Chance South American Immigrant/Hispanic Male [GA, 94.459/100 UW, 33 ACT, Physics/Computer Engineering/Robotics/Electrical Engineering]

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Demographics

  • Hispanic Male
  • Moved out of parents’ apartment in Chile @age 14 (also leaving sister) to live with uncle, aunt, and two cousins (in the basement)
  • Language(s): Portuguese (1st), Spanish (2nd), English (3rd)
  • US Citizen
  • GA Resident
  • No intent to pursue need-based financial aid

Intended Major(s): Physics / Computer Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Robotics

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • GPA: 94.459 / 100 (Unweighted scale)
  • 33 ACT
  • Coursework (by end of 12th grade): 11 APs (13 exams, lack of rigor explained in add’l info), 4 DE, 2 Honors
  • School does not rank
  • 5: AP Seminar, AP Spanish Language and Culture
  • 4: AP Physics I
  • 3: AP Environmental Science (never took class), AP Psychology (never took class)

Activities

Robotics

  • Position/Leadership: Programmer and Social Media Lead
  • Organization: FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) (Team Name)
    • Integrated Java code with hardware, winning 2nd Control Award at State competition. Raised $10K. Programmed website using JavaScript, CSS, and HTMLGrade levels: 11, 12
  • Timing: All year
  • Hours spent/week: 3
  • Weeks spent/year: 42

Athletics: Club

  • Position/Leadership: (Team Name) Athlete and USAPL Volunteer
  • Organization: United States of America Powerlifting (USAPL)
    • Competed and volunteered (50+hrs) in USAPL-sanctioned meets. Mentored and educated amateur athletes about technique. Georgia HS 75kg State Champion.
  • Grade levels: 9, 10, 11, 12
  • Hours/week: 15
  • Weeks/year: 50

Research

  • Position/Leadership: Student Researcher
  • Organization: Georgia Tech Complex Rheology and Biomechanics (CRAB) Lab
    • Research optimal methods for tearing off granular material with mudskipper-inspired robot. Analyze media’s response to varying agitation levels.
  • Grade levels: 12
  • Timing: School year
  • Hours/week: 12
  • Weeks/year: 30

Internship

  • Position/Leadership: Information Technology (IT) Intern
  • Organization: Fulton County Schools IT Department
    • Worked with professionals to fix issues for 1,000+ devices. Aided in device distribution to 20+ schools. Kept inventory & prepped 20K+ devices for use
  • Grade levels: 10
  • Timing: School break
  • Hours/week: 40
  • Weeks/year: 8

Science/Math

  • Position/Leadership: Founder and Team Captain
  • Organization: (School Name) International Physics Brawl Team
    • Founded school’s first physics team. In meetings, teach calculus-based physics to members and host study sessions to prepare for int’l competition.
  • Grade levels: 12
  • Timing: School year
  • Hours/week: 2
  • Weeks/year: 25

Science/Math

  • Position/Leadership: Account Owner and Administrator
  • Organization: TikTok
    • Edited and published physics and math-related content in an ‘easily digestible’ way on TikTok. Amassed 75,000+ views, 3,000+ likes, and 300+ bookmarks
  • Grade levels: 10, 11, 12
  • Timing: All year
  • Hours/week: 3
  • Weeks/year: 52

Work (Paid)

  • Position/Leadership: Head Grill Cook and Barista
  • Organization: (Coffe Shop/Restaurant Name)
    • Spearheaded incorporation of burgers into menu, resulting in 130%+ increase in average daily revenue. Managed coffee station, serving 200+ cups daily.
  • Grade levels: 9, 10, 11
  • Timing: All year
  • Hours/week: 16
  • Weeks/year: 36

Community Service (Volunteer)

  • Position/Leadership: Kitchen Pantry Volunteer
  • Organization: Meals by Grace
    • Prepare meals and food baskets, sort produce and meat, and distribute bread and desserts for 60+ in-need families per week.
  • Grade levels: 11, 12
  • Timing: All year
  • Hours/week: 3
  • Weeks/year: 36

Community Service (Volunteer)

  • Position/Leadership: Outreach Officer
  • Organization: Beta Club
    • Coordinated community service opportunities for 200+ members. Volunteered 50+ hrs. Removed invasive plants & fundraised for NPs at local nature center
  • Grade levels: 11, 12
  • Timing: All year
  • Hours/week: 4
  • Weeks/year: 35

Career Oriented

  • Position/Leadership: VP of Membership and VP of Stock Market Game (SMG)
  • Organization: Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
    • Ensured active engagement of 40+ members. Coordinated club presence, led meetings, and guided discussions on investments and market trends for SMG.
  • Grade levels: 10, 11, 12
  • Timing: School year
  • Hours/week: 2
  • Weeks/year: 29

