<p>Hello, people of CC!</p>
<p>IB student - predicted grades (out of 7) :
Chemistry HL 7
Biology HL 7
English HL 7
Math SL 6
Serbian SL 7
History SL 7
Visual Arts (additional subject) 7</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we don't do school rankings here, so I have no idea about my GPA, but I have 44/45 (+7) points which is the highest score for IB in my class this year.
Before IB, I went to a Gymnasium (our own weird kind of high school where you have about 15 subjects) and I had 4.73 (out of 5) average in junior, and 5.00 average in my sophomore year.</p>
<p>I got the award for high achieving students from my school all 3 years. I have the school scholarship for best IB students and the city scholarship for excelling students.
1st in Republic at the national Spelling Bee (yes, we actually had one in high school)</p>
<p>SAT: 2000
My SAT sucks, I know. I should have prepared for more than 15 days but schoolwork kind of killed me at the time and I wasn't that sure about applying to the US.
I'm also taking subjects in Biology M and Chemistry and I'm fairly sure that they will be much less of a disaster that SAT I.</p>
<p>EC's:</p>
<p>-Choir
Not the semi-crappy school ones (although, that too). Awars include: two golds in Barcelona Musica Mundi competition, two golds in Budapest (can't remember the name haha), one silver at the Johannes Brahms Choir competition in Germany, two silvers at the World Choir Games in Cincinnati (plus the travel to US is kind of a big deal, because my government rarely finances any of that cultural stuff). We also have a bunch of concerts and performances every year in our home country. I have been a member of the choir for 2 years now (the youngest, everyone else is 25+ haha). My friends and professors told me to include a video, but I think it's kind of pointless, it's not like they can evaluate my individual talent through that, right?</p>
<p>-MUN
Member of the club for 1 year. Got the best delegate award at my school competition. Was in the organization committee for the first international MUN in Banja Luka, at which I also served as a Chair of the Security Council. Chosen by my school to be the General Secretary at the next BaLMUN. </p>
<p>-ART
Art is a really big thing for me, but I have nothing to say (no competitions and that kind of stuff, they weren't avaiable) :\ I was in my school's art club for 2 years. I spend loads of time practicing (not as an obligation, but because I love to). People usually praise my drawing, but I'm not sure if it's good enough for colleges. Should I submit a portfolio? Here's some of my stuff:
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/552801_231493390303610_821380579_n.jpg%5B/url%5D">https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/552801_231493390303610_821380579_n.jpg</a>
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/q75/s720x720/944773_424167064369574_588262799_n.jpg%5B/url%5D">https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/q75/s720x720/944773_424167064369574_588262799_n.jpg</a>
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q74/s720x720/1012516_424168024369478_870466670_n.jpg%5B/url%5D">https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q74/s720x720/1012516_424168024369478_870466670_n.jpg</a>
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q74/s720x720/1378382_440431549409792_577526503_n.jpg%5B/url%5D">https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q74/s720x720/1378382_440431549409792_577526503_n.jpg</a>
Is this good enough for the portfolio?</p>
<p>-Volunteering
3 years, 4 hours per week at a drug rehabilitation center. It was quite an interesting and awesome place to volunteer at. I started a creative workshop with the residents of the center where I taught them how to do artsy stuff. Later, we sold these at an auction and got the center new equipment for their band. Also, I have been tutoring and prepping an 18-yo resident to pass her sophomore year of high school.</p>
<p>-Music (in general)
I have been playing the piano for 8 years now. I finished elementary music school and got awards at the national level, but that was a long time ago, and I'm not sure if I should include it. I have also been a member of my school's jazz band for 2 years (vocal, sometimes piano).</p>
<p>-Sport - not great. I do climbing, but I'm not really brilliant at it (probs won't include it).</p>
<p>My EC's aren't stellar, but I hope that the admissions officers will consider the lack of opportunities in my forlorn country (Bosnia). </p>
<p>Background:
White, dual citizenship (Bosnian, Croatian), living in Bosnia&Herzegovina. Household income $7000 p/a (no I didn't forget a 0, actually $7000). I will definitely need financial aid, as even paying for the testing fees caused my family great hardship.</p>
<p>I know my recs are awesome (read them all) and I think I could deliver a solid personal statement. A question - should I write about my experiences living in Bosnia (nationalism, being poor etc.)? I definitely want to avoid the "sob story" category, but I feel this was one of the most important factors in shaping me as I am now.</p>
<p>I will be applying to University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, UMass Amherst, Brown, UPenn, Columbia.</p>
<p>So, any realistic chances? </p>
<p>Thank you in advance... there aren't that many people to consult with here.</p>
) and quite limited opportunities in general, especially when you have no money.</p>
