Anyone wanna chance me for ED?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>SAT:
- Critical reading 800
- Math 640
- Writing 780</p>

<p>SAT IIs:
- U.S. History 800
- Biology 790
- Literature 790</p>

<p>School: Fairly low-ranked public school</p>

<p>Rank: 5/578 (unwtd), 6/578 (wtd); actual rank is higher but school refuses to update from junior year</p>

<p>GPA: 3.89 (unwtd), 4.62 (wtd); GPA has increased substantially every successive year</p>

<p>Race/Religion: White/Jewish</p>

<p>AP Exams:
- AP Bio - 5
- APUSH - 5
- AP English Lit - 5
Students could only take a max of four AP classes before senior year so it's not like I did just the bare minimum. </p>

<p>ECs:
- Cross Country, JV (based on race times, about 30 sec away from varsity) in grade 12
- Peer mentor (chosen by guidance) in grade 12
- Spanish club member since grade 10
- Yearbook editor grades 10 and 11 (quit because there was no recognition and I didn't enjoy it)
- Independent guitarist since grade 8
- Guest guitarist at a benefit show for an injured high school alumnus grade 11
- Have been running six days a week and lifting weights three days a week since grade 10</p>

<p>Senior year schedule (excluding lunch and phys. ed.):
AP English Language
Honors Humanities
AP Physics
AP Chemistry
AP Psychology
AP Government
AP Calculus (jumped from regular Algebra II in grade 11 to AP Calculus grade 12; getting an A)</p>

<p>Not getting lower than an A- in any of these classes</p>

<p>Essay: Wrote about my rejection from a county magnet school in eighth grade, the lessons I learned from the experience, and how it was for the best overall. Two teachers agreed it was well-done. </p>

<p>Recommendation letters: Three sent, at least one is amazingly good (called me one of "the most brilliant students [he's] ever had" which totally isn't true but whatever works), other two unknown</p>

<p>Intended major: Neuroscience</p>

<p>I guess it's kinda dumb posting a thread like this so close to the decision but every once in a while I get incredibly nervous about my chances so here's hoping for some feedback. Columbia is basically the only school I really want to go to.</p>

2

<p>I think that your academics are slightly above average. Your GPA is good but your math SAT is on the lower end. The main problem I see with your application is the EC portion. I don’t see any truly unique or prestigious ECs that would make you stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. Best of luck though!</p>

3

<p>The essay stung me: typical “rejection=learning from it.” Admissions scoffs at those. It really seems that you are academically capable of being a Columbian but not intellectually capable of portraying yourself as one in your application with the lack of ECs and the essay.</p>

4

<p>I agree with brandnew; it is going to significantly hurt you, not have at least 1 EC that you were a part of for the 4 years of high school and more. As in there is no show of dedication on your part too. </p>

<p>Your academics are pretty good, and your essay could be very well written, but the topic is a bit cliche. Good luck!</p>

5

<p>SAT: great overall but low math scores
Your academics seem pretty on-par or even above average. Your EC’s could make and break you depending on how they were presented in your application\ how the admissions committee will perceive them. I wouldn’t know enough about the essay and what topics work and don’t work to make a judgement but overall your application seems borderline acceptance. </p>

<p>Best of luck to you.</p>

6

<p>I think you will get in personally.</p>

7

<p>@SheepGetKilled
I appreciate the confidence but what makes you so sure? The more I think about it the less likely admission seems for me. I feel like some of my short answers were kinda iffy (I said the Core was the reason I wanted to attend Columbia, which is absolutely true, but I’d have to imagine they would get that all the time) and my interview wasn’t really stellar. It wasn’t bad, but my interviewer seemed a bit more interested in getting all the questions over with and answered than having a conversation with me. </p>

<p>I kinda wish I had been a bit more devoted to school activities than I was. I never really cared for them (still don’t, besides cross country and track) and I never really did anything remarkable on my own until I started getting into music and fitness. Oh well, I suppose it’s out of my hands now.</p>

8

<p>Yeah I agree with columbiafan, you may have made a mistake by choosing to do a topic like that for your essay. But then again, I didn’t read it, so I can’t really judge it.</p>

<p>ECs are a bit average (not weak exactly, but not strong either). Academics seem to be fine. So you have a decent chance.</p>

9

<p>Wow - those are some impressive stats. I’d say you hace a 39% chance of being admitted ED.</p>

10

<p>When the Columbia rep came to my school, she said that the most common answers for that short response were because Columbia in New York and because it was Ivy League. I’m sure most people on CC would be intelligent enough not to select those topics to write about but she made it seem as though a large chunk of applicants chose those reasons. She actually mentioned that it would be a good idea to write about the Core seeing as it a very unique aspect about the university.</p>

11

<p>I’m wondering if writing about the Core is becoming less of a good idea as people start to catch on. Every single meeting I went to told me not to write about New York/Ivy League too much, and they all pushed the Core very heavily. Maybe they’ll just see it as a success for them in marketing the school, but the more unique you can be, the better! There are so many other great things about Columbia~</p>