<p>Studying at a prestigious Turkish high school... (Junior)</p>
<p>GPA: 4,00+/5 (but god knows how much +)
SAT: Well over 2100 (SAT May 2006 but talking according to practice tests)
SAT II: Did not decide but probably World History, Bio and Lit
AP: Bio, World History, Economics, European History 5
TOEFL: 277/Essay: 5,5</p>
<p>ECs: Attended numerous congresses and conferences
Co-chairman of Turkish Delegation to European Youth Parliament
Translated two books to Turkish: James Thurber-Fables for Our Time and Jessica Williams-50 Facts that should Change The World
Science Fair Head Coordinator
Editor of School Science Magazine
Appeared on TV Debates with dignitaries including the PM (even did my own Tv program but let's not get into that)
And bits and pieces of other small things (origami, electronics etc.)
Numerous articles in school magazines</p>
<p>Recommendations: The PM (hopefully)
Popular TV Anchorman
School Headmaster</p>
<p>Teacher Evaluations: Excellent recommendations from Soc.Stu and Lit. teachers, including the Soc.Stu dept. head</p>
<p>Peer Assessment: One from a Harvard Freshman and other from a Yale freshman.</p>
<p>Honors: History Dept. Award (twice in a row)
Social Studies Department Award<br>
Note: Only one student from the school is awarded for outstanding achievement. =)</p>
<p>All for now.. But have more than a year before application. My biggest disadvantage is my GPA but Dad died in Freshman year and struggled quite a lot to put things back to track. Please don't hesitate to recommend other schools. I will update my data as I have new activities or scores.</p>
<p>u will probablly need a 2250+ to get into Gtown sfs- i have heard some people get into harvard but not gtown sfs.</p>
<p>U want to go into foreign service/international relations/international affairs- how many languages do u speak? it is helpful to speak a few languages for going into fs.</p>
<p>i would also recomend george washington, johns hopkins, UVA, tufts, and stanford</p>
<p>For languages; English+Turkish+German (some german =)) and I will be studying Italian and Spanish this summer. And for the sat, I'll definitely listen to your advice.. Thanks. And also in general, what would you recommend me to do for the summer and next year. I have one more year before college and must use it with utmost wisdom =)</p>
<p>I personally think you have a great chance and are well suited for the school. But that's just me (didn't apply to gtown) and maybe it is harder for internationals. But yeah, I think you are incredibly well suited toward this school and would be slightly shocked if you didn't get it, barring all problems like with essays. So I guess write good essays. :)</p>
<p>Your list has nothing about leadership. A lot of IR schools look for leadership potential and all your activities show engagement but nothing more. JHU has a good IR grad program but it is nothing to brag about on the undegraduate level. Other excellent IR schools are Macalester, Vassar, GWU, Ohio Wesleyan, American and Fletcher.</p>
<p>My biggest headache is about my GPA. I mean it'll definetely be over 4.00 but my freshman and sophomore are quite a shame. I mean things got really messed up for me in those days. We had to move from hme to home, keep checking for the repomen and whatever. So things really messed up. I did get things sorted out later on but the first years were quite quite a mess. </p>
<p>About rolio's comment, I guess I did not get what you meant. I mean, I am the co-chair of Turkish EYP delegation, got executive roles in many congresses and whatever. What would you recommend about the leadership aspect? Because I was thinking that I had quite a "leader" record. =)</p>
<p>My greatest curiousity is how the recommendation letter from the prime minister would affect my application. I did talk to him and he said it would be his pleasure to write me a recommendation but I really can not imagine the effect it could make. I know that the universities do care about these letters, especially when they are from dignitaries but I still can not imagine. Guess you could help...</p>
<p>And about ebonytear's comments. First of all, I can't tell how flattered I felt from her comments <em>do not know the reason why</em> I will definetely post you my essays next year so that we could comment on them together. </p>
<p>Thanks for all your valuable comments but I am still looking for more of them =)</p>
<p>I think you'll get in. Gtown loves anyone with international perspective, and you certainly have that. And getting a rec from the PM would be sooo cool. That would work in your favor too...</p>
