<p>Be careful here with the essay.</p>
<p>The obstacles overcomed essay doesn’t necessarily have to be “a obstacle overcomed”. Don’t get me wrong here, stay on topic but don’t answer it directly (if you know what i mean).
Make sure the Ox-cart topic sounds plausible and real, believable.</p>
<p>@jack612blue</p>
<p>Yes, for my “obstacles” essay, I chose to show the admissions committee that despite the obstacles themselves, I still managed to achieve “great” things. Majority of my essay was focused more on the experience and the resulting growth I’ve received from the challenges, not on whining about the challenges themselves. </p>
<p>Hopefully the ox-cart would sound believable because it’s true. Happened in the rural countryside of China when I was 5 years old. It was one of the most vivid moments that I remember about the time I’ve spent with my grandpa.</p>
<p>But Pianodude, Hardvard is NOT for science/engineering 
. </p>
<p>Beside the proudness, let’s say, MIT or CALTECH and Harvard accept you.
How would you turn MIT and CALTECH down for Harvard when you are in the science/engineering field just purely because you want to make your family proud. Well, it isn’t that logical to me considering the engineering /technology firms see MIT/Caltech as way better than Harvard in the science/engineering field.</p>
<p>Harvard is more for political science sort of major and they produce presidents, political leaders, not super engineers </p>
<p>I know you know it yourself and you might need to communicate this to your family, make them feel PROUD of MIT and CALTECH or the like. </p>
<p>I think i know what you mean. You know what, my parents are the same. They only know Harvard as the elite school. When I got in UCLA and UC Berkeley, they say what are those schools, are they any good? Why didn’t you apply for Harvard??? </p>
<p>I and many other people talk proudly about UCLA and UC Berkeley especially UCLA are being continuously increasing popularity in the Cantonese speaking community (specifically Hong Kong immigrants or Hong Kong international students). Then my parents start to recognize it because other parents are talking about it so now they are so proud of me graduating from there.</p>
<p>^ kevin, I believe I know what you’re talking about. If I do happen to get accepted into MIT and Harvard (long shots, I know), I might very well attend MIT simply for my career in the long run, but do understand that Harvard occupies a special place in both my family history and in myself as well. I don’t know how to exactly explain it, but I just have such a passion for Harvard, and hopefully in my interview on the 26th of December, I can make the EC realize this.</p>
<p>P.S. Congrats on getting into those UC schools :D</p>
<p>Bumpity bump bump.</p>
<p>Pianodude, please update me how the thing goes. Good luck to you in getting into Harvard </p>
<p>College was the past for me already. I’m about to graduate from graduate school that is the rival of UCLA: USC :D</p>
<p>i’m chinese, so i get what you’re talking about with the ‘pride’ thing, and how going to harvard will make your relatives etc. proud. but in your essay, you shouldn’t write about wanting to go to harvard because of pride, because harvard wants someone who has something to offer and learn, not someone who wants to come to harvard because it’s harvard.</p>
<p>wow as a chinese international student i must say ‘you are so great!’
good luck! hope you can go to your dream school!</p>
<p>@epicgee</p>
<p>Chinese FTW!! :D</p>
<p>But yeah, I didn’t say anything about how I would be filled with pride by going to Harvard in my essay. Don’t worry, it’s not a sycophantic plea for admission :)</p>
<p>@kevin101</p>
<p>I will definitely keep you updated bro, hopefully come April 1st, my PM would be in all CAPS, by which point you can infer that I got into a good school :D.</p>
<p>@sherry99</p>
<p>Thank you for your support, I really wish I can get into a good school too, not only for myself, but for my relatives in rural China, and my cousins as well, for they see me as an inspiration.</p>
<p>Bump, thanks for all the current feedback guys.</p>
<p>Bump. Chance me and I’ll chance you back :D</p>
<p>I didn’t know people lived in South Dakota (haha, jk). I think its great that you’re utilizing your culture so much because it tells a lot about you that’s not reflected elsewhere on your application (except that little box where you check race I guess)</p>
<p>No, your stats look great and I think your essays and SAT etc. will be fine too, so like others said there are several colleges you’ll get into. Just keep in mind that Ivys are a crapshoot, so you’ll never know why you get accepted/rejected. Good luck, and lemme know your results.</p>
<p>Also, please chance me</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1054893-chance-me-please-will-chance-back-within-hour.html#post1066113556[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1054893-chance-me-please-will-chance-back-within-hour.html#post1066113556</a></p>
<p>I’d say you’re a match or better for all these schools other than the first four and stanford. And even then, you have a good chance for getting into at least one of those. Chance me back please</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055030-do-i-have-chance-suny-binghamton-suny-geneseo.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1055030-do-i-have-chance-suny-binghamton-suny-geneseo.html</a></p>
<p>Damn you have some pretty amazing stats!
