u/Southern_Drop3749

Yeah I want some honest opinons...

Demographics: Asian male (US Citizen)

Income: High (full pay)

School: Public

Residency: Texas Suburb

Intended Major: Biochemistry, Biology

Academics

Rank: 5/500ish

GPA: 5.5/6, 4.0/4.0

SAT: 1550 (760/790), PSAT 1490

Number of AP Courses: 12APs + 6APs senior year

Honors

1. National Merit Finalist (Probably)
2. Samsung SFT $1000/ Promising STEM innovation award
3. Anatomy student of the year
4. Korean international app dev award silver
5. Harvard crimson chemistry individual merit recipient (top 25%).

ECs

1. 3D personal project, built biomechanical backrest, used ML and 3D printing, pilot test 15 ish teachers, app developed, working with orthopedic doctor (rec prob)
2. SSP Bacterial genomics
3. Founder, Editor in Chief of Organization (Journalism), led 30 writers publish science articles 400+ articles, 10K+ total views, seoul metro gov accredited.
4. Founder, Chemistry Club. Led 40+ members, diabetic ulcer prevention sock concept won 1K for Samsung Solve for tmrw
5. President, Math Club (11th), Community outreach (10th) - doubled memberhsip, 1000-digit pi day project, SAT math bootcamp (in progress)
6. Independent Research - No wet lab, professor just 8K word review on quarantine on the history of diseases.
7. Community Service at Samsung Seoul Hospital over 2 summers
8. Community service at rehab center near home
9. Food photography, website: 700+ photo food archive since 2017.
10. Clinical shadowing: 200+ hours.

I am applying REA to Stanford, should I just lower my expectations and just ED Johns Hopkins or Northwestern? I really want to go to Stanford though... my only safety is UT austin as I am auto admit, but asides from those two schools I am applying to all T20 schools in the US.

Should I shoot for Stanford REA?

Demographics: Male, Asian, High Income, ( I came to the US alone when I was 16, started freshmen right away living with host parents (Maybe a hook)

REA Stanford, Applying to all T20s

Large Public High School in a Texas Suburb

Intended Major: Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry

SAT: 1550(760RW/790M) (took 4 times, not a superscore, planning to take again in may for superscore)

UW/W GPA: Weighted GPA 5.4/6 UW: 4.0 (End of Sophomore year)

Rank 5/553

Coursework until Graduation

Human, CSP, Seminar, Precalc, WH, Stats, Calc AB, Chem, USH, Research, Psych

12th: BC, Bio, Gov/Econ, Lit, Env Sci --> 17 APs by time of grad

Awards

National Merit Semi/Finalist (TBD) - National (p sure I got it)

Anatomy & Physiology Student of the Year (1 out of ~200) (10th) - School

Samsung Solve For Tomorrow - Promising STEM innovation award ($1000) - National

KIYO( Korean International Youth Olympiad) Silver Award (11th) for app development idea - Int/Hong Kong Special award. - From that. KIYO award (11th) - International (not a big deal)

Harvard Global Crimson Bowl Merit Recipient (11th) - International (not that big of a deal either)

ECs

• Personal Project - Customizable back reinforcement using ML and 3D printing: Built biomechanical model backrest; test vs commercial support; collect user data to train ML types, pilot test 15+ teachers; app dev progress
• Founder of Chemistry Club (40 members) (11th~): Won 1000$ for idea, Grew to 40+ members, planning on science fair for middle schoolers SSP Bacterial Genomics (This summer)
• Founder - Student founded Press: Managed 30+ writers globally, bio/pathophys pieces; 400+ articles, 10K+ total views. City Metropolitan Government Accredited Institution
• Independent research on publication on history of pandemics, literature review (11th): (prepping to publish)
• President Mu Alpha Theta ( Math Honor Society) (10th representative, 11-12 President) (preparing to do SAT peer tutoring service initiative, yearly pi day) Membership 60 ->120
• Clinical Experience (all four summers) -- A lot of hours
• Food Blogger
• Volunteered at Samsung Seoul Hospital (Summer 10th~12th)
• Volunteer at Carrollton Health Rehab

Essays: (Working on one, basically its about how my album of food pictures ties in with my experience living alone)

What should be my expectation for my REA result?

