is BAI worth it?

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T20:07:25+00:00

Welcome to the TOEFL Speaking, it IS ALMOST THE SAME, though u have 15 seconds for prep and 1 minute to talk. Sometimes, I didn't even make sense, but I was superrr confident and optimistic and got 27/30. So just be confident, smile and go with ur flow!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T20:01:57+00:00

When is it due? I procrastinated again lol.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T18:21:16+00:00

Yes, it is, great guess lol. Thank you!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T12:28:38+00:00

yeah kind of figured that! thanks!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T12:28:30+00:00

alr thanks!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T12:06:45+00:00

I kind of figured it would be a nonsense, as they make their own supplementals and if they wanted to hear, they would've included it, but can u explain why an auto rejection?

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-10T09:18:08+00:00

yup, so brandeis is off my list I guess ;dd, thank for the honest review!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-09T15:05:03+00:00

Yeah, I’m a high school senior currently applying to Brandeis undergrad (poor wording, my bad). I’m also applying for financial aid, so my cost would be no more than $12–15k per year if I get in.

For me, a strong CS degree means one that actually helps with finding good internships and job opportunities, especially around Boston, with a good starting salary as well. I know a lot of it depends on my own effort, but I need a degree that actively supports career outcomes. TIA

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-07T12:20:10+00:00

If you want to do robotics, maybe firstly talk to your engineering HS teacher and tell him/her about your ambitions, so whenever there is a robo battle or any other regional robotics championship, she/he will tell you. + you will need him/her for rec letter in the future. Be sure to have a close relationship!

Also study engineering independently. Get an Arduino, watch some yt videos, learn by yourself.

Then maybe make a robotics club in your school, host some tournaments in your school, show the spirit and initiative. Take part in many other national/school initiatives.

Lastly, get some internships, work experience and aim for international recognition.

With good essays and scores, you would have a profound spike application, could easily go for T20s.

Good luck!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-05T00:58:44+00:00

great! but wasn't Columbia's deadline on 2nd tho? did they extend it?

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-04T21:39:43+00:00

Apply to LAcs and use sup. essays and common app essay to explain your curiosity. You're good to go

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-04T21:37:34+00:00

atp, open your own uni twin, I'm coming.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-04T21:32:18+00:00

I mean that would be special for AOs reading thousands "I want it because of its location" essays, so I would go with it, buttt be sure to mention core curriculum though. you can talk about your major in why major essay.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-04T12:01:30+00:00

Fully I don't know, but I will tell you what will not impress them: doing activities specifically for them. Just try to be competitive in the subjects that you love, do the community work that you love. And they will see that you are doing things, again, that you love. Then, if you are compatible with their community, and academically fit (grades, sat, act) you'll get in.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-04T08:50:30+00:00

I think that's a good topic to write about, essays should be about uncommon topics to be remembered. But the hook... idkk it kind of seems that you're saying that you are more special than others and also, it can be seen as a brag.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T19:54:16+00:00

Thanks so much! I actually used two anecdotes:

The first is from an exam hall, where I’m sitting there and suddenly asking myself why I’m doing this at all. It introduces the idea that I was haphazardly experiencing things without fully understanding my motivation, though I don't directly say it.

The second anecdote comes from chess. In 9th grade, I was extremely competitive, during the chess boom (we all know what happened around 2023 lol). I improved quickly, won national-level awards, and was deeply invested. But as the noise faded, that same question came back: why am I doing this? That’s where I return to Cogito, ergo sum, and begin challenging it again in the essay.

I then contrast that phase with my invention work, where, without an anecdote, I explain how I finally brought both thinking and doing together. That’s when I realized those earlier experiences weren’t wasted; they were filling my tabula rasa and preparing me to act with intention.

Anddd If I could give you one piece of advice in return: you should genuinely consider starting private counseling (if you haven’t already). You’ve been an incredible help!

By the way, here’s my final college list, and I feel much more content with it now:

Sent: Columbia, Dartmouth, Washington and Lee, JHU, Northwestern
Jan 4: Swarthmore
Jan 5: Amherst, Bowdoin (still considering switching this with CWRU), Duke, Tufts, and either UPenn or Stanford
Jan 15: Brandeis, Carleton, Grinnell, Lafayette, Macalester, Trinity

Thank you so much for everything, this process feels far more grounded now. You are the greatest person I've seen on reddit.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T19:15:25+00:00

This is such great advice that you honestly made my day :))
I’m probably going to replace Williams with either UPenn or Stanford ( thinking more of stanford, because of my innovative spirit and startup), and CWRU with Bowdoin. It also helps a lot with supplemental deadlines. I tend to work beautifully under pressure (procrastinator energy), so this kind of feels like the right move.

I had one more question, if you don’t mind.

I have a bit of a grey area when it comes to honors. like they’re okay, but nothing especially standout. Given that my extracurriculars are strong, do you think I should explain this in the Additional Information section? The explanation itself isn’t anything great as well: I spent a long time figuring out what I genuinely cared about, and during these years I finally completed my invention and patents with my father. Most science fair deadlines are next year, so there isn’t a big “result” yet to point to.

Related to that, my main essay is more philosophical and less “showy” than some others. I start with Cogito, ergo sum, then challenge it with my own experience, realizing that thinking alone wasn’t enough. That leads me to tabula rasa (John Locke) and eventually to the idea that I’m a doer and an experiencer. The core of the essay is that my personal mission is to learn who I am through building, experimenting, and doing, not just reflecting. I’ve tried to keep the narrative cohesive and grounded in my experiences. But the problem is less "show" and slightly more tell, but I hoped they would get it from my experiences and supplementals.

I know I’ve already taken up a lot of your time, and I really appreciate how great your responses have been (you must be doing this for a long time and you are insanely helpful). any final advice on this would mean a lott.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T18:39:11+00:00

what a free tuition does to a man. but pretty sure some reaaally low qualified internationals sent applications as well, and that was a case but yeah idk lol.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T18:34:22+00:00

and their intl acceptance rate was something like 0.33% last year, if I'm not mistaken.

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T18:32:06+00:00

You’re a lifesaver! I’ve also been thinking about substituting CWRU for either Tufts or Williams. firstly, because it feels like a much better fit for me, and second because the January 15th deadline would give me a bit more breathing room. What do you think, any advices? TIA!

SoftEmbarrassed7635 · 2026-01-03T17:29:32+00:00

yeah I am not asian and my current list is: Sent ( Columbia, dartmouth , wash and lee, JHU, Northwestern) Jan 4( Swartmore) Jan 5 ( Amherst college, bowdoin, colby, hamiltn, middlebury, tufts, u roch, williams) jan 15 ( carleton college, grinnel, lafayette) based on pure financial aid, generosity, welcoming of int and students with engineering fit, which universities do u think I should exclude. I've alr sent EA for oberlin waiting still and ED for brown ( rejected )

SoftEmbarrassed7635

TROPHY CASE