Is the dream alive??????

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi guys… So I started out freshman year average. I had a 3.67 gpa both semesters. And then coming into sophomore year I was screwed by finals and that really brought all my a-'s crashing down. I ended up first semester w/ a 3.5 gpa and 2nd semester w a 3.0 gpa. Right now my UW gpa is 3.483 and Weighted Gpa is a 4.427 With an upward and realistic trend. I hope to end high school with a 3.705 and Weighted of 4.8 or greater. My UC gpa is a 3.8. My class schedule was rigerous from the start. I took honors algebra 2, honors bio, honors English, and Ap world as a freshman. Sophomore year, I took…Honors Trig/CALC A, honors English, honors chem, APUSH. Next year my class schedule looks like this

Ap psych
Photography
Bio technical engineering (Honors credit)
Ap physics B
AP Calculus BC
AP LANG AND COMP
GYM

Extracurricular Activities:

Aug. 2013 - Present

Debate Club / Team

» Member of William Fremd’s successful debate team, specifically the Lincoln Douglas JV team. As a member, I have developed debate skills, policy and research skills, and communication skills. I have a passion for debating a variety of topics ranging from the domestic economy to international crises.

Aug. 2014 - Present

Viking Advisory Mentoring Program

» VAMP is a program designed to help Freshmen assimilate into high school. As a mentor, I have the responsibility of being a positive role model that teaches curriculum centered on a variety of topics including bullying and emotional health. Mentoring takes place every day during the second half of the lunch period.

Aug. 2013 - Present

SOS (Service Over Self)

» Member of SOS, a school club focused on helping the community. I have participated in activities such as walks for Alzheimer’s, Phone-A-Thons for local charities, and helping out at the Palatine Food Pantry.

Aug. 2013 - Present

Math Team

» Member of the successful William Fremd Math Team. As a member, I learned the art of problem solving through teamwork as my main math event was the 8 man team where everyone had to work together to formulate a solution. This made me build confidence in teamwork type settings, which strengthens and prepares me in the political field.

Sept. 2014 - Present
Track and Field

» I have been doing winter track as well as spring track in order to stay fit and test my abilities as a sprinter. With track, I have found that I am part of a mini family with the group of sprinters. Track offers a place of sanctity where I can go to ease all my mind of many stressful things in the academic sector of school while throwing an opportunity to push myself to beat my own records and personal times.

I am in NHS. I also have an internship w a congressman to teach me about politics and buissness in general because I am hoping to major in buissness and go to law school and become a corporate lawyer. I also started two clubs at the school including an Indian student association and peer LEADER CLUB.

Work Experience

Dec. 2012 - Jan 2015

TeraSoft
Assistant to CEO
Palatine, Illinois

Champs
(Just started)
Sales Lead

Awards & Certificates
DEBATE TEAM
» 2nd Place Speaker (Sept. 2013)
» 1st place overall best debater (Sept. 2013)
» 2nd place overall best debater (Jan. 2014)
» 4th Place Speaker (Jan. 2014)
» 10-2 Overall Regular Season Record (Aug 2013 - March 2014)
» ICTA State Qualifier (Feb. 2014)
» 3rd place overall best debater (Jan. 2015)
» 4th Place Speaker (Jan. 2014)
» ICTA State Qualifier (Feb. 2015)
» ICTA 7th place speaker at State (Feb. 2015)

MATH TEAM
» 1st Place Overall (Sept. 2013)
» 1st Place Overall (Oct. 2013)
» 2nd Place Overall (Dec. 2013)
» Perfect Score Award (Dec. 2014)
» Regional 8 Man team Champions (Feb. 2014)
» State 8 Man Team Qualifier (Feb. 2014)

Misc. Award & Certificates

» Leadership Development - Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) : Becoming Leaders of Change - Nominee (Pentagon Youth Program)
» Young Scholars Program at University of Chicago: Honorary Member and Graduate
» North South Foundation : 2nd place Essay Writing Contest

Volunteer Work

» Hustle up the Hancock ; I am involved in the Hustle up the Hancock for 7 years to support the lung foundation as I have Asthma. I have done the program as well as volunteered in giving water and other nourishments to participants. The people I met here are amazing as they share the same passion and drive to end all lung related diseases like me.

» Willis Tower Climb ; As well as the Hancock Tower climb, I participate in the Willis Tower Climb. I have been participating for over 5 years. Before my race, I help in the volunteering crew by help setting up the nourishments for the finishers or help with the gear check. This gives me an opportunity to fund the program to find a cure for lung diseases and facilitate the lives of people living with asthma or any other condition.

» Feed My Starving Children ; I have been going to feed my starving children for over 4 years.At FSMC, I help package and make the food to give to malnourished kids in 3rd world countries. I usually lead a group of people or my friends in mailing these care packages. Sometimes, I come in earlier to help label each package and set up the place before the session. It really taught me how fortunate we are in society and that we should give back to those who are not given the same opportunities and resources as us.

» Art Of Living ; At the AOL foundation classes, I help mentor elementary school kids, by teaching them basic concepts of yoga and meditation. I also helped in the preparing of these classes or successive major events along with the classes such as the “Yoga Rave”. I help partake in the organization of these type of events and the vending of books and misc. items at the event itself. I do this in order for self relaxation and to teach young kids coping methods to deal with their stress, as I have been in their place before.

I got a 35 on your ACT. I also come from one of the most competitive schools in the state (top 15)

Do I have a chance for these schools and if not what are some things I could do to improve my chances.

UT AUSTIN
UCLA
UC-Berkeley
USC
UMICH
UVIRGINIA
VANDERBILT
NORTHWESTERN (I’m from Illinois if that helps)
BROWN
CORNELL
GEORGETOWN
DARTHMOUTH
WAKE FOREST

Any recommendations for other schools?

thanks for your time guys!

2

As long as you do really well junior year you should be fine, although I’m not sure raising your GPA by that much is feasible within on year? Idk what system your school uses to calculate grades, but it UW GPA follows a typical 4.0 system, is it mathematically possible to raise a 4.48 to a 4.7? Either way, your ec’s seem very good and would stand out amongst most college applicants. However, schools like Dartmouth, Cornell, and Brown still seem like pretty far reaches. Also, just to confirm, did you already take the official ACT as a sophomore, in which case a 35 is very impressive, or is that just what you predict yourself to get?

3

Your EC is good and your ACT score too. Your GPA is rather weak though for most of these schools though. By the time you apply to college, your uwGPA cannot be higher than 3.66 (or 3.705 for schools with late deadline). For schools that consider GPA as one of the most important factors like UMich, this is going to hurt your chance. In addition, you are going to take more AP in the upcoming semesters that it would be more difficult for you to get a higher GPA. Anyway, work as hard as you can and see what happens.
For Northwestern, it does not matter which state you are from. For UCs, calculate your UC GPA to see if it is at least above 4.1.

4

UC GPA calculator: http://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

5

I believe as I said in the post, my current UC GPA IS 3.8…

6

@suryveer: Sorry missed that. If you can get your UC GPA above 4.0 by the end of Junior year, you have a good chance at UCLA/UCB. Everything else on your resume looks outstanding.

7

I would say UC GPA at least >4.1 for a chance at UCLA/UCB.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/berkeley/freshman-profile/
http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof14.htm