Should I shoot for Stanford REA?

Demographics: Male, Asian, High Income, ( I came to the US alone when I was 16, started freshmen right away living with host parents (Maybe a hook)

REA Stanford, Applying to all T20s

Large Public High School in a Texas Suburb

Intended Major: Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry

SAT: 1550(760RW/790M) (took 4 times, not a superscore, planning to take again in may for superscore)

UW/W GPA: Weighted GPA 5.4/6 UW: 4.0 (End of Sophomore year)

Rank 5/553

Coursework until Graduation

Human, CSP, Seminar, Precalc, WH, Stats, Calc AB, Chem, USH, Research, Psych

12th: BC, Bio, Gov/Econ, Lit, Env Sci --> 17 APs by time of grad

Awards

National Merit Semi/Finalist (TBD) - National (p sure I got it)

Anatomy & Physiology Student of the Year (1 out of ~200) (10th) - School

Samsung Solve For Tomorrow - Promising STEM innovation award ($1000) - National

KIYO( Korean International Youth Olympiad) Silver Award (11th) for app development idea - Int/Hong Kong Special award. - From that. KIYO award (11th) - International (not a big deal)

Harvard Global Crimson Bowl Merit Recipient (11th) - International (not that big of a deal either)

ECs

• Personal Project - Customizable back reinforcement using ML and 3D printing: Built biomechanical model backrest; test vs commercial support; collect user data to train ML types, pilot test 15+ teachers; app dev progress
• Founder of Chemistry Club (40 members) (11th~): Won 1000$ for idea, Grew to 40+ members, planning on science fair for middle schoolers SSP Bacterial Genomics (This summer)
• Founder - Student founded Press: Managed 30+ writers globally, bio/pathophys pieces; 400+ articles, 10K+ total views. City Metropolitan Government Accredited Institution
• Independent research on publication on history of pandemics, literature review (11th): (prepping to publish)
• President Mu Alpha Theta ( Math Honor Society) (10th representative, 11-12 President) (preparing to do SAT peer tutoring service initiative, yearly pi day) Membership 60 ->120
• Clinical Experience (all four summers) -- A lot of hours
• Food Blogger
• Volunteered at Samsung Seoul Hospital (Summer 10th~12th)
• Volunteer at Carrollton Health Rehab

Essays: (Working on one, basically its about how my album of food pictures ties in with my experience living alone)

What should be my expectation for my REA result?

Should I shoot for Stanford REA?

Demographics: Male, Asian, High Income, ( I came to the US alone when I was 16, started freshmen right away living with host parents (Maybe a hook)

REA Stanford, Applying to all T20s

Large Public High School in a Texas Suburb

Intended Major: Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry

SAT: 1550(760RW/790M) (took 4 times, not a superscore, planning to take again in may for superscore)

UW/W GPA: Weighted GPA 5.4/6 UW: 4.0 (End of Sophomore year)

Rank 5/553

Coursework until Graduation

Human, CSP, Seminar, Precalc, WH, Stats, Calc AB, Chem, USH, Research, Psych

12th: BC, Bio, Gov/Econ, Lit, Env Sci --> 17 APs by time of grad

Awards

National Merit Semi/Finalist (TBD) - National (p sure I got it)

Anatomy & Physiology Student of the Year (1 out of ~200) (10th) - School

Samsung Solve For Tomorrow - Promising STEM innovation award ($1000) - National

KIYO( Korean International Youth Olympiad) Silver Award (11th) for app development idea - Int/Hong Kong Special award. - From that. KIYO award (11th) - International (not a big deal)

Harvard Global Crimson Bowl Merit Recipient (11th) - International (not that big of a deal either)

ECs

• Personal Project - Customizable back reinforcement using ML and 3D printing: Built biomechanical model backrest; test vs commercial support; collect user data to train ML types, pilot test 15+ teachers; app dev progress
• Founder of Chemistry Club (40 members) (11th~): Won 1000$ for idea, Grew to 40+ members, planning on science fair for middle schoolers SSP Bacterial Genomics (This summer)
• Founder - Student founded Press: Managed 30+ writers globally, bio/pathophys pieces; 400+ articles, 10K+ total views. City Metropolitan Government Accredited Institution
• Independent research on publication on history of pandemics, literature review (11th): (prepping to publish)
• President Mu Alpha Theta ( Math Honor Society) (10th representative, 11-12 President) (preparing to do SAT peer tutoring service initiative, yearly pi day) Membership 60 ->120
• Clinical Experience (all four summers) -- A lot of hours
• Food Blogger
• Volunteered at Samsung Seoul Hospital (Summer 10th~12th)
• Volunteer at Carrollton Health Rehab

Essays: (Working on one, basically its about how my album of food pictures ties in with my experience living alone)

What should be my expectation for my REA result?

