Would I have a shot ?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colgate University
1

<p>I am an international student applying for financial aid</p>

<p>Intended major: Biology (or Biochemistry), or Economics+Sociology</p>

<p>9th grade GPA: 8.0/10 </p>

<p>10th grade GPA: 9.2/10</p>

<p>Junior year GPA: 4.0 (unweighted, my school does not have weighted GPA)
No ranking but I think I am in top 5%</p>

<p>Repeated junior year to fulfill graduation requirement at a really rigorous private school (I changed school this year due to visa problem, long story)</p>

<p>Grarde Junior year:
AP Cal BC: B
AP Physics C:Mechanics: B,
Spanish 1: A+,
English 11: A,
Biology: A,
Choir: A,
Wind Ensemble: A.</p>

<p>Senior Schedule:
AP Lit: B
AP Physics C: E&M: B
AP Bio: A
Spanish IIe: A
China/Japan (fall) + Economics (spring): A-
Choir:A
Band: A-</p>

<p>AP Cal AB: 4
AP Cal BC: 5
AP Physics C Mech: 3</p>

<p>SAT: 2000 (CR:630, M:710, WR:660) Will study more over the summer then retake.
Bio M: 700
TOEFL: 109</p>

<p>Extra curricular:
Soccer team of class: 6,7,8,9,10
Soccer Varsity:grade 11, 12
AFCVN soccer club: grade 10 ( cannot continue due to moving to US to study)
News translator for Arsenal Fan Club In Vietnam: grade 8,9,10,11, 12
Tennis ( varsity is super competitive, ranked 7th in the country): grade 11 (JV), grade 12 (varsity)</p>

<p>Choir:grade 10, 11, 12 (All-County Choir, grade 12)
Piano class:8 years
French horn: 3 years</p>

<p>Young leader club:grade 10 ( cannot continue due to moving school)
FIRST Robotics: grade 11 (cannot continue due to moving school)
Community service club: grade 11, 12
Community service trip to Costa Rica: grade 11, grade 12
International Club: grade 12</p>

<p>Awards:
Silver Medalists of National Spanish Exam: Grade 11
Semi-finalist of Cornell Essay contest: Grade 11
Best GPA at school : Grade 10
Best final exams record: Grade 10
First Prize at School's English Olympiad: Grade 10
Victoria scholarship: grade 10
High honor roll: grade 11
Best Physical project in Science Fair:grade 11
Highest honor in Chemistry:grade 11
High honor in Maths:grade 11</p>

<p>Leadership:
Chief Secretary, School’s Youth Union: Grade 10
Chief Secretary, Class’s Youth Union: Grade 10
Class’s Vice President specialized in academic: Grade 10</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Lab Assistant at a lab in the biology department at the University of Rochester: May 2010 to June 2010.</p>

2

<p>Any comment for me ?</p>

3

<p>I’d say you have a very good chance of being admitted to Colgate which looks for strong academic records plus other interests – like athletics, student government, arts, music, and so on. </p>

<p>Not to mention Colgate’s dearth of Arsenal fans which you would clearly help fill! </p>

<p>It looks like soccer, tennis, music, science are your strengths. Your exam scores are very good, your grades look excellent, you have a strong academic schedule, and you have lots of interests. Of course, I’m not the Admissions Committee, so who knows, but they’ve taken many students with less impressive records. </p>

<p>AS for financial aid, Colgate is very generous with financial assistance if you qualify, and will go out of its way to offer aid to top students with interesting backgrounds. Colgate attracts a small group of international students – and always has. Now all you have to do is apply! If they don’t fall in love with you, there are other equally good small universities that will.</p>

4

<p>Your resume looks really interesting. I would suggest maybe getting a recommendation from the Lab at the University of Rochester and submitting it along with your other recommendations. That is something unique and impressive that other students will not have on their resumes. If you have a chance to visit, you should make an appointment to meet with the Biology faculty and let them know that you are interested and a little bit about your background. It show a tremendous amount of commitment for such a young person. </p>

<p>It would be a good thing to work on the critical reading practice exams for the SATs. If you could bring that score up, it would probably help. </p>

<p>Other than that, write a good and interesting essay. D wrote her essay about the day we adopted our dog. It was a funny story and admissions wrote her a note about how much they enjoyed the essay. Try to let admissions get to know who you are through your essay. It’s your chance in your own voice to show them what you will add to the Colgate community (ie your wit, your sensitivity, your intellect, whatever is unique about you).
Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much for you guys’ positive feedbacks. I would definitely try to get my CR scores up. Since Colgate is pretty generous with aid, more and more kids are applying from my country. Therefore, the competition is much tougher next year (this year, I think 8 or 9 kids from my country got in).</p>

<p>Do you guys know how strong the bio department at Colgate ?</p>