Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

if you can do this, please evaluate by % for each individual school:

apply to: U Penn, Columbia, Harvard(just for fun), UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, NYU, USC and northwestern.

came to U.S 3 years ago
asian (Taiwanese), male

SAT: 1250 (750m, 500v) i know verbal is too low
SAT II: writing 640, math IIC 780, Chinese: 800
GPA: 4.04
AP Physics, Linear Algebra, AP Art, Spanish 3 honors, English 4
Senior Year GPA: 4.60
overall will probably be 4.15~4.20

I think i am a well-rounded person

NYLC, representative of California, Singer of the National Anthem (i got chosen among 400 people)

School newspaper, staff writer, art editor

play varsity sport (swimming, co-captain this year) JV (Basketball)

School Drama co-director

was student council-secretary and disciplinary council member in asia

play piano and sing for few years..

great interest in Math (Linear Algebra), Art (currently taking AP art), music and drama...had few ahievements during my high school career

i will send the supplimentary material for both art and my audition type.

if interesting in me, i can post my essay!! thank you

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 08:58 pm: Edit

the essay talks about the transformation i make from east to west, instead of what typical asians do-focus on the academics of science and math, i regain a new route to search for art and music.

Essay:


Finally, as a NYLC participator I stepped into the shrine of history that witnesses democracy for the past two hundred years. Today, house of congress will again witnesses the awakening of myself, as i recalled my journey from East to West.

One ordinary Sunday afternoon in Taiwan, my parents told me, "Robert, go to America for higher education." I was immediately frightened by the mere contemplation of leaving. I must admit that I was afraid of any cultural change from my life. We discussed the pros and cons of going to America. Finally, I left Taiwan
under a shadow of anxiety and with a heart full of sorrow. In my early thoughts, America was a strange and deadly world, safely an ocean away. My cultural and personal insecurities gave me a prejudiced opinion about America. Being Taiwanese, I carried an indescribable weight of thousands years of Chinese culture that dampened my enthusiasm to accept the others. Initially, I felt completely lost in this New World. It seemed to me that I had no place here. My prospects dissolved and seemed never recognized by the others. I gave up on expressing myself and lost the opportunities to share my inner sense with the outer world. I hid inside the barrier of my pathetic world. Suppressing myself in my concrete was my only solution.

Eventually, I escaped my original hesitation. I worked hard in school to achieve academic excellence. Rote memorization of archaic formulae had always been my strength. Ironically, teachers in America encouraged the students in a different way. The education trained me to develop critical skills in analysis and creative problem solving that did not receive the same emphasis in Asia. Stifled by my Chinese creed, I had never realized my natural enthusiasm. As I learned more about the western philosophy, I started to realize what "higher education" really meant.
Interestingly, I discovered the path to regaining my passion. The tremendous creativity
in art and music has reinforced my awakening mind. Ironically, these two subjects were the most taboo in my parents' generation. To them, science and math have always reigned supreme in their choices for their children. Those disciplines were the ones that could be rewarded with practical compensation.

Through art, without the language barrier, wild imagination can coexist with rational, scientific thought. Creativity is collaborative with and necessary to the practice of the rational disciplines, and it became my tool to communicate with others. Music gave me opportunities to perform in front of public audience; in particular, singing the National Anthem for the NYLC was a surreal experience for me to reinterpret the spirit of America. Another highlight was playing Canon in D for the graduating class. The boy who left Taiwan would have never been able to get such an exhilarating joy through satisfaction. The color of the concrete I built is no longer gray; the dynamics of the color have become my commitment to reawakening.

Surviving, learning and adapting to new environment is the process of "higher education." I was proactively in searching for my own niche in both cultures. I have realized that my Taiwanese culture is not something that restricts me, but a unique characteristic that will accelerates me. Indeed, I always try to maintain the exhilaration of change and challenge because this is the origin of all creativity.

By Lonelygal (Lonelygal) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 09:10 pm: Edit

i must tell u that 1250 is a very low..score....
it will hurt you

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 09:17 pm: Edit

i understand that....i hope the december test will give me a 1350+...i am very frustrated by the fact that i study so hard everyday for at least 2 hours for the past 1 year...and the verbal score just keep stay at 500......i am such a idiot......i just don't get it......uh.....

i do get a 11/12 on SAT II writing...but they don't actually help

By Akikaze (Akikaze) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 09:20 pm: Edit

You need a 1450+ (and hopefully a 1550+) to be competitive for the first three schools. Not becuase people haven't been accepted with scores lower than that, but because the rest of your application does not stand out whatsoever.

