Too Late to Stand Out

Applying to College
1

<p>I just joined CC recently, and am finding out with quite a shock that my stats aren't as spectacular as I thought them to be. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but what I used to think were fantastic stats are definitely looking only average for high achieving people.
Freshman Year:
Honors Biology-A
Honors English-A
Honors Civics/Econ.-A
Honors Algebra II-B
PE/Health-A
German III-A
Band-A</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Honors Chemistry-B
Honors English-A
Pre-Calculus-A
Honors World History-A
Honors German 4-A
Jazz Band-A
Band-A</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Lang. and Comp.-A
AP Biology-A
AP Calculus AB-B
AP U.S History-A
Psychology/AP Psychology-A
Lifeguarding/Scuba-A
Jazz Band-A</p>

<p>Senior (Projected Grades, Real Classes)
AP Lit.-A
AP Chemistry-A or B
AP Euro.-A
AP Gov.-A
AP Statistics-A
Microbiology-A
Jazz Band-A</p>

<p>I swam on the varsity swim team in 9th and 10th grade. I'm in NHS (not that it matters) and German National Honor Society. I've helped tutor elementary school students to read, served as a middle school forensics judge on many weekends, been awarded my Eagle scout, served as troop guide in my boy scout troop, volunteered in the hospital, and am also working as a lifeguard. </p>

<p>SAT-2120
650 M
750 CR
720 W</p>

<p>Biology, Literature, and US History subject test scores are pending. </p>

<p>ACT-34</p>

<p>I'm expecting 4's and 5's on the AP tests. </p>

<p>Easily top 5% of class of 400, and will definitely have great recommendations.</p>

<p>I don't really know how to describe the whole thing, but I feel like nothing I've done really sets me apart from everyone else applying to competitive programs. (BS/MD and also looking for some merit aid) I'm a rising senior now, and I know to work really hard on my essays. I know it's probably too late, but does anyone have any ideas on how to set myself apart?</p>

2

<p>you're stats are fine</p>

3

<p>you're a well-rounded guy with very good stats. apply for some cool internships this summer, exagerrate your extracurriculars (i.e., make it look like tutoring kids is a passion), write the best essays you can, and give it a shot. you will be fine.</p>

4

<p>There's competing and there's doing. Lots of students on CC do lots of competing (won this, won that). Competing is hopefully about developing skills for doing and contributing later on. What I see is that you've jumped right into the (more mature, in my view) contributing class of humans. Your EC's description uses words like served, volunteered, worked, tutored, served, helped.</p>

<p>So, congratulations! </p>

<p>To <em>look</em> better, you could try to formalize some of your skills. Can you add an EMT certification? Could you find a medical related science project to do and write it up for the Intel or Seimens competitions? Increase your volunteering responsibilities at the hospital (are there hospital lab certifications one can get?). In other words, keep doing what you are doing, but document your successes.</p>

5

<p>Cure AIDS and win the nobel prize in both peace and science for it. Then you'll get in.</p>

6

<p>Thanks alot for all your responses. They're actually very encouraging!</p>

7

<p>Very nice post, Geomom. :-) It is true - you look like a hardworking, great kid with a huge heart. Your scores and stats are perfectly suited to top schools. You can stiil search your heart and come up with something you can do this summer or early next year which will show more leadership or achievement (in some area in which you have a real passion).</p>

<p>I bet some great places will want you.</p>

8

<p>SATs not good enough for top schools... need to be 2200+</p>

9

<p>Bobmallet1- the OP's stats are well above the average high school senior, you have no idea what you are talking about.</p>

10

<p>the average high school senior aint getting into top schools. bobmallet1's got a point.</p>

<p>why is this being dredged up anyway?</p>

11

<p>did you not see his 34 on the ACT? His stats are great.</p>

12

<p>Who are you tutoring? Make your essay about a true contact you have made with these young minds - and the change they made in you, while you were changing them. </p>

<p>I think your stats look fine - but those top tier schools are always a crapshoot.</p>

<p>CC has (not free but worthwhile) services which can help you. Check them out.</p>

13

<p>No way in hell do you NEED a 2200+. As usual, you guys are wrong.</p>

14

<p>^ I know... you don't NEED that score to get in. Sure, your chances will go up, but... honestly. Just because the OP has ONE score below 700 on the SAT doesn't mean he is an automatic reject. I wish people would just look beyond scores and look at the whole picture..</p>

15

<p>Goonie goo goo: I hope bobmallet does better in the classroom then on the forums. </p>

<p>Here are stats for Yale's quartiles (25%-75%)
SATs
690-790 M & W
700-790 Verbal</p>

<p>ACTs
29-34</p>

<p>Based on this, the OP is in the top 75 percentile of matriculating students for the Yale class of 2010 so these numbers aren't theoretical.</p>

16

<p>Write a good essay that really shows something about yourself.
No one expects 17 yr. olds to have cured cancer or anything. IMO, your stats are fine.</p>

17

<p>Is the guy with a SAT I score of 2150 good enough for biochemistry or chemiscalbiology major in UC Berkeley?</p>