Forget about NASA SHARP?

simfish · 12-10-2004, 07:50 PM

Chinese Male sophomore (yes, this already reduces my chances to around 5%)
GPA: 3.98 (for 9th grade, I currently have A-'s in both calculus and chemistry (not due to lack of ability, but more so because I suffered a temporary period of decline due to terrible time-management)). I expect my grade in calculus to go up to an A; as for chemistry, it remains unknown.

Courses:

8th grade: Integrated I A/A
8th grade summer: Integrated II A
9th grade: Pre-IB Advanced Alg./trig A/A-, Physical Science ( no other choice) A/A.
9th grade summer: Pre-Calculus A
10th grade: IB Math Methods SL (Calculus), Pre-IB Chemistry. C++ (easy A)

Intensely self-motivated, but this really won't show up until I take AP exams which I'm self-studying for. I expect personal statements to include exclamation points to contain enthusiasm. While I am quite enthusiastic, I still haven't achieved much success as of yet.

SAT I: 690 Verbal, 640 Math. hopefully, PSAT math score will eliminate any negative impact of my relatively low SAT I Math score.
PSAT: Grrr, I won't see them until January. However, I expect almost perfect for math. OTOH, I may have screwed up on Verbal.
SAT II Math IIC: Have yet to see; but test was extremely easy.

Member of both math team and science team. However, I still have yet to win any awards (I did win a team award placing 8th/9th on state but it was primarily because a USAMO qualifier was on my team too but I'll include it anyways because it's better than nothing). I plan on using the winter break to prep for math competitions, and then I may be able to see an entry into the AIME and imaybe a ranking in the state math competition. However, they may be too late to save my application.

Recommendations - uncertain. Asperger's Syndrome may hurt me. Teachers are very friendly but who knows about "just being nice for the sake of being nice?"

If I score almost perfect on the PSAT and the SAT Math IIC, then do I have somewhat of a chance? Or should I just forget it and just consider my one last summer program? (which doesn't ask for awards in its app)

simfish · 12-10-2004, 07:52 PM

Also, I may or may not take the SAT II Chemistry exam in January, to 'pad up my application.' If I forsee my chemistry grade as unrecoverable, then I will take it. If people can self-study APs, SAT II exams are even easier to self-study for: I self-studied the atomic table and periodicity in one day, and that constitutes 25% of the entire test. Plus, if the exam is comparable to the Math IIC (insanely easy), then I should have no worries.

simfish · 12-10-2004, 07:55 PM

I'm self-studying AP Chem, AP Calc BC, and AP Euro.

COmpetitions I forsee myself as participating in:

DuPont Science Essay Challenge is a definite, but results will be too late to save my app.
Sicence Olympiad (verdicts are made when the competition starts)

Is the essay a possible place for me to stand out? Lots of exclamation points and the such?

simfish · 12-10-2004, 08:00 PM

Also, any other summer science programs one can recommend to me? I'm qualified to attend CTY - but my parents refuse to send me there (they think it's not worth the cost).

zpmqxonw · 12-10-2004, 09:46 PM

I think I know you Simfish! Did you go to summer stretch this summer?

simfish · 12-11-2004, 01:21 AM

Yes, I took Pre-Calc at Summer Stretch last summer. THe summer before, Integrated II.

So... if you did come to Summer Stretch last summer... Were you in Pre-Calc, witnessing the insanely intelligent student named Owen? ^_^

Lemme guess... are you Spencer..?

zpmqxonw · 12-11-2004, 02:30 AM

Nope, I'm not Spencer. I was at Summer Stretch too but I took Integrated 3. I'm in Precalculus this year at Woodinville and am also applying for NASA Sharp and the UW Academy for Young Scholars, as I guess you are too. Hopefully, if we both get in (but I severely doubt that I have a chance of getting accepted to either program) , I'll see you there then!

simfish · 12-11-2004, 02:37 AM

I see. Wait. I think I know you. Were you the girl who went on bus route 372 every day? (and who I saw after taking the PSAT at Woodinville?)

simfish · 12-11-2004, 02:43 AM

Also, as for the UW Academy of Young Scholars, I think that admissions at that program isn't really that competitive. 36 students from the entire region - and we must also note that many of the smartest students in the region are more interested in trying to go into Harvard/Princeton/MIT for undergrad. Furthermore, many of these same students don't want to sacrifice the high school experience.

BTW, I know two students from my school who got in that program last year. One was only taking Pre-Calculus, like you.

NASA SHARP though... I dunno. My chance there is probably lower than yours.

zpmqxonw · 12-11-2004, 02:48 AM

I desperately want to get into that program but I'm afraid that I don't have enough time to pull my grades up. I think I had a B last year and my english teacher this year has already told us she doesn't get As. I'm hoping that I will score well on the ACT so that they might be able to ignore the B+ in English. I'm also working really hard on my essays too, because I really need to have everything else really good in order to stand a chance at getting accepted.

athlonmj · 12-11-2004, 11:26 AM

Ok guys, from a 2004 Sharpie here,

I highly suggest that both of you guys apply. I'm an asian male, had a 1430 on the SAT when I applied to Sharp and was taking Calc BC. However, the SAT of people who were in the program ranged from 1000-1550 and math classes as well, so it's obviously not about test scores and such. What they want to do is try to get a diverse group of motivated and ethusiastic individuals who are interested in science. So make sure you show why you're interested in science and elaborate. Include all the science competitions, clubs, and research that you have completed.

Good luck guys, you won't regret it, t'was best summer of my life.

m6ixty2wo · 12-11-2004, 02:50 PM

did you get into the resident or commute program? i got rejected from the resident program last year, i did NOT want to drive hours to get to wherever it was i had to get to ^^

athlonmj · 12-11-2004, 02:53 PM

I was in the residential program. They flew me out to LA

m6ixty2wo · 12-11-2004, 03:00 PM

wow thats awesome... where did you fly FROM? and how was it btw?

simfish · 12-11-2004, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the info! I guess I'll apply - although the thought of having one blank page of awards scares me.

The problem was - I've really only started recently (and thus, don't have any rewards from 9th grade or before). It'll be too late for me to list any competitions for 10th grade (since most take place starting February, by the time I must mail in the app). Maybe I can tell then what I'm doing now - but any fool can list current activities too. Or maybe - if my PSAT and SAT II Math IIC scores turn out good, then they might reconsider me.

Is my chance lowered if I can't do commuter? (wait, I have a relative who lives near Pasadena. Can I simply live with the relative for the time at NASA SHARP?)