<p>Columbia is my friend's dream school. I know he doesn't have a great shot, but if he applies early decision do you think he has any shot at all?</p>
<p>Gender: Male
Race: Half-Asian/Half-White
School: Public, NJ
Current Year: Junior
GPA: 4.40 (weighted); ??? (unweighted)
SAT I: 760 M, 610 CR, 570 W Total 1940 (He is retaking in October)
SAT II's: 700 Bio, 720 Math IIC, 680 Chem (also might retake)
ACTs: scores pending...
Rank: 14/320 (will get a bit better after this year)
Courseload (Junior year): AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Calc, AP US History, Italian III H, Physics H, English H
(Senior year): AP English, AP Physics, AP Calc BC, AP Euro, Band, Research in Molecular Biology (in conjunction with Rutgers Univ.), AP Italian</p>
<p>ECs:
Marching Band, 9-12, section leader
Pit band, jazz band, concert band, 9-12
Math Club and Science League and Science Olympiad (a few small awards... nothing big)
NHS- he's going to organize a concert for the town over the summer for charity
Waksman Institute (Rutgers) Summer Program- will be doing research
Fencing
Karate (he has some high rank level... I don't know it). He also teaches at his karate place once a week or so voluntarily.
History club
Japanese School- he does some volunteer work there, too, I think...</p>
<p>He skipped out of Pre-Calc H and Italian IV H in order to get into AP Calc and AP Italian.</p>
<p>There might be more that I'm just not remembering. He doesn't have any real hook. He'll get good recommendations and he can write an okay essay (it needs some work, which it will get over the summer...). He REALLY REALLY REALLY loves Columbia.</p>
<p>So... what do you think?</p>
<p>By the way, he'd apply to Columbia College as a bio/biochem/something else relating to bio major. And he might get into the Columbia Science Honors Program for next year, in which case he'd take organic chem. If he doesn't get in, he'll study organic chem self-study with our old AP Chem teacher.</p>