Extremely Early "Chance Me" and Need for Advice

<p>Hi. I am currently a sophomore in a NJ high school and am interested in JHU. I know this is extremely early but I would like to have some advice for improvements so that I can hopefully increase my chances in the future application.</p>

<p>Basic Info (may not be important):</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Asian American
Age: 15 (will only be 17 when graduating)
Gender: Male</p>

<p>Courses and Final Grade (100 point scale):</p>

<p>Freshman/9th Grade:</p>

<p>English 9 Honors: 86
World History Honors: 92
Geometry Honors: 89
College Preparatory Physics: 93
German 3: 97
Photography 1: 99
Web Design 1: 99
Physical Ed: 100
Health: 99</p>

<p>GPA (my school's 4.0 scale):
Unweighted: 94 = 3.9
Weighted: 96 = 4.0</p>

<p>Sophomore/10th Grade (current year):</p>

<p>English 10 Honors: 86
AP US History Part 1: 86 (My school is one of the few schools that splits US History into 2 Years)
Algebra 2 Honors: 80
Chemistry Honors: 87
German 5 Honors: 97
Photography 2: 100
Introductory JAVA Programming: 97
Physical Ed: 100
Driver's Education: 96</p>

<p>GPA (my school's 4.0 scale):
Unweighted: 91 = 3.6
Weighted: 94 = 3.9</p>

<p>EVERYTHING BELOW IS IN PROSPECT</p>

<p>Junior/11th Grade:</p>

<p>English 11 Honors: TBD
AP US History Part 2: TBD
AP Economics: TBD
PreCalculus Honors: TBD
AP Biology: TBD
AP German 6: TBD
Physical Ed: TBD
Health & CPR: TBD</p>

<p>GPA: TBD (hopefully higher :D)</p>

<p>GAPP Program (in between Junior and Senior Year): I will study abroad in the summer in Göttingen, Germany.</p>

<p>Senior/12th Grade:</p>

<p>AP English 12: TBD
AP Art History: TBD
AP Calculus AB: TBD
AP Statistics: TBD
AP Environmental Science: TBD
AP Computer Science A: TBD
Physical Ed: TBD
Human Sexuality: TBD</p>

<ul>
<li>Princeton University German Program
(special program available for my high school because PU is only a like 5-10 minutes away)</li>
</ul>

<p>I probably cannot take all those classes because I will do part time at my high school and part time at PU.</p>

<p>(this is the highlight of my academics)</p>

<p>Co-Curricular:</p>

<p>Community Service:
Member of Rotary International: Most Active (I have 190 equivalent hours in service): Will run for Secretary
Member of local Red Cross chapter: Will run for Secretary
Volunteer at a local non-profit school for autism (I am very active here)
Donates to many charities local and international</p>

<p>Music:
10 years of piano (participated in state competitions)
~5 years of school chorus</p>

<p>--Planning On--
1) National Honor Society
2) National Art Honor Society</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>1) Outstanding Achievement Award in German (multiple)
2) Language Department Awards for Academic Success in German (multiple)
3) Nominee to the 2011 Wallenberg Honors Program
4) many more but smaller achievement awards (academic + character)</p>

<p>SAT:
Have not officially taken yet but tried a few practices: ~1900/2400</p>

<p>PSAT:
First exposure (no preparation): 170</p>

<p>Greatest Asset: Language
Fluently Bilingual: English and Chinese (all capable of reading/writing)
Almost Fluent: German (capable of reading/writing)
Huge Possible Interest in: Japanese</p>

<p>Life goal: "Quadlingual??" :D</p>

<p>--Basic Story--
First Language was Chinese because parents were at work and I lived with Grandma.
I was at a disadvantage and experienced ESL (although I was born in America) and had academic hardships throughout elementary years and middle school years. I attended Project Achieve classes... (huge depression years)</p>

<p>"Project ACHIEVE helps schools develop and implement Positive Behavioral Support Systems (PBSS) and Response-to-Instruction and Intervention processes speeding multi-tiered academic and behavioral interventions to at-risk, underachieving, unresponsive, and unsuccessful students" (from projectachieve.info).</p>

<p>I did not discover that until high school that I was "retarded"; however, I have improved from being a C student :D</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Currently None but will work at local supermarket as Cashier very soon</p>

<p>Feel free to ask about anything else you find crucial in providing just advice.</p>

<p>Thank you so much :D</p>

<p>In truth, you have a slimmer chance than most. You have low scores in important subjects and high scores in easy subjects. For instance, you have below a 90 in several math, english, and science courses. Your ethnicity will also detract from your chances since Asian Americans are over represented at many top schools such as JHU. Sorry to discourage you but I wanted to give you an honest chance. Look at some other schools like NYU or BU or Tufts ect…</p>

<p>In the most non harshest way possible this appears as a high reach.
Your awards (which imo is what distinguishes kids from another e.g. countless apply with 4.0 uw and 2300+ sat’s)
are not really national or big state ones</p>

<p>1) Outstanding Achievement Award in German (multiple)
2) Language Department Awards for Academic Success in German (multiple)
3) Nominee to the 2011 Wallenberg Honors Program
4) many more but smaller achievement awards (academic + character)</p>

<p>You’re competing with kids who are Intel STS finalists etc.
Why are you saying you’re 17 when you’re graduating, are you graduating early?</p>