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Senior Reflections
Cathy Xu
• Lynbrook, 2010• Berkeley, 2014
• National Merit Scholarship Finalist
• GPA: 4.0• SAT: 2300
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
O Career and Technical Student OrganizationO Meet other students and business
professionalsO Prepare résumé, interview skills, and
networking
O Local, State and National levels of Leadership
• Conferences and Competitions
Art• pursue a non-
academic passion!• prepares a supplemental portfolio for
college• yes, there arecareers in the
arts!
Grade Point Average (GPA)O More important than the SATs!!
O Please do not try to inflate your GPA
with 100% AP classes
O Pick a balance that challenges, but doesn’t overwhelm
Standardized TestingSAT/ACT SAT II/AP Tests
O Usually taken in the fall of junior year
O I recommend getting them over with as early as possible
O SAT/ACT classes recommended
O You do not need to take the class at school to take these tests…
O But it’s better if you do
O Usually taken May/June of junior year
High School Math and Science Competitions
Tony HoLynbrook Class of 2010
BackgroundO Harvard 2014 Computer ScienceO SAT: 2400O Math and Science FocusO Varsity Volleyball and Orchestra
Player
Two Flavors of Competitions
O Math and Science TestsO OlympiadsO Local
CompetitionsO More Problem
SolvingO Quick Thinking
IntensiveO Time Crunch
O Math and Science ResearchO Science FairO InternshipsO More Process-
Based ThinkingO Money IncentiveO More Time
Math and Science TestsO Olympiads
O Biology (USABO, USABO Camp, IBO)O Chemistry (USANCO, USANCO Camp,
ICO)O Computer Science (USACO, USAICO,
IOI)O Physics (USAPHO, USAPHO Camp,
IPHO)O Math (AMC, AIME, USAMO, MOSP,
IMO)
Math and Science Tests (cont.)
O Local CompetitionsO Science Olympiad (Regional, State,
National)O Science Bowl (Regional, National)O WondercupO Stanford PROCOO Many Math Competitions
Personal AchievementsO USABO SemifinalistO USACO Top 10 in NationO USAPHO SemifinalistO 3 time USAMO QualifierO Various Local Winnings
Math and Science Research
O Science FairO Regional FairsO State Fairs (CSSF)O International Fairs (ISEF)O Siemens CompetitionO Intel Science and Talent Search
Personal AchievementsO Synopsys Championships Grand
PrizeO CSSF Honorable MentionO Intel ISEF 2nd Place ($1500
Scholarship)O Google $1000 Special Award
O Intel STS SemifinalistO $1000 Scholarship
Math and Science Research (cont)
O InternshipsO Best experiences in high schoolO Self-seekingO Programs should not hinder
opportunity
Personal AchievementsO Stanford Bioinformatics Laboratory
O SMIR ProgramO Summer 2009
O Google NYCO Summer 2010
Math and Science
1. Start Early2. Try Everything3. Determine Your Strengths4. Reap Benefits from Strengths5. Apply Strengths not only for
College but for the Future
Caroline Tan
Yale University Class of 2014
Summer Opportunities
Focus on the humanities and social sciences
IntroductionO 3 months of no homework or schoolO Bottom line: be productive, don’t just
stay at home playing video games or sleeping
O Internships, summer programs, volunteering opportunities, work experience, traveling, college classes
InternshipsO Paid or Unpaid internships
O Opportunities to work in large corporations or organizations for work experience
O Perfect for high school students because less time-consuming
O Possible internship opportunities O Nonprofit organizationsO Political offices
O Congressman Honda’s OfficeO Vision New America
O Corporate internshipsO NASA, SmithBarney, Bank of America, etc
O Check school’s College & Career Center website
Summer ProgramsO University summer programs
O Stanford University EPGY ProgramO UC Cosmos Program: focus on science researchO Columbia, Upenn, Yale, Harvard, Cornell, etc. programsO Cultural immersion programs
O Summer campsO Lynbrook Speech and Debate Summer Camp (
www.lynbrooksd.com/camp)O Junior State of America Summer SchoolO Camps for all types of interests: math camp, dance
camp, chess camp, horseback riding camp, etcO Leadership camps
O National Youth Leadership Conference
VolunteeringO Volunteering opportunities are everywhere:
O Join a volunteering club at your school for easy access to events: Key Club, Octagon, Interact, National Honor Society, etc
O Many different forms:O Community service clubO TutoringO Homeless shelter, animal shelter, youth
activism, hospital, school events, etcO www.volunteermatch.org
Work ExperienceO Corporate
O Can apply for paid internship in a corporationO More difficult to get, higher rewards
O RetailO Clothing stores such as Old Navy, Pac Sun etc
O Foods IndustryO Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Togo’s, Yogurtland, etc
O Self-employedO TutoringO Babysitting
O Usually need to be 16 years old or olderO Might need a California work permit (can find online)
TravelingO New experiences and perspectives
O Good starting points for college essays or writing in general
O Good sources of inspirationO Expand horizons
O Global citizens are prized by colleges
College ClassesO Opportunity to enroll in community
college classes for college credit or learning experiencesO De AnzaO San Jose City CollegeO West Valley College
O Talk to high school guidance counselor about registration process
O Must be at least 16 years old
Contact InformationO Email me at
[email protected] if you have any further questionsO High school lifeO SAT/AP testsO College applicationsO Anything!
