questions about colleges?

Honestly? I’d “maybe” you for all of these schools. You list some of the top engineering schools in the US, some of which are in the highly competitive (for you, because you’re in-state) California system. These schools reject even students with the most fabulous qualifications. And yet they admit lots of those students, as well as a few whose grades fall a bit below “unbelievably high”. Why? What sets those students apart from the crowd? And how do you make yourself stand out from that same crowd and get in?

Keep up your good grades. Do retake that SAT. But also think about things beyond grades and test scores. What makes you special?

Think about everything you’ve done, and try to find things that you love, things that you got really involved in. They may or may not have been things that you were super good at. They should be things that you felt passionately about. See if you can write one of your essays using that as the basis. For example, you seem to have some love of soccer – so much so that, although I don’t see you listing playing as one of your skills, you actually both worked in a soccer park and taught young kids the game. This might be interesting, and certainly help set you apart, if you can write a good essay about it. It also shows that there is more to you than grades and SAT scores.

If you can not only present yourself with good grades and good SATs and a long list of extracurriculars, but also as someone with passion and dedication, then you stand a better chance of getting in.

Also think about why engineering is right for you, and why each particular school is a good choice. Be ready to explain this in your essays. I’m glad to see you have some experience with an engineering firm. That will help.

And btw, college admissions committees like to see paying work on your application, which you have. So good!

I’m circumcised and no I’m not happy about it. I don’t really have a choice now, but I do think it affects sex (negatively) for the guy. Based on what I’ve seen and heard there is no doubt that it would be much more sensitive if it wasn’t circumcised. Outside of religious reasons, circumcision should only be done out of medical necessity. Otherwise there are no real benefits to it. All that stuff about hygiene and “infections” and stuff is just bogus information from people that grew up in a society that practices circumcision. In Europe you don’t hear women (or men for that matter) complaining about how difficult it is having foreskin. It’s basically just an American, cultural thing that we’ve all been brainwashed into thinking was normal or better. It’s not!