Chance at Stanford, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth. Thanks!

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Let me tell you my situation: I was born and brought up in USA and studied there till 6th grade. For my 7th and 8th grade, I went to a boarding school in the southern part (Bangalore) of my native country India . From 9th grade to 12th grade (high school basically), I went to high school in my native city in western India. (would this academic history, by itself, in ANY way help me out? there is a good possibility that i might write my essay on this)</p>

<p>I did the IGCSE course (an international course similar to IB)in 9th and 10th grade achieving the following percentages in the subjects: </p>

<p>Maths - 98% ,
Physics - 97% ,
Chemistry 96 % ,
Biology 96 % ,
Computer Technology 94 % ,
English 95 % and
Economics 87 % .</p>

<p>ACT: 34 ( SAT = 2250 )
SAT Chem: 800
SAT Math: 800
SAT Bio: 770</p>

<p>Presently, I am a rising senior doing the IB Diploma Program. The predicted grades that would be sent to the college are :
Bio 7, - HL
Chem 7, - HL
Eng 7, - SL
Eco 7, -SL
Math 7 - HL
Hindi 5. - SL
That is supposed to be the most rigourous courseload available in my high school.</p>

<p>My extracurriculars include the following: </p>

<p>1.MUN x4 (vice chairman of commitee x1, chairman of commitee x2, secretary general (highest position) of whole meet x1)</p>

<p>2.School president (student council)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>State level Bball player - 11th</p></li>
<li><p>Varsity Basketball (captain from 9th to 12th) </p></li>
<li><p>Gold medal - 100m sprint, Gold medal -high jump - school events- 10th
Silver Medal – 100 m sprint – </p></li>
<li><p>Manav Sadhna (NGO) -(community outreach program where I help underprivileged kids)</p></li>
<li><p>Bird welfare – (Uttrayan is a festival in India where we fly kites. The majority of the people do not know that are committing a heinous activity as they unintentionally cut the wings of birds and harm them. This bird welfare association helps the birds in need and helps spread awareness of the dangers posed to birds. I helped in the first aid department for Eagles)</p></li>
<li><p>Taught underprivileged students basic English and Math for a year (weekly once)</p></li>
<li><p>My English paper might get published in a journal. ( How much would this help? I personally think that I have put in A LOT of effort into it and that it is a substantial work of mine).</p></li>
<li><p>Black Belt 1st Degree. Was an instructor for a year at the ATA (American Taekwondo Association).</p></li>
<li><p>I have a hobby of showing magic tricks to people. I specialise in Close Up ( Parlour) magic. I have been doing this since I was young. Had a stage magic show when I was in 7th grade but stage magic did not appeal so I moved onto closeup magic with a special concentration on card magic. I find that I have overcome nervousness and have become more confident by doing magic.</p></li>
<li><p>I have volunteered extensively at the Blind People’s Association (BPA). I have been volunteering in the institution for 4 years now. I have my own article published in the BPA quarterly newsletter and plan to contribute more periodically. I had initially helped in writing records in the administration part of the institution. I have helped the blind people work with computers. I helped in soliciting of funds (fundraising) by writing letters that explain the salient features and roles the BPA plays in the betterment of the society to celebrities and dignitaries. I taught physiotherapy (thrice a week, one hour lectures) to blind students for a year. I am now currently helping manage the physiotherapy health department and do a few lectures every now and then. I have interviewed many blind people (informally) and plan to write a small report on it. I plan to do some public speaking activity (spread awareness?) over there too. I plan to write my essay on my experience in the Blind People’s Association and I think that this is a MAJOR component of my ECs.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Medically Oriented Activities: </p>

<p>(I have interest in Medicine and plan to apply to the highly competitive PLME program at Brown)</p>

<ol>
<li>Medical Counseling</li>
<li>Shadowing in summer after Junior Year in many doctors’ offices in America (radiologist, GI, nephrologist, infectious disease doctor and internal medicine doctor) </li>
<li>The bird welfare experience</li>
<li>Have finished a BLS (Basic Life Support) course and have been awarded a certificate by the American Heart Association</li>
<li>Have volunteered in a hospital.</li>
<li>Have seen a surgery.</li>
<li>Observer at a pharmaceutical company.</li>
<li>Have observed closely a few public health systems, including the one the BPA and at a Sickle Cell Anemia Center that promotes disease prevention, awareness and helps inflicted ones.</li>
<li>MIGHT conduct a (not-so-huge but still ) project at the BPA or do some rudimentary/basic research somewhere in a research lab.<br></li>
<li>I taught physiotherapy for a year at BPA.</li>
<li>Was a member at a blood donation camp.</li>
<li>Active member at the Red Cross.</li>
</ol>

<p>I shall be writing a general report on all the shadowing and observing activities.</p>

<p>I am also a US citizen with a Social Security Number. I am a legal resident of the state of Florida so I get a break at the public in-state universities.</p>

<p>I plan to apply to: </p>

<p>Brown ED (PLME) and if I dont get accepted, then to
Northwestern (HPME)
Albany Medical and Union College MD/MBA combined program.
Boston University Accelerated Program
FSU Accelerated Program</p>

