<p>Math Club President
Singapore Math Olympiad - Gold (ranked 1st)
International Math Olympiad - Silver x2
Top in Math</p>
<p>Singapore Physics Olympiad - Gold
Asian Physics Olympiad - Silver (highest ranked on team)
Singapore Chemistry Olympiad - Gold
(actually he was selected for IPhO and IChO but he could only represent in 1)
Top in Chemistry</p>
<p>Top A-level Student (in the whole nation)
Institute of Physics Prize (top A-level Physics student)
Lee Kuan Yew Prize for Math and Science
Hullett Scholarship for Math and Science
A*STAR Science Award
Defence Science Technology Scholarship </p>
<p>A*STAR Talent Search - Grand Champion
Singapore Science and Engineering Fair - Silver
London International Science Fair</p>
<p>millions of other awards/prizes/accolades</p>
<p>yet he was rejected by HYPM, two years in a row…</p>
<p>looking at his ECs, i feel so depressed… ><</p>
<p>Well, my senior with one Singapore Math Olympiad Gold and one Chemistry Olympiad Silver and an impeccable academic track record got into Yale, so don’t be too depressed…</p>
<p>IMO it’s a waste of time to keep applying to the same schools after they reject you. HYPM accept only about 1 in 10 applicants. For internationals, it’s even more difficult to get in. When it comes to students who are of Asian heritage, the overwhelming majority have strengths in science and math, so having those strengths can count against students since even colleges like MIT need students to fill other majors.</p>
<p>While certainly some internationals get into such schools, the odds are extremely long, and no one, no matter how stellar, should count on getting in such schools or feel like a failure if they are among the overwhelming majority of excellent students who apply but are rejected by such schools.</p>
<p>Maybe they were looking for more than just a math/science superstar…oh I don’t know, admissions is just so bloody random, you can’t ponder over it!</p>
<p>All I can do is agree with Northstarmom and tetrisfan. It is baffling at times that kids with great stats don’t get into their top-choice schools. However, there are many schools that would be thrilled to get a student like this. Maybe he needs to apply to some schools OTHER than HYPM.</p>
<p>No it’s not baffling. It’s the same over here in the UK. LOADS of people with amazing grades and ECs are rejected by oxbridge and other top unis. Grades aren’t everything. </p>
<p>One has to show enthusiasm, a certain amount of non-academic intelligence (i.e showing that you’re not just brilliant at regurgitating information) and some kind of panache that shows in your personality. Universities want students who will contribute to the university. Prize winning doesn’t make you a prize student.</p>