Public School Latino who didn't start EC's until 10th grade gets into a T10 and other top school!

Demographics:

Male, Hispanic, and white, FL, Large public (3-4k), URM (my essays didn't focus on this tbh)

Middle class, EFC around 15-25k for many top schools on my list

Intended Major(s):

Finance (if they had an undergrad business school) or economics

Standardized test scores:

1540 super score (770, 770)

UW/W GPA and Rank:

3.97 UW (only 1 b), 5.35 W(on a 6.0 scale)

Rank 3/875 (top 0.3%)

Coursework: AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes, AP/IB scores, etc

19 AP Classes, 8 Dual Enrollment

Awards:

  1. Top 25/380 overall at a [National debate tournament, not NSDA or TOC) 2022 (11th) (After early apps, I won 4th at said tournament, so for RD apps this was replaced)
  2. Tournament of Champions Bid, earned by making the semi-finals at Sunvite, a National Circuit tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. (11th)
  3. National Qualifier and Attendee of the 2023 NSDA National Speech and Debate Tournament in Phoenix, AZ (11th) (Replaced during RD apps when I got NSDA Academic All American)
  4. Quarter-finalist in World Schools Debate at the 2023 Florida Forensics League Varsity State tournament (FL State Championship), received an individual 2nd best speaker award. (11th)
  5. Champion of the Florida State Beta Convention academic competition in Science (10th)

Extracurriculars:

  • Debate - President of the team (Grew from 20->50 members), in charge of a lot (ex. running meetings, fundraising, planning tournaments to attend, etc.) except the actual tournament logistics 10-12th grade, President 11-12
    • Got my team competing on the national circuit, helped coach myself and 2 others to a TOC Bid
    • Fundraised close to 10 thousand dollars, allowed the program to be cost-free for most tournaments, really helped with promoting accessibility in the event
  • DECA - President, 1st-year chapter, 40+ interested members. Can't say much besides that we prepare our members for competition and the workforce by doing things like resume-building and mock interviews
  • Varsity Lacrosse 9-12th grade, team captain 11th and 12th grade, started most of my HS career
  • Beta Club, a merit-based club where I did community service and competed in the yearly convention
  • Mu Alpha Theta member, volunteered by tutoring peers in math after school
  • Made around 3 thousand through side hustles like reselling sneakers/ memorabilia and sports photography (listing these as 2 separate EC's)

Essays/LORs/Other: (Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)

Got one from my Calc teacher who I had for 2 years now, I genuinely enjoy learning calc and we are friendly with each other

The second LOR is from a teacher that I had for 3 years in 2 AP Histories and AP Macro. Known him for 3 years, usually got the highest scores on his tests in all 3 classes, and we talk about politics and philosophy occasionally.

I got a 3rd optional letter from my debate coach for regular decision applications, who knows me better than any other teacher

Both should be very good as I am one of the best students academically for both of those teachers, and I have a strong personal relationship with them in class.

Schools: List of colleges, ED/EA/RD, etc

EA:

Georgetown MCB: Deferred -> Waitlisted (Declined spot)

Notre Dame: ACCEPTED!!! (merit scholarship + Business Honors Program as a freshman) -> attending

UChicago: Deferred -> Rejected (opened in Chicago during a college visit lol)

Florida State: ACCEPTED!!! (Max Merit Scholarship + Honors College)

USC Marshall: ACCEPTED!!! (No merit sadly)

RD:

Harvard: Rejected

Yale: Rejected

Princeton: Rejected

Brown: Rejected

Columbia: Rejected

Dartmouth: Rejected

Cornell: Rejected

Florida: ACCEPTED!!! + Honors College and URSP invite

UPenn Wharton: Rejected

Duke: Rejected

Williams: Waitlisted (Declined spot)

Northwestern: ACCEPTED!!!

Middlebury: Waitlisted (Declined spot)

Notes:

I will say, there was a bit of luck involved as I was behind on extracurriculars, and rushing to catch up was time-consuming. For my common app essay, I edited it over a dozen times, going through 2 topics before reaching the final one. I am happy to share any of my supplementals/ personal statement if it helps.