Chance me for Stanford, Princeton, UC Berkeley

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Asian American Male
Unweighted GPA: ~3.95 w/ most rigorous course load.
Class Rank: My school doesn't rank, but I would definitely be in top 5 out of 60 in a school ranked top 25 in the nation.</p>

<p>SAT I: 800 Math/750 Reading/750 Writing
SAT II: 800 Math 2, 750 Bio</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-AIME: 8/15 :( would have had 10 and possibly gotten usamo if I didn't multiply wrong twice
-1st place in state in 9th grade for prominent math competition (in a lower division because math is hard haha)
-USABO semifinalist (like I could ever make camp lol)
-2nd place nationally in National History Day, qualified for nats 3 times
-FBLA multiple time national level qualifier
-MUN Treasurer
-FBLA Secretary
-NHS
-SNHS
-Piano for 12 years (I play at ABRSM Diploma Level though I only have certification for Level 8 because I started testing only in 10th grade and couldn't fit the exam into my schedule)
-600+ hours community service; I have taught a rigorous supplementary after school math class at a local elementary for 2 years now
-200+ community service hours from NHS</p>

<p>Teacher recs were probably pretty good (hopefully)</p>

<p>Hook (this is probably one of the biggest things I have going for me):
I have a very uncommon and rather emotionally upsetting genetic disorder incurable because of its obscurity. I'm not going to name it because then probably anyone who has been in the same room with me for the last two weeks would know who I am. Sufferers of this disorder almost invariably experience depression and as many as a third attempt suicide because of it. Adults with this disorder are also more often than not chronically unemployed because it makes us... well... very difficult to like. I talked about how I overcame my depression and later became a better person because of it in my essay.</p>

<p>Preferred major would either be computer science or pre-med. I'm leaning towards the former at this point.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Stanford - Reach
Princeton - Reach
Berkeley - High Match</p>

<p>I might be completely wrong here, but I’m not sure if you could call that a hook. It’s great that you got over your depression, but I’d be a little careful if you’re going to write an essay about something like this because it might come off as a sort of cry for pity. However, what concerns me more, is that what if the admissions officers reviewing your application feel that if this person was so depressed before, what if it happens again? And what if that interferes with your ability to perform academically?</p>

<p>I’m not saying any of the above things are true, just what it may or may not look like to an adcom.</p>