I’m an international gap year applicant. Graduated with an IB Diploma last year in November 2015.
I retook some IB exams in May 2016 and my score is now 42/45. I took HL Math Physics and Chem, SL English LangLit, Geography and Malay B. GPA has been a little bit shaky before (evident from retaking exams), lowest score received was 36/45 for one internal school exam. I’ll be taking ACT soon, and have been scoring 33-34 in practice tests so far.
With regard to ECAs, I have done more outside of school than within school (not sure if this is a good or bad thing). I was on a national youth panel in Singapore and have been active as a scout - currently planning a service project for us to introduce scouting to an orphanage in Indonesia. I am a candidate in the running for the President’s Scout Award, which is similar to Eagle Scout in the US. Recently, I was part of a group of youths who taught first aid in the Philippines - we planned and organized the trip ourselves. And I just returned from the 21-day Challenge Course at Outward Bound.
In September 2016 I will be moving to India to intern there for 6 months as a research intern. The aim is to research more about the cultural stereotypes behind gender sensitization, and using the findings to develop a mass media education module that can be used to educate girls in school as a form of empowerment for them. My plan is to immerse in the culture since I am Indian myself but have never been to India before, and to learn Hindi to an elementary level. Hopefully when I adjust I hope to volunteer on the weekends.
My interest is in government and I hope to major in that. With regard to research, I am in the process of publishing an article on Singapore’s defence policies in a Harvard journal. My internship will also be research-intensive.
I’m just wondering if I will be a competitive applicant or even stand a shot. I’m not sure if my grades are good enough too.