Just finished Year 1 - Applying to Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, etc.

[Keonwoo Noh]

Hi.

I just finished my first year of IB and looking forward to preparing for application to universities during the summer (studying, researching what I need to do).

For now, I want to apply to universities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and Japan, in the order of priorities.

I want to major computer science (possibly artificial intelligence) in those universities.

The problem is that I'm feeling very insecure right now of my grades.

Could you guys see my grades and see if I have any chance of getting into the universities I'm looking at?

 

[Year 1 Semester 2 grades]

English LangLit SL - 5

Japanese LangLit SL - 7

Economics SL - 6

Physics HL - 7

Chemistry HL - 6

Mathematics HL - 7

TOK - C

EE - haven't started yet but writing in Japanese

 

[Universities I'm looking at]

Hong Kong - HKU, HKUST, PolyU, CUHK, CityU

Singapore - NUS, Yale-NUS, NTU

Korea - Yonsei, Korea, Hanyang

Japan - national universities

 

For your information, I don't have an SAT score, but I'm going to take SAT Subject Tests (Math Level 2, Physics, Chem) in November.

I also have really poor extracurricular activities (main reason why I'm feeling so insecure haha).

I would appreciate if anyone could answer to my question.

Thanks!

[King112]

Right, so you need SATs for Yale-NUS, and NUS if I remember right. Yale-NUS is going to be tight, not gonna lie. They need solid everythings, so I would apply but don't hinge your hopes.

I'm not going to waste your time by going through every uni, but I think you should be OK for most of them academically. I would take the SATs because most of the unis listed need them. 

Also, I would try to boost some extracurriculars. Maybe start tutoring younger kids in your school? Or join a sport team or something. Heck, if you can, an apprenticeship/internship with a firm would look great (and give you heaps you talk about on your essay).

TL;DR: Academically look good, save for the SATs. I would try to boost your extra-curricular activities if you can.