So a little bit about me: I’m a chinese male, hoping to pursue something in the pre-med sphere. I’m in southern California, and my to be honest, I’m completely surprised by how this whole thing went. My guidance counselor told me that I should beg my safety to let me in, but I got into some reaches so yeah.
Academic Stats:
3.2 unweighted GPA, 3.74 weighted GPA, 1520 SAT (rip me, also my GPA was like a 2.9 when +/- was considered)
EC’s:
Very well known for my talent in music and singing, have performed at Carnegie Hall as well.
3 years of research at UC San Diego, a paper published (as first author),
Shadowing at UCSD Medical Center
Internship at Harvard Medical Center
Co-founder and VP of a non-profit that raised 23,000 through music
Intern at a neurological lab
Some extenuating circumstances with regards to the grades (multiple deaths in direct family)
Now, the fun part! Schools:
Johns Hopkins University (ED, BME) → Deferred (Pretty surprised that they didn’t straight up reject me, but weirder things would end up happening)
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor → Deferred (EA) (Again, a pleasant surprise given OOS and my grades…)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (EA)→Denied (Expected, but sad. One of my top couple OOS publics, just because it’s known as one of the best schools for premed)
RD:
University of California, Riverside (RD) → Admitted with scholarship: This is where I actually expected to end up, and it felt kinda bad, just because it wasn’t too strong for research, but I had some friends choosing here over absolutely amazing schools such as UW, UCLA and UCSD because grades may be easier to obtain.
University of California, Santa Cruz (RD) → Not Admitted Rip, I thought that confirmed I was UCR bound.
The University of Washington at Seattle (RD) → Admitted WITH scholarship!! (An ABSOLUTE top choice for OOS publics, and the scholarship they gave me made it equivalent to my state school. I still don’t know how I got in with scholarships, my GPA was 0.8 below the 25th %ile for OOS, and my SAT was around the 75th %ile, but it’s amazing. UW is one of the absolute best schools for premed, out of publics, since they have a very strong bio/biochem department, and a top med school. All my friends who went here got research at the med school for freshman year. The school is known to be a top premed destination, and they were giving me the price of one of my in states. I was very happy).
Case Western Reserve University → Denied (Rip, that one’s pretty good for premed, but I seriously doubt I’d have chosen it over UW)
Purdue → Admitted to the school of Engineering to FYE (Another pleasant surprise but I didn’t want BME as much)
Johns Hopkins → Denied (Expected, Thankful they considered me :) )
Now, things get weirder, before there was just one weird result…
UCSD → ADMITTED (such a pleasant shock, I now had 2 schools I loved to consider, UCSD also has awesome bio department.)
UCSB → Denied (Wasn’t going to choose this over UW or UCSD anyway, so it was fine)
UCI → Waitlisted (Did not accept the waitlist, I had options I liked much more)
UC Davis → Waitlisted (Did not accept the waitlist, didn’t really wanna go)
University of California, Los Angeles → My dream school which I knew I had no chance at lol (Denied) I mean, ofc it stings, but I had other options which exceeded expectations.
Emory University → Admitted (WAIT, WHAT?? I still dk how that happened)
The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor → Admitted (Or how that happened)
New York University → Admitted (Or that one lol)
University of Southern California → Admitted to the Spring Term (Idk how this happened either)
Tufts → Admitted (lol applied bc I had a fee waiver, never really wanted to go)
The University of California at Berkeley → Waitlisted (And offered admission to Spring 2021) What is even happening…
Harvard College: Waitlisted (no words)
Stanford University: Waitlisted (Shocked)
Dartmouth College: Waitlisted (Why do colleges like waitlisting me lol)
University of Pennsylvania: Waitlisted (ok, at this point, it was getting a tad bit repetetive)
Cornell University: Denied (Eh, better than I expected for Ivy Day)
Rice University: Denied (I loved Rice, but they didn’t love me)
Ok, so now UW and UCSD were affordable, and NYU, Emory, Michigan, USC, Tufts etc. were not.
Well, they would have required some loans, but there’s no way any of those schools had a value that’s 30–40,000 dollars more than schools that were already exceptional in my field. So, I eliminated them lol.
Now, the choice between UCSD and UW was tough. It was one of the hardest choices EVER and I was always in between - The academic quality was strong at both. At the end, I decided it was best to go to UW, The University of Washington at Seattle! I used to live in Seattle, and I’ve always been a Husky fan. As a little kid, I remember going to the University every Friday, because I loved being there so much - I loved everything about University Ave, UW is absolutely gorgeous, and I was SO excited to actually be a Husky. Besides, I always wanted to go back to Seattle. Everyone I knew at UW had overwhelmingly positive premed experiences with positions at UW School of Medicine freshman year being a HUGE selling point. I was genuinely so excited to be a Husky and go to Seattle, it was quite literally something I always dreamed of doing, and I was finally doing it. Paying the New Student Enrollment and Orientation Fee was genuinely one of the best feelings ever.
BUT THERE’S MORE TO THIS ROLLER COASTER, SOMETHING CALLED THE WAITLIST!
The University of California, Berkeley → Admitted to Spring 2021. Well, I really wanted to start college in the fall, plus Berkeley premed is rumored to be a very cutthroat environment, and the clinical and research opportunities are seemingly very cut throat and limited. I decided to stick with the UW
Dartmouth College → Not Admitted (Rip)
The University of Pennsylvania → Not Admitted :(
Harvard College → ADMITTED - I freaked out when I got the phone call. Genuinely one of the BEST feelings ever. I switched to Harvard, and thought that was that until…
Stanford University: ADMITTED - How did this even happen?? They emailed me saying an update was posted. Then, I saw confetti and Congratulations. I was crazy happy and told my parents. And then, we saw the aid. It was so generous, I won’t need to take any loans. Such a shock, no other college gave me anything. I registered instantly, and I’m so excited to be a part of Stanford’s class of 2024.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t emotionally attached to UW still, but it was Stanford lol. I still wake up every day in awe that I made it. I can’t believe I’ll be attending arguably the best school in the world in the fall. And, I couldn’t be more excited.
To my counselor: YOU WERE SOOOO WRONG lol. Please stop discouraging kids, it’s nice to be realistic, but don’t be condescending. I got into some of the best schools in the world, and some of the best schools for my major. Use my example to encourage other kids; don’t be unreasonably optimistic about their chances but encourage them to apply. After all, none of us really know, not me, not you. Stanford might have made a mistake, but I hope this shows that everyone has a shot at their dream :)
To Prospective Seniors: Good Luck!! We don’t know what’ll happen in Admissions this year, but do your best. It’s an immense amount of stress, and I completely understand. I only really loosened up after getting my UW admission and scholarship. Y’all will hopefully get a second semester of senior year, so please enjoy it!!
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