Hey everyone, I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck in your applications!
Decision: Accepted
Objective
SAT I (breakdown): Didn’t Submit
ACT (breakdown): C36, E36, M36, R36, S36. Writing: 10/10/10
SAT II: Chem: 800, Phys: 800, Math II: 800
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.55 (Stanford didn’t see this)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): No rank available, Top 1%
AP (place score in parenthesis):
9th:
AP Calculus AB (5)
AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
10th:
AP World History (4)
AP Chemistry (5)
AP Computer Science A (5)
11th:
AP Spanish Language (4)
AP Calculus BC (5) - AB Subscore (5)
AP Physics C: Mechanics (5)
AP US History (5)
AP Psychology (5)
AP English Language & Composition (5)
12th (in progress):
AP Microeconomics
AP Literature & Composition
AP Environmental Science
AP Government & Politics
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load:
Jazz Ensemble (Advanced)
Wind Ensemble (Advanced)
AP Environmental Science (AP)
AP Microeconomics (AP, 1st sem)
Aerospace Engineering (Regular, 2nd sem)
AP Literature & Comp (AP)
AP Government & Politics (AP)
Racquet & Net Sports (regular, 1st sem)
Walking & Yoga (regular, 2nd sem)
AP Music Theory (AP)
**Major Awards/b:
1 of 11 students who represented USA @ intl Math Kangaroo Camp/Comp. 3rd place in both competitions. (Natl,Intl, 9)
United States Earth Science Olympiad: selected as alternate to the international team (Top 12 ntl). (Natl, 11)
Regional Champions, Tied for 7th place team at National Science Bowl, Top 40
individuals nationwide. (State/Rgnl, Ntl, 10)
Qualified to take the United States of America Junior Mathematics Olympiad (~Top 150 ntl). (Ntl, 10)
2019 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist (ntl, 12).
Other awards mentioned in activities:
USA Astrophysics & Astronomy Olympiad NAO qualifier (top 50 US)
Captain of Washington State ARML Team (10-12) and member of Washington HMMT & PUMaC teams (10-11)
Part of choir, Top 3 at international festival in certain categories, Top 3 in NATS
Science Olympiad: 4 top 5 places at WA state.
Subjective
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Job/Work Experience:
Private Tutoring & Kumon math teaching job (fairly self-explanatory)
Internship at UW optics lab (9)
Volunteer/Community service:
Prez/founder of Science Infinity 501©(3) org. (Dedicated to promoting STEM in youth. Donated $10k+ to education for underprivileged youth, started new chapter in Kansas City. Indiv Gold PVSA award)
Environmental Strikes, Volunteering, education, etc.
Summer Activities:
Participant at Stanford University Mathematics Camp (40 students internationally selected)
United States Earth Science Olympiad Summer camp (see awards)
International Math Camp (See awards)
School Clubs:
Science Bowl (VP, 10-12)
Science Olympiad (CoPrez, 12)
Math Club (Prez, 12)
Physics Club (CoPrez, 12)
Green Team (Environmental Club)
Other:
Research Project/Simulation on factors of a NetZero home, designed to educate and promote implementation of renewable energy and reduction of energy consumption in homes. Some awards to accompany the project (sustainable award at state Science Fair, winner of other smaller State competition)
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Common App: 8/10. Pretty proud of this one. Depicted my experience at the Earth Science Olympiad, my growth as a person there - in terms of teamwork and my newfound desire to be a Climate activist and do research to help mitigate climate change.
Activity essay: 5/10. Talked about Science Infinity (nonprofit, see ecs) and my passion for teaching/helping others and its accomplishments. Not super proud of the way it was written, don’t feel I expressed my passion fully.
Most Significant Challenge: 7.5/10. Feel like I used the 50 words in the fullest to express my concern for the changing climate.
Last 2 Summers: 7/10. I liked this, I covered the academic side of my summers by mentioning my summer camps, but focused on my favorite non-academic memory from each camp.
Historical Moment or event: 6/10. Talked about being a part of the control room of the Apollo 11 mission.
What 5 words best describe you. Took a risk here, not sure if they would’ve received it positively or not:
engagEd
compAssionate
eneRgetic
sponTaneous
insigHtful
Read, Listen, Watch: 5/10. Nothing special, talked about my interests like frisbee, a capella mashups, favorite shows, Earth Science and bollywood movies.
Looking forward to: 6/10. Talked about my hobby for Ultimate frisbee and interest in pursuing it.
Extra Hour: Meditation, inspired by my visit to Windhover while at Stanford.
Excited about learning: 8/10. Talked about the curiosity I feel when I learn something completely novel, used a specific example of a problem at Stanford Math Camp
Future Roommate: 7/10. Kinda stylistically different from my other essays, described my interests and how I imagined our time together would go.
Meaningful: 6/10. Why the Earth is meaningful to me. Not sure I expressed my passion as fully as I could’ve.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: 8-9. English teacher, believe he had a high opinion of me. He wrote a rec for Stanford Math Camp, and he is a very good writer.
Teacher Rec #2: 7-8. Physics teacher. helped him a lot in class, believe he also has a high opinion of me.
Counselor Rec: 5-6. Counselor definitely has a good opinion of me, but haven’t spent time with her or connected with her in a way I have with my teachers. That being said, I did provide a lot of personal details with ehr as part of my request for a recommendation.
Additional Rec: 9-10. Leader of United States Earth Science Olympiad. Believe he had a high opinion of me, and greatly appreciated me and my help at the camp. Would have definitely written a strong recommendation, IMO.
Interview: 6-7. Covered a lot about me, but no real conversation. Felt like an actual interview, not a conversation, as I’ve heard much of the interviews have been like.
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: Indicated CS and Earth Sciences.
State (if domestic applicant): Washington
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: South Asian/Indian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none
Reflection
Strengths: Overall I think I am a well-rounded applicant. Stanford is my dream school and I think that showed. While no real legacy, many past United States Earth Science Olympiad students have gone to Stanford, and Stanford University mathematics Camp may have been looked upon favorably.
Weaknesses: My essays were definitely a weakness. Besides the common app essay, they were likely around average, even if they are good for my writing abilities.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think a good portion of my acceptance rested on my achievements and recommendations, and my common app essay. My supplementals had some good ideas in my opinion but the message/writing/passion may not have come across as strongly.