Singaporean connection

International Students
3681

<p>Hey there I posted my stats (especially ECs) a while back but here’s a short version. (:</p>

<p>A Level results: B for H2 Physics, Merit for H3 Econs, A for Chem/Econs/Math( all H2) and GP/Chinese/PW (all H1)</p>

<p>Uh I was planning on applying to Harvard, Columbia, Penn (Wharton), UVa (Arts & Sciences), Boston College (Carroll), Georgetown (McDonough), NYU (Stern) and USC (Marshall) but I ended up applying ED to Penn and got accepted.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
JC: Soccer, Student Council
sec 3/4: a couple of clubs, academic mentor
external activities: piano, church youth worship team, some community service (notice the word SOME haha)</p>

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<p>EDIT: i realize ive read abt vsxy getting into wharton before. nevertheless congrats still, its amazing :)</p>

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<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>Thanks for all the congrats. It really came as a huge surprise. </p>

<h2>Well… I’ll just copy and paste what I wrote in a chance thread a year back. (and ended up feeling lousy, because it really was pretty useless. And I guess I was just subconsciously searching for validation, as much as I wanted to convince myself otherwise.)</h2>

<p>Race: Chinese, International student.</p>

<p>GPA: Around top 5%</p>

<h2>EC: Shooting, Student’s Council (mainly)</h2>

<p>Shooting:
National Team for Shooting (a couple of overseas competitions, silver medals mostly)</p>

<h2>Vice Captain of Team for 2 years. </h2>

<p>Chemistry Olympiad National (Training) Team. </p>

<h2>Silver Medal for country’s chemistry olympiad.</h2>

<p>SATs: 2300
CR 770
Math 800
Writing 730</p>

<p>SAT IIs:</p>

<p>Chemistry 800
Maths II 800
Physics (not out yet, hopefully a 800 too) update: Actually got a 790. :P</p>

<p>Quite a number of community hours, ~200-300, mainly on 2-3 different activities for 2008 including organizing a Youth Parliament, participating in National Youth Forums, etc. </p>

<hr>

<p>I didn’t do extremely well for A levels… got 2Bs, and 7 distinctions in total. Bs were for German and GP. </p>

<p>During that time and now, I started a couple of social entrepreneurship projects, and that’s about it. </p>

<p>I hope this post helps someone! I don’t think you should compare it against what you have right now, because I doubt it is THAT important in your admission. You will likely do many different things compared to other people, and I don’t think anyone of us are sure what exactly are the right things to do. (other than the IPHO gold medals, etc… even then, there were a couple of IBO golds who were rejected from MIT this year) </p>

<p>So… just take it as a reference… and nothing more. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Good luck come April 1st! :slight_smile: </p>

<p>P.s. To those who know, since I’m serving NS, and I eligible to apply for financial aid next year for MIT? </p>

<p>Cheers,
Zol</p>

<p>edit: I applied for PSC… and no news yet. I want to do public service, because I think, well, it’s something all of us should do, at least just for all the opportunities that we got in school, or in the country, like a great environment to live in, a safe society etc. But I don’t know if PSC wants me haha.</p>

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<p>This probably tipped you into the accept pile - they have a better shooting team than West Point (see [MIT</a> Pistol Team Claims National Championship - The Tech](<a href=“http://tech.mit.edu/V127/N14/pistol.html]MIT”>http://tech.mit.edu/V127/N14/pistol.html)).</p>

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<p>Did you submit your documents this year? If so, you will receive a FA estimate, which is valid for the 2010-2011 academic year.</p>

<p>In any case, you would enter in the 2012-2013 academic year. So you would have to re-submit your documents in March 2012, before Fall 2012, then you will receive a FA estimate, which is valid for the 2012-2013 academic year.</p>

<p>Btw, congrats man. Haha, Yingzhen’s friend =]</p>

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<p>@Frank: One reason why I applied there as well. :D</p>

<p>@Fiona: Hahaha… Thanks! So… I still get to apply again next year? That’s awesome… the financial crisis screwed up my finances plans. >_>.</p>

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<p>If you go to MIT after NS, you will start in 2012, won’t you? So you’ll have to submit your financial aid application in 2012, not next year. Did you submit an application this year? That will be a good estimate of your FA in 2012 (assuming your family’s finances don’t change) Otherwise, MIT’s website has an estimator, so you can get an estimate.</p>

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<p>Hi, may I know how one goes about requesting deferral of year of entry for US schools? Do you request upon receiving the decision of acceptance, or only after you have enrolled (i.e. paid deposit?)</p>

<p>I would like to know the policies specifically for northwestern u and uchicago, so if anyone knows about the general process or process pertaining to these two schools, please enlighten me! Thanks!</p>

