<p>I'm trying to figure out whether it is better to apply to Columbia GS Early Action for fall term, Regular decision for fall term, or Early Action for spring term. </p>
<p>Are applicants more likely to be accepted when they apply Early Action to Columbia GS? </p>
<p>Do more students apply for the Fall or Spring semester? If more students apply for fall semester, would it increase my chances for acceptance to apply in the spring? </p>
<p>Attending Columbia has always been my dream...is there anything I can do to better my application, any kind of activity or strength I should highlight, that will help me get in? I was never in the military and I am not an olympic athlete, though I am a non-traditional student. </p>
<p>Any advice is welcome...anything that might help or any info you'd like to share. Thank you!</p>
<p>Early Action is not at all like Early Decision. Early Action just allows your application to be viewed earlier. The regular applicants in June are reviewed the same was as Early Action; this means that the acceptance rate is the same for both applicant pools. Fall admission is the most competitive.</p>
<p>Is fall admission most competitive because there are significantly more applicants? If I wait to apply for spring will it really help? It would mean delaying my education another four months.</p>
<p>And if early action allows my application to be viewed earlier, wouldn’t that give me a better chance?</p>
<p>Charlie, I am experiencing the same dilemma- would rather start this fall, but will postpone my education if applying for spring promises to be more successful. </p>
<p>I know on the website it states that one may not apply to any of the Columbia schools (CC, Barnard, SEAS, GS) more than once every three years. However, the admissions manager I spoke to at GS said I should just re-apply if I don’t get in. Weird, eh?</p>
<p>Fall is always more competitive at whatever institution you apply to.</p>
<p>That’s essentially what I was told. That I can apply this fall, and if I am rejected I can meet with someone from admissions to discuss why I was rejected…then reapply in the spring. But I can’t imagine that in four months time much would change about me or my application. </p>
<p>Is there really a significant difference between applying to Columbia GS in fall and in spring? If it means I’m more likely to be accepted, I have no problem waiting. I’d just like to know what kind of percentage I’m looking at…am I 10% more likely to be accepted? 20%? But, I’m sure I’m not going to be able to find any kind of specific answer.</p>
<p>Its totally up to you. Im not admissions so I cant tell you what your chances are ( or anyone else on this board.) since the admissions process is holistic in nature. The prospective applicant pool is constantly evolving; your chances are measured against your competitive peers. Some semesters an applicant will have a better shot than others at acceptance, but which, I have no clue. All I know is that most people come out with their guns slinging for Fall semester, and this group includes war heroes, business owners, and Columbia Alumni changing careers etc etc.</p>
<p>Well, what would your advice be? I’m not a war hero, I’m not a Columbia grad changing careers…</p>
<p>I’m only 19. I have a 3.3 from Lehigh, I’ve completed my freshman year there than had to take this year off due to personal/ financial difficulties. During this time, I’ve started my own business and non-profit organization, but still…I’m not a CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation by any means. </p>
<p>I know you can’t give me any insight as to whether I’ll get in, but maybe some insight as to how to improve my application?</p>
<p>If our 19 and you truly want to be in Columbia as a non-traditional candidate, then If I were you, I would retake the classes you did not get an A in, and consider taking summer courses, and an extra semester at your current institution. You should also retake the SAT’s until you get a high score. You can apply for spring, but just know that a 3.4 is low. In other words, TRY, but just know that the odds are not in your favor unless you boost your grades up to at LEAST 3.7. Although students have a chance with a 3.0, most, if not all students that are accepted have at least a 3.7. If you are rejected and retake classes, the school will look at the initiative favorably. Just dont make your semester course load easy because they can see through this. </p>
<p>Extracurricular activities like SGA and being a president of your own club, or doing something exotic and new that no one has done like going to japan to learn about culture for a year and providing them pictures of your journey would also show initiative, or being a volunteer editor for an online website etc etc. And it is also true that Liberal Arts majors gain preference over any major because Columbia is a Liberal arts school.</p>
