Hi CC, I’m currently a sophomore and am hoping to attend a high ranked school (Stanford, MIT, Harvard, JHU, etc.).
My freshman year culminated with a 4.0 UW GPA (2 AP’s, 3 Honors), and 5’s on Calc AB and Human Geo AP exams and a 3 on World . During the year I participated in several clubs like JCL and Mu Alpha Theta, and conducted toxicology research at my state flagship university (4th year in the lab). I got to present this research a national conference and science competitions at the state and national level (and placed).
This year I challenged myself with taking up leadership in some clubs and more demanding coursework (7 AP’s, 2 Honors), and kept a 4.0 UW the first semester. I am historian of my JCL chapter, secretary of chemistry club, on the executive board for Mu, and a co-leader of our robotics team. I’m continuing my toxicology research and drafting two manuscripts (one for grades 6-8, one for 9-10) for publishing within this year. Over the summer, I will start working in another lab on independent research of stem cell therapies, and learn how to code or learn basic proficiency in Japanese (parents are both trilingual and like to poke fun at me because I’m not, lol).
Stats:
PSAT: (9th grade) 1490, (10th) 1480
ACT: (10th grade) 35 C, 10/12 Writing
SAT: taking tomorrow! Hopefully 1500+ but best case scenario, 1570+
I’m unsure if the paths I’m choosing will match what these kinds of universities are looking for, so if any of you guys can give me input it’d be great. Thanks!
Good luck on the SAT! To increase your chances of admissions, pursue the things that excite you, have fun, get to know all different kinds of people, help someone who is in need, get to know yourself, enjoy being young, do some things just for the heck of it (the more ridiculous the better), take a hike, stand in a stream, jump in a pond with your friends, climb a mountain, paint something, sing something, write something that makes you laugh or cry, or anything else that strikes your fancy. And, yes, hard work and achievement are very important too.
Since the only way a 6th grader would be allowed to be working in the lab at a “state flagship” university in any meaningful way is through serious connections (mostly like with mom/dad/similar) I wouldn’t be drawing attention to it. Also, if as a 14 year old you were presenting original research at scientific “national conference” you are well into prodigy territory and the only real challenge you will have is not burning out before you get to university.
Yes, you seem to be hardworking and have accomplished some terrific things. That’s fantastic!
I had wanted to just toss in some thoughts. Having watched my own children and others in the neighborhood and among friends and family grow up over the years, I’ve seen how much high school students feel pressured today. They often stress over college for years. I’ve visited many schools and my biggest takeaway is that we are really fortunate to have so many wonderful schools where students can get a world-class education. Another important takeaway is that schools really do want a community that is hardworking and achieving and also engaged in the community, self-aware, and just plain fun and interesting. Admissions officers look at students’ numbers but do not look at them as numbers.
My post just meant to give a shoutout to those latter things (fun and interesting). Less emphasis is usually placed on them. Ultimately, they are as important to us, as people, as the former things (hardworking and achieving). Most importantly, from a developmental point of view, it’s very important for high school aged people to learn who they are–what they like/do, not what they are told to like/do; who they enjoy being around; what they need and want to know and who to learn it from; learning how to take some positive agency over their lives as they move toward adulthood.
Of the 50+ universities/colleges that we visited with our kids (they have different interests and we have fun doing it), I think there was maybe one that I felt like was not really a place where I felt my child would get a strong education. Many, many schools are outstanding. You will go to one of them. If you continue to work hard, attend class, engage with coursework, engage with professors, engage with students and others in the community, treat everyone with respect, and have some fun, you will have a fulfilling and rewarding college experience. Trust that and I hope you enjoy high school as well. Best of luck with it all!
@collegemom3717 hi, thanks for your input! It is very true that I got to work in the lab my mother works in, but I was wondering if I should mention that I’ve been frequenting the facility from age 6 or so because my parents and I were poor immigrants at the time and they couldn’t afford daycare, and so I established a rapport with the PI from just being generally interested and sometimes underfoot.
The “national conference” that I mentioned is the Society of Toxicology conference, so it is legitimate. I don’t think I’m anywhere near prodigy status because I was a finalist in a top middle school science competition and let me tell you, the people I met there were absolutely phenomenal!
It’s way too soon for you to be strategizing about your app essays. But that wouldn’t be a terrible thing to write about if it led to a good, memorable, meaningful story that illustrates something important about who you are.
@TTG You have a great perspective on the college process, it’s one I wish to share for sure. (I actually made your first comment my wallpaper to remind me that everything I’m doing is ultimately for myself and to not have any regrets when I look back on my high school years.) Education is very important, of course–it’s why my parents left a stable life in Japan to start over in America because they felt that I deserved better. I, being a little kid who liked chasing after pigeons and getting muddy in gardens, obviously didn’t realize this at the time. But it’s definitely also important to pursue other things just for the hell of it! Thanks
@marvin100 I was thinking I could just touch on it in the additional info section? I don’t have a clue what to write my essays for because I’m honestly still getting to know myself.
@taehyung, thank you for the compliment! And it’s an honor that my comment was helpful to you. I’m glad to share my experience and happy it might be helpful. Good luck!
