Test Scores:
35 ACT Composite
5 AP Biology
5 AP Statistics
4.3 GPA weighted, 4.0 unweighted
Ranked 10th/300 in my class
Race: Asian
School: Public Medium-sized Suburban High School
Extracurriculars and Honors:
National Merit Commended Scholar
2x National Latin Exam Silver Medalist
Student Council President
National Honor Society Treasurer
Mu Alpha Theta member
Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society Treasurer
SADD member (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
Dance Team Captain
Band Officer
District-Wide Strategic Planning Committee Student Representative (One of two students in the district chosen for this)
Junior Team Volunteer at a local hospital 2x/week
Letters:
I am planning on studying biomedical engineering, so I had my AP Biology and AP Calc teachers write me letters. I also was lucky enough to work with the superintendent of my district on the strategic plan so he wrote me one as well.
Everything you wrote looks good. However, I am a little worried about things you did not write down! Why you only were showing two APs for which you have scores? And did you take any Subject tests?
Assuming what you have is what you wrote here:
Northwestern and Cornell: low reach, the other two: match.
@uclaparent9 Hi! Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately my school has a relatively limited number of AP courses. Those are the only two AP tests I have taken, and I am also taking AP Computer Science, AP Calc, and AP Physics this year. I have not taken any subject tests, which I am regretting now! None of the schools I am applying to make it mandatory, so I didn’t even think about them!
If your school did put limitation on taking APs which made it impossible for you to take more, you better elaborate on that somewhere on your application…even better if it comes from your school concellor (ask him/her to write down for you).
Northwestern and Cornell are reaches, mainly because you don’t have any one EC that stands out. You are academically qualified for both of them, however. Ohio State is a match/low match (depends on if you’re applying to Honors). I don’t know about Case Western.
Depending on which school of Cornell you’re applying to, they may actually require subject tests. Arts and Sciences requires any two, Engineering requires a math and a science, and Architecture requires a math. Sign up for the soonest tests you can if you’re applying to those schools. Additionally, Northwestern “recommends” that students take two subject tests – in top-tier school speak, this means that they’re basically required barring a hook.
@uclaparent9 Great suggestions. I will absolutely do that. Thank you!
@BabylonBabylon I am applying to OSU Honors, and right now that is my top choice. I was originally going to study biology, in which case at Cornell I would have been in their Agriculture and Life Sciences School, which doesn’t require any subject tests. I have changed my mind and am now planning on studying biomedical engineering, so I might not even apply to Cornell anymore, given that I would not be able to apply to their engineering school without the subject tests. I’m from Ohio, so I’m hoping that with merit aid from OSU, I will be able to graduate with little debt. I’d still love to attend Northwestern but the price (and now since I know not taking subject tests has put me at a major disadvantage) has turned me away slightly.
OSU Honors is a great program and since you’re in state, you should have no problem getting in and getting a good chunk of money. I’m actually applying there too, but from out of state. Good luck!
