Hi!
I got admitted to astrophysics at NMT! It seems like people want to know the applicant’s scores, so here are mine.
PSAT 1470
SAT 1530, Math 760, ERW 770
4.00 unweighted
2nd in class of ~550ish by weighted
Super excited!
@owenmitch1 congrats. have u done any astro related ECs?
Nope,
I have been working on a homemade telescope though by grinding my own mirror.
For anyone that’s curious
SAT - 1590
PSAT - 1510
Math 2 - 800
Rank 3/420 (3.96 UW)
APs: Calc AB (5) CS (5) Physics 1, Chem, Calc BC, Lang, Physics C, CSP
I’m sure that anyone with less test scores were just as likely to be admitted though…
In your essays, just make sure to be 100% genuine and write about things that had a big impact/are significant to you.
I’ll join the train:
SAT - 1600
PSAT -1490/1510
Math 2 - 800
Bio M - 800
USH - 780
Rank: 1/165
APs: Calc BC (5), Bio (5), APUSH (5), Chem, WHAP, Music Theory, English 11
Also taking Multivariable calc through Stanford’s ULO program.
I have had no research/astronomy experience though I wrote a lot about my struggle to find things to do in my rural area and how I built my own telescope to teach myself about astronomy.
Edit: GPA; 4.0 UW, 4.6-ish W
I got into Biochem at Purdue!
if anyone is interested:
PSAT: 1520
SAT: 1590
SAT II: Bio E (800), Physics (800), Math 2 (800) (though I don’t know if I sent subject tests)
AP tested (all 5s): Biology, Environmental Science, World History, Calc BC, Compsci A, Physics C Mechanics, Physics C EM, Psychology
No class rank and we don’t do GPA out of 4.0.
Currently taking Multivariable Calculus as a junior which is rare for my school, which I talked about.
I have an interest in bio but much of my awards are in writing and math or generally very scattered, so I found it difficult to tie everything together and present myself as a coherent story. But I mostly talked about my love for writing and I think my essays turned out good. Also general good grades and scores should help since SSP is academically rigorous.
Were any sophomores accepted, or are you all juniors?
SAT - 1600
PSAT -1520
Math 2 - 800
Physics - 800
APs: Calc BC (5), Physics 1 (5), Physics C (5), Chem, Lang, APES, APUSH, CSA
Currently taking Multivariable calc
Huh interesting, seems like a lot of the admits are taking multivariable calc, with near perfect test scores
@Jedelm23 I’m assuming you’re going to Astro? More admits taking multivar would make sense for Astro since there is a lot of calculus involved. I don’t think multivar had much to do with my admission because I applied to Biochem, where the math seems to be very light (rate equations and curve fitting or something).
I feel a need to reassure people a little here… I’m not really sure what got me in, because my scores are much lower than the ones posted above, but I got into biochem at purdue.
SAT: 1490, 790 M, 700 ERBW
PSAT: 1450
AP Bio - 4
UW GPA: 4.0, weighted around a 4.2 I believe when I submitted.
Currently taking AP Calc AB, APES, AP Physics 1, and APEL as a junior
I attended COSMOS last year, but other than that I don’t have any impressive ECs. I do think my essays were good but certainly not amazing. I believe the letters of rec were pretty good.
Especially after looking at all the other posts here, I am definitely feeling a little imposter syndrome… Anyone else?
Also, is there a facebook group or anything?
@janeamymigil how have you already taken 8 APs before junior year?? That’s amazing.
waitlisted - does anyone know the chance of getting in from the waitlist?
Sksksks guess ill join the Stats train
Accepted to Astrophysics @ UC Boulder
SAT- 1490 EBRW: 730 Math: 760
PSAT- 1420
GPA: Out of 100 scale, UW: 97 W: 100.07
Rank: 2/300 something
Took AP Calculus AB (4) AP World History (5) and Im currently taking AP Eng Lang + Composition and taking the BC test
Took Calculus II at local college last semester, couldn’t fit Multivariable this semester bc of my schedule so im taking it senior yr ?
STEM ECs include Quizbowl math team where we placed 4th in the nation, two Earth Science @ local uni internships over freshman and sophomore summers
@Itwixster my high school actually doesn’t really offer many AP courses, so those scores are just from taking the exams. I did take AP Calc BC in school last year, though. For Biology and the two Physics exams, I took courses outside of school to prepare for the exams, and the rest are self-study (though the ones I self-studied are considered “easy” I suppose). Also, my school doesn’t offer AP Computer Science but does teach us programming, which was essentially enough to prepare me. And then just a lot of studying in general lol
It has taken me 2 or so years to fully realize that taking AP exams aren’t any help at all for college admissions… Nevertheless, I can’t say I regret taking so many because I really do think I learned interesting things from preparing for the tests - also, having to juggle a lot of coursework along with APs outside of class should make college easier I hope?
Joining the stats train as well. Maybe it will provide some relief to others.
I’m a junior accepted to Astrophysics @ Colorado
SAT: 1480
No SAT IIs yet, after looking at other people I’m thinking I need to take some /real/ soon.
4.0 GPA unweighted, 4.5-ish weighted.
Rank: 8 out of a class of 654
APs: Human Geography (5), World History (5), Chemistry (4)
-Currently taking Calculus, US History, Physics 1, Language Composition
At the moment this is the max amount of APs a junior at my school would have taken besides an elective in AP Psych (which I have no interest in taking) or AP Comp Sci (which I’m taking next year because of schedule issues).
Also taking an astronomy course at a nearby community college. Other ECs I didn’t talk about at all in my application so I won’t mention them here.
I believe my letters of recommendation (especially from my physics teacher) were pretty good. My essays had extremely good feedback from counselors.
Anyways, I have decided to choose SSP over the other programs that accepted me. I’ll see anybody else going to Colorado in the summer then!
@kuotian hope to see you in Colorado in june!!!
@janeamymigil Yeah I’m going for Astro. I guess that makes sense since multivariable calculus knowledge is apparently needed for the program.
Accepted to Astrophysics at NMT!
Rejected to Astrophysics. To help future applicants:
ACT: 36
PSAT: 1500
SAT Subject: Math 2 (800)
GPA:4.0
APs: AP Calc AB (5), AP Calc BC (5), AP CS(5), APUSH, AP Chem
College Courses: Stats, Diff Eqs, Multivariable Calc
University research experience