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<p>hey guys, I am really troubled about university now, hope you guys can help me out. I got an offer for UCL economics but am still undecided if i should apply for US schools as they are generally better for economics ( just a assumption here).
So, do you think i should give schools like berkeley, princeton or UPenn a try? or should i just settle for UCL.
btw i only 2110 for SATI so i am planning to retake. Getting 7As at A levels isnt much help i suppose?</p>

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<p>@dyj921: I don’t think US schools are ‘generally better for economics’ at all. Whether to go US/UK depends more on the style of education you desire.</p>

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<p>Hi all, I was wondering what my chances/options etc would be to enter a “top 20” university, probably in 2011, I see a great deal of you are from RJC/HCI so this is really embarrassing, to post of my mediocrity… :/</p>

<p>I also hope that you guys would be able to answer my doubts etc</p>

<p>Here’s the thing - I graduated from JJC, and due to some stupidity on my part, and sickness, only have got 3 H2s and 2 H1s.</p>

<p>I’m taking the SATs in may, and averaging about 2310 right now (800 Math, 770 Critical Reading and 740 Writing). Based on this score, and an expected 790 Math II and 780 Chemistry, what schools could i apply for, with average CCAs? (Was a Section Leader in Band, got Silver for SYFs (bleh, i know), represented the school in Singapore Model United Nations, Chancellors Challenge Shield, OGL, and in secondary school, won 3rd place at Fencing, was in Debate, and came in third in Math Olympiad (if i’m not wrong, it was some group thing))</p>

<p>Firstly, is it possible not to send A level results? Also, i see on collegeboard that I get to send 4 test score sheets, but i’m not sure how this works; even if i send this, which i am planning to do so for the “upper tiered” colleges which require 2 SATIIs (No Harvard, Princeton nor Georgetown for me) which i have not taken yet, will this be a waste of time, since obviously i won’t meet the entry requirements, or does it “show my interest”, as collegeboard states? Because i’m pretty sure these colleges frankly don’t have the time to “save” the results of mine for future use… Or does it…?</p>

<p>I’m also looking to volunteer in old folks homes, SPCA, etc for a few months. I was wondering, will this also give me a boost? (not for the college application, of course, but just because…)</p>

<p>Lastly, will being a citizen of the EU help? I hold a Dutch passport.</p>

<p>Thank you so much,
Shannon</p>

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<p>Shannon, I’m inferring you’re J3 now? Since you’re aiming for the top schools, you’d have to send your A level results.</p>

<p>As for SAT results, Collegeboard gives you four free test reports with every test sitting. So, if Harvard requires SAT + SAT subject tests, then it’s really unnecessary to send them the results with just SAT (i.e. before you take the subj tests). On the other hand, these test reports are free, so you could just send them to a college you’re unsure about.</p>

<p>Volunteering/activities will only give you a substantial boost if you do something really awesome, like invent the Segway or something.</p>

<p>Although you hold a Dutch passport your background’s Singaporean so you’d be considered with other Sing applicants, not the Dutch ones. Considered EU schools?</p>

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<p>your EU citizenship might help for top schools, even though you studied in singapore. students from international schools and foreign students in JCs in singapore, for example, usually have it slightly easier.</p>

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<p>Hey Fiona and “screwitlah”, thanks for replying to my prior message. :)</p>

<p>Fiona: Sorry, i forgot to mention that i am in fact, in “J3” right now… What would be a good starting point of a US university which would allow me to send just SAT scores? I’m sure if i sent the A level results, i’d be immediately axed… (panic attacks :/) However, i am planning to retake the A levels in Nov this year, as a private candidate (apparently, my results were “too good” to retake the A’s back in my previous JC) and if i do indeed do well enough for a “top” university, would my submissions be in time to enter college in 2011?
Also, thanks for the info on the on the volunteering with regards to giving the college admission a “boost”
As for why i don’t want to go to a college in the EU, well a great number of the courses, if subsidised, i think will be held in the country’s native languag eg Norwegian, French, Italian etc, which i know nothing of how to speak. England/Ireland/Scotland are all great save for the fact that they’re all a bit too rainy and damp for me, and i think i will just be miserable and cold there…</p>

<p>screwitlah: Hmm, that sounds cool. I’ll be sure try and do some more research into that… Really am looking toward a US education where learning doesn’t feel… forced…</p>

<p>Thanks for all your help!
Shannon</p>

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<p>If I’m not wrong, I think you would have to send a set of your high school transcripts to whichever US university you apply to. So even though your SAT scores are really awesome (and they are), you’re still going to need your A level cert (since prelims no longer apply now). </p>

<p>Personally I was always doubtful of the showing interest thing… Haha. I had the idea that whenever a score was sent over it’ll just be stored in their computers, and left there until they need to retrieve it when they have your application. </p>

