<p>Many thanks to woebegone, you're so helpful ;)
Seems like the Singaporean Connection thread will keep stopping for now, so sad.</p>
<p>haha actually i own all 3 of those books... juz bought RR onli yesterday though. elements of style is really a classic, but reading it is really quite different from applying... takes a lot of practice to change ur old habits of writing... barron's chem was ok... better than kaplan's i suppose... RR seems rather useful for writing...</p>
<p>I want Elements of style to improve my writting skill - long time strategy, not for applying because application time is comiing ahead, no time 's left for preparation :D
My friend had bought Elements of Style and Barron's for me now, and I'm really looking forwards to get it, so excited. Thanks again to woebegone, I really appreciate it :)</p>
<p>ic dat's gd... btw wad's ur nationality really?</p>
<p>Hi Savedbyzero, </p>
<p>About to finish A levels this year, and looking hard at M&T UPenn; does early decision help for this school? Looks like M&T is out of reach for all but the toppers in grades, SATs etc. Any hints?</p>
<p>Hey guys, I'm Secondary 3 this year and I know its way too early to be thinking of applying to an University, let alone a US one when I haven't even entered JC! </p>
<p>So I don't really want to delve too much into the area of academics. But I think it would be great if some of you could give me some advice in the area of extra-curriculars and community service. I was told by my cousin that Community Involvement Programme hours isn't really going to help you much and leadership roles sometimes even if you are president of a club doesn't mean much.</p>
<p>I'm sure some of you guys have thought about or regretted not doing or participating in certain events or activities that could have made your non-academic side of application more appealing. </p>
<p>So some queries: </p>
<h1>1: Is it adviced I volunteer at a somewhere like a Nursing Home or the Red Cross from this year onwards till my JC 2 year in 2008 and hopefully attain some kind of leadership role in the volunteer department as well a heart-warming testimonial from the director, at the end of my volunteer stint?</h1>
<h1>2: Would being a regular blood donor make you as a nicer person?</h1>
<h1>3: Do things like School Literature Trips count for any "Summer School" experience?</h1>
<p>I hope you guys can help me out with this. Any additional advice would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey samgeeth,</p>
<p>If you've read the Newsweek issue on the first week of Sept, you would know that Penn actually openly declares that ED applicants do stand a higher chance of being admitted, and this is in contrast to the other top schools which claim otherwise. So I guess early decision does help to some extent. However, I applied through RD because I simply didn't have time for ED, admidst all the preparation for the prelims and the subsequent A-levels.</p>
<p>I've seen many qualified students (in terms of SATs, grades and CCA) who got rejected from Penn. These group of students from Singapore are all pretty self-selective, and the only elements that can differentiate between one candidate from the other are probably the essays, and the recs. In writing the essays, I believe that it helps to be genuinely interested in the programmes Penn offers (M&T, Huntsman, etc...), down to the specific details (like the modules, profs, student mix) if necessary. This will put you in better light by showing that you aren't simply using the same essay for every school that you apply to. Applying early further gives you an advantage.</p>
<p>Hope it helps :)</p>
<p>Thanks, savedbyzero, this is useful stuff, I'll keep in mind. But overall a long shot, and is the 44k worth, is probably the $64 question.</p>
<p>Alan,</p>
<p>Go study for your O Level's in advanced or something. Hehe. That was just in jest. To try my best in answering your queries...</p>
<ol>
<li><p>This will depend on your major. If you want to go to, say, major in economics, it will be weird if you volunteered at the said places because they have no connections whatsoever to your related major. However, if you want to study in the medical field etc, it will be good experience but don't expect that glowing testimonial from the director as a direct shoo-in for college.</p></li>
<li><p>No. Besides, if you want to donate blood, shouldn't you do it with the mindset of helping the people who actually need the blood, instead of doing it because you want it to 'look good on the application'? It will be superficial to think that because you donated gallons of blood, it automatically makes you a nicer person, but hey, I don't mean any offence. =) </p></li>
