Summer Science Program (SSP) 2020

I just submitted my application to the Astrophysics track at Univ. Colorado, how to deal with my paranoia?

Munira

Dang, how are people already done with applications? Iā€™m ~halfway on essays lol

@BazookaBanana I barely started my app eitherā€¦ donā€™t worry lol

prob international. American peeps got hella time

@Jedelm23

Hi,

I submitted my app to Astro a few days ago. Iā€™m quite proud of my essays, though I used a reasonably casual tone; is that fine?

My scores and grades shouldnā€™t be a problem either. But SSP takes like 12 international right? Did you know any of these kids? Were they olympiad geniuses and/or did they have published research? I just want to gauge my chances of acceptance.

Thank you

@Madsiczard

I had the same question =). Guess weā€™ll just have to wait till March. If you donā€™t mind sharing, what were some of your stats/extra-curriculars?

hi guys!! junior planning to apply to astro this year. one thing Iā€™m worried about is that I donā€™t have much research background or STEM extracurriculars (I built a bottle rocket once for the Science Olympiad, but thatā€™sā€¦) but Iā€™ve really wanted to go since last year (couldnā€™t apply, though! didnā€™t take calc then RIP). do yā€™all think some really good essays could clear the bar? sorry if I sound entitled or too breezy - I donā€™t mean it that way at all!! I just feel kind of lost? idk idk

@starstray weā€™re in the same boat lolā€¦ i dont have any stellar STEM extracurriculars or research experience and am fully relying on the essays

hi all! is anyone applying to biochemistry?? it seems like everyone on this forum is applying to astrophysics LOL

@coconutfloat me too lol. I was initially proud of my essays. Now I feel like if I were the admission committee, I wouldnā€™t accept myself. As much as I tried to sound genuine I think Iā€™m coming across as pretentious sometimes.

Hey guys! Iā€™m a junior applying to biochemistry and wondering if I have a real shot at getting accepted:

SAT: 1530 (730 EBRW, 800 MATH)
PSAT: 1350 (I flopped during this and tbh idk if this is even worth putting on the application. Should I include this on my app anyway?)
GPA: 4.00 UW, 5.100 Weighted
Rank 6 out of 1097
5 on AP Human Geo (9th Grade); 5 on AP Chem and 4 on AP World(10th Grade)
Highest Math Class for juniors is Honors Precal (taking AP Calc AB & BC next yr)

I literally have no STEM extracurriculars or proper research experience, BUT I have a reason why.
Basically since 8th grade until this past winter break, I really wanted to be an NBA player so from 9th grade to half of junior year, I dedicated hours every day after school practicing basketball. It wasnā€™t until a deep reflection after New Years that I realized that relying on making the NBA is not going to end up well. Thatā€™s when I realized that science and RESEARCH is my real fate.

Iā€™m pretty good (I think) at writing essays so hopefully I can rely on my essays alone lol
I also love RESEARCH and am curious 24/7 so Im hoping to convey that in my essays.

Do I have a chance of getting accepted?? Thanks

@orca1729 we can only hope for the bestā€¦ what were your stats? I swear, everyoneā€™s is better than mine. I took SAT once and didnā€™t prepare for it so thatā€™s prob why I got a 1410ā€¦ took ACT today but prob not gonna submit lolā€¦ PSAT11 was a 1320 (canā€™t even qualify for commended ahhh) The only science-related extracurriculars I have is SNHS and a tutoring service that I started. My gpa is a 103.03 on 100 scale and Iā€™m ranked 2/550

@coconutfloat my SAT is pretty good: 1550+. i havenā€™t take any subject SATs though; I donā€™t know if thatā€™ll hurt my application. im an international student so i donā€™t have a gpa or class rank, but im sure my grades wonā€™t hurt me. do you know if IB is well respected in america? i havenā€™t taken any APs so i hope IB courses will do.

as for ECs, i have a bit of research experience (not in astro tho lol), some tutoring, school math team, and I mentioned an astronomy summer thing I went to last year. bascially, not very impressive. especially considering im international, and thereā€™s probably insanely smart people applying.

2/550 is a brilliant rank btw, and SNHS sounds very impressive(i just looked it up)!

the more I work on essays, the more I realize how bad my drafts are at the moment rip

@orca1729 honestly yeah the people that get in are insanely smart. I feel like IB is considered on the same level as AP, so youā€™re probably fine. But your SAT score is amazing! I would kill to have a score like that. Iā€™m taking it again in March so fingers-crossed I do well.
Your stats still sound better than mine lolā€¦ I think the best thing both of us can do is to work on the essays and try to stand out and show our interests in astro in a unique way. Iā€™m planning to write about my family restaurant, because I work there everyday and it takes a lot of time away for me to pursue anything outside of school. But Iā€™ve always been a curious kid and obsessed with space so Iā€™m hoping to convey that.
I still think I have a super slim chance, but one can hope.
Good luck on your application!

@orca1729

I got in without any subject tests and a 1550+ SAT. I also do the IB and was admitted, so youā€™re fine. Unis in the states view the IB as the same as AP

@proteinkinases
Did you know of anyone that got in the program without the normal teacher recs?
The SSP website recommends to ask the the current math and science teachers, but my science teacher from last year knows me a lot better. My current math teacher is also the same teacher as last year and she doesnā€™t really know me very well. Iā€™m planning on asking my AP seminar teacher instead.

How important are teacher recommendations and is it okay if I ask my science teacher from last year and my AP seminar teacher from this year?

@hinterland Iā€™m not sure, sorry :frowning:

IMO I think having a teacher who knows you and can vouch for your character is better than having a teacher who barely knows you and writes a lukewarm LOR. I donā€™t take AP so Iā€™m not sure what exactly AP Sem entails; if itā€™s STEM related then go for it I guess. Iā€™m not sure how much this will affect your application though

Famā€¦ this thread seems way less active than previous years. btw whatd yall write for your fave topics in science/math?

@orca1729 IKR!
I wrote about why I like astrophysics in general and then described my interest in specific topics like cosmology and exoplanetary science. I basically described how I first encountered the latter during my work experience and how I have explored it through an independent research project and by taking online courses.
I am an international student and Iā€™m so nervous for the decisions, even though thereā€™s still plenty of time before they come out.
What other programs, if any, are you guys applying to?