EA chance at Rice

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

<p>Korean international applicant(12th grade) with no citizenship, permanent residence and alumni relation.</p>

<p>School: Korean Science Academy(Very, very competitive science high school established and supported by Korean government, with acceptance rate being 5.6% now)</p>

<p>Major: Biology</p>

<p>GPA: unweighed, A+(4.3) being 97/100 point or above
Grade/semester | 10/1 | 10/2 | 11/1 | 11/2 | 12/1 |
GPA(out of 4.3) | 4.07 | 4.07 | 4.19 | 4.22 | 4.15 |
* Korean applicants are not required to report GPA of 9th grade and 12th grade 2nd semester </p>

<p>college level courses:
Biology I, II, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant physiology, Human anatomy and function, Cell biology -> All A+ with highest grade in these subjects
Organic Chemistry, Calculus I, Calculus II(with Multivariable Calculus) -> A-</p>

<p>SAT 1: around 2200(expected)
SAT 2: Math IIC 800, Biology E 800, World History 800
AP: Calc BC 5, Biology 5, Chemistry 4</p>

<p>Work experience/Leadership/Volunteering/Sports: Virtually NONE</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities
* Biology club(10th grade)
* School Press(11th, 12th grade)
* Mentoring From Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology(11th, 12th grade)
* Biology Olympiad Preparation Team(11th grade: founder, team leader -> 12th grade: presidential tutor) -> now making Biology Olympiad guide book
* Research Experience(10th, 11th grade: under guidance of Seoul national university professors -> 12th grade: leader of nationally funded high school student research project) -> Now researching to publish a paper
* Official Ambassador of VANK(Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, a Non-governmental organization promoting international communication between Koreans and foreingers) (12th grade)
* Tutoring from a Busan national university professor on oriental painting
* Purdue Univesity GERI(Gifted Education Research Institute) summer camp(10th grade)
* APEC Leader camp(11th grade)</p>

<p>Honors:
* Korean biology olympiad - Broze medal (10th grade)
* Environmental book review contest - Honorable mention (10th grade)
* Best Research group award (11th grade)
* Korean biology olympiad - Gold medal and semi-finalist of Korean representative for internional biology olympiad (11th grade)
* Busan city superintendent of Education's Award for best student in science (12th grade)
* Samsung SDI scholarship for Academic Excellence(11th, 12th grade)</p>

2

<p>Great stats, I'm sure with good essays/recommendations you'll get accepted. I'm an international myself, so I can't help but be empathatic.</p>

<p>By the way, why Rice?</p>

3

<p>You mean why do I want to apply Rice?
Well, I prefer smaller size school with quite warm weather. And the most important point, certainly, is strong science courses and good facilities with renowned professors. The school that best fits the criteria is Caltech.
But, you know, Caltech international pool is really competitive and Caltech do not even give EA chance for internationals.
So, among the schools that offer EA chance for internationals, I think Rice quite much fit with my preference. Rice is really great school even though it is not much known to Korea.</p>

4

<p>I heard their international aid is very competetive or virtually nonexistent. Are you planning to pay the full cost?</p>

5

<p>If I fail to get the scholarship, I may have to give up studying abroad and prepare for graduate school studying abroad.</p>

6