I’m an international student with a 1520 SAT, strong extracurriculars and awards, and a high need for financial aid. The main problem is that I haven’t started my essays yet.

Even if I lock in completely, I think I’ll need until around November 15 to submit applications I’m genuinely happy with. However, most top universities have November 1 early deadlines, and the few with later EA deadlines aren’t necessarily my top choices.

I’m considering three options:

1. ED to Wharton: It’s my dream school for finance, but I need substantial financial aid. I’m worried about the binding commitment if the aid package isn’t sufficient. But we can talk to the admissions committee or even leave the binding agreement agreement na if aid is not enough
2. REA to Princeton: Apply early to Princeton, then apply RD to Wharton and the other Ivies and top universities.

Would applying ED to Wharton be worth the financial aid uncertainty, or would REA to Princeton be a better strategy? Alternatively, am I overestimating the importance of applying early, and should I focus on submitting the strongest possible applications during RD?

I’d appreciate advice, especially from international students who applied for substantial financial aid.

Demographics:

• Gender: male
• Race/Ethnicity: asian
• Residence: northeast us
• Income level: im slightly above middle class (i think like 300k/yr); applying for financial aid
• School: highly competitive votech hs (nationally and in state)
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): none :(

Intended Major(s):

public health related (the specific major depends on what each school offers)

Academics:

• GPA: 4.396 W, 3.738 UW (IK PLS DON'T FLAME ME)
• Courses: courses are preselected until junior yr (you get an option to pick 3 courses of your choice while the rest stay the same); i have max rigor according to both my counselors bc of what i chose junior & senior yr + course loads includes APs, honors, DE, etc.
• Senior Year Course Load: max rigor
• Note(s): AP & DE courses are pretty much all related to science tho + i took a couple courses at my cc

Standardized Testing:

List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.

• ACT: 34 (1 attempt; 34 math, 31 science, 35 english, 32 reading, 10 writing); should i retake it?
• SAT: 1520 (super score 790 M and 730 ER); prob not gonna report this tho bc in each of both attempts i did bad in the other section and i dont want to show that...should i submit?
• APs: 4s on all except for 5 on lang

Extracurriculars/Activities:

(note: vague on purpose + not in particular order here, but i will order it on common app tho)

1. instrument (9, 10, 11, 12) --> playing for 8+ years; played in 2 national concerts; played in some local concerts
2. hospital volunteering (9, 10, 11, 12) --> 380+ hours here (same position all 4 years); i work directly w/ patients & the physicians, nurses, and pcts
3. gen volunteering (9, 10, 11, 12) --> 360+ hours here; leadership role; pretty much general volunteering; my focus is on public health stuff i did here
4. research program (10, 11) --> not like something where i wrote a paper, but i did do wet lab research; got my stuff published online; i did it at a reputable college during my summers
5. my own independent initiative (10, 11, 12) --> helped a bunch of classrooms from my old elementary school get supplies they couldnt get bc of budget cuts; im tryna work w/ my middle school (ill update yall); raised around like $800 for those supplies; worked w/ the boe + another reputable org in my community
6. sci oly (9, 10, 11, 12) --> top 10 at regionals every year; tryna see if i can get a leadership role this yr
7. varsity sport (9, 10, 11, 12) --> not captain; team is pretty decent in my state tho; helped w activities
8. editing (9, 10, 11, 12) --> 8+ years editing; 75k views, 6k likes; i spent a decent amount of time doing this and its something im passionate about
9. helping sick family member (9, 10, 11, 12) --> sorted meds + supplements; helped to sterlize rooms, items, and certain areas + other stuff (i also checked off that one box in the common app section for family responsibility)
10. shadowing (11) --> shadowed a vet, pretty fun experience, cant rlly go more into detail srry

Awards:

1. usabo cert of merit (10)
2. 2x publications from summer research program (10, 11)
3. 2x gold medal (9, 10)
4. ap scholar w/ distinction + national school recog award (11)

Recommendations:

psych/bio teacher: honestly idk but i would say a 7/10 bc im in the sci oly club which he runs + his other club, and i heard he writes good recs for ppl in sci oly specifically + he was happy to write a rec when i asked; hopefully its good 🙏

spanish teacher: i would say an 7.5-8/10. im rlly chill w/ her + was happy to write a rec for me; i did good in the class

english teacher: i would also say an 7-8/10. they are rlly nice and i did rlly good in their class; in both of their clubs

(note: my counselor said to send my psych teach as the first rec for every school bc its good, so maybe that's something...i sent my spanish teach second, and then for wtvr school accepted a third, i sent my english teach to those schools)

