WOW! HYP are too far away!

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Wassup? Need some recommendations for safety schools, so help me! So, here it goes:</p>

<p>A Korean guy (I noticed that there are a lot around this site)- senior- studying in a German boarding school; (my 5th year now, wow)
Languages: English, German, Korean</p>

<p>Academics: Predicted Grades (we don't have GPA over here..)
IB English A1 HL - 7
IB German B SL - 7
IB Economics SL - 7
IB Biology HL - 7
IB Physics HL - 7
IB Mathematics HL - 7</p>

<p>SATs:
SAT I 760 (Reading) 800 (Math) 700 (Writing)
SAT IIs are coming up this Decmeber..****</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
-Round Square (11,12) - Main Organizer in various fund raisers
-Social Service (10,11,12) - Social Worker in old people's asylum
-Model United Nations (10,11,12)
-Debating Society (11,12) - Participation in Oxford Union Workshop
-Basketball (8,10,11,12)
-Fencing (10,11)
-Badminton (10,11,12)
-Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Scheme
-Jazz Band (11) - realized that I don't really like it, and stopped
-Orchestra (7,10) - realized that I dont really like it, and stopped
-Arts Club - Sculpturing (11,12)
-Chess Club (11,12)
-Math Club (11,12)</p>

<p>Awards:
-Various Awards for 'Excellence in Achievements'
-Golden Award in several regional mathematical competitions back in Korea - when I was really young, I wonder if that still counts..</p>

<p>Remarks;
- Skipped the 9th grade
- Enrollement in Gifted Educational Centre - an achievement of which I'm actually quite proud - 20 students were selected in Seoul - although it was like in the 7th grade..
- Used to play Ice Hockey in a club team, but that was also some time ago..sadly, we got no hockey team in my school over here...</p>

<p>Essays:
- About my experience as a social worker and how this old German lady has helped me develop the sense of responsibility, understanding etc.
- About my home back in Korea and how this place of valuable recollections has influenced my goals etc. + my feeling of responsibility as a Korean living in Germany + passion for economics and politics by MUN, by rereading Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations several times...
- About my addiction with books</p>

<p>Interests:
- A fan of gym, drawing and sculpturing
- Well, although I have interests in sciences, I would like to study something like economics or politics or perhaps do a dual major thing..'</p>

<p>So that was a brief list of my stats and I'm planning to apply for Harvard, Georgetown, Duke, Dartmouth, Cornell, UCLA, UC Berk, Brown, Northwestern, MIT, and several English colleges including Cambridge, my first choice being Harvard.</p>

<p>However, as all those schools are freaking hard to get into, I need some safety schools in US. Although my older brother is an American studying in Hotchkiss, I've been to US once in my life when I was like 10 and I've got no idea about other US colleges except for those listed above. So, recommend me some safety schools - universities in California would be preferable (hey, is it true that they are lots of hot chicks there? :)) - and I would be more than glad!!</p>

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<p>hey, another Korean guy! ha ha.
Well, the golden awards, if before 9th grade, sorry, but they would be useless.
Your essay about Adam Smith sounds wierd, but I guess it could work...
Overall, I'd say maybe the lower tiers of the Ivies, but the others would be reach schools.</p>

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<p>Read the Wealth of Nations and you would be amazed at this guy Adam Smith's ability fill one entire page with a single sentnce. It's quite entertaining!</p>

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<p>BTW, any safety schools u know I might get into?</p>

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<p>wow there are a lot of koreans in CC (I'm korean too)</p>

<p>Your SAT scores are decent, but without gpa it's hard to evaluate. I'd still say UCLA/Berk = safe match for you. </p>

<p>You've been to US only once? You are very fluent in English.</p>

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<p>And I am assuming you are a Korean citizen? With your stats I'd say you are in at Koryeoh and Yonsei university (if you don't mind going to college in korea). :D</p>

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<p>Well, you see, in this German boarding school, we don't have GPAs and we don't really rank the students...Oh, well, but my grades are pretty decent since only like 80 students out of all 35000 IB diploma candidates actually achieve all 7s every year. BUT!! Predicted grades, they say, are always somewhat higher than the actual scores you get at the end. However, while English colleges make you an offer on certain amount of actual IB points - usually like 38 or 40 for Oxbridge - you need to be accepted, all you need for US colleges are your predicted grades. I like that :). One thing that really bothers me about US, though, is the 21 year old drinking age. Hello~!whats up with that? Here, 16 year olds are allowed to drink beer and it really depresses me to think that I won't be able to drink until I graduate college in US!</p>

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<p>I'd rather kill myself before going to those colleges after all that time in Germany</p>

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<p>dont be fooled, everyone @ US colleges drinks, regardless of age (if they choose to do so).</p>

<p>There aren't really any repercussions if you get caught either (obviously if you're driving, thats another story).</p>

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<p>Nobody here knows a decent californian university to which I can apply for safety? Hard to believe..</p>

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<p>Enrollement in Gifted Educational Centre - an achievement of which I'm actually quite proud - 20 students were selected in Seoul --> Oh yeah... I know of those. To get into 과고, 외고.</p>

<p>Anyways, a good safety UC college would be UCLA... there a BUNCH of Koreans there, more than any other minority. Plus, you got 7 in every single IB, which I applaud.</p>

<p>PS: You might want to try and not sound arrogant in your essay, especially with Adam Smith (history teachers may be amused, but also may be ****ed and annoyed). Try to sound as passionate as possible, within the boundaries of modesty (which is HARD to achieve). Anyways, best of luck ;)</p>

<p>Kowloon</p>

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<p>Lol don't worry about drinking. Particularly at the campus based schools (Princeton, Dartmouth, Stanford, Penn, etc) alcohol is available all the time. Its never a problem.</p>

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<p>bump bump, is UC Berk really hard to get into? all I hear around are myths, more myths and some more myths, especially something about being disadvanted for not being a Californian or something..</p>

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<p>You really predict straight 7's? That's an absolutely ridiculous prediction to make. Will colleges even take that seriously?</p>

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<p>Predicted grades in IB are given by my teachers and the school I attend...I didn't give myself those scores...</p>

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<p>UCLA and UCB are not safeties, since you are not a CA resident. Why don't you look at USC and the Claremont colleges.</p>

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<p>Just another quick question, boys and girls. If Harvard sends you its brochure, a letter asking you to apply and the list of its alumni for scheduling the interview, does that actually mean that the college is interested in you? If you get e-mails from Harvard Minority Recruitment Program, does it MEAN that the college wants you? OR, does the college just send this sort of things all around the world to students with high SAT scores so that they can just increase the number of its applicants? In fact, does it mean anything at all? </p>

<p>Harvard was like a very very high reach school for me and the feeble hope I have of getting in there is partially based on this sort of communication..I would just like to know whether or not I'm relying on something completely meaningless...AM I?</p>

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<p>if ur predicted all 7s then ur gpa is 4.0 UW and 5.0 Weighted on a 5.0 scale. lol.</p>

<p>but ur extra 3 points might hurt you.</p>

<p>ur ECs are mediocre.</p>

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<p>chlee1991, Harvard sends those to many thousands of people. it is just to get their name out and encourage people to apply. it does not mean that they are looking at you in particular.</p>

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<p>Any other comments on my chances of getting into those universities or any recommendations for safety schools? come on~~</p>