I live and breathe psych. I am not a person using it as back up or lifestyle specialty. I high passed the clerkship, got straight fives from two attendings I worked with- both of whom encouraged me to join the field, got a 97% overall for clinical evals and a 91% for SPE when cutoff was 77% for honors. I have also been shadowing a psych attending since MS1. There's no question this is my path. I know for a fact, this what I want to spend my life doing. I couldn't imagine myself being satisfied doing anything else knowing this exists.
However, I conditionally passed neurology and surgery, and have an incomplete for peds (health stuff in family). I won't finish clerkship year until end of July because I pushed back taking step 1 to make sure I passed on the first try. Last two clerkships are Family med and IM. Now, if I apply this cycle, I would have to retake those clerkship exams successfully and get a 240 on step 2 with either 2 weeks until my sub-i, or no sub-i and take the time to study for step and have no acting internship letter. I am terrified to do that because I know my strengths are in the clinic, and that's what sets me apart, so not having that is a major disadvantage for me. I know that I am uniquely suited for this field. I'm on family med now. Every time a patient has a psych problem, they go out of their way to compliment me to the attending. Honestly, even when they don't have psych problems. I know people are nice, but it's literally every time. One patient called in to the office the next day and left a message with the receptionist saying I did an incredible job and thanking me. All we really did was talk, but the conversation was really meaningful to me too. I know I'm just a med student, but she felt like my patient in that moment.
This is not to brag, just to say, that despite med school always hyper stratifying us and making half of us feel like idiot failures, when I am with the patients I can actually feel the value in the past three years of pseudo-hell, and that's the only time I do. Compliments from doctors give me hope that I am progressing well, and I hope their evals help my application, but it's the comments from patients I actually get to talk to that gives me a future to look forward to. But I can't see the patients unless I impress the doctors running the programs, and my grades are not impressive. My boyfriend literally has all honors, and it's amazing for him, but while he's looking at average step scores and calculating his chances with a score higher than the average for every single school, it just is so clear that I'm not even a serious player in this game right now. I would be playing with fire trying to take these exams, and score 240+ on step in 6 weeks while doing a sub-i, and try to get research in. I would only have to complete peds and surgery technically, but the conditional pass for neuro would still show up on my app (which isn't great since neuro is heavily relevant to psych). I have plenty of volunteering and two leadership experiences, but I know it's not weighted as heavily as research. I got a research scholarship in MS1, but I had to retake an exam over the summer and gave it up to focus on academics. I am smart, but I am not a genius(aka, med school stupid), and I just could not afford to split my attention so many ways and stay afloat. Organization is something med school has helped (forced) me to develop, but I was not very efficient coming in, I'll be honest.
It's so high stakes, and I am becoming increasingly anxious. I just want to match this specialty at this point. I'm from a North East mid-tier MD school, have four conditional passes from pre-clinicals but never had to repeat a year, passed step 1 on first try, no step 2 score yet, great clinical eval comments from every clerkship, only one bad comment all year (peds outpatient, my first clerkship. tl;dr - "she's nice and professional, but she is too slow and her skills are developing"), failed the shelves and got conditional pass for neuro and surgery (these turn into regular passes if I retake successfully), no research, evidence of interest in psych throughout med school, two inpatient psych clerkship attendings willing to write me LOR's, genuine belief that I was made for this specialty, and I really would do an extra year to polish things up if I had to the way people do for surgical specialties because that's how much this means to me, but I don't want to waste my time because I am afraid and lack insight, and I don't want to end up with an unproductive year and be in an even worse situation than I am now because psych doesn't seem to have established networks looking for research year med students like derm and ortho do. But matching this specialty is the difference between feeling like I am suffering for nothing, and feeling like I am suffering for something greater than me. In every other field, I enjoy them, but I can feel that there are people out there who would do it better than I would. Psych is the only place I feel like I would be uniquely valuable just as I already am.
Edit: removed an irrelevant sentence

Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick
Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)
Dr. Kirkpatrick was asked by USD(I&S) to stand-up and lead AARO in early 2022. Known as Dr. K to his staff and team, he brings over two decades of experience and a significant depth of expertise in scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI), S&TI and space policy, research and development, acquisitions, and operations, specializing in space/counterspace mission areas.
Dr. Kirkpatrick was born in Columbus, GA to an Army family. He grew up in the Atlanta area, where he attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate, to study physics. Dr. Kirkpatrick finished his Ph.D. work in nonlinear and nonequilibrium phonon dynamics of rare earth doped fluoride crystals also at the University of Georgia, and is currently an adjunct professor at UGA.
Dr. Kirkpatrick began his career in Defense and Intelligence related science and technology immediately out of graduate school. After receiving his Ph.D. in Physics in 1995, he subsequently took a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, investigating laser-induced molecular vibrations of high explosives under an AFOSR program. In 1996, he was offered a National Research Council Fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. investigating novel solid-state lasers for the Department of the Navy. In 1997, he was recruited by the Air Force Research Laboratory to build an Ultrafast Laser Physics Lab to investigate nonlinear optics, novel ultrafast spectroscopic methods, and nonlinear micro/nano-fabrication techniques for the Air Force. In 2003 he was offered a program manager position in the National Reconnaissance Office, and converted to CIA in 2005. In 2007, he was assigned as Chief Technology Officer in a joint CIA-DIA program office, where he later became division chief as a DIA officer. In 2010 he was asked to serve as the space control portfolio manager for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Space and Intelligence, Office of the Secretary ofDefense.
In 2012 he returned to DIA, and served as the Defense Intelligence Officer for Scientific and Technical Intelligence, serving as the Department of Defense’s counterpart to the National Intelligence Manager for Science and Technology until 2016. Towards the end of his tenure as DIO/S&TI, Dr. Kirkpatrick served on special assignment to the Principal Deputy Director National Intelligence leading the Intelligence Community’s support to the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center.
From 2016 to his current assignment, Dr. Kirkpatrick served in a variety of no-fail roles including Deputy Director of Intelligence, US Strategic Command; Director, National Security Strategy, National Security Council; Deputy Director of Intelligence and the DNI Representative for USSPACECOM. The USSPACECOM Intelligence Enterprise was the fifth organization he has been the IC lead for establishment. His most recent assignment was as Chief Scientist at DIA’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center.
Dr. Kirkpatrick is the recipient of several scientific and intelligence awards. These include the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal, four National Intelligence Collaboration medallions, the NRO Innovation and Achievement Award, the Cleary Award for Scientific Excellence, and the DIA Director’s Award for Excellence. Dr. Kirkpatrick holds 2 open patents and has contributed to several scientific books on nonlinear phenomena as well as written multiple strategies for the National and Defense Intelligence Communities. He was appointed to the Senior Service in 2012.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jul/20/2003039076/-1/-1/1/DR-SEAN-M-KIRKPATRICK-BIOGRAPHY.PDF&ved=2ahUKEwjJ1Zf10oyGAxV9LkQIHSnSCKoQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3R8GHHkCVxkjZBwYMWJfyK

References

• Vincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023). "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1". DefenseScoop. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
• Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023). "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023). "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023.
• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214
• "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia.
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF).
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF)
• Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.ReferencesVincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023). "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1".
• DefenseScoop. Retrieved December 3, 2023. Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023).
• "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023). "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023.
• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214 "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma".
• U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia.
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF).
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF).
• Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.

Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick
Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)
Dr. Kirkpatrick was asked by USD(I&S) to stand-up and lead AARO in early 2022. Known as Dr. K to his staff and team, he brings over two decades of experience and a significant depth of expertise in scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI), S&TI and space policy, research and development, acquisitions, and operations, specializing in space/counterspace mission areas.
Dr. Kirkpatrick was born in Columbus, GA to an Army family. He grew up in the Atlanta area, where he attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate, to study physics. Dr. Kirkpatrick finished his Ph.D. work in nonlinear and nonequilibrium phonon dynamics of rare earth doped fluoride crystals also at the University of Georgia, and is currently an adjunct professor at UGA.
Dr. Kirkpatrick began his career in Defense and Intelligence related science and technology immediately out of graduate school. After receiving his Ph.D. in Physics in 1995, he subsequently took a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, investigating laser-induced molecular vibrations of high explosives under an AFOSR program. In 1996, he was offered a National Research Council Fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. investigating novel solid-state lasers for the Department of the Navy. In 1997, he was recruited by the Air Force Research Laboratory to build an Ultrafast Laser Physics Lab to investigate nonlinear optics, novel ultrafast spectroscopic methods, and nonlinear micro/nano-fabrication techniques for the Air Force. In 2003 he was offered a program manager position in the National Reconnaissance Office, and converted to CIA in 2005. In 2007, he was assigned as Chief Technology Officer in a joint CIA-DIA program office, where he later became division chief as a DIA officer. In 2010 he was asked to serve as the space control portfolio manager for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Space and Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense.
In 2012 he returned to DIA, and served as the Defense Intelligence Officer for Scientific and Technical Intelligence, serving as the Department of Defense’s counterpart to the National Intelligence Manager for Science and Technology until 2016. Towards the end of his tenure as DIO/S&TI, Dr. Kirkpatrick served on special assignment to the Principal Deputy Director National Intelligence leading the Intelligence Community’s support to the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center.
From 2016 to his current assignment, Dr. Kirkpatrick served in a variety of no-fail roles including Deputy Director of Intelligence, US Strategic Command; Director, National Security Strategy, National Security Council; Deputy Director of Intelligence and the DNI Representative for USSPACECOM. The USSPACECOM Intelligence Enterprise was the fifth organization he has been the IC lead for establishment. His most recent assignment was as Chief Scientist at DIA’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center.
Dr. Kirkpatrick is the recipient of several scientific and intelligence awards. These include the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal, four National Intelligence Collaboration medallions, the NRO Innovation and Achievement Award, the Cleary Award for Scientific Excellence, and the DIA Director’s Award for Excellence. Dr. Kirkpatrick holds 2 open patents and has contributed to several scientific books on nonlinear phenomena as well as written multiple strategies for the National and Defense Intelligence Communities. He was appointed to the Senior Service in 2012.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jul/20/2003039076/-1/-1/1/DR-SEAN-M-KIRKPATRICK-BIOGRAPHY.PDF&ved=2ahUKEwjJ1Zf10oyGAxV9LkQIHSnSCKoQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3R8GHHkCVxkjZBwYMWJfyK

