Hi. I’m studying in my junior year (Grade 11) and I’m an international applicant. I’ll be applying to MIT, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Caltech, UCLA and Georgia Tech.
Stats:
SAT-1: 2300+(expected)
TOEFL: 110+
SAT-2: Physics, Chemistry, Maths 800 all.
School Record: Been in top 2 students of my grade since grade 4. 10/10 GPA in class 10; expected 92%+ in grade 11 and 12.
APs: I am not sure if I’ll be giving any (no AP courses here) APs, since most stuff is taught in my Grade 12 after the AP testing dates. But I will give Physics C Mechanics and score a 5, positively.
***Above in many places I have stated ‘expected’ because I haven’t given them yet and am still preparing. SAT-2 and AP Mechanics are a breeze for me since I study under the Indian curriculum which is very rigorous. Also, I’m good at SAT too, I will score 2300+ or will do so before I apply. I shall do well in Olympiads as I’m already preparing for JEE, one of the toughest engineering entrance examinations in the world.
ECs: Toastmasters (Public Speaking) 18+ trophies at club and city level. Karate Balck Belt holder. City level award for environmental awareness competition. Two/three workshops at Eco Summit (again city level). Inter-school speech participant. Ex Vice Captain of Spring House (not an eco club, students are given respective houses like in Hogwarts) of my school. Ex Vice President and current President of the Debate Club. Active participant of the Nature club. Conducted various ‘waste and water audits’ under the aegis of the Nature club. Intra-school debate/elocution/calligraphy certificates. City level 3rd prize in karate tournament. A+ receiver in Sastra Prathiba contest (less than fifty students get it in the country in which I live, UAE, I’m Indian though). 3 Distinctions, 3 High Distinctions in International Benchmark Tests. Taught kids karate too, earlier. School topper in the Green Olympiad (would have gone for national level but school didn’t allow it that year for some reason). Recognised by Principal and Advisor for my projects in Science and Social Science. Inter-school quiz participant. Science week research paper award (2nd place)
I also except to do well in the Gulf Physics, Chemistry and Math Olympiads coming up. I am positive that I can score a top rank in the Gulf.
Last but not the least, I feel that I’m very good at writing essays for colleges, and I can express myself completely although I need to work on brevity. I feel that I can compete against the people who have achieved more than me with my essays and answers to the short answers asked by colleges. I may not have national/international awards but I have quite a lot of regional and city level stuff. I believe in pursuing activities which I love, and though they aren’t many, I do excel in each of them. Also, the reasonI can’t go for Intl. level Olympiads is that since I live in the UAE and although Olympiads at Gulf level are conducted it is virtually impossible for anyone here to go for the national Olympiad camp as it clashes with our final exams. Since scores are important, I can’t let that go.
Also, as for internship opportunities - they aren’t offered over here, nothing that I can do there.
Please do give me an whole hearted opinion of my chances. I really want to get into MIT especially or at least UC Berkeley (though MIT is the main deal :P).
Thanks a lot in advance, dear CC members 