<p>I have had a varied and non-traditional education, which gives me a unique perspective. I have also done a bunch of science research.</p>
<p>I'm an Odyssey of the Mind 9 year veteran... it literally is my life so I hope that Adcoms see that I love it so much. I don't know many others who have done that for that long... and I'm a first-generation =)</p>
<p>I got nothin. I've got a national award in 4-H , but that's about it.</p>
<p>I will have finished 26 college level classes (AP/IB/Dual Enrollment) by high school graduation...fools</p>
<p>heading a project to raise money/awareness to build a school in a third world country.. hopefully getting 5-10 other schools involved... i hope to make it a tradition.. this year i'm trying to build it in sri lanka.. next year somewhere else...other then that.. im pretty much like everyone else on this site</p>
<p>Er... asian kid in a middle east country whose passion is technical theatre?</p>
<p>I dunno...</p>
<p>"I am asian, I like to do math, science, SAT, ACT, testing, it is fun. I like anime, doing math, studying for school, tests, classes, getting A's, getting 100% on everything, highest score in class, teacher's pet, I love it. I like pen spinning, anime, naruto, tennis, ping pong, chopsticks, wonton soup, and drawing." Sorry tomejones but uhm, the title of this thread is "niches" not "To what extent are you like the majority of other (Asian, although that's redundant) college applicants."</p>
<p>Butternut - or should I say Joe Butternut the Farmer!</p>
<p>miktau - that's a pretty solid one. I guess some colleges might want people who are going into union management... or something... maybe... possibly... per chance</p>
<p>Hollylove - it's okay. Don't get bummed out, sport!</p>
<p>Shuffle - one time I worked at this fish store down the street and I learned to use knives to cut fish. AND THEN I went to an enriching preppy pay-to-learn pre-college camp over the summer, so.....</p>
<p>PhoenixStar - it seems like your story is much alike that of Lindsey Lohan's in the high school epic "Mean Girls." If so, you should probably mention the similarities in your college essay.</p>
<p>keenonkeane - hey my elementary school had that program. I never knew what it did though or that it was for those over the age of 10. Just kidding I don't mean to knock that's actually pretty legit I guess.</p>
<p>JohnnyRamboMac - first I wanted to ridicule and call you a friendless noob and while that still applies, a quick count in my head finds that that is actually rather impressive. Don't get too cocky though, there are plenty of other ways to show your a hxc-academic without having to take 26 courses and Havad knows it. I would suggest that you do tremendous political volunteering work in Mongolia. Anything with the word Mongolia in it tends to look good on resumes.</p>
<p>the_pakalypse - snooze community service snooze. Altho I guess that's pretty dece community service if you actually go to Sri Lanka.</p>
<p>be_somebody - I would suggest that you follow the advice that your username is giving you.</p>
<p>You have changed my LIFE with those words. Bffs? <3? ;D</p>
<p>mcgoogly- well college kids do Odyssey of the Mind too, believe it or not. I spend almost 20 hours a week on it so i'd say it takes up a bunch of time =P</p>
<p>I don't mean to sound rude, but why do you have to judge everyone's posts? I think if a person is really passionate about something, it shouldn't matter if it's a commonly seen EC like community service or student government or whatever.</p>
<p>I don't mean to seem rude thestever, but if you can't even take my calm and slightly erratic wake up calls, then how are you going to take your rejection envelope from your top school when they say </p>
<p>"Sorry that we rejected you, it's just that there's nothing special about you and we couldn't even distinguish you from all the other John and Jane Doe's who applied here. Maybe you should travel to Mongolia and try applying here next year. Sorry once again - oh my, I seem to have forgotten your name, you really don't stand out at all! Tata!"</p>
<p>I have seen far too many of those letters in the palms of my crying peers in my time and that is why I am out here changing people's lives for the better, one unique extracurricular activity at the time (be_somebody himself can attest to my life-changing skills).</p>
<p>I help run the world's largest fan website for real time strategy games, and am heavily involved in online journalism (I have been invited by developers to go to their studios and write articles for them. the trips are all-expenses paid) and game design (have participated in game design projects for major corporate game studios).</p>
<p>Basically I've combined my entrepreneurial passion with my passion for real time strategy games, and had some pretty cool successes I think :)</p>
<p>I'm building a boat and doing independentish research at the NIH (meaning I have my own project but it's overseen by a mentor who doesn't do any of the actual writing or research or presenting).</p>
