your stats, please?-Canadians aiming for US schools

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>It is extremely hard to have clear ideas on safe gpas, the right number of sats/aps, good sat/ap scores, EC, etc, when one wants to go to US schools. Few highschools in Canada offer AP/Honor programs, class ranks, and US converted marks...</p>

<p>Could we start posting our (either brief or detailed) stats just so we could compare and 'begin' to figure out our chances? All grades, especially current grades 12 and 11 welcome. </p>

<p>Here go the example of wanna know list:</p>

<p>============
area: Toronto
school: ve-ry tough public high-school w 1200 students in 3 grades
school program: No ap or honor. Nothing of help
grade: 11
gpa: 91.4/ 91.4 in grade 10 -- grade 12 advanced function and 11 physcis included.
sat: not yet, practice test around 2150 three months ago.
sat ii: math ii 800/ physics 780/ korean 800 this november (No Korean at home)
ap: self studying to take calculus BC and physics B or C(mechanics), next May
EC:<br>
hobby:
award:
race:<br>
to major:</p>

<h1>to note:</h1>

<p>Please.</p>

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<p>area: Vancouver
school: public high w 1200 students in 4 grades
school program: AP
grade: 12
gpa: 4.00/4.33 (u,w)
sat: did not write (ACT 32)
sat ii: math ii 800/ physics 800
ap: Physics C M 5, Physics E&M 5
EC and award: please see: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/new-york-university/802069-hi-guys-mind-chance-me-plz-stern-ed.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/new-york-university/802069-hi-guys-mind-chance-me-plz-stern-ed.html&lt;/a&gt;
race: Chinese
to major: finance/economics/math</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

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<p>area: Vancouver/Coquitlam
school: IB World School
school program: IB
grade: 12
gpa: 92 average, 3.8 GPA accumulative
sat: 2270
sat ii: math ii 760/ physics 800/ Chemistry 780
ap: lol wut?
EC: Alot of leadership stuff, volunteer hours, the like.
hobby: Not much, just self studying quantum mechanics
award: Not much, some math contest stuff, honour roll, work habits, recognition in excellency in some courses, the like.
race: Korean
to major: Chemistry/Physics/Biology/Dunno
to note: Nothing much</p>

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<p>Glad to see replies :slight_smile: I now realize that academically superb Canadian students who go for US schools are out there and that I have to work harder…</p>

<p>@jessica990909, I chanced you. Perhaps you could have considered reaching for a higher shcool, not that Stern is not good…
@Raddd, have you applied ED/EA yet? if so, where? thanx.</p>

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<p>prjiki, thanks for chancing me! Frankly, your stats are really good already. My SAT prep score barely reaches 2050, so I will say that you, who scored 2150+, are in way better shape than I am. After all, you still have a year to prepare and to improve.
Also, the fact that you are considering about applying US schools in your junior year puts you ahead of the game…(shame on me! I was still thinking about going to SFU in my junior year.) So what’s you target school? :)</p>

<p>P.S.Radddd:Hey I’m in Coquitlam as well!! Which school are you attending? I’m at Pinetree and Douglas.</p>

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<p>@Jessica990909, I am thinking of majoring in physics theory at MIT, Caltech, Johns Hopkins, etc, which are very high hopes :slight_smile: Any univ within top 30-40 that gives me 4 year scholarship is more than appreciated, actually. </p>

<p>By the way, Can you tell me which is more difficult, sat 2 physics or ap physics B? Or if you could get a perfect score in sat 2 physics you are pretty safe with ap physics B? I know that you have not taken ap physics B so you might not know. But I do not think I can complete self-studying 2 ap physics c’s by next May, which you did. Physics E&M is pretty tough for me…</p>

<p>Thanx.</p>

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<p>For Physics B, I felt that it’s mostly about memorizing. At first I actually registered for B but I eventually realized that it has way too many small units (ex: thermal dynamics, mirrors and lens, waves, etc). so I contacted my teacher and switched to C. I think that if you can handle the small units pretty well you should be fine for B. Also, B may serve as a prep for SAT Physics.</p>

