<p>I’ve been reading the Stanford forum for a few months now. I figure it’s my turn to throw in my resume.</p>
<p>**GPA<a href=“10-11”>/b</a>
W: 4.0
UW: 3.81</p>
<p>SAT 2400/10 (2nd taking)</p>
<p>SATIIs
Math 2: 800
US History: 780
Literature: 780</p>
<p>APs
Sophomore
Computer Science: 5
Junior
Spanish Language: 4
BC Calc: 5
US History: 5
Senior
English Language
English Literature
US Government</p>
<p>Extracurriculars
- 4 year member and 2 year President of Building a Better Community club, my school’s official charater education and community service club
- 4 year member and 2 year co-captain of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate team.
- Numerous high-level local and low-level national debate awards
- Creator of <a href=“http://TJGames.org%5B/url%5D”>http://TJGames.org</a>, a game development club and website. The games are posted as donationware, with all proceeds going to charity (<a href=“http://www.childsplaycharity.org%5B/url%5D”>http://www.childsplaycharity.org</a>)
- 4 year participant on Crew team.</p>
<p>I hope to be a video game designer, and I’m very serious about the legitimacy of this ambition.</p>
<p>Let me know if there’s any other information you might like to know.</p>
<p>SAT 2400/10</p>
<p>what does 10 mean?</p>
<p>10 on the essay? thats just my guess although is it posible to get 800 writing w/o perfect essay?</p>
<p>yes it is possible to get a perfect 800 with a 10 on the essay, ensuring that you did not miss any of the multiple choice in the writin section. this is due to the fact that the multiple choice is graded on a curve, making it so you can get an 800 with missing a few questions, so if the op did not miss any questions, this curve could have applied to his/her essay. this happened to a guy at my school who got an 11 on the essay and got an 800.</p>
<p>and the 10 does stand for the essay subscore.</p>
<p>Quite right, myriadp.</p>
<p>Discussion about chances? Ideas about angles I should take on the application?</p>
<p>Just don’t mess it up, man.</p>
<p>I don’t know what I’m expecting, but I’ll give this one last bump.</p>
<p>Um… good luck! Same with the rest of us</p>
<p>Your stats are excellent. No need to talk about the scores…you already know they’re outstanding. What’s especially interesting (to this uninformed observer) is the combination of APs and Subject Tests you have—it’s a very solid balance, and almost unique in that it is top-notch strong in math and computer science, but neglects natural science completely. I don’t think this is a bad thing. It could form an integral part of your hook.</p>
<p>Your ECs are very good as well, not because they necessarily keep pace with the “wonderkids’,” but because they offer clear insight into who you are. We hear time and again how admissions officers prefer to see dedication and personality in our ECs, not just lots of check marks on the application. Yours do that, and that’s important. </p>
<p>Here’s my advice about a potential hook or angle. Use your lack of natural science APs/SATs with your inclination towards video game design and computer science to your advantage. How you do this is up to you (though it should probably be in your essays and, if possible, recs), and depends a great deal on your writing style and competency. The fact that you’ve created and maintained a game development website is a huge boon…explain, judiciously and intelligently, how that’s what you’re passionate about. If you come across as serious about video game design, this could offset a possible perception of slight academic narrowness (don’t read this the wrong way. you are very broad across all areas besides natural science. i only bring this up because lots of applicants will have everything you have, plus 5s on Bio, Chem, and/or Physics C). Your 5 on the Comp Sci exam will lay testament that you’re good, and its being in sophmore year coupled with your demonstrated interest in game design will suggest that you’ve branched off on your own, into more difficult, creative, and ultimately desireable areas of computer science. Let them know that (at the very least in the second short essay), but don’t hit them too hard with it. You have other impressive and commendable ECs to talk about too. </p>
<p>Good luck to you! You have a great chance at Stanford, as great as anyone does, better than most do, to a school like this.</p>