APPLYING TO:
Reaches:
Stanford University (REA)
Columbia University (RD)
Yale University (RD)
UChicago (RD)
Harvard University (RD)
Brown University (RD)
Cornell University (RD)
(Relative) Matches:
UC Berkeley
UCLA
Williams College (RD)
Wellesley College (RD, Early Evaluation)
Swarthmore College (maybe, RD)
Safeties:
USC (my mom is an alumna and she worked there for a few years, so I’m pretty sure I’ll get in)
UCSD
UC Irvine
UC Davis
Potential majors: History and Anthropology (I’d like to double major) OR Statistics (this is highly unlikely but still an option)
Objective:
GPA: 3.92 UW, 4.34 W (my school doesn’t weigh GPAs, so this was my own calculation, just for context)
SAT (with breakdown): 2250 (took it during my freshman year, 800 Math, 740 Critical Reading, 710 Writing) – I am retaking this in October (for NMSC, probably going to get at least 2330)
ACT + Writing: 35 (took it my junior year, 34 English, 36 Math, 36 Reading, 34 Science, 9 essay)
PSAT (not sure if colleges care but oh well): 231 (80 Math, 71 Critical Reading, 80 Writing) based on my score, I am certain that I will qualify for National Merit Semifinalist status
AP (score in parentheses): AP Biology (5); AP Calculus BC (5; AB subscore: 5); AP Art History (5); AP Computer Science A (4); APUSH (5); AP Physics C Mechanics (5); AP Physics C E&M (4) AP English Language and Composition (5)
SAT Subject Tests (score in parentheses): Math Level 2 (800); Biology E (800); US History (800–took it in the middle of the school year, probably not the smartest choice)
Senior Year courseload: AP English Literature, AP Statistics, AP Spanish Language, AP Environmental Science, We the People Constitution Team (the equivalent of AP U.S. Gov), Speech and Debate Team
Major Awards: Nothing that impressive: I’ll be a National Merit Semifinalist (for sure), AP National Scholar after junior year,
1st place JV team in my state for History Bowl, my Math Team has one our regional championships for the past 3 years, some S+D awards.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars:
History Bowl (9, 10, 11, 12) [Secretary-General, a unit captain, former treasurer, might be upgraded to VP this year?]
Math Team (9, 10, 11, 12) [running for secretary this year–I’m pretty sure I’ll win]
Speech and Debate Team (10, 11, 12)
We the People Constitution Team (12)
Student Council Historical Commission (10, 11, 12 – freshmen could not join) [senior member AKA I’m in charge of many meetings]
National Honor Society (10, 11–seniors cannot reapply until May)
California Scholarship Federation (10, 11, 12)
Job/Work Experience:
I work as a private tutor (I was recommended by a former teacher, when I first started tutoring this student, she had been on the verge of failing, by the end of the school year, she was getting B’s)
Volunteer/Community Service:
Peer Tutor (since 7th grade)
High School Volunteer @ The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens (9, 10, 11, 12) [will probably be on the leadership team for senior year]
Junior Volunteer @ my city’s local museum (9, 10, 11, 12)
Total Volunteer Hours: ~530
Summer Activities:
Summer 2014: Stanford Summer Humanities Institute, Age of Jefferson Course (about half of the people who attend this program get into Stanford)
Summer 2015: working on a personal project at my city’s local museum (where I volunteer) I work in the collections and maintain exhibits alongside the curator; also learning Italian online with Wellesley College
Essay
My common app essay is pretty good, about my experiences as a peer tutor (super passionate, and it genuinely reflects who I am)
Recommendations:
Teacher 1: (8/10) my junior year AP English teacher, I had a really good relationship with him, jokes around, funny, candid)
Teacher 2: (9.5/10) my senior year AP Stats teacher (also my freshman year Alg II Honors teacher) knows me incredibly well, I’m one of his favorite students, really, really good relationship.
Counselor: (7/10) my counselor knows me and likes me, but I go to an extremely big public school, so she doesn’t know me that well.
Additional recommendation: I’m either going to ask my personal project director (the museum curator) to write one from me or use one from my SHI summer program (it’s really great)
also: for the recommendations, do you think I’d be at a disadvantage if I’m applying as a history major and neither of my main recommenders was a history teacher?
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: I’d try, but highly unlikely
State (if domestic applicant): I’d rather not say
Country (if international applicant): US
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: ~ $150,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): During my junior year, I took the highest courseload in my school, and by the end of the year, most people knew about it (in other words, my teachers and counselor), and I think my extracurriculars are pretty decent.
I know that many of my schools are high reaches and that my stats aren’t that great, but I would greatly appreciate any general advice/inputs that you guys have, as well as any specific advice you have for individual schools (especially Stanford, Yale, Williams, and Columbia), and honesty would be very much appreciated (even if it hurts to hear).
Thanks so much!
