Chance at Pomona (ED)

<p>Korean-American living abroad</p>

<p>Here are my stats
GPA: 3.70/ 4.0 (The maximum GPA is 4.0, not 4.3. Anything above 94 is an A and something in between 84 and 93 is a solid B.)
SAT I: 2270 (710 C/R, 780 Math, 780 Writing. I will take it again in Oct.)
SAT IIs: IIC 790, Chem 770, US history 700 (crap)
APs: I haven't checked my scores yet, but I have taken AP Chem, AP English Lang. and Comp., and AP US History.
TOEFL: 280
English is my second language, and I have been under American curriculum for 3 years.</p>

<p>Senior year schedule: AP English Literature, AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Spanish Language, Physics (1st year), Global Issue (real easy class), and Strings (which is the same as "orchestra" class in American public schools)</p>

<p>My GPA for the first semester of junior year is really crappy. I got something like 3.15, so my cumulative GPA went down significantly. However, I bounced back by getting a 3.75 in the second semester.</p>

<p>E/C and Awards
* Orchestra for all 4 years (I have been playing the cello since 1998)
* University Interscholastic League Cello Solo 1st Class (UIL is a musical achievement testing used in Texas. I got the highest grade in 9th grade. I moved to a different country in my sophomore year)
* 1st place winner for The 15th Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association Math Contest (in 9th grade)
* Spanish Club President (12)
* PSAT National Merit Commended Scholar (11)
* National Honors Society (12)
* 200 hours of community service at Chimsulwon (It's a nonprofit organization in Korea where old ppl and the phsically challenged people are treated with oriental medicine. I treat patients with acupuncture and moxibustion)
* Taekwondo 2nd Dan holder
* Internship at two hospitals
* Track and Fields, basketball, and football in 9th grade (my current school doesn't have teams for Track and Fields and Fball. Therefore, this prolly doesn't count at all). I don't play any sports at this moment</p>

<p>I know my GPA and E/C suck, but do I have any chance?</p>

<p>I think you have a real shot. Your scores are in the right range and gpa isn't that too far off the mark and you've done alot of great stuff. Since your abroad, interview sounds tough to arrange, but make an attempt to have some personal contact with the school. maybe even a phone interview. This school is amazingly accommodating and IMO their goal is to find the right people that will fit in, not just the right stats. IMO they want students you will contribute and be part of a great college community. </p>

<p>I think a solid essay should help you out too. But do contact admissions, let 'em know you're out of the country, can't interview, see what accommodation they'll make for you. Again, IMO it looks to me you've got a shot- Best of luck to you.</p>

<p>Yea, i would say you have a shot. But honestly, don't worry too much. It's not worth it to ask our opinions because we're not the admissions office at Pomona.
They look at every application very very throughly and the numbers and GPA are definitely a standard, not a deciding factor. Essays, interviews, extracurriculars are.
For example, I got a 1330 and I had a below average GPA and I got in. </p>

<p>My advice: try your best, work on your essays like hell, make contact with the admissions office and don't stress too much. Admissions for schools like this can be unpredictable because of the amount of spots avaiable.</p>

<p>Anyways, good luck!</p>

<p>Also, I saw you think your SAT II's are bad. Don't stress too much. I got a 670 writing, 710 MIIC and 760 in Spanish (native) and I got in. So yea, of course you want to raise them if you can, but just don't worry about the numbers too much. Focus your energy on the essays and making yourself standout from the rest. Everyone else has great scores and grades too.</p>

<p>are you being sarcastic when you say you think you're GPA and ECs are sucky? a SATII 700 is not crap. (i think you're trying to be humble, but there's a limit to self-deprecation.)</p>

<p>aleph4, aka my homie alejandro, is right, don't stress too much man. i got into pomona, and my stats were somewhat similar to yours, albeit slightly more focused, but that makes no difference.</p>

<p>give yourself more credit, dude. i'm asian too, i know how competitive it gets with everyone else, and your folks sometimes get on your butt about where the 1% on your 99% paper went.</p>

<p>now, remember, it's your senior year. enjoy it. stop coming to this website all panicking, posting your stats in midsummer. go to a school dance. ask a hot girl out. (or guy, if that's your thing. pomona is really open. we'll accept you no matter what.)</p>

<p>finally, when the time comes to apply for pomona ED, CAREFULLY CONSIDER it. remember, it doesn't have the name recognition that stanford/harvard/northwestern may have (though the benefits are obviously better). but realize you'll get a lot of blank looks when you mention it to your peers. so think carefully, young grasshopper.</p>

<p>but for now, go to the beach and get a tan, for the love of christ!</p>

<p>the post above is some of the best advice I've seen on this site. Lot of panic stricken folks here. You will get into college. Things will be fine. Besides, it's really where you go to grad school that matters. Save the stress for then LOL.</p>

<p>thank you.</p>

<p>"but for now, go to the beach and get a tan."</p>

<p>if you had read his info, you would have noticed that he lives "In da Hood." they dont have beaches in da hood. go play some streetball yao, and maybe someday we'll see you on the and1 mixtape tour.
gregg popovich use to coach at pomona, btw.
just try not to worry too much, i made that mistake myself.</p>

<p>TPAM knows that cars can take people to the beach. true or false?</p>

<p>true......so? gas is expensive. we're not all made of money.</p>

<p>sorry if i sounded sarcastic. i like watching streetball and i was thinking about it today cause i have to pay my friend back the $36 for the ticket. and popovich DID really coach at pomona:
<a href="http://www.pomona.edu/events/news/home.shtml#june23%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pomona.edu/events/news/home.shtml#june23&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>so im not being an a$s. i think you have just as good, proabably better chances than i did when i applied. convey how much you like pomona to the school and i think you have fairly good chances.</p>