Meera SureshO Senior at Lynbrook
High School, Class of 2010
O Attending De Anza CollegeO Accepted to Berkeley
O GPA: 3.81O SAT Score: 2330
Meera Suresh (continued)
O ActivitiesO Member of Sunnyvale
Youth Council (2 years)O Vice president of
Sunnyvale Youth Council (1 year)
O Over 170 hours of community service
O Member of Debate Club (4 years
O Debate captain (1 year)O Kumon Learning CenterO Instructor (1 year)O Member of FBLA (3 years)
O InterestsO Used to play violin for 6
years, in orchestra for 5 years and quit.
O Focused on singing Indian music (8 years)
O Competitive AwardsO National Merit Scholarship
SemifinalistO Finalist in Harker debate
tournamentO Quarterfinalist in Stanford
debate tournamentO 1st place in multiple singing
competitions
Social LifeO Key Factors that influence your high
school life socially:O The type of school you attendO The friends/acquaintances that you
makeO AcademicallyO Extra-curricular activitiesO Builds character
School LifeO Alcohol and Drugs
O Regardless of the school, alcohol and drugs circulate
O Ways to prevent getting involved:O Make sure your child has the right type
of friendsO Talk to your teen openly and ask them
what they’re take on it is.O Make sure they realize the
consequences
School Life (continued…)
O RelationshipsO It’s not uncommon for high school students
to start datingO It can be a time commitmentO Make sure your teen is capable to balance
academics and a relationshipO Dances
O Sometimes at school or other fancier locations
O Fun and casual; intermingling with everyone
Joining ClubsO Variety of clubs
O Joined several freshman year O Narrowed it down to a select fewO Wish I stuck to more clubs throughout
the yearsO Debate Club
O Learned skills that helped me academically
O Great way to meet different people throughout the nation
Sunnyvale Youth Council
O Get involved with the cityO Meet teens from different schoolsO Variety of ways to participate in
community serviceO Learn skills such as:
O LeadershipO OrganizationO Hands on experience that will equip
you for college/career.
Justine Yan Yale University
O Reporter for the Tri-City Voice local newspaper (2 years)
O Manovill Holocaust History Fellow
O Creative Writing Club founder & president (3 years)
O Penchant Literary Magazine, founder & Editor-in-Chief (3 years)
O Debate Captain (2 years)O We the People Civics Team -
California 3rd Place
• Journalism• Poetry, fiction
(creative writing)• Cultural
Anthropology• Chinese history,
culture, politics, society
Summers &O California State
Summer School for Math and Science (COSMOS)
O California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSA)
O Ohlone College courses
O Stanford National Forensics Institute (SNFI)
O Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
Interests
2400…It means I got lucky.
What does this number mean?
California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)
• Creative Writing focus
• Friends, mentors• Inspiration,
motivation• Later, led school club
and established a literary magazine)
• Led to leadership positions in an outside organization (Youth Speaks)
Youth Speaks
O Spoken word poetry
O Performances, workshops
O Local activism, empowering others
Working as a ReporterFOR THE
• My first job: paid internship• Improved professional writing ability• Interviewed community members, covered local
events• Gained experience reaching out and accessing
information, opportunities
Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
• Highly selective humanities program for incoming seniors
• Free of cost • Prestigious – well known by elite colleges• Gain amazing friends, mentors• Experience (similar to college living and learning)• Inspiration!
Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP)
Holocaust Center of Northern California
O Manovill Holocaust History Fellowship
O College-like experience: lectures and discussions
O Access to amazing historical resources
O Activism: taught several sophomore classes at my high school
O Wrote a final thesis paper
The SAT I
O Not creative but it’s such an important stepO Linked it to my long term goalsO Repetitive practice, like a sportO Really have to believe in yourselfO A class provides support, guidance, and
structure to studyingO Gain pacing, endurance, strategy
Carl ShanUC Berkeley 2014
High School Involvement
Academic Extracurricular
O 4.2 W GPAO 2300 SAT
O 780 Math II SAT II
O 780 Literature SAT II
O 800 Physics SAT II
O Lynbrook Speech and Debate Captain
O Nationally PublishedO Teen Ink MagazineO Midnight Musings
O Locally PublishedO San Jose MercuryO Sintao Daily
O Kumon TutorO Lynbrook Math TutorO Basketball Coach for
Mentally Challenged Youth
DebateRole in my life:
O LeadershipO Articulation and
Clarity of thoughtsO Communication skills
keyO Extra-Academic
KnowledgeO PoliticsO Philosophy
O Friends
Successes:
O Champion of UC Berkeley, St. Francis Invitation. O Top speaking
O Finalist at Harker Round Robin
O Self-Confidence+Public Spekaing
“Forensics and College Admissions” by Yale Professor Luong
“State and national award winners have a 22% to 30% higher acceptance rate at top tier colleges and being captain of the debate team “improved an applicant’s chances by more than 60% compared with the rest of the pool.”
Lessons Learned
Strong Work Ethic
Networkif you go to a nearby intellectually charged school, make networks
Achieving SuccessO What really matters?
O Don’t sacrifice what you love for what you don’t.O What will matter in 50 years?
O Passion is the fuel for actions.O Find what you love. Parents, honestly
assess this.
RegretsCollege School
O Not Researching Colleges In-Depth
O Not knowing what I wanted to study and become
O Lack of focus
O Didn’t take GPA seriously.O Didn’t realize importance
O Slacked off first two years.O GamesO Didn’t apply self
O Didn’t build strong network of motivated peers
O Didn’t participate in school spirit. O Apathy.
Final Thoughts
An achievement does not make a person.College Acceptance/Awards only recognizes.
The person makes him or herself.
"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."
