Duke deny feedback

“I got spooked” – Brian Flanagan, Cocktails (1988)
Duke University spooked me today with the shocking revelation in my Deny Feedback. The average years of professional experience has climbed a notch higher to 6 years. With it came, the pat suggestion, “I am sure you would have gained that extra experience between the time you applied and now.”
Elsewhere it was mentioned, “You should apply in R1…but there is no guarantee… (Slight giggle)... Considering that the applicant pool is always strong and competitive”…
Had i known this about 7 agonizing months ago (the ones i spent waiting in the waitlist)... would have withdrawn it myself...