Hello! Another chances post.

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>First off, I'm really sorry for making my first post a chances post; however, I as well am another victim of curiosity and would like know how I am right now in terms of stability. In all honesty, I feel as though I'm too average of a student, especially when comparing myself with some of the other students in my grade, so I'm hoping for a nice reality check. :]</p>

<p>As for the reasons behind hoping for Stanford, at first it was really because of parental and extended family pressures. Whoo yea. But now, as I've been researching colleges, I think Stanford is really the college that I want to go to. I remember going there for summer camp, and their campus blew me away. It wasn't too urban like UCLA, which is a plus personally, but yet still had life and activity that I found exciting. Not only is Stanford the prestigious academic college that everyone knows, but I think the campus life and overall settings is really what I'm looking for. I also heard of its pretty nice financial aid, though I should research more on that, so there's another reason. </p>

<p>So those are the few reasons for now. Onto the stats? :]</p>

<p>_____ Personal</p>

<p>Gender: Female
Race: Asian, Korean.
Birthplace: US, thus permanent resident.
Age: 16, turning 17.
Grade: To-be senior in a few weeks.</p>

<p>_____ GPA</p>

<p>Freshmen Year: (4 Honors Classes)
- 1st Semester - Unweighted: 3.9 (?) - Weighted: 4.3
- 2nd Semester - Unweighted: 4.0 - Weighted: 4.5</p>

<p>Sophmore Year: (5 Honors, 2 of which are AP)
- 1st Semester - Unweighted: 3.9 - Weighted: 4.5
- 2nd Semester - Unweighted: 3.9 - Weighted: 4.5</p>

<p>Junior Year: (5 Honors, 4 of which are AP)
- 1st Semeseter - Unweighted: 3.9 - Weighted: 4.5
- 2nd Semester - Unweighted: 4.0 - Weighted: 4.71</p>

<p>Senior Year is still pretty vague. Depending on whether I stay in Full IB or not, my classes will have either more AP classes or IB classes. If I do stay in Full IB, I'll have 3 AP classes with 2 IB classes, while if I do partial IB, the 2 IB classes will just be replaced with 2 AP classes. I think.</p>

<p>Overall for 10th/11th:
- Unweighted: 3.9
- Weighted: 4.5-4.6</p>

<p>Class Rank: n/a</p>

<p>______ Tests</p>

<p>SATI: 2190 (Planning to retake)
(M) 790 (CR) 710 (W) 690</p>

<p>SAT IIs:
- Biology M: 760
- US History: 760
- Korean: Planning to take
- Math IIc: Planning to take
- Physics: If I have time.
- Japanese: A big maybe.</p>

<p>APs:
- Biology: 5
- Computer Science A: 5
- Computer Science AB: 4
- Language: 4
- US History: 4
- European History: 3
- Japanese Language: This year.
- Calc BC: This year.
- English Lit: This year.
- Physics B: If I have time.
- Stats: If partial IB.
- Government: If partial IB.
- Economics (Need to check which one): If partial IB</p>

<p>IBs:
- Biology SL: Haven't checked.
- Math: If full IB.
- English: If full IB.
- Global Studies: If full IB.
- Philosophy: If full IB.</p>

<p>I'm actually not quite sure of the IB tests and their levels, so I need to double check them. ^^;</p>

<p>______ Extracurriculars</p>

<p>Clubs:
- The Illustrators Society (2 yrs) : Founder/President (Jr, Sr) </p>

<br>


<br>

<p>Groups:
- Orchestra (all 4 years): Flute/Oboe
- Symphonic Band (Fresh, Soph, Sr): Flute/Oboe
- Winter Drumline (Fresh, Sr): Mallets
- Marching Band (Sr) <-- A big maybe. That or Jazz Band.
- JV Tennis (Fresh, Soph): Team was League Champs both years.</p>

<p>Misc:
- Interned at Seoul Paik Hospital in Korea in the Surgery Room</p>

<br>


<br>

<p>______ Last few things.</p>

<p>Hello, hello again. Ahaha. Well, so here you were just looking at the stats of a 16-year-old Asian girl whose main passions are drawing, music, and biology. I loved tennis while I still played, but that, well, has died down now since then simply because of inactivity. </p>

<p>As for art, I know it hasn't been emphasized in the stats, but I have been drawing since I was in fourth grade, but never really had the time to go to art school. Even in high school, because of schedule conflicts, I never got a chance to take any art classes as well. :( But nevertheless! I am planning to enter in a few contests this year and see where that will get me, even though I know it is a tad late to be doing these kinds of things. Ahaha. I'm hoping to use art as my essay topic, and many of my friends recommend that I send some as supplementary material in my app. ^^;</p>

<p>Mm. Yea. I am a music nut even though I'm not as accomplished as most are, but I still enjoy it to the fullest and am trying to find ways to support the small, yet talented music department at my school. :]</p>

