Well, I just visited Princeton this last week and completely love the school! (It has moved to my number one choice for college = D) However, I used to think I had a decent chance at getting into Princeton. After look at the RD decision results for the class of 2013, I am not so sure. So, what do you guys think...I would REALLY appreciate any feedback!
GPA: 4.0 (UW) and 4.1 (W)
Rank: 1/327
ACT: 35
SAT: 2340-----800 CR, 780 W, 760 M (Only took test one time)
SAT 2: Taking in Oct.. will probably get 750+ on them all though
Race: White (Serbian)
State of Residency: NE
Recs and Essays: Both amazing
Desired Major/Minor- Bio/Econ
Main School ECs:
FBLA (9-12) Historian and Treasurer
SADD(9-12) Class Rep for 3 years
Science Club (11-12) President and Founder
AcDec (10-12) Captain for 2 years
Olympus Club (9-12) Actice Member
NHS (11-12) Possible office position next year
Community Service:
Red Cross--350 hours
Sunday School Teacher for 2nd and 3rd Graders---250 hours
American Cancer Society-----100 hours
Founded Organization that Raises money for Serbian Orphans-----200 hours
Volunteered at Local Congressman's Office----150 hours
Sports-
Did Cross Country for 2 years but was only an average runner...no awards or anything
Awards:
1st Place in Cell Bio and 3rd in Health Science at State Science Olympiad
1st in Health Science and 3rd in Disease Detectives at NE Regional Science Olympiad
1st in State Econ Challenge...flew to Houston for free and got 5th Place in Midwest
1st in State Microeconomics at Econ Challenge
2nd in State Finance Challenge 2008
3rd in State Finance Challenge 2007
3rd in Regional Economics Challenge
4th in state at Cyber Security Competition
Friend of Alexander Hamilton Merit Award Winner
President's Gold Volunteer Award
Represented my HS at NE State Leadership Seminar
Local Radio Station and News Station's volunteer of the year award
At least commended for National Merit
Won Like 20 regional AcDec Awards (was a top scorer at all of the competitions we were at)
Nominated for NCTE competition...but I dont think I won or anything
Won like 3rd and 4th in state at various "Knowledge Master" competitions
Work Experience:
Working as a paid research intern with a doctor at my local med center---may submit research to Siemens but who knows
Worked a paper route for 7 years
Will not having any national awards really screw me here btw = D?
same as BigG man... your app looks good (aside from the lack of sports, but thats not that big of a deal) but there are tons of other qualified applicants. Good luck anyway!
I'd say you have a great chance... Except I think you should have taken more AP classes or college courses since your weighted GPA is only 0.1 higher than your unweighted.
Especially considering you're from Nebraska, I'd say you have a great chance. I would just try and make sure your application highlights what is really interesting about you as a person. You have quite a list there of awards and accomplishments, but when I glance over that it's hard for me to discern what is really most important to you. Keep that in mind when you make a resume or fill out the application--that will be the only contact you have with the Admissions representatives, and if they see a bunch of scattered activities and awards, then that's who you are to them.
Random-
I have taken every AP offered at my rural NE school. By the end of senior year, I will have taken 7 APs. As of now, I have taken 3 (got fives on all 3 AP exams as well). Also, I think they will know that because 1. my counselor said she was telling them my schedule was most rigorious 2. I am my classes val.
JTC-
Great insight! I want do some bio/econ major/minor combo...I tried hard to emphasize that but maybe not hard enough. Should I omit some award that arent service/econ/bio based?
FYI: Princeton doesn't have minors, we have certificates, which are slightly different. If you emphasize that you want to get a minor on your application, you will suddenly appear to be less interested in the school, because you haven't done your research correctly! I would instead write that you're interested in majoring in MOL or EEB (whatever strikes your fancy at the time, it isn't binding), and a finance certificate--that is more along the lines of what it looks like you want to do.
As for your other question, I wouldn't erase things because they aren't in your major. I would select what you believe are the most impressive achievements that say the most about you. If someone didn't know you, but had to read your essays and resume, how good of a sense of you would they get? That's the question to grill yourself on.
