Please Chance me for Princeton (RD) and Tips for Princeton Interview

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

Background: international student, just learn english 4 years ago , both parents unemployed , currently have to live with a relative. Her income is low also. In need of huge financial aid.

Stats:

  • SAT: 2270 (Reading: 700, Math: 800, Writing: 770)
  • AP: US History (5), European history (5), calculus ab (5), psychology (5)
  • SAT Subject Test: SAT Math II (800), SAT Biology M (710)
  • Senior year course load: ap calculus bc, ap us government and politics, ap chemistry, anatomy, dual enrollment for English, and self-studied AP literature
  • Online course: Fundamentals of neuroscience given by Harvard, War for the greater middle East by Berkeley University, Political Philosophy by Harvard

Extracurricular:

  • Found an organization/charity/business that sell items to raise money for women in third world countries. Attend business conference and interviewed by some newspapers both in US and Vietnam.
  • Found SAT Club in my school, where I tutor low-income kids for free
  • Model UN (President), won a regional award
  • Yearbook (editor and chief writer)
  • Medquest (a medical education program): I love learning neuroscience
  • National Honor Society: tutor kids in all kind of subjects
  • Volunteer at state hospital during summer
  • Trommons Translator: where I translate educational brochure from English to Vietnamese for people living in housing community and senior
  • Boston Busing Project: a project by Northeastern University. I transcribe interview of people who live in desegregation era
  • Informed by Nature, Inc: I write a few articles for a nonprofit organization science website
  • Also self-study the piano and tutor piano

Awards: AP Scholar with Honor, Questbridge Finalist Award, President Education Award, 70% scholarship to a boarding school in Boston, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, St Peter’s University Model UN Best Delegation Award, some minor awards in school like Dean’s List, Best Subject Award…etc.

I also won around 6 minor writing, essay awards because I had a great passion for literature. I learn english just four years ago but I felt deeply in love with the language and adored classics novel. I also got accepted to an Ivy League ED but got to withdraw due to financial circumstances :frowning: In additionally, Princeton just contact me for an interview next week. I had never done a college interview before so I am very nervous! What are some suggestions? I thank you sincerely for your advices and honest opinions! :slight_smile:

2

For the interview, just remember to have an answer to the infamous “Why our school?” question as well as several questions of your own to ask the interviewer. Don’t worry about it; the interview doesn’t have much weight in the application process. Hopefully this helps! :slight_smile:

3

@azwu331 thank you so much! Looking at my stats, can you chance me? That would be so great!

4

Your stats and EC’s look good and based on those you would be considered a competitive applicant. Since you mentioned wanting honest opinions, I will share that did note a number of grammatical errors (the kind that are common in those learning English) in your post so I wonder how strong your essays will be - and these are a key component of the application. I mention this because writing seminar is a requirement for all first year students (even for those who apply to STEM fields) and it is a challenge for most so I am certain a very strong command of the English language will be expected.

As @azwu331 mentioned above, the interview holds little weight in the overall process so see it as an opportunity to answer some questions about yourself as well as to ask your interviewer a bit about what made them choose Princeton and what advice they would give to you. Approach it like you might for a job interview and use it to develop skills you’ll need in years to come. Your interviewer will know very little about you ahead of time so help them get to know you!

5

Writing is more important at Princeton than other Ivy League schools, meaning your essays will be emphasized and i have the same question about grammar than Cantiger mentioned.

6

@AcrobatX @Cantiger Thank you both for your honest opinions! Excuse my grammar because I was typing this in hurry on my phone :slight_smile: As for my essays, I had them read by my guidance counselor who fixed all the grammatical mistakes that I made so I doubt it would be a major problem. Also I just had my interview a few hours ago and it went great! We ended up talking about almost everything and even about a novel I’m writing. So thank you again for your help and comments :slight_smile: