So I don’t have much to say for my award section: a few selective STEM programs ( ranging from ~ 20-10% acceptance) and that’s it.
Should I include being on the honor roll (everyone above a 3.7 unw gets one) or NHS? I fear that A LOT of students will have it…
My very close friend, lol basically a brother, who got into MIT advised to keep my app straight to the point (discard fluff, or sob unless it is very sobby), allowing the AO to determine if I am worthy of X university. He was in CSF, unicef, and key club, and didn’t mention either of them in his application even though he had the opportunity to. His STATS are similar to mine, and has shared his essays/teacher recs with me and agreed to help me out throughout the process. He did intel ISEF and chem olympiad, but it is too late for me to do either now (I am a junior).
So… any suggestions for awards?
I have 400+ volunteer hours (certified) and can write killer essays in science (biology/environmental science) and I got an article published in a neuroscience journal).
Also, any reputable science or merit based scholarships I can apply to?
All help is appreciated, and if more info is needed, I will PM
First off you sound like a great student and congrats on your achievements! Keep up the great work and make sure to stop and smell the roses along the way too.
I do not agree with your friend. MIT and Caltech may be just the facts and only the facts. But even MIT, I don’t think that is the case at all.
All schools want to get a picture of you and your achievements should be noted.
Yes it’s important to note your volunteerism and why that was important to you.
Some of your awards aren’t going to make a difference in a vacuum. But they help to complete the picture.
Achievements (example)
-Honor roll, all semesters, all years 9-12
-National Honor Society
-Published science article, “National HS Monthly, June 2019
-NM commended
-AP scholar
-AP Physics student of the year, 2020
I understand. But from the perspective of an AO, putting honor roll or NHS would just make it seem like your “fluffing up” your application to top colleges (I would think it would at least: Id assume these people (the AOs) see enough of CSF or AP scholar).
I would love to put something more unique, something I am passionate about it and shows my interest in Pre Med or biology (hence my article). And thats why I am here and asking, are there any such awards or anything of that nature?
Sure hard work puts you on the honor roll; hard work that may be impressive to some folks, but to AOs at top colleges I would consider it to be somewhat normal, let alone amazing.
So many of my friends got into UCLA this year who got waitlisted or rejected with amazing sat scores and gpa while being in multiple of those “cliche clubs” like csf, nhs, etc in addition to being on multiple varsity sports, leadership positions, hundreds of volunteering hours, etc.
Thats just ridiculous… I would assume the essays and recs, coupled with the awards and clubs mentioned, painted a very generic, go getter image of someone who took part in such clubs just to make their applications more appealing, and not for the fun of it.
So, I can’t say I’m an expert on this topic at all, but here’s what I would say based on what I did:
If you have enough stuff on your application that you don’t “need” to put it down (eg, you’ve filled up every space on the common app), then don’t. Otherwise, probably include it. Honor roll might be an exception because if you have a high GPA, then obviously you’re on the honor roll so it doesn’t mean anything.
Idk how NHS works for you, but at my school it’s more like a club. Who’s to say what clubs are “cliche” and what aren’t? Why does a club not matter just because many applicants do it? I would emphasize your more important and impressive ECs, like your published article and STEM programs, but if you have the room, go ahead and put it down. That way, you can feel like you did everything possible to get in. Otherwise, too, AOs might wonder why you haven’t done any clubs in HS, didn’t get accepted to NHS, weren’t an AP Scholar, etc.
If they reject you, it won’t be because you said you were in NHS. When they say to eliminate fluff, they mean stuff like “volunteered at soup kitchen for 2hrs sophomore year,” not legitimate activities.
I disagree about NHS and honor roll. Adcoms know what gets AP awards. And it’s not the count of vol hous but the work you do, how you got involved and in what.
But first, have you read the MIT blogs? It always pays to put what the college says (and shows) ahead of a student friend’s ideas. You need your own best understanding of what matters. You need to be on your own game.
You had an article published in a peer-reviewed journal. The vast majority of people who publish in peer-reviewed journals are finishing a graduate degree - even many people finishing a Master’s degree struggle to get an article published. You haven’t even started your undergraduate degree. So that, for a STEM application, is a HUGE deal, and worth a lot more than “best English Essay in Junior Year”.
So your independent research which produced the Article goes in ECs, and the article goes into Awards. A slightly more detailed description of your 400 volunteer hours will also be good. Then you are solid.
Now, if you want to go into STEM, any large Flagship university will be an excellent way to go, and your applications will make you competitive for a number of these, depending on which state you are presently residing. You don’t really need to go to Stanford, Duke, or GTech. OSU, UIUC, UMN, MSU, U of Iowa, and many more are all excellent places for an undergraduate degree which will continue to a graduate degree and a successful career in STEM.
