Stanford accepts you IF... | Admitted student's review of my REJECTION (reaction)

[@wamyy5]

I can't believe and I'm sorry to say that P did NOT get into Stanford?? Thanks to my amazing supporters who told me in the comments and on Discord. I try so hard to give the most valuable advice/perspective and never want to provide inaccurate information. I still think this video is helpful because of the conversation and to make you feel less stressed about getting into your dream school because it doesn't say anything about your qualifications. If anything, this video shows that it's so easy for someone on the internet to "be an expert" so please please be careful with the advice you consume and who you look up to. Check their credentials and think critically. Literally anyone can make a KZbin video so remember that you might be just as smart and knowledgeable as us "KZbinrs." I'm no one special - just want to share my journey and perspectives that have given me a bit of success in my life to make yours easier. :)

[@thesupersteel3429]

💀

[@MrBjorn6]

​@DelaBeamHe's not going to both? He's going to Harvard!!

[@rooksman64]

He’s not an Ivy League student lol stop capping

[@rooksman64]

@@MrBjorn6source?

[@akb2582]

@@MrBjorn6 P goes to RPI for a bs/md lmfaoooooo

[@AshishKumar-ll2mt]

If you are selected, everything looks fair. If you're not selected, people will start judging you on your qualifications. Most obvious thing happening every time, everywhere, all at once :)

[@wamyy5]

Ah that’s so true! Wish more people have that balanced perspective - that’s especially reasonable given that when there are so many qualified applicants, the end decision often comes down to chance

[@thesupersteel3429]

@@wamyy5idk I personally see the entire video as an excuse but maybe I’m just biased. I feel like Prashant made really good points but instead you were being really defensive the entire video (especially bc at the end of video 1 you asked us to find your mistakes). Either way I feel like you should’ve gotten in, and I respect your work ethic, I just wish you could’ve been more thoughtful from an outside perspective instead of targeting him the entire time. Again that’s just me.

[@wamyy5]

@@thesupersteel3429 thanks for your comment! Though if you look at other perspectives and especially the fact that apparently he didn’t even get into Stanford, that speaks quite a bit. My counters to what he said were simply when he opinionated on what he evidently didn’t understand like math competitions. I can accept valid speculations as shown in the video and in the original video, but I will try to provide my viewers with a more balanced perspective. People on the internet can say whatever they like, from how useless 5s on AP tests are to how they got into a school when they didn’t.

[@summerclu]

Yeah. Amy definitely has great work ethic and abilities and I do think she deserves better but she kinda messed up in presenting herself in the best possible way in her application. Even though Pratik didn’t really get into Stanford (and I do agree that even as clickbait, it’s not really right to do), I do resonate with a lot of what he says and he makes some really good points. Anyhow, I wish the best to both of them.

[@niyatsiyum]

When he said "stats don't matter" it's because everyone applying will have a similar academic background. These top institutions are geared to attract such people. Stats will never be a reason why a person gets in, in fact Harvard rejects 25% of its applicants with a 1600. It'd be like being a basketball player and relying on your height to make it to the NBA. Where an applicant can give themself a fighting chance is in their extracurriculars, honors, and essays. That's how you differentiate yourself from the rest.

[@bride18]

"Harvard rejects 25% of its applicants with a 1600", that is 75% accepted, which is crazy considering the acceptance rate of Harvard is 4%. I think if you told someone they had a 75% chance of getting into Harvard if they scored a 1600 on the SAT they would work their ass off because that is a really high percentage. Stats do matter, it is the first step to getting admitted.

[@AnnD-xe1qj]

BS. Look in the youtube , there are plenty of AA students who has got in with very low academics and ECs. (like 1360 SAT and 3.5 GPA, no good ECs, like 500 hrs volunteering )probably with agood SOB STORY.

[@meadowgailer5659]

​@AnnD-xe1qj Wow and just to think I could have gotten into Harvard with a 3.5 GPA shucks.

[@wamyy5]

Stats will not be what gets you in, but lack of good stats could be what keeps you out. That's why it wouldn't be the most accurate to say "they don't matter." This wording could be misleading for students to think things like good ECs can make up for lesser stats. See ex-admissions officers' viewpoints from Ivy Leagues here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqLOiYOEoqmYe9E

[@pioneeracademy6488]

@@AnnD-xe1qjplease leave the links to the videos for AA students with 3.5 gpa and sub 1450 SAT and was accepted to Ivy schools.

[@ayaan6379]

I will tell you the reason she got rejected, I guess Stanford looks for applicants who have entrepreneurial or social impacting kids and she was genius which caltech and MIT looks for, every school has different way of judging because everyone judges on the basis of how much you would be able to use the opportunity that the specific school provides. As she was more into maths and STEM, she was more fit in caltech or MIT which have the research opportunities that she would most probably use

[@user-zq5tv9dc7z]

I agree with you. I think Stanford and UCLA wants more kids with leaderships and community-associated activities

[@某中二且沙雕的闪电君]

I don't think she would be accepted by MIT either. MIT also puts an emphasis on diversity, and achievements/awards in STEM fields is common for Asian applicants. 2 times AIME qualification simply isn't good enough to be her "main award." Many Asian applicants who qualified for USAMO (you will be invited to USAMO if you did very well in AIME. USAMO qualification means you are one of the top 200 high school students in North America in terms of math skill) or/and other olympiad awards at the same level was straight up rejected by schools like MIT.

[@user-zq5tv9dc7z]

​@@某中二且沙雕的闪电君 I mean tbu college administration is pretty random, but to be fair she does have high academic achievement in general. I mean if you cant even be accepted into MIT with olympiad awards what are you suppose to do then

[@某中二且沙雕的闪电君]

@@user-zq5tv9dc7z To be clear, there is still a chance like 20-30% for someone to get in MIT if they have one national level awards (suggested by a former MIT admission officer on Quora). Research paper published on top 250 academic forums, multiple outstanding/innovative extracurriculars, sports/non-academic awards, and/or prestigious summer programs like RSI, Ross, etc (wAmy did get into one of these programs) in combination with national level academic awards would give a person a high chance to get in MIT. However, a person with a national level award and at least some extracurriculars would still go to top universities even if the were rejected from the best ones like MIT and Stanford. (Which explains why wAmy was accepted by Berkeley and CIT). PS: I'm not a professional academic advisor, but I did read about the application experience of a lot of people. PPS: you don't really need any extracurriculars if you have international level awards like IMO gold medal.

[@wamyy5]

Totally agree! While there is a lot of chance in the college decision, where you end up getting in could say something about where you fit better. However, knowing that I don’t want to do research or get a PhD now (or even do a career directly related to math), it’s hard to say a college’s fit for someone’s career when they’re only a high schooler and likely have not discovered themselves yet. Much of the discovery comes from work experience or knowing to do special projects outside school!

[@hbzy]

As a Caltech admit this year and having multiple friends who got into Stanford, it is clear that Stanford is looking for students who will innovate and make an impact. This is different from the impact that Caltech wants to create. As opposed to research and academia, Stanford wants future leaders in their respective fields, from liberal arts to computer science. This is not to say Caltech doesn't want the same thing, but they want it in a different direction. Most importantly, luck is a large reason behind each acceptance after the applicant gets past basic requirements and it is all dependent on admissions officers resonating with you. Its childish to compare one top tier university to another, what matters is what you can do with that experience.

[@gtf5392]

This guy said all his extra-curricular activities were strategically crafted. To me, that translates as ‘I lived a life that wasn’t the real me to create a narrative about me for the purpose of impressing others’. I think a lot of young people fall into the trap of trying to lead a life that others want them to lead, and then they end up missing out on enjoying some of the prime years of their life. Kudos to Amy for deciding to choose activities that interested her, even if they didn’t necessarily fit a narrative that college admissions purportedly like to see.

