<p>Colleges:
UChicago (first choice, EA)
Cornell
Stanford
UC Berkeley
Harvey Mudd
Columbia
Reed
Duke</p>
<p>Objective:</p>
<p>I am a white male, rising senior, from North Carolina. I intend to double major in physics and mathematics. I go to a public, residential, competitive high school with selective admission for junior and senior year. All classes are at a minimum, honors level. GPA's are not given, nor are class ranks. I had a 4.0 GPA for freshman and sophomore years at my previous high school, and was ranked at the top of my class.</p>
<p>SAT:
CR 760 M 700 W 690 = 2150 Total (one sitting, math going to be improved in fall)</p>
<p>SAT II's:
Not taken yet, probably going to take Math II, Physics, US History.</p>
<p>APs:
Im not a fan of AP courses at all; I value pure learning, not memorizing facts for a test. Ive taken three:
Chemistry (5), US History (5), Physics B (4)
It is interesting to note that I got a B/B+ in both Chemistry and US History, which shows the grade deflation at my school compared to other high schools. In addition, I self-studied for Physics B.</p>
<p>*GPA: *
Weighted: 4.975 (but will go up after these next two trimesters)</p>
<p>Junior Schedule (we have a trimester schedule, so I'll just list the class I've taken):
A-: Precalculus and Modeling (unfortunately, my school would not allow me to move up to a more advanced class) (year-long)
A-: Physics with Advanced Topics I (one trimester)
A: Physics with Advanced Topics II (one trimester)
B: AP Chemistry I (two trimesters)
B: AP Chemistry II (one trimester)
A: Neuroscience Seminar (doesn't affect GPA)
B+: American Studies (two trimesters)
B+: Hispanic Literature I (college-level) (one trimester)
A-: Hispanic Literature II (one trimester)
A-: Hispanic Literature III (one trimester)
B+: APUSH (one trimester)
A: Classical Piano and Guitar (one trimester-long independent course, all three trimesters)
A: Introduction to the Research Experience in Physics (one trimester)
A: Leadership Seminar (doesn't affect GPA)</p>
<p>Also, during this (third) trimester, I'm "overloading," which means I am taking an extra core class, above the normal five core classes. I don't know how exactly that would figure in on my application, but I just wanted it to be known.</p>
<p>*Senior schedule: *
AP Calc BC with Advanced Topics (year-long)
AP Physics C: Mechanics & E/M (year-long)
Astrophysics (college-level) (one trimester)
Climate Change Biology (college-level) (one trimester)
Galaxies and Cosmology (college-level) (one trimester)
Modern Physics (college-level) (one trimester)
Molecular and Cellular Biology (college-level) (one trimester)
Number Theory (college-level) (one trimester)
Western European Cultural Studies (year-long)
Advanced Mathematical Problem Solving (one trimester-long independent course, all three trimesters)</p>
<p>Subjective:</p>
<p>ECs/Awards:
I have been a member of the Boy Scouts since the first grade, and I have my Eagle Scout award. I have served as Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, and now that I live at a residential high school on the other side of the state, webmaster. I was crew leader on a 100 mile backpacking trip through Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico.
My group, of which I am the team captain, was selected as finalists for the NASA BHALF competition ($1000 grant from NASA to perform experiment).
Doing research at top-ten university with professor studying neutrinos.
Based on my PSAT score, I should be qualifying for National Merit in September.</p>
<p>Previous School:
Science Academic Team- 2 years (captain as a sophomore- all other captains were seniors)
General Knowledge Academic Team- 2 years
Debate Team- 2 years
Book Club- 2 years
Crosby Scholars (college prep program, since middle school)
Student Government- 1 year</p>
<p>Current School:
Secular Student Alliance (president, founder)
SPECTRUM (Gay-straight alliance, president next year)
Geocaching club (president/founder, next year)
Photography Club (president, member)
NHS (Member)
ScienceDays Volunteer (we go out to local elementary schools to teach them random things about science, from fingerprinting to anatomy)</p>
<p>Hooks:
I am a first-generation college student. Attend highly selective residential high school.</p>
<p>*Recommendations: *
Precalculus teacher, with whom I had a very good relationship. American Studies teacher, should also be a good recommendation. I've met with my guidance counselor several times so that she actually gets to know me. Also, I'll hopefully be getting an extra recommendation from a teacher at my school that is an alum of UChicago. I did work service for her for one trimester, and she is the sponsor for the SSA I founded. </p>
<p>Any advice on what to improve upon/focus on would be much appreciated!</p>