By Angela Kim, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, Grade 10
June 6, 2011
Bryan Erickson, a senior at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) was accepted into many prestigious colleges, which were Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. However, he was wait-listed at UC San Diego. Erickson’s academics and extracurricular activities were unique and helped him get accepted into these colleges.
“My SAT scores were from about 2020 to 2040, and I took the SAT Subject Tests for World History, U.S. History, and Spanish Language. My scores for World History and U.S. History were in the mid-600s, and my score for Spanish Language was 760,” said Erickson. He also performed well in school, with a weighted GPA of approximately 4.0, which included eight Advanced Placement classes in total.
Bryan Erickson matched his interests to his extracurricular activities and stood out to the admissions offices. He said, “I love to write, so I participated in two writing programs at the University of Iowa and Kenyon University during the summers.” He also spent one month in Argentina during the summer at an HIV Outreach Clinic as a volunteer. These extracurricular activities helped in Erickson’s success.
However, there was an aspect of his college application that helped Erickson stand out the most. He said, “I think my essay probably stood out the most, because I actually got hand-written notes on my acceptance letters about how well-written my essay was. I wrote about I love to write and my extracurricular activities.” His writing skills were an important part of his assets when he applied to the colleges.
Erickson plans to attend Harvard University and wants to major in English and business. “I want to be a professional writer,” he said.
Many students are worrying about college applications and choosing the right college. “My best advice is to start early,” said Erickson. Preparing for college and applications early will provide students with more chances of being accepted.
