My Chance...please take a look ...seriously ^_^

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi, I am a international student from china and I came to America four years ago (<--excuse for odd SAT scores). below is my vitae.</p>

<p>I am interested in double major Chemistry and biomedical engineering (or majors like that ...pre-med/dental field) I am applying to Yale, Princeton, Harvard, MIT, Rice, Stanford, and UF. what is my chance of getting into them? </p>

<p>btw, the reason why I apply to those top /private schools (except for UF) is that they are rich (except for Rice) so they provide a little bit more financial aid for internationals.</p>

<p>if my chances are not that decent, could you suggest some other schools that I should give a try? (w/ great financial aid for internationals)</p>

<p>I really appreciate your time and effort ^ ^</p>

<p>EDUCATION</p>

<p>Winter Springs High School (2004-2005)
Oviedo High School (2005-2006)
Leon High School (2006-present)</p>

<p>Graduation Date: May 2008</p>

<p>G.P.A :
Unweighted: 4.0
Weighted: 4.54</p>

<p>Class Rank:
17 out of 449
Top 3%</p>

<p>SAT : Reading 640, Math: 780; Writing: 740
SAT II: Bio 680, chem 780, math IIC: 800, chinese: 800 (<--don't know why i took that, i highly doubt that they'd count this -___-)</p>

<p>SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Asian Culture Club (9-12)
Business Professionals of America (9,10)
Key Club (9,10)
Mu Alpha Theta (9-12)
National Beta Club (9,10)
Science Engineering Communication Mathmatics Enhancement (9,10, 12)
Track and Field: 2 miles race (9,10)
Cross Country (10)
Spanish Club (10)
Future Business Leadership of America (11-12)
Mosaic, school magazine club (11-12)
National Honor Society (11-12)
Phoenix, Environmental Club (11-12)
Tennis (11)
Karate Club @ FSU (12)
Science National Honor Society (12)
Spanish National Honor Society (12)
USA Tennis Team @ FSU(12)</p>

<p>COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Orlando Chinese Evangelical Christian Church
2004-2006
• Visiting shelters
• Monitoring kids during activities
• Volunteering in community activities/festivals</p>

<p>Museum of Florida Hisotry
2006—present
• Reception desk
• Assisting with and participating in group activities
• Monitoring youths during acitvities</p>

<p>HONORS, AWARDS
• 3rd Place, C++ Programming State Convention, 2006
• 4th place, Financial Math & Analysis, Business Prfessional of America State Convention, 2006
• Spanish State Convention—Superior (1st Place), 2006
• United States National Award Winner in Science, 2006
• Who’s Who Among American High School Students, 2006
• C++ Programming Districts 1st Place, 2007
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar, F.S.U, 2007
• School nominee for Sunshine State Scholars (the district result hasn't determined yet)</p>

<p>LEADERSHIP
• President of Science Engineering Communication Mathmatics Enhancement (SECME) and Science National Honors Society @ Leon High School, 12
Founder, 12
• Vice President of Mu Alpha Theta, 12
• Treasure of Business Professionals of America, 10
• Treasure of Future Business Leadership of America, 11—12
• President and Founder of Asian Culture Club @ Leon High, 11—12
• Vice President of Karate Club @ FSU, 12</p>

<p>COLLEGE LABORATORY EXPERIENCE (VOLUNTARY)</p>

<p>Drinking Water Lab, Environmental Systems Engineering Institute, University of Central Florida
2005—2006
• Making solutions, preparing agar plates, growing bacteria, and counting bacteria</p>

<p>Brüschweiler Laboratory, Biochemistry Department, F.S.U
2007-present</p>

<p>Fall, 2007
• Advanced Placement English Literature
• Advanced Placement Macroeconomics
• Advanced Placement Spanish Language
• Florida Virtual School: Advanced Placement Computer Science A
• Florida Virtual School: Personal Fitness
• FSU Dual-enrollment: CHI 4503 Readings in Chinese History
• FSU Dual-enrollment: MAC 3313 Calculus with Analytic Geometry III
• FSU Dual-enrollment: PHY 2049C General Physics B W/ Lab (for Engineering and Math Majors) (fall 200)
• FSU Dual-enrollment: STA 2171 Statistics For Biology Major
Spring 2007
• Advanced Placement English Literature
• Advanced Placement American Politics and Government
• Advanced Placement Spanish Language
• Florida Virtual School: Advanced Placement Computer Science A</p>

<p>I haven’t signed for the spring term courses at FSU yet, below is the courses I am planning to take:
• CHI5505: Modern Chinese Literature in Tradition
• CHM2210: Organic Chemistry
• HUN1201: Science of Nutrition
• MAP2302 Ordinary Differential Equation
• STA4321 Intro Math Statistics</p>

<p>again, THANK YOU !</p>

2

<p>You have a strong record.......but, unfortunately, Asians have a very difficult time getting into the colleges you mentioned. The main problem I see is your Critical Reading SAT score. Everything else is just fine for these schools. So if you plan to apply regular decision to these schools, I suggest you take the ACT and see how you do on that, as its reading section is easier than the SAT's. Have you looked into UF closely? You may be eligible for merit scholarships. You will almost surely get into UF and you have a good shot at Rice. However, the other schools are really dependent on chance. So I suggest you make a short(3-4) list of schools into which you can almost surely get into. Find ones that will offer you significant merit aid or other benefits. This way, you will have options to choose from even if you get rejected from some of the schools you mentioned. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>thanks a lot for the prompt reply.
yea, i think i am getting into UF (i will apply for FSU as well).. and the good thing is I am qualified for the bright future scholarship..which covers 100% tuition and w/ the SAT scores I have I could also get into their honors program...i think they give out scholarships for all honors students...but yea..i still want to give a shot to these rich private universities...and also not many schools provide financial aid to internationals..but seems like these schools do have some (except for rice)</p>

<p>hm..i didn't do well on the ACT...prob because it was my first time taking it. I will take the SAT and ACT again.</p>

4

<p>The fact you are an international makes it nearly impossible to get in at the schools you mentioned with the exception of UF and Rice. I would have said you had a very good shot at Rice if you weren't an international student. You may still get in though. Apply to a bunch of the top places--you never know if you'll get in one but I wouldn't count on it.</p>

<p>University of Wisconsin-Madison has good bio/chem/engineering programs. Northwestern and Duke also have good programs too, but probably will be as hard to get into as Rice. The fact you're considering engineering lessens your options; otherwise you might have a good shot at the elite liberal arts colleges. University of Chicago doesn't have engineering, but has excellent science programs and isn't quite as selective as the top ivies--you may have a shot there.</p>

5

<p>Thank you sooo much for the advices!
YES, i will certainly apply to U of Chicago. </p>

<p>Actually, i don't have to be majored in engineering. as long as it has decent biochemistry/chemistry related programs, I would would give a shot XD</p>

6

<p>^^try Dartmouth too...I know an international that got in there. It is great for chemistry and premed type things...</p>

<p>The liberal arts colleges tend to be excellent for bio and chem, so you could also take a look at Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, etc...</p>

7

<p>also, just a tip, have a native english speaker (not your parents) read your apps. I noticed a couple of errors that I assume weren't typos.</p>

<p>Advices is not a word. If you give someone several suggestions, then you have given them advice (no "s").</p>

<p>Also, I don't think the phrase, "I don't have to be majored in engineering," is grammatically correct. You would say, "I don't have to major in engineering."</p>