Chance a Junior

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>I would like to major in Econ or Biochem, and maybe take part in the Careers in Business Program at UChicago.</p>

<p>I'm currently a junior at a public charter high school that is highly ranked in the nation (Top 5) by US News & World Report, and Top 10 by the Washington Post.</p>

<p>Took the SAT I last June: 2230, (780 Writing, 11 Essay, 730 CR, 720 M)
(Failed the PSAT, 75 CR. 71 Math, 56 writing!!! Probably due to a mixture of overconfidence, and the June SAT curve being generous)</p>

<p>Taking SAT I again in March, ACT on Feb (expecting at least a 34)
SAT II: US History, Physics, and Math II in June.</p>

<p>Sophomore Year Course load:
AP Calc BC (5), AP World History (5), AP Biology (4), Engineering Concepts, Nanotechnology and Materials Science, Chinese 2, Honors Word Lit</p>

<p>Junior year Classes:
(Expecting 5s on all of my APs, maybe a 4 here or there)
AP Physics C (both Mech + E&M), Fundamentals of Electronics, APUSH, AP Gov, Gifted Honors American Literature, Georgia Tech Calculus II and III (Math 1502 and Math 2401), Chinese 3, Biochemical engineering (Biotechnology), </p>

<p>Expected Senior Year Course Load:
AP Macro + Micro, AP Lang (Or Lit), Differential Equations, Number Theory, Chinese 4, AP Chem, AP CS or Aerospace engineering</p>

<p>So far my U/W GPA: 3.99/4.0, my school doesn't rank, but I'm in the top 10 out of a class of ~210. My average is a 96.3% now, and it has always been drastically improving (1st semester: 93, 2nd: 95, 3rd semester: 97, 4th semester: 98, 5th semester: 99.6, expecting a 100.9 next semester)</p>

<p>I've had a five week long internship at Emory's Dept. of Chemistry, where I researched 45 hours a week under a graduate student studying Quantum Dot kinetics using a femtosecond laser, and other spectroscopic techniques. I wrote a research paper on the main study I did at Emory, and made a research poster. I'm sure if I do an interview, the adcom will be very impressed by what I did there.</p>

<p>I am planning on going back this summer (and will likely work much longer than just 5 weeks) and help with a project and get published, in JACS or Nano Letters.</p>

<p>In addition, I will participate in the Youth About Business week-long camp at Emory over the summer.</p>

<p>For my internship during Senior year (yearlong), I'm planning on working at a custom displays startup company, and might work with them to create a Quantum Dot LED display prototype. </p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>I'm in NHS, and have about 70 volunteer hours so far, most from being an assistant teacher at a language school. I'll probably end up with about 200 hours.</p>

<p>I also just joined Mu Alpha Theta, Engineering Honor's Society, and Beta Club this year. Hopefully I can get a leadership position in all or some of them.</p>

<p>I founded my school's Stock Market club/personal finance club, for our first year we have placed 12th. For the personal finance aspect of our club, we will be teaching members, and people in our community about personal finance and the importance of managing your money properly. Over the summer I would like to get in touch with CFPs in my area, to ask if they would be willing to do pro bono and help us to teach personal finance to the underprivileged, as well as teenagers.</p>

<p>I'm heavily involved in Science Olympiad, and I'm probably going to go to nationals, and have gotten many awards through it (so far only in invitationals and regionals)</p>

<p>I got first in State (with a team) at the TSA's High School TEAMS competition (9th-10th division). I'll continue TEAMS this year, this time in the (11th-12th division).
I'll also be participating in WorldQuest this year, and I have high hopes!</p>

<p>I'm also organizing a program across schools in my county to match up students with local businesses, to try to get them real world experience in running a business. Hopefully, what our partner businesses will be getting out of it is a younger perspective to help them market through newer channels (namely, social media). We will be partnering with our county's chamber of commerce, and the Youth About Business Program.</p>

<p>It'd be great if you could point out where I can improve. Thanks for reading this huge wall of text!</p>

2

<p>You have an excellent, excellent start. I like the fact that your EC’s have interesting substance. And your grades are very very good while taking hard classes.</p>

<p>From here do the usual things. See if you can’t bump your CR/M score up a bit. Seek top notch recommendations from people who will really write from the heart. Write honest, thoughtful essays. You don’t have to be Tolstoy with these essays. Just write from the heart, don’t wait too long to get started, and edit carefully.</p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>

3

<p>Oh, this is pretty obvious but I’ll say it anyway. Keep performing at the level you have been performing so far in HS. Best of luck.</p>

4

<p>Thanks! Will a ~35 on the ACT be “good enough” (I’m expecting 33/34 Eng, 34 Math, 34 Reading, 36 Science)</p>

5

<p>Of course! A 35 composite ACT score puts you at the 75% level among the class of 2017 matriculated UChicago students. In fact, that’s an excellent score for any school in the country!</p>

6

<p>Bump, for an update!
I got a 35 on the ACT (33 Eng, 34 Math, 35 Reading, 36 science).
I won a spot to the National Academic Worldquest Competition in Washington, D.C, all expenses paid
I also won 1st, 2nd, and 4th place medals at Science Olympiad regionals.</p>

7

<p>You’re in good shape with that 35 ACT now. You look good and are competitive for any top-10 school in the country. Just make sure your essays are great and that you go to teachers for your recs who love you. </p>

8

<p>Thanks brady, I sure will. Quick question, do colleges only look at certain sections of the ACT?</p>