How to spice up my application???

anothergalaxy · March 16, 2011, 10:31pm

PLEASE READ AND RESPOND! I NEED YOUR HELP!

Hello all, here are my stats. I’m looking for ways to help build up my profile when colleges look at my folder. Please contribute all that you can and help me think of things that I can do from today (march of junior yr) until application time to make me a more competitive candidate.

Prospective Schools: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, USC, UCLA, Stanford University, Ivy Leagues, (HYPMS)
IS it appropriate to call UC Davis a safety? :/

Demos:

-Afghan-American [Asian >:(] female
-1st-gen college, but brother attended UCB
-California resident

Secondary School Record:

-All A’s/A+s except for a B sophomore year in Eng 2 Pre-AP first semester and a B junior year first semester in AP Eng Lang/Comp (expected A’s for the rest of my HS career)
-Freshman Year: All CP classes because I moved to the city a few days before school started, and the advanced classes were all filled up (it was an IB school). I had to attend an after school class to have Geometry “pre-IB” to be put on my transcript.
-Frosh: Spanish 1, Speech and Debate 1, PE, Geometry Pre-IB, Biology, English 1
*Summer: PE
-Soph: Spanish 2, Graphic Design (<3), Alg 2 Pre-AP, Chemistry Honors, English 2 Pre-AP, AP World History
*Summer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING -____- Not even a vacation my mom was too busy at home; farthest I went was 20 miles away to a birthday party…couldn’t build houses to Nicaragua like other applicants
-Junior: Spanish 3 Pre-AP, Yearbook Design, Pre-Cal Honors, AP Chem, AP Eng Lang, AP US History
*Summer: (Prospected) internship @ town newspaper/graphic design or technology field + Physics class
-Senior: (prospected) AP Spanish Lang, Adv. Graphic Design, Speech and Debate II, AP Eng Lit/Comp, AP Calculus A/B, AP US Gov/Pol
-MY school is new, so junior yr/soph yr, I took the most advanced classes offered
-class rank: 7/354 (top 1.9%)
-10-12 GPA- W:4.35 UW:3.88 (So far; I’m a junior in spring semester)

AP Tests:

-World History: 3 [D:] Totally expected a 5 after the test…that’s what pride does to you
-(will take): Chem (not looking like a 5), Eng Lang(not looking like a 5), USH, Spanish Lang, Calc AB, USGOV/POL

Standardized Testing:

No ACT
SAT I: taking in May, but got a 2050 on the practice one [12 on essay x), CR lowest], actual test may be near or above that
SAT II: Most likely will take Math I/II, USH, Chem, Span Lang

ECs:

-worked at learning center (paid) -gained a whole bunch of professional and personal skills
-volunteer for Athletic Booster Club and help fundraise at events
-community service soon at local women’s and children’s shelter (tutoring)
-tutoring (non-paid)
-clubs: (no officer positions; at my school, they’re only popularity contests) California Scholarship Federation, Jaguar Philanthropy Around the World, Key Club, Kimball University ( a club), Jaguar Joules
-Section editor for YrBk (really involved) + involved myself in becoming an editor (1st years usually don’t become editors)
-Graphic Design on my own for 6 years (I LOVE IT) (hook?)
-familiar with HTML/CSS coding
-Photography
–joining Muslim Student Association and Mock Trial senior year

Recognition:

-Surrealist digital art made it to district art show
-I know it doesn’t count, but finalist/winner (they didn’t notify…haha)? in District Math Contest in 6th grade
-nominated for Jr National Young Leader Conference, enrolled, but my mom refunded because she was worried of me traveling as an unaccompanied minor
-100% on every test in Alg 2 Pre-AP
-beat spanish speakers at their own game (haha); my Argentinian teacher: “You even speak faster than I do!”; classmate: “Are you sure you don’t have any Latino blood in you?”
-KHS Ambassador (a few at our school selected based on leadership ability)
-was chosen to give tours of our new campus to honorary people in our community (including mayor, etc.)
-Academic Block T frosh year, and Academic Block K’s soph and junior yr
-nominated for homecoming queen?
-100% on both sections of the CA HS Exit Exam (1 out of 2 at our school)
-Designed PTSA T-shirt and CSF T-shirt

MISC:

-great debater (swayed whole class’ opinion in an apush presentation)
-helped Leadership class with several projects
-fluent in Spanish and Farsi/Dari
-interested in law/engineering/comp sci/graphic design/humanities
-Exceptional skills in math, spanish, graphic design

Recs:

-all will probably be amazing

Reasons why I can’t be as involved as I want to be:

-barely any advanced classes frosh because of moving around trying to find an affordable house to rent
-dad past away in 2002 from an aneurysm
-single mom who has to take care of my sister who has a recessive disorder (requires 10+ hours of care a day)
-can’t drive because of birth certificate and transportation issues + my mom can’t transport me anywhere because of my 22 yr old sister at home
-my mom’s schedule doesn’t allow me to do everything I desire to do
-the new school only offers so many ap courses (i wish they had compsci)
-wish there would be more periods in our schedule, but budget doesn’t allow that

AND YEAH. Thanks for reading, please provide insight! =)

carloshz · March 16, 2011, 10:50pm

OK, I’m diggin’ this resume you’ve built up. The GPA is solid, the Extra-Curric’s are awesome and the involvement is smart.

