouraged to include samples of your work. Students gifted in the arts should include a portfolio of samples in any of the following categories:  Dance Video/Media arts Photography Music Theater Visual Art

Summary: Complete the Common Application. Fill out the Duke Student Supplement Form. Submit all of your official standardized test scores to Duke University. Write, revise, and submit the essays for your application Consider submitting supplementary artistic material with your application.


If you know you'll be turning right, and hence staying in the rightmost lane, but you see an oncoming car in the left lane, wait for it to pass before entering the roundabout. Although frowned on, the car could merge into your lane just as you are entering the roundabout, causing an accident. In multi-lane roundabouts, which usually have three or more possible exits, the lane you choose to drive in is dictated by the kind of turn you want to make:  Occupy the left lane if you decide to turn left, make a U-turn, or go straight. Occupy the right lane if you decide to turn right or go straight. Look for signs indicating the allowed movements for each lane. These signs are usually located above or alongside the road and/or arrows painted on the road itself. Large trucks have a larger turning radius, making them one of the more dangerous obstacles in a roundabout. Always give them ample room to turn by staying behind them a bit more than you ordinarily would with passenger vehicles. Never change lanes while in a multi-lane roundabout.

Summary: Remember to yield to both lanes of traffic in a multi-lane roundabout. Choose which lane to enter based on which direction you want to exit. Never drive next to, or attempt to pass, a large vehicle or truck on a multi-lane roundabout. Stay in your lane at all times.


Run a bead of silicone along the leak area using a caulking gun. Then smooth that bead out, with a damp finger or a caulking tool, so that the silicone is smoothed out and it completely covers the seam that leaked.  Check with a professional aquarium supply for recommended repair products. Make sure that if you use silicone, it is labeled "nontoxic" and "100% silicone". Also make sure that the silicone sealant has NO fungicide in it and is a High Modulus product. You may be tempted to try and repair the leak from the outside of the tank, but usually the repair is more effective if made on the inside. A repair on the inside will hold better, since water pressure will "tighten" the seal pressing the silicone against the glass. If it is applied on the outside, the water pushes the silicone away from the glass. Silicone needs to dry and cure for a minimum of 24 hours. If you are applying it in a cool and dry environment, you may need to wait closer to 48 hours. This time will allow it to set completely, assuring that it attaches properly to the glass and does not leak. You may use a heat lamp or other portable heat source to help cure the sealant, but do not heat above 110 degrees (F). Refill the tank enough so that there is some water in contact with the repaired seam. Wait a few hours and then fill the tank even further and then look for leaks. Finally, fill the tank all the way and then look for leaks. Take a close look at the area that was leaking and wait awhile to make sure that the water pressure inside the tank doesn't reopen the leak.  Try taping a paper towel to the outside of the tank where the leak was and leaving it there for an hour or so. If the towel remains dry, your leak is fixed. Keep towels and a bucket nearby, in case of continued leaking. This will allow you to quickly remove the water from the aquarium once again. the tank back up. If you have removed everything from the tank, including gravel, fish, and plants, you will need to replace them when you are confident the leak is repaired. Begin with the gravel and then add other objects on the aquarium floor. Add any chemicals to the water that are needed and then return any plants and fish back into the tank. This is a really good time to make sure everything you put back in the tank is thoroughly cleaned before you put them back.

Summary: Apply nontoxic 100% silicone sealant to the leak area. Allow the sealant to dry. Inspect for leaks. Set


Once your waste hose is properly positioned, it is time to turn the pump back on (remember to turn on the circuit breaker as well). Allow the pump to run on the backwash setting for at least two minutes. Although two minutes is a general guideline, the best way to determine whether or not you have adequately back washed your sand filter is by keeping an eye on the sight glass. When the water flowing through the sight glass runs clear, you know that your filter is clean. After you have completed your backwash cycle, you will need to change to a new setting. Once again, before changing the settings on your valve, you must turn the filter completely off.
Summary: Run the pump for two minutes. Watch the sight glass. Turn the pump back off.