You definitely have a good shot at getting into most of those schools, except it will be VERY competitive for the top ivy’s.
Don’t stress yourself too much with the billions of schools your applying to haha
Good luck!!</p>
<p>@raybird9</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>I guess it’s a relief that the college application process is over in a couple weeks…And results come out in 3 months gah…</p>
<p>Oh well, crossing my fingers…</p>
<p>you have a good chance at all of them, but Vanderbilt is definitely either a low reach/match. I think you will be fine! 
just kill the essays.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Hey, thanks again for chancing me. In terms of your application:
I hate to say it, but the Chinese thing really works against you (you probably already knew this).
In terms of your activities, I feel that the only thing that really stands out is your prolific piano playing abilities. I hate to say it, but I feel like most of the top colleges receive hundreds of applications from Chinese males who obtained an 800 on their SAT’s. Personally, I think your piano playing ability is what you need to emphasize on your application.
Honestly, I don’t know why you are applying to half those schools. I feel that you will go someplace great for engineering; if I were you, I would only be applying to a few top choices – probably MIT, CalTech, Hopkins. I feel that you’re a perfect fit for these schools.</p>
<p>I’m just really confused by your schools list… It looks as if you literally just took the USNWR top 15 and then added a couple other top ranked schools.
For instance: what do Duke and Uchicago have in common that attracts you? Vandy and Caltech?</p>
<p>@bobleman300</p>
<p>You know, that is a great question…</p>
<p>I have relatives in rural China who depend on me to do well, and cousins who see me as an inspiration…I suppose if I got into a renowned school, then all the troubles that they went through to support me would be worth it…Really, I’m applying to these top colleges for them more than for me (except Harvard, I just absolutely love that school).</p>
<p>Wow. 23 schools. First of all, props to you if you were able to put genuine interest and thoughtfulness into every one of them.</p>
<p>Moving on, your stats are certainly competitive- even for the most selective schools on your list. The one thing that may be working against you is your ethnicity. Another Asian who wants to be an engineer with presque-parfait SAT scores…. (please don’t take that as racism- it’s a statistic)</p>
<p>To counter that though, your musical talents provide a good balance to your “typical” EC’s. If you’re able to emphasize your passion for music and make it sound “real,” I’m sure that can help you stand out from the crowd of “math, science, math, science” Chinese applicants. </p>
<p>The Ivy League+Stanford+MIT+Caltech are really a crapshoot for everyone, so there’s no saying what will happen there. JHU is kind of the same, since you want to be a biomedical engineer. As per the rest, I think your only obstacle is making them believe you would actually go there.
It’s the one thing my guidance counselor has always stressed to me: Make those schools feel like they’re your #1. </p>
<p>Another note (which others have mentioned) is the financial situation. You don’t want to graduate with debt or loans so just make sure you’re responsible and look into that. (it seems you have)</p>
<p>Ps. I totally get what you say about Harvard. As a first generation college student and immigrant, no one in my family has heard of any schools but HYP either. </p>
<p>Ahh the burden of not failing your family….
At least we’re not alone, right? :)</p>
<p>Please chance back!</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1054077-honest-stats-will-chance-back.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1054077-honest-stats-will-chance-back.html</a></p>