<p>As for C, it is less diverse but more intensive. The M and E&M questions are more challenging and usually involve some basic calculus. But really, I didn’t–and unfortunately still don’t-- know much calculus. Just learn some derivative and integral formulae and you are ready to go. </p>

<p>And relax, self-study definitely works. The so-called “Physics AP” course offered at my school is almost the same as Physics regular (except the fact that AP students get 3% bonus for no apparent reason-_-|||)…as for prep book, I strongly suggest The Princeton’s Review. (hmm, don’t worry I’m not trying to sell my second hand book to you). The Review covers all topics AP will possibly test you on, and the sample questions are extremely well chosen–one of the sample written question showed up on my real AP test!!
The two other prep book I found, the 5-steps-to-a-5, and Kaplan (?) weren’t as good.</p>

<p>For SAT prep…don’t go for Kaplan. I don’t even know what words to choose to describe that book…800 on that prep probably = 600 on the real test. Printing that book is a waste of natural resources.</p>

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<p>forgot to answer these:</p>

<h2>I think Physics B is harder…SAT Physics does not require as much prep as B. I prep’ed for AP first, and then started studying for SAT. </h2>

<h2>Same…I found E&M harder than M. But after all, we are not trying to score 100%. I left some written and MC blank on both C exams.</h2>

<p>wow MIT!! I would kill to get into it if I were going to Physics. Good luck buddy! How’s your other stats? ie. math/physics awards</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot for all the valuable info. Now I am definitely considering taking both physics c’s and dropping physics b. I am taking ‘calculus n vectors’ this semester, and that might help… </p>

<p>MIT is a dream, really… As I said earlier, whichever top 30-40 school willing to give me financial aid of some sort is my choice. Even if I enter a not-so-hot undergrad, I can move on to a hot graduate school after that, I hear. American univs are too expensive…</p>

<p>area: Toronto
school: ve-ry tough public high-school w 1200 students in 3 grades
school program: No ap or honor. Nothing of help
grade: 11
gpa: 91.4/ 91.4 in grade 10 – grade 12 advanced function and 11 physcis included.
sat: not yet, practice test around 2150 three months ago, after studying ‘hard’ for 4<br>
weeks.
sat ii: math ii 800/ physics 780/ korean 800 this november (No Korean language at home)
ap: self studying to take ‘calculus BC’ and ‘physics B or C(mechanics)’ for the May tests</p>

<p>EC: lots a tutoring, summer camp counselor(gr 10), a non-science(!) article in a korean science magazine(10), 60 hours of science article translation for a broadcasting company, chess club co-chair for 1 semester, ski instructor certificate to earn this winter, Going to apply for a prestigious science/math summer camp, nothing outstanding, though…In total, 160 hours of volunteering so far. </p>

<p>hobby: tennis(beginner), acoustic guitar(beginner), ski(advanced)</p>

<p>award: 3 (subject) distinction awards last year, district’s summer science program participation (8), essay contest grand prize within school – nothing national level or brilliant </p>

<p>to major: physics theory</p>

<p>to note: My school is not knowledgeable/supportive about US school appplication, which is hard on me… Both registration and testing take place elsewhere.</p>

<p>As for contests, my father somehow disapproved of them and told me not to take any, and I was obedient enough to listen. Now I changed my mind and began taking the contests this year. I took COMC a few weeks ago and plan to write all the Waterloo exams and also physics contests. Hopefully I win something. Swarmed with exams…</p>

<p>Btw, one of my classmates in 12 physics applied ED for Michigan Ann Arbor engineering and got accepted a week ago. He had 90+ gpa, sat 2,250, sat physics 800, sat USH 750, excellent EC, but NO aps, and NO sat2 math. He is waiting to hearing from Cornell(!). Have you heard any good news re ED?</p>

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<p>=) Finally found a Canadian thread, I’ve actually been looking.</p>

