*Official 2011 RD Decisions Thread*

Colleges & Universities Stanford University
81

<p>Decision: Accepted!!!</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<pre><code>* SAT: CR: 800 M:760 W:800

  • SAT IIs: 750 Bio, 720 Lit and Math II
  • GPA: 3.9 uw
  • Rank: top 10 of 450
  • AP/IB scores:
    5: USH, Mac Econ
    4: Stat, English Lang, Mic Econ, US Gov
    3: World History, Physics B
  • Courseload: 5 APs this year, 13 in all
  • Other stats: First in State for Academic Decathlon essay section, a few writing competitions including NCTE nominee, National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, SC All-State Leadership Team
    </code></pre>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<pre><code>* Essays: Stream of consciousness about an essay competition and my favorite author for long essay; short ones were about EPGY and volunteering

  • Recommendations: Very, very good. One rec from my EPGY professor
  • Hook (if any): I’m very passionate about writing and the humanities, but without allowing my mathematic ability to completely suffer…I guess I’m really well rounded, but with a good mix of lop-sidedness
    </code></pre>

<p>Location/Person:</p>

<pre><code>* State or Country: South Carolina

  • School Type: Public
  • Ethnicity: White
  • Gender: Female
  • Major strength/weakness: Strengths: SATs, recs/ bad sophomore year (I got a C in Latin!! There is hope for late bloomers!!)
    </code></pre>

<p>Other Factors:</p>

<pre><code>* Extracurriculars: Orchestra (All-State, All-Region violinist), Academic Team, Youth in Government, Model United Nations

  • Summer Activities: Stanford EPGY, Harvard SSP, Richard Riley Institute for Emerging Public Leaders
  • Why I think I was accepted/denied: I love to learn and Stanford is my first choice; I think they were sure that I was going to go there if accepted
  • Other thoughts: I was deferred EA and really upset, so I worked my ass off at school and sent in four pages of updated stuff on the deferral form.
  • Favorite dessert: cheesecake
    </code></pre>
82

<p>ACCEPTED!</p>

<p>[ *] SAT: CR: 760 M: 700 W: 700
[ *] SAT IIs: 780 on US History, 730 on Literature, 670 Math II
[ *] GPA: 3.9/4.0
[ *] Rank: top 5% of at least 350 kids
[ *] AP/IB scores: 4 on US History, 4 on English Language, 4 on Psychology
[ *] Courseload: Hardest Possible
[ *] Other stats:</p>

<p>[ *] Essays: very good essays that showed my personality and how I want to impact the world
[ *] Recommendations: at least one good one, not sure about the other one
[ *] Hook (if any): i dont know!!</p>

<p>[ *] State or Country: CA
[ *] School Type: top Catholic prep school
[ *] Ethnicity: white
[ *] Gender: male</p>

<p>[ *] Extracurriculars: Eagle Scout, Debate, and a lot of other stuff
[ *] Summer: Internship </p>

<p>Other Factors:
Why I THINK I was accepted? Throughout my high school experience, I showed a lot of intellectual curiosity. I pursued my passions. I had lots of leadership experience in serving other people. </p>

<p>I am SO proud and happy to be accepted into Stanford!!!</p>

83

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: 2370 CR: 780 M: 800 W: 790
[</em>] SAT IIs: Math 2C - 800, Physics - 790, US History - 750, Korean - 750
[<em>] GPA: 3.8 UW, 4.7 W
[</em>] Rank: 10/400
[<em>] AP/IB scores: AP Calc BC - 5, AP US History - 4, AP Physics C - 4, IB Spanish - 6, IB Physics - 6
[</em>] Courseload: One of three people that takes the hardest courses in the school
[li] Other stats: I came here 7 years ago. Enrolled in the full IB Diploma program. </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: Extremely original but badly executed (looks like i wrote them in a day or two)
[</em>] Recommendations: My two teacher recommendations were beyond superior, and my additional recommendation from the tennis coach I have known for 4 years was also fantastic.
[li] Hook (if any): Filmmaking (documentaries won national awards, films shown at many many places, etc. etc.) and tennis (not recruited, but a lot of regional / state accomplishments, including USTA Team Tennis 2nd Place at Northern California 2005 and 2006)</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: Filmmaking, tennis, environmental projects, tutoring, history-related stuff, science olympiad, math team…for all of the academic competitions i did, i have at least few regional recognitions, and for some of them (history day, sci. oly, math modeling) i have national awards.
[</em>] Summer Activities: Multimedia / Computer Science Individual Research at UCSD
[<em>] Why I think I was accepted/denied: they want more filmmakers?
[</em>] Other thoughts: happy to know that all the hard work i have done my four years had more than paid off…
[li] Favorite dessert: Lobsters and crabs. I eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.[/li][/ul]</p>