By Lonelygal (Lonelygal) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 09:21 pm: Edit

i am an international student....english is my 3rd language.......i studied for 1 day...did not practise even 1 essay....n got a 690 in writing.......(8/12 on essay though)

what would my score be if i had scored 12/12)?

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 09:22 pm: Edit

do you guys think besides the sat score i have a good chance to get into these schools

By Duncan79 (Duncan79) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 12:13 am: Edit

i think they will be lenient with your verbal score since you moved here from another country, and your math score is very strong. moving will most likely give you an advantage in the admissions process. also, you are very well rounded and have really good grades. don't listen to the people who say you have no chance whatsoever, because you definitely have a good chance, it's just hard to predict anyone's chances at really competitive schools because most everyone who applies is very qualified and it is hard to stand out.

By Minibrit (Minibrit) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 12:26 am: Edit

I saw a lot of people get in ED with 1200s to NYU. Im starting to think that a 1350 pluss will hurt you

By Abz1986 (Abz1986) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 01:45 am: Edit

Harvard... "just for fun"?

By Harvardmaster (Harvardmaster) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 01:56 am: Edit

hey leave him alone...lol im in almost the exact position as him with a 500 verbal and 780 math so I can relate to him. I am also hispanic and english is my second/third language. The problem with being Asian is that most colleges dont consider Asians minority since Asians tend to do the best in SATs. Im also applying to Harvard but with ridic ECs and a exemplary personal statement about my background as a foreigner. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR COLLEGES!

By Savedbythebell7 (Savedbythebell7) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 02:31 am: Edit

I'm ALMOST POSITIVE YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO MOST OF THOSE SCHOOLS, MAYBE NOT HARVARD AND PENN, BUT THE REST YOU'VE GOT EXCELLENT SHOTS AT, UCLA WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU. good luck man. Colleges don't just look at the SAT 1 score, they look at the whole package and quite frankly, you've got the whole package my man, as long as your essays are good.

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 02:40 am: Edit

thank you for all the comments....i am aware that my SAT Score is low...actually THE LIST ABOVE ABOUT MYSELF ARE NOT THE COMPLETE LIST...I STILL HAVE OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITION...VARIOUS AWARDS AND OVER 200+ HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. will i really don't know what i can do with my SAT...i still have a shot for December Test...we will see.....

School Science competition first place
School web-page desigh first place
National Honor Roll
National Society
and other stuff

by the way....i heard for the UC system, if you have 10000 pts..you automatically got accepted by UC Berkeley...the formula is as follow:

(SAT score)+ (SATII total*2)+(GPA*1000)=finall score....the possible score is 11400...but you have to have 800 on every SAT score..and a 5.0 GPA..so that's kind of impossible...anyway......

please keep giving me advices for my colleges...thank you very much

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 02:44 am: Edit

by the way...i mean harvard is for fun..because i do not expect to get into Harvard...but it's just a trivial dream that i have....

by the way...please do not scorn me because my SAT score is low...think about it..if they have SAT in math and Chinese...i will have a 1580....oh well.....it's in english....and english is a profound language .....i really mean it....i love English...but just getting 500 on the verbal....oh well....i am stupid....

please keep evaluate my chances

By Financelad (Financelad) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:00 am: Edit

hrm...jsut STAND out thats all I can say

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:59 am: Edit

so do i have a chance or am i screw...because so many people says different things about me.....one hand they said i am a well-rounded person besides the SAT...on the other hand..they said i will never get into the school i am applying because of that low freaking 1250.....1250......1250...oh well

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 04:03 am: Edit

i hate my SAT score...i wish i have a 1400...everything will be different

By Bern700 (Bern700) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 04:34 am: Edit

you've got a good shot even with the low SAT. If I were you I'd take the TOEFL to supplement your SAT verbal; from what i've heard if you are intl. or have recently moved to the US they will look at your SAT math and your TOEFL, your SAT verbal will be looked at but it will really play a minimal role in your admissions. Good Luck! Go Penn (hehe I'm excited I just got in)!

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 12:14 pm: Edit

thank you...anyone else

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 01:33 pm: Edit

anyone else...please...really need advices

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 01:38 pm: Edit

please....help me..

