Stern RD: Can I get in?

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
1

<p>Info:
High School: Top 100 Public, sends many grads to top schools (~2500 students)
Ethnicity: Korean American
Gender: Male
Low income family (~$30,000); applying for financial aid</p>

<p>Intended Major: Business/Finance</p>

<p>GPA:
Class Rank: Top 10% in a class of 556 students
Unweighted: 3.60 (bad sophomore year, family death will be explained)
Weighted: 3.93</p>

<p>Standardized Test Scores:
SAT Reasoning: 710M/650CR/680W = 2040 (should I retake w/ a 34 ACT? I am fairly confident I can get 2100+)
Math Level 2: 800
Korean w/ Listening: 800
Physics: 750
ACT: 34</p>

<p>APs:
11th: AP Calculus AB (4), AP English Lang (4)
12th schedule: AP Lit, Physics, AP Gov, AP Econ, AP Spanish, AP Statistics</p>

<p>ECs:
- Access Christian Club: Secretary/Treasurer—Board Member (12), Media Tech (11), Outreach Representative (10), Member (9)
- Agribusiness Club: President (12), Vice President (11), Publicity Manager (10)
- ****** Youth Ministry, Worship Team/Praise Band: Bassist (9-12), Youth Group Leader (11, 12)
- California Scholarship Federation: Board Member (12), Secretary (11), Member (9, 10)
- DECA: Treasurer (12), Member (9, 10)
- Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA): Honorary Member (10, 11, 12)
- Key Club International: Vice President (12), Treasurer (11), Member (9, 10)
- Korean American Student Association (KASA): President (12), Vice President (11), Secretary (10)
- Football: Junior Varsity (10), Frosh/Soph (9)
- “Olympia” Literary Magazine: Features Editor (12), Writer/Photographer (11):
- Track & Field: Varsity (12), Junior Varsity (9, 10); Schedule conflicts with Wells Fargo internship in 11th grade
- Youth Advocates for the Environment: Secretary (12), Member (10, 11)</p>

<p>Honors/Awards:
- National Merit Commended Scholar/Semifinalist: Scored 220 on PSAT
- Presidential Award for Academic Excellence
- Coastline ROP: Certificate of Excellence
- Principal’s Academic Honor Roll
- Presidential Volunteer Service Award
- UCI Academic Talent Search: Academic Merit Award</p>

<p>Community Service:
- American Red Cross: Community Service Director, volunteered 300+ hours throughout high school
- ****** Korean Church: Camp counselor/youth leader, Vacation Bible School Summer Program for K-6 kids
- ****** Youth Ministry: Mexico Missions Trip (Summer ’06): Built a local Mexican church, Arizona Missions Trip (Summer ’07): Organized VBS for kids
- 30 Hour Famine (organized by church): Activity leader, fund raiser; Raised money for starving families while fasting and obtained sponsors to donate money
- Homeless Outreach (organized by church): Served meals at a homeless shelter in Santa Ana with several youth group members, every Sunday morning</p>

<p>Employment:
- Daffy’s TropicCafe: Cash register/waiter (9-11)
- Wells Fargo Bank: Associate intern/stage director/teller assistant (11); Unpaid internship through Coastline ROP Program
- ****** Youth Ministry: Associate intern/graphic designer/webpage designer (11); Only 2 students chosen out of 500 in youth ministry</p>

<p>Essay/Recommendations:
- Essay: should be focused on my interest in business and particular programs in Stern
- Teacher Recs: one from AP Eng teacher, one from Honors Chem teacher - both should be excellent
- Counselor Rec: made me fill out a comprehensive packet "all about me" so should be pretty good/thorough</p>

<p>Would my high test scores offset my low/mediocre GPA? Are my ECs focused enough and show interest in business?</p>

<p>Any/all input would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>Anyone? Stern's one of my top choice schools. How am I looking?</p>

3

<p>kMz - I think you have an excellent chance. That said, please remember that there will be a lot of qualified candidates just like you, and so make sure that you apply to a variety of schools that you could see yourself happy at. I definitely think that your test scores are fine the way they are, sure they could be higher, but I don't think it will affect your admission at all. Your EC's show interest in business. I would recommend that your essay, even if it also focuses on your interest in business, will also bring out your "character/personality". </p>

<p>Remember your essays give you an opportunity to let admissions people get to know you. You are applying to Stern, and so your interest in Stern is apparent, your EC's already reflect a focus in business, so let your essays also be a testament to you as a person, with noteworthy details that don't come across elsewhere.</p>

4

<p>I think you have a really good chance of getting in. Send in the ACT score, that's pretty high. Good luck kMz.</p>

5

<p>I think that you've got a decent shot at Stern, good luck.</p>

6

<p>You are solid my friend, good luck! Who needs to retake the SAT when you got a 34! That's crazy good. Hopefully I'll see you there next year man!</p>

7

<p>Thanks a lot for the encouragement guys. Hopefully I'll see you there too bimachris! :)</p>

<p>Bump!</p>

8

<p>Haha yeah. What other schools are you applying to?</p>

9

<p>Well, I've finally narrowed down my list to 9 schools (which is still relatively a big number):</p>

<p>Cornell (AEM)
Northwestern
Georgetown (McDonough)
NYU (Stern)
USC (Marshall)
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)
Boston College (CSOM)
UCLA
UCI</p>

<p>While I'm at it, it would be great if you could comment on how I'm looking for any of these schools, based on my stats. Thanks!</p>

10

<p>Chances please!</p>

11

<p>Bumping this.</p>

12

<p>pretty good. GPA slightly less than average but your other things can counter that.</p>

13

<p>Yeah, my GPA's a killer =&lt;/p>

<p>Bump..</p>

14

<p>Your application is uncannily similar to mine. There are so many aspects of it that I did that I thought for a minute that you were a kid I know. </p>

<p>Out of a complete shot in the dark, during your Arizona Missions Trip, did you meet people from Ohio?</p>

15

<p>Haha wow really? And based on your posts, seems like you got into Stern! =) May I ask what were some of your basic stats?</p>

<p>Oh and to answer your question, not that I know of.</p>