<p>2009</a> - DAVID CHEN - There's no debate: A world of learning awaits - The Star-Ledger Scholars</p>
<p>"David Chen devours what Ridge High School can provide him and converts it all into a transcript with nothing less than A´s. But what makes the 18-year-old from Basking Ridge a genuine scholar is that he learns from life. </p>
<p>"For David," wrote a teacher in a college recommendation, "knowledge for the sake of knowledge is good, but knowledge that can be used to help better understand the world in which we live is better. He recognizes learning should not occur in a vacuum." </p>
<p>The Star-Ledger Scholar for Somerset County expresses that learning style in funny and serious ways. One college application essay describes how he was transformed from a coward about roller coasters to someone who couldn´t stop riding on them -- all from what he learned on one ride. </p>
<p>Another -- about his favorite activity, debating -- discusses how a failure led him to lose his voice at a tournament but find a voice, too, while working with inner-city forensics teams. A play on the word "voice," but also mature self-reflection. </p>
<p>"He is genuinely interested in knowing everything," says Josh Gebhardt, Chen´s Latin teacher. </p>
<p>On the SAT, Chen scored 2340, with perfect 800s on the critical reading and math tests. He also scored an 800 on the SAT subject matter test in math. On Advanced Placement tests, Chen earned the top grade of five in math, English, Latin, history, government, physics, psychology and economics. </p>
<p>Chen wants to study either the humanities or social sciences when he enters Princeton University in the fall. He was attracted to nonscience courses because they require "thought and analysis, which isn´t black and white -- nothing has the right answer.". . . (continued)</p>
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<p>Congratulations, David, and welcome to Princeton!</p>