Azn Junior in NJ to JHU ED = Possibility?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey guys. Quick summary: EC's are okay. Awards a bit lacking. Okay GPA w/ tough courseload. Good SAT. Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>Information:</p>

<p>Eth: Asian
Sex: Male
State: NJ
Grade: 11
Major: Going to apply to one of Biochem/Biology/Chem.
School: Very Competitive (Last year 3 to Princeton, this year 3 to MIT)
Courseload: Counselor will indicate "most rigorous" on app.
Grading System: A- = 90-95%; A = 95%+ :(</p>

<p>*Estimated Frosh/Soph/Junior GPA: *</p>

<ul>
<li>UW - 3.82; W - 4.17</li>
</ul>

<p>Estimated Soph/Junior GPA:</p>

<ul>
<li>UW - 3.89; W - 4.33</li>
</ul>

<p>Rank:</p>

<ul>
<li>School doesn't rank. Likely somewhere in the top 5% of 700.</li>
</ul>

<p>AP's (Total of 11):</p>

<ul>
<li>Physics B (4)</li>
<li>Chemistry (Taking, Probably 5)</li>
<li>Calculus BC (Taking, Probably 5)</li>
<li>English Language and Composition (Taking, Maybe 4-5)</li>
<li>Computer Science A (Taking, Maybe 4-5)</li>
<li>Biology (next year)</li>
<li>Art History (next year, fine art requirement)</li>
<li>Economics (next year)</li>
<li>Statistics (next year)</li>
<li>English Literature (next year)</li>
<li>Computer Science AB (next year)</li>
</ul>

<p>*All other courses = Honors (except 2 yrs of Foreign Lang, PE, and 2 yrs of computer-related electives)</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>SAT: M - 800; CR - 740; W - 800; T - 2340 (1540)
SAT IIs: Taking: Chem (Expecting Solid 800), Math II (Probably 760-800), and possibly Bio (in October) and/or Lit (700-750) </p>

<p>Recs:
Counselor - Awesome: I had an interview with her and she had some flattering comments about my personality.
Teachers - One good from Eng more about personality (not the highest eng grade in class unfortunately, running a high B+/low A- = tough teacher). One hopefully awesome rec from AP Chem teacher.
Supplemental - Either another teacher very familiar with me or JSA advisor (who is very fond of me). Also prof from Rutgers who was my research mentor (which should be awesome).</p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>NJ Science League
- Partipant 10th-11th
- Competitive Testing in Chem I
- Qualifying Test followed by Regional Test each month from Jan. - Apr.
- Qualified last year in Chem I, but not in Chem II this year </p>

<p>NJ Chemistry Olympics
- Competition in chemistry entered in year of AP Chem (11th)
- Club meets every week from Jan. to competition day in May
- Two-person group writing research paper on chemical process</p>

<p>Medical Careers Club
- Member 10th - 11th
- Reasonably involved; gonna run for officer</p>

<p>Science Competitor's Club
- Member 10th - 11th
- Officer 11th
- Random science competitions.</p>

<p>Junior Statesmen of America
- Member 9th - 11th
- Club Officer 11th (I write our weekly resolutions, occasionally moderate debates, and speak frequently)
- New Jersey Region Cabinet Member 11th (write debates on state level for regional conventions)
- Significant involvement in politics/oratory = my other passion besides science. </p>

<p>March of Dimes
- Member 10th - 11th
- Volunteer hours and fundraising
- Tedious but rewarding process = soliciting funds; selling tickets; organizing large-scale cultural show. </p>

<p>Genetics Research
- Summer of 2007; going back 2008
- 8 hrs/day, 5 days/wk for ~6-8 wks
- Research conducted with drosophila melanogaster; focused on determining the use of RNAi in restricting cancerous overgrowth caused by genetic mutations.
- Personally, this is my favorite activity; I'm in love with research and that's part of the reason I'm considering medicine (and JHU)</p>

<p>Piano
- 5 yrs
- Non-competitive</p>

<p>Community Service
- ~ 300 hrs
- Local hospital (oncology), senior center, and March of Dimes</p>

<p>Rec Tennis
- 8 yrs
- 3 hrs on Saturdays
- Summer camp in summer of 2006 and 2005 at local club
- Non-competitive hobby </p>

<p>Robert Wood Johnson Mini-Medical Program
- Participating in a several week long program at RWJ Medical School consisting of seminars to talk w/ doctors, students, etc.
- Semi-Competitive application process (~20% acceptance)</p>

<p>**Trying to start up two new clubs (one national and one state organization) for next year. We'll see how that goes.</p>

<p>Leadership Summary:</p>

<ul>
<li>Current: JSA (Chapter and Region), Science Club</li>
<li>Next Year Potentially: JSA (Chapter and Region), Science Club, Med Careers, March of Dimes, and possibly founder or co-founder of two new clubs. </li>
</ul>

<p>Honors, Recognitions, Awards, Programs (Kinda weak right now):</p>

<p>NJ Science League
- Recognition in 10th grade for regional competition
- Didn't qualify for regionals 11th in Chem II; only 4 out of 30-40 students make it and only the best of the best try out. Didn't get a chance to study .</p>