<p>I really am a big time actor (have an agent in Hollywood and everything) and even landed small role in a feature film.</p>
<p>And I write REALLY good essays that are cynical towards the follies of mankind.</p>
<p>ummmmmmmm.. i have none.</p>
<p>I AM THE ANTI-ASIAN. I hate math, never study, didn't do well on the SATs or my GPA, and BSed the first three years of high school. My best subjects are History and Science (although only since senior year I started liking it) Hate anime, pen spinning and all things remotely cutesy and asian (manga and etc) and I live in a predominantly (97%) Italian, Irish and Jewish neighborhood.</p>
<p>While the poster before was too kind, I do intend to be rude. Who are you to criticize other people's extracurricular's?, most people first are doing this just for fun and second you were never there to experience their lives. The kid who did science research could have working a lab/shadowed a doctor.</p>
<p>Honestly, I doubt half the people care about your opinion of their extracurriculars, you tell everyone that you're "telling it how it is" you're being "realistic", but at the same time your post seethes with a mocking tone and your own arrogance, you're not helping anyone, you're just trying to prove you're superior.</p>
<p>Besides I think you know less about the admissions procedure than you think you know. Some schools like lower-tier and state schools don't judge your extra curriculars as harshly, and they could honestly careless (see Binghamton/Stony Brook) sure if you are a basketball superstar, it matters but if you're not it doesn't, but higher end schools like say Cornell obviously do pay more attention, but this part I can agree with you on. Seeing how the majority of college discussion students are students with 2390 SAT scores, 98.7 averages that call themselves "average" and all want to be pre med/law/engineering/business majors and don't have a shred of self esteem, your post does appeal to these people. </p>
<p>It just doesn't apply to average people like me who screwed up their first 3 years of school and has an SAT score below 1800 and would be happy getting into their local state university to start over.</p>
<p>I don't have one! I wrote my essay about attending a Waldorf school for 10 years, which is somewhat unique, but not nearly enough to count as a hook. Other than that I am your typical white, middle class female from New England with pretty good grades and activities. I hope colleges like me for it!</p>
<p>Impoverished asian kid that does fencing.</p>
<p>I have a lot of financial difficulty (31,000 a year and I got to private school on a half scholarship)</p>
<p>I have taken MANY architecture and Engineering courses, and have done two years of work in a firm, plus a mentoring program...</p>
<p>I'm Hispanic.</p>
<p>lolcats - it would be cooler if you invented lolcats for a living but that is definitely a solid example of a niche activity this cannot be undenied.</p>
<p>ironmetal - that is very productive of you, I am not sure what the NIH I am highly impressed by acronyms so I believe that what you are doing is superb work.</p>
<p>urmom - ACE on the actorship. Essays not too much. Trendy nihilism monsieur, trendy nihilism!</p>
<p>bluewatermelon - then forever fail at the misery that is life!</p>
<p>Galith - I'm not gonna lie, while the stereotypical Asian is a popular stereotype (like 1-2% of the population I guess) your Anti-Asian is actually more popular, like at least 50% of all students. I know I know, anyone can be fooled by the classic "well if it's ANTI-stereotype then it must be unique" but sadly life doesn't always pan out that way. My suggestion to you is to either
a) go to mongolia
b) win a spelling bee
c) discover a secret world inside your closet
d) work out and develop nice triceps. get a DA lawyer to take you into his rich Orange County home that he has bceause of his rich wife. act the troubled loner. somehow attract a hot chick. form a comraderie with 3 other people and be the gang of 4 outcasts. eventually punch someone. eventually shoot someone. eventually leave home multiple times. eventually come back. eventually kill your brother. eventually lose your girlfriend in a tragic accident. have imogen heap songs playing constantly in the background whenever you walk in a room. write an essay about this and you may have a chance at an ivy.</p>
<p>lilyrobin - Waldor has a pleasant sound to it.</p>
<p>3.7Student - the fencing sounds good. not sure how the overall package will play out tho.</p>
<p>DRMAN - minority auto-wins proceed to the next round.
Ok I realize that this might be incredibly offensive. your desire to learn about architecture and engineering is also to be commended and your struggle with adversity/diversity/conversity is admirable. I did not just move you to the next round simply because of your race, in fact I am colorblind so I have no idea. I'm going to stop talking now.</p>
<p>**** I think that I have been a little nicer now. You all have Galith to thank for that. Apparently I am no longer allowed to tell you how it is, anymore.****</p>