Chance for the best school in the nation? Sigh...I wish...

<p>Thanks a lot.</p>

<p>Gender: Male
Age: 16 (one year younger than everyone else in my class)
Ethnicity: Asian American (Chinese)
Region: Eastern Washington...we kind of suck
School: Regionally large-sized school with approximately 2000 students; best last year went to Northwestern and Carroll, year before fostered University of Virginia, NYU, and Emory
In-School Competition: Three with sights on Stanford, top in the class going to BYU, another couple going for Ivies and Top 20 schools.</p>

<p>GPA Unweighted: 3.77
GPA Weighted: 4.0 (theoretically)
Class Rank: 46/440 (10.45%...almost top 10%. ALMOST...)</p>

<p>Courseload:
Freshman (9): 14 Classes
- Pre-AP Freshman Language Arts I and II (Honors equivalent) (A,A)
- Pre-AP Coordinated Science I and II (Honors equivalent) (A,A)
- CMIC Algebra/Geometry I and II (A-,A)
- French I and II (A,A)
- Concert Band (two semesters) (A,A)
- Health and Physical Wellness (A)
- Global Studies (A)
- Jazz Band (two semesters) (A,A)</p>

<p>Sophomore (10): 13 Classes
- AP United States History I and II (A,A)
- Pre-AP Sophomore Language Arts I and II (Honors equivalent) (A-,A)
- Chemistry I and II (A-,B)
- CMIC Algebra/Trigonometry I and II (A,A)
- French III and IV (A,A)
- Introduction to Business and Marketing (A-)
- Geography (A-)
- Chamber Orchestra (one semester) (A)</p>

<p>Summer Skills Center (10.5):
- Computer Graphics Design (A)
- Computer Programming (A)</p>

<p>Junior (11): 14 classes (my god, this was HELL)
- AP Calculus AB I and II (B-,B+)
- AP Biology I and II (B-,B)
- AP English Language and Composition (A-,A)
- AP Physics C: Mechanics I and II (B-,A-)
- French V and VI (college-level) (A,A)
- Anatomy and Sports Medicine (A-,B+)
- Chamber Orchestra (two semesters)</p>

<p>Senior (12): 14 classes
- AP Statistics I and II
- AP U.S. Government I and II
- AP English Literature I and II
- AP European History I and II
- French VII and VIII (college-level) (this will actually be AP French Language...it just hasn't been passed through the CollegeBoard)
- Photography I
- Architecture and Interior Design (might do Shakespeare instead)
- Chamber Orchestra (two semesters)</p>

<p>March SAT I score: 2100
- Reading: 660
- Writing: 670 (Essay: 8)
- Mathematics: 770
October SAT I score: 2110 (yeah...a WHOLE lot better...psh)
- Reading: 690
- Writing: 690 (Essay: 9)
- Mathematics: 730</p>

<p>SAT II scores: 2100/2400
- May Biology E: 680
- May Mathematics Level 1: 720
- June US History: 700
Taking US History, Math I, and Math II in November</p>

<p>September ACT Composite Score: 32
- English: 36
- Mathematics: 29
- Reading: 32
- Science: 31</p>

<p>AP Exam Scores: 3.875 Average
- 2007 US History: 5
- 2008 Physics C: Mechanics: 2
- 2008 Calculus AB: 4
- 2008 English Language and Composition: 4
- 2008 Biology: 4</p>

<p>The Big Awards:
- National Merit Commended Scholar
- AP Scholar with Honor</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities
- National Honor Society: Been active member for three years, was instated spring of freshman year (as early as possible). Have earned two Academic Letter Awards through Honor Society. Will continue to be active with Honor Society activities and service projects (Toys for Tots, Cancer Walk-A-Thon, etc.) throughout senior year
- DECA: Active member in sophomore year, taking third place at the Regional DECA Competition in Business Law and Ethics and qualifying for the State Conference. Could not join in junior year due to lack of a business/marketing class on schedule. Will return in senior year.
- Youth Commission: Helped initiate my city's youth commission, and served on its Executive Board sophomore year. Resigned the position in junior year, but still remain active.. The Youth Commission has organized many local events, and has participated in many service projects, including, but not limited to, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, local Battle of the Bands, local All Fool's Easter Egg Hunt, and local Kiwanis club. The Commission earned the Chase Youth Award for dedicated service in 2007 and 2008.
- Hospital: Regularly volunteer at local hospital since June 2008
- Library: Former regular volunteer at local library since freshman year. Dropped due to schedule conflicts
- ASM Materials Science Camp 2008: Participated at the Seattle camp in the University of Washington campus in July 2008. Worked with Boeing engineers on carbon-fiber reinforced polymer projects
- Knowledge Bowl: Captain of the 2008-09 Knowledge Bowl team. Active participant since sophomore year. Competed at Junior Varsity level in sophomore year and placed sixth in league. Captained second varsity team, finished sixth in league (out of twenty or so), and competed with varsity team at regional and state competitions (second in regionals and sixth in state)
- Newspaper: Am now in an internship as a sports/arts/entertainment journalist for the local paper.
- Key Club: First year doing it is this senior year, but serving as a senior board member of our school's chapter.
- Junior Statesmen of America: First year doing this as well. Just a beginning participant.
- Technology Student Association: First year here too...</p>

