My main concern is my A level grades being sub par, and me not having any stand out hooks or national awards etc.
South-east Asian female, Gap year international (UK)
Parents did not go to university (older sibling does tho)
Want to major in economics, aspiring to establish non-profit organisation for education provision or go into policy making to improving living standards in the developing world
Used to be dirt poor - like collected rain in buckets in a third world country village poor - now parents income is around 90,000$ combined, gross.
Need lots of financial aid though, still. I have two siblings and my father supports the rest of his family (slightly unrelated but can I get unis to factor this into my financial aid amount? He has 12 siblings and sends money to them monthly).
Selective grammar school: 23/150 went to Oxford or Cambridge last year. I am ranked top 10%, unreported.
Idk what exactly a hook is, but if I have any it’s this: speak 5 languages, and self studying three more in my spare time. I’ve lived in three countries and been to around 20 schools. I overcame crippling poverty, which shapes my future aspirations.
Stats:
SAT: 1550, 23/24 essay
Math 2: 790
Physics: 750
GCSE grades (A* in all): maths, English literature, English language, physics, chemistry, biology, history, French, art, religious studies
A level grades: maths (A), Further maths (A), Physics (B), Economics (B) – extenuating circumstances (death of parental figure who raised me during childhood) so I am retaking economics and physics exams this year and am predicted A in economics and A in physics. Also got an A* in EPQ (independent economics research paper)
ECs:
- leader of school econ society (deliver my own lectures, arrange speakers, organise trips and budget finances)
- data analyst: local businesses give me their sales data and I run regressions, hypothesis tests etc to check the effectiveness of their price strategies
- school physics research: our school works with CERN, we have a cosmic ray detector in space on a satellite and we analyse the data about the radiation and make radiation maps to help protect astronauts
- econ/finance blog with visitors from over 40 countries, young scientists journal former editor
- social media brand ambassador: I work for 12 international businesses leveraging social media to promote their products
- private tutor for five years to help foreign kids in the local community with low English proficiency
- volunteer at local dementia care home
Work Exp:
- I have a gap year internship at London investment firm
- have done work experience at Morgan Stanley and state street
- worked in two local hospitals for a month in pretty much every department you can think of
Awards: I don’t have any, apart from a gold award in UK Maths challenge every year since 2010 (to 2016). But many people get this.
Application essays: strong, personal, but of course it’s hard to judge our own writing.
Letter of recommendation: head teacher and English teacher both said their letters for me are two of the best either of them have written in their 20+ year career. I am so lucky to have their faith.
If I left anything important out, please let me know. Also, please don’t send hate. I’m genuinely unsure about my chances. My A levels are not stellar, nor are my extra curriculars. I wish to be realistic and am planning on having a sit-down with my parents about expectations because they are oblivious to the competitiveness of these elite universities.