Honors/Awards:

  • FTC ‘22 GA State Champions (Compass & 2nd Place Promote Awards), FIRST World Championship Qualifiers

    • Grade level: 11
    • Level(s) of recognition: International

  • AP Spanish Language & Culture Examination Perfect Score (247 out of 176,000+ test takers)

    • Grade level: 12
    • Level of recognition: International

  • 11th Place from 184 high school and collegiate teams in FBLA SIFMA Foundation Stock Market Game

    • Grade level: 11
    • Level of recognition: National

  • Academic Excellence Award - 11th Grade American Literature & Composition (1 student from 8 classes)

    • Grade level: 11
    • Level of recognition: School

  • AP Scholar With Distinction

    • Grade level: 11
    • Level(s) of recognition: National

Personal Statement

  • Detail my journey from dreaming about a Nebraskan boarding school to immigrating to the U.S. (Georgia). Delve into homesickness I experienced, which fueled not only a desire to make my family proud but also to prove my own capabilities. Described discrimination I experienced as an immigrant and how my cursive handwriting became a symbol of my identity and resilience amidst these struggles.

LOR:

  • AP Seminar (11) & AP Research (12) Teacher: Has called me a genius, literally loves me. “Rec letter will be glowing” (in her own words). She is also an English teacher (great writer?).
  • AP Physics I (11) & AP Physics C (12) teacher. Highly appreciates Physics C students, as only 18 of around 45 AP Physics I takers decided to stick with him for another year. I have attended his classroom countless times to work on physics problems before school. He probably thinks I’m a goofball but knows deep down that I work hard and like physics (I told him that’s my major).
  • Calculus I TA at Harvard Summer School (also Head/Admin TA at Harvard Extension School Physics Lecture/Lab (2012 – present), and Head/Admin TA at Harvard University Pre-medical physics Lecture (2012 – 2021)): Grinded Calc problem sets alongside him numerous nights over the summer at the Math Questions Center. He was only paid to stay till 10:30 but went past 12 a few times. Seems to appreciate how much is expected of high school kids nowadays and how much they do v.s. during his time. Extremely eloquent man.
  • (Coffe Shop/Restaurant Name) Owner: Knows me pretty well, guaranteed it would be long with multiple examples where I have shown growth (I have known him before working for him)

Additional Information:

  • Upon my arrival in the United States just days before the start of my school year, I underwent an informal, conversational linguistic proficiency assessment with my school’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program coordinator. Based on the results and her recommendation, I was enrolled in the ESL program, limiting my exposure to the standard curriculum and precluding me from enrolling in any honors or AP courses. This enrollment not only restricted my initial coursework but also set me on an on-level social sciences pathway. Consequently, due to the absence of a teacher’s recommendation during 9th grade, I could not enroll in AP World History and had to opt for the on-level equivalent. The absence of teacher recommendations further affected my academic journey, as I could not enroll in AP Language and Composition, which subsequently placed me on the regular English Language Arts track. However, by the end of my first semester, I had successfully tested out of the ESL requirements.
  • In the summer of 2023, I enrolled in the Harvard Secondary School Program, where I completed Calculus I and Principles of Physics: Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, and Ray Optics, each carrying four college credit hours.
  • CollegeBoard recognized me with the “National Hispanic Recognition Program” designation.
  • Other team awards achieved in robotics not noted elsewhere in my application are:
    • 2nd Place Promote Award at the 2022 FTC Georgia State Championship.
    • Finalist status at the 2022 FTC West Georgia League Tournament.
    • Connect Award at the 2022 FTC West Georgia League Tournament.
    • 2nd Place Inspire Award at the 2022 FTC West Georgia League Tournament.

EA Schools:

  • MIT: Physics
    Georgia Tech: Computer Engineering (have met the president + connected on LinkedIn)
  • UMich: Robotics (major launched Fall 22’)
  • UNC-Chapel Hill: Physics (wrote extra essay about 2 global opportunities I’m interested in)
    UVA: Electrical Engineering
    Northeastern: Physics
  • Tulane: Engineering Physics (they sent me a fee waiver, haven’t applied yet)

Other EA Schools (that sent me a fee waiver):

  • Berea College
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Fordham University
  • LaGrange Colege
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • University of Tulsa
  • St. Mary’s College of California
  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities
  • University of Alabama in Huntsville
  • Mercer University
  • College of Charleston
  • Wheaton College, Massachusetts
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Ohio University
  • Long Island University
2

My personal predictions:

  • Early: Deferred @ MIT, Georgia Tech, UMich, UNC, UVA, Northeastern, and Tulane; Accepted @0 and Rejected 0
  • Regular: Waitlisted @ Georgia Tech; Rejected @ MIT, UMich, UNC, UVA, Northeastern, and Tulane; Accepted @ 0

Also plan on applying regular to Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern (they gave me a fee waiver); possibly CMU, Cornell, and Duke.
If my predictions for the early round do come true, I will be applying to less selective schools I would be ok with attending (UGA, UT Austin, Purdue, UWash, etc.)

