SAT I (breakdown): 2210 (one sitting) 790 M 740 CR 680 W
ACT: n/a
SAT II: 800 Math II, 790 Chem
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.9388
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 8/549
AP (place score in parenthesis): Chem-5 Calc AB-5 Calc BC-5 US History-5 Psych-5 English Lang.-5 Physics C: Mechanics-5 US Gov't-4 Human Geo-4
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP Macroecon, AP Microecon, AP English Lit, AP Physics C: E & M (independent study), AP Physics B, AP Stats, AP Environmental Science
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Achievement Semifinalist, National Merit Commended Student, Univ. of Rochester Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, 1st place in Chem Lab at Regional Science Olympiad, National AP Scholar
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Varsity Volleyball since 10th grade (Co-captain, plan to play at Harvard), National Honor Society (Vice President), ACS Chem Club (President), Science National Honor Society (President), National English Honor Society (2nd VP), JV Basketball 9th & 10th grade (co-captain)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteered with an organization that aids foreign refugees in adjusting to life here for one summer, assistant coach of a recreational basketball team, AP Chem tutor for 2 years, Girl's Volleyball manager
Summer Activities:
Essays: Common app - took the phrase "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" and showed how you shouldnt make lemonade when you can do more with lemons and then connected this to life and some of my experiences, Harvard supplement - reflected on the influences my mother has had on me
Teacher Recommendation: 3 recs, 1 from my AP Chem teacher which i thought was awesome, another from my Volleyball coach/Macro & Micro teacher which was also great, definitely showed alot about me, and another from my AP physics teacher for the past 2 years which i possibly could have done without
Counselor Rec: Pretty good i assume, he was my basketball coach for 2 years and knows me better than most counselors know their students
Additional Rec:
Interview: Thought it went very well, he was a nice guy and i thought i left a good impression as well as gave him info that may not have shown up in my application
Other
State (if domestic applicant): FL
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Black - Caribbean
Gender: M
Income Bracket: <$100,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, first generation
Reflection
Strengths: Recommendations, essays, the fact that i might not have had 1000 different extracurriculars like other applicants but that i was very active in the one's i did and had one's that related to what i wanted to study (engineering), AP's
Weaknesses: SAT I scores relative to everyone else it seems
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Just because
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: only Pittsburgh & Rose-Hulman so far
General Comments:
This is awesome! Congrats to those who got in and good luck to those deferred in the next round!
DECISION: DEFERRED
SAT I (breakdown): 2140 (m - 710, cr - 700, wr - 730)
ACT: didn't take
SAT II: Math II: 770, Chemistry: 780, Bio M: 790
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.97
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 4/526
AP (place score in parenthesis): none
IB (place score in parenthesis): none
Senior Year Course Load: most demanding
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): presidential award, best science student in school
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):Library prefect, readwide club (founder and president), muslim students association (president), school editorial board (script analyst), architectural designing (I learned to do it on my own), debate club (debater and treasurer of debate club), curious minds youth advocacy club (organizer), french club (co-founder and organizer)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service:
Summer Activities:
Essays: good
Teacher Recommendation: Did not read, but sure they were good
Counselor Rec: Did not read, but he was impressed with my volunteering to teach first and second years math and science. I think it was great
Additional Rec: none
Interview: didn't have
Other
State (if domestic applicant):
Country (if international applicant): Ghana
School Type: Large public
Ethnicity: African (Black)
Gender: XY
Income Bracket: <$10,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None.
Reflection
Strengths: nothing
Weaknesses: everything
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: dunno. think they want to compare me t other applicants from my side of the world.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: SCEA. I did not apply elsewhere.
