Hello everyone! I am a high school junior who’s just starting his college applications. I’ll be applying SCEA to Princeton this fall, so I just wish to guage the general expectations that I should bring. I am an Asian male.
SAT/ACT scores
SAT: Combined: 2300 (780 writing, 770 math, 750 reading, 12 essay), highest single sitting: 2280
ACT: 35 (E: 35, M: 35, R: 32, S: 36, 10 essay)
PSAT: 228, expecting NMSQT semi
-SAT II scores: Math II (800), Chemistry (790)
-Unweighted GPA: 4.0
-Weighted GPA: 5.2, the “cap” for juniors in my school.
In my school,
Academic = 4.0
Honors = 5.0
AP = 5.5
-Rank: Top decile, no rank given
AP scores: note, my school is very stringent on the number of APs you take in a certain year; I took the maximum I was allowed to each year.
Sophomore year: Chemistry (5), BC Calculus (5)
Junior year: scores not released, but anticipating all 5s: U.S. History, Physics: Mechanics, Environmental Science, Statistics
Senior courses: Honors linear algebra, AP E & M, AP Psych, AP Language and comp., AP Spanish lang, AP Comp sci, and two semester courses of statistical computation and international relations.
-Awards:
Music: violin, one of my greatest passions
State orchestra concertmaster (I live in one of the largest states in the country. For privacy reasons I’m not going to disclose the state)
Grand Winner at National League of Performing Arts’ National Young Artists Showcase Competition, played at Carnegie Hall in May.
Honorable mention in International American Protege Piano and Strings competition, going to play at Carnegie Hall (3rd time) in November.
Played twice as soloist for my city’s “Symphony” orchestra, one of the best in the nation.
Winner in my city’s civic orchestra competition, and played a solo piece with them.
Anticipating going to NAfME All-National orchestra in october; seats won’t be released on time for applications though.
Math/Science:
2x AIME qualifier, sophomore and junior year, through AMC 12
2x AMC 12 honor roll (5%), soph and junior.
1x AMC 12 distinction roll, awarded for high scoring sophomores and below in AMC 12.
-ECs:
Orchestra:
Concertmaster of the city’s “Youth Symphony” orchestra, one of the oldest in the nation.
Concertmaster of my high school’s orchestra
Concertmaster in the school’s chamber orchestra
Science:
Science bowl core member, received 1st prize in regional competitions.
Others:
NHS leadership
-Work/Volunteer:
I volunteered at local nursing homes for 3 years now; I usually just do room visits and play the violin for the residents there. 250+ hours.
-Recs and essays:
Essay will be about my understanding about responsibility through playing the violin for a aging man during volunteering. It should be well polished, I’ll be sure to revise it plenty.
Recs:
From AP Chemistry teacher; he’s taught for over 25 years and is a really experienced, and he remembers me very well in my academic record and passion
From orchestra teacher; he’s had me for 3 years and also taught for over 20 years and I’ve done so many outside of school gigs for him, and he also led my school orchestra to Carnegie Hall. He recognizes my leadership in leading the school’s chamber orchestra as well as planning all the events for the gigs.
-Summer stuff:
9th grade: computer science camp at a local university, built a robotics project
10th grade: tour to Europe with “Youth Symphony”, very exciting
11th grade: forming, organizing, and leading a chamber orchestra from my school to perform at nursing homes as part of volunteering.
-Extra information:
I’ll be sending a music supplement (1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, if you’re wondering), which means I probably will have another letter of rec from my music professor. He is an emeritus of Beijing’s Central Conservatory, and currently plays in the “Symphony”.
I think all I would be counting on is my angular set of extracurriculars; my grades are on par with Princeton’s applicants, but not any higher.
You have a great chance for Princeton. Good luck getting in! Who knows, if we get lucky we’ll both be in the class of 2020 