Hi all, please chance an international applicant

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi folks, am Steven from Singapore. Currently serving my National service and would like to ask you guys for some advice on my choices of school and on financial aid.</p>

<p>Background: Environmental passionate person. Had financial difficulties at home and had to work after school and weekends since Secondary school to ease family living expenses. Single parent family, father passed away. Am working my way to america for a better education and opportunity for myself and family.</p>

<p>Interest: Environmental Biology, Environmental Science, Landscape Ecology</p>

<p>Am aiming for</p>

<p>Top choice:
Cornell/ Environment Biology</p>

<p>High Reach:
Duke
Yale
Yale-NUS
Stanford</p>

<p>Reach
Michigan
New York University
Washington University</p>

<p>My Stats</p>

<p>Academic Achievements
Diploma in Biotechnology with Merit
-cGPA: 3.76, 8 Distinction, 12 A, 11 B/B+, 1 C+
-Director's Honor List, top 10% for all semesters during course of study </p>

<p>SAT: 2020 ( will retake ) SAT II: Maths lvl II (740), Biology-M (800)</p>

<p>Diploma Plus certificate in Management and Entrepreneurship (Distinction) </p>

<p>Differential Research Programme (2009- 2011)
1) Proteomics, "Extraction of Mosquito Larvae Polypeptide and analysis with MALDI"
2) Microbiology and Material Science, "Evaluating the efficacy of plastic material to absorb UV with E. coli growth
3) Plant Cell Technology, "Micro-propagation of ornamental plants in vitro using organogenesis"
4) Microbiology, "Transformation of wildtype E. coli strain ATCC25922 with GFPMut2" </p>

<p>Pre-University Seminar (June 2009) - Student Representative and Speaker</p>

<p>Extra circular
Work Related
1) Tutoring Secondary School O level students (April 2009-present)
2) Teaching Attachment for Chung Cheng High School Main (03 Mar 10- 18 Apr 10)
3) Temasek Polytechnic Bistro (Oct 2010-Feb 2011)
4) Oversea Student Internship Program, Vietnam (Aug 2011 - Jan 2012)
5) Singapore Army Forces, Medical Corps (2012 - 2014) </p>

<p>Voluntary work
1) Applied Science Peer tutoring Program Student leader (2009-2011)
2) Applied Science Bridging Program Student leader (2010-2011)
3) Volunteer at Institute of Mental Health Singapore (2010)
4) Orphanage Sunbeam Visit (2010)
5) Mercy Relief Aid for Qinghai Earthquake victims (15 Apr 2010)
6) NUS science volunteer corps volunteerism (17 May 2009)
7) HSA, Blood Donation Drive(2008 to present)
8) Children's Cancer Foundation, Hair for Hope (2010)
9) Emcee for Operational Safety and Health for safety Practices BSI to BSIII Labs (May 2010)</p>

<p>Environmental Related
1) NEA Young Environmental Envoy programme
2) Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Award
3) NParks
-Active volunteer for environmental efforts
-Focus on the area of nature guiding to educate the public, especially the
young on Singapore's biodiversity.
-Volunteer Presenter for CNR in "Festival of Biodiversity 2013"
4) Nature Society Singapore
-Organizing committee(education) for Singapore Water Day, worked with
Dr Shawn Lum, President of Nature Society, Harvard Graduate, UCLA Berkerley
PhD.
-Surveyed Lorong Halus for wildlife
5) Asean Science and Entrepreneurship Challenge
-Student representative for Temasek Polytechnic, 3rd in competition
6) Phu An, replantation and management (2011)
-Worked with Dr. Diep Thi My Hanh, award recipient United Nations
Development Program Equator Prize and founder of Phu An Bamboo
Village
7) Student Representative for World Leadership Conference (2010)
8) Temasek Polytechnic Green Interest Group
-Alumni mentor (2011 to Present)
-Leader for SparkGreen training camp and SparkGreen project (2011)</p>