References

• Vincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023). "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1". DefenseScoop. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
• Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023). "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023). "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023.
• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214
• "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia.
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF).
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF)
• Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.ReferencesVincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023). "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1".
• DefenseScoop. Retrieved December 3, 2023. Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023).
• "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023). "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023.
• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214 "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma".
• U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia.
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF).
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF).
• Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
• Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)Dr. Kirkpatrick was asked by USD(I&S) to stand-up and lead AARO in early 2022. Known as Dr. K to his staff and team, he brings over two decades of experience and a significant depth of expertise in scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI), S&TI and space policy, research and development, acquisitions, and operations, specializing in space/counterspace mission areas.Dr. Kirkpatrick was born in Columbus, GA to an Army family. He grew up in the Atlanta area, where he attended the University of Georgia as an undergraduate, to study physics. Dr. Kirkpatrick finished his Ph.D. work in nonlinear and nonequilibrium phonon dynamics of rare earth doped fluoride crystals also at the University of Georgia, and is currently an adjunct professor at UGA.Dr. Kirkpatrick began his career in Defense and Intelligence related science and technology immediately out of graduate school.
• After receiving his Ph.D. in Physics in 1995, he subsequently took a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, investigating laser-induced molecular vibrations of high explosives under an AFOSR program. In 1996, he was offered a National Research Council Fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. investigating novel solid-state lasers for the Department of the Navy. In 1997, he was recruited by the Air Force Research Laboratory to build an Ultrafast Laser Physics Lab to investigate nonlinear optics, novel ultrafast spectroscopic methods, and nonlinear micro/nano-fabrication techniques for the Air Force. In 2003 he was offered a program manager position in the National Reconnaissance Office, and converted to CIA in 2005.
• In 2007, he was assigned as Chief Technology Officer in a joint CIA-DIA program office, where he later became division chief as a DIA officer. In 2010 he was asked to serve as the space control portfolio manager for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Space and Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense.
• In 2012 he returned to DIA, and served as the Defense Intelligence Officer for Scientific and Technical Intelligence, serving as the Department of Defense’s counterpart to the National Intelligence Manager for Science and Technology until 2016. Towards the end of his tenure as DIO/S&TI, Dr. Kirkpatrick served on special assignment to the Principal Deputy Director National Intelligence leading the Intelligence Community’s support to the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center.From 2016 to his current assignment, Dr. Kirkpatrick served in a variety of no-fail roles including Deputy Director of Intelligence, US Strategic Command; Director, National Security Strategy, National Security Council; Deputy Director of Intelligence and the DNI Representative for USSPACECOM. The USSPACECOM Intelligence Enterprise was the fifth organization he has been the IC lead for establishment. His most recent assignment was as Chief Scientist at DIA’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center.Dr. Kirkpatrick is the recipient of several scientific and intelligence awards. These include the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal, four National Intelligence Collaboration medallions, the NRO Innovation and Achievement Award, the Cleary Award for Scientific Excellence, and the DIA Director’s Award for Excellence. Dr. Kirkpatrick holds 2 open patents and has contributed to several scientific books on nonlinear phenomena as well as written multiple strategies for the National and Defense Intelligence Communities. He was appointed to the Senior Service in 2012.
• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jul/20/2003039076/-1/-1/1/DR-SEAN-M-KIRKPATRICK-BIOGRAPHY.PDF&ved=2ahUKEwjJ1Zf10oyGAxV9LkQIHSnSCKoQFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3R8GHHkCVxkjZBwYMWJfyKReferencesVincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023).
• "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1". DefenseScoop.
• Retrieved December 3, 2023. Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023).
• "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023).
• "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214
• "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia. "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF). "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF) Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023.
• Retrieved June 9, 2023.ReferencesVincent, Brandi (November 30, 2023). "Pentagon's UAP investigation chief to depart Dec. 1". DefenseScoop. Retrieved December 3, 2023. Seligman, Lara (November 7, 2023). "Pentagon UFO boss to step down next month". POLITICO.
• Retrieved November 12, 2023.
• Degges, Ireland (November 8, 2023). "AARO Shakes Up Executive Team With 2 New Leadership Changes; Kathleen Hicks Quoted". Retrieved November 14, 2023.
• https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/12/sean-kirkpatrick-ufos-pentagon-00126214 "USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anoma". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• "Sean Kirkpatrick, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physics". University of Georgia.
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Deputy Director of Intelligence and DNI Representative, USSPACECOM" (PDF).
• "Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick Director, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)" (PDF).
• Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.

Lead Contract Specialist

KSC-24-IMP-12401678-LC

Grade: GS-14

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As a Lead Contract Specialist in the Institutional Support Procurement Office, you will be responsible for applying principles, practices, and methodologies sufficient to advise on and/or resolve a range of operational and/or strategic issues. You will lead a team of contract specialists in the acquisition and administration of institution-related enterprise services and propellants using a wide range of regulations, policies, and procedures to identify, evaluate, and recommend solutions.

General Engineer, AST, Experimental Facility Development (Direct Hire)

SSC-24-DE-12400130-RD

Grade: GS-14

John C. Stennis Space Center

As a Senior Project Manager (PM) for the Stennis Space Center's Construction of Facilities Program, you will provide consultation and advice regarding the development of facilities, systems, and equipment used in conducting aerospace research, development, and operations programs. You will conduct special studies for NASA Programs/Projects and its partners.

Administrative Specialist

LaRC-24-IMP-12407204-JL

Grade: GS-11

Langley Research Center

As an Administrative Specialist supporting the Administrative Support & Analysis Branch (ASAB) you will be responsible for a wide variety of analytical, human resources, administrative, and associated management support services for the organization(s) to which assigned. You will conduct analytical studies requiring the identification and resolution of issues and problems of administrative support functions.

Lead Administrative Specialist

LaRC-24-IMP-12407421-JL

Grade: GS-12

Langley Research Center

As a Lead Administrative Specialist supporting the Administrative Support & Analysis Branch (ASAB), you will be responsible for a wide variety of analytical, human resources, administrative, and associated management support services for the organization(s) to which assigned, and you will conduct analytical studies requiring the identification and resolution of issues and problems of administrative support functions.

Aerospace Engineer, AST - Fluid Systems Test

KSC-24-IMP-12403299-JK

Grade: GS-15

John F. Kennedy Space Center

As an AST, Fluid Systems Test Engineer in the Exploration Payloads Branch of the Laboratories, Development & Testing Division, you will serve as technical expert for in-space servicing and refueling of satellites, spacecraft, and lunadeep space surface systems. This includes research and development for spaceflight missions, technology demonstration and concept development with the goal of advancing NASA and U.S. leadership for In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) capability.

Administrative Specialist

SSC-24-IMP-12405817-RD

Grade: GS-14/15

John C. Stennis Space Center

As an Administrative Specialist within the Center Operations Directorate (COD), you will work with a multi-disciplinary team as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for a large, multi-site Operations & Maintenance contract providing services to NASA, other Federal agencies, commercial tenants, and propulsion test customers. You will serve as Area COR for core services at Stennis Space Center, providing support to the Integration COR and Contracting Officers.

Research Physical Scientist, AST, Earth Sciences Remote Sensing (Direct Hire)

ARC-24-DE-12403533-JK

Grade: GS-13

Ames Research Center

As a Research AST, Earth Sciences Remote Sensing with the Biospheric Science Branch in the Earth Science Division, you will be responsible for developing and leading projects. You will be part of a team of highly skilled scientists to advance and integrate Earth science knowledge to empower humanity to create a more resilient world, while pursuing opportunities for collaboration and funding.

Research Computer Scientist, AST, Data Analysis (Direct Hire)

ARC-24-DE-12403531-JK

Grade: GS-14

Ames Research Center

As a Research AST, Data Analysis with the Biospheric Science Branch in the Earth Science Division, you will be responsible for leading and developing projects/products that utilize high-performance computing in efficient and novel ways to create innovative methods and insights. You will be part of a team of highly skilled scientists to advance Earth science knowledge, while pursuing opportunities for collaboration and funding and serving as a subject matter expert in computing & data analysis.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Automation and Robotics Systems

JSC-24-IMP-12406387-BP

Grade: GS-14

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

You will serve as the Gravity Offload Deputy Project Manager with the Dynamic Systems Test Branch in the Software, Robotics, and Simulation Division. You will be responsible for policies, procedures, operations schedules, resources, procurement, funding, and facility requirements for the branch Gravity Offload assets. You will lead a team of engineers and technicians in the development, testing, and operation of STAR, ARGOS, and AX3S and pursue opportunities for collaboration and funding.