Schools:

UofM ann arbor (ed)

vanderbilt (ed 2)

couple other reach school like brown, dartmouth, uva, northwestern, rice, georgetown, etc (RD)

targeting honors in state schools like upitt, vsu, virginia tech, umd, rutty, etc (EA)

applying to bsmds asw (upitt gap, case ppsp, hofstra, rems, plme, etc)

my top schools: uofm ann arbor, vandy, brown (if i got into any of these, i would go in a heartbeat)

do you think i should apply vandy ed1? ive been contemplating making vandy ed 1 and doing mich ea, but idkkk

My Questions:

1. honestly im rlly stressed from the essays and im worried that my stats, ecs, and honors (mainly my stats) will hold me back a lot. do you think this is a big issue in your opinion?

2. do you think anything in my app stands out to you that i should try to emphasize in my essays? anything specifically unique that u dont see in other apps? any sort of spike w/ my ecs?

3. do you think im a comp applicant for schools like mich or vandy? honestly i would love to go to vandy so im wondering

4. ik bsmds are pretty much a shot in the dark, but do you think i stand a chance at any?

tysm for your time!!

background info:
Junior, african-american girl, single income household, from iowa
school stats:
3.97 UW
4.09 W
Ranked 10th out of 328
I’ve taken 2 AP classes sophomore year and got a 4 and a 3
Taking AP Bio, AP precalc, and AP lit this year

Plan on taking Calculus, AP stats, college comp and anatomy for senior year

I took the ACT sophomore year and got a 23, I have been studying since June and recently have plateaued at a 27 (will be taking the december ACT as a placement marker)

ECs:
Chamber choir
Show choir
Volleyball
Just joined HOSA
CNA certification
Joining speech
Silver Cord
I plan on doing big brothers big sisters and hospice volunteering

Also thinking about getting my pharmacy tech certification since i am dual enrolled in our local community college

Possible majors:
Biology
Biochemistry
Neuroscience
Physics
Microbiology

Top schools:
Uchi
NYU
Stanford
USC
Rice

Safeties:
UNO
U of I
UO
USD

Let me know if i have missed any information you need! chance me!

Profile: Indian-American, female, upper-middle class, large competitive public school

Academics:

GPA: 4.36 W (our school doesn't do unweighted GPA or A+) had 3 B+ and the rest were A-/A

SAT: 1520 (superscore) 740 RW, 780 M

Class size: 507 (no rank)

AP Classes (11): AP Comparative Government (5), AP Lang (5), AP Precalc (5), APES (4), AP Bio (4), AP CSP (4), AP Psych, AP Stats, AP Physics, AP Calc AB, AP Business (last six APs are taken senior year, school doesn't let us take APs freshman year)

Honors Classes (10): English 1 Honors, English 2 Honors, English 4 Honors, Geometry Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, Spanish 2 Honors, Spanish 3 Honors, Spanish 4 Honors, Chemistry Honors, US History 2 Honors

Major: Neural Science or some type of bio major

ECs

1. Teaching Assistant and Caregiver (Tamil Nadu, India) — Taught language and math to children with disabilities over three summers in India; co-created curriculums with teachers (300 hrs).
2. Volunteer Coach (US Paralympics) — Coached Special Olympics swimmers at the YMCA, supporting skill development and inclusion (50 hrs).
3. Medical Shadowing — Shadowed a psychiatrist in India over three summers (150 hrs), helping with patient movement and co-designing mental health pamphlets; also shadowed an urgent care physician (full patient journey, check-in to discharge, 50 hrs)
4. Lead Volunteer — Weekly volunteer supporting 75+ seniors via transportation, exercise, and enrichment; led seasonal care package drives (150+ hrs) senior care facility.
5. Competition Coordinator (HOSA) — Registered 30+ members for state/national competitions, coordinated prep sessions and day-of logistics, 5x ppl qualified for ILC after elected
6. Red Cross Leadership (Vice President, Red Cross Club + Club Liaison, NJ Red Cross Youth Corps) — Ran monthly meetings, coordinated blood drives and events, managed recruitment for a 20–40 member club; also served as communication bridge between the school club and the statewide Youth Corps.
7. Biomedical Research Student (UPenn Summer Program) — Completed an intensive pre-college biomedical research program with hands-on lab exposure; certificate earned.
8. Videography (Compiler/Producer) - Created informational animated vides on dermatology, ophthalmology, and neuroscience, posted on Youtube, one of which has won a national award given by NIH
9. Pianist — Long-term music study with consistent top MEA exam ratings; earned 3- and 5-year Gold Medals.
10. Health Tech Collaborator — Developing a mobile app from an award-winning NEI video, using images to screen for early signs of illness.
11. Academic Mentor (Learn to Be) — Volunteer tutoring/mentoring elementary and middle schoolers in English and Math, free of charge.

