A Future, or at Least a Chance, at Columbia?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>So now that only a couple of months remain until college admissions time, it's crunch time for seniors, myself included. Am I a strong applicant for Columbia RD? </p>

<p>Location: Michigan
Ethnicity: Hispanic immigrant
Sex: Female
First generation college student, very low income.</p>

<p>GPA (W): 4.06 (My school's weighted GPA is strangely designed so that the highest a student can receive is a 4.2, which I'm pretty sure has never happened. The highest colleges will see my GPA will be a 4.08.)
Rank: 1/442</p>

<p>I've taken the hardest courses available at my school, which by the way is very urban and inner city. We are considered by Johns Hopkins to be a "drop out factory," which pretty much says it all. </p>

<p>ACT: 27 (Yes, it's low, but the average at my school is lower than a 20. Will this make Columbia look at my score in a different light?)</p>

<p>^ Is this the only weakness to my application??</p>

<p>SAT IIs:</p>

<p>U.S. History: 720 (Retaking it most likely, especially since I plan on either majoring or minoring in History.)</p>

<p>Will take the SAT Subject Tests in Biology and Lit. in October, and expect low 700's for Bio and mid 700's for Lit.</p>

<p>APs:
10th
AP US History (5)</p>

<p>11th
AP Biology
AP American Gov.
AP Spanish (Self-study)
AP Psychology (Self-study)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I'm certain I received 5's in all except Bio.</p></li>
<li><p>Expect AP Scholar with Honor by the time I apply in the fall.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>12th
AP Environmental Science
AP Statistics
AP English
AP European History
AP World History (Self-study)
AP Art History (Self-study)
AP Comp Gov. (Self-study)</p>

<p>ECs:
*Editor-in-Chief of high school newspaper
- Accepted and attending a summer program at Michigan State University for high school journalists in Michigan; will take an InDesign class.</p>

<p>*Academic Decathlon</p>

<p>*Excellers (President)
- Chief Coordinator or a school-wide International Day that showcased diversity and cultures. The club itself is devoted to diversity and community service.</p>

<p>*County Youth Commission (Secretary, most likely President next year.)
- Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee
- Chair of the Government Education Committee
- Paid Summer Intern at 4-H Civic Academy where I will introduce prospective members of the youth commission to youth enfranchisement and leadership.</p>

<p>*NHS (Vice President)</p>

<p>*"Girls to Women" Conference
- Created, and in the process of organizing, a conference on issues young girls have to combat as they reach womanhood; working with local and state leaders and heads of women organizations and movements.</p>

<p>*Young Women's Commission
- In the process of working with my county's Women's Comm. to organize and implement a commission which will appoint young women from my county to lobby, organize, and discuss matters and events relating to young women.</p>

<p>*Internship with a Michigan State Senator this summer.</p>

<p>Possible Majors & Minors:</p>

<p>Sociology
Psychology
Women's Studies</p>

<p>Community Service
221+ volunteer hours</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Library Page at a local library; 10 hours/week.</p>

<p>Awards:
Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution Student Fellow
- I was the only student selected from Michigan to go to this convention for high school journalists in Philadelphia. I was featured in newspapers around the country due to this.</p>

<p>QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship Recipient</p>

<p>Honor Roll</p>

<p>Ventures Scholar</p>

<p>Sophomore of the Year (School Award)</p>

<p>Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Speech</p>

<p>Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Interview</p>

<p>Academic Decathlon Highest Team Scorer</p>

<p>Well... chance away!</p>

2

<p>Take the SAT, it’ll give context to your ACT score and may well make a better case than the ACT would.</p>

<p>Your profile’s theme seems to center around:</p>

<ul>
<li>Journalism</li>
<li>Women’s advocacy</li>
<li>Volunteerism</li>
</ul>

<p>These are good themes. Consider, in your remaining time, how best to package these in essays or in other subjective presentation areas. What story do you want to tell about who you are and what you would do on campus?</p>

<p>Lastly, if Columbia really is where you want to be, consider applying early decision. your odds are better, even controlling for applicant strength. you’re getting your act together early enough that it’s a realistic option for you, and right now the teachers who might write you recommendations aren’t doing anything :slight_smile: The earlier you ask the earlier you get stuff all lined up.</p>

<p>You definitely have a chance. Even a decent chance. The problem is standing out. The difference-makers will tend to be (1) whether they can knock any major holes in your application (another reason to take the SAT), (2) essay quality, and maturity / character it demonstrates, and (3) the why-columbia blurb and your reasoning for making such a big life decision. as long as nothing’s keeping you out, that’s what will get you in.</p>

3

<p>I can’t take the SAT since in October I’ll be taking the SAT II. Also, I’ll make sure to have my EC’s seem focused because they really do speak to my “passions.”</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>

<p>Anyone?</p>

4

<p>Small thing- you do realize that a 750 on SATII Lit is like 99th percentile, right? Don’t set your expectations too high on that one.</p>

5

<p>Oh, really? Well, what’s a good score for Columbia when it comes to Lit.?! Should I shoot for a 700? What about for Bio? Ok, I’m done asking questions. LOL!</p>

6

<p>Your low ACT score won’t be offset by a lower average from your high school ACT is standardized, that is, you’re being compared to everyone in the country who took it.</p>

7

<p>Bio isn’t too bad. I got a 770, and that’s in the higher end of the spectrum, apparently. Try shooting for a 750?</p>

8

<p>I don’t think you should re-take the History SAT II. Your score is fine and your strength in the subject is demonstrated by your AP score.</p>

9

<p>Agreed. The only “hole” I can pick in your application, on its objective face (such things are of course highly subjective), is the ACT score. You probably can’t change that, but you can take the SAT, and given the rest of your profile it seems likely that you’d kick the snot out of it.</p>

<p>CollegeBoard used to have a september SAT date. It seems they do not anymore, which is odd. Anyway, there’s no harm in taking the test Nov 1st, using it for your regular-decision apps, and maybe even getting it sent in for consideration of your early decision app, if you go that route. It’s $45, and the satisfaction of having a second crack at what many regard as a tougher test. If you can get 5’s in a bunch of AP tests, you can knock the SAT out of the park.</p>

10

<p>I’ll definitely take the SATs in November and apply to Columbia RD. Yes, I think it’ll be the ACT scores that will cause the most (and hopefully only) concern. I also won’t retake the US History SAT II. </p>

<p>Thanks for the great advice!</p>