An actual chance?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Just copy/pasted the rubric from a random thread, but I’m genuinely curious as to how I might stand out…

SAT I (breakdown): 1350 (First sitting, absolutely no prior prep, intend to re-take and get at least a 1500)
ACT (breakdown): Sub-30(27, which is very bad imo), don’t really wanna talk about it… Funny too, because it seemed much easier than the SAT.
SAT II: Intend to take this June, expecting at least 720+ for Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Somewhere between 3.9-4.0, but current circumstances may reduce this: The online program I’m taking is wonky… Assuming the worst, my GPA will be no lower than a 3.7.

Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
AP (place score in parenthesis): 7: Biology (3, but retaking this month (which is humiliating), Physics-1 (Expect a 3, which is bad), Physics-2 (Expecting a 4), Calculus BC (Expecting at least 4), Economics Micro/Macro (Expecting at least 4), Chemistry (3… Again, didn’t have a good study regime…)

Truthfully I have no excuse for these poor scores. For the most part, I binged most of these tests the week before, and (with the exception of Biology) They never let me take the classes, and refused to give teacher support. So even though these are all self-studied, I still feel ashamed. What’s more is that the stress of my situation impacted my study habits: I went from studying 6 hours a day to 1, and my memory is shot: I feel like I have memory loss. I used to have photographic memory, but now I keep reading the same chapter over and over and keep forgetting it. Heck, I retook tests I aced a couple months back, only to fail most of them…

IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A

Senior Year Course Load: Above AP classes (With the exception of Biology) (self-studied) and normal course load ie: english, Health, etc, just general classes.

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Hahahahahahahahaha (Never let me join any clubs, extracurriculars, tournaments, and threatened me with expulsion for “insubordination”.

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):

DECA: Sent in Check Junior year, had it sent back to me the day After, was admonished by school staff, and was threatened with a week of detention for “trying to join without their consent”.

Math League: Asked if they were available freshman and sophomore years, however my school administration denied that they were ever available. Fed up, I asked the Teachers who hosted it whether or not I could join, was threatened with Expulsion.

Science League: Read above.

Chemistry/Physics League: Read Above.

Debate/Philosophy: Read Above.

Biology Team: Even though my test scores were highest among my peers, and in the state, was admonished, and threatened with expulsion…

Job/Work Experience: N/A

Volunteer/Community service: I asked my teachers if There were anything I could participate in outside of school, t’was admonished, etc. etc.

Essays (rating 1-10, details): 9 (Can’t say: Never had anyone to judge)

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1: Biology Teacher (10): The one man who gave me a chance, by allowing me to skip a year of science to join AP biology. At my school, students are required to take biology , chemistry honors, and then get recommended for AP Bio, I skipped to the latter , provided I take both Chem H and AP biology, which wasn’t a problem. The transition was almost unheard of, and the only reason I could do it was because I used an administrative loophole…

N/A, N/A.

Applied for Financial Aid?: Not necessary at All.
Intended Major: Biochemistry/Pre-medicine

School Type: Public (Even though I’m doing it online)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 90k+
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Is being relegated a hook? My academic career being nothing more than a series of unfortunate events? My essay was basically a 1500 word excuse before I was told it had to be shortened and not “depressing” lol.

Reflection: My circumstances are lamentable… Nothing much I could really add to that…

Strengths: I’ve taken up philosophy, and have been Studying Epistemology since I left my school 2 years ago. I’ve been in countless debates, with dozens of people regarding a multitude of phenomena. I dedicate at least 10 hours per week on it, writing about 3: 1500 word essays per week in response to my reflection of what I’ve learned, and as personal responses to debates. Soo if I’m not studying or Watching netflix, I’m usually trying to improve my rhetoric.

Furthermore, I can never overstate my fervor for Biochemistry: I have an immense desire to understand the meticulous nature of biochemical systems; For instance I found it very frustrating to realize that the curriculum wasn’t as comprehensive as I initially hoped; So when respiration was covered in my class, I went home and studied the chemical reactions involved in Glycolysis, the Citric Acid Cycle, and Oxidative phosphorylation.

Same thing with Physics: Even though I intend to major in biochemistry, I wanna see whether or not there’d be an opportunity to take a class in Quantum Theory (I’m aware that certain uni’s teach elementary quantum theory as a senior course, but even then I wanna see if I could indulge it.)

After I’m done with high-school, I intend to self-study The mathematics required for higher level physics: I’ve purchased dozens of books ranging from Multivariable calculus, all the way up to Partial Differential Equations (I started Linear Algebra, but chose to focus on graduating just to get if over with). So over the summer I intend to complete Both Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calc, and hope to At least Start Fourier/Complex Analysis by September, and hope to start Partial Differential Equations sometime after December.

Weaknesses: Hahahahahahaha

Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: Catch-22… Nothing I can friggin do.

General Comments :

2

Self studying linear algebra in a summer seems extremely difficult. Linear algebra PLUS multivariable calculus in that amount of time? That sounds ridiculous to me. To put things in perspective, I’m taking multivariable calculus next year in school with a teacher. This means I have about triple the amount of time you have, plus I’ll get assistance when I need help from a real person. In addition, you’re trying to teach yourself linear algebra? So you have far less time, no personal attention, and are planning to learn twice as much content. Unless you are literally a genius AND extremely motivated, I can’t see how you can master both of these in three months by yourself. I certainly couldn’t do it, and I’ve yet to meet anyone who could even come close.

