A ONE Institute
Apr 27, 2024
Welcome to the second part of our interview with a graduate from Cornell University’s Engineering program. As you may know from the first part of the interview, the student we are interviewing, Ryu Jin, was a student at our A-One Institute. He graduated from Tenafly High School and is about to graduate from Cornell University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Please keep in mind that this video was filmed in 2011.
Interviewer: Could you tell us about your SAT scores, GPA, AP classes, and extracurricular activities?
Student: Extracurricular Activities
• Marching Band: The most memorable extracurricular activity is the Marching Band. Although it may seem time-consuming, the Marching Band activity at Tenafly High School, where I attended, was a fun activity that felt like experiencing American culture rather than being time-consuming. The most important point of doing extracurricular activities is that I learned time management skills. After the activity, it is another advantage of extracurricular activities that you can learn how to manage the remaining time efficiently.
• New Jersey Science Competition: This was an activity recommended by my Physics Honors teacher in high school. It was a science competition where 4-5 representatives from each school competed against each other, and personally, it was a good experience. Even if I didn’t win, it was a good learning opportunity just to participate, and the school gave me a participation certificate.
• Presidential Volunteering Award
• Math Club
• Tutoring Club
• Korean Cultural Club - I was the vice president. I also served as the Vice-President of the Korean Student Association when I went to Cornell based on this activity.
• Other extracurricular activities outside of school - Since I immigrated to the United States around the end of the 9th grade, my extracurricular activities were mainly school activities. SAT Math 800 + English 710 (Writing 400 & Reading 310) = 1510 I got 800 in math and strategically thought about English, focusing on Grammar study for Writing, and got 400 in Writing and 310 in Reading, totaling 710. I did not take the ACT. GPA and Course Composition
• What was the composition of AP subjects during high school? Since I immigrated to the United States at the end of the 9th grade, there could have been some limitations. Unlike other subjects, math could take a level test and be placed in a class that matched the level, so I took Pre-calculus in the 10th grade and took the rest of the subjects similar to other friends.
• 10th grade Bio Honors / AP Environmental Science (the only subject that could be taken because there was no Prerequisite)
• 11th grade Chem Honors/ Physics Honors/AP Calculus AB
• 12th grade AP Statistics / AP Cal BC (only prepared for the exam. I remember getting good grades by preparing with A-One classes) AP Physics C (At Tenafly High School, Mechanics in the 1st semester and E&M in the 2nd semester) AP Computer Science (Took through the Virtual High school program)
• What do you think about getting a good result without taking AP subjects in the Social area? When you enter college, there are liberal studies college classes, and friends who took AP classes in the Social area in high school sometimes skip the related Required classes, so I think it would have been good to take them. Interviewer: What is the most important area to focus on when writing an application? Student: When you actually write an application, don’t just think about the university that everyone evaluates well, but think about what classes are offered at which university, who the professors are, and what requirements are there if you want to get the degree you want. I would like to tell you to think about it. The student himself has to take the classes at the university, and he should also research well the activities he can do outside of class. Imagine what your life will be like at the university you are thinking of, and what your day will be like! Please don’t forget to select a school considering your own tendencies and interests.
Interviewer: What would you like to say to parents who are preparing for college admissions?
Student: I think it would be nice if you could open the way for students to find what they want on their own. The biggest realization I got when I came to the United States was that I had to take good care of myself. If someone asks me what I learned in the United States, I would say that I learned how to find my own way. Students have to go through all of this themselves when they go to college, and they have to find ways to achieve it as their interests and interests change. I would like to ask you to let the student learn how to pioneer his own way through the college admission process, as it becomes the most important life skill.
We hope you empathized a lot with the true story that comes from the actual experience of a student who studied at our A-One Institute and went to Cornell. We will end today’s post here. Thank you.