Aerospace Engineer, AST, Environmental Control Systems

JSC-24-IMP-12386288-JRC

Grade: GS-13

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

You will serve as the Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) Deputy System Manager for the Gateway Program where you will be responsible for providing technical leadership and management in support of the System Manager and for Active Thermal Control Systems for human space flight vehicles. You will also assist in the management of a team of skilled Active Thermal Control Engineers providing technical authority to the Program and assist in providing products to the Program regarding the system.

Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration

HQ-24-SL-12410220

Grade: SL-00

Headquarters, NASA

The Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration reports directly to the Planetary Science Division (PSD) Director on all matters pertaining to the science of Mars and Mars Exploration. The incumbent provides recommendations, advice, and consultation on all science-related aspects of NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP) and Mars Sample Return Campaign. Recommends the scientific strategy for the exploration of Mars and ensures the implementation of the science content of the program is optimized.

Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration

HQ-24-SL-12406570

Grade: SL-00

Headquarters, NASA

The Senior Scientist for Mars Exploration reports directly to the Planetary Science Division (PSD) Director on all matters pertaining to the science of Mars and Mars Exploration. The incumbent provides recommendations, advice, and consultation on all science-related aspects of NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP) and Mars Sample Return Campaign. Recommends the scientific strategy for the exploration of Mars and ensures the implementation of the science content of the program is optimized.

Procurement Analyst (Direct Hire)

MSFC-24-DE-12408734-LC

Grade: GS-14

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

As a Senior Procurement Analyst with the Marshall Space Flight Center's Office of Procurement, you will be responsible for assisting in planning the overall approach to meet program objectives for procuring a variety of complex requirements, reviews and advises on complex and/or diversified supplies, services, and/or equipment. Serves as principal business advisor to a wide range of customers. Participates in special projects and initiatives and performs special assignments.

Information Technology Specialist

GSFC-24-IMP-12402912-JRC

Grade: GS-15

Goddard Space Flight Center

You will serve as the Human Spaceflight (HSF) liaison between NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) mission partners and NASA Communications (NASCOM) to modernize policies, procedures, schedules, resources, and security of the networks that support SCaN and their customers, manage expectations, improve relationships and collaborate with technical teams. You will lead a team of highly skilled specialists in integrating, operating, securing, and planning of mission networks.

Context: I’m 24, currently unemployed for the past two months (actively searching for work and working with job developers), no assets and have close to 65k in debt but 25k is OSAP which I’m not worried about because they’re on pause and have no interest
Of the remaining 40k, 30k is from my student line of credit that just recently got converted into a loan. The rest credit card debt (8.7k) from three different cards, one is 6.6k the two are about 1k each
The vast majority of my debt is from funding myself through school. I worked and received OSAP but still needed the line of credit since those weren’t enough for rent and groceries.
My credit score was always excellent up until two years ago where the credit card debt started building. My cat got very sick and long story short i maxed out my 7k credit card on him (worth it, he’s healthy and happy now) and that’s where all the cc debt comes from. I’ve always made my monthly payments that are over $300 on that one cc alone but it all just goes to interest so the principal hasn’t come down much, same with all my other debts
I pay roughly $750 towards debts a month. I just can’t afford that + rent + groceries + other essentials like bus pass, phone bill and medications etc. I quit my low paying job because of an extremely toxic environment and never thought it would take me months to find literally any min wage job especially since I have a degree + leadership experience on my resume.
I’ve only made it this far without working because of what I got back from my tax refund but I have literally no more money left to pay all my debts and am considering filing for bankruptcy (I have an appointment with an LIT to seek professional advice)

Hey everyone!
I'm hoping some former school leaders here can offer some advice. I'm about to start my fifth year as an Assistant Principal, and I'm moving to a new school in July due to district changes. There's a good chance I could become a principal in a couple of years, but I'm feeling increasingly discouraged by the work-life balance, especially now that I'm a father of two. Plus, I'm not thrilled with how my state is handling education.
I feel a bit stuck in my role and have been considering other options, but I'm unsure what those could be. My first inclination is project management. I've been reading intro books and listening to podcasts, and it seems like a good fit. However, I've heard it's tough to break into that field right now.
I've always been interested in educational technology, particularly integrating AI to streamline processes at my school. My current boss says my some of my key strengths are organization, process and systems development, and relationship building. I also enjoy the people aspect of leadership, like recruitment, retention, and professional development.
If anyone has advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. It's a tough spot because I can't afford to take a pay cut, but I feel confident in my soft skills and would love to to learn any new technical skills needed.
Thanks!

https://gofund.me/c3ead710
My name is Willard Landis, and I’m a sophomore in the NJROTC program at my high school. After high school I plan to go to the United States Coast Guard Academy, and commission into the Coast Guard as an officer. I’m trying to raise money to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum, which is a National Security event in Washington DC. This opportunity will allow me the chance to speak with experts in many different fields, such as national security, diplomacy, cybersecurity, and intelligence. This will help me develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed on my path. Attending will give me a chance to have one-on-one interactions with representatives from universities, branches of service, military academies, government agencies, and private companies. Being able to have this opportunity will not only increase my knowledge but will be a perfect addition to my transcript. In addition to raising money through GoFundMe, I’m also looking for scholarships. I am working to find a part-time job to pay for as much as possible on my own. But with a bit of help, I am hoping that I can raise enough money in time to reach my goal and go to the event. There are multiple dates that the event takes place during, and I plan to go during the latest one available. That would be from July 16th to July 23rd.

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⚠️ WARNING: Maasverse Spoilers—Proceed with Caution ⚠️

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Part 1: Characters and Courts (sorry for those who already saw this post and now it's gone. I realized after publishing that Reddit formatting deleted a solid CHUNK of detail after the fact. Gimme a few days and I'll get it back up and published)
Part 2: World Map, Items, Terms & Other - YOU ARE HERE
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If this is the first post you've landed on, see Part 1 above for an introductory explanation to this two part post.

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UK + IRELAND

PRYTHIAN

A combination of Prydain, the old Welsh name for Britain, and Brython, which translates to “Ancient Britons” from Welsh.

HYBERN

A riff of Hibernia, the Classical Latin name for Ireland.

​
Artist of Prythian map: P-dulcis on redbubble

ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

ILLYRIA

The Ancient Greeks used the term Illyria to define a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. The numerous peoples who populated those areas were known collectively as the Illyrians. The region itself is quite mountainous.

THE MIDDLE

May refer to the Midlands, the central part of England, though geographically the Prythian map places the Middle central to Prythian, not central to England; with the Prythian inclusion of Scotland, the Middle on Prythian maps is located further north than the actual Midlands of England.

UNDER THE MOUNTAIN

A potential nod to the Schiehallion, a cone-shaped mountain often referred to as the center of Scotland. It's name comes from the Gaelic Sìth Chailleann, meaning "fairy hill of the Caledonians." On the southwestern side of the mountain is said to lie the well-concealed Uamh Tom a' Mhòr-fhir, a cave serving as an entrance to the underworld.
As the Schiehallion lies in the middle of Scotland (the Night Court) and not the middle of mainland UK (Prythian), the Sciehallion could instead be representative of Ramiel.

THE WESTERN ISLES

May refer to the Outer Hebrides, also known as the Western Isles, which is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. They are also sometimes known as Innse Gall, a Gaelic term meaning "islands of the foreigners/strangers" which was originally used by mainland Highlanders when the islands were ruled by the Norse.
ACOTAR role: The Prison is located in the Western Isles.

THE PRISON

Though located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland rather than the Outer, the Prison may be a nod to Beinn Shiantaidh, which is Scottish Gaelic for "holy mountain." It is located on the western side of the Island of Jura and is the second highest peak of the Paps of Jura.
Fun fact: Pap is of Old Norse origin and means breast.

VALLAHAN

Valhalla is the hall of slain warriors in Norse mythology, located in Asgard, where those who die in combat live in peace under the leadership of the god, Odin. They are said to dwell in Valhalla until the events of Ragnarök, where they will then march out to fight in aid of Odin against the jötnar, a type of being in Germanic mythology.
ACOTAR role: Vallahan is a faerie territory located in the northwest portion of the Continent.

ADRIATA

The Adriatic Sea is located in Southern Europe and separates the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. It contains more than 1,300 islands.

BOG OF OORID

The Oorid Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland.

CRETEA

Crete is the largest and southernmost island in Greece.
ACOTAR role: Cretea is where Miryam and Drakon's people lived following the War.

LAPPLUND

Lapland is a geographic region in Northern Fennoscandia which covers much of the Nordic countries. It is also a province of Sweden and the largest region of Finland.
ACOTAR role: Lapplund is where the Cauldron was hidden.

ITICA

Ithaca is an island featured in the Odyssey and was the island home of Odysseus. It is also a real island in Greece. The Kathara Monastery is located in Ithaca.
ACOTAR role: Itica is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.

