<p>Hey guys!
I have to say that going through this thread has been a great experience. Everyone is really supportive of each other and some great topics have been raised.
I'm a US-citizen (of somali descent) living overseas in Dubai attending an international school</p>
<p>Brief Summary about myself</p>
<p>Tell us about yourself:
- Born in Los. Angeles, California
- Biracial-Ethnicity: Somali/Emirati (Emirati mother/Somali father)
- Lived in LA, Tucson, UAE(Dubai)
- Majority of my family are uneducated (have not been to university)
- Grandparents have never attended school (cannot read or write)
- Enjoy writing (SIX writing awards- Alliance for Young Writers and Artists)
- Two-time MENA (Middle East North Africa) Spelling Bee Champion
- Member of Academic Games Team (Captain of the team for the 2009-2010 academic year)
- Member of the International Students Association (American School of Dubai branch)
- Interested in charitable volunteering
- Shiikh: SOS Herman Gmeiner Sheikh School (volunteered as an english teacher and interviewed girls at a NGO-funded boarding school in Somaliland
- UNAMID: United Nations African Mission in Darfur (recently returned from visiting schools and IDP camps as part of research for a developing NGO and student-led project
- Interest in Gender and womens issues/ Aid and impact on women
- Conducted interviews UNDP/UNHCR/UNAMID to assess
- School Volunteer hours {over 50 hours}
- Big Brother Big Sister (school year of 2009-2010)
- SAT 1: 1790 {two attempts}--- (1720/1760)
- SAT 2: 660 Literature/ 710 Biology
- GPA: 3.3 unweighted /unsure what it is weighted)
- Recent AP Scores (5 in AP Language and Composition/ 4 in AP Biology)</p>
<p>Majors/minors that Im interested in:
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, International Relations/Peace and Justice Studies</p>
<p>Although my GPA is extremely low for the schools I'm interested in, I find my essays and recommendations to be the strongest part of my burgeoning application. I am getting a recommendation from the Head of the UN Mission in Darfur (largest peacekeeping mission in history) and a strong recommendation from both my teachers and counselor
I really slacked off my freshman and sophomore year and finally got my act together Junior year. SAT is improving, last practice test showed an improvement of nearly 400 points! Taking it in october. </p>
<p>Schools I'm Considering</p>
<p><em>btw I'm a North Carolina Resident</em> </p>
<p>UNC Charlotte
NC-State
UNC- Chapel Hill
University of Chicago
Harvard
Yale
Scripps
Occidental
Wellesley
UC Schools (Davis/LA/Irvine)</p>
<p>thanks and PLEASE chance!
xx</p>