<p>I've decided to apply early decision for Pomona, and honestly, I'm really nervous. I know how selective Pomona is, and it is my dream school. My stats may not look impressive at first glance, but I do have a significant story to go along with my transcript, and I will explain it as I list my stats.</p>
<p>Cumulative GPA (9-12 weighted): 3.67
I know this is really LOW in relation to other applicants on here, but I have had very SIGNIFICANT improvement since my ninth grade year. I went from having a 2.8 in ninth grade to a 4.1 at the end of my junior year. My school is 6-12 and I came in 9th grade. Other students at my school had 3 years to adjust to the very rigorous curriculum, and I did not have this privilege. This obviously shows in my cumulative GPA. This growth also goes along with the fact that my school was named the #1 Transformative School in the country, taking low-income, minority students and preparing them for college. It is charter school, but contrary to popular belief, our grades are NOT inflated. Everybody takes the same classes at my school and there is very little chance (besides extracurriculars) to take different classes unless you are a grade ahead in math.</p>
<p>SAT I: 1910 (CR:630, MATH:660, WRITING:620(I didn't finish the essay!) this was my first sitting. I have registered to take them again this November, and I believe that I will be able to send in my scores to be considered before the Early Decision notice. </p>
<p>SAT II: I'm taking them in two weeks in US History, Biology, &Math II</p>
<p>ACT: 27 (CR: 31, MATH: 28, ENGLISH: 27, SCIENCE: 18 (yikes!) this was my first sitting and I just took this again last Saturday and I believe I did better.</p>
<p>IMPORTANT: These scores are EXCELLENT for my school's average. </p>
<p>If anything, I believe that my extracurriculars will save me.</p>
<p>Piano: 13 (almost 14) years
Flute: 8 (almost 9) years
Guitar: (self taught) 5 years
San Diego Youth Symphony: 5 years
Vietnamese School: 9 years
ASB: 2 years (Junior Class President last year, and now Publicity Director)
Cheerleading: 3 years (CAPTAIN of an entirely NEW squad this year)
Ecology Club: 3 years
Freedoms Foundation National Youth Leadership Conference @Pennsylvania (1 of 18 students who got selected from hundreds)
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference (for the district, and I hear that Pomona likes Rotary related activities)
Teen Capitol Day (It is an event held by Planned Parenthood in which you fly to Sacramento to lobby against budget cuts to Planned Parenthood.
SIAPS Summer Summit for diversity.</p>
<p>For community service:
I have volunteered as a Piano, Flute, and Music Theory teacher for the past four years. You can say I've come full circle with the whole music thing. I also volunteer with VFSD (Vietnamese Federation of San Diego) and VAYA (Vietnamese American Youth Association). </p>
<p>Work Experience:
I had an internship this summer at UCSD at the Sam and Rose Institute for Research on Aging. (4 weeks, paid)</p>
<p>For awards and recognition:
Principal's Honor Roll: 9th grade
Principal's High Honors (4.0+): 10th, 11th
First Place Science Fair: 9th, 10th, 11th
Best Playwright: 9th
Coastwize Prize For Investing Excellence (essay thing): Finalist
United States Senate Youth Leadership Program In-School Nominee: 11th
Many Department Awards
Golden State Scholar 2012!!! (I just found this out.)
I'm also a Stanford University Phoenix Scholar.</p>
<p>I took 5 years of Spanish if that counts for anything... I'm pretty decent at it actually.
I can also speak, read, and write Vietnamese even though I wasn't born there (unheard of!) because I went to Vietnamese School for 9 years.</p>
<p>I would like to believe my essays are STRONG. My school really supports us in the college app process and we are working on our essays in English class. I also have a mentor that is supporting me through the application process. For my common app essay, I'm writing about something that is greatly affected me, something that has made me grow tremendously. For my supplement, I'm choosing the "fun" one and writing about a silly thing that I like to do to make my friends smile. </p>
<p>My recommendation will definitely be VERY strong. One of my recs is from a history teacher that knew my work habits in 9th grade (horrible!) and had me again in junior year for APUSH (great!). She knows me better than I know myself, as a person and as a student. My other rec is from a teacher that i had last year for pre cal, and this year again for calc. He is known to write great recommendations, and I do incredibly well in his classes. </p>
<p>I have an on-campus interview next month. I'm hoping this will help my application process.</p>
<p>I'm also sending in an arts supplement for the Piano and Flute.</p>
<p>As the application due date nears, I'm freaking out more and more. Please tell me if I have any chance at all. My school tells me I'm just psyching myself out, but I just don't know anymore. I see amazing people on this forum, and it just discourages me.</p>