<p>Music:
- Violin: Have studied violin since fifth grade. Attained a silver medal in Level 1 Concerto Division in Musicfest Northwest 2007, and two silver medals in Level 3 Solo Division and Level 3 Sonata Division in Musicfest 2008. Attained third place in EWMEA Solo/Ensemble Solo Violin Division 2007, and second place in EWMEA Solo/Ensemble Solo Violin Division 2008
- Spokane Youth Symphony: Principal Second Violin for 2008-09 Season, 2008 Summer Orchestra, and 2008 Camp Orchestra. Active participant in the symphony since eighth grade. First violin in the Junior Symphonic Orchestra until upgrading to the Spokane Youth Orchestra second violin section by sophomore year.
- Chamber Orchestra: Part of original school chamber orchestra in 2007, and served as Assistant Concertmaster since Fall 2007. Instated as concertmaster June 2008, and am planning various events to make orchestra the best in Eastern Washington. The Chamber took third place at the EWMEA Solo/Ensemble Large String Group in 2007, and took second place at the EWMEA Solo/Ensemble Large String Group in 2008
- Clarinet: Studied for three years in middle school concert band. Principal chair at three different schools.
- Alto Saxophone: Studied for one year in high school concert band and jazz band. Principal chair in concert band, and assistant principal second saxophone in jazz band.</p>

<p>Athletics:
- Track and Field: Active athlete ever since seventh grade. Attained varsity status in eighth grade, but injury left me out of All-League competition. Junior varsity status until sophomore year, where I was bubble varsity in 110m hurdles. Returned to junior varsity in junior year due to minor injury and academics. Eighth place at the Greater Spokane League Junior Varsity Championships 2007 in the 110m High Hurdles.
- Cross Country: Active athlete in sophomore year, achieving junior varsity status. Dropped in junior year for sake of academics, but running junior varsity in senior year.</p>

<p>Your GPA, SAT, SAT Subjects, and extra-curriculars are all subpar. Furthermore, you're Asian. Princeton's a big reach for you.</p>

<p>The only extra-curriculars worth mentioning for you are 1) music (which Princeton cares about less than most schools considering our orchestra is composed of students who just wanted to do it), 2)Knowledge Bowl since you were captain, 3) you were an athlete some years or something, and 4) maybe Youth Commission since you supposedly "helped initiate it" which could mean anything. Oh yeah and you went to science camp, but not a very prestigious one.</p>

<p>Everything else you've shown very little dedication.</p>

<p>You realize that you can't describe all your extra-curriculars on your application right? You get like 10 words for each extra-curricular: no space to list injuries or when you were varsity, and stuff like that. You get to describe 1 extra-curricular in length, and this should be reflective of your passion. And you get 2-3 essays, which shouldn't all be about extra-curriculars.</p>

<p>Oh, and I'm really not trying to be demeaning or anything! I hope you get in. Just trying to view your app from the point of view of an adcom member. I know of someone who was 16 when he came to Princeton. He's a genius :/</p>

<p>I don't agree with the above post at all. I am also an applicant, but I do believe your ECs show dedication and although the GPA/rank are somewhat low, I thin your EC involvement overcompensates for this somewhat.</p>

<p>Hahaha EC involvement overcompensates for that?</p>

<p>You think his EC's are better than Princeton's average unhooked applicant?</p>

<p>technically, Princeton is not the "best school in the nation" anymore
=}</p>

<p>Yes it is!!!</p>

<p>yeah, prepre, I've got to say that you are not right. You have to have some major hooks to get in with those stats. </p>

<p>Not like I'm better off or anything. Here is some advice echo049:Take a look at some of the Princeton decision threads from past years. Pay careful consideration to the people who were rejected. Maybe someone can give you a link.</p>

<p>Oh, and "technically" Princeton is ONE of the best schools.</p>

<p>Link to 2012 decisions: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/483582-princeton-class-2012-decisions.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/483582-princeton-class-2012-decisions.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>