PS semifinalists

<p>I just got in the door when one of the committee members called me to tell me that I was a semifinalist!! Can everyone else list their stats? </p>

<p>Stats:
SAT I:2020 (M 760 V 630 W 630)
SAT IIs: 690 Math2C, 740 Chem, 670 Bio M
GPA: 3.93 uw
Rank: 2/276
Other stats: AP Bio (5), Chem (4), Calc BC (no comment)
Major: Biomedical Engineering</p>

<p>Subjective:
Essay: "finding joy in all i do"
Teacher Recs: N/A, although my teachers have written excellent letters to other schools
Hook (if any): tons of extracurriculars, including state president of the tech club, and 400+ hrs of community service
Location: Del-a-where?
School Type: public (1200 students)
Ethnicity: Chinese
Gender: female</p>

<p>Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: engineering-related ECs
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: i'm from Delaware? my SAT scores weren't exceptional, but perhaps my ECs made up for it
Other Factors:
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: Congrats to everyone one else who was accepted!</p>

<p>so what's next? Mark said that he'd call me in early Jan to schedule an interview, and I'm soooo nervous. the last interview i had didn't go so well. should i call him to thank him for notifying me?</p>

<p>I got the sorry you did not make it letter. Was expecting at least an interview but thems the breaks. Have been offered 40k to go elsewhere. Probably will still go to tech as I am in-state, get the Hope and have 3-4 small (500 to 1k) scholarships lined up so my cost is pretty close to zero.</p>

<p>Stats: In state which I think made it more difficult. The PS's linked on the GaTech site are pretty geographically diverse<br>
SAT I: 2180 (M 720 V 760 W 700)
SAT IIs: 720 Math2C, 760 American History
GPA: 3.87 uw all honors gifted and ap courses. never figured the weighted
Rank: 63/700 so rank is not so good but all levels of classes are equal @my hs Tech Ed/College Prep/Honors/AP. A "B" in one equals a "B" in all of the others. So someone with a Tech Ed diploma could be ranked above someone with all gifted and ap classes. Not an excuse...just the way the system works </p>

<p>Other stats: AP US Hist (5), AP World Hist (5), AP Psy (5) Currently taking 5 APs, including Bio, I think my lack of AP science courses as a Soph and Jr might have played into the decision to not select me for interview. I have AP Bio as a senior but it may be too little too late</p>

<p>Major: Undecided Engineering - I like it all</p>

<p>FYI a good portion of the BioMeds are PreMed. So a tuff program with a higher % of girls then the other engineering areas. It did, up until a year or two ago, require a good freshman gpa to get into but that has changed per a friend in the program. Tech removed some of the restrictions due to demand. My friend is a Jr in BioMed and he has a 3.7 GPA, and he works his but off. He is not a PS</p>

<p>Back to me. My EC's are not very traditional, big senior class so limited opp to be the pres of anything. I think that held me back a little. My EC's include Eagle Scout, my project was 300 hours of community service then I did an average of 10 a month over the last 4 years, Peer leader 150 hrs per year, Math Tutor at Title 1 Hispanic middle school 2 hours a week for 2 years, counselor at summer educational/science camp for lower income kids, 80 hours per year, HS leadership board, work as a small engine mechanic 15 hours a week during school and F/T in summer. Educational trip to Australia and New Zealand last summer (Bungee jumping!!!!). Hiked 10 different US national parks and sea kayaked in two. Solo hiked GA portion of App Trail. </p>

<p>Other interests...I build stuff, robots, ultra-lite backpaccking stoves, retro fit barbie battery powered jeeps with chain saw engines just to see if can be done, weld etc and a lot of solitary sports, white water kayak, ultra-lite backpacking, mountain biking, etc. </p>

<p>When you are 5'10" and 125 lbs its hard to be seen as a good candidate for the football team. I've found however that having a good chain saw handy will make up for lack of size in a tuff spot. LOL </p>

<p>I think I may have been perceived as possibly too solitary, with the odd ball sports, to make a good ambassador for the program. Who knows. As I said in other posts, I did not expect to get in. Two friends who are have SATs of 1560 and 1580 respectively and lots of the traditional hooks along with one killer accomplishment. Also both were in governor honors in HS. They are in the top 2-3% of kids. Me I'm at 5-6%. </p>

<p>So no real hooks, instate and male means no semi finalist. My essay ws a little insipid too. I am a litle disappointed but been there done that before. </p>

<p>I was told that there is the possiblity Tech will be starting an honors program like UGA's. UGA has the Foundation Fellows like the PS and then they have their honors program. Lets hope that is true for all of us who don't get one of the 40 or so slots. I think they are taking 400 Semifinalists for 100 finalists for 40 slots so 9 out of 10 of you will be not be getting into the program that said you are the top 10% who did make it this far. Congrats and good luck on your interviews. Also keep in mind that a number of the semi-finalists will bail for other schools. You are a well qualified bunch</p>

<p>Good luck See you in the fall.</p>

<p>thanks for the additional info about BME Steve!</p>

<p>I got the call that I was a PS semifinalist on fri. Here are some of my stats if you care:</p>

