At the time of writing, three of my students had received offers from KAIST. Congratulations to all of them.
Two appeared to have predicted IB scores of 45. Their records are unusually strong, which makes them inspiring examples for younger students while also showing just how competitive selective university admissions can be.
One student described a predicted IB score of 45, school grades consisting almost entirely of 7s, and an SAT score of 1550. The profile also included mathematics and science competition awards, science and engineering club activities, and substantial volunteer service.
Even with those achievements, the student still felt anxious. Strong applicants often do, especially while an IB offer remains conditional on final results. The best response is to stay calm and continue working consistently until the end.
Another successful applicant had an IB Chemistry record connected with a 45-point profile and eleven AP scores of 5. One of these students also received an Oxford offer, while another was admitted to Cambridge.
A different applicant with an IB score around 42 and three AP scores of 5 was not admitted. That comparison is a reminder that KAIST decisions cannot be reduced to one score: academic depth, activities, context, and the complete application all matter.
Congratulations again to the students. I hope their examples give younger applicants useful perspective without making anyone feel that there is only one acceptable path or profile.