[@pranavkollipara1853]

I wouldn't interpret it like that. If you watch his videos, he shows that he knew what he wanted to do with his life and aimed very high. From what I can see in his videos, it seems like he was determined and made opportunities for himself for his own benefit rather than impressing others.

[@wamyy5]

Yeah I’m not sure, but if he was genuinely interested in his activities, then good for him! I would say that from my experience, being able to be super focused as a high schooler is really rare. You’re right - we’re young and don’t even know who we are yet! I did try to explore and I had many interests but it’s not what colleges want :/

[@wamyy5]

Thank you for your comment!

[@wamyy5]

Hi! Just wanted to say that I say your reply to my pinned comment last night and I think you made excellent points that are valuable for everyone to know. I definitely experienced the same thing in real life where the most "overconfident" and charismatic could be misleading. I'm not sure where your comment went because I was going to reply today, but just wanted to let you know I liked your insights and thank you for coming on my video again!!

[@gtf5392]

Hi Amy - thanks for your comment. Yeah, I decided to delete that comment just because I didn’t want to criticize this guy too much without knowing him. But generally speaking, I’ve noticed that in life, sometimes the people that are the most charismatic and project the most confidence in themselves (almost to the point of over-confidence), turn out to be the least trustworthy and the least secure in themselves. Unfortunately, those are often the same types of personalities that people tend to follow and are drawn to. So, I think it was important that you posted the update as kind of a cautionary lesson to people to take things that they hear with a grain of salt and to have a healthy sense of skepticism when it comes to so-called experts. On the flip-side, I’ve noticed the people that humble themselves and are willing to listen to feedback, without feeling the need to always boast in themselves, are the ones that tend to improve and grow the most. I feel your video fits into this latter camp.

[@ICYHope]

The asian thing he said was pretty unnecessary i mean he specifically stated that she was complaining abt being asian and im like in what way is she even complaining abt it. Not once did she ever complain in the video abt being asian all she said was "Im Asian" he specifically stated that "oh She was complaining abt being asian" she just mentioned it and i dont think there is anything wrong with that. Im just saying but anyways I think its still impressive she got all these great grades in school. She is such an amazing student 👍

[@freespirit1866]

Amy, thank you for use your story to help others understand college admission a little better. You are a impressive and smart lady and you have a bright future wherever you go. Cal tech is a great school! ❤

[@wamyy5]

Thanks Abbie for noticing and appreciating my efforts to help students and parents 😊 Best of luck to you!

[@RedOctober_]

caltech is harder to get into than stanford these days...

[@lawandeconomics1]

Im 50 have had a long, fruitful career. Trust me when I say that the experiences and skills you pick up now are going to be far more useful than some secret Stanford training bootcamp. Just do great things in your life and career. Ive been asked 4 times in 3 decades where i went to school. When you compete based on awards and numbers, you enter a type of intellectual beauty contest where no one wins. Be great tomorrow. Not yesterday. And will have all the wealth and happiness you can handle…

[@wamyy5]

Love that: "Be great tomorrow."

[@hyunmin1497]

I think you have great stats and you have an overall extremely good resume. You seem to be talented in multiple areas. The college decision process is now a lottery these days. Even if you may be better than an applicant next to you, they might get picked simply because of so many other factors. I respect you so much in what you do and good luck!

[@wamyy5]

Thanks so much! I appreciate your kind words!

[@joshnova9163]

Amy had an enormous advantage that we tend to overlook: Engineer parents who presumably set high standards, supported Amy’s risks, and provided invaluable guidance and structure to her day-to-day goals.

[@moonlily13]

agreed

[@JosephLee2012]

I was actually upset too, Amy. I think racism is an Ivy League problem. However, Stanford is more generous with Asian admissions compared to Harvard by 5%. I am just guessing. My father did get a Ph.D. at Stanford. Since Harvard grossly discriminated against Asians, all of the Asian rejects went to UC Berkeley, and that's why UC Berkeley produced more start-ups.

[@wamyy5]

Indeed, I believe you're right. I would really appreciate if you watch this video I made trying to be a voice for our community: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnrLmWSijtGXerM

[@JosephLee2012]

@@wamyy5 OK... Let's be objective though. Stanford has a more fair process than Harvard.

[@wamyy5]

@@JosephLee2012 Sure, I didn’t say they didn’t. I can only say from the documentary as there’s not much Stanford data as there is that of Harvard

[@JosephLee2012]

@@wamyy5 I believe Stanford does not want to anger their white-American donors if they knew that Stanford admits more Asians than Harvard or MIT. USC did the same. Like I said, I am the only American Electrical Engineer at USC's graduate program. Obviously, I am NOT white.

[@wamyy5]

@@JosephLee2012 I see. All for the money again smh

[@courtneyange202]

rising sophomore in high school I'm taking notes because this is so helpful! I'm not first-gen college but I'm the oldest and when my parents went to college you only really needed to apply to 2-5 schools so it's super different now. this is so helpful since most of their advice is outdated!

[@AnnD-xe1qj]

Get a good SOB STORY ready.

[@shellyanderson337]

I am so glad you said that. I am a mom of a 9th grader & 12th grader who went to college and here I am mad at myself bc I should have prepared my 12th grader better. It was a completely different world when I applied. I appreciate everyone’s perspectives and it can’t be said enough that you will get accepted to the school with the best fit for you. A “rejection” is the school ACTUALLY saying there is a better fit for you. I am also taking the activity advice as a way to find your passion, to try things to really discover what makes you happy (insert scene w Amy jumping on the bed w her bf here!). If you already know, then you should be crafting a cohesive, direct-line narrative, but if not, don’t beat yourself up, keep grinding to figure it out. As long as you are showing growth toward your choice, you will be fine. Look at Amy, she found that she wants a different career. If she had been given the range (no shade, Amy’s parents, tbh I wish I had been more like you!) to discover this earlier, how would her application be different? Her acceptance experience be different? Her college experience be different? I am not saying she did anything wrong, because her way was the right way for her. I used to get SO ANNOYED (but still ❤ u Amy, ha ha) when Amy would say, “don’t stress about it”- um, how can I not??? But that is truly the best advice. Be intentional in finding you passion!!! That is not only going to give you valuable insight into what you truly love, but it also the key to the best essay, best application, best college, best life for YOU!!!!

[@toneystank]

It’s really not that deep, Stanford simply has more qualified applicants then it does room. At the point like these top tier unis, you just have to accept that luck is a big factor :)

[@wamyy5]

Indeed - luck is a huge factor when there are so many stellar students. That's why I sometimes find admissions advice from students funny: yes there's valid advice, but not getting in doesn't necessarily mean you weren't qualified!

[@scottjackson163]

I feel guilty - as if I cheated - when I listen to the testimonials of such stellar academic performers who were rejected by Stanford. I got into Stanford (and Brown) for graduate school and I earned a master’s degree at Stanford. I was a mediocre student coming out of high school. I just did well in college and on the GRE.

[@shunhan9444]

I strongly disagree with his idea of “strategically craft” for college admission. It’s kind of sad to see that teenagers have to pick one or two things and go in deep just to show “passion” rather than try different things and broaden their experiences.

[@wamyy5]

Indeed. Life is about trying more things and that’s the only way you can find your true passion! Especially when young

[@jonathancohen2351]

Yes, it's ironic that at MIT you are not expected to declare your major until the end of the freshman year. So they recognize that people's focus will change as they learn more. But the top universities have lots of applicants who have already demonstrated an ability to contribute at the top in their field, so they chose them. It takes serious passion in a single area for almost anyone to demonstrate success at that level, because it is so competitive these days (apparently it was not back in my day).