<p>Montreal, Quebec</p>

<p>SAT I 800 CR 800 M 770 W
SAT II 800 Math IIC 800 Chem 770 Bio M
GPA 94/100 Rank top 5%</p>

<p>Top school in province, but offers no AP
Rec letters should be okay</p>

<p>ECs: chess (1st national U18), placed well in some math competitions, 200h volunteering, badminton school team, a lot of tutoring</p>

<p>Majoring in biology (hopefully double major in bio/math)</p>

<p>Applied SCEA to Yale</p>

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<p>prjiki: yes, taking a Calculus course definitely helps! if you can handle Calc BC then the so-called “calculus” on the Physcis exams will be a piece of cake. :wink: maybe just see if you can take a look at Physics C Prac Exam/Prep books so you can estimate a timeline for preparation (sry for the rambling…I didn’t manage time properly when I was preparing)
your ECs look quite solid. btw, I took COMC as well as other contests such as Euclid, ASMA, and Cayley, and I put down some of the math awards in my app. Hopefully they would help.</p>

<p>and…no unfortunately I’m still waiting anxiously for my ED mail. NYU says that it will START mailing today -_-…it may take the mail a while to get to me. <em>sigh</em> </p>

<p>Canadiankid: wow brilliant stats! 2340 SAT, 1st chess…GL!</p>

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<p>@jessica: Thanks for your wishes, best of luck to you too! And thats a 2370 SAT =P</p>

<p>@prjiki: Don’t worry about your school. My school don’t send a lot of people to the US either…just plan ahead, apply early and hope! =D</p>

<p>GO CANADA!</p>

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<p>Toronto…</p>

<p>SAT I - 2230 - CR 740 M 740 W 750
SAT II - 780 Bio E, 670 literature(needs to be improved:P)
GPA: combined from gr9 to present… around 93%
Rank top 5%, just because our school doesnt really track this kind of info
Two of them unsure, probably just “good”, but 1 one of them is awesome I think</p>

<p>Major ECs: president/founder of youth in action club which is trying to build a school in sri lanka(raised 5000$ so far)(2 years), president/co-founder of DECA(4 years), vice-president of muslim student association(4 years)</p>

<p>Majoring in: who knows lol</p>

<p>Applied Yale SCEA </p>

<p>typing all this info gives me a bit of hope =P, but then i realize that i am hook-less, dont have amaaazing sat scores, and we’re back to very little hope lol</p>

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<p>@jessica: I went over your stats again and you do have an amazing EC… especially since you are a recent immigrant…
Btw, I see that you are studying Microeconomics at a local college this semester, which should require travel time within school hours. How do u manage? A night school? Plus, do u pay for it? What is the point of taking it since it would not count? Sorry for asking perhaps stupid questions…</p>

<p>@ Canadiankid, your CR score “SAT I 800 CR 800 M 770 W” kills me.
And, about your “GPA 94/100 Rank top 5%”: Are you serious? You should rank top 1%. Is this official? Cause I received subject distinction award for 3 classes for one 90, one 94, and the last 99 for gr 10, which means even a mark of 90 is top 1 percent, I have no clue how to interprete our canadian gpa. Very very few get over 90 gpa at my school. And this is definitely not percentile. So, wth is this? Do US univs acknowledge this at all?</p>

<p>Writing the above makes me ask this question to u all: How do they convert our canadian gpa into US gpa?</p>

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<p>@pakalypse: Yay, Toronto! Unbeatable ECs and impressive CR score! Even though your hook seems a bit blurry, Yale could want you for your ECs. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>I am at Port Moody School (the only IB school near there). </p>

<p>No I have not applied EA/ED due to financial constraints (I don’t want to be landed with a crappy financial package with no way out). I am applying regular decision. Sending in applications next week.</p>

