Decision: Accepted
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1560 New SAT (760 Reading/Writing, 800 Math)
ACT (breakdown): 36 C (36 E, 35 M, 36 R, 35 S)
SAT II: 750 Math II, 720 US History
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.4
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/225
AP (place score in parenthesis): Chem (4) , USH (4), WH (5), US Government (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis): None
Senior Year Course Load: AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP English Lit., AP Calc AB, Physics, Spanish 4
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Congressional Award Gold Medalist, National Merit Semifinalist
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Junior and Senior Class President (rapped my speech lol), Tennis, Lincoln-Douglas Debate (Executive Board on Speech and Debate Team, tied for 9th in State), Chambers Ensemble (my school’s honor choir), Co-Captain of Quiz Bowl Team (Qualified to Nationals twice)
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service: Words can’t explain how much of an impact service had my application - over the years, I accumulated over 1000 community service hours. What began as a way to fulfill my school’s NHS requirement (20 hours a year) became a way for me to explore my passions and meet amazing new people.
-Founded my own 501©(3) nonprofit organization offering free and structured standardized test prep to underprivileged high school students - to date, we’ve had hundreds of students in multiple states - Ohio, Virginia, Washington DC - as well as around 50 student volunteers and thousands of dollars in donations. We officially partnered with a school district and the local public library to hold workshops.
-Played piano for senior citizens at a local nursing home and also for children at a local children’s hospital - created a program to connect high school students and provide them with musical volunteering opportunities.
Summer Activities: ACT tutoring, debate camp, sleeping in, playing League
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Common App: 9.5/10 - My best essay. Wrote about the mysteriousness of doors and how I backed out into my garage door while it was still closed and got stuck, and how it inspired me/connected to create a door for others through the ACT.
Roommate: 7.5/10 - More on the generic side, shared my love for food and some of my other quirks
Intellectual Vitality: 8.5/10 - Wrote about what I’d learned from the different aspects of managing a nonprofit - opening my first bank account, filling out tedious paperwork, and educating students from different backgrounds.
What Matters: 8.5/10 - Wrote about my love for sneakers (Jordan 1’s baby) and how they represent diversity, passion, and community.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: 10/10 From my 11th grade English teacher, dope letter from an inspiring dude that I was very close to - he said that I was one of the best he ever had and emphasized my leadership and community service. Gave him a big hug after I got in.
Teacher Rec #2: 9.5/10 From my APUSH teacher, never got to read, but we’re tight and she’s awesome so I assume it was awesome!
Counselor Rec: 10/10 Over four years, my guidance counselor and I got pretty close. She inspired me to get out more and become more social (freshman year I was a meganerd), meet new people, and create opportunities for myself. She wrote about how I helped two members of our football team improve four points on the ACT and how I was able to connect and mold my teaching style to them. Amazing letter, probably couldn’t have gotten in without these.
Additional Rec: 8/10 From my Lincoln-Douglas Debate Coach, who’s also my math teacher - Never got to read this one, but I worked hard in debate and we have a pretty good relationship, and I was pretty good but wasn’t a state champion nor was I nationally ranked, but it was probably pretty solid.
Interview: 8.5/10 This was my first interview and it was for Stanford!! (oh god). Fortunately, my interviewer was an awesome person and was super easy to talk to. Overall, I talked a little fast, gave a cringey answer or two but we connected, it was laid-back, and I found out a lot about Stanford and how it would be a good fit for me. Ran about 20 minutes over.
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: Public Policy
State (if domestic applicant): OH (go Cavs)
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Small Public
Ethnicity: AZN
Gender: M
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Cambodian (Underrepresented Asian??)
Reflection
Strengths: Essays, Service, Recommendations, not a “stereotypical Asian” (STEM, no leadership)
Weaknesses: Roommate Essay (generic), AP Tests - only took 4 AP Classes before I applied, SAT Subject Test scores, lack of awards, somewhat generic extracurriculars
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think that I was genuine in my essays, and showed passion for my activities and a genuine and invested interest in my future major - both of which were confirmed through teacher recommendations. Honestly, connecting with teachers and getting to know them on a personal level might’ve been the most important thing I did throughout high school.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Still waiting on Ohio State and U of Michigan. Go Stanford!
Congrats to everyone that got in, and to everyone that didn’t - you are all amazing and will all end up at amazing schools. Happy Holidays!