<p>And For regular Undergrad:</p>

<p>Stanford
Hopkins
Vanderbilt
Brown
Northwestern
Columbia
Dartmouth
Rice
Duke</p>

<p>What chances do I stand at these colleges, especially Brown (ED)?</p>

<p>Suggest any if you wish :)</p>

<p>Thank you so much! :)</p>

2

<p>Since your course is IB, you don’t really need the Indian forum. The advice you’ll get here will not be of the same quality as the advice in the Chances forum. I’d recommend you use that. Trim what you’ve written though. Being concise is very important. You won’t be able to go into that much detail in your application.</p>

3

<p>I understood your point. I shall do that next. But could you help me out and chance me? Thank you. :)</p>

4

<p>I personally think you have very amazing stats!! I don’t really see why you won’t get in.</p>

5

<p>You’ve got amazing statistics.</p>

<p>Apply to Harvard as well… </p>

<p>You should be able to get in with aid and everything, just present yourself well in the application and keep your fingers crossed!</p>

6

<p>You’re a strong applicant to all of those schools, however admissions at those universities can never be predicted. Your essays are what’ll help you stand out.</p>

7

<p>You’re a strong applicant but PLME is a crapshoot. A big crapshoot. </p>

<p>The admission rate was 7.6% for ED last year. And average SAT’s ~2220</p>

<p><a href=“http://med.brown.edu/plme/prospective/stats.html[/url]”>The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University;

<p>That said, you have as good a chance as anyone else. Stats wise you have everything.</p>

8

<p>Dartmouth and Columbia are total opposites. Why are you applying to both?</p>

9

<p>Prestige probably. Culture is not important to most international applicants.</p>

10

<p>@blue_box </p>

<p>Not prestige. I am not an ‘international’ in that sense. I come from USA and know about the cultures about most of the schools i will apply to. ( Offhand, UNC has a less bookish environment than Duke. People are always around the school on the grounds and everywhere in UNC. The only thing that Duke has in comparison is the Media Building (forgot name) that Bill Gates endowed for; I have been to both Universities. I have done similar ‘research’ and acquired info. for the rest of my schools also) </p>

<p>I look at the courses I am interested in. Dartmouth and Columbia both offer the specific courses I am interested in. I have done enough research about the academic opportunities in all the schools I listed.</p>

<p>Its not just the top 15 or the most prestigious that I will apply to; it woul be pointless for me to mention the other universities that I am interested in because I can gauge my chances at those schools.</p>

<p>I don’t look at the culture, true, but prestige is not my determining factor either. </p>

<p>Categorizing and stereotyping is not good.</p>

11

<p>More so than prestige i’d say it’s the ridiculously low acceptance rates for internationals :/</p>

12

<p>I think its fair for internationals to apply to any and all Ivies and top schools. Unlike students in the US, both the opportunity and the risk profile coming from another country is far greater due to the types of jobs that give Visas and the low acceptance rates. Its probably less about fit (while important) but more about “getting here,” and doing so at a top school given the greater opportunities they enable.</p>

13

<p>You have an absolutely amazing array of athletic and academic talent and accomplishments. You will get into many of the schools you plan on applying to. Go to the school that best meets your academic goals, in your field of interest, and NOT just because of the “brand”. Figure out if you would enjoy a more rural or urban environment, as I lovebagels pointed out, you really are all over the place on the type of campus environment. I know financial aid can vary greatly from one school to the next, particularly for intl. students and this will also play into your decision. We just returned from Rice. I was blown away by the proximity of the Texas Medical Center. It is literally on the campus. I also think JHU is an amazing school. These are two non-ivy schools that would be amazing places to study and intern for undergrads. A third one in your area of interest, not on your list that I would recommend, is Wash U St L.</p>

14

<p>Thank you for your inputs. I appreciate it! And btw, I won’t be applying for Financial Aid. That should help me.</p>

15

<p>

</p>

<p>Only if the schools you’re applying to are NOT need-blind for US citizens.</p>

<p><a href=“would%20this%20academic%20history,%20by%20itself,%20in%20ANY%20way%20help%20me%20out?%20there%20is%20a%20good%20possibility%20that%20i%20might%20write%20my%20essay%20on%20this”>quote</a>

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It definitely will. Play the “world perspective” card thing, and how you were exposed to different cultures.</p>

16

<p>^True. I forgot to include that info about the need blind schools…</p>

<p>And yeah, that was my plan. I was going to elaborate on that and make it one of my essays. Hopefully it will appeal.</p>

<p>Btw, Which school were you from in India, blue_box?</p>

17

<p>DPS RKP, New Delhi.</p>

18

<p>Is it true that not that many people take the ACT in India? </p>

<p>There were 3 kids during the ACT exam session, while like 50 or 60 during the SAT exam session.</p>

<p>I thought that I could start a mini ACT prep agency and coach students of 10th grade for the Sep. 12th ACT exam date. The coaching could be done at my home or something? A small tutoring agency. The best part is that not many people know about ACT in my area and might find it easier than the SAT.</p>

<p>This initiative might add more weight to my CV.</p>

<p>The only problem is that I think it is a bit too late to start this venture.</p>

<p>(Random, but this is my 200th post! haha! :stuck_out_tongue: )</p>

19

<p>Yup, its absolutely true. The SAT is much more popular.</p>