Cha Cha Chance!

<p>Hiii! I'm a rising senior who would love to attend Princeton. I'm looking for chances from current Princeton students or alum. Thank you!</p>

<p>Race: White
Gender: Female
State: CT
School Type: Public for 9th & 10th, private for 11th & 12th (#60/100 on Ivy feeder list)
Income Bracket: Low-income mother, Upper middle-class father (divorced parents)
Legacy: Not unless my uncle counts
Athlete: No</p>

<p>*All of the below include the courses that I will be taking in my senior year.</p>

<h1>of Honors Courses Taken: 13</h1>

<h1>of AP Courses Taken: 6 or 7</h1>

<p>*Note that the recommended max. of APs/yr at my school is 3. I took 2 and self-studied 2 last year [first year taking APs] and will take 4 or 5 next year.</p>

<h1>of AP Self-Studies: 2</h1>

<h1>of College-Level Electives Taken: 4</h1>

<p>UW GPA: 3.75 (Not including freshman year)
*Is it true that Princeton doesn't look at freshman grades?
Sophomore: 3.5 (B+), Junior: 4.0 (A), Senior: 4.0 (A)</p>

<p>Estimated UW Rank: 12/72
Note that my school does not release rankings so colleges will only know that I fall in the top percentile of my class. (I'm pretty sure..) After the 1st semester of senior year, my rank should improve to #5 or 6/72. </p>

<p>ACT: 34
SAT II: Literature: 800, Biology: 800, Spanish: 780
APs: Chemistry: 5, U.S History: 5, Language & Composition (self-study): 5, Psychology (self-study): 5</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:
I know that it might seem like I spread myself thin but I absolutely love everything that I'm involved in. My ECs are concentrated in the environment and the arts so I don't think that I'm all over the place. I did not join any of my ECs for the purpose of college, unlike some students... I pour my heart and soul into everything that I do.</p>

<p>Environment
I don't specify names of organizations for privacy reasons.
• Environmental NGO (11, 12, will continue in college)
*Outreach Coordinator & Member-at-Large<a href="11">/I</a>
*Media Relations Coordinator<a href="12">/I</a>
• Young Delegate Program <a href="11,%2012,%20will%20continue%20in%20college">A part of above NGO</a>
*Delegate

-Attend & speak at conferences/summits/conventions on climate change and biodiversity in such locations as Japan, South Africa, Denmark, Brazil and the U.N
Media Relations
-Write articles for school & local newspapers, make presentations at school, write for an international blog, and garner attention from national media
• Youth Environmental Activism Group (11, 12)
Founder & Chair
-Connected to city and state government
-Currently branching out to other parts of CT
• City Waste/Recycling Department (10, 11, 12)
*Unpaid intern *
-Make lots of presentations about recycling to summer camps and schools
-Created a composting program implemented at all city schools and parks
• Green Team (9, 10, 11, 12)
*President<a href="12">/I</a>
-Helped win the Green Cup Challenge last year and planning on doing it again this year!</p>

<p>Arts
• Literary Magazine (10, 11, 12)
*Short Story Editor<a href="11">/I</a>
*Editor-in-Chief<a href="12">/I</a>
• Newspaper (10, 11, 12)
*Arts Editor <a href="11,%2012">/I</a>
• Freelance writer (11, 12)
-Regular contributor to a newspaper, magazine and environmental policy blog
-Published in other magazines (literary and non) and newspapers
• Theater (11, 12 but total of 7 yrs)
-Lead role in school's spring musical
-Lead role in summer theater production
• Photography (9, 10, 11, 12 but total of 7 years)
• Music (10, 11, 12)
-Guitar lessons (10, 11) I continue to play, of course.
-Piano (I'm currently learning)</p>

<p>Other hobbies: Filmmaking, traveling, linguistics, cooking</p>

<p>Volunteerism: About 500 hours of:
• Tutoring inner-city kids
• Tutoring Spanish-speaking immigrant children
• Being a friend to a few autistic children
• Helping out at various environmental-related events</p>

<p>Work Experience:
• Freelance writer (I am paid for some articles.)
• Babysitter
• Waitress</p>

<p>Summers: Travel, writing, photography, unpaid internship at a television production company (9th grade, found it myself), prestigious creative writing workshop, Precalculus, unpaid intern w/ city recycling department, local theater production, self-studying French, learning piano, practicing guitar)</p>

<p>Awards and Achievements:
• Wrote and published award-winning children’s book about the environment
• 2 Scholastic National Golds for my short story and nonfiction writing (I'm hoping for 2 Silvers, if not Golds next year)
• NCTE Creative Nonfiction Winner
• Local literary competition- 1st place in 2 categories
• 3rd place in an international environmental competition
• Intel ISEF Finalist
• Siemens We Can Change the World Semifinalist
• Presented my paper at the U.N’s 19th Commission on Biodiversity for winning a scientific paper competition
• 1st place in Project Polar Bear National Competition
• State/regional science fair wins
• Recognized in a few national/international photography competitions (Had the honor of having my work displayed in 2 galleries as part of the wins)
• State & regional photography competitions- 1st/2nd places
• Drama award from my school
• Drama award from the state (Individual and as a cast)</p>

<p>Cha cha NO!</p>

<p>In seriousness though, you have a great chance at Princeton! Your extracurriculars and awards look really nice. However, your GPA/rank might be a slight lower than expected, so maybe try to bring that up? And your volunteerism is great too.</p>

<p>Hahahah, I was feeling musical :)</p>

<p>Thanks for your opinion! I doubt that I have a great chance though… I mean, it’s Princeton!</p>

<p>After the 1st semester of senior year, my UW GPA (still, not including freshman year) will be around 3.81.</p>

<p>With a class size of less than 100 students, the “top percentile” is 1 student. And it’s not you.</p>

<p>Haha, oops - I was terribly sleep-deprived when I wrote this… but no need to be rude!</p>

<p>Anyway, I’ll be in the top 7.2% actually… #10 is my rank.</p>

<p>GreenGeek,
Pay no attention to newb.</p>

<p>"Estimated UW Rank: 12/72
Note that my school does not release rankings so colleges will only know that I fall in the top percentile of my class. (I’m pretty sure…) After the 1st semester of senior year, my rank should improve to #5 or 6/72. "</p>

<p>How? How would 1/2 of a year, when averaged with 3 other years of work, advanced you 6 slots in the ranks?</p>

<p>Aside from academics, you’re doing great. Intel ISEF looks great. The writing competitions are great too. Best of luck</p>

<p>Because my GPA will be around a 3.68. According to my school’s scale, that will put me at #5/6.</p>

<p>You don’t think that getting straight A’s is great? :/</p>

<p>Out of curiosity, do the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have a big effect on the application? I know how difficult it is to win a national gold (congratulations, btw), but am unsure if colleges recognize this…</p>

<p>Your chances are definitely above average. Good luck!</p>

<p>Yes, I think that they do have a moderate impact on the application since they are difficult to achieve. Thank you!</p>