[repost as my original draft was flagged]
Hi everyone. I am currently a rising senior from southern California. I would appreciate it if I could get help with my chances of admission into the aforementioned schools. If you any advice for improvements (kinda late to add anything substantial, but regardless still would help), that would be much appreciated. I would also appreciate admission chances into more realistic schools such as UCSB, UCR, UC Merced, UCI, UT Austin, U of Wash etc. I intend to major in engineering (probably mechanical) and hopefully minor in either business management or economics.
Background:
I am asian (rip) and I have three older siblings (two are working for phd and one is at a community college). My parents both went to University of San Francisco so I don’t have any legacy at the schools I want to apply to. I am looking to apply REA to Stanford (mom making me apply even though its REA and not EA) and ED to Columbia (maybe Cornell as my brother is there). I would like to apply MIT as the girl I like is going to apply early there. I would like to stay on the west coast, but it is very hard to resist a lot of east coast schools.
GPA and scores:
UW: 3.97
W: 4.6
SAT: 1590 (R&W: 790, Math: 800) essay: 22/24
ACT: 36 (E: 35, M: 36, R: 36, S: 36) essay: 9/12 (ik that this does not bode well for college essays, but style is different so hopefully it isn’t too reflective)
PSAT: 1520 (Index: 228)
SAT II Math 2: 800
SAT II Chemistry: 800
SAT II Physics: 800
SAT II US History: 760
SAT II Chinese: 800
AP Physics 1: 5
AP Physics 2: 5
AP Physics C Mechanics: 5
AP Physics C E&M: 5
AP Chemistry: 5
AP Calc BC: 5
AP Comp Sci: 5
AP Lang: 5
APUSH: 5
AP Microecon: 5
AP Macroecon: 5
AP Chinese: 5
EC’s:
2016-present FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition)
-Build & Design Leader
-Engineering notebook/portfolio Lead
-we made it to the world championships in 2017
-we won rookie all star and rookie inspiration at regional
2018 helped mentor an FTC team (FIRST Tech Challenge)
2016-present Hydrogen Horizon Automotive Challenge (H2AC)
-team leader for CAD design and power source
2016-present Robotics Club
-Vice Pres
2015-present Red Cross (~75 hours)
2016-present FBLA
-economics (state qualifier)
-computer problem solving (didn’t qualify for state)
2016-present Rocketry Club
-Board Member
2015-present Hobby electronics for financially challenged Club
-Pres
2015-present Renewable energies club
-Pres
2016-present ASB
2016-present Homeroom leadership/freshman mentor
Varsity Golf (since freshman year)
-made it to CIF individual and team 2X
-will be vice captain or co-captain next year
2015 Varsity Soccer (stopped as I had temporary paralysis in my legs from a car accident)
Symphony Orchestra Violist (top orchestra since freshman year)
-assistant principal this year
2016,2017,2018 All State Orchestra
2016,2017,2018 All Southern Orchestra
2016-Present School District Honor Orchestra
CM Level 10 Viola (ik this is a meme)
2015-present Peer tutor (~100 hours)
2016-present Volunteer at local library (50 hours)
2016-present Perform at senior center with small chamber ensemble from school consisting of friends (50 hours)
2015 Summer- internship at Green Garden Residence (located in Asia)
2015 Summer- Church Mission trip to China, taught children basic engineering principles and coding
2016 Summer- research with professor (mech and aerospace Eng)
2017 Summer- Internship at Northrop Grumman
This Summer- research with professor and return internship at Northrop Grumman
2017-present started a venture with my older brother (dental products sector)
2017 Congressional App Challenge with two other friends
Started a small company based on open source technology with several friends
Working on several apps with friends for body composition, research guides, etc.
Working on a prosthesis project with two friends (neuroscience major and comp sci major) to help aide those who have lost motor function or have reduced motor function
Maker portfolio: small projects (security system, gardening system, personal computer, drone, etc.)
4 Languages: english (hmmm), chinese, indonesian, korean (gotta like those kdramas)
Awards:
2X AIME Qualifier
3X Principal Honor Roll
6 Excellence Awards from teachers (2X Freshman, 2X Sophomore, 2X, Junior)
AP National Scholar
National Merit Semifinalist (cutoff is 222 or 223 so yeah)
most likely National Merit Finalist
Physics Bowl Division 1 Nationals
I think I will get good teacher recs (physics, chemistry, lang) as I have strong relationships with these three teachers. My school is pretty competitive. This year alone we sent 7 seniors to Stanford, 4 to Harvard, 2 to MIT, 2 to CalTech, 2 to UPenn (M&T), 3 to Columbia, 4 to UChicago, 2 to Princeton, 30+ to Berkeley, etc. I believe that i am not in the top 20 for GPA as those individuals all have perfect UW GPA. I am probably in the top 10 for test scores, but that is useless considering everyone is at a decently high level (three 1600s, three other 1590s, three 35’s, three 1580s, two 1570s, nine 1560s, and so on from just ppl I know). Additionally, I am lacking in terms of STEM olympiads and competitions. I didn’t make the school Science bowl A-team, which was unfortunate as they won nationals.
If anyone has experienced the engineering programs at any of the aforementioned schools, please give advice on which to reach for. Really appreciate any help that comes through. Thanks.