<p>Hi everybody! I'm really curious to hear what you all think. I'm just an average, middle class white girl from the suburbs. Both my parents went to college but both dropped out. </p>
<p>--GPA: 4.55/4.5 weighted
--Rank: 4 out of around 500
--SAT I score (superscored): 2110--I know that I can do better and am retaking in October. I made some silly mistakes!
--SAT II score: 740 US Hist. Will take French w/ Listening and Bio M in November.
--APs: 11 total, with all 5s on the 5 tests I've already taken
--Overall courseload: All honors and AP aside from a few electives </p>
<p>ECs!
--School drama productions. I spend most of my time doing this and I'm super commited. I've been both on and off stage and, most importantly, wrote my own one-act play which was produced by the school and performed at a district competition. I want to major in theatre and become a playwright.
--Volunteer work with the Institut Van Gogh. I'm the only high school student to work with this organization based in France (I'm incredibly passionate about it). I've been offered a month-long, paid internship to work at the Institut in France next summer. I'm probably going to end up double majoring in French!
--NHS member since sophomore year. I currently lead the high school tutoring committee.
--Drama Club member since freshman year. Became Vice President junior year, and will hopefully be elected President this coming year!
--Academic Team member since junior year
--International Thespian Society member since sophomore year
--French Club member since freshman year
--Member of my city's Allince Francaise, which isn't much, but it gives me access to lectures and cultural events.</p>
<p>Jobs!
--5-week paid internship at the nation's premier crisis management firm this past summer (my former boss is going to write me an additional rec letter)</p>
<p>Awards!
--Most Outstanding Sophomore Female Student of the Year
--Most Outstanding Sudent in French II-IV, Honors Biology, Drama II, AP English Lang, and AP US History
--Lettered in academics 3 times and lettered in drama</p>
<p>Misc.!
--I met with the director of the Columbia alumni board and he may write me a rec. When I told him why I want to go to Columbia, he said that it was one of the best answers he'd ever heard.
--I believe that my essay is unique and interesting.
--Ran for both senior class and NHS president but I lost. Still tried, though! :'D</p>
<p>The most obvious reasons that Columbia appeals to me are the Core and the fact that it’s in New York City. But it also is incredibly strong in both of the fields which I intend to major in, particularly when it comes to French. Columbia even has a class in which you perform French plays (in French, of course!), which is probably the closest thing to a perfect class for me. Also, I’m greatly enamoured by Butler library and what it symbolizes, but I don’t want to write out my answer word-for-word here. I’d like to think that it’s unique and, if it truly is, I want it to stay that way haha!</p>
<p>Well of course not, I’m just giving an example. I don’t exactly want to type out my whole “why columbia?” answer here where anyone can see it haha!</p>
<p>You seem to be just another starry eyed teenaged girl who wants to live in NYC. Columbia adcoms can see through this very easily, as they get spammed by applicants like yourself all the time. Columbia rejects romantics like you in droves.</p>
<p>I’m a Columbia EDer as well (good luck to us both lol), and overall I’m not really sure about you for chancing. For your academics/rank/classes, you seem to be taking initiative and doing well for the classes offered at your school. Your ECs are very good though your awards are a bit weak. Only major flaw is your testing. Since your school’s academics are odd, Columbs will be looking at your standardized tests more, and your SAT is below the 25th percentile; also, your history SAT II is also weak. However, we have no idea what Columbs could be looking for! So yeah overall, it’s tough to tell now, but we’ll see. Again good luck to you! :)</p>
<p>Just an FYI: Barnard College (Columbia’s sister across the street) actually has a better French program than Columbia (including the French plays class you are interested in), so while you are drawn to the Core you may do well to consider Barnard in addition to Columbia. If you are interested in Drama Barnard is arguably stronger in that area as well.</p>
<p>Your stats aren’t incredibly competitive for Columbia, though if you retake the SATs and get a higher score you’ll have a better shot. It may give a good indication of your chances that four years ago I actually applied ED to Columbia with very similar stats (same SAT score even) and was rejected. What is your high school like–is it nationally ranked, very competitive, in the northeast, etc.?</p>