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 02:01 pm: Edit

please help

By Peachieva (Peachieva) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 02:46 pm: Edit

Changrobert,
Your scores aren't that bad for an international. Your writing SATII score and your essay will make up for the verbal. Just chill and you'll be fine. By the way, which AP art portfolio are you doing? I'm doing the drawing. You're almost as well rounded as I am and I was accepted EA at Stanford. CHILL!
Best of luck to you

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:18 pm: Edit

you are beast...you got in to standford EA....i wish i can get into that....i am doing Drawing too.....the best one i think...we are the real artist...use your own hand..ya..MAN...DO YOU THINK i have a chance...Penn is my first choice...you know Business school-Wharton...

by the way....PEACHIEVA..can you post your satistics....you can just post under mine

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:21 pm: Edit

Peachieva...

can you describe your well-rounded a little bit..what do you do....art, music, drama, sport, or what else...

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:53 pm: Edit

bump..what is bump means anyway?

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 04:38 pm: Edit

come on..guys..waiting for someone to answer my questions

By Iceet (Iceet) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 05:40 pm: Edit

bump means you bump the thread to the top of the page

By Dhonch (Dhonch) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 05:56 pm: Edit

Changrobert, UCs hardly take into account the SAT 1 scores. SAT II scores are weighted twice as much. I think you're a near shoe-in for all the UCs (assuming you live in CA). Good luck.

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 07:23 pm: Edit

thank you...dhonch....UCB, UCLA and UCSD are good schools...but i still hope that i have a chance in Penn

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 09:29 pm: Edit

anyone else

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 10:16 pm: Edit

please....evaluate me

By Subparasian (Subparasian) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 10:33 pm: Edit

National Honor Roll is a fake award. Don't mention it. You'll look like an idiot trying to count ever grain of sand on the beach.

But anyways, you're solid. Just make sure you have a solid SATII writing score to back up your awesome essays. The writing comprehension part will hurt, but overall, i think you have great chances.

Btw, what age did you come to the US and are you living by yourself? These are definitely some factors to include if you came here at a late age and/or if you're independent (shows a great amount of maturity, independence, and survivability in the world).

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 11:59 pm: Edit

i came here three years ago...and i currently live with my aunt and my uncle.....oh well....they don't actually help...i cook by myself...do laundry by myself......everything by myself....and i have to do my cousin's stuff too...well i am like modern Harry Potter...but there is always one goal that support me until death...get into a good college.....

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 12:02 am: Edit

by the way...all seniors...please be thankful for the rest of 6 months living with your parents...you won't understand that nostalgic mood after you live by yourselves.

By Merugo (Merugo) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 12:33 am: Edit

hey, where di you hear about the 10000 points thing for berkeley??? because i have around 9500-9600 points on that scale, and that sounds to me like a better shot than i thought i had! is that official, or just an urban legend?

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 02:09 am: Edit

i heard it from my college councilor.....however...it became very competitive below 10000...because most of the Berkeley freshman have over 10000 points...so 9500 to 9600 is more like UCSD or UCI....
10000 above...UC Berkeley
9700~9900 about UCLA...or Berkeley
9600-9700 about UCSD luckily UCLA or Berkeley(very hard though)
9600 below...pretty hard to get into the best three UC's.

it's not offical...but it's something like that

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 02:10 am: Edit

anyone else like to give advices for me...thank you

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 02:21 am: Edit

by the way...i worked in

Shanghai, China
Taipei, Taiwan
Los Angeles, USA
for intership...it shows i am a international well rounded person..i guess......what do you think

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 02:30 am: Edit

i also won various singing contest and other music award...well don't expect too much..because i have too many interest in art, music, drama, sport, math and science......sometimes it's hard to do well with so many interests..

by the way....i have green card...which means i am not really a international student...well...i am still like a international student...but do you think having a green card is going to affect my chances compare to those of international

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 07:24 pm: Edit

opinions...

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 08:43 pm: Edit

come on...guys

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 10:16 pm: Edit

anyone

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 01:53 am: Edit

come on..guys...no......

By Twinkletoes696 (Twinkletoes696) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 02:03 am: Edit

I have a 1290, and am applying to Brown. Don't sweat it. If you are what they want in every other way, for most schools on your list (except Harvard and Columbia, no offense or anything but they reject superstars left and right!)

You are international. Do yourself a big favor and take the TOEFL-it'll compensate for your verbal score- I mean come on now! English is a hard language, especially if you're a recent immigrant. Retake the SATs by all means, but please consider the TOEFL. It would do A LOT for you.

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 07:06 pm: Edit

and more....

