How did you describe your plans for the future in your application?
My major/career first choices were "undecided", although I sent Cornell, Rice, and Princeton an essay in which I explained how I wished to better the world through innovative engineering startups.
I follow a lot of math competitions, as a math coach. Which competitions were the ones you participated in most avidly?
I narrowly missed the MA Mathcounts team in middle school, and have done well on other less prestigious competitions (HMMT, NEML, CML...), but my AMC/AIME results are probably the best. Unfortunately, my highest AIME score, an 11 (and presumably USAMO qualification), was just this year and therefore probably didn't factor in to decisions much.
What specific behaviors are your high school classmates observing as they come to that conclusion about you?
I focus on my work at the expense of an active social life, and I make an effort to really understand all knowledge that comes my way, rather than just working for grades (if that) and acting anti-intellectual (the prevailing culture). I did lack social skills in middle school, so the reputation carryover could be creating an additional gulf between my classmates and me.
Residential colleges are always looking for students who are outgoing to their fellow students. Life is dull on a college campus if the students all stay in their dorm rooms and don't talk to one another.
Comments
I’m still curious as to what might have sunk me at those places.
How did you describe your plans for the future in your application?
placed in top ~50 of my grade nationwide in math competitions
I follow a lot of math competitions, as a math coach. Which competitions were the ones you participated in most avidly?
the "too-intense guy" I come off as at my high school
What specific behaviors are your high school classmates observing as they come to that conclusion about you?
How did you describe your plans for the future in your application? My major/career first choices were "undecided", although I sent Cornell, Rice, and Princeton an essay in which I explained how I wished to better the world through innovative engineering startups.
I follow a lot of math competitions, as a math coach. Which competitions were the ones you participated in most avidly? I narrowly missed the MA Mathcounts team in middle school, and have done well on other less prestigious competitions (HMMT, NEML, CML...), but my AMC/AIME results are probably the best. Unfortunately, my highest AIME score, an 11 (and presumably USAMO qualification), was just this year and therefore probably didn't factor in to decisions much.
What specific behaviors are your high school classmates observing as they come to that conclusion about you?
I focus on my work at the expense of an active social life, and I make an effort to really understand all knowledge that comes my way, rather than just working for grades (if that) and acting anti-intellectual (the prevailing culture). I did lack social skills in middle school, so the reputation carryover could be creating an additional gulf between my classmates and me.
Residential colleges are always looking for students who are outgoing to their fellow students. Life is dull on a college campus if the students all stay in their dorm rooms and don't talk to one another.