Chance ME *Important*

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgetown 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>There’s no need to put an obnoxious “<em>Important</em>” in your title because a) people will read it regardless and b) you’re no more or less important than any other CC user, so there’s no need to act like you being chanced takes precedence over anyone else. </p>

<p>Also, what college do you want to apply to? The School of Nursing and Health Studies or Georgetown College? If I recall correctly, admission into the College is more competitive than the Nursing School.</p>

<p>At any rate, your ECs and GPA/class rank is in range, but both your SATs are slightly low. For the SAT I, admission is still possible with your score, but a lot more difficult. The SAT II Chemistry test is definitely too low, and you need three SAT IIs to apply to Georgetown. That means you’re going to have to take at least one more subject test, and you should probably take two to make up for the low score on Chem. Also, I think you’re better off submitting the SAT I and not the ACT.</p>

<p>If you want to get recruited, act on that fast. You’re applying next year and may already be a bit late to the game; nonetheless, try to get in contact with Georgetown’s T&F coach(es).</p>

<p>Finally, judging by your accolades, you seem to be a talented musician. You should try and submit a music supplement on your app, because if you’re good, it can only help.</p>

3

<p>thank you so much for your suggestions…hehe sry i didn’t mean to be obnoxious, just wanted more people to read it.</p>

4

<p>Supersizeme: Not necessarily true about the SAT II’s, I got in with a 620 on US/650 on Lit/760 on Math II. I’ve heard that they care more about taking the initiative to send in three subject test scores since they are only “strongly recommended.” Nevertheless, if you have the time and money to retake/take more SAT II’s then go ahead and do it - just keep in mind that Georgetown requires that you send ALL your standardized test scores with you app. They don’t want to see that you’ve taken 10 subject tests with a wide range from 600-800.</p>

<p>You will definitely want to raise the ACT score though I believe Georgetown’s mid range for the ACT is 26-32. There’s this book made by the makers of the ACT that I used to study. I took the test once and got a 34, while only a 2130 on the SATs. I swear this book is the reason I received a 34. It just teaches you what to look for in the questions/answers and what the test makers are trying to tst you on. For example, in the grammar section when they ask for the best possible way to rephrase a part of a sentence, they almost always wanted the shortest and most concise version given. I usually write wordy sentences, so this helped me to remember that they wanted the more straightforward choice. I don’t know what the books called but its red and I got it at Barnes and Noble if you wanted to check it out.</p>

<p>SATs are okay, try to raise your reading score for sure and remember that Georgetown doesn’t consider the writing portion.</p>

<p>Everything else is good too, just remember that everyone applying to Georgetown is smart. Everyone is in NHS, everyone has a ton of ECs, and everyone has good grades and test scores. The hardest part about applying to competitive and selective schools is setting yourself apart of from everyone else. Perfect SATs/ACTs, being valedictorian, and doing numerous community service hours will NOT get you accepted. Its about being unique and not lying or even stretching the truth, its just about being “the best possible version” of you. Do something creative for your app, take a different approach to the way you fill it out. I took the funny approach and tried (and hopefully succeeded !) At making the admissions board laugh. One of my essays was about how I am mistakened for every single one of my 8 siblings - even my brothers (I’m a girl) and even by my own parents - and I threw a few jokes in there. In the section that asks for special talents/skills, I included my typing wpm (which wasn’t even that impressive), my odd ability to correctly guess grocery item prices, and my knowledge of candy stemmed from my self diagnosed physical addiction to sugar. If they like you they like you, just be yourself and let your personality come thru your app.</p>

<p>You have good “hooks” being a first generation student and Korean, so those help too.</p>

<p>Also remember that even if you’re in the lower range for the SAT and ACT scores, you still have a good shot of getting in just like everyone else. Georgetown has to and wants to accept people with lower standardized test scores because schools want their mid 50% to remain pretty consistent and stable. If it jumps too high or falls to low, they might lose applicants (and money) the following year. So just like they want a 2400/36 student, they also want a 1900/25 student as well to keep the balance. </p>

<p>And the most important and best advice I can give you for your senior year and applying to schools is DON’T stress yourself out too much. Sure, you’re making decisions that will affect the next four years of your life and probably your future career as well, but your senior year is your life too ! Work hard but have fun, make memories that you will be able to look back on so you don’t just remember how badly you stressed about your grades and college apps. And if you don’t get accepted to Georgetown or your other top schools, don’t take it too hard. What’s meant to be will be (I’m serious) and you’re going to be happy at whatever school you decide on. And if it still seems tough to get over rejection, just think about how in a few months you won’t remember what your SAT/ACT/overall GPA was and how in a few years you won’t evn remember what schools you applied to and maybe got rejected from. So spend some time, spend some money on your app and other college requirements but don’t over do it. Good luck !</p>

5

<p>^isaac1112 Mathwizard111 gave great, postive advice and feedback to your post! She was spot on with her advice about the essays. The number of run of the mill, boring essays must number in the thousands for these ADCOMs. Humor is a great tool to set yourself apart. If you can make them laugh, they’ll remember. One of my essays detailed a rather humiliating mishap on my first trip abroad to Spain. I was also laughing at her talents b/c my talents/skills were just as ridiculous. I wrote about my talents with body paint and my obsession to get my Gtown spirit motif just right, how I actually loved speaking in public (never met a forum I didn’t like), how I taught myself to play guitar well enough that my dogs have now stopped howling in dispair as I strum & I knew greetings in like 12 languages. Completely asinine!!! All of it was true and an accurate representation of my meager talents. I think I got across in my application that although I was very serious about my intellectual pursuits, I didn’t take myself quite so seriously.</p>

6

<p>mathwizard111 was also correct about the SATII’s being highly recommended not required. When I applied to the SFS I sent in 3 SATII’s (Bio, US, Spanish w/listening) and they were in the mid to upper-700’s.</p>

7

<p>Wouldn’t colleges think that you aren’t a serious candidate if you joke around on the application trying to look for humor? I am just thinking it would be really risky if they think you are playing with the colleges, especially because they are top-competitive schools and you are stating asinine facts about yourself, you know?</p>

8

<p>No, colleges will most definitely NOT look down upon use of humor in the essays and such. There are plenty of boring applicants with perfect stats. They don’t want a school of people who have no personalities and read their textbooks all day. They’re creating a diverse community as they admit the freshman class, and they want a lively campus with diverse personalities, backgrounds, attitudes, etc. </p>

<p>They want you to be you, and write in your own voice. If you’re naturally humorous, let it come out in the essay. You aren’t writing a research paper, you’re giving insight as to who you are as a person. By writing seriously and restricting your own voice, you’re just adding yourself to the pool of applicants who have nothing special other than great stats, which isn’t what it’s all about.</p>

<p>Also, a recommendation from a GU acceptee:

<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/georgetown-university/1177054-chances-georgetown-just-visited-yesterday-2.html#post12965707[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/georgetown-university/1177054-chances-georgetown-just-visited-yesterday-2.html#post12965707&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>^ SeekingUni All great points, especially about restricticting one’s voice – well put. </p>

<p>^^isaac1112 What mathwizard111 and I were referring to is a specific section on the 1st page of the Gtown app that asks you to indicate any special talents or skills that you possess. It is like 4 or 5 lines and is really the only opportunity you have to inject your personality into the application (aside from an essay). This might be where you decide to talk about some unique talent you have with the cello (like the speed of your fingers when playing scales) or skills at break dancing (like your revolutions per minute spinning around on one hand). You get the idea… A skill or talent that also gives life to your passions is infinitely more interesting than an applicant putting down what they think will impress the ADCOM.</p>