<p>hopefully we'll both be at gtown in two years :)</p>
<p>oh and out of curiousity, are you an american living abroad in turkey or are you turkish?</p>
<p>To be honest, top IR schools (like SFS) know how to read between the lines of applications. People applying to these schools tend to play a rehearsed spiel, some are true overachievers, some think that certain things will make them look like overachievers. A recommendation from the prime minister of Turkey may mean nothing if your passion for IR is not evident in your application from your past activities. A huge list of activites including being a delegate in some delegation probably may not mean that much. One experience suffices as long as it speaks louder than words in an application. For example, a friend of mine decided to take a year off from school and went to Afganistan to work to a set-up an NGO. Crazy? Maybe. But shows that he is dedicated to one of the fields of IR: development. It also shows passion. I guess I am not familiar with what you've done but be honest in your application. Show how being the co-chair Turkish EYP delegation is different from being a co-chair of some school club, what outstanding responsibilities it involved, what the experience taught you and how it ultimately relates to the field of international relations and foreign service.</p>
<p>I think you have a great shot at Georgetown SFS. I strongly recommend visiting,applying ED, and shooting for higher SATs. My brother got into GTown SFS ED with similar stats and ECs as you. Some other schools I'd recommend are UVA,George Washington, Emory, and Northwestern.
Good luck with the search.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your comments. I mean, they are really enlightening from my perspective. </p>
<p>Psychicspiesfromchina: First of all, thanks for your dearest wish.. Hope to see you in GTown SFS.. But you better keep your nickname secret.. It could make your head ache during the application process =) And just because of your curiosity, I am a %100 Turkish.. It has its own pros and cons, you know. If you come to Istanbul some time I could order you a kebap or something =)</p>
<p>And about roberto's comments... I'll definetely try UVA, HYP, Penn Huntsman.. I do not know if I'd try the Emory or so but still...</p>
<p>Anyway... Thanks guys.. Thanks a lot. You could also contact me from <a href="mailto:scsazak@hotmail.com">scsazak@hotmail.com</a> or @gmail.com.. Thanx</p>
<p>i would not recommend getting the Prime Minister write you a letter of rec. I applied to Georgetown and I was a very promising candidate (I was admitted to other top 25 schools) and also had a letter of rec from President Clinton, a family friend. I was not admitted EA and then denied.</p>
<p>Wooh... I wonder why they rejected President Clinton.. I mean, he's my idol.. Really surprising.. Do you think it was something about the political tendency thing or I mean, were your SATs below the average for GTown applicants.. Maybe you could write us your resume so that we could have a comparation.. If it's ok with you. And just because of my curiousity, where are you studying now? With the rec from Clinton, you should be at HYP or something..</p>
<p>ABSOLUTELY DO NOT get a recommendation from a head of state. It is CHEESY and Admissions will see right through it. Should a college let you in just because of who you know? This will hurt more than it will help, I can guarantee you.</p>
<p>SFS is not about how well connected you are (that comes later). It is about passion, and what YOU will add to this school.</p>
<p>That being said, you pretty much fit the stereotypical SFS student mold. Just explain on your application why your early grades are low, and just ask a teacher who knows you well to write your rec.</p>
<p>One very good and one very bad news. I'll start with the bad news. Something happened with mom's credit card account and it seems like I won't be getting my AP's. It gives me the creeps now and I really want to cry. </p>
<p>But the good news is hopefully, if nothing goes wrong. I'll be the Turkish UN Youth Delegate (young delegates officially accredited in the delegation and UN with access to GA sessions and delivering a speech at the ECOSOC GA) </p>
<p>Could someone please tell me how this AP misfortune would effect me. God, I feel so bad. Goddam' the collegeboard... I have my AP registration paper but they say that they don't have my name in their records</p>