How I Got In #19 || Stats, ECs, Awards, Etc. (Princeton)

Summary

Ry, a current Princeton freshman from Los Angeles studying electrical and computer engineering, describes their background, academic record, extracurricular activities, awards, and advice for college applicants.

Background and academics

• Ry identifies as Hispanic and Asian, with a Mexican father and South Korean mother.
• They attended a small, competitive private high school with a graduating class of about 100 students. The school offered 16 AP courses and about 20 honors courses.
• Their academic record included:
  • 3.92 unweighted GPA and 4.41 weighted GPA
  • No reported class rank; Ry estimated they were around the top 5% of their grade.
  • Increasingly advanced courses, including AP Calculus, biology, English, Spanish, U.S. history, government, statistics, and physics, as well as multivariable calculus and linear algebra.
  • Several AP scores of 5 and 4, including a 4 in chemistry, which they studied independently because their school did not offer the AP course.
• Ry took the SAT three times, scoring 1490, 1500, and 1460, but did not submit an SAT or ACT score to Princeton. They made that choice with their college counselor. They did not take the ACT, partly because it was longer than the SAT.

Extracurricular activities

• Bridge, a diversity, equity, and inclusion council: Helped organize cross-cultural clubs and school events; created social media posts and newsletters; and organized meetings. Ry progressed from advisory committee member to social media head and then co-president.
• Latino Club: Advanced from outreach executive to co-president and president. Activities included salsa lessons, a percussion workshop with a Grammy-nominated artist, charity bake sales, and Hispanic Heritage Month events.
• Varsity tennis: Played all four years and became team captain in junior year, spending about 12 hours per week in season. Ry also cited CIF Division 3 and Division 2 tennis championships.
• Summer teaching assistant: Assisted with algebra and geometry classes during two five-week summer sessions, helping students, teaching lessons, creating practice problems, and grading exams. The work took about 20 hours per week while classes were in session.
• Concert photographer and videographer: Worked with their father covering salsa concerts and festivals around Los Angeles. Ry operated camera equipment, filmed performances, edited concert films, and practiced Spanish with musicians and attendees.
• School admissions helper: Led tours for prospective families, mentored new tour guides, and answered questions on student panels at open houses.
• Ry also listed Taekwondo and two years of varsity football and basketball.

Awards

• National Merit Commended Student
• National Hispanic Recognition Program awardee
• AP Scholar with Distinction
• School Dean’s List all four years
• CIF Division 3 and Division 2 tennis champion

Advice for applicants

• Prepare for standardized tests with repetition. Repeated practice can keep subject matter and question formats familiar.
• Use superscoring where available. Combine the strongest section scores from different test dates. If one section is already strong, focus on improving the other.
• Choose appropriately challenging courses. Take AP and honors classes when possible to demonstrate a willingness to push yourself, but also take courses that genuinely interest you. Ry found photography helpful as a creative outlet alongside demanding academic classes.
• Pursue activities you care about. Genuine interest makes activities more enjoyable and gives you clearer experiences to discuss in applications.
• Seek increasing responsibility. Staying involved and working toward leadership roles can show commitment, growth, and the ability to serve as a role model.
• Contribute to your school community. Participation in clubs, sports, and class—and helping peers—can help teachers and others understand your character and provide specific material for recommendation letters.
• Avoid constant comparison. Focus on your own identity, experiences, goals, and aspirations rather than measuring yourself against other applicants.

Speaker

Ry is a Princeton freshman studying electrical and computer engineering who shares their application experience and advice.