MONTESERE

Montserrat is a mountain range near Barcelona.
ACOTAR role: Montesere is a fae territory located in the Continent's NW and is considered generally wealthy. They allied with the loyalists in the War.

RAVENNIA

Ravenna is located in Northern Italy and was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
ACOTAR role: Ravenna is a fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War.

DUNMERE

Dunmere is a hamlet in Cornwall, England.
ACOTAR role: Dunmere is a town located within the Night Court, between Velaris and the sea.

NEVA

The Neva is the fourth-largest river in Europe and is located in northwestern Russia.
ACOTAR role: Neva is one of the largest human cities on the Continent and is where the Archeron sisters' father travels to trade.

SCYTHIA

The Scythians were an ancient Eastern Iranic equestrian nomadic people who migrated from Central Asia to the steppes of modern-day Ukraine and Southern Russia.
ACOTAR role: Scythia is one of the territories of the human lands on the Continent, ruled by Queen Vassa. They are said to be a horse loving people.

ROSEHALL

Rosehall is the name of a remote hamlet in the Scottish Highlands.
Fun fact: The 2nd Duke of Westminster acquired the Rosehall estate and his mistress at the time, Coco Chanel, redecorated the interior to her own liking. Winston Churchill, a close friend of the Duke, also visited the estate.
ACOTAR role: Rosehall is mentioned in ACOFAS and is theorized to be the place where Azriel's mother resides.

AFRICA-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

THE BLACK LAND

Black Land translates from Kemet, a popular ancient name for Egypt, which is derived from the color of the fertile black soil along the cultivated area of the Nile valley.
ACOTAR role: The Black Land is a region of the continent where human slaves were ruled over by a High Fae queen. Miryam and Drakon joined the mortals in the War and freed Miryam's people by crossing the desert and eventually the sea.

THE ERYTHRIAN SEA

The Erythraean Sea, originally an Ancient Greek geographical designation, has been used as a name for the Red Sea which lies between Africa and Asia.
ACOTAR role: Drakon used his magic to split the Erythian Sea.

ASIA-PARALLEL LOCATIONS

XIAN

Xi'an is the the most populous city in Northwest China snd the second most popular tourist destination in China.
ACOTAR role: Xian is a Fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War. A large majority of the Dawn Court is made of Fae from Xian, including Thesan's mother. Feyre remarks that Amren may have molded her mortal body after their peoples.

BHARAT

Bhārat is one of the two principal official short names for the Republic of India.
ACOTAR role: The Archerons lost their fortune when their father's ships sank on the way to Bharat.

RASK

May refer to Rask, a city in Iran, that serves as both capital of its county and district.
ACOTAR role: Rask is a Fae territory on the Continent and allied with the Loyalists during the War.

ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS

VELARIS

Possibly derived from the Latin vēlo*,* meaning "to veil, cover, wrap" along with "to hide, conceal" and "to clothe in." Could also derive from the Latin vēlum, meaning "to veil, curtain" and also indicates a tarpaulin acting as cover for outdoor spaces.

THE WALL

No singular reference, but the presence of a wall separating one race from another, often humans from mythical beings, is rife throughout history, mythology, and fantasy.
One from each category that has loose ties to ACOTAR: (1) Hadrian's Wall, ie the Roman Wall, a defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia. It spanned from coast to coast, cutting across the entire width of Northern England. (2) In Norse mythology, the Master Builder asking for the hand of the goddess Freyja as payment for constructing a wall around Asgard to defend the gods. (3) The English village of Wall in Neil Gaiman's Stardust, named after the wall separating the land of Faerie from the mortal realm, highly guarded and cautioned against for mortals seeking to pass through.

THE MOONSTONE PALACE

Romans linked moonstone to the moon goddess Diana (goddess of wild animals and the hunt) and Ancient Greeks linked it to their lunar deities Artemis, Hecate, and Selene.

SIDRA RIVER

Sidra is a name of Latin origin and means "Goddess of the stars" or "like a star."

RAMIEL

Ramiel is a fallen Watcher, a type of Biblical angel, one of the 20 Watchers that rebelled against God by mating with mortal women, therefore creating the Nephilim (Shadowhunters, anyone?). Ramiel means "God has thundered." Ramiel is sometimes conflated with Remiel, also known as Jeremiel, meaning "God shall have mercy," as is listed as one of the seven Holy Angels. He is the archangel of hope and is responsible for divine visions and guiding the souls of the faithful into Heaven.

POOL OF STARLIGHT

No plausible connection found, though there is a famous pool in Greek mythology—a pool Mnemosyne presided over in Hades, counterpart to the river Lethe. Dead souls would drink from Lethe to wipe their past lives from remembrance when reincarnated. Those who drank from Mnemosyne's pool remembered and halted their transmigration of the soul.

ATHELWOOD

Ethel (also aethel) is an Old English word meaning "noble." Athelwood can mean "noblewood."
ACOTAR role: Athelwood is Morrigan's estate located in the Night Court.

GOLLIAN MOUNTAINS

Göll is one of the named Valkyries from Norse mythology. Her name means "tumult," or "noise, battle."
ACOTAR role: The Gollian Mountains are where the Valkyries were slain during the War.

MYRMIDONS

In Ancient Greek mythology, the Myrmidons were an Ancient Greek tribe. In the Iliad, they are the soldiers commanded by Achilles. Myrmidon has also come to mean "a follower or subordinate of a powerful person, typically one who is unscrupulous or carries out orders unquestioningly."
ACOTAR role: The Myrmidons are a set of mountains serving as the border between the Day Court and the Night Court from which the Illyrians migrated.

CESERA

No direct reference found, but may allude to Caesarea, the name of numerous cities and locations throughout the Roman Empire.
ACOTAR role: Cesera is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.

SANGRAVAH

No direct reference found (and I lost my mind searching for one). Closest I came to was the similarly sounding Angharad, a feminine Welsh name, long associated with Welsh royalty, history, and myth, including Arthurian legend.
ACOTAR role: Sangravah is one of three temples where the feet of the Cauldron were hidden.

GREENFIELD VILLAGE

No direct connection found, though Greenfield is the name of several villages of England.
ACOTAR role: Greenfield village is a neighboring village to where Feyre grew up and where Isaac Hale's wife is from.

WINDHAVEN CAMP

No connection found, though a separate Windhaven also appears in Tower of Dawn in the TOG series. Altun—Windhaven being the rough translation—is located in a three-peaked mountain range and is the home of Sartaq's hearth-mother and family.
Fun fact: Windhaven is the name of a science-fiction novel by George R. R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle following a group of humans who crash-landed on a foreign planet and learned to craft their own wings out of the spaceship wreckage.

THE WOLF'S DEN

No connection found, BUT fun fact: there is a named Wolf's Den castle in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka Game of Thrones) that now serves as a prison. "All the days were much the same inside the Wolf's Den, and any change was usually for the worse." A Dance with Dragons, Ch 29
ACOTAR role: The Wolf's Den is the name of the worst tavern in Velaris that Nesta is known to frequent.

SILVERSPRING CREEK

No plausible connection found, BUT fun fact: "Silver Springs" is a song written by Stevie Nicks, performed by Fleetwood Mac, and is so strongly ACOTAR-coded even my non-loving playlist-to-book self can't deny it. If you want more bread crumbles that SJM is a Stevie Nicks fan, "Rhiannon" and it's lyric origins have potential ties to the Rhiannon of TOG.
You could be my silver springBlue-green colors flashin'I would be your only dreamYour shinin' autumn ocean crashin'
Time cas t a spell on you*, but you won't forget me*I know I could have loved youBut you would not let me
ACOTAR role: Silverspring Creek is a stream running through Feyre's human village, near where she hunted rabbits.

STRYGA'S CASTLE

No direct reference found, but due to Stryga/the Weaver resembling a female demon akin to a vampire in Slavic mythology (see the Monster section above), it is possible Stryga's former home, before she was confined to her cottage, is reminiscent of Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula and the Transylvanian Castle complete with three vampiric sister brides who entice men with their beauty and charm before proceeding to feed upon them.

The Night Sky

ARKTOS

Arktos, also written Arctus, means "bear" in Ancient Greek. Arktos was a centaur who fought against the Lapith spearmen. The Arktos Megale (aka Ursa Major, the Great Bear) is one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy who drew on earlier works by Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian astronomers.
ACOTAR role: Arktos is one of the three regarded holy stars (the furthest left star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Arktosian is reserved for Illyrians who survive the Blood Right but fail to reach Ramiel.

CARYNTH

May refer to Corinth, an ancient city that was one of the largest and most important of Greece, or Carinthia, the southernmost Austrian state in the Eastern Alps, noted for its mountains and lakes.
ACOTAR role: Carynth is one of the three regarded holy stars (the middle star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Carynthian is reserved for Illyrians who scale the summit of Ramiel during the Blood Rite and are considered elite warriors.

ORISTES

Orestes (also spelled Orestes) means "stands on a mountain" and he is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and myths concerning his madness and purification.
ACOTAR role: Orestes is one of the three regarded holy stars (the furthest right star) of the Illyrians and serves as part of the symbol for the Night Court. The echelon of Oristian is reserved for Illyrians who make it to the Ramiel during the Blood Rite but don't reach the top.

