<p>Recently, I participated in the New Jersey Governor's School of Engineering and Technology. It's a competitive summer program, where only top 1-2 students from various high schools in NJ get recommended and actually get to apply and less than 25% get accepted out of those top students. If anyone knows about this program, how helpful is it for my college app? And should I submit the research paper I've written?</p>
<p>It’s probably very helpful, but like any other achievement, should have other activities to back it up. I saw a couple '13ers who had been in the governor’s school…</p>
<p>-High school band and wind ensemble for 4 years (clarinet section leader)
-All-state, regions, county band on clarinet and alto clarinet
-Math Club for 3 years (treasurer this year, president next year)
-Club that goes to nursing home frequently (secretary this year) (2 years)
-AMC 10, 12, and ARML participant (no real success)
-ABRSM Piano Playing Auditions Level 5 and 6 (passed and passed with merit)
-ABRSM Theory Exam Level 5 (passed)
-Local community band for 2 summers
-school clarinet choir for 2 years
-peer tutoring math and other subjects
-Church chamber orchestra for 2.5 years (have been temporary conductor for couple of months) (concertmaster role)
-New Jersey Science League (Chem I and II) (rank wasn’t very high)
-Columbia SHP starting this fall</p>
<p>It’s not much, but this is a list. Still not done with SAT Is, and got 800s in Chem and Math II, but 710 in physics, which is rather disappointing. I am Asian American, who came to America like 5 years ago, if that adds anything. I mostly took honors, and I was too afraid to take english/social studies APs. I took AP Chem and got a 5. Taking AP Bio and Physics and Calc next year. Do you think I should take non-science related AP just to show diversity? Also, our school doesn’t rank but I am pretty sure I’m in the top 10%.</p>
<p>You sound like a good engineering school applicant (provided you do pretty well on that SAT)…is that where you’re applying?</p>
<p>Haha funny story actually. My SAT scores do not really reflect my extracurriculars…I haven’t scored above a 2100 on a single test yet. But I hope to get 2150+ and yes I am applying to Cornell engineering and other engineering schools…any suggestions? (preferably schools that give a decent amount of money?)</p>
<p>Engineering students tend to have relatively high SATs…but as long as you have over 2100, you’re fine. As for engineering schools, well, you have Cornell, MIT, Stanford, GATech, Berkeley, CalTech, UMich, CMU. Out of those, MIT, Stanford, and Cornell would probably give you the most money financial aid-wise, though you could probably get scholarships at some of the others. Then you have the super competitive and super small schools like Cooper Union. Tuition there is free for any accepted student.</p>