Am I a downright sucky applicant or what?

Applying to College
1

<p>Ok rejections so far: UChicago, UCB, UPenn
Acceptance so far: NONE</p>

<p>I feel like the suckiest person to have ever applied for college because of this. I am currently waiting on Stanford, Dartmouth, Duke, Amherst and Swarthmore. Do I still have a shot in the dark at any of the schools?</p>

<p>Chinese, Male, International, First Generation
No financial aid needed
East Asian Language Major</p>

<p>Academics
Full IB Diploma Prelimaries 39 Points HL 766 SL665 (+3)
Full IB Diploma Predicted 42 points - HL 777 SL 666 (+3)
Full IB Diploma Actual 38 points - HL775 SL666(+1) School does not rank
<em>Please bear in mind I took my SATs a good 3 years after graduating from HS</em>
SAT I (CR800, M740, W730) 2270 (single sitting)
SAT II (BIO E 730, LIT 630) <- I know ****ty grades. I don't know what went wrong here.</p>

<p>ECs
National Police Cadet Corps 1st Sergeant, Attended Adventure Training Camp and National Cadet Officers' Camp, Lead Junior Cadets as Section Leader/OIC2 in NPCC Summer Camp Certificate of Distinction (Silver), Y9 and Y10
Art Club Certificate of Merit, Painted School Murals, Y9 and Y10
168 Hours Community Involvement in Lijiang, China, Sub-group Leader, Y11
168 Hours Community Involvement in Shanghai, China, Y9
140 Hours Community Involvement in Singapore, Organizer and Group Leader, Y11
140 Hours Community Involvement in Singapore, Organizer and Group Leader, Y12
University of New South Wales International Essay Writing Competition Distinction Award, Y9
Standard 1st and Subject Award Recipient for Chinese (HL), Y11
National Champion in Intercollegiate Chinese Essay Writing Competition, Y11
Standard 6th and Dean’s List Recipient for Economics (HL), Y11
Twice published in our school’s annual Chinese language publication, Y11 and Y12
Military Service Certificate of Distinction, Secretary of Warrant Officers and Specialists Day Committee, Editor of National Day Parade 25th Year Anniversary Commemorative Book
4th in Nation, L'Oreal International Internship Competition (Selected for Paris Research Grand Finals - March'11)</p>

<p>Work Experience
Administrative Intern at Asia-Pacific Breweries, Y9
Legal Intern at Asia Law Corporation
Personal Assistant to the Formation Sergeant Major during Military Service
Social Media/Editorial Intern at top women's website
Events Management Intern for the Sichuan-Singapore Investment Seminar at the Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry</p>

<p>Supplement
Collection of Poetry with an opening critique by my country's most acclaimed English Language and Literature Academic</p>

2

<p>I felt certain I had a fighting chance at Chicago too and my rejection from that school probably hit me harder because I have a lot of memories from Chicago Summer Session and some friends who pledged with me to go there. They all got in- I didn’t. But get this: YOU HAVE A SHOT. Maybe you didn’t come across in some of your essays, but seriously. Even if you’re not an excellent writer, some schools like the kind of stats you have. I know what it feels like to not be in college. I was in the same boat until yesterday I was accepted into a school I never even researched - Wesleyan, therefore my last choice. My first decision was a reject from my first choice: UChicago. Everybody in my school was getting into colleges and I wasn’t and it felt like crap. I was beginning to wonder given the bad precedent U of C set, if I would get in anywhere at all.</p>

<p>The only fault I can see in your ECs is that while you have a lot of experience, you didn’t demonstrate a concentration in anything. You won a lot of awards in a lot of places, but it seems pretty scattered. Bio, Lit, English, Chinese, Art? Sounds good, but I hope you wrote at least about one of them in depth. That said, they might not like “stereotypical Asian applicants” and as an international from Hong Kong I was certainly all that. I had impressive awards in music and other laundry list crap etc. but hey, every Asian has that.</p>

3

<p>you have a shot at most colleges. </p>

<p>The only problem is that you didn’t have any safety options when choosing schools to apply to. It seems that the least competitive school that you’ve applied to is UC Berkeley… and that is pretty hard to get in already. I wish you luck for the other colleges you are waiting on, but you might want to look into maybe applying to other colleges which are still accepting applications.</p>

4

<p>The colleges you applied to are all very selective. My first-hand experience this year tells me that college admission is a very subjective process, in which many factors come into play. This is especially so in the selective colleges that you applied to. (I even read somewhere that if your file is being read in the morning you are more likely to get in…) So don’t feel too disappointed. I think you still have a chance in the other colleges that you are waiting on.
By the way, if you are an international student, do you have any safeties colleges in your country?</p>

5

<p>You are an international candidate. Even if you can pay full cost, not one of the institutions on your list can remotely be considered either an Academic Match or a Safety. You were either poorly advised during your application process, or you deliberately ignored the good advice.</p>

<p>There are MANY colleges and universities in the US where you can receive a fine education, that are very likely to admit you based on your stats, and that would be delighted to take your money. If your goal is to study in an English-speaking country, there also are any number of similar institutions in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Spend some time with the counselors at the advising center of [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://educationusa.state.gov/]EducationUSA”>http://educationusa.state.gov/) that is closest to where you live, and build a better list of US institutions for yourself, then pay a visit to the Education Counselor at the closest Consulate of any other country that you might like to study in. They will have good ideas for you.</p>

6

<p>An acceptance to those schools is certainly possible but hardly likely given your international status. Acceptance rates to top schools for internationals are much, much smaller than the overall acceptance rates–lower single digits at many schools. </p>

<p>Were these your only college options, or did you apply to some colleges at home as well?</p>

7

<p>In what way is he not a match for any of these schools? His SAT I is extremely high. His EC’s are INCREDIBLE. He didn’t list his GPA anywhere, but unless it’s absolutely terrible, he has a fighting chance at getting into all of those schools.</p>

<p>Did YOUR kid get rejected from these schools or something? Is this what you do all day, lady? You sit around on the internet and try to disparage hopeful 18 year olds? Get a ****ing life.</p>

<p>Yes he should’ve applied to some safeties, but in no way was he out of place applying to the schools he did.</p>

<p>I’m sorry but I’m so damn sick of the attitude some people have on this forum. It’s not even an attitude of realism or pragmatism (which would be a beneficial attitude to have), it’s just pure negativity and it disgusts me.</p>

8

<p>I think his SAT score is slightly above average for these schools. Not too sure, I didn’t check.</p>

<p>It’s possible that your essays were bad, but that doesn’t seem to make any sense given your writing abilities…</p>

<p>I actually do know someone with similar stats, from your country, who got rejected at all the colleges he applied to, some were safeties. He’s the kind that could’ve gone to RSI, SSP, etc.</p>

<p>I do really hope you get into at least one though.</p>