Demographics:
International student from Singapore. Chinese AMAB
I have no family outside of my home country. I’ll be the first person in my family to go to university (that’s first generation, right?)
Currently a HS Junior. 17 years old. So I have 1 more year of HS to stack up my portfolio.
Intended Major(s): Chemistry. NO engineering.
Even if I decide to take a more lucrative degree/career choice, I’ll probably put all my unrestricted electives into Chemistry because that’s my favourite xD
ACT/SAT/SAT II: Haven’t taken any, planning to take it ASAP. I predict 1500ish for SATs though. I’m not sure how the ACTs are like but I think I can do decently well in them.
UW/W GPA and Rank:
My school doesn’t factor AP classes into grades, we’re expected to self-study for them.
Our system is out of 5.0 instead of 4.0, I should be high 4.6/barely 4.7 by the time I graduate next year.
My college counsellor says that my grades should sufficient, despite grade inflation, which caused 4.4-4.5 to be the average GPA upon graduation. I think I’m on the lower end for overseas applications.
Coursework:
- Only took Calc AB with 5
- Planning to take Calc BC, Stats, Chem, and Physics next cycle. Expecting 4/5/5/5 but I’m trying to get 5 for all.
- I will have taken two Chemistry courses in NUS (prestigious local university) by the time I graduate.
Awards
- Singapore Chemistry Olympiad Gold 2023
- Singapore Chemistry League Gold 2023
- Singapore Junior Chemistry Olympiad Gold 2022 Silver 2021
- Singapore Math Olympiad (Open) Silver 2022-2023 Bronze 2021
- Singapore Math Olympiad (Senior) Gold 2021-2022
Others: - Leadership commendation award in 2021 from school.
Extracurriculars: (Exco = executive committee, leadership board)
- Tennis Club: Exco for 2 years, represented school for competitions in 2021-2022.
- Mental Health Club: Exco for 1 year, VP for 2 years. Helped to run the club, can give examples but too many to say.
- Chem Club - i helped to plan intraschool events as well as train some members for demonstrations
- Math club - Helped to create materials for training for olympiads as well as planning events for members in the club/within the school.
- Research attachment at government organisation (about liquid crystal optics, I plan to go for another research project/internship in 2024.)
- Various Rubik’s cubes competitions
- ABRSM Piano Grade 7
- Was part of the planning team of an unofficial student-led tutoring service in 2021 (discontinued in the same year)
- ~50 community hours from helping out in various school events
Essays/LORs: Overall, just decent at worst. I don’t know how good they’ll be.
- My college counsellor likes me since I’ve been seeing him early, I think. I am on good terms with a few of the teachers in my school, especially the chemistry teachers. I plan to ask them for recommendation letters.
- Essays… I’ll start writing them early as per college counsellor’s recommendations.
Others:
- I am diagnosed with Autism and GID, not diagnosed with ADHD but pretty sure I have it. My friends say that I am depressed but I have been coping fine, I think
- Did I mention that I am trans. I plan to get HRT overseas.
- Trilingual: Native English, Mother Tongue Chinese (A levels), Foreign Japanese (JLPT N3)
Schools:
Maybe: Cambridge, Oxford, ICL, UC Berkeley, John Hopkin’s, University of Toronto, Waterloo.
Out there: HYPSM (Planning to apply but I don’t expect anything)
List is not exhaustive - please suggest some good fits! Also let me know where my application is lacking overall… I still have one year.
Plans for next year
- Train for IChO (unlikely to make final 4 for the team)
- Go for another research internship/project
- Tutor on the side
- Try to get a 4.7 overall by graduation by doing better in English (got 3.5 in sophomore and junior year)
Thank you for reading!