International for Harvard...Just a Dream?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>**Ethnicity: **Chinese</p>

<p>Gender: Male</p>

<p>Applying as: Chinese International Applicant (Don't have green card yet, in process)</p>

<p>I**ntended Major: **Biomedical Engineering</p>

<p>Currently Residing: South Dakota</p>

<p>*Past Residences:
*
1.China(6 years)
2.Indiana (4 years)
3.Minnesota(2 years)
4.North Carolina(2 years)</p>

<p>*SAT's
*
-2330 (one sitting; Math 800, Writing 750; 11 Essay, Critical Reading 780)
-2360 Superscore (Math 800, Writing 780; 8 Essay, Critical Reading 780)
-Math Level II: 800
-Biology E: 800</p>

<p>Rank:</p>

<p>20/188 (3.8 UW) before Midyear, 15/188 (3.83 UW) After Midyear, (I relocated during my sophomore year, and the pressure from adapting to a new school and the different curriculum made it difficult, I kinda detailed this in my additional information section, I didn't complain about it, upward trend from sophomore year on up.)</p>

<p>Freshmen Year: all A's, 1 semester grade of B
Sophomore Year: 4 semester grades of B+ (2 AP's)
Junior year: 3 semester grades of B+ (3 AP's)
Senior Year (1st Semester): All A's (3 AP's, 4 Next semester)</p>

<p>Senior Class Load:
-AP Statistics
-AP Lit and Comp.
-AP Physics
-AP Human Geography Independent Study
-Honors Chemistry
-Spanish IV
-History of World Religions
-Wellness Activities</p>

<p>*Overall Course Load: **Most Challenging (taken or are taking 9/10 AP's available at school)</p>

<p>*I'm taking more AP courses than anyone in my grade</p>

<p>AP's:</p>

<p>-AP Calculus AB(only Calculus course available at my school): 5
-AP U.S. History: 5
-AP U.S. Government: 5
-AP Biology: 4
-AP Microeconomics: 3</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>-National Merit Semifinalist
-AP Scholar with Distinction</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>-Piano for 11 years: MMTA state piano competition winner, (Over 5000 pianists participated, I was the highest scorer) and some minor regional awards that I didn't have room to list on the CommonApp</p>

<p>-1st chair French Horn from 6th to 9th grade</p>

<p>-auditioned for and qualified for the selective East Men choral group</p>

<p>-Science Olympiad: bronze in state</p>

<p>-Physics Bowl: Co-captain and 2nd place in state</p>

<p>-State Math contest: 2nd place</p>

<p>-Chinese Study: Chinese Society of America essay award, been studying ever since I moved to the U.S. (3rd Place Chinese Society of America Essay award)</p>

<p>-National Honor Society</p>

<p>-Chess Club: Vice Pres., co-founder</p>

<p>Recommendations are good I suppose, I waived rights....</p>

<p>*Income Bracket: *~$75000</p>

<p>Interviews:</p>

<p>MIT: It was pretty good, lots of laughs, EC said he'll "send off a wonderful report"
Harvard: AMAZING... Scheduled for 1 hour, lasted for over 2. Talked about everything from the Harvard-Yale rivalry to a friend of hers committing suicide. EC went into EXTREME personal detail on the school and her life, best interview ever. Period. </p>

<p>Essays:</p>

<p>CommonApp was quite personal, about my life in rural China and my grandpa's death (I know its cliche, but I made it very personal (who else would write about an ox-cart rescue?)
Additional Information: How multiple relocations has affected me
Engineering Supplements were about the various influences I've had in my life, working in my mom's proteomics lab, the science competitions, etc, I made it very unique for every college.
Short Answer was on piano.</p>

<p>Applying to:</p>

<p>The Ivies
U of Chicago
Vanderbilt
U of Minnesota Twin Cities
Stanford
+ 9 more or so top 20 schools</p>

<p>Post your links and I will chance you back!</p>

<p>Truly appreciate all the feedback and comments,</p>

<p>Thank you,</p>

<p>JD</p>

2

<p>WOW - you look like a great candidate at all those schools! Summary: your SATs are amazing, acceptable rank, heavy courseload, your ECs are decent, your awards (specifically those you listed as “ECs”) look amazing, you have a unique background, your essay with the ox-cart seems interesting although the death might be clich</p>

3

<p>@Swede</p>

<p>Yes I’m applying as an international who requires aid.</p>

<p>So, ironically, the colleges that I have the best chance at are the most competitive colleges who offer need-blind admissions.</p>

<p>I gave up my Christmas Break to write those 20 “why X” essays lol.</p>

4

<p>I’d say it’s going to be difficult for the top Ivies and Stanford.<br>
Your scores are great, your GPA and rank are so-so, and below average for Asian males for these places.</p>

<p>Regarding the interviews, they really don’t impact the final admissions decision. You basically just don’t want to come off as a total creep.</p>

5

<p>^What do you think of my extracurriculars?</p>

<p>I’m not saying that they’re stellar.</p>

6

<p>Your stats are awesome… but try not to be chinese! (lol, i’m in the same situation as Indian…)
but you never know with harvard (so unpredictable). Still, you have just as good of a shot as any other applicant!</p>

7

<p>Extracurriculars look great! But class rank is kinda low… I still think you have a great shot!</p>

8

<p>^ haha, I like your name (Joe Bloggs from the SAT prep books :D)</p>

<p>Yeah, my class rank is abysmal, worst part of my application…by far…</p>

9

<p>Shameless Bump.</p>

10

<p>I really can’t see anything wrong with your app apart from the fact that you’re applying as an international…if you’re requesting aid, which I can assume from your income bracket, your chances are much slimmer. Good luck!</p>

11

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Bump for more feedback.</p>

12

<p>Yet another shameless bump.</p>

13

<p>Bump…</p>

14

<p>Bump yet again.</p>

15

<p>If you are interested in biomedical engineering, why aren’t you applying to
1- Johns Hopkins
3 - Georgia Tech
9 - Case Western
[Undergraduate</a> Engineering Specialties: Biomedical - Best Colleges - Education - US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/spec-doct-biomedical]Undergraduate”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/spec-doct-biomedical)</p>

16

<p>^ I applied to John Hopkins, forgot to mention.</p>

17

<p>I read your music background more carefully.
Have you thought about University of Rochester (BME) where you can take classes at Eastman School of Music?</p>

18

<p>Hmm… Not particularly. I would love to pursue playing the piano in college, but is it too late to apply for University of Rochester? And do they offer international financial aid (which is the main reason I’m applying to HYPSM)?</p>

19

<p>Bumpity bump bump.</p>

20

<p><em>sigh</em> Bump again, crossing my fingers this time.</p>