<p>I’ll post a brief resume. I want to go to a university that offers good financial aid (can meet 90%+ of demonstrated need) and has strong programs both in biological science and in foreign language. I intend to double major in biochemistry/molecular bio and foreign language/East Asian languages.</p>
<p>GPA: 4.3 W (Highest is around 4.6. My school doesn’t calculate unweighted, but estimating, it would be around 3.8.)
Rank: 15/269</p>
<p>SAT: 2110 (680CR/690M/740W)</p>
<p>SATII: Chemistry 680 Spanish 800, taking a couple more subject tests in May</p>
<p>Course load: 9 AP courses upon graduation(chem, US I+II(I know, it’s dumb, my state requires two years of US history),English lang, Spanish lang, calc BC, Mandarin, psych, bio), the rest honors courses. I independently studied Chinese for a year, and I’ve been a lab aid for two years. Also, I self-studied for the environmental science and world history AP exams. </p>
<p>EC’s: President of Chinese Club for three years, JSA Vice President (of my school’s chapter) for one year, member for two, Vice President of my school’s NHS chapter, three years varsity soccer, four years varsity tennis, indoor track for two years, Spanish Club member for three years, 340+ hours of various community service (including a summer of volunteering at a hospital), Brain Bee Club for two years (a student-run group that trains for a competition based on knowledge of the human brain), Science Olympiad Club for two years (same as Brain Bee club, but for general science)</p>
<p>Work Experience: Worked full time at McDonald’s last summer (40 hrs/wk), Worked at Boston Market for two years (~15 hrs/wk), Working at a bank as a teller for over a year now (~15 hrs/wk). There was a point where I had three jobs at once and all of my income goes towards supporting my family. </p>
<p>Miscellaneous Awards: National Spanish Exam gold medalist for three years, 3rd place in regional science fair, first place in a regional Chinese speaking competition, academic letters in Spanish, Chinese, English, and science, honorable mention for a memoir in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 3rd place in the regional Science Olympiad </p>
<p>I also independently study Japanese and Portuguese outside of school. </p>
<p>I’m also a first-generation college student from a low-income family, no other hooks, really. I’m a white male with an Albanian background who is from New Jersey but moved to Massachusetts for high school, as far as demographics go.</p>
<p>I’ve had family issues throughout my high school career that have affected my grades a lot because I had to frequently go back and forth between Massachusetts and New Jersey, which I’m hoping will explain my low grades to an adcom.</p>
<p>I’ll be happy to provide any other information.</p>
<p>Some schools I’m sure of:
Columbia (ED)
UChicago (EA)
Rutgers-NB </p>
<p>Schools I’m considering:
UPenn
UCLA
Colgate U
GWash U
SUNY Stony Brook</p>
<p>If anyone could suggest some schools that suit me as an applicant or elaborate upon the schools I’m considering (if they would be a good fit or not, etc.), that would be fantastic. It’s really difficult to find a school that has strong departments in both foreign language AND science that has good financial aid that I actually stand a chance of getting into. Location doesn’t matter to me by the way, but I would prefer it to be in an urban setting. </p>
<p>Thank you!</p>