MRU93Raith

I'm an International student;
>South African/British citizenship. PR in Mauritius.
>GPA: our school does not work on a GPA, though I am in the top 10% of my class with an average of 85-90 % (for us that is an A/A* average)
>SatI (2010; CR 650, M 740; W 620)- but waiting for results from the November sitting.
>SATII (Math IIC 780; Phys 800; French 600)
>Sitting Cambridge A Levels - predicted grades;
-Further Maths A or B
-Maths A*
-Physics A*
-Chem A/A*
-AS French A (no A* grade is offered)

ECs
>Academic honours (but this seems different to the "honours societies" in America?)
>swimming- 1st team in my school in South Africa (maybe being awarded swimming colours?), 4th in Mauritian inter club nationals (50/100m back 2010), top 8 in Mauritius in 50/100/200m free (2010) and 50/100m fly (2010). Captain of my swimming club and school swimming team before I came to South Africa to complete my A Levels.
>Music (guitar) - Grade 6 Trinity Guildhall classical guitar, play classical and rock styles mostly, been playing since Grade 7.
>Played a bit of most sports; football, volleyball, rugby, water polo, tennis, squash (was required in my old school)
>Taken part in inter house debating/public speaking - our team often winning.
>Surplus of 40 odd hours of First aid community service (rugby and hockey games mostly)
>Kite surfing is one of my main hobbies out of school when I'm back in Mauritius and there is sufficient wind. No competitions, though have landed a handful of tricks.
>Karate (Ryu-Ku-Kobojitsu) - Brown 2nd cue (2009) had to stop as my sensei left the country.
>A couple hours of tutoring here and there, though not formally done and hours not recorded unfortunately :S


Jobs
>In my 6-9 months free from this December to the beginning of Uni, I am planning on gaining some experience through working with aeroplane engineers/maintenance crews as well as maybe learning to become a GIS to help out with the SKA in South Africa (but none of these have been confirmed as of yet).


I'm applying for engineering (though deferred specialisation to sophmore year). 2nd generation university student. Not a legacy, though my sister did graduate from Princeton in 2012. Not in any sort of minority (ie, white and unaffiliated with a particular church).


Thanks Guys, and of course good luck to everyone applying to Princeton and any other top tier US universities.

schoolgirl1023

Personally, I think it's really really hard to chance international students. There are a lot of different variables to think about and admissions officers look at you guys in a different context. For example, your SAT I probably isn't expected to be as high (though your SAT IIs are acceptable by any standards, even Ivy Engineering-major ones).

You don't really have a hook though I'm pretty sure your sister's enrollment helps a lot. Princeton loves its legacies so that probably counts at least a little.

All I can say, is you have as good of a chance as anyone. It would really help if you were able to do that aerospace engineering internship since none of your other extracurriculars show a deep interest in that field as of now.

MRU93Raith

Thanks a lot, obviously as nervous as most people here about being on par or even better having that certain quality that just shines through.
The only problem is where I am, there aren't many internship opportunities as there seem to be over in the US, especially not to just graduated high school students - though still not going to give up on trying to find one you know :P

Anyway, lets see how my SAT I's are when they come in on the 20th, and my final results in January/February.