The countdown to the seniors last day is getting closer and closer with each passing day. Graduation is on May 22nd, which is only weeks away and because of this most seniors have already figured out which college they will be attending in the fall. Ivy League schools are the most selective schools in the world and because of this students who apply must stand out in some way to make themselves seen by the college admissions counselors who will then read the student applications, which shows said students GPA, SAT and ACT scores, and whatever else that particular school requires. In order to even be considered into attending Princeton University, the students must have achieved a GPA of 3.9 in high school. This means they should have nearly all straight A’s as well as have taken harder level classes, such as AP and IB courses. COVID-19 has made it difficult for high school students to keep up with their grades and extracurriculars, which makes it all the more impressive that senior Uzair Malik was accepted into Princeton University.

“With COVID this year, many schools have broken historic records in terms of the number of applicants. Realistically, getting into an Ivy League, or any of the top 20 schools for that matter, is very difficult. The key is to set yourself apart from the other 30,000-60,000 applicants, which requires a great deal of initiative and slight luck, unfortunately. Despite all of this, it is worth at least applying because you never know.” Malik said. “I did not walk into the college application process confident either, but I knew I would regret not trying. While it is important to stay realistic, it is also crucial to not get caught up with the statistics.” 

Setting yourself apart from thousands of other applicants can be difficult, especially considering when the college admissions counselors take ten to twelve minutes with each applicant. That gives students twelve minutes maximum to leave a good enough impression on them in order to hopefully be accepted. Malik knows firsthand how difficult it is to be accepted into an Ivy League school.

 “Acceptance into any university is a culmination of all your hard work and accomplishments. When it comes to most prestigious universities, this means staying on top of your academics and extracurriculars.” Malik said. 

Everyone hears the stories of students at the top of their class going off to do great things at top colleges, but it is even more astounding when those students actually attend your school and students can hear how they were able to accomplish their goals. 

“First and foremost, academically I have kept myself at the top of my class and have scored decently on standardized tests. In terms of extracurriculars, I have maintained multiple leadership positions in clubs like the National Chinese Honor Society, CyberPatriot, and more. Another important thing worth mentioning is getting involved in programs and activities outside of school. I have been a part of organizations such as Leadership Enterprise of Diverse America, QuestBridge, KC Scholars, Missouri Scholars Academy, and KC Explorer Posts.” Malik said.

Malik wasn’t just accepted into Princeton University. He was also accepted with full rides to Boston University, Lehigh, Case Western, Rockhurst, Mizzou, and UMKC. 

Princeton is most known for the majors it offers, such as Social Sciences, Public Administration, Social Service Professions, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services.

 “My tentative plan is to pursue engineering and to earn a Certificate in Finance. I am either going to major in Chemical or Aerospace Engineering. My plans after college depend on my experience at Princeton, it could mean going straight into the workforce or graduate school.” Malik said.

Continue reading to see the full transcript of Malik’s interview. He took the time out of his day to go into detail about what he did to achieve his goals of attending an Ivy League school and gave some excellent advice to undergraduate students who plan on wanting to later apply to colleges such as Princeton, Yale, and Harvard. At the end of the day, hard work and dedication really pay off!

Transcript of Uzair Malik’s Interview

For clarification, is it true that you will be attending Princeton this fall?

Yes, I will be attending Princeton University this fall.

What did you do to accomplish getting accepted?

Acceptance into any university is a culmination of all your hard work and accomplishments. When it comes to most prestigious universities, this means staying on top of your academics and extracurriculars. First and foremost, academically I have kept myself at the top of my class and have scored decently on standardized tests. In terms of extracurriculars, I have maintained multiple leadership positions in clubs like the National Chinese Honor Society, CyberPatriot, and more. Another important thing worth mentioning is getting involved in programs and activities outside of school. I have been a part of organizations such as Leadership Enterprise of Diverse America, QuestBridge, KC Scholars, Missouri Scholars Academy, and KC Explorer Posts.

What were your other college choices?

Alongside Princeton, I was accepted with full rides to Boston University, Lehigh, Case Western, Rockhurst, Mizzou, and UMKC.

How hard would you say it is to get accepted into an Ivy League school?

With COVID this year, many schools have broken historic records in terms of the number of applicants. Realistically, getting into an Ivy League, or any of the top 20 schools for that matter, is very difficult. The key is to set yourself apart from the other 30,000-60,000 applicants, which requires a great deal of initiative and slight luck, unfortunately. Despite all of this, it is worth at least applying because you never know. I did not walk into the college application process confident either, but I knew I would regret not trying. While it is important to stay realistic, it is also crucial to not get caught up with the statistics. 

What are your plans for the future?

My tentative plan is to pursue engineering and to earn a Certificate in Finance. I am either going to major in Chemical or Aerospace Engineering. My plans after college depend on my experience at Princeton, it could mean going straight into the workforce or graduate school. 

Any words of advice for underclassmen hoping to get accepted to an Ivy League school?

My advice for underclassmen would be to choose something you are passionate about and try to excel in it. Many people I know that have gotten into Ivy Leagues are people that had a passion and tried to pursue it in a unique way. For example, one of my friends, who happens to be an MIT-admit, created an app that focused on tutoring students in an underrepresented neighborhood in Atlanta. Another friend, who is a Stanford-admit, created a nonprofit to provide care packages to the homeless community in Los Angeles. Most of my work, personally, was focused on spreading my passion for Mandarin and advocating against Islamophobia.

Earning state or national honor/awards is also important because it helps increase your credibility. It can be difficult to compare an urban public school student to a private school student in terms of how achievement is measured, so school-wide achievements may hold less weight than national/regional ones. This is the very reason why standardized testing is given importance, which is not always a fair measure, but an important one for elite colleges. 

I also recommend researching and applying to college preparation programs such as Crimson Education, Leadership Enterprise of Diverse America, QuestBridge, USC Bovard Scholars, and many more. These programs not only supply you with support in the application process, but some may even offer important connections.

For sophomores and juniors, I recommend starting researching schools now and figuring out what makes you passionate about it. In the college admissions world, there is a concept called “yield protection” which means some colleges accept students who they are certain will matriculate. You can gain the college’s confidence by tailoring essays to fit the energy at those schools, joining mailings lists, and even going on college tours. These things measure demonstrated interest. Last but not least, start writing your essays as soon as possible. I recommend starting around July or August of your senior year summer and getting your personal statement perfected before supplement prompts are released. College admissions is a holistic process, so your essays play just as important of a role, if not more, as your academics. 

Lastly, while gaining admission to an Ivy League, or any other prestigious school, is a major accomplishment, do not over-stress yourself. College is only a small part of your journey. Success in life depends on the initiatives you take and not necessarily on the college you attend. Wherever you go, strive for excellence!