- Nora Sun
Tags: Columbia, Barnard, international
Institution: Barnard College Columbia University
Study: Major in biology
High School Experience
I come from a private international school so I didn't feel held back by my ethnicity but I did feel a lot of restrictions around gender and I felt everyone coming from the same socio economic background created a huge bubble so a lot of my classmates were quite ignorant and unwilling to have conversations about worldly problems.
Course choices
I have loved science since forever due to the odd simplicity of it. Because of this I did dual sciences and the highest level of math that my school offered.
AP/IBs
I did HL math physics and bio SL english LL psychology and mandarin B. I didn't receive scores yet as I did the full diploma.
GPA
Standardized Testing
SAT: 1450
SAT Biology: 700
Extracurriculars
I did a lot of extracurriculars. I am part of my schools division 1 volleyball team, I also frequent retirement homes and work with the local breast cancer awareness organization. In school I am part of a leadership team that organizes lots of school events to maintain school spirit and outside of school, I organized and led an 8 people cycling expedition through Taiwan and Okinawa.
Recommendations
My English and biology teachers wrote for me. I have a close relation with both of them as they have been my teachers for a long time.
Essays
My common app essay was strongly centered around the reforms I pushed for in school around gender equality. My school's dress code policy was extremely unfair towards girls and brought on unnecessary stress and stereotypes and taught girls from a young age that it was a norm.
Strengths
I think my interview made me a strong applicant because it really highlighted how I was someone who wanted to make a change which strongly aligned with my school’s motto.
Advice
The advice I would give would probably be to be fearless. Fear hinders growth, don't be afraid to ask for things and question the normal but also to ask for help.
Circumstances
International
Why?
I chose Barnard because I felt it was best fit for me. Small college with resources of a large research university. I also felt as a woman going into stem no better place can prepare me. Barnard empowers women and I'm so excited to join the community!