<p>Thanks a million folks</p>

2

<p>You have INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE ECs, but unfortunately your GPA and SAT score are too low for some schools on your list (especially for an international applicant). If you get 2100+ on the SAT, your chances will increase; try to get 700+ on at least 2 sections.</p>

<p>I would say you have the following chances:</p>

<p>Out of reach: Yale, Stanford
High reach: Duke, WashU
Mid reach: Cornell (applying ED may help you here)
Low reach: NYU
High match: UMich</p>

<p>Good luck! :)</p>

3

<p>Yale and Stanford are within reach. Don’t worry, 3.76 is not a bad GPA for them; certainly not exceptional but good enough to warrant you consideration.</p>

<p>I also agree that Cornell ED is a good choice, and if you don’t need fin aid, you are matches at NYU and Washington and high match at UMichigan and WUSTL (although it is crucial to show interest at WUSTL).</p>

<p>Better SAT scores will help you, that’s for sure :)</p>

4

<p>Thebeatlestoday: Thx dudes, thx for ur chance! i will improve my SAT this oct! :slight_smile: Have a good day yeap!</p>

<p>International95: Thx for ur opinion, I feel i gonna try out yale! and will definitely improve my SATs</p>

<p>Thx both :)</p>

5

<p>Ur lucky US unis have holistic admissions cuz ur EC’s are probably the best ive EVER seen. You show extreme dedication. Apply to Stanford, i feel u have a good chance there cuz they look for dedication. Just get that SAT score up to a 2100+. Maybe consider the ACT? GPA isnt everything. Especially when other things can cover it up. Hope u’ve started on your essays</p>

6

<p>Your EC’s more than make up for the sat score. Taking it again in October is a good. idea but you’ll get in on your EC’s as long as you can convey interest, passion and dedication in your essays too. Good luck to you :)</p>

7

<p>Hey there!
1)I was just wondering …what exactly boosts a students application when it comes to duke admissions ??(apart from the grades)
Like…I have a lot of extra curricular activities that I’ve done in the past four years.for example classical dance,contemporary dance,batik,pottery,needle crafts like crochet and so on
2) I’ve also done a lot of community service work in my freshman and sophomore years
When I say community work …i mean community work that is a integral part of completing my education at my then school (a boarding school)!
Every week ,the school would invoke the students of my batch in activities that required us to commute to the nearby villages and interact and teach english to the rural population of children OR activities like DIGGING channels near the dormitories to help with the water percolation after rains OR de-weeding of fields towel the local farmers OR create broomsticks from the tree waste </p>

<p>Does this county’s community service???
Is this fine for presentation in an application to duke?</p>

<p>3) as for my essay …being a dancer of 12 years …I plan to elaborate on my passion for it
The problem lies in the “why duke ?” Essay
I know why i want to apply to duke…but Unfortunately…I not sure how Togo about putting my thoughts into words for this particular one…so any advice would be helpful </p>

<p>4) my SAT scores were not too good the first time I tool the test
And I do plan rotate the test again in October
My question Is…how much would it need to be??</p>

<p>Thanx a million !!!</p>

8

<p>Thebeatles today: Thx alot for your chance dude! :slight_smile: will give my best shot on SAT! :)</p>

<p>International95 and muhammad9211: Thx for your positive inputs, really encourage me to apply to stanford and yale! Really dedicated alot of time to what i love and enjoy doing. Appreciate!</p>

9

<p>For the reaches, aim for 33+/2200+…</p>

<p>Cornell: Reach
Duke: Reach
Yale: Reach (whether with NUS or not)
UMI: High match
NYU: High match
WUSTL: Reach
Stanford: Reach</p>

<p>Do you have any safety?</p>

10

<p>Catria: Thx alot for ur chances, am admitted into NTU Singapore and that is my safety :)</p>

11

<p>bumpz:D Thx!</p>

12

<p>bumpz :slight_smile: Thx!</p>