Locations not listed: A slew of various more minor locations have not been listed, including the Four Market Squares of Velaris, certain cottages and houses, and even the Ironcrest Illyrian war-camp.
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THE CAULDRON

There are many magical cauldrons present in various mythologies, one being the Pair Dadeni in Welsh mythology, a magical cauldron able to resurrect the dead, and the coire ansic of Irish mythology, the cauldron of the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which never ran empty.

TRUTH-TELLER

Possibly inspired by Fragarach, an Irish mythological sword known as "The Whisperer" or "The Answerer." It was the sword of Nuada, the first high king; it was said that no one could tell a lie with Fragarach at their throat and that the sword inflicting wounds from which no one could recover.

THE HARP

May refer to the uaithne, the magical harp of the Dagda, the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology. It could control men's emotions and change the seasons.

THE MASK

In Egyptian culture, death masks were designed to guide the spirits of those mummified into the next world.

THE UNKNOWN 4th TROVE ITEM

Seen in a vision by Nesta via Lathys, which we now know to be the Horn, and may refer to the Gjallarhorn of Norse mythology, the sound of which is said to herald the beginning of Ragnarok.

ATARAXIA

Ataraxia, in Ancient Greek philosophy, was a state of calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet, ie tranquility of the mind. It was considered the ideal mental state for soldiers entering battle.
ACOTAR Role: Nesta's Made sword.

GWYDION

Gwydion is a name meaning "born of the trees" and is the given name of Gwydion fab Dôn, a magician, hero, and trickster of Welsh mythology. Caer Wydion, the castle of Gwydion, was the traditional Welsh name for the Milky Way.
ACOTAR role: The Starsword and twin to Truth-Teller.

NARBEN

No direct reference found, though narben in German means "scar."
ACOTAR role: Narben is a lost sword from the Dread Trove.

OUROBOROS MIRROR

The ouroboros is an ancient symbol of a serpent or a dragon eating its own tale, first present in ancient Egyptian iconography and the Greek magical tradition, the term itself deriving from Ancient Greek. It has been used frequently and extensively throughout fantasy literature. It often symbolizes the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

BOOK OF BREATHINGS

The Books of Breathing are a set of ancient Egyptian funerary texts that are intended to enable those deceased to continue their existence in the afterlife. It is a simplified form of the Book of the Dead.

VERITAS ORB

Veritas is of Latin origin meaning "truth." It is the name for the Roman virtue of truthfulness and in Roman mythology, Veritas is the Goddess of Truth. Universities and colleges such as Harvard use the term veritas as their motto.

SYMPHONIA

Symphonia is Greek in origin and was used to denote a variety of musical instruments.

AMARANTHA'S NECKLACE AND RING (JURIAN'S FINGER AND EYE)

Jurian's finger bone and eye, kept by Amarantha, are reminiscent of relics and reliquaries, often religious in nature. Relics typically consist of the physical remains or personal affects of a saint and the reliquary is the container that holds them.

FAEBANE

Possibly inspired by wolfsbane (aka aconite or monkshood), a poisonous flower ancient Greeks would poison arrows and bait with to hunt wolves. It is lethal and often fatal and is an oft-used plant and poison within the fantasy genre.
Fun fact: In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet himself was killed with an aconite-laced blade.

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DAEMATI

Potentially a combination of the Greek word dae (to give) and the concept of mati, labeled as "the evil eye" in Greek classical antiquity. Daemati may effectively mean "to give the evil eye."

THE WEAVER'S SONG

The Weaver's song, sung when Feyre was stealing Rhysand's ring from her cottage, is similar to "The Twa Sisters," a traditional murder ballad dating back to mid 17th century England. It tells of two sisters who travel down to a body of water where the older one pushes the younger one in. A harp or a fiddle is then made out of the murdered sister's body, which plays itself and sings about her murder.

I feel so behind all due to my mental health sophomore year and my mom is bullying me about everything and I just wanna here other peoples input. I feel like my parents are setting me back on the progress that ive made so im at the library right now as I type this. I wanna go instate MD (which is very in state friendly or DO due to my low gpa)
About my stats:
-GPA: 3.54, sGPA: 3.2 (my next 35 credits tho are science so im hopeful I can get this up).
-severe upward trend: sophomore year semester gpa was 3.0 and 2.9 respectively and junior year was 3.9 and 3.89 respectively.
-I completed my EMT training but it has taken me a year to take the nremt due to anxiety about taking the exam. I will take it this month. This really stresses me out because I regret denying how bad my mental health was :((((, but ive done a lot to improve it and its been working as you can see with my gpa.
-I worry because my friend is an AEMT and says that that is way better than an EMT and I worry I wont have time to have AEMT experience due because I havent started the training.
-I volinteer at a free clinic where I translate spanish, help the nurses, and adminsiter vaccines since last year
-Im currently starting a science club at school (started formualting this semester the plans and everything); will submit for approval in October.
-Undergrad Research 1 (1 year): no crazy hours like maybe 3-6 hours a week; varied lots
-Undergrad Research 2 (from now till next year graduation): I got a scholarship for this project too and will present at a conference next spring; hopefully this will be more hours because Im getting really into this research
-Homeless volinteering: I help make food and dispense it to homeless folks on the street and I help translate Spanish homeless immigrants for the rest of the group. Im not a team leader for the club tho or anything (no leadership roles).
-Im writing 2 case reports now but its been slow because people havent been responding to me and im way behind my timeframe for publication ;(((( (this is giving me anxiety).
-I shadowed 120h in the ED
I feel like I still dont have enough ECs to put on my resume. I got rejected from SI tutoring, RA position. I am also low on volinteering hours and need to do it more consistently .
I plan on taking a 2 year gap year (1 year before applying) but I still feel behind with the hours I need to occur, the experiences I need to obtain, and ofc making sure I continue to get my shitty GPA up do well in the mcat. Studying takes a lot of time for me :(. How am I doing? Be kind but be honest.

Hello everyone,
I'm exploring the possibility of applying for an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) and would appreciate any insights or experiences you could share regarding the success rate of such cases, especially for those in similar situations.
Several law firms rejected my case, Ellis Porter PLC have suggested waiting for more substantial achievements like leadership roles, increased citations, or significant awards. However, one firm, Green Card Link, offered an 80-85% success rate for my case at a cost of $5,000, with a 50% refund if unsuccessful.
Background:

• Education: I hold two master’s degrees: one in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from a university in Korea, and another in Computer Sciences from a university in the USA. I have received significant scholarships and media recognition during my academic tenure. The first, the Global Scholarship, covered both tuition and living expenses for two years at a Korean university. The second one was "KP Insurance Domestic Foreign Student Scholarship Support Project". My receipt of this scholarship was featured in some Korean newspapers, underscoring my active and valued participation in academic and research activities during my studies.
  
• Professional Experience: I have worked at Citibank contracted through a staffing company in the US for over two years, recently laid off due to company restructuring. My role was sponsored under the EB-2 category, and my Labor Certification was submitted in March 2024.
  
• Publications and Recognitions: My research has led to a publication on "Hazardous Sound Detection System Using Modified MFCC" as a Korean journal paper with only one citation
  
• Current Status: I am currently on an OPT STEM extension with a 150-day period to secure new employment.
  

Questions:

1. Based on the details provided, what do you think about the feasibility of a successful EB-2 NIW application?
2. Does my current unemployment status impact the feasibility of a successful EB-2 NIW application? If so, should I prioritize securing new employment before filing, or is it advisable to proceed with the application now?
3. Has anyone here used Green Card Link or similar services? What was your experience? Should I go ahead with them?
4. Are there other strategies or aspects I should consider to strengthen my application?

Thank you for your time and any guidance you can provide!

Hi, a lot of the time I see job titles in threads like "R5 level scientist" or "assistant director" and while i have the baseline intuition about what these jobs do and what their hierarchy is (executive director comes after senior director) i'm curious what the natural life cycle is for someone who joins industry after their PhD.
My naive assumption is that very broadly in terms of job "type" (with each band having multiple levels within it) it goes something like: scientist > entry level leadership (director) > senior leadership (vp) > c suite (if you're lucky/hardworking/careerist).
So I'm wondering more specifically that looks like and what standard career progression could be or is typical. E.g. start at scientist 1, two years later promote to sr scientist, two more years jump to principal, two more asst. director, etc. I assume most people cap out at some point? And that scientists are functionally pretty equivalent to postdocs in academia with the principal scientist operating like a PI?
Thanks for your time.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to come on here and explain a little about my experience with the Goodnight scholarship interview day and application since everything I saw on here when I was searching was either vague or pessimistic.

• I received an invitation to apply in either Feb or March. I had no idea what it was and thought it was spam (it is not! lol)
  
• I applied by late March (I forgot until the last day) and was just painfully honest about my life experiences that I thought were semi-relevant(even though I thought my experiences were boring)
  
• I was told I was a finalist a few weeks after that. I was then given info about the interview day… and was given around a week to confirm my place as a finalist.
  
• interview day was in late April and here’s my main takeaways:
  

-> there is no virtual option, everything is in person -> you cannot bring anyone else -> you must dress business-casual (no jeans, shorts, sweatshirts, or tees!) -> you are expected to mingle a LOT -> the interview itself is 15-20 mins -> it’ll be two people interviewing you in a room -> you MUST be there for the whole interview day (9-3 is what I think it was this past year) -> when you’re not interviewing, you are mingling, eating, and touring -> the scholars generally just want to get a feel for you -> you’ll be asked questions similar to: tell me about how you handled a difference of opinion, what are some leadership positions you’ve held, tell me about a challenge you overcame, etc. ->THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT ASK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR APPLICATION ESSAY (emphasized because I thought they would) -> if nothing else, it’s great job interview practice and free food

• I thought my interview was awful, but apparently it wasn’t as bad as I thought… so don’t stress it. They don’t take off points for being nervous or stuttering. They just want you to be honest and passionate!
  