[@SamPro925]

Well it’s the students that do this that colleges really want.

[@W360-j1v]

Exactly… and this is why there are so many young people from elite schools committed fraud these days. “Making impact” can be a negative things too!

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

@@SamPro925 What sounds harder to your "ears"? 1. Certified Public Accountant or 2. Masters Degree in Statistics?

[@er7586]

I never saw a theme or core or real story about you Amy. My son has a 4.8 Weighted, 4.0 unweighted with stellar ECs and a couple of spikes that ALL tell 1 story that is a central theme about my son. However, we do realize that he can easily be rejected by the top schools simply because it is up to a couple of human beings admitting you. Honestly no university deserves my son. He will be accepted to the schools where he belongs. You will still do great things. I wish you much success. God bless.

[@hongjucho7283]

there must've been some lacking parts of your application, as P said in his video, but that goes for all of the existing college applications in this world. i know that you've done a great job but i feel like P made some good points!!! kudos you and your rest of the college life :D

[@WineSippingCowboy]

Not in this video. Amy, you can go to Stanford in other ways. 1 You can go on a student exchange in your Sophomore year. 2 You can transfer after your Freshman year. Strategy. 1 Better to go on exchange first. You choose whether the duration is 1 quarter, 2 quarters or 1 academic year long. 2 Then, you can choose whether to transfer or not. Other thought. You can graduate with an undergraduate degree at Cal Tech and apply to Graduate School at Stanford. But be aware that if you choose Engineering, Business, Law or Medicine, you will face tougher competition than when you did Undergraduate admissions. Luckily, both universities are on the quarter system. 😊 Footnote. Although I attended neither, I have relatives who are alumni from Stanford and Cal. 😃

[@paulmulenga8742]

Hi Amy, im an African living in Africa and id always wanted to attend Harvard. However, my professor at a University here and who went to Harvard told me to focus more on the skills i wanted to learn. He said going to Harvard or any Ivy League School in the US does not guarantee success. At the time, i didnt belive him. 10 years after my degree, and looking at my friends who went to Oxford,Harvard, Yale etc, none of them is doing better than me. What matters is what you do with your life. If you are excellent at what you do and make a difference,no one cares where you went to school. In most cases, if you get a good education, you will be fine.

[@t.s5806]

You're more of an MIT type, academic genius. Stanford looks for well-rounded people who did something remarkable outside academics (e.g. Tiger Woods at golf, Elon Musk at doing startups, Aaron Swartz reddit founder, Reese Witherspoon at acting). Grades aren't everything. That was your biggest problem (as a Stanford grad student)

[@JaniceHylton]

Hhhaaaa, lol. My coworker son just got into standford

[@cattd00]

Hey wAmy, I just want to say that I've been watching your reviews for forever, and I actually got into Stanford REA this year (but I don't know if Im going to commit because of finances)! I'm not a straight A student, nowhere near valedictorian, and I didn't even submit my SAT score. This guy is being a complete douche-bag. You have a crazy resume, but I love that you celebrate the vast accomplishments and experiences of yourself and others. I love how "success" is meaningful and diverse for you, not pertaining to a specific mindset or goal. I'm almost done recieving college decisions for the year, and I've realised that after you've reached a certain threshold for exceptionalism, college decisions are a complete toss up. Also, like you mentioned in this video, I hate that we are forced to stick to one thing and be defined by it through highschool. Even in the past two months, my passions and outlook on life have drastically changed. Anyways, thanks for your videos wAmy. You slay.

[@wamyy5]

Wow HUGE CONGRATS!! Let me know if there’s anything I can answer to help with your decision :) I appreciate your compliments and consistent support so much - glad I can be helpful! Yes, success is so much more than your societally defined achievements and other outward things - it’s about your own fulfillment and finding what suits you on your unique path. Great to hear you have a wise perspective 👍

[@goodwin9986]

This guy dont even go to Stanford TRIPPING

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

@@goodwin9986 What sounds harder to your "ears"? 1. Certified Public Accountant or 2. Masters Degree in Statistics?

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

@@wamyy5 What sounds harder to your "ears"? 1. Certified Public Accountant or 2. Masters Degree in Statistics?

[@wamyy5]

@@scholarlyanalyst7700 the latter since it takes longer and more commitment from what I know!

[@Beck-Stein]

I commented on his video as well. The race makes a huge difference in admissions. Huge. They are discussing it in the supreme court now. Look at race blind UC schools, 40% asian. Merit matters not your skin color.

[@ZzzZ-sb9ju]

Yes. People are saying affirmative action was bad for Asians, but it was to make sure the colleges are diverse. Asians only make up 6% of America, yet 30+% of ivies. Y’all need to understand that people who got in on AA also had merit.

[@Beck-Stein]

@@ZzzZ-sb9ju guess you’re ok with doing the same for sports like the nba that’s is 89% black?

[@Re4perZer0]

The overall feeling I get from your app is that you can handle the academic pressure and you have good time management skills. There are many applicants who have the same. So I think your app got that part right. But there's no mission. There's no cohesive idea that makes you as an individual stand out. Compare you with a kid who started programming in middle school, came from a poor background but always wanted to study a specific theory in computer science. He wanted to go to Stanford to continue his research and his mission. His end goal is not to get into Stanford. You have excellent work ethic and ability but no cohesive mission. What do you want to do after college? I couldn't tell that from your resume. You're breaking it down a lot, but you have to look at the overall picture. Do you plan to use Stanford just to get into a good job and work as an employee? Or is there something unique about you IN ADDITION to all your ability and work ethic? As you said, you have to be memorable. Lastly, and I want to be as polite as I can, you're not entitled to get into Stanford. You and that other MIT youtuber were saying like if you check these boxes, you should be able to get into Stanford. That's everyone. What makes you more entitled than anyone else? Your objective here seems to be to get into Stanford. Again, I'm sorry if what I said was a little harsh, but I'm trying to be honest with you. You've shown you can handle the pressure of Stanford, but you didn't show that you were a culture fit along with being someone who would innovate and had a cohesive idea. I had a Spanish teacher who went to Stanford and he had poor immigrant colombian parents. He had a story there. Not that checking that box will guarantee anything, but it helps you be more memorable. I used to work with Stanford grads at robinhood, they were all sociable people who were junior Olympic athletes or people from lower socio economic background. There's a story there. Nothing about you is a memorable cohesive story that makes me think you're the chosen one. For lack of better words. Culture fit and mission I would say.

[@wamyy5]

Save yourself from my pain of putting so much effort into the wrong things; get professional and customized coaching from Jason! He helped an international student with 1320 SAT get into *HARVARD* 😱 www.endurableeducation.com/

[@wamyy5]

P.S. Another opinion I forgot to mention: Since students are so young and varied in terms of what they're interested in / what they think they should prioritize, maybe something colleges can do is look more at potential as a whole. For example, creating two successful KZbin channels is something I could not do in high school for various reasons, so if Stanford wants a certain type of leader they put into the world, they can cultivate that in their curriculum, since college is a place of maturing and developing the next generation of change makers.

[@deepective]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3ebpoVsj5t-gsU Jobs's speech answered the true meaning of life, and the modern education system judges success by a new standard by what school you go, which does not necessarily have a positive impact on human creativity. Entrepreneur like Steve Jobs was not forged by schools. They do not need to be judged by admission officers. The greatest thinkers are those with independent minds in history. Attending a so-called prestigious school does not guarantee any future achievements. Today's children did too much , from peer presure, from family, from all the medias talking about admission. Their time is taken up to fill all the things that are needed for college admission. They have no time to think and live freely. Well, coaching the kids how to do it became a business instead.