So yeah, basically the title. I applied for bacterial genomics, and just got an email that I got off the alternate waitlist. But here's the thing. I'm in a really odd position.

To keep it short, I live in a homestay in the States, and come home to South Korea every summer to meet my family from June to august. Going to SSP would cut this time that I get to spend with my family in half, and would ruin my plans to go to the gym and really better myself. I really don't know what to do in this situation.

On the other side, I know it would still help me with my college application. I have good stats (7/554 rank, 1550SAT), but lack some ECs especially in research, and my dream school is Stanford, so I know this is the most logical choice but still... I do not know what I should do. If I don't do SSP, I'm still doing a short research camp with a professor from a T10 based on a personal project that I am doing, and guaranteed getting a rec letter from him, so its not like I'm not doing anything either..

So my questions for ya'll are:

Do you think it is worth doing SSP in my situation?

How prestigious is SSP still?

Thanks for reading my post.

So yeah, basically the title. I applied for bacterial genomics, and just got an email that I got off the alternate waitlist. But here's the thing. I'm in a really odd position.

To keep it short, I live in a homestay in the States, and come home to South Korea every summer to meet my family from June to august. Going to SSP would cut this time that I get to spend with my family in half, and would ruin my plans to go to the gym and really better myself. I really don't know what to do in this situation.

On the other side, I know it would still help me with my college application. I have good stats (7/554 rank, 1550SAT), but lack some ECs especially in research, and my dream school is Stanford, so I know this is the most logical choice but still... I do not know what I should do. If I don't do SSP, I'm still doing a short research camp with a professor from a T10 based on a personal project that I am doing, and guaranteed getting a rec letter from him, so its not like I'm not doing anything either..

So my questions for ya'll are:

Do you think it is worth doing SSP in my situation?

How prestigious is SSP still?

Thanks for reading my post.

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So yeah, basically the title. I applied for bacterial genomics, and just got an email that I got off the alternate waitlist. But here's the thing. I'm in a really odd position.

To keep it short, I live in a homestay in the States, and come home to South Korea every summer to meet my family from June to august. Going to SSP would cut this time that I get to spend with my family in half, and would ruin my plans to go to the gym and really better myself. I really don't know what to do in this situation.

On the other side, I know it would still help me with my college application. I have good stats (7/554 rank, 1550SAT), but lack some ECs especially in research, and my dream school is Stanford, so I know this is the most logical choice but still... I do not know what I should do. If I don't do SSP, I'm still doing a short research camp with a professor from a T10 based on a personal project that I am doing, and guaranteed getting a rec letter from him, so its not like I'm not doing anything either..

So my questions for ya'll are:

Do you think it is worth doing SSP in my situation?

How prestigious is SSP still?

Thanks for reading my post.

So yeah, basically the title. I applied for bacterial genomics, and just got an email that I got off the alternate waitlist. But here's the thing. I'm in a really odd position.

To keep it short, I live in a homestay in the States, and come home to South Korea every summer to meet my family from June to august. Going to SSP would cut this time that I get to spend with my family in half, and would ruin my plans to go to the gym and really better myself. I really don't know what to do in this situation.

On the other side, I know it would still help me with my college application. I have good stats (7/554 rank, 1550SAT), but lack some ECs especially in research, and my dream school is Stanford, so I know this is the most logical choice but still... I do not know what I should do. If I don't do SSP, I'm still doing a short research camp with a professor from a T10 based on a personal project that I am doing, and guaranteed getting a rec letter from him, so its not like I'm not doing anything either..

So my questions for ya'll are:

Do you think it is worth doing SSP in my situation?

How prestigious is SSP still?

Thanks for reading my post.