Chance an asian for T20 schools for engineering

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Stats: (I am currently a junior)
4.0 UW, 5.4 W
Top 1% of my class
AP Scores: World (5), Human geo (5), Bio (4), Env Sci (5). My school only offers 2 APS (I self studied bio and env sci)
SAT: 1540 (800 math, 740 reading) (the average SAT in my school is 980)
SAT subject tests: Bio (800), Physics (800), Math II (800)

I am currently taking the most rigorous courses in my school. I am the only person in my school taking Calculus 1 and college physics (I took dual credit trig and pre calc in summer before junior year). I will be planning to take dual credit chemistry, calculus based physics, calc 2 and 3, and discrete math. (I’m the very first student to ever take calc based physics and calc 3 in my school)

I go to a poor school so I don’t get a lot of opportunities

Main EC’s:
Science Olympiad (President): extremely involved in this ever since freshman year, I have won a couple of state and regional awards. I have also raised almost $3000 through funds and contacting businesses. This takes up most of my time. I also helped the team win 1st and 2nd place in many regional competitions. Maintain and edit the website. I organize study materials (textbooks, tests, notes), lead weekly meetings, checked on members, got the team to states and 1st place at District every year. Organized the elementary Science Olympiad for my district, raised almost $1000 through fundraising and contacting businesses.

UIL Science (Captain): started the first UIL Science team sophomore year, won 1st place as a team every year at district. I started a team from scratch and I help with study resources and meetings.

Rocketry: As the lead programmer / designer, I made rocket motors and various rockets, learned Arduino and Python. Built various electronic based projects such as a data station to record the rocket’s altitude, pressure, and temperature, managed to launch rockets up to 350m. throughout my time. I did a research project with an Arduino regarding the impulse of various rocket motors and their grain geometries. I also learned python, AutoCad, and SketchUp for these projects.

Penny planes: a very unique extracurricular I have, requiring A LOT of my time. Basically, I create large balsa plane that weigh less than a penny but can fly for a very long time with a single rubber band (like 7 or 10 minutes). This is probably a niche that can set me apart from most of the applicants.

Science NHS (founder and president): I helped start the chapter for our school. I also created the website and application for it. I plan the weekly meetings, maintain the website, and look for volunteering events. I was also able to get people in the STEM field to come talk to the students.

SAT Study Group (Cofounder): Personal math tutor, saw math increase of 150+ for the entire grade. Organized lessons, practice tests, study resources.

NASA Internship: it was a high school program thingy, it wasn’t too big. I did a couple of engineering stuff.

Volunteering (300+ hours): School Ambassador, volunteering as a TA, local food bank

Was also a paid SAT tutor for my chem teacher’s son

Worked at HEB for a while

Summer programs (I will attend):

-USC Bovard Scholars: it’s a competitive minority based program (10% acceptance rate). I got in as an Asian male

-Paid bioengineering research at NIH: will probably submit my project to a couple of science fairs and competitions

I applied to SSP, MITES, and SAMS but I’m still waiting for the results

Awards: a bunch of regional and state medals from Science Olympiad. Regional medals for National History Day. Some scholarship awards. But nothing national sadly. Also, most of my competitions have been canceled due to the pandemic.

Letters of rec: I’ll say they’re really good. I worked with my teachers a lot (especially my chemistry and world history teacher). I even tutored my chemistry teacher’s son. No one in my school has been accepted to a T20 school though.

State (if domestic applicant): TX
High school type: Public (very poor minority school)
Gender: Male
Race: Southeast asian (Viet)
Hooks: My family is very poor and I’m first gen. Also, both of my parents are disabled and unemployed

2

The reason no one in your school goes to a “t-20” school is probably not because of the school, it’s because of affordability.

If you’re low income, then an out of state prestigious school will most likely be out of your price range. If you’re in Texas, UT-Austin is already a “T-20” engineering school. So is Texas A&M. Those schools are going to be far more affordable than any other schools you could go to. UT-Austin, for instance waives tuition and fees for low income. With your parent’s income what it is, you can pretty much expect free tuition.

Also, check out potential full ride scholarships. You’re a prime candidate for a full ride at UT-Dallas. You could also check out U of H, Texas Tech, etc.

3

Congratulations on your achievements.