<p>National Latin Exam
- Silver Medal in 9th; Gold Medal in 10th; test for 11th in the process of being graded</p>

<p>Commendation from Governor/NJ State Legislature
- For our chapter setting up a March of Dimes fundraiser that raised thousands of $'s.</p>

<p>JSA Best Speaker Awards
- Several in recognition of debate performance.</p>

<p>National Honors Society/National Latin Honors Society
- 11th </p>

<p>Predicted National Merit Semifinalist
- PSAT: 226</p>

<p>Pending
- Other Competitions Planned/Participating: AP Scholar of Something, Chemistry Olympics, Siemen's Westinghouse/Intel (with additional research conducted over next summer)</p>

<p>Thanks for reading all of this!</p>

<p>Colleges:</p>

<ul>
<li>JHU (ED)</li>
<li>HYPS (will be for the hell of it!)</li>
<li>UPenn</li>
<li>Brown</li>
<li>Duke</li>
<li>Cornell</li>
<li>WashU</li>
<li>UMich</li>
<li>NYU</li>
<li>Rutgers</li>
</ul>

2

<p>wow...great chances at all the schools on your list, including HYPS!</p>

3

<p>haha thx...but I've seen your app as well and your accomplishments in NJ Science stuff is far superior to mine (lol didn't even qualify out of school for Chem II; although that's prolly b/c our team is currently one of the best in the state, making it very difficult to get on it!). Thanks though! Good luck to you as well.</p>

4

<p>Great chances at JHU. Expect good news next year</p>

5

<p>Wow I would hate to have that grading system even though A- is still 90-93 at my school..... you have an excellent chance</p>

6

<p>HYPS for the hell of it? Ive seen people accepted for MUCH less.</p>

7

<p>Great thx guys! Oh, aspasp's post reminds me that I should mention something a little weird that my school did starting this year lol. They changed the grading system in the middle of my HS career from the system I mentioned above to the system aspasp said is used at his school (not much of a difference though since many teachers just made their classes harder to compensate <em>cough</em> AP English <em>cough</em>). Apparently this was done in an effort to compensate for the abuse our students received in college admissions up to this point when they were compared to applicants from other grade-inflated NJ schools. But my school, in its infinited wisdom, has decided to not implement the new system retroactively. Hence, my GPA is a result of two different grading systems. For context, however, my GPA from grades 10-11 according to the scale the UCs and some state schools use is a 4.00. Anyway, keep the comments coming!</p>

<p>supereagle10: I appreciate the sentiment, but let me explain: My school is ultra-competitive...I don't even compare to some of our top applicants (who are juggling more APs w/ a higher GPA and better ECs w/ a massive load of awards). So yeah...that's why I'm applying ED to JHU (not to mention because I love the school and the premed there is undeniably top-notch!).</p>

8

<p>2 different grading systems in one GPA?! What the &*^$ that is crazy.</p>

9

<p>Yeah I know...I'm hoping colleges will give more weight to the letter grades I've earned (a mix of A's and A-'s w/ one career B+). I don't really understand my school myself lol.</p>

10

<p>all sounds great...a few more opinions would be awesome!</p>

11

<p>Being an Asian male from NJ that has Science ECs certainly isn't going to help you much. Great grades, SATs, decent/good ECs.</p>

<p>Hopefully you can distinguish yourself from other applicants with your essays and recs.</p>

12

<p>Yeah, you're right about the Science ECs. I plan to really accentuate the few non-Science ECs I have like debating and tennis (which, despite my inability to make the team, is still an important EC to me). Thanks for the comments.</p>

13

<p>ED to JHU? I think you're making a bad decision unless it's BME. Frankly, you're very likely to get in regular. If your school has Naviance you'll be able to tell what GPAs and SATs got kids admitted to JHU. I'd say you have a relatively good chance at all.</p>

14

<p>Wow thanks...but after looking at Duke's RD results today, I've become a bit skeptical (looks like they had plenty of vals w/ top SATs to choose from and they did some nasty weeding). One of my school's top applicants (top 1% of class; high SAT and SAT IIs; AIME/Science Stuff; Varsity Sport; Top Awards on Instrument; etc etc just got waitlisted at Duke). If that's what I have to expect from RD admissions, I'm going to have to apply ED somewhere (and probably JHU). However, I am considering BME now that I've researched it some more; so, I may end up applying to JHU ED for BME.</p>

15

<p>Any other comments?</p>

16

<p>242 views and only 7 comments? I'd really like a few more opinions plz!</p>

17

<p>haha... unfortunately these chance things are the best indicator of you actually getting in...</p>

<p>ppl with amazing stats dont get in... while ppl with lesser stats get in...
but like i said before... i think you are well rounded enough to definitely get in somewhere good</p>

<p>its cheesy to say this but as long as you put your best work into your apps and the four years of high school... thats really all you can do right?
if you get in, congrats... if you don't its their loss in the end</p>

<p>but let me just say that it would be a foolish move for JH to deny someone like yourself especially after someone like me :) got in</p>

18

<p>thx for the comment...really appreciate it!</p>