[@Naksu..]

Please react to the Quran

[@vickyhuang954]

What college did you go

[@wamyy5]

@@vickyhuang954 Caltech!

[@jean3524]

Congratulations on CalTech :) It's a great school and thanks for making these informational videos. They are informative and kudos in presenting such a heavy topic in a lighthearted way. You will continue to do great.

[@wamyy5]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you saying my videos are helpful, because that’s my biggest goal as I put effort into reflecting on my past :D Thanks for the constant support!

[@gamerztacz6689]

I noticed that you said that he figured it out when it benefited the most. To be honest, the guy just seems genuine in his application and not just doing it to just get into the school.

[@wamyy5]

Figuring it out earlier is beneficial! Imagine to the extreme Eileen Gu who discovered she loved skiing at age 4 so can commit more hours to her craft. I was too interested in everything, and that worked against me

[@blublover]

@@wamyy5 thats me rn! and my counselor wants me to figure out what i want to do / passion, when idek yet 😢

[@nicholasvardy7534]

I noticed that someone can't spell "Stanford". Also, the guy didn't get admitted to Stanford. He put it on the title of the video to get attention. He's in a pretty obscure BA/MD program in Cleveland or Buffalo

[@onelemon1625]

@@nicholasvardy7534 He got into many ivy league universities but couldn't afford it hence why he went to this program. If your gonna research, atleast do it properly.

[@BenitaOdiete]

When Amy was saying her awards, I was wowed and the Mr was saying his awards were National awards. I just start getting discouraged because I'm an international student and there are not much opportunities in my country. But we move.

[@AmirAhmed-x8c]

Preaching P has a brother who is an alumni of harvard. So, adding up with his intelligence, he knew what to do in his young age.

[@2DarkHorizon]

I really like your expression at the start it is so authentic. I think you videos are a real benefit compared to other peoples videos because you really authentic in your experience you describe. Helps me trust what you say. Your not trying to come across as always right. Best of luck on your videos.

[@wamyy5]

Ah thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it a lot because I really hope that I’m coming across as genuine and authentic, and I want to be helpful at the same time! We are all learning together :)

[@naylinn6786]

My situation is very similar as well but for me, I am still learning English as an immigrant in a low income family. I didn’t know that there are a lot of colleges other than a community college until the summer of my 11th grade. I only found out that there are a lot of prestigious colleges and universities existed after my best friend told me that I might get a chance to attend Johns Hopkins with my stats. It’s too late since I have no time to grind up anything within a year. But I am grinding up and upgrading my resume to apply as a transfer student next year. I got waitlisted by JHU and UCLA, so it’s a good sign that my stats are good enough for them to waitlist me. 😊

[@Lord1001]

Wow Wamy you are so graceful in receiving feedback. You needed a Key and Peele anger translator for this video 😂. Congrats on CalTech🎉

[@marisuku-d2g]

As someone who's done a lot of competition math, it is much more competitive than every other STEM competition. However, while AIME is a great accomplishment, it's not a "stand-out" for a school like Stanford. I would actually argue that going to PROMYS (~10% acceptance, 80 students) is significantly more prestigious than qualifying for AIME. It's one of the most prestigious activities right under MOP. Some context of the math levels for the national exam: AMC --> everyone can take to qualify for AIME AIME (~3000-5000 qualifiers per year) --> nice to have, take for USAMO USAMO (~260-270 qualifiers per year) --> significantly boosted admission, take for MOP MOP (~60 qualifiers per year) --> almost guaranteed admission (especially at Caltech/MIT)

[@franciscanton]

Outstanding tactical response to that “Stanford” or “Ivr league” student! You would have done well at West Point. Enjoy your time in Pasadena and looking forward to hear from you again when you start your graduate studies at....Stanford!

[@wamyy5]

Hahaha we shall see if more school is for me…

[@knutthompson7879]

Stats matter, it is just the list of students with 4.5+ GPAS and 1500+ SATs is actually a lot longer than places in Ivy+'s. So once you get to that bar, slightly awesomer stats don't give you much more of an advantage, if any more at all. That's what is meant by "stats don't matter". And at Stanford, they get a loooot of "I want to be a doctor/engineer" so that doesn't really stand out either.

[@user-pe3tt7iu7g]

It shows you're a bookworm by thinking joining varsity sports is an accomplishment. You need to win championships as a captain, be scouted by professional teams, set state records, be apart of division 1 teams out of school, etc. Simply joining a team does not make you well rounded, it just seems like you're trying to appear that way and check boxes. That's why your personality seems boring to a school like Stanford. Fairplay to your amazing grades but your application should be focussed on your true passions.

[@sagnikbiswas3268]

Great video! It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out in the public, and it’s very commendable. Although, one thing I will say about the math competitions. 2x AIME is very impressive, and definitely requires a great amount of work. But there are many students with USA(J)MO qualifications or even MOP invitations that do not get into Stanford. Not sure to what extent Stanford values that type of STEM olympiad ability, even if it is very telling of your future in college.

[@wamyy5]

Thank you! And yes!! Totally agree and that’s what I’m trying to say about the ambiguity in how important those math competitions are or any awards for that matter since the results vary so much between applicants. Many people who got admitted to Caltech and MIT haven’t qualified for AIME and people who qualified for USAJMO or even international awarded students aren’t admitted

[@wamyy5]

And overall, just trying to bring awareness to what AIME is since he said it’s not a national honor and that accomplishments vary between niches!

[@aquafine.2250]

i can tell she was getting a lil emotional, and i get it. it sucks to realize your endeavors may have been invalid. but at least ur at caltech, which is a crazy good school and really hard to get into.

[@privateuser3725]

folks that have to get tutored or have supplemental classes should let test takers know that...for instance if I see a kid throw a baseball at 80 miles an hour and has never practiced or been to supplemental training outside of throwing rocks into a pond...we will pick him EVERY DAY over a kid that can throw 90mph who has taken the time, effort to take extra supplemental courses and training on pitching...always choose the natural over someone that is taught and can remember things

[@zl9764]

wait did I see 168hrs/week??? that's 24/7? at 9:08

[@runetaylor5778]

Here is another long message saying basically "You go girl! Keep being awesome!": What I see with both CalTech and Standford being statistically difficult to get into is that you have excellent qualifications for a great potential. Perhaps the criteria for either are well specific to character. Like, I personally have not considered Standford students successful except for the wow of how prestigious the school is by looking for monetizable entrepreneurs like national award winners. Personally, I think you are a greater character than this guy who does have the mindset that did not formally acknowledge the complexity of how you considered your race. He looks only at the details that stick out like the gold awards for a restaurant: A Ramsey that is notorious in 'show-biz' (but makes very boring food according to his recipes and videos) versus a world class chef with amazing creativity for the greatest cooking competitions that potentially fund their personal businesses (special to the people who actually get to appreciate it locally; or even potentially as a big chain restaurant). BUT Yeah, crafting yourself like the front of a character is what may work for applications. Like, I earned my Associates while majoring Engineering in Highschool. While I believe my passions are more enrichened by my interests in arts, I get jobs by presenting myself as a 'math-orientated engineer' on my resumes and people I quickly meet with. lol

[@wamyy5]

Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to watch my video and write your kind words of encouragement! I really like your perspective and insights about acknowledging the complexities of all factors. The analogy is nice! And thanks for sharing your story - great to let others be aware that we can always change our interests and repackage ourselves, because we're ever-changing. It's generally difficult (and could mean less exploration) for a teenager to already know what they want to do for the rest of their life.

