<p>I am currently studying in Cambridge in the United kingdom, in my Junior year of high school and I am determined to go to Princeton or Harvard, here are my statistics;
SAT I - taking next academic year
SAT II - 750 Math IIc 800-Physics, I also took Biology M and Chemistry last week, hopefully i haven't done too badly.</p>
<p>A-levels(British equivilant of AP exams) and predicted grades
Physics-A
Mathematics-A(completed two years early)
Further Mathematics -A
Chemistry-A
Computing-A
Critical thinking-A</p>
<p>In addition ; AS-Biology-A</p>
<p>AEA (advanced extension awards)- University level
Physics- Distinction (highest grade)
Mathematics- Distinction
Chemistry (next year)- confident I will get a Distinction</p>
<p>Cambridge STEPII and III Mathematics papers(next year)(Cambridge University Mathematics admissions examinations) - predicted 1,1 (highest score)
I am taking the STEP I exam this year and am predicted a I</p>
<p>Also completed and Open Univeristy Course on Cosmology, gaining 93%</p>
<p>Organising tutoring for myself on Electromagnetism from a professor at the Cavendish</p>
<p>Extra curriculars-
Academic- Silver medal in British physics Olympiad (british selection comp. for the international physics olympiad)(came in top 100 of all Seniors who took the exam).
2nd prize in a National 6th former physics essay contest.
President of Both Physics and Chemistry societies- Organising many talks and Trips, most notably one given by Nobel Laureate (Chemistry) John Walker.
Building a cyclotron to investigate a special type of radiation.
BA crest Gold award for scientific research
Taking part in regional science fair next month, hoping to get to ISEF
Non-academic
Duke of Edinburgh Gold award
Millenium volunteers award for 100 hours of community service.
Working at a pharmacy during weekends
Recreational level Badminton and Juggling.
Cycling- Oxford to Cambridge for Charity- 85 miles.
Active member of Cambridge Indian community in Cambridge</p>
<p>I know a handful of Brits who got into Harvard and Princeton and you have way more more impressive academics than all of them. Your AEA's are paritcularly impressive, given you're taking them so early! If you take STEPs again that will be very impressive. </p>
<p>Your EC's obviously aren't as stellar, but I definitely think they're sufficient to show you're not just a freak who sits in the library all day or spends all day accumulating CV points - the badminton, the juggling, the Indian stuff is nice to see, and I think quite important.</p>
<p>So I agree, write a good application and it'll be H/P's loss to reject you...</p>
<p>Nobody is "definitely in" to Harvard or Princeton. You look like a strong applicant, but most highly qualified applicants are still rejected. Try applying to one of them early to increase your chances, but there are certainly no guarantees.</p>
<p>Don't get carried away. The guy's clearly a first rate science student - but there are lots of those about. If you consider tht he seems to have systematically accumulated as many grades in Maths and Sciences as possible (I mean how many exams can you enter yourself for?!), it's not that amazing. Lots of NatScis and Mathmos at Cambridge could have accumulated these grades, had they been so inclined. I know people who got S's on STEP (the real top grade) with absolutely no effort, let alone 1's. Nothing there is truly exceptional - an S, S in STEP, or getting through to the final stages of an Olympiad (top 100 in Physics is nowhere near the actual team).</p>
<p>I think it's clear this guy could go where he likes and do very well in science. But that's true of most people who get into Harvard based on their academics. That's why he'll need to write some good applications and emphasise he's a fairly rounded guy - those academics aren't exceptional enough in themselves to be a walk in. </p>
<p>But if H/P don't take him, he'll clearly still be able to do very well wherever he goes...Cambridge surely beckons?!</p>
<p>well I am currently working on pushing the predicted 1 on STEP(I,II,III) to an S- but it's no easy feat (for me).</p>
<p>P.S. Has anyone(british) been accepted to Harvard having taken STEP, if so, what attitude did they have towards it? (i.e. how would they compare it to the US system?)</p>