Objective:
•SAT I (breakdown): I never took it
•ACT: 31
•SAT II: US History: 720, Literature: 630, World History: 630
•Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98
•Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 of 55
•AP (place score in parenthesis): There are not any AP offered at my school
•IB (place score in parenthesis): There are not any IB offered at my school
•Senior Year Course Load: Band, Physics, Personal Finance, Sociology, Calculus, College English, Spanish IV, Agriculture Communications
Supplemental:
•Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National FFA Band, 3rd Radio Districts, 5th Radio State
•Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):NHS (VP), Drama/Speech (VP), Math and Science (President), FFA (member), Spanish Club (member), Student Council (President), International Student Exchange (President), Miss Howard County Fair Queen 2011, Band (Loads of stuff, I don't want to list , Varisty Track for 4 years)
•Job/Work Experience: Lifeguard
•Volunteer/Community service: One summer volunteer at hospital, Teaches Uncles to read and write English in spare time.
•Summer Activities: Fair Queen, Lifeguard, Hospital Volunteer, Hanging with the friends
•Essays: Common App one was about my heritage. I am a first generation Afghan American woman, and the first to ever get an education period. I ended it with a quote in Pashto from my mother. (I speak Pashto fluently)
Supplement Essay was about my father being stationed overseas and how I have grown as a person because my mother had cancer while he was away. I had to step up and care for the family.
•Teacher Recommendation: Did not read, though one teacher has been my teacher ince 2nd grade.
•Counselor Rec: Did not read.
•Additional Rec: None
•Interview: It was alright I suppose. Kind of awkward. He said he would make sure the addmissions people knew my school was too small for AP and IB
Other
•State (if domestic applicant): MO
•Country (if international applicant):
•School Type: Public, very small, rural school
•Ethnicity: Afghan
•Gender: F
•Income Bracket: I don't know. 150k+?
•Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Afghan Woman, Unique EC of being Queen, no one has applied to any ivy from my school in living memory.
Reflection
•Strengths: Academics, Leadership/ ECs, Teacher rec, and probably my heritage.
•Weaknesses: Test scores!!!
•Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I have no idea. I guess it was because of how small my school is, my heritage (they did specifically say that they were looking for a diverse class), and my essays were pretty unique.
•Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Only my state school, Mizzou. I did not apply anywhere else
General Comments:
OH MY GOSSHH!!! It's so crazy. I just want to say that scores do not matter as much as we think. My scores were terrible, but I still got in! Never give up!
After ten years of dreaming, I finally got in. I found out at a home basketball game, and my school went nuts! I am the happiest person alive.
Please excuse the spelling mistakes. Spelling has never been a strong point of mine.
* SAT I (breakdown): 2380. CR: 780, M: 800, W: 800
* ACT:
* SAT II:Bio E 780, Math II: 800, Chem: 800, Physics: 760
* Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
* Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): probably 1 or 2. but school doesnt rank
* AP (place score in parenthesis): Stats (5), US (5), Physics B (5)
* IB (place score in parenthesis):
* Senior Year Course Load: H English, AP Spanish, AP Physics C Mechanics and E/M, AP Macro and Micro Economics, AP Calc BC, Sports Management
* Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist (230 PSAT highest in school, AP Scholar, Jefferson Scholarship Nomination, Brown book award, NSE Gold, Scholar Athlete Award, MANY mediocre mathletes and DECA awards
Subjective:
* Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): DECA (president), Mathletes (president for 2 years), Chinese Language Independent Study, 1 year crew, 3 years jv tennis, basketball, football, SUNY Old Westbury advanced college math program, many other random clubs, NHS, Spanish Honor Society, Interact, SciOly, MSG Varsity Reporter, School Store Treasurer, a bunch more
* Job/Work Experience: Sleep-Away Camp Counselor, TestTakers Stafff Assistant, Tutoring Business (self-created)
* Volunteer/Community service: hours not specified on app... American Cancer Society, school store, volunteering through Interact/Mathletes/ NHS etc.
* Summer Activities: Camper and then camp counselor
* Essays: common app essay about balancing social/academic, creative... Harvard supp about my photographic memory combined with math (experience walking in woods at camp)
* Teacher Recommendation: very good
* Counselor Rec: very good- talks about my decision to go to camp instead of doing scientific research (i dont want to be a scientist..)
* Additional Rec: none. sending my spanish teacher's a as a third rec after deferral.
