I am a high school junior and I am pondering whether I should apply to Stanford next year. Please let me know whether I should apply and if I get rejected whether it affects my future applications.
Here are my stats-
GPA- 4.0 (4.82 weighted)
SAT- 1580
Subject tests- 800 (Math II)
AP Classes in 9th and 10th grade- AP GOV(5), AP Calc BC(3, will retake in 11th grade), APUSH(4), AP Comp Sci(5), AP Physics C(4). The reason I have low scores in Calc, USH, and Physics is because I was not in a very good place right before the exams. My mom had just gotten diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks before the exam and I couldn’t study during that period because I had to help them with doctors, insurance, Medicaid, etc. I am certain if I took it now, I would get 5s.
APs/IBs in 11th grade- IB Bio, AP World, AP Research, IB French, AP Stats, IB English
ECs- I have been doing research in computational neuroscience at Johns Hopkins since the summer of 8th grade. I am in the process of peer-review for two machine learning and fMRI papers with a reputable IEEE journal which most likely will be published in mid-November. I have worked on building a prototype for a beam steering helmet that is non-invasive. I also presented two projects at MLSE conference in Carnegie Mellon.
Last year, I became a teaching assistant for an undergraduate research class at Hopkins. My PI who was teaching the class suggested I become a TA because I had been doing the research that was going to be covered in the class. I had to pretend to be an undergrad for the semester.
Awards and accomplishments- Said papers and conference. I haven’t really pursued awards much. I have a student of the year certificate lol. Are IRB certifications and MRI technician certificates considered awards?
What do you mean you had to pretend to be an undergrad to TA at Hopkins? That doesn’t sound very ethical.
Are you applying to Stanford as a junior or senior? Graduating early only gives you 3 years of accomplishments. I don’t think I’d want to compete against people who had the full 4 years to put together a competitive academic record. If you apply and get rejected, I think they’ll have your previous application(s) on file. You’d probably need a substantial addition to get accepted after being rejected in another cycle.
I would think a university would face liability issues in this instance and cannot imagine that the department chairperson/HR would agree to this subterfuge. So this, IMO, does not speak well for you or for JHU.
Calling a 4 “low” just reeks of disingenuousness IMO. A 4 is a very fine score which many students would love to have.
If you get rejected, your next application would need to show significant differences to expect any different result. Based on your post, you have not made a case for the validity of applying as a junior, and as @austinmshauri , you’d be competing with applicants with an additional year of accomplishments.
When I said I pretended to be an undergrad, I meant that I told the students that, when they asked. The department, the professor and the office of the provost knew.
You could accomplish more in an extra year. You’d thus be more competitive. Keep doing hat you’ve been doing.
If Stanford rejects you your odds of ever getting in as an undergrad bexe microscopic - adcoms don’t go “oops we missed this kid’s achievements last year, let’s admit him/her”. They are sure they didn’t make a mistake the first time around and are unlikely to change their minds.
Asking and then presenting only stats and major accomplishments does show you don’t understand yet what Stanford looks for. It is not just about unilateral, breadth matters very much. They’re building a class, not just taking bright kids. So how do you plan to make your best presentation?
We can’t tell your full courseload balance from this. And having completed only through jr year, yes, the 3 and 4 scores, especially in BC and physics, will be a risk.
Use senior year wisely. Make sure you show some rounding, peer related collaborative activities and concern for the community. See how Stanford informs.
If you have a significant reason to apply early, i.e. moving into the dorms would assist your family during your mom’s illness, then I would encourage you to apply. Otherwise, enjoy an extra year of high school.
Other colleges won’t know you applied elsewhere the previous year unless you tell them you did.
Still doesn’t say much for JHU to hire a 15/16 year old who can’t be honest with the other students. I wouldn’t think much of the school or professor who allowed you to be dishonest with the other students.
Go ahead and apply. I don’t think you are ready and I don’t see how applying as a junior helps you.
There are other schools.
Why not apply to Hopkins instead of putting all of your eggs in a tedious basket?
Stanford likes students who take advantage of everything that is available: That includes finishing your high school career. They have stated over and over again that they don’t like students who are “books”. You need to have some FUN in high school and they want those students.
I don’t think you would meet their academic requirements if you missed your final year of high school.
If you are really keen on applying in anywhere in 11th grade you might want to look into University of Southern California (USC)'s Resident Honors programs; it is designed for juniors to skip their senior year of high school and enter college early.
With the exception of this and similar programs, unless you are some sort of true prodigy, most colleges (especially schools like Stanford) will appreciate the maturity as well as the depth and breadth of academic and extracurricular experiences that a fourth year of high school will bring.