Chance me for 2014 ED

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Hey I am currently a junior, and I am thinking about applying to columbia ED next year. What are my chances?</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT I: (2070) first time in march
CR: 680
W: 690
M: 700
I know they are low, but I'm retaking in May
AP/IB taken/scores: Last year I took Music theory and got a 3 (bad I know but most ppl in my school got a 1 or 2). In may I am taking AP psych and US history. I am also taking IB psych and physics in may as well.
Next year as a senior I will take IB US History, CALC BC (AP test also), English, Spanish, and Chem (AP test also).
GPA weighted: 102
GPA unweighted: 98
Rank or % estimate: top 5% - not sure of exact rank but I am in the top cohort which consits of 15 students out of 650. </p>

<p>SAT II's: I only took chem and got a 720. This june I will take physics, math IIC and USH</p>

<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: New York (Long Island)
School Type: Fairly large and suburban
Ethnicity: Greek (Caucasion)
Gender: Female
Financial Aid?(Y/N): Y
Legacy Yes/No: yes - my dad and uncle graduated from columbia. Also over the summer I am working in a lab with a professor that taught at columbia for many years. </p>

<p>Important ECs: Science Olympiad (Vice President),
Science Honor Society (running for president),
other honor societies (math, english, history, spanish, and national honor society),
Class executive Board,
Girls Leader Corp
Varsity Swimming (all 4 years),
Varsity Golf (all 4 years- Captain this year) and I volunteer every week for the local special olympics bowling league.
Autism Speaks Club - Founder/ President (very focused in promoting awareness throughout my school and community - did university research pertaining to autism this past summer)</p>

<p>Hook (if any): Science Research/ related awards</p>

<p>This summer: I am doing research in a neurobiology lab, with a professor that just came from Columbia University. </p>

<p>Senior Course Load: (All IB classes) - Calc BC, Physics C, Chemistry, Spanish, 20th century history, English </p>

<p>Am I on the right track?
Please chance me for Early Decision at Columbia College. I am thinking of a
pre-med concentration or neuroscience major.</p>

<p>Also, what are my chances at the other Ivies? Thank you! Any advice on how to improve my chances (activities, classes, etc.) would be greatly appreciated =)</p>

2

<p>I’m not the proper authority to chance you on this, but thought I would offer a recommendation instead. You mention planning to take 3 Subject Tests in June. 3 Subject Tests can be very draining and instead I’d recommend taking 2 in June, and if necessary, another one in October. You’d much rather perform well on 3 subject tests rather than do okay on 4 of them, considering you’ve already taken the physics SAT2.</p>

3

<p>Thank you, I never thought of it that way, but that seems logical!</p>

4

<p>I don’t think you have a good chance for early or regular (or any other Ivy League school for that matter). Bear in mind, this is completely my own opinion based on my college stats (accepted Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell. Rejected stanford, UPenn, Duke). And don’t forget college decisions are arbitrary and holistic. Because your GPA and ranking are high, but your SAT/AP scores are low, it would indicate your school’s courses are easy. The single most important document in most college decisions are transcripts, but those are tempered by SAT/AP scores because these are the only tests that are the same for everyone across the country. For example, I got a B for 2nd semester in my school’s Honors Chemistry class but I got an 800 on the SAT II Chemistry, so admissions officers (if we were applying at the same time) would see me as a stronger candidate even though you have a higher GPA/got an A (i’m assuming) in chemistry. </p>

<p>Bear in mind that colleges compare you to ALL applicants (not solely against those from your school) so justifying your low A.P. scores by saying you did better than most people from your school is not a justification. Also, most colleges don’t even consider AP scores in making decisions - they just count for credit (but not always)</p>

<p>The only thing that seems good for your is that you have a legacy.</p>

5

<p>

</p>

<p>That isn’t the only good thing, but while you have a pretty good list of ECs and your grades are good, just glancing at your resume you kind of seem like every other person applying to Columbia. Which is not a good thing. You don’t want to be like every other applicant, you want to be THE ONLY APPLICANT LIKE YOU, which will be why they’ll have to accept you. Especially taking your race/location into consideration, you’ll have to write some STELLAR essays (because there are literally thousands of Caucasian females in the tri-state area applying early to Columbia).</p>