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<p>@Canadiankid9: lol sry I just can’t add 3digit #'s =D <em>sigh…the highest I ever got on a prac exam is like 2050ish. so jealous of you</em>
@pakalyse: I agree with prjiki. U stat is amazing.
@Radddd: Hey I actually thought about going to Port Moody for IB! which schools are you going to apply to? I applied to NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Boston, etc. any college in common?
@prjiki: thanks! but I only have one leadership EC <em>terrified</em>…I’m stalking my mailman now. </p>

<p>And you are right: I’m attending night school at a community college. The course only requires me to travel once/week (so about 1.5h driving+3h class=4.5h/week, not too bad :D). Since it’s a no-name community college, it’s fairly cheap compare to other universities ($260 for the WHOLE course lol). btw I paid the tuition using my provincial scholarship, which can’t be cashed out if I go to the US. So…rather than let the scholarship rot…<em>cough</em>…yeah I was just trying to find somewhere to spend it…-_-|||</p>

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<p>SAT I - 2230 - CR 730 M 770 W 730
SAT II - 800 Math II, 780 Chem, 730 Phys
GPA: I believe around like 90 or 91, had a 93 in gr 11 with 4 grade 12 courses (calc, func, french, philo), school translated to a 4.0
Rank: 6/369
IB: 7 Math SL, 6 French SL (took these May 2009)
Rec: Should be good. Disappointed in the one my calc teacher gave me, never checked anything in the top 1% box even though I got 99 in both gr 12 calc and functions that she taught me.</p>

<p>Major ECs: Volunteer instructor to teach disabled children how to swim for the last 4 years, tutoring, hospital work (sent a few reports to the city of toronto - pandemic & environmental reports etc, helped design their intranet), leader in french club, exchange program with quebec, research paper under 2 PhDs, a bunch of math and chem awards. Volunteer time is around 500-700 hours (I never did both to collect/count them all).</p>

<p>Major: Economics </p>

<p>Yale SCEA. In hindsight I should have got an additional rec from one of my research mentors (prominent economist from Yale)…but whatever.</p>

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<p>“@Radddd: Hey I actually thought about going to Port Moody for IB! which schools are you going to apply to? I applied to NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Boston, etc. any college in common?”</p>

<p>Applying to Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Rice, University of southern california. Hoping for Johns Hopkins & Northwestern the most. U of Chicago is a plus, and any Ivy league is a plus (although I’d choose JHU or NWU over em for personal reasons). USC is only with the president’s scholarship.</p>

<p>Only thing I’m worried about is gr 9 and 10 marks. I kind of slacked off there but there’s a huge trend in rising grades from 11 and 12. </p>

<p>My ECs aren’t the greatest, but they’re decent (around 4 leadership positions in clubs). It’s nowhere close to some of the crazy kids in our school who run everything. </p>

<p>Rec letters were fairly good. One teacher just chose to focus on musical talents and commitment to band. Other was a more general one outlining ECs, capabilities in chemistry and in other course works, and a general very very well written letter. (I wasn’t supposed to look at these, but they showed em to me, asking for input >.>, and they even saw the confidentiality signature which doesn’t allow me to see em). </p>

<p>Common App essay was a joke at first (my two friends just laughed) but after a week of hard editting and refocusing my topic, everyone thought it was a well written and honest account of my life. Got 20+ people to look at it (no joke) including the top writers in the school, couple of teachers, and a few people I know from elsewhere. They liked the twist in it too.</p>

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<p>@jessica: haha take a guess who I am?</p>

<p>area: BC
school: l’ecole suburbia
school program: AP
grade: 12
gpa: 93~94?
sat: 2330
sat ii: 3180 from 4 tests
ap: 3 5’s 2 4’s
EC: nothing major…science fairs? some volunteers, one leadership
hobby:badminton, tennis, (fantasy) soccer
award: some math contests, science fairs
race: Chinese
to major: Math
to note: You guys outnumber me in EC/Awards/credentials/life story. This thread makes me depressed over my chance at top schools.
I’m going to apply to Penn, HYPMS, Chicago, Amherst, Swarthmore, Caltech and Mudd.</p>

<p>Canadians on this board are simply amazing=]</p>