Hallo, this is chaoticorder’s friend, I’m just too lazy to make my own account :]
Attending: UT Dallas as a McDermott Scholar (full ride, free & guaranteed study abroad, internships, research. A perfect fit for my family, finances, and self)
Accepted: Stanford, MIT, UChicago, Rice (1/2 ride merit scholarship), Northeastern (full ride Trustee’s scholarship), UT Austin (Dean’s Scholars science honors program, $2K/year merit scholarship)
School Type: Public, 70% TAKS pass rate. A mix of upper-middle and very, very low socioeconomic level students. Not known for elite college acceptances.
Location: Texas
Race/Gender: Caucasian
Prospective Major: Physics
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: no idea. 103.something
Class rank: 1 of 535
SAT I Scores
SAT I Math: 710
SAT I Critical Reading: 750
SAT I Writing: 800
SAT II Scores
SAT II Math II: 790
SAT II Physics: 760
SAT II German (not self reported, and definitely not spoken. Didn’t want to waste $8): 440
ACT Composite: 34
Math: 33; English: 35, Reading: 36; Science: 33
AP Scores/Classes:
Physics B- 5
Calculus AB- 5
English Language- 5
European History- 5
World History- 4
US History- 4
Spanish Language- 4
Senior year classes: English Lit, Biology II, Physics C, Calculus BC, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, US Government
Application
Essay: Wrote about the biggest defining factor in my life, and certainly an interesting read: being a white American immigrant from Amsterdam, the NL, and moving to San Antonio-- being put in ESL class where everyone spoke Spanish. A serious theme but humorous anecdotes about struggling with Spanish and getting caught by the Border Patrol. Just find something that will make the readers really take a second glance at your application. Also, spend a lot of time on your “Why ___?” essays-- they’re the best way to show your commitment, and you may even realize that you didn’t really want to apply to this school, anyway.
Teacher Recs: My Academic Decathlon coach and Calculus teacher wrote the nicest recs filled with examples of me as a student, but I have no basis for comparison, so I can’t assuredly call them “great!”
Supplementary materials: Didn’t send in any.
Work Experience
*Yeah, didn’t get my employment authorization card until a few months before applications were due. Helped prove my point in my essay, though :]
Most Significant EC’s
*Academic Decathlon, 2 years. Greatest experience of my HS career. Helped my team win Regionals for the 1st time ever, 5th overall individual at State
*Young Engineers and Scientists internship at SwRI
*Girl Scout, Gold Award, SU Teen Representative board member
*Physics lab research assistant at UTSA over the summer
*Varsity Soccer (2 years), cross country
*NHS and Interact Club president
*High School Aerospace Scholars (didn’t attend summer program b/c of noncitizen status; again, helped my essay)
*Economics for Leaders seminar (summer 11-12)
Awards (some mentioned above):
*AP Scholar with Distinction, Int’l Diploma
*National Merit Finalist
*“Most Likely to Succeed”-- I just love this, altho I didn’t get it until the last week of March
*Principal’s Leadership Team (20 students selected by principal)
*Science Fair regional medalist (physics/engineering project)
Notes: Please, please, do NOT stress out that your admissions results were because of “not enough EC’s”, or if you’re a freshman, DON’T join clubs because you want to walk the “hallowed halls of Hah-vard” in 4 years. I could have joined Math/Science UIL, done more science fair, taken the AIME/Science Olympiad tests, taken Stats AP, or applied to dozens of other meaningless, expensive resume-fillers over the summer. But I chose to do what I wanted, and even if it hadn’t worked out this well, I know I’m happier than kids who did all of that stuff and sacrificed the fun of HS just for one acceptance letter from an Ivy.