* Interview: solid. some awkard moments but it lasted 2 hours and we had a lot of random talks. left him my honorable camp speech. he said "most kids would bring me a research paper filled with numbers i dont understand, im really glad u brought me this even though i know ur a math guy."
Other
* State (if domestic applicant): NY
* Country (if international applicant):USA
* School Type: Public
* Ethnicity: White
* Gender: Male
* Income Bracket: No FA
* Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): very very very all-around, which isnt much of a hook when it comes to Harvard.
Reflection
* Strengths: scores, gpa, well-rounded
* Weaknesses: toooo well-rounded? not extreme in one thing
* Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:Harvard loves extreme cases in one particular field... i guess i didnt stand out. maybe i over-did myself in my supplement and resume.
* Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
SAT I (breakdown): 2200 (760M, 740W, 700CR) one sitting
ACT: didn't take
SAT II: 800 math II, 790 Chem
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.90
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): none
AP (place score in parenthesis): Chem (5), Stats (5), Calc BC (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: special life sciences program + AP Physics C, AP Econ, AP Human Geography
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): TSA national awards (one 4th place, two 9th place,) TSA States (three 1st place, seven 2nd, two 3rd), a few local writing awards, global youth institute delegate, national French contest.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): TSA (state president, chapter treasurer), Church (Worship and discussion coordinator), Varsity Tennis (4 Varsity Letters, Most Important Player, All-Conference First Doubles, All-Division First Singles, Most Dedicated Player), Piano (Piano Solo Gold Cup, participates in competitions each year, leads worship at Church), Flute (Bernice Finch Band Award, Participates in NYSSMA, All-County Band, Area-All State Band, School Concert Band, Flute Choir), FFA (Vice President), Link Crew Leader, Key Club, Math Team, French Club.
Job/Work Experience: Internship at a research lab, waitress, camp counselor.
Volunteer/Community service: church worship and discussion, babysitting. Volunteer Research Assistant at molecular diagnostic lab.
Summer Activities: agriculture camp, internship, work
Essays: Common app was really good, supplement was okay
Teacher Recommendation: didn’t read, probably good
Counselor Rec: didn’t read, okay
Additional Rec: nope
Interview: great- she said that I’d fit in at Harvard and that she’d advocate for me.
Other
State (if domestic applicant): it’s a secret
Country (if international applicant): US
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: F
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none
Reflection
Strengths: ECs, leadership?
Weaknesses: test scores, not focused enough?
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: There are so many amazing applicants out there, I guess I didn’t appeal to them as much.
General Comments: CONGRATS TO ALL WHO GOT IN I wish you all best of luck. To those who got deferred, don’t give up, because I won’t! To all those who were denied admission: don’t worry, God has a plan for you, a plan that’s better than Harvard. I will now go study for my finals and keep working hard!
SAT II: MathII: 800, Chemistry: 800, Physics: 790, Biology-M: 780
Unweighted GPA: 97.9 out of 100 = 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 10%
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Biology (5), AP Chemistry (5), AP European History (5), AP U.S. History (5), AP Language and Composition (5)
Senior Year Course Load: AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Economics, AP French, Human Anatomy II, english
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 1. Bausch+Lomb Honorary Science Award, 2. Two time top 8% National Winner of National French Exam, 3. National Finalist USA Chemistry Olympiad, 4. AP Scholar with Distinction, 5. National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Varsity Tennis (4 years, Team Captain, two time MVP, 6th in State for doubles, All-Conference, Sectional Champion, Paid instructor); Research (Biomedical Research internship, ~140 hours volunteering, paid lab technician, spanned 2.5 years); Art (Local art awards, some commercial graphic design); Science Olympiad (3 years, President, Secretary, a couple regional awards); Model UN (3 years, Treasurer, Best Delegate, Conference Chair); Taekwondo (2nd degree black belt, various tournament awards) Piano(~11 years, no awards though); Peer tutoring; Math League; National Honor Society
Job/Work Experience: Paid technician in a research lab
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer in aforementioned research lab; hospital volunteer over the summer of 2011; Peer tutoring and NHS stuff
Summer Activities: Internship and work in research lab; trained for tennis season; reading; travel; volunteering
Essays: Good. Common app described my interest in art and science and how I combined the two. Supplement was about an experience in Taekwondo that changed my attitude towards challenges.
