Hello everyone, I want to do one last chance thread. I want you guys to predict whether I will get into the following schools:
Brown
Johns Hopkins
Carnegie Mellon
Duke
NYU
UMich
Harvard
Vanderbilt
Dartmouth
WUSTL
I am from Canada,
A+= 95+
A=87-94
A-= 80-86
B+= 77-79
Scale used from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_grading_in_Canada
according to the wiki scale, my GPA is 3.89, i used the following GPA scale:
A/A+= 4.0
A-= 3.7
B+= 3.3
Grades:
Grade 9: Avg: 90%, Highlights: 91%Math(enriched)
Grade 10: Avg 90%,Highlights: 99%Math(enriched), Science(91%), English(90%) and Grade 11 Comp Sci.(93%)
Grade 11: Avg 87% Highlights: Math(enriched) 96%, Biology (Grade 11) 90%. Grade 12 Bio(83%), Grade 12 Comp. Sci(88%)
Grade 12:
Advanced Functions: 98%(Top Mark)
Physics: 93%(Top Mark- not close)
Data Management: 97%(Top Mark- not close)
ACT Score: Taken twice
C: 33(went up from 29)
E: 32(up from 29)
M:35(stayed the same)
R:28(same)
S:36(up from 25)
SAT 2:
Math 2:800
Physics:710
ECs:
- Senior Volunteer at the *******(My city) Reading Circles- I teach math to various students and have been able to improve their attitude towards the subject.
- Volunteer at Community Nursing Home- I help residents, at the nursing home, get to their weekly 'Happy Hour' event where a singer performs for them.
- Co-Founder of Math Club- I help students in my school understand difficult concepts in math. I am also helping students prepare for upcoming math contests.
- Co-founder of Physics Clinic- I help students understand difficult concepts in physics.
- Co-op Student- I was a co-op student at Sylvan Learning Center. My duties included administrative work such as filing and preparing work for the students.
Extra-Info:
Math Circles:
As I mentioned, I volunteered at the ******** Reading Circles, which was run by a couple. I wanted to have a similar impact on my community and so I asked if I can start a math circles along with their reading circles. They gladly said yes, provided I take on the sole responsibility from preparing lesson plans for the children to recruiting volunteers. Now, both the reading and math circles are run throughout the year, including the summer. This activity takes place at the ******** Public Library.
Sophomore year Teacher Strike:
During my sophomore year, a teacher’s strike caused all extra-curricular activities, in school, to be cancelled.
Courses:
- I would like to mention that I had taken enriched math and science(higher level than normal) during my first three years(science in grade 9 & 10 and math in Grade 9 to 11).
- I also completed grade 12 Biology in grade 11.
Summer of Grade 9:
I took Civics and Careers in summer school so I would be able to take Computer Science in my grade 10 year. I completed the grade 11 Computer Science course in my sophomore year and completed the grade 12 course in my junior year.
Other Qualifications:
I am CPR certified and am a certified lifeguard.
Math Contests:
I have participated in math contests held by various universities, on a national level.
3 certificate of distinction from University of Waterloo(9-11)
Grade 12 Euclid math contest certificate of distinction- I beat the grade 12s in my school on a math contest
Cisco CCNA 1 certified
CPR-C certified
NLS(Lifeguard) Certified
Avogadro Chemistry Contest- Got the highest mark in my school
Hook: I can pay the full freight.
Race/Religion: Indian/Canadian
*My school has not sent one kid to the ivies/top colleges in US.
Income Bracket: 100k+
Essays:
Common App- Talked about my experience at the retirement home, my essay was centered on anecdotes with two residents. I briefly stated what they had taught me, and backed it up using an example, IE, I learned persistence which I applied to my academics to learn electricity in physics(something I was never really able to grasp). Also with the other resident, I learned the importance of hobbies, and said that I like playing basketball and making “Weezy Jokes”(jokes that mock the rappers style). I put the following joke in my essay: “You spilt tea on your knees, call that Chai-knees!”. I then said how the experience motivated me to help others in my school and community. I would probably give the essay 8-9/10, will pm someone if you want to score it.
Supplements:
Brown- Talked about how I can use the open-curriculum to study applied math. Talked about a math club. 8/10
JHU- Talked about my interest in math and science, and how science is an application of math. Said how I wanted to learn math and its applications in other fields. I listed two courses, but didnt necessarily say how taking them would help me, i just listed them as examples of how I can learn about math and its applications. Mentioned how I wanted to partake in research with a prof who is the dept head. He deals with math and its applications in medicine, computational anatomy. I also mentioned that I talked to him and how talking to him made me realize how wonderful learning at hopkins would be. 8/10
Duke: Again talked about the interdisciplinary math courses, listed examples. Said how i liked the curriculum. Also mentioned that I was analyzing NBA vs. NCAA stats and wanted to use the non-research independent study option to make a “Mathematics of Basketball” class. 7.5/10
CMU: Same thing, talked about my interest in math and science. Said that I liked the curriculum and how it allowed me to take many electives. I also talked about how the computational component to my concentration would help me in the future. Said I wanted to know how math is applied in a work setting and thus would like to take a specific course. I then talked about how I liked the math contest environment at CMU and how I want to take the Putnam Seminar as it would be a great way to meet other ppl and learn from prof. Po-Shen Loh. Finally, said how my heart is in the work as I experience greater joy in the preparation and the struggle. 9/10
Others: 7.5-8.5/10
LOR:
English Teacher- standard good, shows that I am a good student.
Math Teacher- excellent, had her for three years, she talked about how I have progressed, and mentions in there that I don’t rest on my laurels, which is a big part of who I am.
Physics Teacher- should be great, I had him in grrade 9,10 and 12. I was kinda immature by asking irrelevant questions, and i displayed improvement, especially in grade 12 as I started a club with him, ask great questions, and have the highest mark in the class.
The adult I started the organization with: Excellent
Parent of a student I help: Excellent, we have frequent talks about the education system, and she mentioned that.
NOTE: I sent about 4 LOR’s to each school, and my GC might have already sent a letter as well( I think she finished it on friday). I realize that it’s too much, but Im hoping they would want to know more about me after reading my essays.
Interviews:
Harvard: Went well, she said the talk was spose to take 45 mins, but we talked for about an hour. I told her about my fav ted talk and she wrote the guy’s name down. Also told her how I coded a calculator.(seemed impressed by that).
Brown: Very well, explained where I come from(like a half affluent-half ghetto town, a teacher in my school was arrested(i did let it be know that I did like my school though) and how I was rumored to be “stabbed”. She told me that she liked my interview the best of the day and told me how others didnt have a concrete reason for coming to brown.
Please predict whether I will get into the following schools:
IE:
Brown: Accepted
Johns Hopkins:Rejected
Carnegie Mellon: Accepted
Duke:R
NYU:A
UMich:A
Harvard:R
Vanderbilt:A
Dartmouth:A
WUSTL:R