Chance Me Please! I'll Chance Back.

Applying to College
1

<p>I am a rising junior girl interested in majoring in biology or biomedical engineering.
I am Indian and go to a public school in the south and am currently interested in schools like UPenn, JHU, Duke, Columbia, Berkeley, Barnard, etc. Please chance me! </p>

<p>Academics:
4.57 weighted
4.0 unweighted
1/462</p>

<p>Standardized Test Scores:
SAT: 2180 (650 CR 730 W 800 M)-only taken once during sophomore year winter, know I can raise this to a 2250+, the CR score was way lower than on any of my practice tests (720+)</p>

<p>ACT: taking it in October, but got a projected score of 32-35 on the PLAN Pre-ACT test. </p>

<p>SAT II's:
Biology E-720, taken freshman summer after Honors Biology, retaking in October and should get 760+
Taking Math II in October as well, should get 760+. </p>

<p>Class Schedule:
9th-
Honors World History, Honors English I, Honors Spanish II, Honors Biology, Honors Algebra II, Gym (required)
10th-
AP Biology, AP European History, AP Music Theory, Honors Spanish III, Honors Chemistry, Honors English II, Honors Pre-Calculus
11th-
AP US History, AP English Language, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, self teaching Spanish IV Honors
12th-
AP Physics B, AP English Literature, AP Spanish Language, Honors Anatomy, AP Calculus BC, AP Gov and Econ</p>

<p>AP Scores (projected so far):
AP Biology (5)
AP European History (5)
AP Music Theory (4-5)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
3 years HOSA (Treasurer)
4 years Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors Society (Junior President)
3 years Science Olympiad (Treasurer)
3 years Science Honors Society (Secretary)
3 years English Honors Society
3 years Spanish Honors Society
4 years Orchestra
4 years STARS (Anti-Drug/Alcohol Club for good choices)
10 years Indian Classical Dance
2 years Volunteer Advisory Board at Art Museum</p>

<p>Awards (so far):
Top Honors Biology student
Top Honors Spanish II student
1st place Regionals SciOly Microbe Mission
1st place Regionals SciOly Rocks and Minerals
1st place Regionals SciOly Disease Detectives
3rd place State SciOly Disease Detectives
6th place State SciOly Rocks and Minerals
9th place State SciOly Microbe Mission
6th place State Team SciOly
1st place Regionals HOSA Researched Persuasive Medical Speaking
1st place State HOSA Researched Persuasive Medical Speaking
2nd place Nationals HOSA Researched Persuasive Medical Speaking
Gold Medal National Spanish II Exam
Silver Medal National Spanish III Exam
Marylou Brown Community Service Award
Barbara James Service Award
Youth Leadership Program Graduate</p>

<p>Volunteering: so far:
100 hours Hospital
150 hours Art Gallery Children's Volunteer
300 hours Indian Camp Volunteer</p>

<p>Jobs:
4 years Kumon tutor, grader, and data entry
3 years doctor's office billing coder</p>

<p>Summers:
Summer 2011:
Summer Medicine Program, gastroenterology internship, summer camp counselor</p>

<p>Summer 2012:
HOSA Nationals, Cleveland Clinic observership, summer camp counselor</p>

<p>Summer 2013:
HOSA Nationals probably, Cleveland Clinic 6 week internship (confirmed, will be publishing a paper), summer camp counselor</p>

<p>Sorry for the long post, but I'll chance back!</p>

2

<p>That is a ridiculously good application. There are only two things I really think it’s possible for you to improve on.</p>

<ol>
<li>The standardized tests - but then again, you’ve got this. I only got a range of 27-31 on the PLAN but 34s on both of my real ACTs, so imagine what you’ll get with a 32-35! Does it even go much higher than that?</li>
<li>Leadership in an area of interest - your application has so much that it makes one wonder what you’re really committed to. Have you started any clubs? Are you the president of any? Have you actually led your club to great places?</li>
</ol>

<p>Overall, you should be fine. Your application is a huge hedge, dwarfing an entire town of near-tumbleweeds, and all you have to do is to trim it into a mighty dragon.</p>

<p>…Yeah, metaphors have never been my strong suit.</p>

3

<p>Haha, no worries, those metaphors made me smile.</p>

<p>On the leadership front, I was hoping my commitment to math and science and leadership positions/awards on those fronts would stand out. </p>

<p>Oh and by the way to everyone, HOSA is a medical club.</p>

4

<p>A lot may depend on your essays and interview. Try to make sure you cover all the bases of what you’re really about. To me, that seems to be, yup, medicine, miscellaneous science, and math. Just make them want you.</p>

5

<p>I think you’re in. It seems like you’re listing so many different ECs, the Admin committee won’t know what you are passionate about. Anyone can list clubs, but what are your aspirations? Your extra curricular’s are used to weed you out from the rest of the group, if anything-- make one thing STAND out. There are thousands of well qualified students like you, think outside of the box. </p>

<p>Don’t forget to look through my “chance me’s” (y)</p>

6

<p>Thank you @emberjed and @DebbyOkay!</p>