International Kid - Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Hey everyone, I'm new to the college application process and have recently been slacking, but since I visited Stanford this summer I've wanted to go more than anything.</p>

<p>I'd really appreciate your honest opinions. Thanks in advance :]</p>

<p>Basic Information:
• Rising Senior, applying for Class of ‘15
• Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
• Gender: Male
• Hooks: (possibly?) 3 moves in high school, including those to international schools in India and Singapore</p>

<p>Objective:
• SAT I: 800 CR, 770 Math, 790 Writing
• SAT IIs: 800 Math II, 770 Chem, 740 Spanish
• Unweighted GPA: ~3.8 – 3.9 (I’m bad at calculating this)
• Rank: School doesn’t rank
• AP Scores: US History – 4, English Lang – 5, Spanish Lang – 5, Chem – 5</p>

<p>Subjective:
• Extracurriculars: Graphic Design ( 10-12; workshops, classes, clubs, internships), Math club/competitions (10-12), Debate (9-10), Executive Council Treasurer (12, for entire high school) and I have previously been in student council
• Leadership: Exec Council Treasurer, National Honor Society President, STARTED Science National Honor Society Chapter at my school and co-President, Design Club co-President, Math Club Officer, Spanish Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society)
• Community Service: Worked with a non-profit in India dealing with HIV/AIDS awareness, going to schools and leading workshops in local high schools (10-12), various other small volunteering opportunities (not big/important)
• Awards and Honors: at least commended PSAT scholar (224) maybe more, AP Scholar with Distinction,
• Accepted into Columbia Science Honors Program, a move prevented me from attending
• Summer Activities: 9 – Volunteering with non-profit, 10 – graphic design workshop & internship followed by an averagely prestigious math camp, 11 – worked with non-profit again (I honestly loved it ☺)</p>

<p>School-Specific:
• Average Acceptance stats for Stanford: 4.19 UW GPA, 2250 SAT (I have 4.25 UW, 2360)
• 32% accepted EA, 3% accepted RD</p>

<p>Note: The three moves in High school prevented me from doing a lot that I wanted to do extracurricular-wise. Will that hurt me?</p>

2

<p>SORRY! I forgot, next year I’m also taking 4/5 more AP courses (Psych, Physics B, Calc AB, and macro/micro Econ - does that count as one or two?)</p>

<p>Anyways, thanks again for your input everyone :)</p>

3

<p>few important questions

  1. Will you be applying REA or RD?
  2. Are you applying for Financial Aid?</p>

<p>You look like a strong applicant, but I would suggest that you apply to several other similar-caliber schools because admission is so competitive among international students at Stanford (especially those who need financial aid)</p>

4

<ol>
<li>REA</li>
<li>No, and I am a US Citizen, so although I go to an international school, would I be able to apply need-blind?</li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks!</p>

5

<p>then you count as a normal applicant and do not need to apply as international. however, they will still look at you in the context of an international school (in terms of academics, ECs, etc.)</p>

6

<p>one sec…
What was your GPA? You say two completely different things.
Also, your ECs seem like they have a lot of breadth, but in terms of depth, they seem to be lacking.
True, moving may have had an impact, but most of your ECs seem to simply be Honor Societies. Don’t you have anything else that you can shine with? (There are 1000s of other kids who are also in Honor Societies like you.)
The service in India will help you though.
What ideas do you have about your essay, because Stanford does place a lot of emphasis on the essay.</p>

7

<p>I apologize, I was way confused with GPA as I said. It was about 3.8-3.9 unweighted, and 4.25 weighted (I gave that for comparison of statistics).</p>

<p>And I do understand about the depth thing, I have issues with that. Certain clubs were offered in some schools and not in others, and I did a lot of mid-year moves, but I should have been more on top of keeping something together. As you said, the service is the major thing I have.</p>

<p>I’m working on the essays now, I love my common app topic (about reverse culture shock back in the US), but I have yet to think of good ideas for the supplement essays.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

8

<p>Hmmmm reverse culture shock?
how long have you been an international student? Because I think that topic might be a bit overdone for the Indian American populace.
Also, what were you taking besides APs? What is your courseload for next year? Rigor of curriculum is also something that the adcoms look into seriously.</p>

9

<p>Agreed fridgemagnet, I’m most afraid of how I’ll be able to distinguish myself as unique in front of the admission board. I think the service I’ve done in India and to a lesser extent, the graphic design (I’ve heard from several admissions counselors that there aren’t many applying to top colleges with backgrounds in digital arts) are all I have. I guess I’ll have to make my essays really convincing?</p>

<p>Yes, the only difference I think is rather than reverse culture shock going back to India, it’s coming back to the United States FROM India, which I don’t think many people have done before. But it is still in its primary stages of development, so I may find another topic I like better for that essay.</p>

<p>I don’t have the specifics with me or memorized, but I’ve taken a maximum of one or two blow-offs in high school. Classes other than APs in my junior year were business (elective), entrepreneurship (elective - such a cool class though), honors precalculus, modern asian perspectives (to fulfill a requirement, toughest course in that area of study), and safety & first aid (health requirement)</p>

10

<p>Based on all your ECs, I am still unsure as to what you’re planning on majoring in/looking at as a career. I would suggest you list your ECs in order of relevance to your major and the amount of time you have dedicated on them.
Your stats look good, but like the above posts stated there is nothing that differentiates you from the rest of the applicants. If you can work that out, I would say you have a damn solid chance at Stanford.
By the way, I am not so sure as to how the volunteering In India regarding HIV/AIDS awareness puts you at an edge. I myself, volunteered at a Home for the Autistic in India and I remember seeing several other people my age there. Bottom line: I think many people are doing it nowadays.</p>

11

<p>You seem to enjoy science (Columbia Science Program, National Science Honor Society, etc.), but that love of science gets diluted with a lot of random extracurriculars. I understand your situation of moving from school to school, but if I were you, I would’ve taken things into my own hands and done something that I enjoyed out of school. Regardless, you have a good excuse, as you’ve moved virtually every year of high school (so far). But having an excuse doesn’t mean you’re off the hook, tell them what you love, and somehow try linking all these seemingly random ECs together to make you seem more complete and competitive of an applicant.</p>

<p>Good Luck.</p>