Now, separate from that, what are you asking? Do you want chances for colleges? Because you didn’t mention any. If you’re asking how you can stand out, I don’t really think you can with you’re current profile. I understand there may have been some weird complications with joining clubs at school, but there’s always other stuff to do. You could have found an internship or a job. You mentioned that you are interested in biochemistry and physics. You could have taken some classes in these subjects at a local college or university. You could have assisted in research. Yes, these are examples of going far above and beyond what is necessary, but I’m just saying these are the ways in which you can stand out if you don’t really have any other major extracurriculars.

Obviously you’re grades are very good, and you definitely seem to be interested in academics considering you self studied for so many APs. However this does not necessarily translate to “standing out” in college admissions. I would very seriously reconsider trying to study the math you mentioned in the time period you suggested. Stick with multivariable calculus for the summer and the first semester of the school year, and see how you’re doing at that point. If you can finish that, you’re already ahead of most people.

3

There are other activities that you can participate in that do not involve school, you know that right?

4

Why would your school administration threaten you with expulsion for trying to join clubs? It doesn’t make any sense…It’s not like you are failing several classes and need to focus on your classes or anything. Also, how can your administration prevent you from doing things such as volunteering/community service outside of school?

That being said, I think you could get into some top 100 universities with your test scores and GPA.

5

From another post it looks like you are going to American University in the fall. That should be a great opportunity. I am not sure what you are asking in this post.

6

“Self studying linear algebra in a summer seems extremely difficult. Linear algebra PLUS multivariable calculus in that amount of time? That sounds ridiculous to me”

Are you serious? I’ve already had some introduction to it my Junior Year (I was surprised that the class began with an intro about taking determinants and how inverse matrices can be used to find whatever). Compounding this, It only took about 5-6 weeks of study to complete calculus… And that’s with my poor regime…

And besides, who are you to judge whether or not I can accomplish such a task?! In fact it’s that very same reasoning that led to my relegation to begin with! Should one be disheartened by the fact that one particular field of study looks “difficult” that you shouldn’t even attempt it?! What kind of fallacious reasoning is that? Again, people said I couldn’t complete my current courses in my circumstances, yet look at me going above and beyond them!

Regardless, Linear Algebra and Multivariable can and are usually taught at the same time; They’re the types of mathematics that diverge from calculus, and at this point you don’t necessarily need knowledge of calculus to understand higher Algebras… Calculus wasn’t difficult at all, and Multivariable is only the next step up with Linear algebra being about equal to it, so there’s absolutely no reason not to. And judging by how long it took to study previous maths (along with my poor habits/general laziness) I still managed to complete them in short periods of time. The summer should provide a perfect opportunity, as I’ll have graduated by then, so I may focus all my time to studying.

“Why would your school administration threaten you with expulsion for trying to join clubs”

Simple: I ask my counselor if I can join X club/activity… They respond no… I stutter for a moment- followed by a momentary pause – I ask again: Same response… The conversation escalates, “Pretty please…?”, and I’m threatened with insubordination… How do you respond to that?! It’s a paradox! Considering that there’s nothing I could’ve said- No behavior I could exhibit- No test score high enough ( I was one of the top students in all of my classes, with a 96+ average) to change their minds, It’s an textbook example of Catch-22…

Now then; Repeat this cycle for… oh… I dunno, maybe four years?

There was nothing I could’ve done… You can’t argue with, “no”, It’s just a thoughtless rejection that serves only to add insult to injury. Seriously! I asked my Economics teacher If I could join DECA, I sent the check the following day, and my counselor found out about it, and forbade it… How do you fight that? How might one respond appropriately?! It’s not possible…!!! Additionally, there were students in my class who made nationals… Considering how I compared myself to them, I could’ve at least made it as far as they did (I was already paired with them anyways)…

So imagine that! Finally an opportunity to earn some award- To devote myself to something that might earn recognition- Chances to explore an entire field of study, whilst competing against others- thoughtlessly, torn apart… They threw the check out in front of me…

Now then, tell me; Was the fault my own…? And what possible measure could I have taken?!

Now REPEAT THIS SAME PROCESS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE = My academic career…

You can’t even begin to imagine how helpless- how powerless I feel to do anything-! As if my success should be predicated on the arbitrary dictate of some random staff member…

“Also, how can your administration prevent you from doing things such as volunteering/community service outside of school?”

To my knowledge, many study/research opportunities are recommended by the school administration. I’ve known students who asked to join research groups, and were directed someplace, and with recommendation too! And I have reason to believe that at least two of such opportunities were denied without my knowledge: I think my Bio/chemistry teachers wanted me to join something but were “advised not to” behind my back.

Additionally, lets say I pursued something: I’m not allowed to do anything in school, so If I wanted to, for sake of argument, perform a bioinformatics project with my Bio teacher, since it’s correlated with the school staff, they would forbid it.

Furthermore, I was discouraged from looking to do anything because of this: Truthfully, it was only recently when I realized that you could pursue something outside of school: I had been deliberately lied to! So it’s not like I didn’t try- It loops back to the same conclusion: There was absolutely nothing I could do!

7

Is there a question in your post or are you just letting off steam?