• a couple weeks after interview day you’ll receive an email that denotes you as a recipient, an alternate, or a denied applicant. I cannot attest to what it’s like as an alternate, but I’d assume they offer a decision based on how many people decline their scholarship.
  
• I had two weeks to accept my scholarship after the decision came out (otherwise they give it away). This deadline is BEFORE the nc state student decision deadline… so I had to decide that I wanted the school earlier than others did.
  

If you have any other questions, please feel free to drop them below and I’ll answer if I can. You’ve got this! Go pack!

Hi all.
I'm finishing up my first year teaching (English 2). All throughout this year, I've dropped the ball on submittign things on time, attending meetings that I thought were optional, submitting lesson plans (that I have to plan alone) and I've had an instance where I've declined on the spot coaching in the middle of a lesson. All of these things occurred in the first semester, where I communcated that I was overwhelmed by the workload & lack of genuine support. *2 other first year teachers quit the first semester, and they kind of hogged the department chair's attention for weeks before they left* Since about October, I stopped hearing from the principal. At the beginning of the second semester, in a google form admin sent out, I requested more check ins. Havent recieved any. I have sent my principal urgent emails and have gotten no response, and she has observed me without giving me any feedback even though I requested it. Despite all of this, I started to get comfortable in the classroom over time.
About a month ago my principal pulled me for a meeting about contract renewal and proceeded to tell me she wasnt sure she could have me back because I didnt grow fast enough for her but she would let me know by the end of April. I just got news that I will be back next year, however it is only because my contract is two years and there is no way to terminate me without her losing money. At this point, I know she's kind of given up on me. Since being told I would be coming back I told her I feel like she's already tossed me to the wayside, and that I hope our relationshio could be better next year. She said that I'm confusing her role.
I know I shouldnt care so much about what someone thinks, but the excitement I started to develop for teaching is kind of gone knowing my leadership doesnt want me here. I want to come back for my kids and for a club im sponsoring, but I feel like a bad teacher. She also made a comment about how she shouldnt have to teach me to be professional, and that really gutted me because I know I struggle the most with those things.
Advice and/or encouragement would be appreciated.

Please leave any feedback for my resume! Preparing for 2025 summer internship cycle.
I left out going on exchange to Canada as I start in September. Dk if it’s worth putting? Something like “incoming exchange student”

