<p>How important is the 300 word essay? I still haven't started mine...</p>
<p>The topic doesn't seem like one that would reveal someone's scientific abilities though, since it just takes a good writer, unlike the RSI application, where it asked you to write the 3-5 most interesting questions in your field.</p>
<p>i'm in the exact same boat as u, zogoto. Tomorrow and this weekend = rigorous essay writing for me</p>
<p>I concur. Heh, love that word. </p>
<p>Does anyone know how much they weigh this semester's grades?</p>
<p>Is the space allotted for the awards the only area we can use, or can we attach another page?</p>
<p>How important is the 300 word essay??? I have good qualifications (classes + acheivements) but I am a bad essay writer.</p>
<p>the essay is huge. seriously.</p>
<p>My first draft of the essay was 368 words, I had to trim it down quite a bit and now it's standing at 299 (not intentionally!). </p>
<p>Hoping to mail out the finished application tomorrow. I'm don't believe in scraping the deadline. =P</p>
<p>I've almost got my application done, but I had one last question. On the bottom of page 5 it has spots for the name and phone number of two people, other than teachers, providing written endorsements. Does this mean that we also need to include two letters of recommendation from people who are not teachers?</p>
<p>I think you got the grammar wrong, zpmqxonw. </p>
<p>It says "List two references other than the teachers providing written endorsements."
Not "List two references other than the teachers, providing written endorsements."</p>
<p>"teachers providing written endorsements" is one clause. The written endorsements refer to the recommendation letters already written by your math/science teachers.</p>
<p>So what does that mean? I have 4 recs, so do I include all 4 of their names or what? I'm lost.</p>
<p>I know a guy who works at a NASA institution in the area - Goddard FC. I'm applyin to the commuter component at Goddard as well as the residential program. Do you think its a good idea to ask him for a rec or should i just go with two extra teachers?</p>
<p>Ok. Should I take a gamble in mentioning Asperger's Syndrome, which is technically a disability? My FINAL stats: (and if I don't have much of a chance with these stats, then I should probably try for an Asperger's SYndrome mention)</p>
<p>Chinese male sophomore from Redmond, WA.
3.98 GPA UW. No class ranking.
A in IB Calculus and Pre-IB Chemistry.
1330 SAT I in 9th grad (690 Verbal, 640 Math)e
213 PSAT in 10th: (76 Math, 67 Verbal, 70 Writing)
800 SAT II Math IIC
690 SAT II Writing
790 SAT II Chemistry
Math and science teams. Science team inactive until it takes place in Science Olympiad in the future.
WIll take AP Calc BC, AP CHem, and AP Euro. Partially self-study.
Participated in DuPont Science Essay Contest
Past two summers taking math courses at the local UW.
Won team award for 7th place team in state mathematics competition in 9th grade: 9th/10th grade competition
Won team award for 4th place team in state mathematics competition in 10th grade: 9th/10th grade competition. I barely missed top 10 individual due to stupid mistakes bah.
25 USAMTS first round.
AMC 12A. I believe 104.5, but unfortunately, because I no longer have my test booklet, I cannot mention it.</p>
<p>Also, if I participated in a competition, should I put it under awards/recognition or mention it elsewhere? Or just forget about it? I participated in DuPont this year but results aren't going to be announced in awhile.</p>
<p>I would maybe put it under extracurriculars. You should probably actually put it wherever you have room, since it sort of falls under both categories. I'm no SHARP alumnus though.</p>
<p>Also, is SHARP biology-oriented? For some reason I have a feeling that it is not, so should I not put biology as one of my STEM areas of interest???</p>
<p>...bump...</p>
<p>Man, i wish this was like the RSI forum. . .instant answers within minutes. . . </p>
<p>anyway, since previous SHARP grads arent present, what are you guys putting down for STEM areas of interest? Theres 6 spots, and they give you 6 different choices (math, physics, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, optics) as examples - but it seems like these are just options. I would like to put something more specific down (nanotechnology for example), so should i do that, or just stick to rearranging the 6 choices they give? are you guys even filling out all 6 spaces?</p>
<p>I'm going to make up my own. I don't think they have the examples intended for simple rearrangement.</p>
<p>Holy crap....I just read that you need to be 16 when the program starts.....I'll be 15 11 months and 2 weeks....do you think they'll care?</p>
<p>Put biology down. If you apply residential, they assign you based on area of interest. My friend did biotechnology in South Carolina. For commuter, you can still put biology but there are less options about what you will actually be researching.</p>
<p>Ha. All post offices are closed in Taiwan until Chinese New Year finishes, which means I'll have to mail my packet out on Monday. I'm going to mail it through DHL...hopefully, it will arrive in America on time. (It DID say, just postmarked on 2/14, right?)</p>