What do I need to work on?

Colleges & Universities Princeton University
1

<p>Hi, I’m new to CC.</p>

<p>I’m going into senior year, so I don’t have much time, but I’d still like to know what I can do to improve my application.</p>

<p>My favorites are Princeton and Columbia, but I’m still thinking about where I should apply ED.</p>

<p>Asian male
Canadian citizen</p>

<p>SAT
CR 720
M 800
W 800/10
Mandarin 800
Math II 800
Chem 800
Taking physics and French in October, predicting 750-800 (Mandarin might not be so impressive)</p>

<p>AP
Chem 5
Calc (taking this year)
Bio (taking this year)
No others offered =(</p>

<p>GPA 4.00
Rank 1/approx 200</p>

<p>Awards
Duke of Edinburgh Gold
Principal’s List
3rd at provincial physics competition
12th national chemistry competition held by U of Waterloo (1st in school)
Provincial Japanese speech contest finalist</p>

<p>EC
~400 hours of service in school: library, orientation, fundraiser, sound crew
~200 hours of service outside school: soup kitchen, seniors’ homes, food bank, Christmas hamper, federal election
Youth Parliament
Piano 8 years
Trumpet 6 years (played in school band and district jazz festivals)
Hiking (as a hobby) 4 years</p>

<p>Still trying to think of a hook and what to write on essay. =(</p>

2

<p>you might want to leave hiking off of your list unless it is an organized group activity or something a little snazzier, and then dress it up…to me it seems like you are stretching for ecs.</p>

3

<p>I disagree. Leave the hiking on – ECs don’t have to be done with an organization. If it’s important to you and it takes a significant amount of your time, then you should talk about it (otherwise, the admissions committee will wonder where all that spare time went and assume you’ve wasted it – but no, you’ve been spending that time on a passion.)</p>

<p>There’s nothing about these that I would “improve on.” Everything looks good, now you really need to get started on those essays!</p>

4

<p>Write about something that truly differentiates you; be charming and sweet as you know you can. If you spent a summer hitch-hiking the roads of China like a hobo or rescuing dolphins off the coast of Antarctica, share that information with the admissions officer. Good luck!</p>