Chance ME *Important*

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Hello, I’m going to be a senior this fall. And I need all the help I can get to get into this college PLEASE HELP! I am pretty passionate about music (cello), dance (break-dancing), sports (soccer and track) and studying... I just like doing everything that's fun... Enjoy meeting new people...Parents didn't go to college so I really want to (first-generation to go to college) I want to take pre-med courses...I am almost certain and determined to go to Medical school after undergrad.</p>

<ul>
<li>State (if domestic applicant): Minnesota</li>
<li>High School: Small private school 140 in my class? Top 5% for sure</li>
<li>Ethnicity: Asian/Korean</li>
<li>Gender: Male</li>
<li>Income Bracket: <50 K
*Bilingual in Korean and English around the same level, working on French (6th year!)
*Moved to American when I was 8 and now an American Citizen…so pretty much Korean-American</li>
</ul>

<p>AP/Honors Classes- AP World History, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English 11, AP Calculus 1, and Honor’s French 4</p>

<p>Going to take this fall (Senior Year)-AP Calculus 2, College Credited French 5, College Credited Anatomy and Physiology, AP English 12, AP Economy...
So graduating with 8 AP courses and 2 college courses (4+4=8 college credits for sure).</p>

<p>GPA Unweighted= 3.96/ Weighted=4.246
SAT- R=600 +W=690 +M=790= 2080 AIMING FOR 2100=2200
SAT 2- Chemistry=650, Math 2=800
ACT=29? Retake????
Extracurricular
MUSIC
-Machphail Music School Privet Lesson (10 Years)/Various Orchestra (6 Years)/Group/Buddy Program (help work with younger musicians (2 Years)
-Tri-Metro Orchestra Participant (9, 10, 11)
-All-State Solo/Ensemble Contest...Superior ratings for all solos (Highest) (9, 10, and 11)…7 sites for woodwinds, vocal, band, strings, etc… BEST in site (only 1) solo at the strings site
-All-State Orchestra (12 WOOO!)
-Small Church Cellist (6, 7, 8) Every Sunday
-Church (5000 in congregation few events) Orchestra Principle Cellist= 200+ hrs (11)
-Orchestra Board/Principle cellist position at school (Plan, lead, and organize parties and musicians
-Lettered in Orchestra (9, 10, 11...12)
-Bunch of small music awards and academic recognition awards</p>

<p>SPORTS and ACTIVITIES
-Track and Field (10, 11) (Lettered 10, 11) (Sections individually 10, 11) (Most Improved) (TRACK CAPTAIN!! (12))(Seeing into recruitment)
-Soccer (9, 10, 11...12) (best offense and MVP)
-Break-dancing=6 years, (shows, events, and competitively in competitions with crews) (I want to show colleges dancing in a more passionate and meaningful way, but not sure how)</p>

<p>VOLUNTEERING
-Elementary School Teacher Assistant/Personal ESL helper/One-on-One= 120+ hrs (9, 10, 11)
-Hospital in patient discharge, rooms, and gift shops = 300+ (9, 10, 11)
-All the church music (cello)</p>

<p>OTHERS
-Minnesota State High School Mathematics League= Top Score Certificate (11)
-Science Olympiad (10, 11, 12)
-French Club (9, 10, 11, 12 French Club PRESIDENT!!(12))
-National Honors Society (12, probably will get in)
-Academic Honors Award (9, 10, 11 lettered academically)
-National Merit Achievement (Commended at least for PSAT, will be notified in the fall if I moved further into the National Merit Scholarship)</p>

<p>-Probably Good Recommendations and Essays for next year</p>

<p>ACT?
College suggestions?
Other recommendations on increasing my chances? PLEASE</p>

2

<p>Your stats look standard; nothing stands out, and the standardized tests are sub-par for Stanford (your saving grace is the Math II). Retake ACT, I’m sure you’ll do better on it next time. Keep up the GPA.
Honestly, acceptance into this school is really a roll of the dice, you don’t have anything 50,000 other applicants don’t have. Definitely apply to the UCs, low reaches being Berkeley, Harvey Mudd. High reaches being Stanford and Caltech.
Sorry to be blunt, but good luck to you</p>

3

<p>No, that wasn’t blunt at all. Thank you for your suggestions! Basically, emphasize more uniqueness and test scores.</p>

4

<p>Good luck finding uniqueness in a college application.</p>

5

<p>Hey Isaac, </p>

<p>I think the others are right that you need to find a way to stand out a bit more, and be unique. But that doesn’t mean you have to start base jumping or convert to Islam or do something ridiculous that isn’t you. </p>

<p>Stand out with your essays. Emphasize how something that might seem bland at first glance was actually really important to you or helped shape your view on something larger.</p>

<p>Another random tip: Stanford’s the one school I would suggest taking risks on the application for. Any other school, you might be worried about. At Stanford, it can only help to put yourself on the line with an essay or whatever.</p>

6

<p>Well I’m pretty much piggy backing off of Brownboy. Just because you don’t have any standout factors, doesn’t mean that you have to do something outlandish. Your pretty much going to have to take an ordinary EC and turn it into extraordinary. Good luck to you though =D</p>

7

<p>Honestly, I believe Stanford chooses students that will make their school ‘known’ if you know what I mean. Because I volunteered so much and was officer in several clubs, and I had a 2360 SAT score. Not to mention, I’ve gone through cancer and I explained how it has helped me grown. Unfortunately, I got rejected :(</p>

<p>BUT, my friend who has an 1810 SAT got in!!! (The lowest I’ve ever seen Stanford accept someone) I know I am surprised too. I had higher test scores and contributed my time more in my community, but she was in a dance group that was supposedly a NATIONAL CHAMPION. So yeah, she had straight A’s like me. So go figure. Sometimes these decisions are arbitrary. </p>

<p>Good luck with your app. I think they like students that do things that not other student can do…so yeah. I guess I was too ‘typical’ student for them. But I’m going to Berkeley and it has ranked 2 in the nation in academics. (1 is Harvard, and 3 is Stanford :)</p>

<p>GOOD LUCK</p>