Chance me ED to Columbia?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p>SAT I: 2210
670 CR/800 M/740 W (6/12 essay)
SAT IIs:
790 Math II, 760 Chem, 690 Spanish (not a native speaker)
ACT: 34
34 English/35 Math/34 Reading/31 Science/9/12 essay
QPA: 90.5 (as of beginning of Junior year, it's improved dramatically each year and will be higher [roughly 92] when I apply)</p>

<p>ECs:
Unitarian Universalist Coming of Age (similar to confirmation, Freshman year)
Unitarian Universalist Youth Group (Sophomore-Senior year, probably going to get a leadership position for senior year)
Anime Club (not so involved & might not write, Freshman-Senior year)
Rowing (since elementary school, no local team, second place in Maine Rowing Association race)
Environmental Committee (Internet Services Manager [running the blog: mhstreehuggers.blogspot.com], Junior-Senior year [since inception])
NMSQT qualifier or semifinalist, I still haven't been contacted about my standing
Math League (Junior-Senior year, I'm one of about two people who can find the roots of complex numbers which I learnt at Johns Hopkins CTY summer of 2008)
Multicultural Club (Junior-Senior year, ran a British room at the American Heritage Assembly, currently President)
Volunteer tutoring nearby (Junior-Senior year, it's in a really beaten up neighborhood)</p>

<p>If I do have a 92 at the start of Senior year I'll qualify for my schools National Honors Society (we have a different standard.)</p>

<p>Schedule for Junior year: Physics, English III, AP Calc AB, local county college tech class, Spanish IV, US History II, AP Chem, Fitness
All A's
Senior year: AP Lit, AP Physics, AP Euro, AP US Gov, AP Spanish, Multivariable Calc, county college tech class, Fitness (studying AP Calc BC over the summer)</p>

<p>This summer I'm (hopefully) getting a job at an engineering firm, volunteering at local first aid squad, studying Calc BC & running another Maine Rowing Association race</p>

<p>I'm probably going to write in my essays about how I think gays could be more accepted on a societal level by being more socially conserved in public (I'm gay,) I'll mention my own adversity & how I overcame it, I'll probably throw in some Booker T. Washington & civil rights movement references in too for good measure.</p>

<p>Advice? Chances? Is there anything I'm forgetting to write here? I know my extracurriculars are all pretty late but I really began high school without any direction. It wasn't until late Freshman year that I realized my potential and at that point my grades skyrocketed.</p>

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<p>I think that you have alot of potential. I also think that your essay, if written well, could be really powerful. I’m not an expert, but in my opinion, you should keep the essay really personal and not cliche…start it with a powerful opening. Maybe include the new movie BRUNO!!! that movie makes gays look annoying. im totally jealous of your act score. good job! keep up the work. ull def. get in.</p>

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<p>Bad idea. They don’t care about your political or sociological ideologies. They want an essay about you, not about what you think. </p>

<p>The only troubling thing is your GPA. Even if you’ve taken the most rigorous course load available, a 92 really isn’t high enough.</p>

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<p>“Chancing” is worthless. You will realize that after the whole process is over. You should apply to Columbia if it’s a school at which you might be happy. </p>

<p>But to the interesting topic…</p>

<p>Of course a minority group will be more accepted if they act more like the majority. The reason they are ostracized or prejudiced is because they are different. To decrease the magnitude of the difference should always yield an equal decrease in the negative effects. </p>

<p>Homosexuals have fought against the pressure to just “be normal” for a long time. What is the point of acceptance if you are being accepted for acting like someone else? I think the point of any civil rights movement is to change society to tolerate the minority. Not to package the minority according to the tastes of the majority.</p>

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<p>@davincifan, I was going to mention that not all gays look like Bruno!
@godfatherbob, I know my average is crap but it’s really because freshmen year was a disaster for me; it improves more than substantially over the years. I think my average junior year is a 94, maybe higher, and I know colleges look particularly for improvement over the years.
@fastfood15, it may be, but I just wanted an outside opinion.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>