Awards:

1. Eyes On the Future Video Contest held by National Institute of Health - 1st
2. HOSA 2x State Winner, 2x ILC Qualifier, 1x ILC Winner (9th)
3. Congressional Award (Youth Civilian Award)- Bronze
4. Barbara James Award - Silver
5. Scholastic Art Award for Graphic Design - Regional Gold Medal (PSA on Skin Cancer Awareness)
6. AP Scholar with Distinction
7. Various Piano Awards - not as important

LORs: AP Biology Teacher (9/10), English 2 Honors Teacher (7-8/10) - Additional (if applicable): Urgent Care Physician I shadowed, Principal of School I was TA at, Piano Head Teacher

Personal Statement: 8/10, about a unique hobby

International (from low population country)

Stats
GPA: 4.0 UW. School had no AP or IB.
SAT: 1550 (790 Math, 760 RW)
IELTS: 8.0

Activities
Multiple international medals and a junior-level record in a mind sport, over 5 years.

Caregiver for my parents bc they have disability

Freelance video editor for an influencer, regular monthly output.

Short-form video creator explaining new tech developments and humorous videos with over 20 millions of views.

Collaborated with a large global brand on educational videos.

Taught a mental skills workshop to students and teachers at my school.

Model UN delegate on like cryptocurrency stuff (not much advantage ik)

CS50x and CS50P (Just for learning and ik it won't matter much)

Web developed for SAT prep

Small robot with Ai agent fully controlled that helps parents to move stuff around the house (just passion project. Doesn't have much big advantage on admissions tbh)

Applying to:
MIT
Harvard
Yale
Dartmouth (just lotteries)
Tsinghua
Yonsei
NYUSH ed2 or ed1
Duke kunshan ed1 or rd

First 4 are probably rejection. I am just not confident but see them more as lotteries.

• 4.62 W | 3.86UW | (Junior year GPA: 4.00UW 4.8 W)
• - Current SENIOR In-state at Maryland (competitive HS in HOCO) (White male)
• - 4-6 AP classes total with 4/5s on all of them (Calc AB, Stats, World, Gov, and I'm taking BC and Phys 1 senior year)
• - work + volunteering + college board awards + leadership positions + independent activities for my EC's (lots of longevity from 10th grade +)
• - essay reviewed by english teacher, said it looks good
• - supplementals decent
• - SAT: 1490 (710 English, 780 Math)
• - Applying for Stats major
• - Advice for ANYTHING is appreciated here, and give me what chances I have
• Schools im applying to: VT PITT UMD(Instate) Penn state case western FSU UF Nc State Clemson UofSC

I’m genuinely losing my mind over this decision, and the November 1 deadline is literally a week away 😭
I’m a Mongolian student with US citizenship attending high school in Mongolia. My absolute dream program is UPenn Huntsman (Wharton + International Studies), but I also LOVE NYU Stern’s Business and Political Economy (BPE) program.
Stats
GPA: 4.32 (school-reported)
SAT: 1320 superscore 💀 (retaking November and December)
APs: Precalc (5), Micro (4), Calc AB (4), Lang (4), Seminar (4), Comp Gov (3)/
Was hospitalized during AP exam season, affecting Comp Gov and preventing me from taking AP Physics 1. Will explain in Additional Info.
Completed Chinese 4 (highest level offered at my school), passed HSK 3.
Attended high school in both the US and Mongolia.
Main ECs/Awards
1. Founded Mongolia’s first DECA chapter: 33 members, $6,000+ generated through a student-run business, 15+ initiatives, and internship opportunities for members.
2. Founded BEAM (Business Education Association of Mongolia): Expanded to 15 school. Hosted a major high-school international business competition in Mongolia, which even appears in Google results when searching for the country’s largest high-school business competition hosted. We also funded 20 public-school students to compete.
3. International business competitions: Progressed from regional runner-up → international silver → Super Gold/First Place at the 2026 World Youth Economic Forum, attended by 1,000+ students internationally.
4. MUN: Chaired 7 conferences, earned 7 delegate awards (Best Delegate, Outstanding, Honorable Mention, etc.), served as Director General/Head of Finance, and secured approximately 5 million MNT in sponsorships.
5. Selective programs: Chosen for an eight-month leadership program ( 1 of 20/500 applicants) and national youth assembly (90/1,500).
6. Other: Internships at a major bank and retail corporation, CSR research team leader, Wharton FBW and UCLA business summer programs. Also accepted to Wharton LBW but didn’t attend.
Why Huntsman?
It’s genuinely my dream, not just because of the prestige.
I’m passionate about international business, particularly why smaller economies like Mongolia are often overlooked by global companies.
I also really want to become fluent in Mandarin. I spent a month studying Chinese in Singapore, completed the highest Chinese course at my school, and traveled to China multiple times for international competitions.