[@afrozzsharqi]

Dear Amy , I'm from Asia . Despite my desire to apply to these schools, high school in my country is not comparable to the other Higheschool . Here when we turn 15, we have a choice of five different fields. We all attend the same class and there are no extra classes offered. No mathclubs, sports teams, or other similar activities are available here. What should I do ? 2:40

[@AP-pk6mk]

The thing is though, California hasn't practiced affirmative action since the 90s. All the comparisons to Harvard etc, even if I grant they're valid concerns, don't apply to any California schools. They stopped practicing affirmative action more than 20 years before the recent affirmative action ban by the supreme court

[@rgonzalezarce3815]

I have come to believe there are indeed some things colleges look for in students that will ensure they use all resources and fit the same goals as they do. I am a Fulbrighter from Mexico and got rejected from Harvard and Brown, but got accepted in Hopkins, USC and Carnegie (still waiting other like Cornell). I want to focus on the industry implementation of AI in healthcare, bringing it to life and daily practices by working with users to adjust these lacking technologies to the background of their patient population (reducing bias etc) as a biomedical engineer there is low national industry diversity and even lower research that actually materializes outside the lab. With that said I have seen that colleges that have accepted me and offered scholarships are more focused (according to their webpages, program guides, etc…) in building industry leaders. When applying to Harvard and Brown (just to name a few) I was surprised that few if none of the faculty were focused on the same areas I wanted to form myself and many application questions surrounded research experience.

[@winniem3908]

No matter where you go, you’ll achieve great success!

[@Nazyaali110]

You nailed it that you have to craft a version of yourself in a cohesive story. And you weren’t dumb you were just young and still naive

[@nilcesoares9708]

He's not an actual Stanford student + TBH, I don't really believe that he was ever accepted to Stanford ... he's at RPI

[@Spex-]

He got accepted to several Ivys but he didn't go due to cost and several other reasons he covered in a different video.

[@nilcesoares9708]

If you believe his BS, I have a lovely bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you

[@goodwin9986]

Amy, this is a super interesting video. As I'm applying to colleges (as an international student) next year, this will be very helpful. One big fact: P is not a stanford student!!! In fact, he didn't get in! This is blatant clickbait and he has no right to be flexing his "national" awards. He gos to rensselaer polytechnic institute. Also, I did the science fair last year that P competed at. I looked up his stats and he didn't win at the science fair! Not sure what type of national "1st place" he is referring to. You are very impressive and I'm super excited for you thanks for thsi video!

[@wamyy5]

Thanks for letting me know you found this interesting! Wow I had no idea!! Thanks for sharing and I’m sorry I didn’t know. Guess that also proves even further that we shouldn’t trust just anyone on the internet and especially take their advice at face value. Everything he said could’ve been legit! And whoa good for you for finding out those details. Appreciate your support and kind words!

[@saraluvsyuo]

where do u get ur info from? he goes to stanford..

[@saraluvsyuo]

ur completely lying bro

[@katicorn4613]

@@wamyy5this comment is also quite misleading because P is doing the bs/md rpi program which quite literally has a

[@wamyy5]

@@katicorn4613 Agreed. Thank you for sharing. Even though he might be able to speak intelligently about college admissions, I do not respect dishonesty for views. I think, if I were a high schooler, even one instance would harm my ability to trust their advice.

[@9aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

certain top schools want to see a person's resilience during setbacks. your life is just too perfect.

[@wamyy5]

Don’t judge a book by its cover! kzbin.info0uf83xyz5HE?feature=share

[@bride18]

College admissions are a complex case. While they say they are looking for well-rounded people, they are also only expecting activities and achievements specific to your interest of major, which contradicts itself. I don't see why you can't mention the sports activities that you have participated in, while let's say wanting to major in a STEM or liberal arts field. While participating sports doesn't directly contribute to a deeper understanding of your major, it shows that you are able to work in a team to achieve a common goal, not only that it also shows hard work and perseverance, which are good attributes that can indirectly contribute to your major and even life later on.

[@education635]

Stanford and many if not most Ivy schools prefer angular students...not well rounded ones. They like to build well rounded classes, however, and they do that by admitting applicants who each have a genuine passion for something and who have achieved tangible accomplishments in it (ideally related to their intended major/career). To your point about athletics, unless the college has a need for your particular sport and position whether or not you played multiple varsity sports doesn't mean a whole lot. What happens when a student spends a lot of time playing even one sport, however, is that that student has hundreds of less hours to spend doing something ELSE that he or she could be genuinely enjoying and being extremely talented at. This video, produced by some of the most imformed admissions reps out there, does a great job at explaining the process: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mafPiI2DgqyMfpo BTW the thing the guy in the video shared you are responding to is partially correct regarding AP/IB scores...typically, colleges don't use the scores in the admissions process because many if not most applicants won't have final scores for AP or IB HL tests until the end of senior year after admissions decisions have been made. He also indicated that he had SL scores, but I'm not sure if he realizes that no college's count SL scores for equivalency/credit. College is due like students to at least sit for the AP and IB exams, because otherwise they can appear as grade mongers whose only intent is to brag about their high grades and not follow through with tests that can actually demonstrate their knowledge. Many high schools give grades away and standardized testing is one way colleges can make an educated guess as to whether or not a student has a higher likelihood of being successful if that student is admitted. It is also important to note that some high schools have boycotted AP courses entirely as well as IB courses and then they created their own courses... which means that those students have the same opportunity for preparation. That is why colleges have to consider students based on context in regard to what was available to them and whether or not they took and manage of those opportunities and even went above and beyond and sought additional opportunities like community college classes. The other thing students often screw up on is the essays...instead of simply following the instructions and giving the admissions rep a glimpse as to a genuine authentic self the students listen to advice from the wrong people and end up trying to give a college what they think the college wants to read...huge mistake and a turn off for the reader (and I have read many weak, formulaic essays over the last 20 years in the college admissions environment). Regarding the Asian comments, It is tough to deny that statistically when an Asian applicant is applying to a prestigious institution he or she is going to probably be applying to either engineering, pre-med, or comp sci... And that sheer number of highly qualified hard-working students as part of the reason it's so hard for them to be admitted (they're competing against themselves for the most part). Schools also don't need 400 Asians at one campus all of whom are in one of those three majors...even if they are qualified because they want to have diversity at their campuses on many levels. It is also important to share that many of the students with whom I've worked over the years who think they want to apply to one of those three majors typically don't have a deep genuine passion for those majors...they're simply following what their family or relatives or friends expect of them. Many colleges are aware of that, so they go that extra mile to try and admit the rare student who is genuinely committed to something which truly inspires him or her. There's no shortage of very smart students winning all kinds of competitions...but what is far less common is students without level of intellect applying that knowledge and achieving something unique. For example, one of my former students invented an algorithm when he was only a sophomore that was used to compress data for more effective transmission over the internet...he not only won the Westinghouse competition but also earned a patent. Another student used a supercomputer over several years under the mentorship of a professor at a college to come up with an effective way to combat influenza. Those students didn't necessarily have the highest grades or the laundry list of accolades that many other applicants had, but they did have things that they were extraordinarily passionate about and it was easy for an admissions rep to review their applications and understand that. From the admission side, think about the tens of thousands of applications reps get every season and one will realize that after a while they start to look very similar...smart kids, near perfect GPAs, near perfect test scores, lengthy lists of all kinds of involvement...but very few kids in that sea of applicants truly stand out. The reps are ecstatic when they finally find one and the decision to admit that student becomes pretty simple.

