Chance at Princeton Early Decision

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>Here's my stat. You can be very harsh in judging my stat. </p>

<p>Korean international applicant(12th grade) with no citizenship, permanent residence and alumni relation.</p>

<p>School: Korean Science Academy(Very, very competitive science high school established and supported by Korean government, with acceptance rate being 5.6% now)</p>

<p>Major: Biology</p>

<p>GPA: unweighed, A+(4.3) being 97/100 point or above
Grade/semester | 10/1 | 10/2 | 11/1 | 11/2 | 12/1 |
GPA(out of 4.3) | 4.07 | 4.07 | 4.19 | 4.22 | 4.15 |
* Korean applicants are not required to report GPA of 9th grade and 12th grade 2nd semester </p>

<p>college level courses:
Biology I, II, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant physiology, Human anatomy and function, Cell biology -> All A+ with highest grade in these subjects
Organic Chemistry, Calculus I, Calculus II(with Multivariable Calculus) -> A-</p>

<p>SAT 1: around 2200(expected)
SAT 2: Math IIC 800, Biology E 800, World History 800
AP: Calc BC 5, Biology 5, Chemistry 4</p>

<p>Work experience/Leadership/Volunteering/Sports: Virtually NONE</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities
* Biology club(10th grade)
* School Press(11th, 12th grade)
* Mentoring From Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology(11th, 12th grade)
* Biology Olympiad Preparation Team(11th grade: founder, team leader -> 12th grade: presidential tutor) -> now making Biology Olympiad guide book
* Research Experience(10th, 11th grade: under guidance of Seoul national university professors -> 12th grade: leader of nationally funded high school student research project) -> Now researching to publish a paper
* Official Ambassador of VANK(Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, a Non-governmental organization promoting international communication between Koreans and foreingers) (12th grade)
* Tutoring from a Busan national university professor on oriental painting
* Purdue Univesity GERI(Gifted Education Research Institute) summer camp(10th grade)
* APEC Leader camp(11th grade)</p>

<p>Honors:
* Korean biology olympiad - Broze medal (10th grade)
* Environmental book review contest - Honorable mention (10th grade)
* Best Research group award (11th grade)
* Korean biology olympiad - Gold medal and semi-finalist of Korean representative for internional biology olympiad (11th grade)
* Busan city superintendent of Education's Award for best student in science (12th grade)
* Samsung SDI scholarship for Academic Excellence(11th, 12th grade)</p>

2

<p>Your stats are stellar biocrat, so I think you even meet if not surpass the stringent international standards in that regard. Furthermore, your research and olympiad involvement separates you from the rest of the international pool. However, your lack of sports, volunteering, etc. does leave a large blemish on your otherwise solid application. Princeton, and most other competitive schools in the US want to see an applicant that is well-rounded, even though he maybe lopsided in several areas. Thus, I would say you have about a 40% chance at Princeton if you apply there ED.</p>

<p>Personally, I think you stand a better shot at being accepted to Caltech and MIT, since they don't consdier exteranl factors besides scores as much. Just something to consider!!!! Good luck.</p>

3

<p>I am quite much away from so-called "well-rounded person".
The only thing I can boast is my passion for biology and that's the only reason why I am about to apply for the U.S universities.
But I guess they will not put such great value on passion for biology.</p>

4

<p>Caltech and MIT, I'm thinking probably even Stanford and Yale, will put a lot of value on passion in biology! Back when I was very interested in going into life sciences, I wasn't very interested in Princeton at all. The little brochure I had didn't even list biology as a possible concentration, lol.</p>

<p>Mmm... there are an infinite number of great reasons to go to Princeton, but I don't really think biology is one of them.</p>

5

<p>Umm.. isn't Yale solely humanity and sociology school</p>

6

<p>Haha, no! Biology is one of the most popular majors at Yale, and Yale has a great medical school (it's a graduate school, of course, unlike medical schools in the UK and elesewhere).</p>