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I'm a senior (Korean-American) in Maryland and am applying early action to Harvard. I'm interested in pre-medicine but plan to mark undecided on the application, because I think that it might hurt me to have my application compared to the other pre-med apps (just in case). My stats:

SAT 1: 1580 (verbal 780, math 800)
SAT 2: Biology 800, Korean 750, Math 2C 750-790 projected, Writing 750-800 projected
Unweighted GPA- 3.96/4.00
Weighted GPA- 4.6
Rank- Our school does not rank students, but I'm definitely in the top decile. Probably one of the top 2-3 kids in my class (of about 400-450)
AP scores- 3 AP Government, 3 AP World, 3 AP Language and Composition (I have serious handwriting issues, most certainly got 0 on the essays), 5 AP Biology.
My AP scores really aren't that hot and I plan to leave the secion for AP scores blank on my app. Does it make a difference? Aren't AP scores only used for placement and not admissions? My reasoning was that if I put my scores on the app with this in mind, they'd be bound to see it and although they're not supposed to take it into consideration, they might take bias of me or something.

Senior schedule:
AP Psychology
AP English Literature
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
Symphonic Orchestra
Student Aide (Spanish wouldn't fit into schedule)

Extracurriculars (school):
It’s Academic/Quizmaster– Grades 10, 11, 12
Varsity Mathletes (Math team)- 10, 11, 12
Chess Club- 10, 11, 12
SVHS String Quartet (violin 1)- 9, 12
Spanish Club- 12
Spanish Honor Society- 12
Science Club- 11, 12
Science Honor Society- 11, 12
National Honor Society- 12
Student Government- 9, 10, 12
Class Office- 10
Pit Orchestra- 9, 10, 11, plan to participate in 12th
International Club- 11, plan to participate in 12th


Community activities:
DC Soup Kitchen- Grade 9
Saint John Newmann Youth Group- 9, 10
Saint John Newmann Choir- 10, 11, 12
Montgomery County Public Schools Honors Orchestra (violin 1)- 9, 10, 11, plan to participate in 12th
Maryland All-State orchestra- plan to participate in 12th
Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra (violin 1)- 9, 10, 11, 12
Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra (violin 1)- 10, 12
Academy of Saint Cecelia Youth Orchestra (violin 1)- 12
National Philharmonic High School Division (violin 1)- 9, 10, 11, plan to participate in 12th
Boy Scouts of America Unit 1352- 10, 11

(note: could not participate in all state orch. due to special circumstances in 10th and 11th grades, school music teacher's error. she resigned this year.)

Leadership positions:
Secretary, Science Club- Grade 12
President, Class of 2005- 10
Class Representative- 9, 10, 12
2004 MD Boy’s State (elected City Representative, City Health Officer, State Commissioner of Health, and party representative for Jr Boy’s Nation)- 11
Concertmaster, Seneca Valley HS Symphonic Orchestra- 9, 10, 11, 12
1st violin Seneca Valley String Quartet- 9, 12
Associate concermaster of Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra- 12
1st violin National Philharmonic High School Division String quartet- 9, 10

Numerous awards, most significant ones listed:
Commended Scholar, National Merit
Semifinalist, Maryland Distinguished Scholar

Work experience:
Tutoring neighbors in academic subjects- grades 10, 11, 12
Remodeling Team, Target Corporation- this past summer.

I am currently attending our local public high school. I moved to the US from Korea in 8th grade, and plan to stress internationalism in my 1 required common app essay.
I expect to have one outstanding recommendation from my 9th grade biology teacher (whom I have been close with in my junior year), one not as awesome but still very good recommendation from my 11th grade AP bio teacher. I expect to have a plain good recommendation from my counselor, whom I hardly know. (We got new counselors this school year, I've only been assigned to my current counselor for a month.)

Given all of the above, what do you think my chances of getting into Harvard early action are? Will it all depend on my essays and recommendations, as I think it will? (I'm also applying early action to University of Maryland). If I am accepted to Harvard early action, I will definitely attend and will not apply to any other schools. If not, I will apply regular to Dartmouth, Princeton, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown.

Oh, and by the way, the Harvard Director of Admissions, Dr. David Evans, is coming to our school for a college visit on Wednesday 10/6. I plan to ask him some of the questions I just posed, like what they do with AP scores and such. (could i get an interview with him? LOL)

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 02:22 pm: Edit

if my chances at harvard arent so good and if i have a significantly better shot at stanford early decision i'll do it.. any suggestions?

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 04:07 pm: Edit

ok forget the interview question, i did some research and found that EA interviews are generally in november.

and i'm not too sure now about the essay. internationalism- cliched topic? maybe i should write about my role model/motivation instead. i could write a very strong essay for that, but i dont think i'd be able to do much with it stylistically. i'd be able to WRITE best on something much more trivial/random, like driving home after orchestra rehearsal and reflecting on life. (have already written that, might just modify it to make a college essay out of it)

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 07:34 pm: Edit

sorry, but i keep thinking of more things to add. i'll be sending in a creative writing portfolio and maybe an additional essay.

edit- math 2C projected 750-800

By Zas1987 (Zas1987) on Monday, October 04, 2004 - 11:20 pm: Edit

hi selcouth,
thanks for replying to my post. I think you have a great chance of getting in ... you are dedicated to your music ec's and have seemed to accomplish much!

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 12:15 am: Edit

thanks zas, but i'm not thoroughly convinced. =/ i've always been one to fret, but i think i have good reason to this time. and i seriously hope we'll all meet at harvard in the fall~

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Tuesday, October 05, 2004 - 09:21 pm: Edit

bump.

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 12:20 am: Edit

anyone else?

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 04:17 pm: Edit

bump
where'd northstarmom go.. =/

By Harekrishna (Harekrishna) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:26 am: Edit

I dont think there's much of a chance at Harvard--it's all too typical, the endless lists of Science/Scholar clubs and Communit Service hours--it just isnt interesting or refreshing.

Don't expect 750-800 on writing if your handwriting is bad. Doesn't being asian really hurt your chances too?

By Jesusofsuburbia (Jesusofsuburbia) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 11:57 am: Edit

I think you could've done better than 3.96/4.00....
Lol, just kidding.

You have a pretty good chance. But your pretty spiked on academics.

By Sandmanpb (Sandmanpb) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 12:09 pm: Edit

Hey, i have horrible handwriting and i got an 800 on the SAT II Writing. It can be done.

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 03:24 pm: Edit

thanks everyone
harekrishna- that's what i figured.. too typical.
jesusofsuburbia- spiked on academics.. hmm. i guess. i figured my strong points will be in the essay, rec's, and extra materials i send.
sandmanpb- hey thx~
i took the writing test in march and got 79/80 multiple choice, 0 essay. how sucky is that -_-

By Sandmanpb (Sandmanpb) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 03:35 pm: Edit

What extra materials are you sending? Seems to me that if your not an uber artist/ musician (I'm not) than there really isnt anything else to send. Unless you're published in a newspaper or something.

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Sunday, October 10, 2004 - 05:11 pm: Edit

outstanding creative writing, and i plan to write for the newspaper

i'll show ya some writing in private if you'd like

By Selcouth1 (Selcouth1) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 03:41 pm: Edit

bump