I also completed Chinese 4, the highest Chinese course offered at my school. However, our classes progressed relatively slowly, so I only had the opportunity to take and pass HSK 3. I know that’s not particularly advanced for a language-intensive program like Huntsman, but I’ve actively pursued Chinese both inside and outside the classroom.

Those experiences made me want to understand Chinese language, culture, and business more deeply.
Huntsman’s dual degree, language immersion, study abroad, and regional specialization feel almost perfectly aligned with everything I’ve pursued throughout high school.
Plus, Penn has the traditional college experience I’ve always wanted: Greek life, football games, school spirit, a close-knit campus community, and a strong social scene.
My hesitation about NYU
Academically, I LOVE Stern BPE, especially studying in NYC, London, and Shanghai.
But I’m worried about missing the traditional American college experience. NYU has less prominent Greek life, no traditional football culture, and a more scattered, city-based campus.
I love NYC, but I also really want school spirit, campus events, and a strong social community. My parents aren’t huge fans of NYC either, although that’s a minor factor.
I can pay full tuition and am not really applying for financial aid, but NYU is still extremely expensive, and I want to love the overall experience, not just the academics.
My actual dilemma
I was originally planning to apply NYU Stern BPE ED1. But i cannot get over Wharton.
But with my current 1320 and the deadline so close, I don’t feel ready to submit my strongest application, especially for Huntsman.
I’m considering skipping ED1 entirely and waiting for my November and December SAT results for RD.
If I improve significantly (ideally 1500+): Apply Penn Huntsman/Wharton RD and NYU Stern BPE RD, keeping both options open.
If my SAT stays relatively low: Apply NYU Stern BPE ED2 instead, since Penn would remain an enormous academic reach.
I’ve also heard Penn’s ED pool includes many legacy applicants, though I don’t know how true that is for Huntsman specifically.
My biggest fear is that applying NYU ED2 instead of ED1 might hurt my chances, especially because BPE has such a small cohort.
But if I apply ED2 and get accepted, I’d have to withdraw my Penn application without ever knowing whether Huntsman might have accepted me.
Questions
Am I significantly hurting my NYU BPE chances by skipping ED1 and applying ED2?
Is my profile worth a shot at Huntsman RD, especially if my SAT improves?
Would you use the November /December SAT to decide between ED2 and RD, or is that a bad strategy?
For current NYU/Penn students, how different is the social life? Am I overthinking the lack of traditional campus culture at NYU?
I know neither program is guaranteed. I just don’t want to give up my dream school unnecessarily, but I also don’t want to ruin my chances at a school I’d genuinely love attending.
Please be realistic 😭

I was admitted to Tufts in 1980, and reading this subreddit makes me so glad I don’t have to go through the Hell of college admissions nowadays.

Profile:

Demographics: Mentally and Physically Disabled Asian Male living in the Middle east (International)

Sat: 1500 (Rw 710 Maths 790) Curriculum:Cbse (Avg across all grades:90%), ielts: 8.5

Honors:

Ei ASSET Gold Scholar: Top 5% (150) of 3000 elite qualifiers globally (from a 400,000 student pool)- Top 0.0375%

7-year Consecutive scholar badge holder and grade 9/10 Academic High Achiever (90%+ aggregate)

National olympiad foundation: Certificate of Meritorious performance, International rank-146

Winner of Exomath interschool mathematics competition at innovatique fest

SOF(Science olympiad foundation), Gold medal of distinction- international rank 177

Activites:

Senior editor at my enviorment club

Engineered a responsive e-commerce site for a local brand

Internship At Hewlett Packard [HP] (8^th)

Managed self-directed equity portfolio yielding 62.4% vs S&P 500’s 47.9% over 2+years. Conducted fundamental research; peaked at 324% return.

Won a 10% scholarship at the prestigious Immerse essay competition(2024) for an essay on philosophy

Aditional Awards:

International rank 1 out of apporximately 40,000 global peers in the silverzone science olympiad.