However, I like your chances of getting into Stanford over getting into UCLA and UC Berkeley. And since Stanford is freaking difficult to get into, do not get upset if you don’t get into any of the three.

In these times, everything is impacted. UCLA and UC Berkeley have received record applicants; transfer students are priority for them, and they’ll take freshman when there’s space. This is because the entire re-entry demographic is rising among college students – average age at my community college is 27, I think.

If you keep it up for your senior year, I am diggin’ your chances.

To answer your question: Keep doing exactly what you’re doing. To spice up your application, nail those SAT’s. I’m talking 2100 range. Also, nail the ACT’s. (For these, I’m talkin’ 31.)

Schools are competitive right now, so it only makes sense you have to work harder. And while you’re going to school in your senior year, do something that other kids aren’t doing – concurrently enrolling at your local community college. See what you can do to get involved there, somehow, someway. Take some classes and make your schedule rigorous as hell. The worst-case scenario? You get denied by all schools you mentioned and you’re one leg up on everyone else.

So yeah, get involved in a community college. If you can show you can compete at that level, I’m sure they’ll take it into consideration. (I am thinking applying for the ASG at your community college, get to know some professors, etc.)

And in case you didn’t know, MiraCosta College has one of the top transfer rates – including to top UC’s like UCLA and Berkeley.

[Carlos</a> Sandoval’s Student Blog](<a href=“http://www.miracosta.edu/apps/blogs/csandoval/]Carlos”>MiraCosta College | 404)

anothergalaxy · March 16, 2011, 11:03pm

DUDE. Your reply just made my day. Thanks for the advice!

anothergalaxy · March 17, 2011, 8:49pm

bump C:

mapoch · March 17, 2011, 9:10pm

Your stats are excellent and if you keep everything up, it looks like you have a fairly good chance. I think carloshz is right when he says take courses at your local CC to show you can handle them.

For SATs though, try to boost up your CR. Some schools will only look at CR and Math sections…writing is sometimes not as important to them. If you’re scoring so well on your SATs, you might as well try out the ACTs. I got a 2180 on the SATs and took the ACTs blind and got a 32 (which converts to around a 2180), but you might be able to improve. The CR section on the ACT is a piece of cake (honestly the questions they ask are straight out of the paragraph…barely any inferring). It’s only one Saturday, so why not?

If you have time, try to center your ECs around whatever you’re planning on majoring in. I applied for psychology/education and my counselor told me that my volunteer/work experience at clinics and schools really helps.

anothergalaxy · March 17, 2011, 9:27pm

Thanks, I will definitely work on reading comprehension and vocabulary. A couple more things: Do you think it is appropriate to call UC Davis a safety school (46% AR)? Also, is 6 years of graphic design a hook maybe with an arts supplement? And finally, is it better if I don’t take AP Exams rather than get 3’s or 4’s on them?

anothergalaxy · March 17, 2011, 10:00pm

bumpbumpbump

ilikepizza · March 17, 2011, 10:31pm

afganistan is in the middle east so you being afghan-american, you are not asian, you are middle eastern which falls under white. the ivies is a super far reach especially since you are not hispanic/aa/na. you could travel abroad (afghanistan?) in the summer and teach english for free and then write down in your college app that you tutored afghan kids (shows caringness, leadership, and desire to go beyond limitations).

jessnic · March 19, 2011, 12:16am

No, I’d take the AP tests. It looks a lot better to colleges if you at least took them, even if you did badly. And most colleges don’t take your AP test scores into consideration for acceptance. Besides, you can get college credit! :)

And as far as your stats go, you look pretty darn good to me! I’m also leaning toward UC Davis, and yes, i’d say it can be considered a safety, or maybe a low match… however I’ve also heard of people accepted to UC Berkeley and rejected from UC Davis, so don’t take it for granted. :)

anothergalaxy · March 19, 2011, 8:21pm

Thanks! I guess I’ll take all the AP Exams then :)

anothergalaxy · March 19, 2011, 10:27pm

bump 10char

anothergalaxy · March 20, 2011, 12:22am

bump10char

wanton · March 20, 2011, 12:30am

Mix up an envelope with pepper, cajun, whatever spices you like, dip the application in egg yolk, put it in the envelope, and shake. If you want, you can deep fry the application after that. Personally I like to bake, low cal you know.

anothergalaxy · March 20, 2011, 1:10am

Do you think the application would have a different effect if I were to add poultry seasoning or should I leave it out? x)

anothergalaxy · March 20, 2011, 8:24pm

10charbumbthis:)

anothergalaxy · March 20, 2011, 11:54pm

10charbumb

anothergalaxy · April 29, 2011, 7:20pm

bump?haha.

How to spice up my application???

CONNECT WITH US