Chance Me! Disabled VA student applying to Hopkins!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Johns Hopkins University
1

Hi everyone!

I’ve visited Hopkins recently and fell in love with it! I’ve decided to apply early decision for admission in the class of 2024. My suburban high school usually sends 2-3 students to Hopkins every year. The other schools I’m applying to are UVA, Virginia Tech, and William and Mary I have listed my stats and activities below, please let me know of my chances.

High School Junior: Virginia

Ethnicity: Asian

ACT: 34

SAT: N/A (PSAT: 1400)

Weighted GPA: 4.4

Unweighted GPA: 3.93

Current AP’s: AP Physics 1 (B+), AP Calc BC (A), AP Lang (A), AP Comp. Sci (A)

Extracurriculars/Related Awards

Varsity Tennis

-No.1, No.2 Singles (Team Captain, MVP, All-Conference Honorable Mention)

Writing Center

-Recruited 70 tutors in 2 months & National Conference Presenter (Class Award, Recruitment and PR Chair)

Student Welcoming Club

-Welcomed over 300 students in one year, spearheaded brochures that were distributed to all new students in the county; represented state S2S programs at the National Conference (Treasuer)

Math & Science Honor Society (Secretary: Science)

Part-Time Job: Mathnasium Tutor

Technology Student Association

-5X Top 10 Regionals -3X Top 10 States

Other Academic and Random Awards

-Residential Governor’s School of Agriculture (Animal Science Major) Student

-HOBY State Ambassador (Current Regional Recruitment Chair)

-Presidential Volunteer Award (Silver/175 hours)

-1st place (County) and 2nd place (District) PTA Reflections Music Composition

-Piano: NFMC 60 Point cup (10 Superiors in a row!)

-2X Regional Scholastic Writing Awards Honorable Mention

Summer Activities

-Governor’s School (Research project on food marketing’s effects on childhood obesity)

-Part-time job

Essay (Rough Draft): Moving past letting my disability (hearing loss) define me and how it has pushed me to research to end stigma and to advance the treatment of the disability combined with a blindfolded piano improv/music metaphor

Intended Major/Career Goal: Audiology Research or Data Science/Computer Science

Is it smart to talk about disability and build around it as a music, audiology spike? My concern is that I don’t have much research experience or science extracurriculars, but I’ve gone through high school and have only done things that I love and excelled at them. Anything to suggest to make my application for Hopkins stronger?

2

Your stats are impressive, but Hopkins acceptance rate this year was ~9% so nothing is guaranteed. Applying ED will improve the odds some and you do have a hook. One thing I didn’t notice was SAT subject test scores as I believe Hopkins recommends them. Your ACT score is 50th% for them so impressive subject test would give you a boost. Since you are a VA resident I would say UVA and W&M are a match for you and VT is a safety.

3

Regardless of where you decide to go to college, you may want to look at the JHU STEM-HEAR summer research program for undergraduates who have experienced some hearing loss. It is an incredible opportunity for mentorship and reseaech. Good luck to you.

4

Thank you guys for your help!
@racereer: I plan to take the SAT US History Subject Test (I’m a history buff, even though I don’t take APUSH), but I’m trying to decide if I can get away with taking a Math 2 Subject Test instead of a Science Subject Test because the only AP Science course (AP Physics 1) hasn’t given me the necessary info to be prepared for the test; I’m a much better math student, so I thought the Math test would be a better fit.

@MomLA2018: Wow! It sounds like an awesome program, I’ll keep it in mind as I keep going forward. Thank you for your input.

5

I would do the Math II subject test especially if you are considering computer science.

6

Also I just went back and looked and the ED acceptance rate was 30% so way better than the over all of 9%. If you are sure this is the school for you then ED is definitely the way to go.