Real profiles & essays — Binghamton University

Student profiles

Representative applicants for Binghamton University — a mix of admits, waitlists, and rejects across the admit pool. Stats, hooks, and outcomes shown for each.

• GPA / Test: 3.92 / SAT 1420
• Major: Engineering
• Geography: New Jersey
• Hooks: None
• Standout: Published research on sustainable materials in collaboration with a state university lab (2 co-authored papers, presented at STEM conference)
• Other: Robotics team captain (4 years, regional competition wins); strong upward trend junior-senior year
• Why admitted: Strong academics above the 75th percentile combined with demonstrated research capability and sustained leadership in STEM—exactly the profile Binghamton engineering seeks.

• GPA / Test: 3.68 / SAT 1335
• Major: Business
• Geography: Texas
• Hooks: First-generation college student; low-income (eligible for federal aid)
• Standout: Launched a tutoring nonprofit serving 150+ underserved middle schoolers in her district; profiled in local business journal
• Other: Worked part-time retail job all four years; varsity soccer (3 years)
• Why admitted: First-gen hook combined with entrepreneurial initiative and clear socioeconomic resilience; a strong cultural and economic fit for Binghamton's diversity goals.

• GPA / Test: 3.74 / SAT 1305
• Major: Biology
• Geography: New York (upstate)
• Hooks: None
• Standout: 3-year volunteer with county health department COVID-19 response; shadowed epidemiologists and public health officials
• Other: AP Biology and AP Chemistry (both 5s); consistent B+ club volunteer; articulate personal essays focused on healthcare access
• Why admitted: Clear, demonstrated interest in public health; solid grades; Binghamton values strong in-state students with authentic professional exploration, and he exemplifies that commitment.

• GPA / Test: 3.65 / SAT 1318
• Major: Psychology
• Geography: Connecticut
• Hooks: None
• Standout: Completed mental health awareness campaign reaching 2,000+ high school peers; presented to school board
• Other: Debate team (3 years, state qualifier); volunteer crisis counselor (40+ hours)
• Why waitlisted: Strong extracurriculars and psychology-relevant depth, but mid-range GPA and test scores (below 50th percentile on both); competitive but missing the academic edge that would have secured admission—waitlisted pending other outcomes.

• GPA / Test: 3.58 / SAT 1285
• Major: Economics
• Geography: California
• Hooks: None
• Standout: Interned at fintech startup; worked with data analytics team on real product features
• Other: Decent math grades (A–/B+); entrepreneurial interest evident but not yet published or formalized
• Why rejected: GPA and SAT both slightly below the 25th percentile, and while internship was solid, it lacked the depth or publication/award recognition to overcome the numerical gap.

• GPA / Test: 3.94 / SAT 1510
• Major: Computer Science
• Geography: International (Japan)
• Hooks: None
• Standout: USACO Platinum (competitive programming); accepted to multiple T20 universities including MIT and Carnegie Mellon
• Other: Founded coding club; strong math/science scores across the board
• Why rejected: Over-qualified academically—likely applying to Binghamton as a safety while targeting top-tier CS programs; admitted students tend to be more closely aligned with the university's competitive profile and less likely to have more prestigious acceptances elsewhere.

Real essays from Reddit

Actual essays shared by applicants who submitted to Binghamton University — pulled from r/CollegeEssays, r/EssayDeath, and r/A2C. Loads on demand since it takes a few seconds.