https://nymag.com/intelligencearticle/jamaal-bowman-george-latimer-primary-israel.html
The Most Endangered Democrat in America Jamaal Bowman might lose his job over Israel.
By Ross Barkan
Jamaal Bowman, the two-term congressman from Westchester County and the would-be future of the progressive left, is tired of the questions about George Latimer. "Yeah, I mean, I think it says something about his character, his integrity, and his actual leadership for the district. But enough of him. When are we going to talk about me?"
We're at Salsa Picante, a Mexican restaurant in Port Chester, the heavily Latino village on the eastern reaches of the 16th congressional district. It's late April, and Bowman, munching on chicken empanadas, is in a cheery mood, despite my prodding on Latimer. The night before, Summer Lee, a fellow progressive in Congress, had survived a furious primary challenge, and Bowman senses a pattern. "Salut!" he calls out. "I'm excited, hopefully, for the whole progressive movement to zero in on NY-16. Let's get to work."
The work is daunting. Bowman, less than two months from the June 25 primary, is one of the most endangered Democratic incumbents in America. This is in spite of — or because of — his charisma and budding celebrity, his ability to slash through the noise of 435 House members and command attention on a scale only one or two levels removed from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A former public-school principal and self-described hip-hop head, Bowman marries her online savvy with a deft working-class touch. Burly and boisterous, with a knack for whipping up crowds, it is not hard to imagine him as a future presidential candidate, storming through South Carolina with a pack of reporters hanging on his every word.
But first he needs to win. And Latimer, the sitting Westchester County executive, has outraised him in the primary, thanks in part to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) — the conservative, ardently pro-Israel political powerhouse that is seeking to crush the pro-Palestinian movement and the left itself. "They do not want any critique, they do not want any accountability, and so what it looks like to people in my district and around the country is that Israel can do whatever it wants even though, to people on the outside looking in, it looks completely wrong and horrible," Bowman says of AIPAC. "One, it doesn't represent all the Jews. It doesn't represent all the Jews in Israel!"
"If Israel represents all the Jews," Bowman continues, revving up now, "and if Israel is doing bad things without accountability, some idiot in the street just makes the connection that, Oh, Jews must be bad because Israel is bad. That's fucking — excuse my language — that's effing scary, man, and dangerous. And as we fight antisemitism, that has to include accountability for Israel."
There was a time, not very long ago, when no member of Congress would speak this way. The Israeli government's response that has starved out Gaza and killed thousands of civilians has catalyzed a new era though. Mass protests have flooded the streets and rocked college campuses, including two, Columbia and City College, that are only a short drive from Westchester. Bowman has been an AIPAC target for his support of conditioning military aid to Israel and his willingness to label the military campaign in Gaza a "genocide," among other criticism lodged at the Jewish state. "AIPAC is one of the most powerful lobbies in America. Well you know what we have got to say to AIPAC? Bring it on," he said at his campaign kickoff earlier this year. "AIPAC, bring it on. We are not scared of none of that. I'm from the streets of New York."
In this deeply polarized moment, with Israel hawks reasserting themselves and the pro-Palestinian movement booming, few primaries in America offer a starker contrast between two candidates.
In one corner is Bowman, 48, the first Black congressman from Westchester who, just four years ago, unseated one of the staunchest Israel defenders in Congress, Eliot Engel. He immediately joined Ocaso-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib as one of the nation's leading progressives. Latimer, meanwhile, is a 70-year-old county executive, ex-state senator, ex-assemblyman, and ex-Rye councilman. (He also had a career, as he likes to remind voters, in marketing and sales.) After October 7, AIPAC asked Latimer to run against Bowman. "I was a reluctant bride," he told me in May, less than 24 hours after the NYPD had raided Columbia's campus to arrest the protesters who had occupied Hamilton Hall.
I met Latimer at the Mount Vernon Metro North station, where he dutifully passed out palm cards ("Good morning, I'm George Latimer, I'm on the ballot") to the few dreary commuters who ambled through. A couple lit up when they recognized him and one man, who was white, seemed to lament "identity politics" while promising his vote to Latimer. And it's easy to make this race, as much as it's become about Israel, about race: Latimer is the white ethnic, Irish and Italian, trying to depose a congressman who told me racism is the number-one issue facing the district and that he views himself, as the first Black man to hold this congressional seat, as a role model to Black youth throughout the area.
The district, which also ropes in a sliver of the northern Bronx including the sprawling and Bowman-friendly Co-op City, is both diverse and plenty segregated, with towns of immense wealth like Scarsdale lying within half-hour drives from working-class Yonkers. It's about 40 percent white, 29 percent Hispanic, and 21 percent Black. Bowman's trouble is that the white, well-heeled vote has soured on him, and Jews are expected to flock to Latimer. Jerry Skurnik, a Democratic consultant and data analyst, estimates that as much as 15 percent of the Democratic electorate who turn out in the primary might be Jewish. A conservative group, Westchester Unites, undertook an effort to register Jewish Republicans as Democrats to impact the primary, in an implicit effort to boost Latimer and undercut Bowman.
Both campaigns agree that Israel alone is not what motivates voters in Westchester and the Bronx, who are mostly consumed with the cost of living. Bowman, as a national figure, may be vulnerable to the very attacks that he once leveled against Engel: He's too high-flown to care adequately about quotidian Westchester concerns. "He has a different brand of politics which appeals more so to getting clicks and likes and retweets and making headlines versus someone who has delivered," said Tyrae Woodson-Samuels, the majority leader of the Westchester County Board of Legislators and a Latimer supporter.
Latimer is the rare insurgent who also profiles as an incumbent and can theoretically neutralize some of the attacks he's taking from the left. If, on Israel, Latimer has held to the rightward fringe of his own party — he refused, in his conversation with me, to support Chuck Schumer's call for Netanyahu to step aside — he is, on almost every other issue, a conventional, center-left Democrat. Until challenging Bowman, he regularly took the Working Families Party ballot line and earned plaudits from progressives for ousting Rob Astorino, his right-wing Republican predecessor as county executive.
"There are lots of people who really like both candidates," says Evan Roth Smith, a Democratic pollster. "For many voters, the most loyal Democratic voters who do turn out in these kinds of primaries, it's sort of like picking between mom and dad."
Latimer, in that sense, was the dream recruit for AIPAC and Democratic Majority for Israel, another influential PAC that is spending heavily in Democratic primaries to bludgeon progressives. His knowledge of the district is encyclopedic and he shows up at every town board meeting, chicken dinner, and parade imaginable; he tells me he's at train stations five days a week and bagel shops on weekends. He has the ability to cut into Bowman's Black support, with endorsements from the Democratic committees in Yonkers and Mount Vernon. Bowman has won the backing of the influential health-care workers' union 1199 SEIU, but Latimer has racked up his own support from civil-service, transit, and firefighters' unions. In his Facebook musings on classic rock and the Knicks, he comes off as earnest and homespun, a Mr. Fix-It paterfamilias.
The cash, though, is anything but homespun. Latimer, never a prolific fundraiser before, banked $3 million at the end of March, double Bowman's haul, and there are top donors who are either AIPAC-affiliated or cut checks to Donald Trump, including Alex Campos, Alex Dubitsky, and Stephen and Carolyn Lauro, who once hosted a Long Island fundraiser for Trump. Another donor is Daniel Loeb, the hedge-fund billionaire who accused Latimer's old ally, the Black State Senate majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, of doing "more damage to people of color than anyone who has ever donned a hood" because she wasn't a supporter of charter schools, is another donor.
"You're the reason why these guys are donating to me — because of what you said and done," Latimer says of Bowman at the New Rochelle Diner after finishing at the Mount Vernon train stop. "I'm not even soliciting them. I have an event, they send checks. It's not going to change what I do in Congress, Ross, I'm going to be a very progressive congressman on most policy issues."
"It's deeply disturbing that the Latimer campaign is being financed by many of the same people trying to elect Trump," says Jasmine Gripper, the co-director of the Working Families Party's New York chapter. "He's accepting financing from people actively working against the Democratic Party."
The real threat for Bowman is the super-PAC spending. AIPAC and DMFI together can blow past $20 million, if they choose, in attack ads and mail. (AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment.) And he offers them enough fodder, like a House censure for pulling a false fire alarm when Democrats were trying to stall a vote, which Bowman told me was an accident and Latimer believes was intentional. Blog posts Bowman wrote more than a decade ago appeared to give credence to 9/11 conspiracy theories and last week his YouTube page following conspiracy accounts became news. More recently, he was forced to apologize after lavishing praise on Norman Finkelstein, the acerbic anti-Israel scholar, at a panel discussion.
"Bowman has been one of the most anti-Israel members of the entire United States Congress," charges Mark Mellman, the president of DMFI. "If he is defeated, it will send a strong message to the rest of the country." Justice Democrats, the group that helped launch politicians like Bowman into orbit and is fighting desperately now to save him, would not disagree with that last part. "It's absolutely a threat to the progressive movement and I think we have to be clear-eyed about what's at stake here," Usamah Andrabi, the group's communications director, tells me. "The same people spending millions to try to elect Donald Trump and prevent Hakeem Jeffries from being speaker of the House are also spending millions to try to send George Latimer to Congress."
Latimer, who once falsely accused Bowman of taking money "from Hamas," argues the AIPAC cash has only arrived because he was already, long before the primary, genuinely pro-Israel. He also believes Bowman invited their wrath. "If Mike Tyson was in the room and I decided to go over to Mike Tyson and say, 'Hey Mike Tyson, bring it on, yo,' what do I think Mike Tyson might do to me? Whatever I used to be, I wouldn't be the same person after he finished with me."
Latimer has a fondness for analogies. He's sitting with me and his campaign spokeswoman, and there are three paunchy, middle-aged men at a table near us, sipping coffee. "You shouldn't return hostages as part of a negotiation. You should just return them. If someone came into this room, for the sake of argument — terrible analogy, I'm about to make — somebody came into this room and killed those three guys and me, wounded you, and kidnapped her, what right do they have to hold onto her? What right? This is not, 'Let's negotiate now.' Four dead bodies, you're wounded, and she's kidnapped, and God only knows what they did to the people they kidnapped. Now let's ceasefire and have a negotiation? That's ridiculous."
Latimer refuses to critique the Israeli military strategy in Gaza or declare he would, as a congressman, ask the U.S. government to condition military aid to Israel, as Biden has done in opposition to a potential Israel attack on Rafah. Unlike Bowman, he's supportive of the police crackdowns on pro-Palestinian college protests and gladly associates himself with Israel hawks Ritchie Torres, John Fetterman, and Hakeem Jeffries, the AIPAC ally and House Democratic leader who has tempered his own outward pugilism since ascending to the top of his party. Jeffries has endorsed Bowman, a courtesy to an incumbent, but he has not tried to restrain AIPAC.
One irony of the primary is that Bowman, in 2021, broke with the Democratic Socialists of America over his support for funding the Iron Dome, an Israeli missile-defense system, and visiting Israel with J Street, the liberal (and much smaller) counter to AIPAC. J Street, still proudly Zionist, rescinded their endorsement earlier this year after Bowman began, like many activists, to speak of the Gaza death toll in terms of genocide.
Bowman tells me he is for, like almost every American politician, a two-state solution: a nation for the Jews and a nation for the Palestinians. Many of the most prominent activist groups in the nation today, like Within Our Lifetime and Jewish Voice for Peace, call for a single, multinational democratic state that wouldn't necessarily guarantee a Jewish numerical majority — something that even most leftists in elected office shy away from.
I ask Bowman if Israel should always have a Jewish majority. Strikingly, unlike a vast majority of American politicians, he doesn't answer immediately in the affirmative. "It might have been the day after or definitely the weekend after we won against Congressman Engel — who's my guy, Peter Beinart, wrote a one-state piece that I thought was brilliant, I thought it was phenomenal," he says. "Some of this stuff is, like, I'm not Jewish, man, you know? So I don't want to be talking out of turn about Jewish issues. I'm also not Palestinian, right? It's the same kind of deal but because my values are rooted in human rights and I know my district well, I have to comment on these things. And I do."
"I want Palestinians to be free from occupation and apartheid and I want Jews to be safe — and Palestinians to be safe, of course. How do we do that?" he adds. "Jews should have a safe place to exist. What that looks like, the details of that, let's figure that out. That is not Jews are safe, Palestinians are under occupation — those two things can't co-exist anymore."
It would be an exaggeration to say that the future of the progressive movement hinges on the outcome of this one primary. With or without Bowman, the Squad will be larger than it was four years ago, and the activists in the streets won't be deterred if Latimer is sworn into Congress. Unconditional support for Israel is no longer a guarantee within the Democratic Party — look no further than Schumer applying the sort of pressure on the Netanyahu government that AIPAC loathes.
But a Bowman defeat would deprive the left of one of its most prominent voices at a moment when Establishment forces have regrouped from some of their losses over the last decade. The prospect of this not only makes AIPAC giddy but thrills moderate Democrats who are weary of the media attention and influence the Squad perpetually commands. The fear, for progressives, is that this primary could offer an obvious roadmap for the future: hunt out popular — or possibly venal — local politicians who are willing to target leftists and promise them a bounty of campaign cash and super-PAC spending if they take the plunge. Some more just might.

Hello everyone!
I've seen many resumes have received great feedback already, and I was hoping that I might be one of the lucky ones. I have already tried following the recommendations the best I can, but I am pretty sure I messed it up after all and would really appreciate some guidance.
My big issue is that I am about to finish my Master's Degree, and along with 12+ years of professional, practical experience, am having a hard time finding jobs/not immediately getting rejected without even going into interview phase.
It might be important to note that I am currently living in Europe and am looking to get jobs in either Switzerland/Zurich or America (Looking at Bay Area) if possible, using my extensive knowledge about Front- and Backend Development, DevOps, Security (thanks to my recent Masters Degree) or gaining experience in the SRE field.
I find it hard to quantify my achievements in a way of "Reduced latency by XX%" as I have not been in roles where I could measure such numbers without making things up, to be honest.
I was hoping to receive some advice on how/what to improve - Of course only if anyone has the time and willpower to help me out!
Resume
I would appreciate your help a lot, thank you very much!
​

This is my CV. I would to get some feedback on this to improve it. I look forward to your responses. Thanks in advance.

Barrios Virgüez promised $2,500 in financial support to a Hispanic student with exceptional leadership ability.
Aranza Sanchez's story highlights the importance of supporting young leaders from diverse backgrounds in pursuing their education and career goals. The scholarship not only provides financial aid but also recognizes Sanchez's advocacy efforts, setting an example for others to follow. Barrios Virgüez's commitment to empowering students like Sanchez demonstrates the positive impact of investing in the next generation of leaders.
Read More https://newsramp.com/curated-news/barrios-virguez-awards-2500-scholarship-to-hispanic-student-aranza-sanchez/6449ecb1e92568f3fab5165db1fde26b

