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</p>
<p>A lot of past book prize winners got into/are in Stanford - mostly because they can write very well (not that they got the prize).</p>
<p>I’ve always wondered how book prizes are awarded. Do you apply for it? Or do they track you like the PSC does?</p>
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</p>
<p>For the Stanford one, you write an essay, which is then reviewed by the alumni club. The short-listed entrants then undergo an interview for the final winner.</p>
<p>Hello guys,</p>
<p>It seems that a lot is going on here. Congrats to the people who got in this early round. It will be a nice Christmas present for you! </p>
<p>Anyway, do you happen to know of anyone who got into Princeton last year? I am keen on Princeton and the essay topic seems quite challenging. I am not too sure what the school is looking for. Can you guys help out with that? It will be good if I can correspond with someone who got in. They should be able to give me some advice on my essay. </p>
<p>Regards,
Harry</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“screwitlah” got into Princeton last year. PM him?</p>
<p>omg the invasion of Vietnamese scholars yes? :D</p>
<p>From what i can tell a Vietnamese scholar from Sing is judged by the same standards as a local Singaporean student. All conspiracy theories aside, of course.</p>
<p>ETA: Can we take a moment to just think about how fast time flies? It feels like just last week i was on this website fretting about my decisions!</p>
<p>Also, you can write whatever you want for the Princeton supp essay :)</p>
<p>A RJC dude got into duke ED as well.</p>
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</p>
<p>errrrrrrrrrrr no. like what i said last time, i personally know numerous counterexamples, but if you insist on disagreeing, then i respect that and i’ll leave it alone.</p>
<p>HarryHeng, which essay question are you referring to?</p>
<p>@fterh2</p>
<p>(sorry I don’t know how to quote!)</p>
<p>It’s true that many from RJ/HC get in, but I’m from NJ and just got accepted to Wharton, so you still have a shot! I didn’t take HMT too, that’s how I ended up in NJ. My advice is just to make good use of your JC life. I didn’t do anything with regards to academics (e.g. olympiads, SISC, ISSF).</p>
<p>vsxy can u post ur stats? =)</p>
<p>^ sure (:</p>
<p>SAT I superscored:
Critical Reading: 690
Math: 770
Writing: 800
Total: 2260</p>
<p>SAT II:
Math Level II: 800
Chemistry: 800
Physics: 780</p>
<p>A Level Predicted Grades: All A/Distinction.</p>
<p>A Level Grades: A for both Chinese and PW.</p>
<p>O Level Grades: 6 A1s (English, E Math, Bio, Combined Humans. Geog, Chinese), 3 A2s (Physics, Chem, A Math)</p>
<p>J1 Promo Grades: Chem B, Chinese B, Econs B, GP C (wth), Math C, Physics E
Yeah no A’s for J1.</p>
<p>J2 Prelim Grades: Chem E (ouch!), Econs A, H3 Econs Merit, GP A, Math A, Physics C</p>
<p>ECs I mentioned:
Student Council (I elaborated on this in the Common App short answer question; mentioned specifically what I did, what activities I organized)
Soccer (didn’t win anything, but participated in Nationals and various small competitions + organized Inter- and Intra- School Street Soccer Competitions)
Music (Diploma + volunteer in church’s youth band + took part in some Rock Band competition when I was younger)
Community Service (just listed a few)
Chess Club (secondary school)
academic mentor (secondary school)</p>
<p>full registration and payment for the SATs can be done online through collegeboard right ?? payment by credit card then ?</p>
<p>Yeah they accept most major credit cards.</p>
<p>Do US colleges care what you get for your Chinese? I mean they aren’t big on Chinese there… so it shouldn’t matter.</p>
<p>Right? =x</p>
<p>^ Well, a lot of recommended pre-college curricula include a foreign language component, so I would say that they do care.</p>
<p>here are all my stats (the one i wrote in common app; they said wrote 7 things so i wrote lor)</p>
<p>-A*STAR MOE LSAP (1 out of 7 students in nation)</p>
<p>-Merit for Nanyang Concept Test: Physics Advanced Level</p>
<p>-Represented college in SG math olympiad</p>
<p>-Represented college in SG physics olympiad (1 out of 5 students)</p>
<p>-Singapore Youth Science Festival (Represented college)</p>
<p>-NTU Mech challenge (Represented college)</p>
<p>-SSEF (sole representative of college)</p>
<p>Err…you can *ignore those with (represented college), i use it as euphemism for COP :S</p>
<p>Havent been here in a long while, now that A lvls over, Im a little freer. Quick refreshment of memory: boy from sajc with low self-esteem</p>
<p>My teacher said that recommendations by professionals are much more useful than teacher recommendations, for e.g. my research mentor at a*star agreed to be my refree, but the common aps only say can use school teacher’s testimonial?? (must fill in their email and they will send email to them)</p>
<p>And, im applying to: berkeley, cornell, MIT/harvard/princeton (try luck), chicago, UIUC, Upenn. I wonder what are my chances hmm. Got 1920 for SAT I, retaking in jan: hopefully can get >2200 this time…</p>
<p>anyone there can answer my doubts? screwitlah, frankchn?</p>
<p>^ Well, I guess you should play up your MOE LSAP thing? Write about your experiences and all that doing it. </p>
<p>Your teachers are wrong. Most schools require two recommendations from teachers who are teaching you academic subjects (so no PE teachers, etc as well). A well written recommendation from a teacher who knows you well and likes you is better than a generic and bland recommendation from even the Minister of Education. The school wants to know more about you in the recommendation, and the process is not for you to start dropping names.</p>
<p>Since you are already applying to Berkeley (next next year), why not try UCLA as well? I suppose you have a good chance of getting into UIUC so long as you don’t need aid. A lot depends on your essays at Chicago so work on that. I don’t think you are that competitive at the other schools.</p>
<p>
Those are supposed to be your ECs/CCAs. So diversity your stuff and don’t spam all 7 slots with similar, science-y stuff. </p>
<p>
Not true. Unless these “professionals” know you incredibly well to write something substantial. </p>
<p>
Not really true, unless your counselor/CT decides to send your testimonial in place of a proper recommendation letter. </p>
<p>
1920 SAT is going to hurt your chance at all these schools. You need more than luck to get into HPM, or Chicago, or Cornell, or UPenn, or Berkeley (agree with Frank). </p>
<p>Yup, hope this was helpful.</p>
<p>BrillianMinds, there are several underrated schools in the top 20 that you should try out as well. They are of the same calibre as the ivy league schools, but they have a smaller singaporean pool, which might work to your advantage! bona fortuna, tibi volo!</p>
<p>Hmm what do you suggest I do now…other than studying for SAT (I’ve been practicing the official SAT study guide book)</p>
<p>I have other activities like:</p>
<p>-2nd Raffles Community Leaders Forum (Leadership)</p>
<p>-NEFMQ: cop (Economics)</p>
<p>Basically I’ve lost in every single competition I’ve been to, an epitome of a loser lol.</p>
<p>Problem 1: I heard that Counselor* means civics tutor? **** that is a disaster cause my civics tutor doesnt write good english and she doesn’t seem to like/know much about me. She’s also quite apathetic/clueless about uni apps; she teaches chinese and pw, yeah u can see where that goes</p>
<p>Problem 2: How should i put my ECs/CCAS in the 7 things? (Technically I dont have a cca :gasps,)</p>