[@emileepini2311]

I can’t stand this kid. He is so arrogant. And he has survivor’s bias. And IMHO, he has no grounds for making judgements about why a person was selected or not, for certain schools. It’s an extremely small lense he’s looking through and he can’t see everything. Amy, as a mom, I really appreciate your point of view on everything. You seem like a really great person and I think your breakdown was far more accurate than his. Seriously can’t stand this guy. 🙃

[@wamyy5]

Hey Emilee, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I agree that there are many people on the internet who can make claims about anything like they’re an expert. The truth is that we have to be careful and use our own judgment about what information we take at face value and who we trust. I’m not close to an expert myself, yet I just hope to share my personal endeavors so students can get the awareness that I lacked. Therefore I really appreciate your kind words about my helpfulness :) You seem like you’re a great mom, and I wish the best for your kid(s)!

[@ZzzZ-sb9ju]

People are saying affirmative action was bad for Asians, but it was to make sure the colleges are diverse. Asians only make up 6% of America, yet 30+% of ivies. Y’all need to understand that people who got in on AA also had merit.

[@cQ2DHPavXTqemm9Vsbgi4TV7x]

@@ZzzZ-sb9juthat’s so goofy, admissions should be based solely on merit. I have no idea why anyone would promote diversity over competence? Would you send women to war for diversity even though they are inferior in every single combat role?

[@michaellewis7758]

A little different I went to Uni in the UK and have been in IB industry for 30 years almost. In general, I think grades matter but one thing hiring managers look for - genuine interest in one or two things. Maybe the US is different by ‘math competition’ would be a major off putting thing for me as a hiring manager. Do the exam, get good grades but do 100 different things for CV… feels like doing it for the sake of a CV. Have a few core things and let the hiring manager (or Uni admissions) know that’s a genuine passion for that thing. I remember one person getting into a very good Uni because he had ‘gardening’ on his CV - they dug into it at the interview and he came across as a) academically great - as all applicants are; and b) had that one thing that was a little bit different, but could talk easily and fluently about his passion. Again maybe the US is different to the UK, where the best advise I can give is ‘come across as genuine, don’t come across as fake or trying too hard’. Also as a grad - be humble , you won’t be ‘leader’ day one; know that you have a lot to learn.

[@raynebeauty7444]

Best advice to high schoolers, you can’t be a “follower” forever - anyone can literally spit back facts. The point is… are you a leader? Can you be a leader? At some point, you need to think for yourself. You weren’t dumb, you just fell into a common childhood trap and being Asian does play a role…how?because there’s a huge difference between listening vs obeying. At a young age, some Asians are not advised to listen…no, unfortunately they are literally beaten into submission and obedience - and when you contrast that with certain American ideals of free thinking, independence and doing what you want vs what is expected of you… anyway, to answer the question… yes, you must believe you are exceptional and you must know WHY the school needs you and less about why you need the school…. For example, you apply to a job because you need money. And you answer the same way to the interviewer… if you keep talking about money and how you need it that badly because you’ve got bills and children and etc etc… ok so you’ve explained why you need the job but did you answer the real “implied” question - which is why you are best suited for the job… I feel bad for high schoolers because if you lack experience, wisdom and writing skills - then you are likely to get more rejections than acceptance

[@slavvalb3933]

Hi Amy! Oh well, but you did well even without Stanford 👍😀

[@wamyy5]

Haha thank you, Slav! What you do matters more than the school ultimately, so I hope high school seniors keep that in mind as college decisions come out soon :)

[@anthonymejia6703]

It was very nice of him to give his time and do a reaction of your video. I commend him for that. I read your about section on this youtube channel and I read this, "- Hobbies: singing (see A-Sharp!), dancing (work in progress :p)". You do plenty of academic things but I'm curious of your CREATIVE side. What about singing that you like? You also mentioned dancing. I'm intrigued what types of dance? Ballroom, Salsa, Ballet, Breakdancing...etc whats the dance!? Have fun with your life! :> You are a walking masterpiece, your perfection is the imperfection in itself, Therefore strive for the evolving you.

[@wamyy5]

Appreciate it! My sister and I have always loved singing and we created lots of covers on our A-Sharp channel that has 40K subscribers! We rewrite foreign music such that more international fans can sing the songs they love. Our goal is to spread meaning through music 😊: youtube.com/@ASharp5 I’m currently learning to dance on my own through YT videos like Matt Steffanina!

[@wamyy5]

I found the TRUTH about ASIANS in COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ⚠️: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnrLmWSijtGXerM

[@JosephLee2012]

Caltech is a better school than UC Berkeley and Stanford although many professors at Caltech graduated from both UC Berkeley and Stanford. You may have a better education since Caltech is a smaller school. Yeah, my wife may not know Caltech, but everyone at Seoul National University, KAIST, Korea University, POSTECH, and Yonsei know Caltech.

[@PhrogLincoln]

Something I have not seen anyone point out about the "Stanford" Student is, he literally did not get into Stanford. He only got into Brown and some BSMD program in a school that I can assure you is not Stanford. In his video covering the schools he got into, Stanford was most certainly not one of them. Preaching P is a very clickbaity youtuber who gives generic information and often lies about his ecs, honors and awards, and other aspects of his academic career.

[@lapatria100]

im here like *1.9 gpa in hs* *3.91 gpa in cc* *sdsu accepted :D* *why am I here lololol* anyways...you're gonna kick ass regardless!!!!!good luck :D

[@chukchee]

Stanford is overrated. The best school is obviously Caltech....

[@wamyy5]

Fosho 😁

[@aum1040]

You are not going to get into a top college with high probability by getting a ton of 5s on your AP exams. But they do materially help. In addition to national achievements, they may make you likely to get in. On top of an otherwise decent application, they might move your admission probability from 10% to 20% (which may be close to the reality in this specific case). So it would be a mistake to say that they don't matter. But they aren't enough to have a high probability, even together with great academics. (At least not at Stanford, MIT, Harvard). [Remember that about 1/3 of the actual admits at these schools have very low a priori admission probabilities. There are A LOT of low probability admits, and a bunch of them do get in.]

[@sketchyarte6270]

on the gpa thing i would like to say why i feel like “grades don’t matter”: they matter. heads down. but not the the extent where they can guarantee a good offer. it’s like there is a huge pool where u can get the normal chance, then grades would be the ticket to that pool, while everything else would be what makes u different and makes the college admissions notice u in that pool people with great gpa get rejected very often, they aren’t everything, but at the same time it’s like a 2.0 (no academic hate here) would get an almost impossible chance of getting into top tier schools because of that. so it’s important, it increases ur chances, but only to the extent of u being a normal applicant to be considered

[@sabihaparveen6475]

the things you said between your video min 16:00 to 18:00 are what you should be writing in your essay, which will confirm your seat in any of those ivies.

