<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 710 CR / 760 M / 760 W - 2230 Composite
[</em>] ACT: Did not take
[<em>] SAT II: 760 Math 2, 750 Biology M, 730 US History, 730 Physics
[</em>] Unweighted GPA: 97.96
[<em>] Rank: 3 out of 400 UW
[</em>] AP: 5 on all taken: Biology, Chemistry, European History, Literature and Composition, US History, Physics B
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, Russian 5H, AP Language and Composition, AP Physics C, Health
[</em>]Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Commended Student, Russian Scholar Laureate
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: Science Olympiad (President and Co-Captain) - Participated 9-12. Medals in Forensics and Chem Lab, reached States 2 years in a row
Drama Club (Vice President) - Particiapted 9-12. Acted in Footloose, Sweeney Todd, Seussical, Wait Until Dark (Lead). Helped establish chapter of International Thespian Society
Choir (Librarian) - Participated 9-12, taken independently 10 and 12 due to scheduling conflicts
Gay-Straight Alliance - Participated 11-12, but involved in Day of Silence 9-12 and National Coming Out Day 11-12
National Honor Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: I have worked at my local library 17 hours/week since beginning of 11th grade
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: I volunteered as a Water Safety Instructor Aid In Training the summer after 10th grade
[</em>] Essays: I wrote my common app essay about dealing with my grandmother’s amputation, which occurred during my junior year
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation: I got one from my physics, calculus, and English teachers, all of which have had me for 2 years. I only got to read the one from my English teacher, but I thought it was pretty good
[</em>] Counselor Rec: My GC was on maternity leave for application season, but I was one of only a few letters she still wrote, so I think it was probably good
[<em>] Additional Rec: I got one from my work supervisor. I don’t know what it said though.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[</em>] State: New York
[<em>] School Type: Average public school
[</em>] Ethnicity: Did not list
[li] Gender: Male[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>Reflection
I’m so glad to finally be done with this entire process. I started working on my common app during the summer, but wrote all of my supplemental essays during the year as I worked on finishing up my app for specific schools. Overall, I think I had a strong application. I’m well-rounded, with the grades, rank, test scores, extracurriculars with leadership positions, work experience. I lacked any sort of hook, but my app was definitely far from generic, in that my personality truly came through in my essays. I applied to 6 schools initially, with 2 being safeties. When I received an EA deferral, I realized that even with my strong application, there were no guarantees when applying to schools as selective as mine. So, I applied to 2 more good schools I knew I could get into. In the end, I’m very happy with how things turned out. </p>
<p>Accepted:
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY Geneseo
Northeastern University
Boston University
Vassar College
Cornell University</p>
<p>Denied:
Swarthmore College
Princeton University</p>
<p>Attending: Vassar College</p>
<p>My advice for those of you entering the college admissions game next year or in any subsequent years: apply to a variety of schools that you could see yourself at. If you’re like me, and you’re applying to very selective schools, make sure you also apply to safeties other than your state schools. For me, that was BU and NEU. Most people don’t really think about their state school safety until they have no choice but to go there. That’s why I applied to other schools - I couldn’t picture myself at Binghamton or Geneseo. My other piece of advice is to not worship the Ivy League. There are PLENTY of other fantastic schools. Although I was accepted to the Ivy League, I feel that a liberal arts college - Vassar - is a better fit for me. My parents had a hard time letting go of their Ivy League dreams for me, but they’re getting used to the idea little by little. </p>
<p>I look forward to joining my fellow Class of 2016 members at Vassar College next year, and I couldn’t be happier.</p>