ECs and Chances

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>So I've posted this exact thread in the Harvard forum, as I'm only applyin to Harvard and Princeton outta the ivy league unis. Would appreciate any responses. :)</p>

<p>Hi
So I'm an international applicant from the UK...and I've been reading some of the v.impressive lists of ECs some people on here have - definitely intimidating! I've got a list of what I've done (and plan on continuing in my senior year)...thing is they're not v.awards-based, they're just things I enjoy doing in and out of school. I've also put in the years I've done them, I think our year 10 is your grade 9, our year 11 your grade 10 and so on...Just wondering if this is an okay list of ECs. I've done my SAT reasoning, and got an overall score of 2160. I will be retaking it however. I got 710, 720 and 730 in Maths, Writing and Reading respectively. I will be doing my SAT IIs this year, potentially in Maths II, English lit, and Chemistry.</p>

<p>• Features Editor on School Magazine (year 12)
• Member of school’s Hans Woyda Mathematics team – (years 9, 11, 12, 13)
• Member of School’s maths team for both Junior and Senior Maths Team Challenges (Years 9, 12, 13)
• Attended a competitive 6-week course of Maths Masterclasses for young people at Hertfordshire Uni (year 9)
• Participated in interform debating (years 8, 9, 10, 11)
• Helped organise and was a member of the Backstage committee for Middle School Play (year 12)
• Have played piano for 11 years (working towards Grade 7)
• Volunteered at a GP’s surgery for a week as part of work experience (year 11)
• Volunteered for a week at various departments at Nuffield Hospital as part of work experience (including paediatric ward, outpatients ward, radiotherapy ward etc.) (year 12)
• Weekly volunteer at a school for physically and mentally impaired children (year 12)
• Volunteer at annual Senior Citizens tea party (years 11, 12, 13)
• Achieved Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze award (involves taking part in community service (visiting residential homes), practising a skill (piano) and a form of physical recreation (running) for at least 6 months each (and one of them for a year). Also involves an overnight hiking expedition.
• Working towards Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold award (Same as above but for longer periods of time, and the hiking expedition lasts 4 nights)
• Wings of Hope achievement award – involves raising money and awareness for the Wings of Hope charity
• Community service – visiting local residential homes fortnightly (years 10, 11, 12, 13)
• Helped organise annual Community Service Table Quiz (years 12, 13)
• Volunteer at annual school Mencap Funday (years 11, 12, 13)
• Paid work at a supermarket (Sainsbury’s) 12 hours a week (grocery online shopper) (years 12, 13)
• Volunteer at a summer camp run by Kith and Kids charity for disabled young children (year 12)</p>

2

<p>approximately a 10% chance.</p>

3

<p>Woah that bad? Haha ohh dear. What's so crappy about it?</p>

4

<p>don't listen to the above poster it is impossible to give a number to this but I will say that it is more difficult as an international, especially when nothing really stands out. How did you define your applicaton?</p>

5

<p>Not sure what you mean by define, but I haven't applied yet, I'm still a junior...I wanna apply for fall 2009. Which is why I'm trying to gauge some sort of idea for how likely any sort of acceptance would be, I don't wanna raise my hopes up, y'know? :)
I'm definitely v.big on volunteering, I love that kinda stuff. Awards wise though, I've never really gotten anything...Umm, I got into Mensa...I won a scholarship at school in (your) 7th grade which gives me £500 every year until I finish school...that's about it really. Oh, and I won a Governer's Award at school cos I got 10 A*s in my GCSEs (they're like public exams everyone has to do at the end of (your) 10th grade in the UK).</p>

6

<p>You're going to need more than that to stand out.
By defining I mean developing a passion that resonates throughout your application to set you apart.
Regards for this upcoming year though. keep that in mind.</p>

7

<p>Okay, thanks for your input :)</p>

8

<p>Like 1MX said, you have a lot of ECs but they're not "focused." Of course, if you have a passion for what you're doing and you can translate this to your application, then who knows. Princeton and Harvard are so difficult to get into, anyway, so eeeh. :\ Good luck!</p>