<p>If you retake your A levels this year, you would still need to send in your previous A levels grades for application into the class of 2015, i.e. entering in 2011, since the dateline for admissions is 1st. Jan for most schools. I believe you can send in your new results as an update to them, but as A levels results are released in early March (not that sure on this), I doubt it’ll matter much by then. </p>

<p>There are a few pretty good schools to apply to, such as UCLA, UIUC, Michigan, and perhaps some of the liberal arts colleges such as Vassar, Vanderbilt, etc, that are non-ivy league and a bit less selective. But haha I’m no expert on this, so you might wanna ask someone else on school choice. :)</p>

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<p>@shannonz: If you’re in J3 now, wouldn’t you be entering university in the fall of 2012? If that’s the case, you should retake your A’s at the end of this year and apply next year for admission to the Class of 2016. That way you can send in your new (and hopefully improved) A-level grades instead of your current results, because as Zol said, A-level results are usually out in March and may not make it in time for review if you apply this year to the Class of 2015.</p>

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<p>Shannon, there are schools which accept O level grads but they are not the top schools which you’re aiming for. You can try Purdue, Rutgers… I’m not sure which schools specifically accept O level results, you might consider approaching USEIC for more info. But the top schools would definitely require your A levels/ HS transcript as they want to know what you’ve been doing for the past two years. I agree with the previous commenters that you might want to apply for class of 2016, i.e. apply one year later after you receive your new A level results. The colleges want to see evidence of academic achievement, and since your current A’s results aren’t too good, then you would be better off waiting until you can furnish the proof of your new A levels.</p>

<p>Screwitlah/Shannon> The foreign scholars have a slight advantage over Sing students cos they are coming from a weaker background; they have to learn English first. The international sch kids admitted to top schools are also stellar students, although the intl schools may not be as academically demanding as JCs, it’s a different approach to education.</p>

<p>Also, about choosing a school in the US, I definitely understand what you’re talking about. I go to a small liberal arts college (albeit one that’s particularly science-oriented) and I really like it that people here at Harvey Mudd are so engaged in what we’re learning. My profs are all very accessible for homework help, general life advice, it’s just amazing! I’ve got a lot of opportunities, e.g. I attended a women-in-Computer-Science conference on my college’s dime, I grade homework for the freshman physics class, etc. </p>

<p>These are the benefits of attending a small undergrad-only college, so I would urge you to consider small liberal arts colleges over the larger univs which can sometimes feel impersonal.</p>

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<p>thanks again to Zol, kthanksbye, and fiona for replying again.</p>

<p>Zol: I might just try sending them the results if they’re good to the universities, just for the heck of it, since it’s free anyway. Also, thanks for the heads up for which univs to send the results to, and which are less selective, though UCLA was never really in my mind to apply to… The LA scene is a bit too… happening for me, haha.</p>

<p>Fiona: i understand where you’re coming from, theyre top schools and expect top notch results, i get it… lets say that i get pretty ace results, if that is the case, would i be able to skip a year for university? I have heard murmurs of this, but i;m still not sure yet… thank you again for your help. Your college sounds really cool, i’ll definitely keep small liberal arts colleges in mind as well, i just need one which i will be able to secure a good future with (looking to take a course in economics)</p>

<p>Zol, kthanksbye and fiona: I think reading the comments, i might just apply to graduate in class of 2016 (though i would be like 25 then (pretty late to graduate… :/) I’d like to get a pretty solid education with some of the “better” (liberal arts colleges included) schools so i could provide better for my fam…</p>

<p>Lastly, since my application will be made slightly under 2 years later, i was wondering… what should i do in this period of time to try and increase my chances of getting grants/scholarships to the better schools. I don’t want to burden my mom with the cost of college, and i understand that the chances of getting into a good college with that is “need-blind” for internationals are still pretty small, even though their status proves otherwise…</p>

<p>Thanks again for all your helpful comments,
Shannon :)</p>

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<p>Actually contrary to what the rest have said, i think your Dutch passport would give you a tremendous edge. Face it, top US schools crave for “diversity” -in whatever form- and would do anything to this end. </p>

<p>How did you do for your JJC prelims then? I don’t see why you have to waste any year to retake your A Levels. High SAT scores and prelims results (plus recommendations, essays, ECs, etc etc) should suffice, IMO.</p>

<p>Also, I found the weather part quite amusing. Many of the good US schs don’t exactly have great weather, save for Stanford, Berkeley etc. Perhaps studying in UK wouldn’t be such a bad option after all (EU student fees for the win!)</p>

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<p>Not any later than the guys in NS ;).</p>

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<p>Get a job, volunteer, continue taking night classes or something - show that you are fully occupied doing meaningful things instead of bumming around during your gap years.</p>