<li><p>Well... If it is, then I'll have chalked up a lot of summer schools experience, but I'm guessing not.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Besides, Singapore is not even remotely like the US in terms of extra curriculum/CCAs. If you take it into context, the students at the US will have to take several of their ECs because their education is (no matter what the govt says here..) more well-rounded than ours. </p>
<p>What I'll suggest is, get your academics straightened out, get involved with your CCA(s) and community involvement, then worry about applications when the right time comes. ;)</p>
<p>another singaporean falling in (:</p>
<p>haha omg. elements of style...</p>
<p>Hi,
I will be glad for your comments etc. I am a student at RJC, decent student not excellent ie CT grades are usually B, never fail anything.</p>
<p>My SATs are Old Sat math - 800
verbal - 750</p>
<pre><code> New Sat - Math 750
Verbal - 770
Writing -780
Math IIC -800
Chemistry - 790
</code></pre>
<p>Will probably get good grades for A levels.</p>
<p>Which Unis should I apply to, reach/match/safety?</p>
<p>Princeton ; Brown; Cornell; Dartmouth ; UChicago; Columbia</p>
<p>I am not looking to major in Engineering, probably econs or something. I require schools with good reputation, that is a major criteria. What do you guys suggest? RJC only allows 8 applications max. What are schools that i could possibly apply to? Am worried I will apply to all high-level schools, want to get a good safety too.</p>
<p>Thanks for your comments/suggestions,</p>
<p>and btw, I will not be applying for financial aid. My parents will be paying for my education.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Princeton ; Brown; Cornell; Dartmouth ; UChicago; Columbia
[/quote]
Everything's a long reach, if my words could be taken in seriousness. You'll (and everybody else) will probably kill me for saying this, but hey what about NUS' double degree for econs and law for a match?</p>
<p>I'm hardly the expert here so I shall now hand the floor to them. ;)</p>
<p>Also, CCA records? Those might come in handy. :)</p>
<p>hey guys! i seem to be the only one applying for my major :( (B.S in Aeronautics : Commercial Aviation )</p>
<p>trying to get in UND</p>
<p>thats a weak and below average application for princeton if you aren't involved in any EC's. and i mean, good EC's</p>
<p>hey i'm a new member here. malaysian studying in singapore.. hmm, seems like there r no NJC-ians here. haha.
any JC2's here? how was prelims? :P</p>
<p>cornell and uchicago should be ur safeties/matches... their acceptance rates for rafflesians are usually absurdly high... uchicago especially accepted alot more than they usually do last yr... n since uchicago is so well known for its econs it shd be ur best bet. but do write a decent essay dat shows some original thought and quirkyness... </p>
<p>as for princeton i think u need better SAT scores... (though urs is already very high) with the very limited sample size in the alumni forums... u wld find dat almost all the rafflesians who got into princeton in previous yrs got perfect SAT 1s+2s...</p>
<p>brown on the other hand doesn't seem to care about test scores or grades even... write an interesting essay... and show ur personality... n luck plays a huge part too... </p>
<p>columbia is a notoriously hard ivy to get into after HYP... dartmouth shd be easier since not alot of ppl from RJ apply...</p>
<p>go check the rjc web. alternatively you could go see our teacher-in-charge of US uni apps. she's from yale, i think.</p>
<p>hey kids{ :p }
ya i am form singaproe as well... if u guys wanna see yuor chances then look at the specific threads if pton/cornell/mit/upenn n all n see the stats of kids who got in n those rejected...word of warning, no matter how gd ur ecs/grades might be compared rest of ur sporean peers...u are in international competition n well...asians kids are <em>smart n hardworkin</em> and it becomes greater for us...
though stuff like olympiad/international level activities do help...
talk to teachers n ex students n ask for advice... it is HARD but not impossible to get in top tier schools...i mean ppl do get in form singapore....</p>
<p>oh yeah, i noe nus sounds pathetic in front of the colleges u guys aspire to enrol ion but honestly it aint all that bad...specially if u take up double deg/usp/special sc prog/chemical sc prog n dat kinda stuff....
if u are the type who works last min n loves procrastinating [like me:p ] nus can beocme very stressful with all the workload piling up :(</p>