Chance me? Please? I'll chance back (if you want =))

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>I'm a Canadian student currently in grade 11, with a Chinese background. I want to apply to an ivy league school or other elite schools next year, so I hope you could tell me how I am doing now and what I can do to improve my chances.</p>

<p>In grade 9 I didn't really do much and my english was not very good. I was really dedicated to music and band, spending 4 hours per week with band and 6 hours per week with my violin studies. I was also really into reading, spending 8 hours per week reading for fun.</p>

<p>In grade 10 I was dedicated in working for school's music events (volunteering) and was still spending around 8 hours per week on music. I was also involved in DECA, scoring top 20 in my field but the club ended that year before I had a chance to improve.</p>

<p>In the summer of grade 10 I felt that school didn't have the opportunities I wanted, so before going to China to visit my family, I looked for organizations that I could take part in. Although I take part in their activities, I don't spend X hours per week on them, so I don't think I'll mention these things. </p>

<p>In grade 11 I'm working as an executive in Music Council (in charge of musical events), and an environmental volunteer doing outreach for the city (Toronto). Recently I've been focusing on a new youth non-profit organization that I helped/co-founded, and now working as an executive. I'm spending around 4 hours per week on this organization, doing all sorts of things. I'm still involved with music and business club. Also, I am working as a leader for a government's youth group. Working perhaps 4 hours per week.</p>

<p>I don't have much awards. I have some math contest awards back in grade 9, a school french award in grade 9. Deca in grade 10 and that's basically it..Though I'm going to take part in more business competitions and some science competitions, and hopefully get some awards from that.</p>

<p>My grade has been increasing, right now I have a 95 avg, but some marks were not very good in grade 9 & 10.</p>

<p>I did not take SAT yet. I'm taking the hardest courses that suits my interest.
Teacher recs..I don't know if they will be super good, but at least won't be bad.</p>

<p>Well, thanks for reading (if you are still here). I'm open to criticism and advice on what I can do to boost my application. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>depends on where ur applying. very tough to judge without knowing ur sat scores. </p>

<p>u also really need to get some awards. for canadians, if u want to be safe, u better have some hook or awards to back up w/e u say in ur essays, etc.</p>

3

<p>Yea, I’m in the same situation as you. Until I write the SAT and get my scores, I have no clue where I stand. I myself do not have any major awards or anything of that nature. I hope to do research at the University of Windsor if possible this year to have a shot at BS-MD combined programs and to put on resume when applying.</p>

<p>If your school doesn’t offer something, start up a club if you want. It’ll be fun, you will meet people that have similar interests, and you can toss it on your application. But for most people, once you get to a certain SAT score, and have good ECs, the rest is all luck really. But obviously, some people are sure bets to get into at least a few top schools due to their ECs, scores, etc. </p>

<p>As of now, its tough to tell where you stand. Once you get an SAT score, or ACT score, you will know where you stand among other potential applicants. Remember, we are Canadian, we need to be that much better than others to get into these schools. This acts as motivation for me at times to keep pushing. </p>

<p>Also, try to get some leadership positions…they always want that.</p>

4

<p>Assume now that it will be 2100+ =)
I’ll post a more organized one~
I’m in Gr. 11 in Canada. Chinese background. Aiming for Wharton, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, NYU, University of California, University of Chicago.</p>

<p>SAT: (will take in June)</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math II (will take in May)
Biology E/M (will take in May)</p>

<p>Courses:
Hard courses, will be taking all available AP courses next year (which is only 2)</p>

<p>Last semester GPA: 95% (top 5% for sure, estimate top 10)</p>

<p>Awards: (still working on this =()
Honour rolls
French award
Music theory award
DECA top 20
(will try to get more business/community awards)</p>

<p>ECs:
Executive of Music Council
Orchestras
*Will start business club next year
Writer for school magazine
School soccer team
Peer-tutoring
Member of some other clubs (unimportant)</p>

<p>Community Involvement

  • Co-founder and a board director of a non-profit youth organization (doing all sorts of things)
  • Leader of high-school team in a youth group that is a part of the city’s community development program. (doing outreach for election campaign 2010)
  • One of the editors of a youth magazine published by the public libraries
  • Outreach volunteer for city’s environmental program
  • The school board’s youth orchestra</p>

<p>No work experience
One summer is spent on reading books and another is spent visiting family in China.
Next summer…will attempt to start up a small business.</p>

<p>Thanks~</p>

5

<p>^we have a stock market club at our school, maybe you could make one. if that interests you.</p>

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<p>a score of 2100-2200 will make it difficult for u to get into any ivies especially if u dont have major awards or ecs (not just clubs).</p>

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<p>thanks kelloggss! what do you mean major ecs? do you mean leadership position in school clubs? and if my sat is 2200+, do you think I have a good shot?</p>

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<p>thanks for the suggestion, viggyram! that actually sound really cool! mind me asking what the stocks club do? our school has a business club but it doesn’t do anything, so I want to create one and I actually want to do something. Any ideas for that?</p>

9

<p>well, my idea of a major ec is something that is unique to u. something that very very few others in the applicant pool can talk about. something that makes u special.</p>

<p>for me, its def my research. i’ve won national competitions and etc. the point of the major ec is so that u have something legit and worthwhile to talk about in ur essay. without major ecs to back up ur essays, they just sound the same as all the other ones…</p>

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<p>well, I think my major ecs would be my community involvements…what do u think? does that count maybe as a “hook”?</p>

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<p>what kind of community involvement? a lot of applicants do a lot of services for the underprivaledged and such and it gets repetitive. Hence, I don’t want to do that stuff, because it doesn’t interest me and I don’t want to just ‘beef up’ my resume.</p>

<p>I play AAAA baseball in the PBLO baseball league. I am a brown dude lol, so i’d consider that to be perhaps a hook. and i’d be recruitable to good schools. you just need that one thing to make you stand out (not saying i’m like a big shot baseball player, but i am good enough to have a shot at recruitment).</p>

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<p>I actually don’t do direct services, but what i do is being an leader and organize events and find volunteers for my cause. Like how I am involved in building this organization which focuses on issues that are not very awared in canada. Is that good enough?</p>

13

<p>good enough to put on ur resume? yes</p>

<p>good enough to be a hook? no unfortunately.</p>

<p>truth is, unless ur club has 5000 members and had national recognition on cbc or something, it is irelevant.</p>

14

<p>Oh I see. So you mean unless it’s something big, it won’t make me stand out…BTW, what about teacher recs? I don’t think any teacher of mine is going to say that I’m “the best student they have ever taught…contribute so much to the class…” How much will this hurt me? D:</p>

15

<p>again, not good for ivy if u dont have a single teacher putting “best student they have ever taught” for at least one category.</p>

<p>u need unique (not perfect) recs. and u cant have ANYTHING negative in ur recs (late work, sleeping in class, skip school, etc) even if its just a brief mention…</p>

16

<p>try to get a teacher in an academic subject, that really likes you to write the rec. should work out.</p>

17

<p>Just wondering, how do you know if a teacher likes you or not? For example, everyone says this teacher who always joke around with me likes me, but I’m not sure if he’ll write a good rec…should I go for those classes that I get really good marks in? and how do you approach a teacher for recs?</p>