Teacher Recommendation: Sent three. Waived rights, but good I think.
Counselor Rec: Good I assume.
Additional Rec: Research mentor sent a letter.
Interview: Pretty good (my first one so nothing to compare it too..)
Other
State (if domestic applicant): NY
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Half asian half white! (Yay halfies )
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: no idea, not in the range for financial aid though
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
Reflection
Strengths: Test scores and grades, ECs, strength in languages?, unique essays
Weaknesses: Interview was probably weakest point; some ECs did not have much depth, lots of kids from my school applied
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: With so many qualified applicants, at some point it comes down to luck.
General Comments: SUPER excited. Still in shock though I think...
Last edited by pinkpetals; 12-16-2011 at 05:12 PM.
SAT II: 800 Math II, 780 US History, 770 World History, 760 Chemistry, 760 Math I
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.9
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 3%
AP (place score in parenthesis): US History (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP Psych, AP Calc BC, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English, AP Chinese
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist, and some smaller school awards, like the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Tennis (captain since junior year, first singles since freshman year, sportsmanship award), Viola (school orchestra first chair), Piano (sent a couple tracks)
Job/Work Experience: Tutor at a Chinese school, tennis camp counselor
Volunteer/Community service: Children's museum volunteer, coaching a 6-year-old boy with cerebral palsy in tennis, pediatrics volunteer at a hospital
Summer Activities: Tennis camps, tennis trip abroad to Spain, Summer@Brown, medical volunteering trip to Asia
Essays: My commonapp was about an experience I had while volunteering in Asia. My supplement was about how I want to major in anthropology but go to medical school; I used some anecdotes from volunteering in it as well. It also incorporated a "why Harvard" sort of thing.
Teacher Recommendation: One was from my APUSH teacher, one was from my physics teacher. They're both incredible people, and I had the best time in both classes, but I wasn't particularly close to my physics teacher. I guess it all worked out though!
Counselor Rec: My counselor's had two babies since I've been in high school, so I haven't gotten to know her too well. I had a lot of teachers send in comment forms so she could get a sense of who she was. She told me today that I was one of her favorites and that she was rooting for me!
Additional Rec: Nope
Interview: It was my first interview and very conversational and chill. I liked my interviewer a lot, even though she stood me up at first! (It was okay, she had just gotten a flat tire and her phone had died.) She ended up giving me a "completely positive evaluation" because I was a "perfect fit" (her words).
Other
State (if domestic applicant): MA
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Medium Public
Ethnicity: Chinese (I did put it on the app; I guess being Asian isn't too detrimental.)
Gender: F
Income Bracket: >180,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Nothing that comes to mind.
Reflection
Strengths: SAT scores, being an Asian girl who wants to major in anthropology, writing an essay that really showed why I wanted to go to Harvard
Weaknesses: I didn't know my recommenders too well, my EC's are a bit scattered, I've never gotten a major award, my gpa is below average for people in my school who have gone to Harvard, I'm not good enough at tennis for Harvard to care but I've spent a significant amount of time playing, my essays were both sort of about my volunteering trip, and there are many more!
Why you think you were accepted: Honestly, I'm not too sure why Harvard chose me over so many extremely qualified applicants who are probably more caring and nice and amazing than me. It may be that I play the viola, a less common instrument. It might be because of my SAT scores. It may be because I'm going to major in anthropology. It may be because of a lot of things, but I guess in the end, I just got lucky. Everything came together in just the right way for me to get accepted.
General Comments: I'm still in a state of awe. It's so very humbling to think that they chose me, that they voted and decided to admit me. I've only ever been rejected or waitlisted in my life (from private schools, NHS, summer programs), and this is a completely amazing first acceptance letter! I didn't believe that I would be admitted; I didn't even think I was going to apply to Harvard, at all, until September of this year. I guess what I've learned is that I can just be myself, and the college will see who you are and if you fit.
