chance for next year

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

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<p>Gender: F</p>

<p>State: MA</p>

<p>Ethnicity: African American</p>

<p>GPA (unweighted)-3.7 (although this might be a 3.5 or 3.6)</p>

<p>GPA (Weighted)- 4.56</p>

<p>SAT: Reading, 800
Math: 760
Writing: 800</p>

<p>Extra Curricular Activites: </p>

<p>9th, 10th, 11th, (and 12th for next year) member and violinst of the school orchestra
Copy editor of the school newspaper 10th grade
President and creator of my of high school STAND chapter (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) 11th grade, and will continue till I graduate
Member of Tri-M Music Honor society- 11th grade, (and continue next year)</p>

<p>Interests in Volunteering: </p>

<p>One of the things that I am most passionate about is increasing the literacy rate for lower-income children across the nation. I am really passionate about volunteering, and am considering entering the Ameri-corps after college graduation for a year. I had tried to volunteer at non-profit organizations that were geared towards my interest in education and literacy, especially catering towards helping lower-income children in inner-cities. It is important for me to help these children, especially since I have a parent that grew up in a very low-income inner-city Boston neighborhood, and came out of the Boston public school system. I also still have family that live in poorer areas in inner-city boston, so it is close to my heart to help many of these disadvantaged children throughout the country.</p>

<p>Volunteer Work: (450 hours and counting)</p>

<p>Registration Coordinator for First Book, a non-profit organization based in D.C, which helps distribute free or reduced-priced books to lower income children across the nation. As a registration coordinator I had reached out to many different Title 1 schools, and after school programs that serve over 80% of low income children. To date, I have helped over 25 schools and after school programs including Washington D.C, New York City, and around the inner-city Boston area in Massachusetts, recieve free or reduced priced books. </p>

<p>Volunteer at an elementary school after-school program in my hometown, (11th grade and continue on in 12th grade)</p>

<p>Volunteer for Student Solutions, a non-profit organization based in North Carolina, which helps increase the literacy rate in children across America by providing literary and eduacational resources to schools in need. As a volunteer, I helped create databases of schools across the country that Student Solutions would reach out to to provide educational resources and materials to.</p>

<p>Volunteer for Nanubai, a non-profit organization based in India, which helps keep women and children in schools and India, and also helps increase the literacy rate among them. </p>

<p>Awards/Achievements:</p>

<p>Winner of First Book Registration Coordinator Challange</p>

<p>Presidents Volunteer Service Award- Gold</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Bronze Certificate</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Silver Certificate</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Gold Certificate </p>

<p>*The only problem is that I go to a really competitve high school where most people do well,( I have a class of about 360) I'm probably not going to be in the top ten percent of my class, bt maybe the top quarter, I'm not sure yet. Do you think I still might have a chance? </p>

<p>*I am also about to start my own non-profit organization called "Change for Changing Lives" that helps benefit low-income children in inner city schools and will raise money to help provide educational resources.</p>

<p>*Does it also help that my school is not diverse at all, and I'm one of the only African Americans at my school? Do colleges pay attention to that?</p>

<p>Do you think I could possibly get in?</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>Stats look good, but having a 4.56 and maybe being in the top quarter suggests to me either severe grade inflation and/or easy classes.</p>

3

<p>Well including this year in total i’ve taken around 8 honors classes, and I have one AP this year (AP World), and next year I plan on having 6 AP’s</p>

4

<p>You’ll get in to every college you apply to since you’re a URM with amazing stats.</p>

5

<p>agree with shaheiruddin.</p>

6

<p>Thanks! But do you think being around the top quarter of my class will hurt me? (my class is ultra competitive and for the most part, all white)</p>

7

<p>I think you have a very good chance, being a URM/having great test scores and all, but keep in mind that this year there were a few equally-qualified URMs with higher class rank who got deferred or rejected in the early decision round. Your volunteer achievements are extraordinary though. Best of luck next year!</p>

8

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<p>yes, thank you for grounding expectations, op: you are never very likely to get into a school that accepts less than 1/10 kids. You might have a very good shot compared to others, but your odds might move to 1/5 or 1/3. Meaning one of every ~4 applicants with your profile gets in, this is much better than the average applicant, it also means that if you apply to 5-6 schools of the same caliber as Columbia, you are very likely to get into at least one. shaheiruddin doesn’t recognize the extent of the bad odds at Columbia and peer schools, either that or s/he is in hyperbole.</p>