You seem like you would be a great Questbridge applicant, but not all partner schools offer engineering, take a look here: https://www.questbridge.org/

Do you have a guidance counselor at school who is helping you with the college admissions process?

Are there any in-state schools where you would be able to commute? Even with the UT Austin Advance Commitment, you will have to pay for room and board, health insurance, travel to and from campus, and incidentals.

Did you take the PSAT? If so, are you a national merit semi-finalist?

4

Wow, you have some impressive stats and a great life story. Your tenacity is admirable.

But, as I’m sure you know, Asians with high need fall into a tough demographic group – especially for T20 schools. I agree with the recommendation to look into Questbridge. Although ED applications can be somewhat limiting for students who need financial aid, you should consider it. You can always back out if the aid is not enough. Look at the top engineering/ivy+ schools, as they generally have good aid offers.

5

Since you’ve emphasized how your family Is very poor, I think it’s fair to let you know that it is not a hook. I don’t know who told you that it is. Universities have a LOT of students who are “poor”, and there just isn’t that much funding. Most families cant afford to send their children to desired t20 universities, so you are fortunate that you have great in-state options.

You’ve done well, so you are fortunate that your stats will enable you to get into some great choices. However, a number of schools don’t guarantee to meet your financial needs.

If you’re not happy with your in-state options, you’re going to have to rely on Questbridge for other school choices. Otherwise, I don’t know how you’re going to pay for some of your elite choices.

6

First gen, coupled with low SES, is indeed a hook at many highly selective schools.

We do not know that OP has any affordable in-state options.

The vast majority of elites meet full need, and it’s likely OP would receive a full ride from these schools…if, as it seems their EFC is 0. OP may still need to come up with money for travel costs, health insurance, and incidentals, and some of the elites do include the Federal Direct Student Loans in FA packages. The most difficult part is gaining acceptance to the elites…even thru Questbridge.

7

You will get key pieces of information shortly. If you are accepted to MITES or SSP, I feel pretty confident in saying that you will have an EXCELLENT chance at a T20 engineering school. SAMS this year is a little tougher than usual I understand, so even an acceptance there will be promising.

The key for college apps will be in how you present yourself. Do not be shy about showing the adcoms what your day to day life is like. They literally have no idea what it is like to be poor, so assume nothing.

Assuming that you are in fact very low income with those stats, don’t listen to people saying that being poor is not a hook. I was a low income, high stat kid with no URM hook and I know what I am talking about. The landscape has only improved for high stat poor kids in the 30 years since I was at T10 schools. By the way, I have two ivy degrees and my family never paid even one dollar. Funding will not be a problem if you are admitted, assuming that you (like I was) are not spoiled and won’t whine that the wealthy kids have it far easier. You’ll get a great education, and in the process looking at your classmates you will discover that money is no substitute for brains.

Good luck, and I like the balsa planes. I spent so many hours as a kid building scale flying rubber powered planes. Back then we’d attach and shrink the tissue with dope, I suspect nothing has changed…

8

The pessimism is real. Most of the top schools cover low-income students. For instance, Princeton gives a full-ride to students /w family incomes under 65k. I am not sure why some of the posters are acting like these schools do not meet 100% need. In a lot of instances, these schools are just as affordable or MORE affordable than a public school. These schools have MUCH more money to hand out… endowments are insane.

9

Start drafting your essays as soon as you can. Try to convey your personality in them without repeating your activities, and don’t take complete credit for the organizations you founded/led. Make it look like a team effort and show how they’ve shaped you.

10

OP is in Texas. http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/apps/CollegeMoney/ is a net price calculator for Texas public schools. Unfortunately, it seems to give results like “$0-26618/year” for the net price at UT Austin, making it less than useful.

However, Prairie View A&M has an automatic full ride for the OP’s stats: https://www.pvamu.edu/faid/types-of-aid/scholarships/university-scholarships/

11

Yes, OP will likely still have to pay room and board at UTA (or some of the other Texas publics), and health insurance. PVAMU could be a good affordable option!

12

Are you planning on doing the NIH program next year since they moved it? They guaranteed our admission for it next year if we keep above a 3.0 but it’s cancelled this year. MITES (which is actually MOSTEC this summer because of the pandemic) and SSP are online now. I’m kinda sad the NIH program is cancelled but happy that I can do it next year. Fingers crossed for the other programs. Good luck with MOSTEC and SSP!