Tags: Washington

Institution: Washington University

Study: Major in computer science

High School Experience

I had an overall positive high school experience. My school was really small (my grade was 12 people total), which meant we were all super close to each other and the teachers (which I liked) but also meant that our options for which classes we wanted to take was limited (which I did not like).

Course choices

I was interested in a lot of areas during high school but didn’t really have a lot of choice in what classes I could take because of my small class. I knew I wanted to pursue computer science, for example, but the class got cancelled because there wasn’t enough interest.

AP/IBs

I took all IB classes. Specifically, HL English, HL Biology, HL History, SL Math, SL Spanish and SL Psychology. We didn’t have exams this year.

GPA

4.35 weighted

Standardized Testing

ACT composite: 31

ACT superscore: 33

Extracurriculars

At school, I was student council President and a student council member since sophomore year, was in Model UN since freshman year and was President senior year, and was co-President of dance committee for senior year. Outside of that, I did a lot of theater with a group starting in 7th grade!

Recommendations

My relationships were really strong with the teachers that wrote my letters of recommendation.

Essays

I didn’t really have one specific theme. My common app essay was about the theater I did and what I learned from it basically. My WashU one was about how my love of puzzles led to my love of coding.

Strengths

Of course I think my GPA and test scores and all that gave me a pretty good shot. But I’m also a girl going into computer science and from a pretty underrepresented state.

Advice

Work hard and do things you actually like doing! And don’t be hard on yourself, especially during the college application process. If you don’t get in then it just wasn’t meant for you and that’s okay!

Circumstances

None

Why?

Besides the fact that it’s a really good school, I felt like I clicked well with the culture at WashU! Everyone was so nice and that’s what I was looking for.

#WashU