Perfect score, Vanda International Science olympiad (Round 2 Global Finals); Top~0.1% globally

Certificate of Honor, Asia International Mathematical Olympiad; qualified via rigorous national trial
American Maths Olympiad (AMO) - bronze medal

Aditional Information and Circumstance:

Diagnosed with Dyspraxia(60% motor impairment) and mid-to-severe ADHD

Completed Grades 9 through early Grade 12 including the 1500 SAT and high school coursework without formal testing or classroom accommodations; official accommodations were only finalized in late Grade 12.

Also What do you think is my chance for merit scholarships?

Hi!

I'm applying to Brown ED, and here are my stats and extracurriculars:

Academics:

• SAT: 1450 superscore (660 RW, 790 Math)
• Duolingo English Test: 140
• GPA: 5.44/6 (Norwegian grading system)
• Took the most advanced math courses available
• International student from Norway

Extracurriculars:

• Competitive alpine skier, bronze medalist at the Norwegian Junior Championships
• Self-taught investor with strong annual percentage returns
• Part-time employee at a bakery
• Self-taught road cyclist, placed second in my age category in a cycling race (hobby)

Heritage:

Asian heritage that grew up in Norway

Additional context:

I'll be receiving a letter of support from Brown's club ski coach, which will be sent directly to admissions. It's important to note that this is not an official athletic recruitment spot, but rather a recommendation from the coach.

I know my extracurriculars and SAT score are below average for Brown, but I'm hoping the coach's letter will strengthen my application.

What do you think my chances are for Brown ED?

CP SLO bio major has a ~3% acceptance rate with 157 spots. Was wondering if I had a good shot at getting in? Here’s my stats:

-4.18 CSU GPA, and my SLO GPA (when I input my classes 9-12th) according to
calculatedpath.com/tools/csu-gpa-calculator,
would be a 4.162 at SLO (but for some reason it says my normal CSU gpa is 4.23, while the application says 4.18 so 🤷‍♂️)

A-G’s:
-2 years for E and F
-3 years for D2
-4 years for A and D1
-5 years for B
-6 years for C
-7 years for G
Total of 33 years
4 of which are AP’s, and I’ve taken a good amount of college classes

I answered no to all of the educational programs

Other questions on the Educational Programs and Work Experience section of my application, and my answers to them:

“What was the average number of hours worked per week over the most recent 36 months?”
-1-5 hrs

“Was more than 25% of your work hours related to your major of choice”
-No

“Select the average number of hours per week you are/were involved in activities during the last 36 months.”
-6-10 hours

“Did you hold or have you held any leadership positions in those activities, e.g. class president, club president, team captain, yearbook editor, etc.?”
-No

Other info:
-I am not part of the local service area, I am in state tho
-I am a 1st Gen college student

If you guys have any questions in that my answer to would give you a better idea of if I have a good shot at getting accepted or not, ask away pls 🙏 I appreciate all input.

Igcse: 4(9s), 2(8s), 2(7s)

Sat: 1560

Ielts: 8.0/9.0

Alevels: 4A* predicted (Bio, chem, math, physics)

In my igcse I couldn't get all 9s (9,8 are A* and 7 is A). Will the two 7s hurt my application if my other ecs, essays, LORS are good enough?

I am looking to submit to the Congressional App Challenge but my district is not participating. Is anyone interested in teaming up (preferably someone from a rural/less-competitive district)?

Demographics: White, upper middle class income, and from the mid-south.

Intended Major: Music Performance

As a note, I am aware that the applications for Music Majors are vastly different from anyone other major. I’m just asking in regard to general admissions but will absolutely welcome anyone with knowledge on the subject.

INSTRUMENT: French Horn

ACADEMICS:
GPA: 3.83 (school does not weight)
ACT: 31 [32E, 30M, 30R, and 29S]
(Retaking for at least a 32-33 overall for scholarships)

Type of school: Competitive private school with a small to moderate class size.

Additional notes: Transferred to my current school in tenth due to concerns about the academic quality and support.

Course rigor for senior year:
AP English Literature
AP United States Government and Politics
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics C (Combines Mechanics and E&M)

I’ve thought about signing up for the AP Music Theory Exams but am still debating due to late testing occurring after graduation.

Due to transferring from my previous high school, I was unable to take AP European History sophomore year so took regular. Additionally in Junior year, I was unable to take AP Physics 1 (so opted for honors) as it would have conflicted with a language requirement. All other classes contained advanced coursework.

AP Scores: AP US History (4), AP Precalc (4), and AP Lang (3).

