<p>Background: First generation & low income (0k - parents recently divorced, mom has no income, but dad's reported income is 24k). South Korean, living in Southern Cali.</p>
<p>GPA: 3.93 UW; 4.5 W
Rank 2 out of 720.</p>
<p>SAT's:
SAT Reasoning: 2300 superscore (2260 from one sitting)
SAT Physics: 800
SAT Math L2: 800
SAT Literature : 780
SAT Biology: 740</p>
<p>13 AP classes taken (6 of them junior year), Self-studied Calc BC, 4 community college courses taken</p>
<p>Awards:
2007 Caltech Signature Award
2nd Place AMC 12 School Wide & invited to AIME 10th grade
AP Scholar with Distinciton
Nat. Merit Semi-Finalist
School's Community Service Award x2</p>
<p>Extracurriculars:
-Jisan Research Institute
My main extracurricular. Conducted scientific research on swarm based construction (computational research), was group head of my team. Got a great letter of rec from my mentor, who wants to send the finished paper we're sending for publication later this month.</p>
<p>-FIRST Robotics for 3 years
-Volunteered for Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope for 3 years
explain that I was motivated to start because my sister got thyroid cancer my sophomore year.
-TA'd for some teachers during summer school.
-Key Club; Treasurer 11th, was a member for 4 years
-Hip Hop United; VP 12th
-Afterschool math tutoring for volunteering 9th-10th</p>
<p>Work Experience:
-Banana Republic cashier since Sept 2007
-Laundry Zone Employeen last summer job
-Math Instructor at Jisan Research Institute since May 2007
-Physics Tutor for a small class last year
-SAT Tutor and Chemistry Tutor since May 2007</p>
<p>Just want chances for:
HYP
Columbia
UPenn
MIT
Duke
Northwestern
Wash U</p>
<p>you have a good shot at getting into all of them as you appear to be very smart and to a degree well rounded. you could be rejected at some of the ivies but that would just be due to bad luck. you are clearly both qualified and distinguished from the rest of the applicants in my opinion.</p>
<p>Great, as long as I get into Duke I'll be happy.</p>
<p>Northwestern, slightly disappointed (only because this kid from my school who's not that smart at all already got in) but I'll be happy too. Thanks.</p>
<p>Well, in my limited experience I'd say you have a good shot at getting into most of them. Sure, some are reaches, but they're reaches for all of us. I think you have an awesome chance =) (esp. with research/robotics and what not...plus you have good SAT scores)</p>
<p>Rank 2 of 720, 6 AP classes junior year w/ straight A's while parents were divorced, 2300/800/800/780 first generation low income student who did "grad school level research" (according to my mentor's rec) on top of 3 jobs; yeah I know who I am, I just wanted chances.</p>
<p>i saw ur stats... u dont need to repost them...lol nothing really stands out though.. your like every applicant to the ivy league. Our valec and 2 of our salecs at my school got rejected from stanford... they all had 2300+ SATs and 1 was low income and was ranked for tennis... schools want diversity, nothing more nothing less... but of course they wont sacrifice GPA and good SATS for it.</p>
<p>"Northwestern, slightly disappointed (only because this kid from my school who's not that smart at all already got in) but I'll be happy too. Thanks."</p>
<ul>
<li>thats one of the most ignorant comments i've seen on CC. You won't be happy to go to a top 15 school because a "dumb" kid got in?</li>
</ul>
<p>You could have just used the edit button but w/e.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback, even though I don't think you know jack about college admissions. Damn straight I won't be as happy because my idiot friend got in, what's wrong with that? Tell me you won't be disappointed if some slacker that you personally knew who never worked nearly as hard as you and had a significantly lower GPA than you ends up at the same school. Of course, if you did tell me I wouldn't believe you. Sure, YOU wouldn't mind going to Northwestern no matter what because it's a far reach for you, but guess what: you're not me. You didn't work as hard as I did. You didn't go through what I've been through. You didn't do what I've done. And in my opinion, Northwestern's a great school, but why should I thank my lucky stars when I get in? I think if I get in, I'd have earned it. And it's not a big deal either.</p>
<p>Don't know what the hell you were trying to prove with the "our vale and 2 sale's didn't get into Stanford blah blah". Schools want diversity and nothing more? That's by far the most ignorant comment I've ever heard. To think that diversity is the sole factor in college admissions is just illogical. There's a reason kids with double legacy get in more easily than URMs: they're more likely to donate. Schools want money, that's why they try to get the best students who're more likely to succeed and donate. In doing so, their rankings will rise, attracting even better students, getting even more money. So colleges will obviously prioritize GPA and tests that show success over diversity. </p>
<p>Find me an example of a student with a high GPA, high SAT's, high SAT II's, varsity sports, and a long history with music who didn't get into UC Berkeley. Sports and music are the most common extra curriculars, and high GPA/SAT's are more common than uncommon. Who do you think would get in, this applicant or UC Berkeley's only applicant who's of Swaziland descent who has a 2.8 GPA, 1500 out of 2400 SAT's, plays the harmonica, and can read braille.</p>