<p>Something that intrigued me in your resume was the Autism Speaks Club — it’s great that you founded a club, and especially now in your senior year, make sure that the club really does get out and do things in the community (and that it doesn’t just meet once a week in a closed room with a couple members to have long discussions). Write an essay about this club — incorporate your leadership in founding the club, your academic endeavors with the research at the university, and any community service that you’ve done with it. Make this the focal point of your application.</p>

<p>Do this and get higher SAT scores. Good luck!</p>

6

<p>Hey, I think that you’re on the right track! I am only in high school, but your ECs seem solid, you have a clear passion, and your grades are top-notch. In my opinion, once your SAT goes up, you have a great chance because you are qualified and are a legacy! I am in the same boat as you, but my ECs are not as solid as yours (I hope that that being full-blooded Greek-father was an immigrant- helps me out too!). Overall, I like your resume and best of luck!!! :)</p>

7

<p>Big Dreamer: I’m 100% Greek too! </p>

<p>Thank you everyone for the advice =)</p>

8

<p>Hey ParTeeGrl28x, Greeks rule!!! I wonder if this can actually help us, but who knows? I wish you the best of luck!!! :)</p>

9

<p>Haha yes we do! Do you think being Greek would make a differnce though, because they only look at “caucasion”. Then again, how many greeks do you see at these schools?</p>

10

<p>ParTeeGrl28x, I really have no idea. My mom put it down, and she was accepted into UPenn, Brown, Mt. Holyoke, and Welsley (I know I spelled that wrong LOL!). However, she did live in Greece for a while, and had amazing essays. I was hoping since I am the son of an immigrant it would help, so I think that it depends on how long your family has lived in the States. I have never visited Columbia, so I don’t know they’re stats about Greeks, but my uncle went there for undergrad. Most of the Greek kids I know don’t think of applying to the Ivies, but then again, I do live in the South! I hope that this helps!</p>

11

<p>Thank you, that sounds reasonable. In my experience I also haven’t seen many greeks in my area apply to the Ivies. My parents have both grew up in the states but their parents were from Greece, so I don’t know if that would help. Thank you for the advice again, and Happy Greek Easter!</p>

12

<p>Thanks ParteeGrl28x…Happy Greek Easter to you as well!!! I hope that my posts have made you slightly more confident, but I think that if you play the whole Greek thing just right, you have an excellent chance at Columbia (you seem well-qualified to me)!</p>

13

<p>Thank you =) Good luck with your college endeavours as well!</p>

14

<p>Your welcome, and thanks for the good luck! I hope that everything works out for you! :)</p>

15

<p>I’m not sure I’d agree with the taking 2 SATIIs instead of 3 at a time. I mean, if the time is a problem (3 are still much shorter than the actual SATs), it would only affect the 3rd test, since you’d be testing for at least 2 hours regardless. If this does hurt your one score, you would have 3 other stellar ones to back you up. Save the money, time, pressure and get it out of the way with 3, IMO</p>

16

<p>stats are fine (assuming decent SAT II results). ECs are good, though not outstanding. I agree that essays will be key to distinguish yourself.</p>

<p>I think Columbia is realistic. However, I’m probably putting too much weight on legacy. I had a friend who was legacy and he didn’t get in this year. Unfortunate. But I think you will be fine, be yourself and write some awesome essays. I think ED would take you :slight_smile: (completely my opinion of course)</p>

<p>P.S. take your SAT II’s however you want. however, I did take French as my 2nd test and did poorly, and then took it again as my 1st test and scored 120 better haha. I think the difference between taking 2 and 3 tests won’t be a big deal though.</p>

17

<p>Thank you =)</p>

18

<p>taking 3 SAT II’s is fine as long as you perform well.
i’d suggest retaking the SAT in october and studying a lot more for that as well. GL!</p>