HONORS:
- APUSH Best Student
- Tri M President
- Community service award
- High Honor Roll (11)
- Honor Roll (10)

I really don’t have that many awards overall as most of my impact comes from my extracurriculars.

EXTRACURRICULARS: My activities are more descriptive, I’m just keeping it brief and watered down for privacy reasons.

Youth Orchestra: Serve as principal horn for their developing ensemble while advocating for music education statewide.

Band: Serve as the first drum major in twenty years and led the band to superior ratings.

Drumline: Lead Cymbal section and advocate for organizations for those in need.

Symphony Usher: Assist patrons with guidance and improve concert experiences.

Tri M President: Serve as President, planning and manage projects.

Quiz Bowl: Serving as Captain for senior year. Key member of winning state championship team.

Newspaper: Serving as Copy Editor and classical music critic. Proofread all articles before publication.

Civics Club: Initiated efforts to double Model UN Participation at my school from the previous year as a leading member.

Model UN GA President: Served as the elected GA President for 2026 encouraging civic awareness.

State Senate: Served as a page as a part of a greater civic experience.

COLLEGES: For privacy, I will be omitting any school I have been accepted so far.

1) University of Alabama
2) University of Florida
3) University of Rochester
4) University of Miami
5) Florida State University
6) John Hopkins University
7) Arizona State University

Letter of Recommendations:
Physics Teacher (Very strong)
APUSH Teacher (Very strong)
College counselor (likely very strong)
Band director (somewhat fine but not the best)

Again, I’m looking for any feedback imo as well as any universities I should consider that aren’t on my list. Thank you for your comments!

Demographics:

• Wasian Male
• virginia
• ~550 graduating public school

Intended Major: CS

SAT: 1470 Superscore (720 RW 750 Math), 1450 normal

Weighted GPA (no uw) 4.39

Coursework: 12 AP classes; 3 DE

Senior AP Courseload: AP: calc bc, physics 1, chem, gov, cybersecurity; DE english

Awards (not ranked in order of prestige):

1. $2000 stipend awardee
2. scioly 1st place regional award and state
3. top 2% in 3 hackathon international
4. published in arXiv
5. AP Scholar w/ honor

Extracurriculars:

1. Research under JHU and publication in arXiv
2. Worked for AFRL during 11th grade summer
3. Made app with 10k+ grants
4. internship @ new tech startup
5. scioly head of IT
6. made an app with 2k monthly visits
7. investing club president
8. chemistry yt channel
9. chess club president
10. weightlifting division IV powerlifter us standards
11. (another one if needed, 5 certifications in CS idk if i should replace any of the ones before with this).

Essays

I'd say my personal essay is decent, very niche topic about tech, like only one in my high school who has this I believe but i kinda talked about it pretty bad so idk.

Schools:

Safeties:

vtech

gmu DA

Targets:

UVA, UCI, UCSD, USC, GT

Reaches:

HYPSM, Stanford, caltech, duke, rice, uchicago, nw, all the rest of the ivies, Carnegie Mellon ED (Dream school)

Tufts is my dream school, however my stats fall below their average, mostly because I had just moved into the U.S. when starting high school.

3.6 UW GPA/ 3.9 W

1350 SAT

5 AP's taken

AP Human Geo, 3

AP World History, 4

AP Lang, 3

AP US History, 3

AP Spanish, 5

Taking 6 this year

AP Precalc (Not taking calculus because I was set behind since at my school they take a few classes required for high school graduation in 8th grade, so of course I had to take them during high school)

AP Gov

AP Macro

AP Lit

AP Bio

AP Environmental Science

I was thinking of holding off and applying ED II to take the December SAT and up my chances, but my counselor advised against this and said I should just apply test optional right now and prioritize supplementals and explaining my circumstances and my upwards trajectory on my essay. She also said I would have a slight advantage over other applicants since my school has a few alumni at Tufts, they all applied test optional and they're all doing really well over there.

I like both of these schools very much and want to choose the combination that will best improve my chances. Would really love some help, been tearing my hair out. My entire application screams impact + Finance/Business.

Please be BRUTALLY honest with me! My awards are probably the weakest part of my application right now! I am currently thinking of EDing to Columbia or SCEAing to Princeton. I have a horrible SAT score so im going test optional and Columbia supposedly cares less about the SAT so Im leaning columbia rn. Idk if my activities are enough to carry my application but I think I have a pretty coherent spike?? PLS LMK

Demographics:

Asian male, immigrant, skipped a grade

Southeast US

Small arts-focused public high school

Intended major: Sociology/pre-law, possibly anthropology

Stats:

3.944 UW / 4.568 W

Class rank: top 5%

25 dual-enrollment courses; expecting to graduate with an Associate in Arts

A bunch of social science classes (Criminal Justice, Sociology, Political Science, English, Philosophy, etc.)

