Hello everyone, Stanford University is my dream school and I really want to get in. However, I am debating with myself whether to apply early action or regular decision. I don’t really care if I get the acceptance letter early or late. As long as I can get into Stanford, I will be extremely happy. Therefore, if applying early action does actually increase my odds (even just by a little bit) at getting in Stanford, then I will definitely go early action. If it does not increase my odds at getting into Stanford, then I would be happy to go for regular decision.
Other schools that I am applying: Harvard College, Columbia University, UPenn (Wharton), Northwestern University, NYU (Stern), Carnegie Mellon (Tepper), USC (Marshall), Boston College, Georgetown University, UC Berkley, and UCLA.
Please be honest and objective when evaluating my chances at getting into Stanford. I am open to any criticism, suggestion, and guidance. So, please feel free to write your opinion. I would like to thank you all in advance for helping me to make this important decision!!!
P.S. please forgive my typos and grammatical mistakes.
BACKGROUND
I was born in Italy but I am of Asian ethnicity because my parents are Chinese. For my entire life, I lived and studied in Italy. Therefore, I am an Italian citizen, and I am a native Italian and Mandarin speaker( I speak Mandarin at home with my parents). Then, I decided to come to study high school in America and I began as a sophomore. Now, I am in my senior year.
Also, my parents never went to college, so I can be considered as a first generation. I am not seeking any financial aid either.
ACADEMICS
Unweighted GPA(sophomore and junior years): 4.0 ( always straight As)
Weighted GPA(sophomore and junior years): 4.55 (always straight As)
ACT (Composite): 32
ACT Super-core: 33
APs: AP European History=4
AP Physics 1=4
AP Environmental Science= 5
AP US History= 5
AP Calculus AB = to be taken because it is my senior class
AP Physics 2= to be taken because it is my senior class
AP Statistics= to be taken because it is my senior class
AP Macroeconomics = to be taken because it is my senior class
SATs: SAT Italian= 800
SAT US History = 790
SAT Math II = 760
TOEFL: 113
EXPERIENCE
“Company name”(sorry but I cant show it for privacy reasons), CA March 2015 – Present
CEO and Founder
• Development of mobile application of several categories for major mobile platforms
• Management of business teams in several countries
• Management of transactions and financial accounts
• Development of business plan
Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, Foothill Ranch, CA September 2015 – December 2015
Intern
• Assisted the heads of the procurement, QC, accounting, finance, IT, investments, and human resource departments/areas
• Building of financial plans with VP Financial Planning & Analysis
UCLA Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, CA June 2015 - August 2015
Research Assistant
• Extensive research on different forms of loans
• Analyzed consumer behavior behind different types of loans
• Evaluation of patterns from data collection
IBM, Shanghai, China July 2015 - August 2015
Assistant Senior Consultant
• Assisted in cross-border trade consulting
LiveGlobe, Newport Beach, CA July 2014 - October 2014
Technical assistant and advisor; Recruiter
• Oversight of product development from inception to publication on AppStore
• Development of business plan
• Recruitment of internships and prospective developers
Introduction to Architectural Design and Theory July 2014
Columbia University, NY
• History of key architectural concepts like abstraction, representation, program, plan, materials, and structure
• Study how to analyze a building visually and formally, as well as how to relate architecture to broader cultural and social contexts
• Hands-on training in the fundamentals of design, including architectural drawing, model-making, and conceptual development
• Development of designs for a small-scale urban structure
Spectrum Realty, Irvine, CA July 2013 - September 2013
Contractor
• Oversight of negotiations
• Management of residential contracts
• Disclosure of property information to prospective buyers
HONORS
• Dean’s/Headmaster’s List (2013,2014,2015)
• FBLA Entrepreneurship – placed 4th in regionals and qualified for state (2015)
• FBLA Parliamentary Procedures – placed 4th in regionals and qualified for state (2015)
• Scholar Athlete for soccer JV (2014)
• OC Imagination Celebration Art Contest Winner(2014)
• California Scholarship Federation (2013, 2014, 2015)
• Finalist at Leadership Development Institute’s shark tank (2015)
• Ap scholar(2015)
EXTRACURRICULARS
• Junior Varsity Soccer – 1 year
• Nitrodyte Club (Secretary) – 1 year
• Lion Ambassador Program (Vice President) – 2 years
Lion Ambassador is my school’s program for international students. Lion Ambassador can be considered the biggest program at my school. In this program, activities range from cultural events to tutoring. My job is to organize and lead all our program’s events. In addition, I daly communicate and keep in touch with international students
• JSerra Interact Club (Secretary) – 1 year
• Business Magnet Program – 1 year
• Caritas Christi Leader – 1 year
Caritas Christi is an elite organization at our school. Caritas Christi leaders are selected by the faculty, administration, and current Caritas Christi leaders, and selection is based on strong academic standing(GPA requirement is 3.8) and heavy involvement in school’s community. Caritas Christi leaders are the face of the school and truly embodies the values of the school. As a Caritas Christi leader, I organize and lead all school events, from Parent’s Night to graduation ceremony.
• Volunteer for Military support through carwashes – 2 years
INTEREST
As you can see from my experiences and extracurricular, I am really passionate about business. In college, I intend to study a business-related major such as economics or finance. At Stanford, I am interested in studying management sciences.
ESSAY
I believe I have written very good essays, both common app and Stanford supplements. All teachers and counselors whom I have shown the essays told me they liked it very much
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Teacher: I believe my teachers will write me very good letters of rec because they loved me as a student and I loved them as teachers.
Counselor: I believe my counselor will write me a phenomenal letter of rec. She has been openly expressing her love for me and always says that I am the best student she ever had.
Extra letter of rec: the UCLA professor that I worked with during my internship at UCLA( look at the experience section) will also write me a letter of rec. He also expressed great esteem towards me and says that I am even better than undergraduate students who worked with him in the past. He liked my work and even wants me to work for him again next summer. This professor got his PhD at Stanford and taught at NYU(Stern), Northwestern(Kellogg), and currently teaches at UCLA(Anderson). Therefore, he agreed that he will write me a generic letter and three specifics letter for Stanford, Northwestern, and NYU.