Hey everyone, currently a junior and wanted to know what type of schools will be my reaches and matches. I would like to go to Carnegie Mellon for Machine Learning.
Demographics: Asian Male, coming from affluent suburbs. 1st gen American, but my parents attended college. Upper income bracket.
GPA and class rank: 3.97/4.0 UW, 4.98/5.0 W, my school doesn’t do class rankings, since the class size is 1000, but I know for sure that I am in the top 3%.
Test scores:
First time ACT (no prep) 34 (35 E 36 R 33 M 30 S 11 W),
second time a 36 (36 E 36 R 36 M 36 S 12 W);
PSAT: 1520, national merit semifinalist,
SAT: 1590 (790 M, 800 E);
SAT II: 800 Math 2, 800 Biology M, 800 Chemistry, 790 US History, 780 Spanish
AP classes:
5s on Euro, Calc BC, Chem, APUSH, English Language, Spanish Language.
Currently taking AP Bio, Physics C, Spanish Lit, English Lit, AP Gov, Multivariate calculus.
ECs:
Track Team 3 years, top sprinter
Cross country 3 years, top distance runner (sub 15 min 3 mile time). I would like to run as a D3 walk-on, if that is possible.
Math team all 4 years, state qualifier and medalist every year. Won several awards, and captain senior year.
Science olympiad all 4 years, and state qualifier every year. Won several awards at various tournaments, and captain as a junior and senior.
Debate team all 4 years, received high awards at competitive tournaments, and semifinalist at the state tournament.
Civil air patrol for 3 years: high officer position and leadership training. Getting my pilot’s license in a few months.
Internships and work experience:
Economics internship at Boston College where I learned a lot, worked on an auctions paper.
Worked as a clerk/cashier at Home Depot for 18 months
Interned for a House of Representatives campaign
Started a drone photography business, photographing for real estate companies.
Misc/Volunteering:
Played the saxophone for 9 years, pretty good at it but it’s more of a hobby to me.
Led community volunteering efforts through my religious organization.
Leading position in an ethnic cultural organization, organized various community events
Started a book drive at my school for AP test prep, and ACT prep books, and donated several hundred to a struggling inner-city school.
Peer tutor through my school for 2 years
Assistant clerk at my city hall
I speak 5 languages fluently
My school has NHS but I don’t care for it. Waste of time IMHO.
Letters of Rec: The people I will be asking are my English teacher, JROTC leader, History (or Chem) teachers, and my mentor during my internship. The English rec is going to be extremely good, 9.5/10 for the JROTC leader, 9/10 for History, and my counselor rec is going to be quite good as well. The mentor will likely give a 9/10 rec letter.
Demonstrated Interest: Tons. I have visited the campus, and I have communicated with their coaches for cross country.