3

You are very accomplished.

Since you have no cost issues - I wouldn’t apply to schools just because they sent you waivers.

Apply to schools that work for you.

I think Ga Tech could happen - and the rest could go either way - but not MIT (in my opinion) - but it doesn’t mean I’m right.

All with a waiver you’d get into - but the only ones to maybe look at give your interests are RPI, UMN, UAH, and Michigan Tech.

Not sure why Berea sent you a free app if you have no need. It’s a full need school.

Best of luck to you.

PS - you need another school underneath these just in case. At UAH or Alabama, you’d be very, very, very inexpensive. The 33 is good - but not good for the schools you list.

Best of luck.

1 Like
4

Also forgot to add, DE coursework is:

  • CS 1301: Introduction to Computing @ Georgia Tech (Semester 1, Grade 12)
  • POLS 1101: Introduction to American Government @ Georgia State (Semester 1, Grade 12)
  • CS 1301: Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming @ Georgia Tech (tentative: Semester 2, Grade 12)
  • ENGL 1101: English Composition I @ Georgia State (tentative: Semester 2, Grade 12)

I did not note the last 2 classes in my CommonApp, as my schedule for 2nd semester has yet to be released.

5

It would take a lot of convincing my parents to go out of state; just checked the ‘no need for aid’ box to (hopefully) increase my chances at some places. Stil waiting on my last ACT, which I could use for Tech or regular round schools :pensive: …

1 Like
6

So at UMich it would be 80K a year. Can your family pay that much money?
Same with Northeastern, UVA, Tulane…
Apply to UGA EA ( I have no idea about the deadline). Why didn’t you already do it?
Do you have Hope, Zell?
I agree that it is stupid to go OOS when you have UGA and GaTech with free tuition.

2 Likes
7

All the schools you listed are need blind (I believe)- so finances won’t impact.

So if you have no need, why apply to others - such as Tulane or Michigan, etc. if you’d go to UGA or Ga State over it. With the money Ga gives its residents, I get it.

UVA and UNC do meet need - but do you have need?

You are wasting time - if you are staying in state.

if you wanted to reach, it would be to schools like Vandy and WUSTL that have full tuition scholarships, etc.

Good luck.

8

UGA deadline is over; I simply chose to apply to other schools instead. Hope GPA was sitting at ≈3.91 last time I checked, so I should be qualified for both. I think UMich, UNC, and UVA could be worth it over UGA but by no means GT.

9

Well, Tulane gave a fee waiver, so maybe I’ll get a free t-shirt or something out of it?! I’d have to ED at Vandy or WUSTL.

10

Do you seriously believe that UMich is worth $320K? That is a load of money…
Only very rich people can spend so much money when they have a great option for 60k (room and board for 4 years)

4 Likes
11

You are unlikely for UVA and UNC with an outside shot at U Mich.

So your parents are willing to spend well over $300K for UMich and UVA - and I mean well over - vs. just room and board in state.

What’s your Ga Tech in state backup?

Maybe you need to throw an app into Bama or UAH which will be close to tuition free for you.

I hope you land somewhere and I think Ga Tech is a hot. but I think you put an awful lot of risk into your situation and you need a solid just in case.

Don’t forget, your ethnicity no longer matters - although may be considered if you somehow slip it in an essay.

Good luck.

12

No T Shirt - just padding their stats.

What is your safety/match?

13

In state: UGA (regular) and Mercer (already applied)

14

Who adviced you to apply only to GaTech? It was really wrong not to apply to UGA EA. I hope GaTech will happen for you. Apply to GSU at least. That can be safety. You should make it even RD.

2 Likes
15

Why Mercer?

16

Yes, I will be applying to a whole lot of colleges in GA this month (it’s Apply to College month in GA, so most schools give u fee waivers).

17

But what about EA deadline?

1 Like
18

He listed several schools that would be considered safeties.

19

Other than GT, UGA, Mercer, and Emory, most other GA colleges shave rolling admissions, I believe.

20

Is Mercer private? Who will pay for it?