Objective:
SAT I: 1540 740+800
ACT: 34C 33R 36M 33E 35S
SAT II: 800 math II 780 physics
Unweighted GPA: (international student from a public school in China) 93/100 (usually of no use LOL)
Rank: top 10%
AP: (self studied) macro4 micro5 calculus BC 5
Major Awards: USAD speech silver medal, 2 prize in national applied physics competition (China), USAD 2nd place in China, 7th place in US finals, national music competition 1st prize (orchestra)
Subjective:
Extracurricular (place leadership in parenthesis): play cello in orchestra for more than 8 years(lead player), USAD team leader, research experience, web designer, app developer, engineering club, TedX (department leader), some sports stuff at school
Internship: interned at a local tech company and a piano factory; translator for a jewelry company;
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hours
Additional Rec: from a professor in Chinese Academy of Sciences, has done research for 2 years with him; has asked my best friend to write a peer recommendation
Other
Won’t apply for financial aid.
Intended Major: earth & ocean science (related to my research experience)/ econ/ physics
Country: China
School Type: public (not very competitive, less than 50 out of 1000 apply for college in US)
Ethnicity: Chinese
Gender: female
@Luckyoneyo I was just curious what your senior year schedule looks? How many classes you are taking how many AP classes maybe your self studying them again? My son applied ED and he checked out the website to see what activities interested him and wrote about how he would fit in at the school in his why Rice essays. Also putting something in the box that shows something about you unique. I think you have great scores and your changes are better ED. A lot of people have high scores and awards like you. Sounds like maybe your school may not offer AP classes, but you self studied them. Those are good scores. It seems like you have a good chance as anyone else. Check out how the kids have done in the past have any of them gotten into Rice. I know in my sons case there was one kid in the past that got in, but it had been so long ago it wasn’t listed in guidance. He learned from a teacher. Compare your GPA with people who have gotten in the past. the common data set is good. It just shows some facts about the kids that get into Rice. http://oir.rice.edu/Common_Data_Set/ You may find that interesting.
@fun1234 Thank you! I’m in a public school in China which has curriculum for Gaokao and our senior year schedule are the same for all the students. So AO usually don’t pay attention to that for an applicant from this kind of background. Thanks for the link! Actually I’m choosing between Cornell and Rice for ED. Any advice?
@jym626 Thank you! In this case, maybe I like Cornell more. OvO I should have visited these schools. Would you say, since 20+ out of 181 mainland Chinese students got into Duke through ED and for Cornell it’s 60+ out of (?), Duke is harder than Rice and Cornell? Two girls got into Pratt last year in my school with great extracurriculars and one of them has a 1600.
@Luckyoneyo Well my son is from Maine and he really hated the cold. He loved the outdoors, but found he could not enjoy most of the year because most of the time the temp are low and lots of snow. He did visit in the summer so he knew how hot it got and was ok with it. Also I made sure he ok with when he finished he would probably have to stay in Texas since up North where he was from typically had not known about the school. It is not as well known in the North.Yes Rice is at least 1/2 the size of Cornell. My son liked the feeling of working together and the campus was super friendly. I know they have a Rice facebook page. You can get to know people that way. There was also a group me where people could get to know people. The school is very ethnically diverse. He is from Maine where there isn’t much diversity, but he found he fit right in. It looks like Cornell has frats and sororities where as Rice uses the residential college system. When you start you are assigned to a college. Everyone loves the one they are assigned to and they each have different programs that go on. I remember though my son could go to any of the colleges with cafeterias if he wanted to eat. Though people seemed to really get close to the people who lived in their college. I also know after you get through the intro courses the classes are very small. My son said one student in enviromental engineering had only 25 kids in the class. It seems also the teachers care about the students. I remember reading on here about a student at Rice who over slept and the teacher actually called him up and said are you going to come to the test. I honestly don’t know if Cornell is like that, but I am guessing because it is a much bigger school you would be less likely to see the same closeness with teachers. Like I said though I have not read much about Cornell. Though I do know Rice was second for happiest students. There also seems to be so much going on for activities and groups. It can be at times hard to pick. My son also doesn’t drink and has felt like there is plenty to do even without going to parties. LOL he ended up in the biggest party dorm, but hasn’t seen a single party He has found there to be no pressure to go to the parties. Rice also uses the honor code though as a freshman he has had all his tests in class. As you go on some teachers with give the tests and you can take them where you want. My son does not have a car, but has found many ways to get around when he has needed to. My son also liked frisbee and found they had a club team for him to join.It was something he did not need to try out for. I would though check up on your interests though because where it is a small school they may not have all interests. That may be a good question though for them If you don’t see your favorite club how easy is it to start a new club.Rice does track interest. Though ED is showing a lot of interest. It also depends on your major too. You didn’t really mention that. In terms of which may be the better fit.
Wow thanks a lot! I do know that Rice is famous for its happiest students and good life quality. Your son seems really enjoying his life at Rice! My intended major is econ/cs, so both the school have great resources in the areas.Well, though I’ve done my research on both schools but I don’t know what it’d be like if I actually live in it as I didn’t pay a visit. I suppose they are all fine for me cause I don’t have much preference so far now in case of the culture and weather. Also, it seems to be a boost if I apply for cs under COE at Cornell as what they called " women in STEM". I know from a Chinese student of class of 2021 that there are a dozen of Chinese female cs student in COE but only 1 or 2 Chinese males. Anyway I’m still thinking about it. I will let you know my decision. Thanks again! I’d love to know your son if I go to Rice since he has a great mom!
@fun1234- Cornell is probably approximately five times the size of Rice not twice the size of Rice. It is a significantly larger school and Rice is a very small school. Rice is in a city, Cornell is in a more rural eating. My son loved Rice but would probably have tolerated, but not loved Cornell had he applied/attended.
@Luckyoneyo , if you are from Beijing or Shanghai, I don’t think you’ll like Cornell. Ithaca is very rural, and there’s no city within 3 hour’s drive. We visited in the summer. Son loved the school but was not sure if he can handle the rural environment. We don’t know the winter, but locals tell us horror stories of 5 feet tall snow. Houston, on the other hand, is a city with 4th largest Chinese population in the US, with a Chinese consulate in the city. And if you are full pay, Rice is cheaper than Cornell by a few thousand dollars. If I’m in your shoes, I would pick Rice.
Autocorrect above. Cornell is a rural setting (not eating). OP has not explained what it is about these very different schools that are attractive to them. Please clarify, OP
@Luckyoneyo Well good luck to you. I know the decision is a big one. I am sure my son would answer any questions you have if you do decide to apply to Rice. I will be looking to see which way you go. My son takes Engineering, but he is very happy in his economics class.