[@manuelsteele7755]

That was a great analysis of the feedback. Overall, it looks like Amy was a much better fit at Cal Tech. Since Stanford chose the guy making the app, it sort of anecdotally hints at a "subliminal" focus on entrepreneurship over elite mathematical skills. I love math. I am "old school" from Generation X and Apache Indian. One of the best movies about math was "Stand and Deliver" about a Mexican American teacher who works with impoverished teens in East LA to pass the AP exam in calculus (unheard of at the time in that poor community). Some of them were children of immigrants. I lived in Colorado for four years and am also impressed by the well-rounded athletic participation at higher altitude. I hope Amy was able to find time to continue recreational sports at Cal Tech. You could probably get into Stanford now for graduate school with applications to multiple departments. The Ivy League also has great options. MIT is likely a strong match. Now, as a minority, I have an opinion on a factor that is "the elephant in the room" involving social engineering. I don't want to blatantly type it out because YT will probably cancel or block me. I'll point it out indirectly. As a minority, I have seen other minorities get accepted into STEM when the mismatch occurred as described by Richard Sanders of UCLA in his research. More often than not, such students usually struggled academically or withdrew without ever graduating. The dropout rate is high for the mismatch. A good analogy is the Bolder Boulder 10k race in CO. That race has different waves from "fastest"=A wave to "slowest"=ZZ wave which is for people who walk the 10k. Now, in order to qualify for a particular fast wave at A, B, C, etc., there has to be proof of a race completed at that speed. I ran in the "B" wave when I lived in CO in the 1990s. I was adequately matched. If I ran in the "A" wave I probably would have burned out and not finished the race. The social engineering causes the same problem for minority students many times - academic burnout due to mismatch. Meanwhile, Asian students are not classified as minorities which to me is unfair. I studied Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. I have five masters degrees - one of which was in public health. I know the immigrants from Southeast Asia in the aftermath of the Vietnam War had extremely harsh socioeconomic obstacles. The same situation occurred for Koreans after the Korean War. To label them as "not minority" in that admissions process and actually "put the academic bar higher" is very unfair. But I admire the persistence and willingness to pursue excellence even though the field is unfair for admissions. One legendary example was Tue Nguyen, a Vietnamese boat refugee who earned 7 degrees at MIT. Now, as for unfair admissions the social engineering has been cancelled in some states. SCOTUS may also repeal it even for the Ivy League and other highly selective public universities that still use it. I hope so. I've seen too many good minority engineering students dropout because of it. The other thing that happens is that if there is a minority who has comparable credentials and statistics of achievement, they are still stigmatized due to the social engineering policy of admission. I saw that happen to an elite Mexican American medical student at the Denver Health Sciences Center. He could have gotten accepted without that admissions policy, and he routinely had "Excellent" grades as opposed to "Pass" in the rigorous medical courses. CU Medical School actually outscores Harvard in the board exams for medical students. That Mexican American student was doing great, but he was stigmatized as not truly competitive (even though he was) because of that admissions policy. So, overall it also causes stigma. It needs to be eradicated and admissions should be color-blind. I hope SCOTUS comes to terms with this problem. Thanks for your great videos for education. Adolescents applying to competitive colleges should review it. Best wishs on Amy's continued success in math and engineering.

[@wamyy5]

Wow Manuel, I really appreciate the time and thought you put into this message! Thanks for the encouragement and for sharing such insightful stories. I’m glad you appreciate my videos intending to provide a personal perspective to help other students. Wishing you the best!

[@manuelsteele7755]

@@wamyy5 Thank you Amy. I am now doing a PhD in Data Science at Arizona State and will be getting a 6th masters in data science from St. Mary's College at Notre Dame, IN. It was a women's college but the graduate school went coed. I also work at Medtronic.

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

@@manuelsteele7755 What sounds harder to your "ears"? 1. Certified Public Accountant or 2. Masters Degree in Statistics?

[@manuelsteele2651]

SCOTUS has finally made the right decision on that social engineering policy mentioned in my initial post.

[@B8llie0]

They're indeed discriminating asians, they know that if they dont limit the amount of asians 60% of people that get accepted would be asians. Cause lets be honest they work REALLY hard and that's something to admire and learn from.

[@yifeizhao5880]

A somewhat WOW Math award is like qualifying for the USAJMO or the USAMO, the next level of AIME. I know quite a bit of people that qualified for that and were admitted to top Ivies.

[@wamyy5]

Totally agree that’s more “wow”! There are also plenty of students who qualified for those that got rejected by Caltech and MIT and vice-versa where accepted students didn’t even qualify for AIME

[@Dragons-rj6ql]

Also, he didn’t get accepted to Stanford. He didn’t even apply.

[@sun-do3tg]

he did get accepted, he just didn’t commit

[@juliay4874]

@@sun-do3tg wasnt that literally proven to be untrue

[@sun-do3tg]

@@juliay4874 when?

[@hasajada6863]

Amy, put on your resume as a thug, you like rap music, say you don't play violin. Don't like to study. Don't like to show up on time for anything. Tell them that you got a 2.0 average. You like to smoke weed. You want to turn your life around...😂😂😂 You will get right in.😂😂😂🎉🎉🎉.

[@AditiTennis4life11]

tysm for this vid!!!! soooo helpful

[@ellenchan2357]

I agreed with the guy. Shouldn't put too much in resume. What do you want in career and accomplishments?

[@PercussiveAcademy-yes]

she literally looks like stanford itself how did she get rejected

[@wamyy5]

Hahaha appreciate it!

[@hw2508]

Quite interesting how people try so hart to please a specific approval procedure. They try to meet all the check box they think (and are told) that matter. But in the end, what does it do to you? Does preparing for such a specific thing support or hinder your personal development. Would it not be better to try to be the best you, and then find an university that fits you best? Instead of trying to fit best for a specific approval procedure. Even at a high level, if it turns out an institution like MIT would fit you better than Stanford, that's fine. And I know, this universities receive thousands applications and need a system to evaluate them. But in the end, your goal can't be to please a system. Your goal has to be to find the best for you.

[@thatfootballfan3484]

thank you so much for this video, as also being someone without a 100% plan coming into high school thanks for this video

[@wamyy5]

So glad to hear I can be helpful :) Best of luck!

[@Rorablink]

This video was really needed I dont know why that guy was just complaining about everything but I think it seems crazy how a lot of effort, passion and dedication is being rejected cause you just want some top leaders or geniuses 😒

[@iwanttoleave6305]

This P guy has no respect.... I have never been more pissed off by someone simply opening their mouth.

[@KHodow]

IKR I'm surprised other people aren't saying the same thing. Chances are getting into college will be the only thing he'll accomplish. That's why it's all he talks about.

[@skyepleasehealwearedying]

hi Amy, i am a year 10 student from England (9th grade in us) and I want to apply to colleges in America and I’ve started some ecs that I wanted to ask you about, I currently do an internship at my family’s law firm, but seeing as I want to do something in stem in the future to you think this would be useful for me to put on my applications seeing as it’s not stem related? I do enjoy it but I don’t want to feel like I’ve wasted my time either ☹️ there’s also not a lot of opportunities for me to enter maths olympiads or things like that so I’m just trying to work with what I have

[@nofurtherwest3474]

I think partly it’s personality fit. The Stanford kids are a bit more creative and quirky. Also, it’s partly that admissions people (and humans in general) just have a harder time gleaning the main story of someone if there is too much clutter in the resume. So simplify it. It’s just that humans can only process so much info, esp in the context where they are processing so many applications

[@aum1040]

About 5000 students currently qualify to take the AIME each year. Since some are seniors, and some qualify multiple times, lets say that around 1500 current college applicants (nationwide) qualify to take the AIME before they apply for college. Is an applicant to Stanford whose top high school achievement is "top 1500 nationally in the most respected series of math competitions" impressive? Relative to the applicant pool, I think not. Even more so given that she talks about all the preparation she had. (When I took AIME, I had no idea what it was. I was told to come down to the principal's office and they gave me the exam to take in his conference room. I am hardly unique in this.) This is an achievement that is very impressive in the context of your high school, but not at all impressive in the context of the applicant pool. If you want to have a high probability of getting into the top schools, you should have accomplishments that are more impactful than "top 1500 nationally". It is possible to still get in, but you need a lot of luck.

