Why did you choose to apply to this college?

One of the main reasons I applied to this college was because they had a smaller class size. That way I can get closer with the professors, and there will be more face-to-face interaction. 

Another reason is that they have quite a few research opportunities, which is something I want to try out in college. 

Lastly, I went to visit there, and the campus was really nice and everyone there was very supportive. 

What are your stats? 

My SAT score was 1560, my GPA at the time was 4.29. I took five AP classes including AP Physics C, AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, AP Japanese.

Did you submit your test scores? 

Yes, I submitted all the test scores. 

What are two of your most memorable or significant extracurricular activities?

I did a research project testing the effects of high energy particles on commercial drones. That was a great experience and opened my mind to a lot of things. 

There is also a summer program I attended called the Science Internship Program that was impactful. I also did competitive swimming for around eight years.

Which teacher(s) did you ask for your letters of recommendation? 

I asked Ms. Barnett, my AP Physics teacher, and Mrs. Murphy, my AP Japanese teacher, for letters of recommendation.

When did you start planning or writing your college essays? 

I started writing college essays towards the end of summer and beginning of the school year in my senior year for the UCs, but specifically for this college, I wrote my essays about a month or two ago before the deadline. 

Can you explain your essay-writing process and how you brainstormed ideas? 

For me, what I try to focus on the things that make me unique from other students and make sure if someone were to read it, they would be able to tell that it’s me and not some other students. Highlighting the unique skills and experiences I had was really important. 

What was the hardest essay prompt for you? 

There were two essay prompts that I thought were difficult, not because of the question, but because the word limit was 100 words or less. So I have to make sure my responses are concise and bring out the most important points. 

How did you react or feel when you saw your acceptance? 

It was definitely surreal. I remember my hand still shaking thirty minutes after seeing my acceptance. It was definitely a very happy moment. As soon as I saw it, I ran out and told my parents what my decision was. 

What advice would you give to future students applying for this college? 

For future students, I would say if you’re not a senior yet, definitely try for a bunch of different opportunities, clubs, internships, etc. Try to find something that you are passionate about and dive into it. Look back on your past experiences and see what you enjoyed the most and how you can stand out from others and highlight that within your essay and find the college that best fits your interests.