Courses:Took all ap courses offered + dual enrollment. 3 AP’s (4 is the maximum, I didn’t want to take AP Stats - too easy), Linear Algebra, Calc 1 - 3, Engineering Physics 1 - 2 and college level social science classes in dual enrollment.
School: A really low performing school, the “overachievers” go to our state flagship. Only 4 AP’s are offered(I took 3 of them) and no honors are offered.
SAT: 2140; (680 CR 800M 660W) - My school averages a 1300 on the SAT, not sure how this will affect the weight.
SAT II’s: Chinese w/ Listening: 800 Math 2: 800
ECs:
President of computer science club, president of finance club, 1 Varsity sport(not recruited), worked a job for over 2+ years(contributing all my earnings to my family), a lot of rewards pertaining to math and 200+ hours of community services, Network security research with University of Washington’s CSE department, managed a 20k portfolio averaging 12% returns(started from 8k), math and sciences tutor at my local community college(only high school student tutor).
Rec’s are 9/10 at best but probably going to be an 8.
Hooks: First-gen, Low income, Upward bound, had a job for 2+years?
Personal statement is good according to all of my proofreaders.
(Wrote about overcoming poverty by working a job to support my family financially.)
Really good chances, but I wouldn’t expect a scholarship - although it wouldn’t matter if you’re low income because financial aid would override it anyway. I wouldn’t have mentioned the stock portfolio because every kid with a remote interest in business/econ/finance has something along the lines of that going on, and managing 20k kind of contradicts your low income story. I say this because I put the same thing on my app, and I later realized it was kind of a bad idea. I took it to the next level: I had 8k margined up 100%, making 38% annual RoI through small cap biotech which simply made me look irresponsible and risk hungry. This didn’t fit really well with the fact that I was working 40 hrs/wk to support my cash-strapped family along school.
Anyways, I think you’re almost a sure thing given your background, it’s really similar to mine and I’m also CSBA. USC loves us types - you’d fit right in
@epicer thanks for the chance! The 8k I started with was part of my savings from working a part time job for over 2 years. Would that still matter? Also, you’re not alone I went balls deep on solar lately and got a 40% boost, not sure how this will affect my financial aid though ;( my family income is extremely low, at 30k which I checked would qualify me for 100% need based aid. Hope this will still stand true after I put in my new assets. Also, I really want to put in my portfolio because I think that is kinda my future career field, which is computational finance and USC is pretty much the only school out there that offers this special dual degree thing. I guess I will state that I contributed all of my earnings toward my family.