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 08:24 pm: Edit

please help..urgent

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 01:31 am: Edit

come on

By Acennace (Acennace) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 08:08 am: Edit

I think you should do fine with that and be happy about it. Weeeeeeeee!!! Chang, I think u'll get into anything u apply to, especially if u can be unique in ur essay.

My sis tried for SUNY Geneseo with SAT I of 1210. Her verbal is even lower than 25th percentile. She got in with scholarship of half tuition.

I'm also an Int'l student living in HK. My SAT I is 530 for VERBAL and 760 for MATH. English is my third if not fourth language. My SAT II, Writing is 450 (expecting at least 650 for January test), Biology E is 650 (Jan expected score: 720), and Math IC is 720 (taking IIC in Jan: 780).

I don't regret for every score I have got and I just hope for the better in the future.

By Emilyp114 (Emilyp114) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 09:44 am: Edit

Not to be rude Acennace, but SUNY Geneseo is in a very different category than any of the schools that Changrobert is interested in.

By Choachoad (Choachoad) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 03:30 pm: Edit

Sorry to interrupt but can you guys rate my stuff?

GPA: 3.63 UW 4.15 UC weighted at very difficult high school. class size 400, no class rank.
I am taking a sophmore lane math class at Stanford in linear algebra/multivariable calc. Got an "A" in the first quarter.
SAT I: 1490 (800 M, 690 V)
SAT II: MATHIIC-790, Physics-740, Writing-710
EC: 4 years football, 3 years varsity (all-league my senior year)
4 years tennis, 1 year varsity (expected)
Symphonic band 4 years, jazz band 4 years ,pep band 4 years, marching band 4 years (both 1st chair for trumpet all 4 years)
2 years county honor band selection
3 years science olympiad officer, (our team placed 3rd in california last year)
AP TESTS- BC CALC 5, AP CHEM 3
also, ive gotten golden state awards, did an internship in MRI research at stanford this past summer, have done math programs the past three summers at various universities.
I'm looking at UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UCI, Stanford, UofMich Ann Arbor, Northwestern

thanks

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 07:38 pm: Edit

more

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 06:28 pm: Edit

more

By Changrobert (Changrobert) on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 - 03:09 am: Edit

my new essay:

When one ordinary Sunday afternoon in Taiwan my parents suggested I go to America for my higher education, the mere contemplation of leaving my country and facing such vast cultural changes terrified me. Nevertheless, we discussed the pros and cons of leaving Taiwan, and I finally went to America under a shadow of anxiety and full of sorrow. I had originally considered America a strange and deadly world, safely an ocean away. My cultural and personal insecurities had prejudiced my opinion; being Taiwanese, I carried the indescribable weight of thousands of years of Chinese culture, and it dampened my enthusiasm to accept other cultures. Therefore it followed that when I arrived in the New World, I felt completely lost. Spending all my time to find the exit from the conundrum, I have no longer the energy to express myself and lost the opportunities to share my inner feelings with the outer world. I hid inside my personal shell.

Eventually, I escaped that hesitation and worked hard in school to achieve academic excellence. Rote memorization of archaic formulae had always been my strength, but teachers in America encouraged the students in a different way. This new education trained me to develop critical skills in analysis and creative problem solving that did not receive the same emphasis in Asia. In a way, my Chinese creed had prevented me from realizing my own natural enthusiasm for learning. As I learned more about the Western approach, I started to understand how creativity and education could respond to one another. The creativity of pursuing art and music, for example, has propelled the awakening of my mind. These two very subjects were the taboo for my parents' generation in Taiwan. To them, science and math have always reigned supreme as fields of study, since those disciplines led directly to practical compensation.

Through art, without the language barrier, wild imagination can coexist with rational, scientific thought. Creativity collaborates with and is necessary to the practice of the rational disciplines, and it became my tool to convey my perspective. The interactions among human beings have always sparked my ideas in mathematical equations that can finally result as practical applications. Furthermore, Music gave me opportunities to perform in front of public audience; in particular, when I attended National Young Leaders Conference; I was chosen to sing the National Anthem for the conference. This experience put me in surreal contact with the spirit of America¡Xbeing an NYLC participator allowed me to step into a shrine of history that has witnessed democracy for the past two hundred years. I realized creativity is the most powerful catalyst of human civilizations in all subjects and all times.


Surviving, learning and adapting to new environment is the process of higher education. I was proactively in searching for my own niche in both cultures. I have realized that my Taiwanese culture is not something that restricts me, but a unique characteristic that will accelerates me. Indeed, I always try to maintain the momentum of change and challenge because this is the origin of all creativity.