CHance for Harvard

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hey, I'm a male senior in an international school in Hong Kong.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Chinese-Indonesian
Citizenship: Australian and British
I have lived in Hong Kong for 13 years.</p>

<p>Major: Engineering</p>

<p>SAT 1
2000 (600 CR, 760 M, 640W) - Just retook them. Going to be around 2100.</p>

<p>SAT 2
Chemistry: 740
Maths 2: 790</p>

<p>Straight A and A* in GCSE. I am taking the IB Diploma right now and I am predicted a 40-42 out of 45.
HL Chemistry - 6
HL Maths - 6
HL Music - 7
SL English - 6/7
SL French - 6
SL Economics - 7
TOK - 2/3</p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES</p>

<p>Swimming (10 years)
- Hong Kong National and Junior Swimming Squad
- Represented Hong Kong at overseas meets
- Nationally ranked 4th in Hong Kong
- Team MVP 4 years in a row (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
- ESF Best Male Swimmer Award 2008
- High School Team Captain
- International Honours 2010
- Hold 10 interschool and school records
- Finished 4th at Hong Kong Olympic Trials.</p>

<p>Piano (8 years) - plan to continue in university
- Grade 8 with Distinction
- Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from Trinity College, UK.
- Regularly take part in local concerts, festivals and competitions.
- Bronze in Composer of the Year 2010 competition.
- Once played in front of a crowd of 5000 people</p>

<p>Violin (7 years) - plan to continue in university
- Grade 8 with Distinction.
- school orchestra, 1st violinist (6 years)
- Orchestra has won three international awards.
- ESF orchestra for 3 years.
- Representative and opening act for my school in the International Conference on Climate Change Hong Kong 2007</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Teaching English to mentally challenged and local non-English speaking students (2 years)</p></li>
<li><p>Service project of teaching English to local and disadvantaged students in Beijing (2008)</p></li>
<li><p>Runner Up of international business competition 'Media-Saturn International Retail Management Competition' 2010</p></li>
<li><p>Play in a band, Kiwi Pilot, as a keyboardist. We play in many local charity concerts to raise money, like Winterfest and Charity Rock Concert in our school (2 years)</p></li>
<li><p>Teaching piano as a private piano tutor (1 year)</p></li>
<li><p>HKAYP Bronze Award for community service (2008)</p></li>
<li><p>Junior Reporter for the Young Post in South China Morning Post, biggest newspaper chain in Hong Kong. Once aided for a live interview for Adam Lambert, American Idol runner up (2009)</p></li>
<li><p>Swimming coach. I have created my own swimming team in school and coached for two years (2009-present)</p></li>
<li><p>Australian Mathematics Competition Award (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)</p></li>
<li><p>UK Mathematics Competition Award (2007, 2008, 2009 2010)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>LEADERSHIP ROLES</p>

<ul>
<li>swimming coach, high school swim captain</li>
<li>piano tutor</li>
<li>Stride for a Cure Project Leader (organized hike to raise money for charity)</li>
<li>Scott House Head of Action</li>
<li>Grade 6 student leader in the School Council</li>
<li>Grade 6, 8 and 10 Scott House Action Representative</li>
</ul>

<p>SUMMERS STUFF</p>

<ul>
<li>Oxford Royale Academy, 2010 (Medicine Program)</li>
<li>Hong Kong Polytechnic University Summer Program, 2010 (Health Science)</li>
<li>Hong Kong University Summer Program, 2008 (Popular Music Composition)</li>
</ul>

2

<p>Unlikely with your scores. Perhaps you can try getting recruited by the swim coach?</p>

3

<p>Nikkor50mm, which scores do you mean?</p>

4

<p>hello salohcin uiy.</p>

5

<p>hello nairb uis</p>

6

<p>Your SAT Is and IIs make you unremarkable (i.e. easily passed over) for an international applicant. If you have amazing swim times, you might get noticed.</p>

7

<p>Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant your standardized testing (but T26E4 already clarified for me).</p>

8

<p>As an international applicant, you’re grades and essay are more important. If your sats don’t get much higher, they probably won’t take you seriously enough to read your extracurriculars. If you got a 2400, especially as an international student, you’d be one of the unlikely case that almost is certain to get in assuming a good essay is present.</p>

9

<p>your critical reading SAT score will kill you. Have to get above a 700 for them to take you seriously</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>I disagree. Many wealthy students in East Asian, namely China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, are sent to elite prep classes that enable them to achieve perfect or near-perfect scores. I expect colleges are aware of this.</p>

11

<p>Xdarkness: you’re pretty bold with your statements considering the learning curve you’re still under. An international with 2400SAT is no guarantee.</p>

12

<p>In my opinion, if you are applying from Hong Kong (or any major asian country), you are expected to score highly on the math (ie, 800). Obviously you can still get in without it, but just take it mind other intl apps from asia will have 800 in math. </p>

<p>Your swimming is impressive. You should emphasise that in your app, and that you are captain. And you should tick the plan to continue box for this.</p>

<p>Your ATCL and grade 8s, although they are tough, don’t really differentiate you from other applicants since they are in piano and violin… the two most popular instruments.
I guess what you can do on this is emphasise the leadership- teaching piano, the concert for 5000 people, etc.</p>

<p>I think your IB predicted is fine. But you should try to change it to a 7 on your math if you want to do engineering…</p>

<p>Also, play up your work on charity with your band.</p>

13

<p>Your SAT scores could really hold you back. You have some amazing ECs, play up, as others said, you’re swimming abilities and your charity work with your band. See if you can get recruited. I say if you have awesome essays, maybe they will overlook the SATs. Inbt’l applicant pool is really rough for everybody. Good luck :)</p>