84

<p>**Decision: Rejected **</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: CR: 780 M: 670 W:780
[</em>] SAT IIs: US History: 780, Literature: 760, Math II: 710
[<em>] GPA: 4.0 unweighted high school, 3.92 College
[</em>] Rank: 1/512
[<em>] AP/IB scores: IB Economics SL 6, IB Mathematics SL 5
[</em>] Courseload: 7 IB courses this year (4 HL), 8 IB last year; 1 Latin course at a nationally known Liberal Arts College this year, 3 Latin courses at same college last year (trimester).
[li] Other stats: </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: I decided pretty late in the game that I was applying to Stanford, and rushed the application a bit. But rereading it, it works. In fact, I used the picture essay that I wrote for Stanford as my common app essay for Princeton (with some tweaking). And I got in there…
[</em>] Recommendations: My English teacher’s was said to be good, as was my Latin professor’s. A history teacher wrote me a recommendation that I didn’t realize I needed, which was faxed in early March. That was very characterizing, and the only one I read.
[li] Hook (if any): TASP, State Champion at Crew, Swimming Captain and honoree of prestigious swimmer/scholar award. </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: NY
[</em>] School Type: Underfunded public
[<em>] Ethnicity: White
[</em>] Gender: Male
[li] Major strength/weakness: Math SAT score</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: Varsity Swimming, Varsity Rowing, Masterminds (College Bowl for High School). Quite good at all three activities.
[</em>] Summer Activities: TASP this summer, Boy Scout Jamboree and Church trip to Mexico last.
[<em>] Why I think I was accepted/denied: Would my math score bother them that much?
[</em>] Other thoughts: I was accepted to some other great schools, waitlisted at Harvard and Columbia. Why couldn’t I at least be waitlisted at Stanford? Oh, and the rejection letter makes me wonder whether or not I really was accepted… they are ‘unable to offer me a place’. Why couldn’t they write something blatant on the top of the letter like “you suck!”
[li] Favorite dessert: Crow pie. [/li][/ul]</p>

85

<p>Decision: UNaccepted</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: CR: 800 M: 780 W: 800
[</em>] SAT IIs: 800, 800 (Math II & Physics)
[<em>] GPA: 4.00 (Stanford calc. unweighted)
[</em>] Rank: 5/350
[<em>] AP/IB scores: 5 on Calc BC, Physics B; 4 on Engl. Lang.; taking 6 this year
[</em>] Courseload: Most rigorous in magnet high school</p>

<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: decent; spend great deal of time on them for Stanford
[</em>] Recommendations: probably very good
[li] Hook (if any): nada</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: Texas
[</em>] School Type: magnet public
[<em>] Ethnicity: Caucasian
[</em>] Gender: Male
[li] Major strength/weakness: scores & grades good / insufficient star power</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: mostly music/band
[</em>] Summer Activities: summer school & university research
[<em>] Why I think he was accepted/denied: not shiny enough
[</em>] Other thoughts: it’s okay; this was always a big reach. He’s in at all the others - Pomona, Rice, Harvey Mudd, Grinnell, UT Dean’s Scholars Honors, UT Turing Scholars & Carleton. He will do great.
[li] Favorite dessert: hmmm - maybe it will become Rice Pudding…[/li][/ul]</p>

86

<p>Decision: Rejected</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: 2180 CR: 710 M: 770 W: 700
[</em>] SAT IIs: 790 World History, 770 Math IIC, 750 Chemistry
[<em>] GPA: by Stanford calculation, 3.78 uw
[</em>] Rank: top 10% (not reported officially or unofficially
[<em>] AP/IB scores: 5 (Chemistry, US History, World History), 4 (Spanish Language), 3 (Spanish Literature)
[</em>] Courseload: 13 APs by end of senior year, most rigorous available</p>

<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: Marginal
[</em>] Recommendations: Marginal
[li] Hook (if any): URM</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: OH
[</em>] School Type: Public
[<em>] Ethnicity: Black
[</em>] Gender: M
[li] Major strength/weakness: weakness-grades, SAT I score</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other Factors:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars: 3 bands, all of which in which I played euphonium and was section leader; Chinese language self-study, four years
[</em>] Summer Activities: travel, foreign exchange to China (10)
[<em>] Why I think I was accepted/denied: Denied over weak English scores on SAT
[</em>] Other thoughts: This was my last choice, and I got into my first (Cornell); I found out while taking a cruise, and am posting this while I am still on it
[li] Favorite dessert: any cake with liquor[/li][/ul]</p>

