I’m an immigrant from a poor family with little opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities because of transportation issues. I have a 4.45 GPA going into Sophomore year, coming from a solid school in the 4th North Carolina congressional district. I am very well liked and respected by all of my teachers, therefore being adamant that I’ll get solid recommendations. I currently hold a 97 in Honors Algebra II and a 97 in Honors Chemistry I. I was a member of the Duke TIP program, am fluent in both Russian and English, am a member of my school track team, and made it more than evident that I am willing to participate in as many extracurricular activities as I can handle, should I be allowed in. I am a member of my school’s book club and Independents’ Club (political club). I privately tutor several of my classmates, am a natural leader in any and all group assignments, and have professional and businesslike speaking skills. I am pursuing a job in the field of Computer Science , taking Computer Programming I along the way (100% in that class as of now). Every summer, I travel to Moldova alone as a volunteer and “prodigy.” Both my uncle and father are businessmen there, with my uncle being a computer programmer and my father a bar owner. I am taking fairly challenging classes that align with my job field, receiving at least a 94 in every class and accumulating 0 absences throughout my freshman year. I am now waiting for my Discovery Day on the 11th, with my SAT scores due back any day. I’m an excellent writer, and so therefore believe that the essays I submitted to NCSSM were more than adequate. However, I am most concerned with my extracurricular record. I made it very clear in my essay that I haven’t been as fortunate as other students and therefore had no way to get to and from volunteering missions and/or club meetings. The only reason I even have the privilege of currently being a member of several clubs and sports teams is because I’ve been making a 40 minute commute on foot alongside a busy highway for the past two years. I made a stalwart promise to give all my energy into my studies at NCSSM should I get in, pledging allegiance to as many clubs and organizations as I can handle (As I’ve already mentioned ). With all of this in mind, what do you suppose my chances of getting into this school are? I’ve heard that it’s highly competitive, with many of my top-notch friends also applying for admission. I live in the Durham area and have seen the school before while driving by after doing some errands. I plan to attend Duke University literally across the street from NCSSM’s campus if everything goes as planned. Thanks!

