OOS chances?

[zuminskee]

SAT: 2190 (CR 680/M 740/WR 770) ACT: 31 (Taking both again)
Sat 2: chemistry (730) (taking Math 2 and Physics)
Currently top 10% with a 96 (4.0) GPA
Freshmen year: AP Hug (5), rest were honors
Sophomore year: AP bio (4), AP stat (4), AP Euro (5), rest honors
Junior year: AP US, AP calc BC, AP lang, AP physics 1 and 2, AP psych
Prospective senior schedule: AP macro micro, AP lit, AP physics c, AP living environmental, AP Spanish, AP Gov
(Taking the most challenging schedules in my grade)
AP Scholar with Honor (Hopefully National Scholar after this year)
Extra curricular:
Student government: officer position every year with various fundraisers and school events
Debate: current secretary, 3 year member, 3x state qualifier, placed at states freshmen and sophomore year, placed top 32 at UPENN Liberty Classic, currently a PF varsity debater
FBLA: current treasurer, 2 year member, placed at Long island competition and recognized by local politians, first year the team is going to states
Spanish honor society: first year member
Business honor society: first year member
Model UN: two year member
Deca: first year member, going to regional competition
Sports: 3 year JV wrestler, 3 year spring track (JV freshmen yr, varsity sophomore and hopefully this year as well)/ Scholar Athlete
Political campaign internship: 36 hours of canvassing/phone calls/recruiting other interns with democrat candidates
BRAC internship: traveled to Bangladesh summer after sophomore year to intern with the BRAC NGO (I’m bengali) in order to help create a cost efficient method of growing potatoes in third world countries, wrote a research paper which may or may not be published depending on how the new center in Kenya works. Worked with Dr. Javier Zapata
This summer, I’m helping to start the first Bangladesh community center in Brooklyn and will be in charge of youth projects. Details are still being sorted out as to what specific project I’ll be undertaking.

If there’s anything else I’m missing just ask in your responses. I’m from NY state. Thank you in advance!

[zuminskee]

ACT: 34

[gracedarby]

Hey I’m an OOS student at Carolina this year, and I think you have a good chance of getting in. Your academics are strong, and you have really great ECs and community service. The only thing left is to write some really good essays and get some recommendations

For the teacher recs, make sure you pick teachers who know you well, if possible. And if you feel comfortable doing so, maybe you could ask them to avoid such generalities as “student always pays attention” and instead write about a specific situation from the class if you can recall one, like “one time the student asked 50 questions in one period and then stayed after to ask more.” The personal touch is a good idea.

With regard to your essays, make them original. Shy away from mission trips/listing classes/listing ECs/listing leadership roles unless you can put a new spin on them. Write with your own voice!! Make it humorous (but still academic) or sarcastic or however you feel best conveys you as a unique individual. They will already know all your impressive APs and your positions in your school clubs, so don’t remind them of all that. Tell them a story and entertain them. Write something that nobody else would.

Good luck!