<p>You're just bitter because you got rejected by both schools you applied early to and you think the SOLE reason you didn't get in was because you didn't mark that you're Middle Eastern. Oh yeah, like that's going to make a school think you'll be a better investment. Maybe instead of trying to apply to 20 schools you should have studied harder for the December SAT's.</p>
<p>if your not dissapointed on april 1st, just by looking at your personality (prestige whore) I'm sure you'll be disappointed the majority of your life...</p>
<p>Don't bash my scores or stats... All I'm saying is your like every applicant... your not that unique. I couldn't find one thing about you that really stood out. Our Val is exactly like you... Korean low income 2360 SAT... rejected by Stanford... he keeps asking why. Schools don't want nerds that study and study... you don't play a musical instrument or play a sport... you just volunteer and tutor. Your personality is pretty bland and you seem like a boring person.</p>
<p>and I really don't care THAT much where I go to school. I'm applying to law school and undergrad barely matters.</p>
<p>and you clearly misunderstood my point... I said SINCE everyone has High SATS and high GPA, colleges will accept the ones that seem the most interesting and can contribute the most to the school... You have high sats and gpa, but that's about it... you'll get your foot in the door, but nothing more. Because they have 22,000 applicants, I doubt you'll stand out beyond test scores and GPA. </p>
<p>All you've done the past 4 years is research, volunteering, few clubs and tutoring...your just an average asian</p>
<p>I founded 3 clubs and was president of all three. I didn't write any of them down on my application.</p>
<p>Just because I'm better than you doesn't mean I care more...</p>
<p>What makes you think I care more than you do about undergrad?</p>
<p>I'm going to med school, and I'd definitely go to a school like Duke over MIT simply because of lesser competition.</p>
<p>I was already rejected by Stanford early, and I know I'm not an upper level applicant for HYPS. I don't expect to get into any of them (don't know what makes you think I am expecting to), so that "point" you're trying to make with your val is quite pointless.</p>
<p>And as long as I get into Northwestern I won't be disappointed. And as you said I'm likely to get in, rofl. Sorry I "misunderstood" you.</p>
<p>What are you trying to say with the "I founded 3 clubs but I didn't write it on the app" thing?</p>
<p>God.. this is a very interesting profile.. i might be doing the chancing wrong ( i've never done any profile like this) but here is what i think:</p>
<p>"AP Scholar with Distinciton" - Do you mean you will have 13 AP's by graduation?... Or did you take 13 AP's before Junior Year?</p>
<p>Wow.. that is impressive, geographically you're at a disadvantage, but you got alot of amazing work done when your parent's income is so low.. The research thing is good. It show you have very high passion...
"According to my research prof, I did grad. school level research." - Can you explain this more?.. if the colleges interpret this differently, it wouldn't do as much. Did you do grad school style research? or did u have to learn grad school lvl material? And just b/c it's at grad school doesn't mean it is very very very difficult. I might be interpreting this wrong. (Either way it'll still be impressive...but prolly not amazing.) Your GPA + SAT's are in competition so i'm not gonna talk about them much.</p>
<p>And firebird has a point.. A major thing college's look for in an applicant is personality. From looking at your EC's you are a very very hard worker, and pretty passionate as well, and also intelligent... But where's your personality?.. Are you creative? Innovative? if you can prove to a college you have some sort of personality it'll give you a huge edge. if your essays were very amazing , you would get some of those schools.</p>
<p>Flippy, you are truly amazing considering the unique circumstances you've met.
Despite grades (which are EXTREMELY competitive), I do view you as an unique person.
It is not the race that makes you "unique" (sure there are tons of Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese people in the U.S.), it is the personal experiences that make you different.
You must have overcome numerous obstacles and hardships considering your family situation.
Since all those schools you're applying to are TOP schools, there's no definite saying of getting in or not.
HYP-great chance
Columbia-great chance
UPenn-great chance
MIT-hard to say
Duke-great chance
Northwestern-most likely to get in
Wash U-likely to get in
GOOD LUCK and hope you eventually get in your dream school :)</p>
<p>You have better stats and ECs than me and similar personal situation. I got into Stanford and Yale, and I'm going to Yale right now, so I say you have a great chance at all those schools, even HYP, BUT you probably will get waitlisted at Wash U because they are not need-blind in admissions. You won't need their acceptance anyways once you get into HYP. Good luck.</p>