<p>out of state (NY)
SAT: 2230 (750V/760M/720W)
GPA: 4.0 on their scale
school doesnt rank
APs: 4 last year, 6 this year (they dont see scores so no point in posting)
ECs: 2 sport varsity athlete (captain), speech and debate (captain), science olympiad, latin club (vp), volunteer lax coach, 3 years reaseach w/ awards</p>

<p>I just got a letter saying I am NOT a semifinalist and frankly I'm a little shocked. </p>

<p>2260 (800M), 800/790/710 SAT IIs, Rank 1/510, and AP Scholar with Distinction. Good ECs with leadership and lots of work experience.</p>

<p>I just don't get it.</p>

<p>Wow Hamster, I'm also shocked you weren't a semifinalist.</p>

<p>As I said in the other thread, I am not a semifinalist.
ACT: 33
SAT: 750M/610CR/670W
SAT II: 750IIC/660 Physics
GPA:3.7UW, 4.1W
APs: 5 on BC Calc, 4 on Stats, 3 on AP Language
Taking 5 tests this year, plus two college math classes (Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations)
ECs: Varsity Softball, Math Team, Robotics Club, Church Youth Group
I also worked for an online gaming company</p>

<p>I guess essays really factored in on the decision for PS. I rushed on mine in order to make the deadline, so I guess that screwed me over.</p>

<p>Good luck to the semifinalists.</p>

<p>My counselor thinks my school has been blacklisted. A few years ago our valedictorian got a PSP full ride, but transferred to a small florida school (close to home) after just a few weeks because her mom was diagnosed with cancer or something. </p>

<p>Ever since then we've had several people with similar stats and better ECs get absolutely nothing.</p>

<p>Congratulations to everyone who was selected though.</p>

<p>i got a phone call today from GA TECH saying im a semifinalist. I am friggin excited!</p>

<p>Nationality: Russian
State of Residency: Tennessee
Male</p>

<p>School: Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School
GPA: 4.00 unweighted
SAT: 2060 (710 Math - 710 Verbal - 640 Writing)
SAT II: 780 Physics - 790 US History - 720 Biology M
ACT: 31 (34 English - 33 Math - 29 Reading - 28 Science - 32 English/Writing)
APs: Biology - 5
Physics B - 5
World History - 5
US History - 5
German - 5</p>

<p>Current Courses:
AP Calculus BC
AP English Literature
AP Physics C
AP Chemistry
AP Microeconomics
Theatre Production</p>

<p>ECs:
Science Club - Founder/President - (11/12)
Foreign Cultures Appreciation Club - Founder/President - (12)
Society of Physics Students - Secretary - (12) ((Rocketry Project))
Ice Hockey - Assistant Captain - (9/10/11/12)
YMCA Teen Leaders' Club - (9/10/11/12)
Sailing Instructor - US Sailing Lvl. 1 Certified - (10/11/12)
Foreign Exchange Program w/ Germany - (9/10/11)
Mu Alpha Theta - (11/12)
National Honor Society - (12)
School Math Team (9/10/11/12)</p>

<p>Awards:
University of Virginia - Book Award
2nd Place at Interscholastic Math Contest - Calculus
Scored Top 2% on State German Exam (2003, 2004, 2005)
1st Place in Listening, 2nd Place in Poetry Declamation, 3rd Place Extemp. Speaking at State German Competition</p>

<p>Lindsay2259 I think you are right, the essays must have figured in. I was looking at rice and vandy as my top two choices and GATech as a safety so I rushed mine as well. I'm an eagle scout so I wrote about going to the woods with my friends and doing manly things with sharp objects, fire, small animals and fish. Probably a little too "lite" for those GaTech engineeers. </p>

<p>Well back to the garage. I've got a 50 lb bag of popcorn down there (Sam's Club) and I've rigged up a gravity based feeder system using two robotic arms and a computer controlled timer. The lower arm lifts every 3.5 minutes and drops a cup of popcorn into an air popper. The top arm opens 30 seconds later filling the feeder with one cup of popcorn from the large 50 lb hopper. The air popper pops the corn and deposits the popped corn into a cardboard box used to pack a refrigerator. When it fills, fyi I have the popper on a timer too my dad would kill me if I burned down the house, I will have enought popcorn to fill the entire interior of my friend Jimmy's car. It will be interesting seeing his face when he leaves school and sees his car. Hey its senior year</p>

<p>By the way anyone looking for a roommate? I'm sane I promise. </p>

<p>Can you imagine me as a PS? neither could tech. I wonder what kind of cars the admission folks drive? LOL</p>

<p>Yup, semifinalist... got a call yesterday.</p>

<p>Decent stats, from SC.
I think the interview will be fun. I do interviews better than essays, lol.</p>

<p>Did anyone have their PS interview yet?</p>

<p>Just curious because I haven't benn called yet and I'm curious to know what it's like.</p>

<p>Gerogia institute of tech? Is it a good school? i've never heard of it, pardon my ignorance</p>

<p>not a semi. moo.</p>