Colleges Checking Extracurriculars

Applying to College
1

So I just placed top 10 (out of 80) in the brain bee in the state of california. Only the top 3 got special certificates, and I would want to put this on my college apps. However, there is nothing proving me getting top 10, which is a little unfair, as jeapordy for the brain bee i participated in starts from top 10 to the top person, who goes to nationals.

Should I even put this on my colleges apps? If so, how would I phrase it?

Other stats: 4.4 gpa, 1360 sat (retaking) 4.7 UC gpa. Rank 1/300ish. And alot of other medical/bio related extra curriculars/research/volunteering.

Would getting top 10 in the state be even significant for ivy league schools or other top 20s/ucla/usc/berkely?

2

x in California State Brain Bee 2019

It isn’t if it is significant for the school, the question is does it enhance your application? That depends upon what else you have.

3

It does not matter. Just list placement: 3rd/80. No it will make no difference whether you got a certificate or not. Even if you had ,it would not matter. I’m sure there are records of it someplace. But the presumption is that you are honest in reporting. Did you have to win a local and regional competition in order to make it to States? If so, you’d obviously list that too.

4

Thanks for the quick response. Would it enhance my application. Here is the complete list of my
ECs:

Science Bowl (10th+): B team 10th, A Team 11th, A team co captain 12th. We place top 5 regionally every where, competitive to make the team at our school (25+ish try out only 5 make each team). The Biology guy, teach bio to middle school on my free time.

USABO: Hoping to final, close to semi finaling last here, confident I will do it this year.

Speech and debate (all years)qualified for regionals in congress(9/10) medalled 4+ times for POing (11th), working on a piece for stanford invitational currently, did impromptu and spar for fun.

Aca Deca (10th/12th). 11th couldnt take due to scheduling issues. Highest scorer on our B team (12+ members) in both Math and Science.

Founder and President of (insert name here) club (10th+). A club dedicated to medicine and biology, 20+ active members. Raised $500 for (insert name here) charity to (insert activity here). * im hiding defails for privacy reasons. Help with beach clean ups, hospital volunteerings, internships. All in all, the club as contributied 800+ hours to the communtiy.

Project Rishi (10th+). Funded money for poverty in India. In charge of organizing funds. Treasurer (11th)

NHS (all years) (Vice Presidsnt 12th). Tutored in math and biology.

CSF (all years). Not that involved, bur i never missed a meeting. Dont plan on running for cabinet due to me being spread thinly.

Community Service: 300+ hours at local hospital, shift leader. In charge of getting calls, controlling whos doing the jobs and made sure jobs are done on time. Saved a persons life (what a nurse in icu told me) from making a volunteer do job (x) from job (y). * again, personal.

200+ hours at ucla medical center: loved working with patients here, love the clean city and the nice people that come here, however, i didnt make that big of an impact here. Just did it for fun and leaving the house.

Medical related:
Couple research papers from ucla, usc, and uci. Summer programs at ucla (200+ applicants, <20 accepted). Planning to do something at brown and ucla this summer. We’ll see. Did some shadowing of physicans (ucla and local).

So yeah, Invested my whole winter into the brain bee, and was saddend that I couldnt even make top 3, who got recognized. So, based on my ECs, would being top 10 in states really benefit?

5

No, the brain bee goes from states (cali) to nationals. No regionals/locals. Thus, higher competition.

6

And what do u mean by it doesnt matter?

7

Bump.

8

How you phrase it will not be what determines acceptance/rejection.

9

Ok. So would it be beneficial to mention it atleast? Even tho I have basically no proof of it…

10

If it’s one of the top things you have going for you, then list it.

11

Are you hoping to major in neuroscience? So that brain bee is directly relevant?

Probably some web site somewhere listed the winners. If the college is concerned they can contact the state org, not a big deal.

12

Berkeley does require verification of something in the application for some percentage of students, 10% is my understanding. Our son got asked to verify an EC several years ago. You could probably get a letter from a school official for the proof.

13

UCs are probably the only ones (or at least one of the very few) that would potentially ask for proof. It’s really nothing to worry about, assuming the application is accurate. The GC can always validate in most cases, if needed.

14

I personally would list it. There is alway a section that is something like “what else do you want us to know about you?”

Let the school /reviewer determine what’s important… Not you. Who knows… Maybe the reviewer knows about this program and it gives you a slight edge?
When I look at your application I lump all the volunteering into one section. Not separate so more things that are different the better. It is what makes you interesting.

15

Ah makes sense. Well, Id hope the AOs are aware of the brain bee: its a national and international competition. Just, at states level, there isnt as much thought going into the competitors. I have spent nights studying for the exam, and basically the whole winter break. And I would want this effort to go noticed.

16

Your SAT seems out of line with your GPA. Tbh I think effort will pay off more there. List the brain bee somewhere then focus on SAT.

17

Got it. What should my target be? I went in with little to no prep, just the night before. Ended with a 610 eng and 750 math. The curve was terrible, -3 math, 750. Also got a 7/5/7 essay.

18

For Ivies and the like? 1500+. They’ll want to see much more balance between math and english.
You will also need SAT II subject tests.

19

Try an ACT. You might be better suited for it than the SAT.

20

^^ what @Hamurtle said. Plus the ACT (w/writing) can replace SAT Subject tests at a lot of schools so you don’t need to do those extra tests.

SAT Subjects are becoming less and less common requirements anyway, but having an ACT score to submit helps.

Some kids just like that test better and do better with it.