And, most importantly, thank you to everyone on CC! Though I haven't posted anything (I couldn't get myself to admit to anyone besides my counselor and two teachers that I was even applying to Harvard), everyone's posts were so helpful and great when I was applying. To everyone deferred or rejected: I anticipated being rejected so completely that I had convinced myself that I would be happy anywhere. And, you know, that's true! You guys are all rockstars, and you'll beast at any school you decide to go to. Best of luck!
Last edited by nomorekidsplay; 12-16-2011 at 05:15 PM.
Reason: spelling
SAT I: 2350 (800 W, 11 essay, 790 CR, 750 M) single sitting
ACT: N/A
SAT II: Bio M: 800, US History: 800, Literature: 760, Math II: 770, Spanish: 730
Unweighted GPA: No idea, we weigh ours, pretty close to 4.0 though, if not 4.0.
Rank: 1/187
AP: World History (5) US History (5) Biology (5) English Lit (5)
IB: N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calculus AB, AP Chemistry, AP Physics B (online course through VHS, only 3 of us take it), AP Spanish Language, AP English Language, and Theology (required)
Major Awards: Harvard Book Award
Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Varsity Cross Country 10-12, Varsity Indoor Track 9-12, Varsity Tennis 9-12 (Captain), Humanitarian Club 10-12
Job/Work Experience: Working in a country club snack bar 10-20 hrs/week during the past 2 summers. I mentioned that I opened and closed and handled a lot of the money and restocking on my own.
Volunteer/Community service: About 50 hours at a K-8 after school program. Importantly, I exceeded my school's community service requirements.
Summer Activities: See work above.
Essays: Common app essay was about my nerves my first time giving a speech, but how I became comfortable with public speaking and now I actually enjoy it and want to find a use for it past high school. Everyone who read it loved it (though I'm sure that could be said for any essay by a Harvard applicant), and I felt like I mixed humor and gravity, and narration and introspection very well.
My Harvard supplement was an essay written mostly in the second person about how running has become an obsession and almost a drug. Again, very high quality by all accounts, but that could be said for most essays. At any rate, it reflects another major part of my life, which (I think) humanized me for admissions.
Teacher Recommendation: One by history teacher and tennis coach for a year - he absolutely loved me, as a student and an athlete, and I feel he knows a lot about me. He's also a very... animated individual, so I suspect his recommendation was colorful and memorable, if he writes how he talks. The second was by my biology teacher of two years, who also oversees the Humanitarian Club. She's a more analytical type, so I think her recommendation offered a good juxtaposition with my first one, and probably revealed my interest and aptitude in science.
Counselor Rec: We've gotten to know each other well enough, but I'm not sure when she wrote it, and how well she knew me at the time. I'm sure it was nice, but probably not anything dazzling.
Additional Rec: Nope
Interview: It went very well. It was my interviewer's first time giving an interview, and I think she was more nervous than I was (but not in an off-putting kind of way, from her point of view). We talked for an hour, and actually got off topic on a rather interesting and intellectual discussion of our own politics. She spent a lot of the time laughing, so I imagine I got a very good review from her.
Other
State: MA
School Type: Private, Catholic, <800 students. We've gotten at least one student into Harvard each of the past several years, at least as far back as most teachers and counselors can remember.
Ethnicity: White (complete WASP...)
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: $200,000+
Hooks: None
Reflection
Strengths: Academics, essays
Weaknesses: Extracurriculars/volunteering
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think the fact that Harvard has a history of accepting a student each year from my school helped enormously. Other than that, I like to think, although I don't have any amazing awards or college courses or hooks or athletic ability, that I'm an ideal Ivy applicant: Top of my class, great scores, solid extracurriculars, high quality writing, a general interest in academics, and even just life in general. I made it clear that I don't sit around and waste my life.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Nowhere
General Comments: It's amazing how something like this can completely change your worldview almost instantly, and I've had the best 24 hours, what with literally hundreds of people congratulating me. I was almost positive I'd be deferred, but now I'm withdrawing my other apps and mailing in my deposit; I'm beyond ecstatic. The Harvard sticker's now on the back of my car To everyone else here, congratulations if you got in, I'll be seeing you soon, and good luck if you didn't. Your deferral/rejection isn't a reflection of any lacking of your own, but rather a tragic side effect of the limited size of elite schools like Harvard. Just the fact that you peruse CC says that you take an interest in your future, and that alone puts you ahead of the pack and ensures that you''ll succeed wherever you go, with whatever you do.
