<p>I'm a Korean female, incoming senior from Washington. </p>
<p>Planning on applying to:
-Northwestern University
-Washington University in St. Louis
-Columbia
-Harvard
-Princeton
-University of Southern California
-University of Washington</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)
Class Rank: 1 of about 390
Academic History: Since freshman year, I've been taking band for my elective and my 5 other periods have been IGCSE/A Level classes. If you don't know what IGCSE/A levels are, I guess you could say that they're the equivalent to British APs. They're a fairly uncommon program in the US, but there are a handful of schools offering it on the East Coast.
I've taken 3 years of Spanish and last year I took both AS level biology and chemistry, which I was very proud of. I will also be taking A level bio and chem together for senior year too.
ACT: 32 Composite, 35 English, 32 Math, 33 Reading, 28 Science, 31 Combined Eng/Writing (I'm planning on taking another one in October to see if I can bring my score up a little more)
SAT II:
-Math Level 2: 780
-Bio M: 750
-Chem: 650</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
-School Band for 4 years
-Key Club (a community service club that is sponsored by Kiwanis) for 4 years (Club secretary for 2 terms)
-Playing flute and taking lessons for 5 years
-Playing piano and taking lessons for 10 years
-Playing in a youth symphony orchestra for 3 years
-Through Key Club I partake in various service opportunities and I also perform at a local nursing home with my sister once a month
-Short track speed skating for 6 years</p>
<p>Awards/Achievements:
-Awarded 2010-2011 Most Improved Musician and 2011-2012 Outstanding Musician in school band
-2011 Allstate Band
-Participated in Northwestern's CTD Summer Equinox Program for 2012. Took the class Medicinal Chemistry.
-Have received the Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award</p>
<p>Major/Career Plans:
I'm currently aspiring to become an optometrist. I don't really plan on getting a major because I know that for most optometry schools they don't require one, but if I do get one I'm planning on Chemistry or biology.
BUT, my plans aren't concrete so I'm looking into these schools because they have a pretty wide variety of majors and are very good schools so for the most part any of their programs would be good quality, incase my plans do change.</p>
<p>I'm not really a champion or the best at anything that I do, but I feel like I put forward my best efforts the majority of the time and I'm hoping that I will be able to express that in my application.
My list of colleges may make myself come across as a very confident applicant, but I'm just an applicant who acknowledges the possibility of being rejected no matter where I apply. My main concern is making myself pop as an applicant.
I'm open to any suggestions to schools that I should add to my list (or take off for that matter...), suggestions on how to present myself in my application, or any advice in general.</p>
<p>Thanks so much in advance!</p>