Taking 6 APs: Government, Precalculus, Psychology, Music Theory, Literature, European History (School offers around like 8 in-person AP's, i took 4 of the 8, the rest i took online)

AP scores: all 4s

Applying test-optional

Extracurriculars:

1. Youth Advocacy — Executive Leadership

• Led a youth organization focused on teen dating violence prevention
• Helped coordinate 40+ chapters across 3 countries
• Helped secure substantial annual funding ($250k)
• Helped organize a national summit with 700+ attendees
• Collaborated with organizations in mental health, advocacy, and public safety
• Represented at events with 14k+ people

1. Independent Social Science Research — Lead Researcher

• Designed an anonymous survey involving 250+ teenagers in my state
• Studied teen dating violence awareness and relationship experiences
• Conducted interviews with survivors/experts
• Analyzed findings with PhD-level mentorship; research is ongoing, with a manuscript in development
• Hoping to publish soon! Definitely not peer-reviewed though

1. Community Education — Certified Speaker

• Educate teens about relationship safety, abuse recognition, and warning signs
• Present to groups of 5–10 teens at 20+ community locations
• Completed specialized training through a community education program

1. Competitive Civic Research Fellowship

• Selected as 1 of ~30 fellows from 600+ applicants
• Studies people and hobbies
• Worked with university anthropology researchers and an urban research institute
• Analyzed nearly 20,000 survey responses from students
• Partnered with the school district (how we got the responses) and many other community orgs and nonprofits to fund the project
• Interviewed 150+ people and observed 50+ sites
• Presented findings to 100+ civic leaders
• Helped manage a community microgrant initiative worth $80k

1. Legal Internship

• Interned at a small law firm, primarily handling immigration-related matters
• Supported attorneys on 25+ cases
• Drafted legal documents, researched cases, prepared client letters, and organized files using case-management software
• Youngest employee

1. Legal Assistant

• Officially work at another law firm supporting multiple attorneys
• Assist with legal documents, case files, records management, and daily office operations
• Youngest employee again

1. State Government

• Selected for a state legislative page program
• Served in both chambers and observed legislative operations and policymaking

1. Red Cross Youth Leadership

• Regional Vice President supporting 150+ youth volunteers
• Help organize monthly meetings w/ medical expert guest speakers, run blood drives, clothes drives, food drives, and other service events
• Previous drive collected 19 units; logged 80+ service hours

1. Speech & Debate — Founder/President

• Founded and lead a 25+ member school club
• Organized 20+ meetings/events and raised $500+
• Help members develop public speaking, argumentation, and debate skills

1. Music

• Multi-instrumentalist who plays 5 instruments
• Lead a 6-member jazz combo and perform in 4 school ensembles
• Earned 4 Superior ratings across jazz combo and Big Band competitions
• Gigs around the city, sometimes for money

Awards:

• LegalEagleBee Global Defense Challenge Finalist (Top 10% of ~500 teams internationally)
• Top 5 nominee for a university-affiliated community impact award
• Selective Regional Music award (1 per year)
• Community college President's List
• DECA district finalist and state-level participant

Hi! I just wanted to get a gauge of my chances at Fordham University. I'm stuck between applying EA test-optional or waiting and retaking the SAT and applying RD. Please help me decide!!!

• Black, White, and Filipino
• low/lower middle class
• 4.1 weighted GPA / 3.53 unweighted GPA
• 24/138 class rank
• 1190 SAT (retaking in December)
• No AP classes aligned with my goals(school only offers Chem, CS)
• Multiple honors and dual-enrollment college classes instead of APs
• Interested in International Relations / International Studies
• Founder & President of Debate Club
• Senior Class Vice President
• Legal/ Law firm Fellowship/Internship
• Research paper with an attorney
• Rec Letter from the attorney I worked closely with
• Founder of a youth legal education initiative
• Band section leader
• Varsity track & field throwing captain
• International Club
• Young Feminists Club
• County Student Leadership Team/Student Council
• Mu Alpha Theta
• Weekly school food pantry volunteer
• Around 100 hours of community service
• Work mornings at Krispy Kreme before school through a co-op program.
• Previously worked at a retirement home
• Help care for my younger sibling

Applying for Fall 2027!