<p>In the end, you should be able to wrap your experiences, and what you learned from retaking your classes into one nice GS Autobiographic package that is a sure win. </p>
<p>The best thing about doing it the way I suggested is that if you get the grades up and the SAT up to par, along with the EC’s, you would be a competitive transfer for a few ivy schools like Cornell and UPenn, not just Columbia GS.</p>
<p>I can’t go back to Lehigh right now to retake classes because they offered me considerably less aid for the remainder of my time at their institution. Would it make a difference if I took classes in New York City (where I live) as a non-matriculated student somewhere, so I could retake some of the classes I didn’t get an A in? I never received anything lower than a B, I just got A’s and B’s. </p>
<p>Also, I do not have an impressive ACT/ SAT score. I never took the SATs and got a 27 on the ACTs. Would you recommend taking this fall term off, taking classes as a non-matriculated student, and retaking the ACTs/ SAT? </p>
<p>Also, do I have to retake classes I already took or can I take new classes that would count for credit when I transfer? These classes might boost my gpa</p>
<p>And, I’ve been reading a lot about students that have been accepted…I know most of them have 3.7s or 4.0s, but they are from community college. I have a 3.4 from a private 4-year institution Lehigh University, shouldn’t that make a difference when they are looking at my gpa?</p>
<p>Well, definitely apply, it doesnt hurt. </p>
<p>But in the meantime, if you get rejected:</p>
<p>You dont have to take the same courses if you have less than 60 credits. For me, I retook dumb courses that I could have had an A in ( Speech, History etc) but I didn’t have proper direction at the time I took those classes. So what I did was move on to a completely new school and started with a liberal arts program and I just took honors courses in chem, bio, economics, English and Literature, and Calculus and made sure I did my best and got A’s while retaking some of the courses that were equivalent to the courses I didnt get an A in at my other institution. Again, think common sense, your applying to an Ivy League school, no matter how inept you think GS applicants are, they want leadership potential, and that means being the president or executive board member of everything under the sun and doing things that you know other prospective applicants arent doing is what is going to make you stand out. Sports wouldnt hurt too.</p>
<p>So, I apply fall. </p>
<p>If I get rejected, I take classes as a non-matriculated student at hunter or nyu for the fall term. Get A’s. Retake the SATs and apply? </p>
<p>How important are the SATs do you think? I only got a 27 ACT</p>
<p>Thank you for all your insight by the way, it’s really helpful.</p>
<p>I sent you a message because I felt the information I gave was too valuable to make public.</p>
<p>Let me try to give a definitive answer to this question: there’s no difference. </p>
<p>There isn’t a set number of seats available for a year or term, as far as GS admissions is concerned. If you’re a qualified candidate, you don’t have to compete against other candidates for one spot. You only have to meet their criteria, objective and otherwise, in a way that sufficiently demonstrates the chance that you’ll be able to perform on the Columbia. In this sense, its good not to talk competitive statistics.</p>
<p>So based on what you’ve read about my specific situation, would your advice be to take this next term off and take classes at a community college in the city? </p>
<p>Or apply and see what happens. I have a 3.4 from Lehigh University and only a 27 ACT</p>
<p>hellojan to the rescue!</p>
<p>And lol at, “I sent you a message because I felt the information I gave was too valuable to make public.” What is this, a line from a late night infomercial? haha</p>
<p>Pardon my typo. I meant to write “…on the Columbia level.” </p>
<p>A 3.4 at Lehigh isn’t bad at all. I’d recommend applying sooner rather than later. Remember, there’s plenty of people coming into GS that haven’t even taken the SAT or ACT. So, I wouldn’t worry too much about that score.</p>
<p>Okay, thank you so much. I’m meeting with an admissions officer before I actually apply to discuss what my best option is. </p>
<p>But I have been informed that Columbia accepts students, as you already said, not based on the number of available seats but if you are qualified. So, it doesn’t matter whether I apply spring or fall…as long as I’m qualified for the program I’ll get in. But if taking classes to raise my gpa is what I need to do to get in, I’m all for it.</p>