I’ll try to keep this short:
Weighted GPA Sophomore year: 4.3
Weighted GPA Junior(current) year: 4.7
Unweighted GPA cumulative: 4.0
PSAT: 1500 out of 1520
SAT: 1520 (plan to retake)
Current schedule: AP Chem, AP U.S. History, AP Stat, Pre-Calc Honors, AP Lit, Choir
AP’s I’ve taken so far: all 5s
Plan to take 4 AP classes and choir senior year
Extracurriculars:
Volunteer at local Kaiser Permanente hospital 280 hours, (3 hours per week, shift leader for a year) (9,10,11)
Mentoring 3 hours per week through school year (11)
Vice President of NASA club (a STEM club that organizes student-run experiments weekly) (11)
Vice President of Model United Nations (Several awards at regional level, 3 conferences per year) (9,10,11)
Pianist of 11 years (currently self driven, no competitions)
Guitarist of 3 years, self taught
Concerts held regularly with the choir (paid performances daily during winter season)
Composer of both instrumental and vocal songs privately
I wasn’t able to get National Merit or Congressional Medal because of my legal status, but with my volunteer hours and PSAT scores, had a high chance in both.
I know that I lack extracurriculars compared to the stellar applicants to UPenn, but one big thing is that I moved to the United States in the beginning of 9th grade from South Korea, and have no language barriers whatsoever as seen with my AP Lit enrollment. I intend to shape my essays around this theme, how everything in my life was flipped upside down in my early teens and how I still managed to take advantage of all opportunities in my community. I will be considered an international in college applications. I am an excellent writer when it comes to essays, and am confident about my recommendations (already have teachers I’ve asked & in mind). I am what one would call a jack of all trades, ranging from STEM related subjects and academics to debates about historical and current issues.
If you think I’m not yet fully qualified, what would you recommend regarding extracurriculars and activities seeing as how I still have nearly a year before college applications?