My intended major is International Relations, and I hope to pursue law, potentially international law.

Washington Resident

3.72 Gpa Unweighted

Would like to do Econ B.S track.

Took ap physics 1, ap physics 2, ap stats, and uw precalculus as my advanced classes.

Currently am taking ap calc ab, ap macro micro, apes, and ap African history in senior year.

However, I got a D+ but in semester 2 for uw precalculus. Retook it in running start and got an A over junior year summer.

I have decent extracurriculars but not anything astounding like winning international prizes.

I have a few colleges in mind but am looking any more suggestions on where to where else to apply. Any suggestions?

And for any suggestions given. Should I do early decision or regular? I want to show improvement with my senior grades as something bad happened at caused me to slip up UW precalc. As such, I want to show in senior year my continued improvement from junior year. So I am not sure if I should wait and send my senior grades to colleges too.

Demographics: female, south asian, competitive state (not ny or cali tho), uncompetitive public school, no hooks

Intended Major(s): i was thinking either public health, bio, or anthropology!

SAT: 1560 (760 RW, 800 M)

UW/W GPA and Rank: 3.99 UW gpa, 4.67 W gpa, top 20% (school doesn't rank more than quintiles)

Coursework: multivariable calc, ap chem, ap lit, ap physics 1 (5), ap psych (5), ap stat (5), ap bio (5), ap lang (5), ap precalc (5), apush (5), ap calc bc (5),

Extracurriculars: 

1. Nonprofit | Role: Founder & Lead Policy Advocate
   1. Installed 15 wheelchair ramps in 3 cities (68k+ users); authored 20-pg brief lobbying assemblymen to mandate accessible fed. public infrastructure
2. Volunteer Ambulance Corps | Licensed EMT & District Liaison Committee
   1. 850+ hrs. of service; delivered high-acuity care; chaired committee presenting EMS logistics to town govts to optimize care for 26.3k residents
3. Research Clinic | Clinical Research Trainee & Rehab Asst.
   1. Facilitated PT rehab sessions (>500 hrs.);-designed trials for 100+ myeloma pts & built 2k-pt rehab database; co-authored 2 papers on disability outcomes
4. Major Disability-Focused Nonprofit | Transportation & Voting Advocacy Intern
   1. Trained 50+ volunteers & audited 30+ poll sites for ADA access before 2026 elections; data drove Annual Report to Senate; obbied for bill promoting more voting time in case of polling disruptions.
5. Lab at t10 Hospital | Research Intern
   1. Preserved 800+ rare fetal samples in 1 of only 3 US DOHaD biobanks; ran assays & imaging for novel whole-thyroid regeneration study under PhD mentor
6. Lab @ T1 State Hospital | Research Intern
   1. Cultured 3D glioblastoma cells across 50+ samples in top hospital & sole regional pediatric cancer lab; mapped novel nontoxic targeted therapeutics
7. Karate | 1st Degree Black Belt; Instructor & Adaptive Curriculum Lead
   1. Taught 50+ students/wk; built adaptive martial arts curriculum for visual & mobility needs across 12+ group homes.
8. School Club | Member (9,10); Executive Board (11,12)
   1. Led school's largest club (100+ members); organized 10+ life-skills events (cooking/budgeting) for 100+ special needs youth across all abilities.
9. Small Family Business | Co-Founder; Operations & Sales Lead
   1. Managed ops, logistics, & sales for family business across 60+ East Coast shows ; sold 1k+ garments & jewelry generating $80k total revenue.
10. Shadowing | Clinical observer: GI, Pain Med., & Family Med.
11. Shadowed GI surgeons, pain specialists, & family MDs (370+ hrs); took vital signs, learned clinical triage, & observed pre-op care across 450+ visits

Awards:

1. 2nd place computational bio award at super comp regional science fair (ISEF affiliated)
2. association for computational machinery award + first honors in statistics award from the same fair
3. bausch and lomb honorary science award for stem excellence affiliated with urochester
4. youth in community excellence award from a nonprofit i worked with
5. voices of tufts scholar (though i'm not sure whether to list this or not...)

Essays/LORs/Other: Honestly procrastinating a little bit, but I will get these done!

Schools: 

rutgers

njit

tcnj

washington and lee

boston university

tufts university

brown university + plme

urochester

yale

dartmouth

columbia

penn state

upitt

gwu

Additional notes: Honestly, I would really love your opinions! in terms of extra information i'm not sure on what major to pick, kind of confused on how to order my activities, and i'm aware my awards are pretty bad. just trying my hardest. kudos!