SAT II: 800 Bio M, 800 Chem, 780 Math II, 780 USH, 770 French
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 5
AP (place score in parenthesis): Bio (5), Chem (5), Euro (5), English Lang & Comp (5), USH (5), French (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: AP Physics B, AP English Lit & Comp, AP Econ, AP Calc BC, Advanced French Lit
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NMSF, USABO semi-finalist, Bausch + Lomb Medal, and several other school awards
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Tutor co-chair of NHS, Chem Club, Chem 4 Kids, news editor/staff-writer for school newspaper, art classes, Russian language/literature lessons, member of Jewish Student Union, USY (board member of synagogue’s USY)
Job/Work Experience: none
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer rhythmic gymnastics coach since 8th grade (rhythmic gymnast until 8th grade), summer volunteer at local hospital (~60 hrs), volunteer tutor
Summer Activities: Camps until sophomore year, Genesis at Brandeis summer program junior year, volunteering at hospital summer before senior year
Essays: I thought my common app was pretty unique and creative; my supplement was very rushed and not polished enough probably…
Teacher Recommendation: Didn’t see either, but both should be good; one from my English teacher and one from chem teacher
Counselor Rec: Should be ok, he likes me
Additional Rec: n/a
Interview: Not great…but decent
Other
State (if domestic applicant): CT
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White (first generation American)
Gender: F
Income Bracket: ~180,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None
Reflection
Strengths: Scores, course load, common app essay
Weaknesses: ECs, lack of a clear passion and interest, don’t think I really addressed why I want to go to Harvard
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Probably just didn’t stand out enough among a really strong and interesting applicant pool
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted UConn Honors, waiting on RD schools
SAT II: 700 Literature, 730 Math 1, 740 US History
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):1/356
AP (place score in parenthesis):US History (5), Literature (4)
Senior Year Course Load: most rigorous available, but school only offers a few AP/advanced classes.
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): highest rating at state competition on solo(opera), highest rating on ensemble at state competition(singing, won this with 5 other girls), won international scholarship for summer program, participated in selective summer program for "top" students in the state, won talent show 2 years in a row (not really major award...lol)
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): National Honor Society (president), Choir (Section Leader), Book Club, Spanish Club, Music Appreciation, Club, Key Club, Math and Science club, teach golf and mentor kids, dental shadowing, traveling competition choir, music producing, video editing... I take lessons in music and train extensively in guitar, piano, drums, and voice
Job/Work Experience: helped develop music website with brother, worked as "apprentice" in real estate business
Volunteer/Community service: volunteered at woman's shelter, elementary school carnival and rodeo volunteer, Christmas parade volunteer, organized field trip and play for National Reading Day, Planned series of events for teacher appreciation week, helped organize activity day with special needs, peer tutor, mentor kids, teach golf
Summer Activities: summer programs..
Essays: The main common app essay was about how father working 4,000 miles away from home for 9 years influenced my work ethic. I thought it was pretty good. For the Harvard supplemental essay I actually attached a research paper that I had done for an English class. The essay was about education reform. It may not have been the "liveliest" or entertaining essay, but it was very well written.
Teacher Recommendation: good
Counselor Rec: no idea, but probably pretty good. I haven't known the counselor very long, but he seemed impressed with me.
Additional Rec: good. evaluation from a professor that taught at a summer program I attended.
