<p>Korean attending semi-crappy public high school</p>
<p>Regular Decision on all three
Essay --> immigration/language barrier (moved to U.S. 6 years ago from korea)
Intended Major: Biology (focusing on medicine.. since all three schools don't have any pre-med)
GPA unweighted - 3.952
Weighted - 4.429 (for now..)
rank -> 5/704 (weighted)
SAT 1: V-670 M- 780
SAT II- To be taken Jan 22 (last LAST deadline ^^;;)
ACT: Composite -35 Reading - 34 Writing - 34 Math - 36 Science - 36
AP Courses: AP U.S. History (5), AP Calc AB/BC, AP English (... the only AP courses offered)
HC (Honors-College.. basically, it's a college-level class) Courses: HC Chem, HC Human Anatomy & Physiology, HC Physics, HC American Government (We The People.. maybe some people heard of it?... maybe not..)
EC
Speech & Debate - Congress Event Captain (8~10 trophies)
We The People
NHS - Treasurer
Asian Awareness - Treasurer
French
Amnesty International - Treasurer
United Way - Treasurer
Ping Pong - Treasurer
"Get Your Voices Heard" Committee - Chairman (president)</p>
<p>Non-Academic
Earthwatch SCAP (you go away with some scientists for 3 weeks and help them research biology)
Boys State of Arizona (mock government. County Attorney, City Clerk/councilman, precinct chairman (<--hostile takeover ^^;) )
Works 26 hrs per day as a waiter/cashier</p>
<p>National Merit Letter of Commendation (had the scores to be semifinalist, but I hadto be at least permanent resident to receive it... )</p>
<p>Note: I am extremely poor (annual income $30000~$40000) and had to give up a LOT of opportunities</p>
<p>Just reading this board and seeing the number of Asian immigrants who write the key essay on their immigrant parents and immigration experience, I would seriously wonder if this is a cliche in top college admissions offices. My gut says to position yourself differently.</p>
<p>oh come on... My parents are divorced and our income is only like $15000 but I plan to write my essay on fashion forward...no, wait...I'm only a junior...darn it!</p>
<p>sorry, but with less than average SAT scores, and nothing really unique, you don't have much of a chance. Basically, don't waste the money applying to Harvard and Yale, though try Hopkins. Also look at some larger state schools.</p>
<p>hopkins? eh... i got just got deferred ED with 1500 SAT, mostly 700> sat2s, a dozen ec's, half a dozen leadership, comm service, research, gov school, blah blah blah...</p>
<p><em>cough cough</em> look at what you just said: "a dozen ec's, half a dozen leadership, comm service, research, gov school"</p>
<p>Isn't it the #1 advice all counselors give is don't write a laundry list? a dozen ec's ie easily a laundry list IMO, especially if you have half a dozen leadership? just based on what you typed would make any admissions officer suspicious, IMO.</p>
<p>plus, you didn't even give your GPA, class rank, and courseload, which all come above anything else.</p>
<p>Bumfromkorea, there are other amazing universities other than Harvard and Yale you know? Look into schools like Columbia, Duke, Chicago etc... that are not as hard to get into. Your class rank, GPA and ACTs can get you into almost any university. Your SAT is good but not great. Johns Hopkins is a possibility. </p>
<p>As for your essay, I agree. Writing about how you overcame your language barrier is not going to knock anybody over. 30 years ago, maybe, but not today. By all means make sure the universities know that you were 12 years old when you first studied in English and that you managed to overcome the language disadvantage, but use your essay to write about soemthing more personal and unique.</p>