I applied through Common App and Questbridge. I will separate as much as possible Demographics: - Gender: Male - Ethnicity: Mexican/Guatemalan - Residence: Illinois - Income bracket: low income - Type of school: Catholic/private - Hooks: First generation and low income
Academics: Intended major: Psychology Sat/ACT: Test-optional GPA: 3.71UW,4.1 W (school has weird gpa scale) Rank: No class rank AP’s/Honors: 7 and 4-5 Honors? ( 4 in AP Spanish)
Honors: - Questbridge Finalist - HSF finalist - National honor society - Spanish national honor society - Student of the month 😭
ExtracurriculaActivities (Questbridge) - 4 jobs (Landscaping, Retail store worker, Usher at Chicago stadiums/events, Busserunner at a restaurant) - 2 Mission trips ( 5 day to a reservation in minessota , 3-day in Chicago) - Varsity soccer - Varsity track- Captain - Religious retreat- Leader - Student council- Officer Extracurricular Activities ( Common App) - 1st Job (2022-2023) Retail store worker - 2nd job (2023- present) Usher - 3rd job (2023-present) BusseRunner - 2 Mission trips ( 5 day to a reservation in minessota , 3-day in Chicago) - Varsity soccer (4 years) - Varsity track (Captain, 4 years) - Religious retreat leader (Leader, 2 years) - 190+ service/community hours playing sports with kids with disabilities , church volunteering, etc. (Volunteer 3 years) - Student council ( 4 years, officer)
QUESTBRIDGE ESSAYS: Short answers Part 1 - Proudest achievement was my witness talk at a religious retreat and my leadership role 8/10 - I wrote about Carlo Acutis as the historical figure that I would meet 5/10 Short answers part 2 - 8.5/10 Essay 1 (Main Essay) - I wrote about experiencing my parents strong work ethic, sacrifices, and embracing my Hispanic coatings and American culture 11/10 Essay 2 - I talked about experiencing the switch of public to Catholic school and how it opened doors for me that I never knew I would 7/10
COMMON APP ESSAY (Prompt 1) - My essay was about growing up in a Hispanic and Catholic household as a twin and how the culture affected our brotherhood and views in the world (11/10, this essay cooked)
SCHOOL SUPPLEMENTS: - I wanna keep this short so I’d say my best essays were UIUC, COLGATE, UCHICAGO, and Wisconsin Madison - I should’ve done better for my Questbridge schools LOR’S - I’m thankful for all my LOR’s and I think they were all (8.5-10/10). I was close with all the teachers and coach’s/leaders that wrote them
Interviews: - WashU 10/10: I think this interview was really good and my interviewer said good things about me and how I’d be a good fit ( at least that’s what he told me who knows what he wrote down)
Decisions QUESTBRIDGE MATCH: 1. Notre dame, 2.Uchicago 3. Northwestern 4.WashU ( Did not match, this was the start of my villain Arc Dec 1😈)
EA: UIUC ( Deffered) Notre Dame (Deffered ) Uchicago (Deffered)
QUESTBRIDGE RD: Grinnell- Waitlisted Denison- Waitlisted UVA- Rejected Uchicago- Rejected College of the holy cross- Waitlisted Boston College- Rejected Williams college- Waitlisted (I was shocked at this one I thought I’d get rejected, only waitlist I’m joining) Colgate- Waitlisted Vanderbilt- Rejected Notre dame-rejected Northwestern- Rejected WashU- Rejected 🥲 (My interviewer lied for sure)
COMMON APP RD (ALL W’s IN THE CHAT) UIUC- ACCEPTED ( Commiting) Wisconsin Madison- ACCEPTED CAE SCHOLAR (full ride) UMICH- ACCEPTED Loyola Chicago, Miami- Ohio ( I applied to the wrong Miami lmao), Dayton, NIU, Marquette, Iowa, Dominican - ACCEPTED (Honors, Presidental scholarships, etc)
Additional info: - I added a lot of personal circumstances I sadly went through high school, and balancing my time with school, work, and extracurriculars ( I got a C in my mid year report). I feel like this is really important and to take advantage of this section.
Thoughts/ REFLECTION: - I am so happy with my results, UIUC was always my dream school, and I let the idea of other schools get in the way and honestly I went through so much with Questbridge but I will never regret it, I’m glad with the results I got. I met amazing people through the process, but common app is definitely the way to go if you want more space for EC’s , QB for your story. It hit me at first, but RD is finally over and I think I had a pretty successful journey. Advice - Search for opportunities to explore your college options, I wish I knew about Questbridge and fly-in programs, etc. that would strengthen my application. Continue to work hard, dedicated, and push, it’s gonna be a long ride but once you reach the end it’ll be all worth it. God bless everyone 🙏🏾.

Hello, I am a rising senior and I am really scared about college apps. I am planning to REA to harvard because it's my dream school and I want to shoot my shot. Our school is sort of a feeder school but not particularly for harvard (2 people every other year kinda situation). I know a few people who will also REA to Harvard and they are also really strong or in some aspects I feel have better stats (such as 1560 SAT, or research from biotech company that's like published on biorxiv). I feel really stressed about the competition and everything, so here I am seeking external help from the internet ig lol
Idk if this adds anything but my plans this summer: hospital volunteering to get more clinical hours for the BSMD programs I am applying to, continue internship at NIH (in person and longer time, hopefully working on my own project that can get published or submitted to competitions), internship at another federal agency part time (paid)(this is tentative), got in contact to help write a chapter of a book with a prof from a T20 school published with like oxford press, work on my high school research group and publish my august, summer school cause i need a honors world history credit, and obvious writing college essays
Any advice to improve my application would be greatly appreciated as well! Thank you so much for reading that so far and sorry for the length of everything!
Heres the rest of my stats:
Demographics: asain (Chinese), female, US public large HS, large class of 400-600ish, upper middle class
Hooks (URM, first-gen, legacy, athlete, etc): First-Gen (only college in the USA)
Intended Track/Major: Pre-Med/bio or neuroscience (other potential majors: art and public health)
GPA and Rank: 4.0 UW, 4.89 W, my school doesn't rank like should be 1 based on my WGPA and also my course rigor cause I was only the second person in my school ever (the first person ever is a current senior going to columbia) to take AP science and AP math in 10th
SAT/PSAT: 1530 (R740, M790) / 1470 psat (I don’t think high enough to get semifinalist, probably just commended)
Coursework: 14 aps (2 canceled - retaking one (stats), three 5s so far, physics 1 - 4, self studied for 3 of them, hoping for 5s in rest I think doable), 9 college credits (6 college psych research, 2 from unc chapel hill, 1 from mv calc from state university)
Activities:

• two year internship at NIH in cancer biology (11-12)
• psych research at a university (summer of 2023)
  • getting acknowledged in publication, potentially cited as a like author not sure yet
• Fellowship with congressman (congressman is a doctor as well) (11th)
• president of a bio club at my school (started 11th)
  • with 130+ members, has fundraised almost $1000 so far hoping to get $2500+ by end of year
• head/started a research group (doing getting started: 11th-summer)
  • around like 10 ppl, applying a algorithm for drug discovery to bone cancer, goal is also to get published by the end of summer, mentor by local organization
• planning committee for national summit (10-11)
  • summit at Georgetown for asain studies 150 rsvp
• founder of nonprofit bridging bio opportunities (started 11th)
  • reaching 800 ppl
  • organized a county wide exhibit with national organizations and speakers over 60 attendees
• started bio olympiad (started in 9th running it since)
  • Organized and started a bio Olympiad at my school
  • ppl who registered have doubled each year
• two other independent research project mentored by professors (9th, 10th)
• pioneer research (10th - summer)
• chief operations officer at two other nonprofits (beginning 9th)
  • small bc my friends started them, probably not gonna list on actually college apps cause low impact
• founder of a nonprofit related to neurodegenerative diseases (started 10th)
  • to help the elderly and raise awareness abt neurodegenerative diseases
  • reaching over 60 ppl
  • will expand before apply to college -> nationally by end of summer across at least 3 states
• volunteer at elderly day care center which inspired my nonprofit (since 10th)
• Hospital volunteer at nearby hospital from now til next year or so
  • will commit 100+ hours
• leadership at our schools international night (11th)
  • raised money for charity and 100+ attendees, 60+ volunteers involved, head of a committee (reviving this tradition after many years)

Awards

• Scholarship award by like a embassy or commerce organization (regional-national 2024)
• community award by the US commissioner of health at science fair (10th regional/national)
• couple state, community, national art awards like scholastics (got several gold keys and sliver and other stuff - National/international) (all throughout high school)
• junior breakthrough top 10% (international 9th-summer 2022)
• Georgetown future shaper 2nd (National 10th)
• sliver on British bio Olympiad (international 11th)
• certificate of meritorious service & superintendent student service learned (will be awarded this at graduation) (National/regional)
• us figure skating gold medalist for MIF (National)
• level 8 pianist from trinity college (National? International?)
• applied to some other national/International awards but waiting to hear back, hoping for the best

Letter of recommendation:

• Two bio teacher had both for many years.
  • One of them mentioned smth along the lines of best student l've ever met or smth and also sponsors my club
  • Other helped me with internship/internship coordinator.
• My English teacher in 9th will take elective in 12th; known me since 9th grade, helped me with junior breakthrough, is helping me with another essay writing comp rn, really good writer.
• Perhaps a rec from math teacher I will tailor for just Harvard because my math teacher asks what you want her to write
• Submitting also an optional rec from NIH PI.

Not sure abt essays yet
Additional Stuff: I will be submitting a Art portfolio to where ever will take my art portfolio lol
College List:

• Early: Harvard REA (dream school), UNC Chapel Hill (EA), UMich (EA), UMD (EA)
• Reaches: Harvard, Brown PLME, Cornell, Columbia, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale, UPenn, Duke, JHU, MIT, BU, Stanford, CMU, Northwestern, UChicago, UVA, Emory, Tufts, Georgetown, GW BAMD, Howard BSMD, UCLA, Berkeley, UCSB, Vandy, UMich, Swarthmore, Barnard
• Targets: UMD, Virginia Tech, Pitt
• Safeties: Umass Amherst, American University