Interview: okay
Other
State (if domestic applicant): TX
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: public, never sent student to Ivy League
Ethnicity: African American
Gender:F
Income Bracket:middle class
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM
Reflection
Strengths: SAT 1, passion for music and education
Weaknesses: lack of high profile awards, lack of lots of community service
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:my weaknesses, they can't take everyone
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: UT Austin (Heath Science Honors Program), UAB, Baylor
General Comments: I will take this as a rejection and get all my safety schools in order. I cried for a few minutes.. ah but c'est la vie, life goes on. Maybe that school in Connecticut will take me.. lol
"Never fall in love with a school that has a single digit admit rate" - wise words from a College Confidential poster.
Last edited by Sprinter246; 12-16-2011 at 07:46 PM.
Reason: added some things.
IB (place score in parenthesis): full diploma (38)
Senior Year Course Load: all IB
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): lots sports, music
Job/Work Experience: lots, need support family
Volunteer/Community service:some
Summer Activities:work
Essays: standadrd
Teacher Recommendation: didnt see
Counselor Rec:didnt see
Additional Rec:no
Interview: 40 mins
Other
State (if domestic applicant):
Country (if international applicant):Canada
School Typeublic
Ethnicity:Chinese
Gender:M
Income Bracket: 0
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
Reflection
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
General Comments:
I'm really not in the mood to fill this all up. But because I pledged... Im not coming to CC ever again. Good luck with your lives, guys. Cheers.
I apologize for the terseness, just don't feel like putting specifics out there!
Decision: Accepted
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2360; 800CR/760M/800W/12E
ACT:
SAT II: 800, 800, 790
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2
AP (place score in parenthesis): 5s on 8 exams
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: 8 AP Courses
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NMSF/NAS, state and national awards in all my ECs, and a national award for community service
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): PM for details.
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service: founded a community organization that reaches out to injured veterans, 500+ hours over the past 4 years
Essays: Wrote the common app main the day it was due; I scrapped my original essay at the last minute. Supplement was strong though--went through several drafts.
Teacher Recommendation: Peeked at one—apparently my English teacher called me the reincarnation of Langston Hughes hahaha
Counselor Rec: Didn’t see
Additional Rec: n/a
Interview: We had the same favorite book! Haha we spent like an hour discussing anti-heros in Romantic literature
Other
State (if domestic applicant): TX
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: large public
Ethnicity: African American/Black
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: Upper middle, if we’re using the Thompson-Hickey Model here
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM
Reflection
Strengths: academics, recs
Weaknesses: No sports, rushed common app essay
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: God!
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: UT-Plan II
General Comments: This was the only thing on my wish list haha! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions!
SAT II: 800 Chemistry, 800 Math II, 780 Physics, 780 US History, 740 French
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/626
AP (place score in parenthesis): Thirteen 5's (don't feel like listing them all)
IB (place score in parenthesis): None
Senior Year Course Load: 6 AP classes
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Nothing worth noting, really.
Job/Work Experience: Private violin teacher and SAT tutor
Volunteer/Community service: Nothing much.
Summer Activities: Nothing spectacular. Interned for an entire summer with the county DA. Not much else.
Essays: Common App was on mock trial; supplement was on puzzles.
Teacher Recommendation: Mock trial coach/chemistry teacher + French teacher I've known since freshman year.
Counselor Rec: Counselor loves me. She told me she'd do what she could to highlight my personality.
Additional Rec: None.
Interview: Nice conversation.
Other
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public (about 3,000 kids)
Ethnicity: Asian-American (not stated on Common App, though can be easily inferred)
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: About 90-100 thousand
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc): None. Being Asian is probably an anti-hook, if anything.
Reflection
Strengths: Scores, GPA, courseload
Weaknesses: EC's, Community Service, lack of major awards
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: No clue at all.
Where else were you accepted/deferred/rejected: Accepted at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Of course, the majority of acceptance/waitlist/rejections come in the spring.
General Comments:
Not really sure what to say. Part of me was expecting it (given the 2/3rds deferral rate). Part of me wasn't. Even though Harvard isn't close to the top of my list of schools (way. too. cold.), it's still numbing to think about it. I couldn't imagine how I'd react if Harvard were in fact my top choice.
I do take a bit of solace in the fact that all the people who were "sure" I'd get in are now a bit more familiar with just how cutthroat Ivy League admissions are. Not much solace, though.
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