<p>And biology! There had only been one class throughout high school that I can say is my favorite, and it's this subject and class. Hoping to do biology as my undergrad major in college, but hey, I'm crossing my fingers.</p>

<p>Right! So. I really don't know what else to put here. If there's anything you feel as though I should strengthen within the last few months left, please tell me! I want to do my best till the very end of the application process... without seeming desperate, of course. :p</p>

<p>I'm sorry to have put you all through this entire post. Kudos and hugs to those who actually read it all!</p>

2

<p>Am sure you have seen many of the senior members advise others... here is what I see:</p>

<p>Academics look very good. However, nothing stands out in the ECs. If music or biology or cartooningis your passion, then you will have to show how far you have gone with your passion. Do some serious research in some field of Biology and prove originality, Or publish your cartoons in some highly visible magazines like Time or Newsweek or some science or teen magazine(these are just examples). </p>

<p>There are tons of kids with your kind of stats and you have to somehow standout. You are doing whats right in academics. Now show whats exceptional about you.</p>

<p>Best wishes.</p>

3

<p>Hmm... Okay. I'll try publishing a shot. Also, do you think it'd be a bad idea if my illustrating club did something for the community? I have a few ideas in mind, but I'm not sure if they're standout-worthy or not. </p>

<p>Thanks for your reply, GymnastMom! I really appreciate it. :)</p>

4

<p>You have to pick between Korean and Japanese; they're only offered in November.</p>

5

<p>I agree completely. The Stanford campus is amazing!</p>

6

<p>@ManUtd20Ole: Oh, really? I thought we could take more than one listening test that day? Is that not true? :x</p>

<p>@Rhapsody in Green: Yes! It was so beautiful when I visited! Though I'm sure it's still as beautiful as I saw it then. :)</p>

7

<p>I just found out today.</p>

<p>It was devastating.</p>

8

<p>Wow. I thought you could take more than one listening test in November. I guess not then. Ahaha. </p>

<p>Well... I guess I'll go with Korean since I'm stronger at it. But even if I was born in the US, would it seem bad if I took the Korean test since I'm Korean? :x</p>

9

<p>c'mon!
you're korean
and the way u never say you are korean american tells me u had lived in Korea for long time.
You can look at this two ways:
1. You are pretty comfortable with Korean as you are with English, so either of those might work as your additional foreign language.
2. You are wasting your time taking SATII Korean, they know you Korean, and are not at all impressed even if you get 800. (Will it look bad? no. will it look good? not at all)</p>

<p>so I don't recommend you take Korean for SATII, take another subject test instead.</p>

10

<p>tollkevin, I don't know if that's a fair assumption... my parents were born in Thailand and came over to the US where they had me, but when people ask for my ethnicity/nationality, I always say "Thai" or "Asian" to be more general. To me, saying that race is "Asian-American" implies that one is mixed (half white, half Asian). So I don't know. Mikachu may have lived in the US for a long time. =] I guess she can clear that up for us.</p>

<p>I agree with tollkevin on not taking Korean for the SATII. Just put on your application somewhere that you're bilingual.</p>

<p>As for extracurriculars, I think they're decent. Heck, you have more ECs than I did, but I was drum major of the marching band for 3 years. I think what will make you stand out is your essays. Show what your passions are, and why you are so interested in certain things. Why do you like art? How does it make you feel? Why do you think helping the disabled is important? What have you learned from helping the disabled? You can write from the heart, or tell a story to capture the reader.</p>

<p>This might come off as odd... but perhaps GymnastMom has encountered people who apply who are truly extraordinary; people who have done research since they were in high school, or who write children's books, or who compete nationally in figure skating. It's true that there are people like that at Stanford. But, there are also people who aren't. The biggest thing I had going for me was being drum major, and other than that, I had like 2 other clubs that I did for 4 years and some music ensembles. I did some volunteering and had a lot of academic awards, but my main interest was marching band, and I learned a lot from being a leader. I think this goes to show that passion, dedication and excellence are what matters. Sure, I think her advice is great (trying to get published) but if you don't, please don't think you have no chance to get into Stanford. Sooo.... you don't have to have worked at an AIDS clinic in Africa to get into Stanford. You can dedicate yourself to some activities, contribute your knowledge and time, and learn a lot about life... and get in. Once you get to college, you can mingle with all those crazily amazing people and learn from each other, and you'll grow even more =]</p>

11

<p>I agree with celestial. If you've made some impact on your own school/community with your passions and you've learned a lot about yourself from them, that's what Stanford's looking for. I would recommend thinking about why you're so dedicated to the things you are, how they've influenced you, what you're hoping to do with it, for your essays.</p>

<p>You don't have to be published in a national publication, although that would be a big plus obviously, that'd be a big plus in and of itself, not just for college applications :)</p>

<p>I think your extra-curriculars look pretty good. I like the idea of the art club to help the community... I admire artists a lot, my roommate is an amazing artist!</p>

12

<p>not likely to get into stanford</p>