High school GPA

<p>I am from the Indian subcontinent. I want to study in the US. I just got my third year high school result and it was a big let down. I have got 80% mostly due to the independent research work I was doing because of which I couldn't pay attention to school studies. I got 84% in 9th and 92% in 10th and am aiming for 95+% in 12th.</p>

<p>Sat I - 790 Math, 700 Verbal. Will be taking on new pattern again in October
Sat II score - 780 Math IIC, 800 Physics, 710 Writing.</p>

<p>AP Calculus BC, Physics B and Physics C - All 5, self studied, taken in 10th grade.</p>

<p>AP Chemistry and English Literature - All 4, self studied, taken in 11th grade.</p>

<p>Selected for nationals in Intel competition, will take part again this year.
Lots of computer and other extracurricular activities
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certifications</p>

<p>Have I got any chance at all at the top tier schools?
BTW, I read somewhere that internationals have to submit only their latest high school transcript and not a transcript for every year. Is that true?</p>

<p>sid_galt,</p>

<p>You most certainly have a chance at getting into a good university. Your marks in school are really good. The intel selection, the high 10th-grade AP scores, and the fact that you're doing research, are very impressive. A few things, however:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>You'd better work hard at getting your percentage up this year. US colleges look for evidence that you'll be able to multitask and handle a wide array of academic and extracurricular activities in college, so saying that you let your studies suffer because you were doing research isn't a very good thing. Don't ditch your research - but do what you can to get your grades up.</p></li>
<li><p>Get in touch with professors from the universities you're interested in, via e-mail, and discuss your research with them and get feedback. It's not as scary as you think, students here do it all the time.</p></li>
<li><p>Send in a paper about your research - abstract, methods, results etc - with your application. Doesn't harm and could help.</p></li>
<li><p>See if you can get a scientist or researcher - not necessarily a famous one, but somebody who's been in the area long enough to know their stuff - to evaluate your research and write an assessment of your intellectual and scientific skills.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>And to answer your question on transcripts, you have to send your previous ones as well. There might be some qualifications - Stanford doesn't require 9th grade reports, for instance - but most other schools require you to send them all your high school transcripts.</p>

<p>Hey, u went to Intel...Do I know u?
Cuz I'm an Intel Science fair scholar too...PM me if you recognise my name.</p>

<p>sid how difficult is it to get 700 + in SAT 1 three sections .I have been working my ass off trying to get better but in Princeton review practice test i get stuck at say 2050-2150. is actual score near to projected score(Princeeton review test score)</p>