87

<p>Decision: WAITLISTED</p>

<p>Stats:
Fee Waiver Used?: no
SAT I (by section): 800 M 800 CR 760 W
SAT IIs: 800 Math IIC, 780 Bio-M, 720 US Hist
GPA, Weighted and Unweighted: 3.97 UW, 4.92 W
Rank: 4/500
ACT: n/a
APs (including this year’s): Music Theory (5), Psychology (5), World History (5), English Language (4), AP US (4), Calc BC (3); this year: Govt US, Govt Comparative, German, English Lit, Physics C
IBs (including this year’s): n/a
Senior Yr Courseload: Govt US, Govt Comparative, German, English Lit, Physics C, Econ H, Science Research (Accredited by state university), Multivariable Calculus (accredited by Stanford)
Number of Apps from Your School: just me, I think
Other stats (Awards, etc.): National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, National Academic Challenge Semifinalist Team member, U Penn book award, YWCA People to Watch award, Organization of Chinese Americans Outstanding High School Student Grand Prize, Outbound Ambassador Scholarship to Italy, Tennis Sportsmanship and Team Spirit trophies, National German Exam Medal, AMC 10 Superior Awards,
Subjective:
ECs listed on app: Piano Solo (International Solo Recital Tour, Honors Program at music school, Masterclasses, and Festivals), Chamber Music (World Premiere, Masterclasses, and Festivals), Tennis, German Club (President)Academic Challenge (President), Math Team (President), Science Research Program (Special Events Coordinator-aka I organize/run competitions)
Job/Work Experience: 10 hrs/week as Research Intern at the National Office of the March of Dimes (year-round since sophomore year)
Essays (subject and responses): I liked them, as did my English teacher
Teacher Recs: I’ve seen neither, but one was my math teacher, whose class I was in for two years and he advises two of the clubs that I preside over, so we’re good friends
Counselor Rec: ok, probably very generic (counselor has 200+ students)
Hook (TASP, RSI, Research, etc.): n/a; my research had not won any national awards
Location/Person: Westchester
State or Country: New York
School Type, Average Stats of School (if available): large public
Ethnicity: Chinese
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: $100,000+
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None
Strengths: ECs, teacher recs, I hope, awards, Scores, 1st essay
Weaknesses: another asian girl from Westchester, NY
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: I wish I knew.
Other Factors:
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I have no idea where I will be going. I was rejected at Princeton and Yale and waitlisted at Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, and Columbia. (I really, really, really hope that I can get in off of one of those waitlists, but I’m completely unconnected-no legacy, $$$, minority status, whatsoever- any advice would be greatly appreciated) so I will be visiting Brown, Darmouth, and Cornell soon. </p>

<p>Favorite Dessert: Cheesecake <3</p>

88

<p>Decision: Accepted!!!</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: CR: 800 M: 800 W: 800
SAT IIs: Math II: 800 Lit: 800 Chem: 780
GPA: 3.98 (unweighted)
Rank: 2/1011
AP/IB scores: Calc BC: 5 US History: 5 English: 4
Courseload: pretty grueling</p>

<p>Subjective:
Essays: Kickass
Recommendations: One was definitely v. good, and the other must have been all right : )</p>

<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: Illinois
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Strengths: Essays, test scores, sparkling personality
Weaknesses: just another WASP.</p>

<p>Other Factors:
Extracurriculars: Piano, chamber music, math team, chorus and theater
Summer Activities: WTP (engineering program at MIT), Iowa Young Writers’ Studio
Favorite dessert: Apple Pie Milkshake (slice of pie + ice cream + blender = heaven)</p>

89

<p>REJECTED</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT: 1440 - 2240 (Math 770, CR 670, Writing 800)
[</em>] SAT IIs: Math I 690, Math II 740, Biology M 730
[<em>] ACT: 31
[</em>] GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 4.63 weighted
[<em>] Rank: 1 / 70
[</em>] Other stats:
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: worked really hard on it, very unique
[</em>] Teacher Recs: didn’t read
[<em>] Counselor Rec: pretty much listed everything I did, kinda generic
[</em>] Hook (if any): Filipino
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: FL
[</em>] School Type: parochial
[<em>] Ethnicity: Filipino
[</em>] Gender: male
[<em>] major strength/weakness:
[</em>] why you think you were accepted/rejected/defered:
[*] going to attend? [/ul]</p>