[@plutobaby9996]

I think schools like Stanford have a holistic approach towards admissions and this seems to be the trend among other top tier institutions as of late in my opinion because of the diversity and inclusion movement which is obviously a great thing but a lot of asian students are definitely being left out because culturally they are so laser focused solely on academics . This girl is obviously an academic powerhouse but I think where she lacked was in her social/community work. Stanford obviously wants to see that you're academically capable of handling the rigor of their institution but they seem to like students who are also involved in their community wether its a soup kitchen or starting up health clinics to help those who are undocumented or uninsured etc. so I think that's why she fit so well at Caltech because their approach is different, they want geniuses who are top tier academically and maybe they don't focus so much on the community aspect that these other schools do in their admissions process. no matter what, we all come from different backgrounds and we all have different opportunities available to us and she definitely maximized what was available to her and that deserves some recognition

[@merovingiean]

I just don't know why we have to put so much weightage on if Stanford accepts you or not. Find your passion and work on it. Your self worth is not dependent on if univ X accepts you. Later in career you will realize univ was not so important, how you continuously learn and improve is important.

[@rentslave]

Forget about 1600 SAT's. Carry the ball for 1,600 yards to get in.

[@ezpznoob8092]

if u got rejected its over for me(junior RN tho) ig i have a 4.0 GPA, doing SAT some passion projects, and a research internship, plus many CC courses and summer programs 2.5 years consistent volunteering @ hospital/camp but like 0 real awards. I have a volunteer award and 2 scholar awards from school Awards seem to be the make or break ngl

[@preachingp]

This series NEEDS a finale... 👀

[@emileepini2311]

Oh please no. Amy was so extremely gracious. Your arrogance is not fun to watch. If it’s bringing you success on your channel, great. Maybe just give this girl a break. Again, she is extremely gracious… but please don’t push it.

[@Aarnyx]

dude you're not even a stanford student, you're just a jealous narcissist, that is all you are :)

[@IvyX08]

Honestly watching such arrogance is sickening. You’re delulu to such a level where it’s not even funny. “Beyond the statistics, I’m not really seeing the wow factor” like where’s YOUR wow factor?

[@Believe_in_Karma888]

This is a great vid. He can be annoying and incoherent at times, i am glad you are kind enough to give him kudos when he made solid assessments. Question for do you HAVE to declare major when applying? What are the pros and cons? Thanks!

[@justinchan6043]

Looking back at my high school self and what I did to prepare for college admissions, it is true that usually there is no one to tell you the "perfect recipe" for getting into a prestigious college. There are only the myths that people tell you you should do or what a teacher or guidance counselor might say. But for certain people, it is difficult to find someone that actually graduated from a prestigious university. Most of the people I have met in my life (pre college) have only gone to regular state colleges. But in hindsight, I have also met some good role models in my high school years and they helped shape me into who I am and I think, along with my academics, being President of the Key Club and being Vice President of the Student Council (student body) helped my admissions portfolio. The Key Club is a community service organization, so I think that was attractive to admissions.

[@superlifer1732]

Were you a walk on at Caltech? I know they don't recruit, but my kid is in the process of talking to a coach at Caltech. Did you speak to the coach prior to admissions or did you simply walk on to their basketball team?

[@wamyy5]

The coach spoke with me prior to admissions! I discussed my timeline briefly in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gISuiq2ipZyHesU

[@ynffsy2443]

I just finished all my classes for my Master’s at Caltech (so I’m unofficially graduated). The undergrads at Caltech are geniuses and so hardworking. You didn’t get into Stanford doesn’t mean people who got into Stanford would have definitively gotten into Caltech

[@PiyushKumar-lj4vz]

this entire video is honestly just making excuses for your failures. I'm sorry but it's true.

[@ciku80]

Oof

[@anshdeep9415]

Reaction inception ❤ Wamy you are women now 😂😂, does it feel old?

[@wamyy5]

Hahaha you’re so right, Anshdeep 🤣 Man, I feel old sometimes but I remember I’m still very young and have a lot more to explore! Many people at work tell me how young I am, and I’m just grateful for the present state :)

[@temianderson532]

As an HS freshman who has 2 internships, I’m scared 😭

[@jonathanbrent6521]

Sometimes in life you don’t get what you want. It’s a mistake to spend much time mulling over it. Honestly, a lot of life is up to chance and often one opportunity missed leads to another even better one. Adaptability and flexibility ends up making a big difference. In the time she spent on this she could have published a paper or started a company. What are you going to do when the answer is not in the book?whining won’t help. Screw Stanford. Do the best you can wherever you land and you will have a great career. These are lessons you learn with maturity.

[@harryzhang-z8i]

the cohesion for activities is definitely the key in U apps

[@fulgorteam3492]

she's super righttt

[@DaHoneyBadgr]

The guy made some points. However him being tilted over the argument she made about her being Asian doesn’t make sense. It’s MUCH harder to make it in the same school as someone else can if you’re Asian. It just is. And I’m Not Asian, not even 1%. I think he wanted to clear that up to not diminish anything he has done. Because the way he addressed it was like he took it personally 💀.

[@chickensalad3535]

Hey there Amy, I'd really appreciate your help. I'm in a really odd place in my high school career. I've dreamed of going to an Ivy, especially Harvard, ever since I was a small child. I've put in a lot of work towards my grades, but I'm near the end of my sophomore year and am only now seriously searching for ECs. I have a few issues though. I had a very rough childhood, and I won't go into details, but I ended up missing around 3-4 years of schooling. Despite this I excel in science and English, but I am abysmal at math. I am 16 years old with 23 days of my sophomore year left, but I am only at a 6th grade math level. It's frankly pathetic. I have OCD and ADHD, so this also complicates things. I've been grinding in and out of school to improve my math skills, but I don't think I'm improving fast enough. I take all of my classes in regular education, but I take math in the emotional support room (SPED shed, retard room, backroom, etc...) because of my lack of education in math. I've been doing pre-algebra for most of this year, and my ES teacher is just as inept at math as I am and just gives me worksheets instead of actually teaching me anything. I live in a very rural area called Austin PA. My school has around 200 people and has literally no extracurriculars aside from a handful of sports and Honor Societies. Finding a tutor around here seems impossible, and my school doesn't even offer AP classes. I feel like building an impressive resume is almost impossible out here. Sorry for the pity party, but what I'm really trying to ask is how can I improve my math skills to meet my grade level within a reasonable amount of time? Would it be possible to score an 800 on the SATs by the time I reach my senior year despite my dumb-assery? What do I do for ECs despite my situation? Do I have any chance of attending an Ivy League school or am I doomed to my safeties? I hate to bombard you, but I seriously need guidance. Thanks in advance.

[@juicycosmetics]

Hey! Have you tried Khan Academy? Khan Academy offers SAT prep materials and practice tests which helped me a lot! Additionally, Hayden Roshea on youtube(I believe that’s his name) helped me a lot in math SAT prep! Hope that helps!!!

[@DaHoneyBadgr]

I will never understand the point of doing so much to get into an Ivy League school. All it does is raise your school debt, stress you tf out, and makes socializing way harder. Just enjoy highschool. Take a few AP classes here and there but don’t go crazy. You don’t need to do anything near all this to get the job you want. It’s a slow grind.

[@BenJenkins-h3n]

To all the simps saying he can’t judge, he literally goes to RPI’s BSMD program. That’s way harder to get into than HYPSM and Ivies (most good BSMDs have a

[@gingeral253]

This is too complicated… were we supposed to know this when we were 14? I feel like most of us are, or at least I am, not the most forward looking. We do what we do now and look at college in junior and senior year. Is it too late by then?

[@tallwaters9708]

This girl really seems like she needs to sleep.

[@ewikgeiwgwe8971]

What college did you end up going to? I ended up getting into a top PhD program at Stanford while having 3.0 gpa for undergrad (yeah I didn't get into a "good" college initially)

[@SamPro925]

She goes to caltech now

[@kiannahom]

You are extremely capable if you were able to get into Caltech - which has more Nobel prize winners than Stanford has. All the best on getting your future successes.

[@wamyy5]

Appreciate it :)