Chance Me for Princeton REA and other T20s RD

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Demographics: US Resident that doesn’t have permanent residency so considered international. Male, Asian(Indian), North Carolina, Large Super-competitive public school

ACT/SAT/SAT II: 36 ACT, 800BIOE, 790MATH2

UW/W GPA and Rank: 3.93(UW), 4.48(W), Rank:67/675

Coursework: 9 Aps till now, including this year I will have a total of 13

Awards: nothing major, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit SemiFinalist, Technology Student Association semifinalist

Extracurriculars:

President and Founder of Mission:Education(501c3) :As the president of Mission:Education(501c3),I raised over 2500 dollars to feed children at 23 locations for a week by successfully conducting drives.

Intern with Dr.Fei Yu at UNC Health Sciences: Published an extended abstract titled the Collaborative Response to the Opioid Crisis through a Bibliometric Analysis and presenting it at a national conference through a poster

Research Volunteer at NCCU with Dr.Limbu: Leading a research effort/publication on the optimization of gold nanoparticle growth simultaneously with mxene.

Youth President of WeStrive(501c3): Led a team of 10 individuals to organize educational events for 200+ students. Led a research effort on the opioid crisis along with Cary PD.

Member of Gokul Bhajan and Vedic Studies(501c3): Lead actor in 4 Dramas, Lead Singer in 4 Albums, Conducted Outreach to Butner Prison

Classical Carnatic Singing: Professionally trained in Indian Carnatic Singing.Received certification in 2018. Performed at 10 cultural events with an average attendance of 700.

Volunteered at Duke Raleigh Hospital for 40 hours. Volunteered at Cary Teen Council for 220 hours. Contributed 50 hours each to Gokul Bhajan/WeStrive

Secretary/VP of Indian Student Association: Created awareness of Indian culture via diverse marketing mediums, led bimonthly events, average attendance of 150 students at PCHS

Baritone/Trumpet: Learned and Performed the Trumpet and Baritone for my school and Gokul Bhajan events since 2011.

Semifinalist and member of the Panther Creek Animatronics Team in TSA. Also participating in technology bowl, coding, technology problem-solving.

Essays/LORs/Other: Essays: at best 8, probably a 7. Rec1:7, Rec2:6 , Rec from UNC Prof(9), rec from westrive coordinator(9)

Schools: Princeton REA, T20s in general for RD, UNC-Chapel Hill(instate), NC State, University of Florida

2

Basic stats are nice for Princeton and T20s.

“Essays/LORs/Other: Essays: at best 8, probably a 7. Rec1:7, Rec2:6 , Rec from UNC Prof(9), rec from westrive coordinator(9)” Is not so great. Competitive schools like to see very enthusiastic recommendations from your regular HS teachers in addition to well written essays. Great supplemental recommendations from research mentors, etc., help the admissions officers get a better feel for your research, but won’t make up for luke warm basic recs.

Applying as an international makes the odds quite a bit tougher. Probably by about 2-3X depending on the school. Unclear what your actual status is. If you are considered undocumented, that might put you in the domestic applicant pool at some schools.

You might get in somewhere in the T20, but you might just as easily get shut out. Consider broadening your list.

3

What do you want to study? When you say “T-20” rather than focusing in specific schools, it seems that you are looking primarily at prestige, rather than fit and major.

Here’s the thing - colleges which are the top in prestige, are not always the top in, say, engineering.

So look back over the colleges you want, based on major, and more specific traits than “t-20”. One thing that I can tell you for sure is that they are all reaches for anybody.

As for the ones you mentioned:

Princeton, even REA, is a reach. Since you are not a USA citizen or permanent resident, you may be compared to applicants from India. If you are considered in the resident category you still have low chances.

Since you are not a permanent residents, UNC is not in-state for you, so it’s also a reach,

NCSU - Low match

UFL - Match

What safeties do you have?

4

Congratulations on your achievements.

Agree that you need some more match schools and an affordable safety. What is your budget? What type visa do you have?

5

I am a H4 EAD. I am considered in state for UNC Chapel Hill. My safeties are the lower North Carolina schools. I want to study psychology/neuroscience. I should be able to afford Princeton and etc.