Chance Me at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, etc.

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi,

I’m a junior currently looking at Harvard as my top choice and I wanted your opinions and views on me as an applicant. If you see something that I can do to increase my chances of getting in, please let me know!

Race: Korean
Gender: Male
Location: Richmond, Virginia
HOOK: Disability/Science/Music

Stats:
• IB Program
• GPA:
- Unweighted (3.99/4.0)
- Weighted (4.74/4.75)
• Rank: ~5/445 (1-2%)
• SAT: 1540 (R: 750, M: 790)
• SAT Math II: 800
• SAT Bio M: 800

Relevant Coursework:

  • IBDP Biology (HL)
  • IBDP Chemistry (HL)
  • IBDP Mathematics (SL)
  • IBDP English (HL)
  • IBDP History of America (HL)
  • IBDP Spanish V (SL)
  • IBDP Theory of Knowledge I
  • DE Economics & Personal Finance
  • AP BC Calculus
  • AP Comp Sci A

Extracurriculars/Activities:
• Founder/President of 501c3 Non-profit Organization for people with disabilities
- 150+ hours so far
• Co-Founder/Co-President of International 501c3 Non-profit Organization for STEM
awareness/education
- 8 Chapters Internationally
- 100+ hours
• President/Volunteer, Milal Mission in Richmond nonprofit organization for the disabled
- 440+ hours
• Researcher/Intern, Microbiology and Immunology Lab at VCU/MCV (Every summer)
- 450+ hours
• Candidate, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student of the Year
- Richmond Chapter raised $180,000 in the 7 week campaign
• Coordinator, Gift of Life organization Bone Marrow Drive

- Organized bone marrow drive in the community to help fight cancer
• Concertmaster/Violin, Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO) (Every year)
- Highest level orchestra in Central VA
• President, High School Computer Science Club
• President, High School STEM Club
• Planning on being President of Science NHS for senior year
• Varsity Athlete, JRT Varsity Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field (Every year)
• Varsity Athlete, JRT Varsity Cross Country Team (Every year)
- Qualified for Regionals
• Concertmaster/Violin, JRT Orchestra (Every year)
• Member, JRT Model UN Club, JRT Debate Team
• Member, Henrico County Student Congress/Equity Ambassadors
- 10 selected in school to represent school in county student meeting
• Historian, JRT Student Council Association

• Team Member, JRT Robotics Team (Sparky 384)
• Volunteer, Science Museum of Virginia
- 160 hours

  • Total Volunteer/Intern Hours: ~1300 hours

Honors/Awards:
• Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist 2019
• Patent Pending on novel compound created in my project
• FIRST Robotics World Championship Subdivision Winner 2017 (Sparky 384)
• FIRST Robotics Chesapeake District Championship Winner 2017, 2018 (Sparky 384)
• Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair 2019 (2nd Place in Microbiology)
• Virginia Junior Academy of Science 2019 (3rd Place in Microbiology)
• Metro Richmond Science Fair 2019 (Grand Prize, 1st Place in Microbiology)
• Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School for Medicine and Health Sciences 2019
• Virginia All-State Orchestra 2020 (Violin Rank 21)
• VCU Dental Scholars Program 2018-2019
• The President’s Volunteer Bronze Service Award 2019
• Old Dominion University Model UN 2018, Outstanding Delegate
• Public Forum Debate Invitational 5th Place, 2017
• Concertmaster of Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra 2019
• Science NHS, Spanish NHS, Mu Alpha Theta NHS
• JRT Honor Roll 2017-present
• Virginia South Central Regional Orchestra, All Henrico County Orchestra 2017-2019
• Featured on VPM NPR/Science Matters News Article (https://vpm.org/articles/6031/local-students-compete-in-intel-international-science-and-engineering-fair)

Teacher Recommendation Letters:
• IBDP Biology Teacher:
- Great writer
- Claims I’m one of the best students she’s ever had
- Loves me
- Highest grade in her class

• AP Comp Sci A Teacher:
- Great writer
- Also claims I’m one of the best students she’s ever had
- Personal connection with family

• Uni Research Professor:
- Studied with for 4 years
- Knows my passions
- Thinks highly of me

Supplements:
• Music:
- Youtube channel with violin/piano since child
• Resume:
- Everything

Let me know what you think, thanks!

2

If you keep on pushing on and doing your best entering senior year, I’d say you have a pretty high chance at these schools.

3

To clarify, a “hook” is something they want that you have. At variou unis that can mean major money, legacy (Harvard in particular), something for which you are objectively famous in your own right, sporting skill, test scores, etc.

Music can be a minor hook- IF the uni is specifically looking for you (the tuba example)

Science is a strength or a spike (something that gets their attention) but not a hook (Intel winner is a hook).

DK what your disability is, but again it’s not a hook- it can be something that gets them to pay particular attention to your app, but it isn’t something they are actively looking for. Still, if (as an example) you are blind & varsity track & field that would be pretty attention getting.

You are clearly in over-achiever mode, so nothing really to add in terms of getting into one of the tippy tops.

But, for you, a suggestion: work out your plan C: what happens if it isn’t HYPS, or even (deep breath) JHU? If the big name doesn’t come through, what school could you be genuinely happy to attend? focus on figuring that out for a while. It’s actually going to be harder to do than all the work you are currently doing.

4

Yes officer, this post right here.

Jokes aside, jesus christ! You are an amazing student with amazing ECs; you have great awards and involvement in your school. You have community impact; you have leadership; you have tangible titles from awards; you have the grades.

Your 1540 may be a TINY bit low for HYPS, but honestly, with your level of ECs, rigor (IBDP is insane), and awards, they’re not going to care IMO.

If you wrote good essays, you have a great chance at all of the schools in HYPS. Because HYPS all have insanely low acceptance rates, they’re all still reach schools, but I’d guess that you’ll get into at least one of the reach schools you apply to.

5

@frsh Thank you! This coronavirus 19 is really making it hard to grind out those final activities and accomplishments, but I’ll do what I can do during this quarantine to maximize my efficiency :slight_smile:

6

@collegemom3717 Oh, I didn’t know that is what a hook was! I thought it was something that sets me apart from others, but I see that your definition is more valid. Regarding my plan for rejection to t10 schools, I’m probably going to have UVA as a safety school, since I’m from VA and the majority of IB students in my school go to UVA.

Other than that, thanks for taking the time to read and write a response!

7

@qhql2020 Haha thank you! Yeah, my SAT definitely not 75% percentile (~1600), but I think it won’t be the deciding factor regarding my acceptance either. Also, I agree with HYPS being reach schools no matter the applicant due to their extremely low acceptance rate. I’ll try my best this summer to crank out the best essays I can write and hope for the best! :slight_smile: I hope you have a good one and stay safe.

8

@kangdavid10, what a super plan B you have :slight_smile: