Chance me for Columbia ED, please?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys.
I’m thinking about applying to Columbia for ED, but I’m not too sure whether I should bother given my less than favorable scores. I’m hoping you could help me out here.

GPA: 98.0 weighted (my school doesn’t give out unweighted GPAs or ranks)
SAT: first time R750 M750 W790, second time R790 M740 W770 so my superscore is 2330.
SAT subjects: Math II: 800, Chemistry (second time): 800, Chemistry (first time): 780, Biology: 760, World History: 640

Took the most advanced classes offered.

AP Courses:
freshman year- World History (3)
sophomore year- European History (4), Statistics (5)
junior year- US History (4), English Language (5), Physics 1 (3)
senior year- Microeconomics, macroeconomics, Physics C, Calculus BC, Computer Science, English literature, US Government
I know the scores are low… I didn’t really prepare as hard as I should have for them.

Extracurriculars:
Mathletes - treasurer, qualified for state/national competitions (1st at state), varsity, continuous since freshman year
Science Olympiad - qualified for state competition, continuous since freshman year, lots of regional/invitational medals
Gay Straight Alliance - treasurer (I’m hoping to rely on this for my political activism/humanities aspect), joined junior year
Chess club - officer, continuous since freshman year
Color guard - captain, continuous since sophomore year

Summer:
freshman year - two courses at Cold Spring Harbor
sophomore year - Camp Euclid (math research program), Stony Brook Physics Camp, Stony Brook Math Camp
junior year - research internship at university, web manager position at nonprofit organization

Work experience:
-Intern at a Doctor’s office for two years so far
-Private tutor for math, Spanish, and SATs

Other stuff:
-My math research projects won a few school/regional awards
-I’m part of two outside orchestras (along with the one at school), which play for nursery school kids, elderly people, and at public town events.
-I was accepted into Columbia’s Science Honors Program, which is prestigious and which I’m hoping will give me a few brownie points?
-Predicted National Merit Scholar (score 222), AP Scholar
-National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society
-Next year, I hope to start a new chapter of Mu Alpha Theta at my school. I’m also going to volunteer at a hospital on Saturdays.

Ethnicity: Pacific Islander
Gender: female

I’m almost completely sure that both my recs will come out pretty well, and my essays are coming along nicely as well, though I don’t have any special “hooks.” I’m just an average New Yorker.

I know I’m not a particularly extraordinary student, so I shouldn’t be TOO optimistic, but I just want opinions on whether I should even bother trying. I fell in love with Columbia’s campus and environment, but I don’t want to waste the higher ED acceptance rate if I’m almost certain to be rejected.

I plan on doing pre-med, and so I’m thinking about applying to Penn instead, since they seem to have a higher acceptance rate for ED students (9% at Columbia vs ~20% at Penn). Thoughts?

Thanks for your help!

2

move to chance page.

3

Although I am not very experienced with this kind of stuff, I think you have a pretty good chance based on your SAT scores and EC’s and summer activities. Your AP grades are a weak point though.

Columbia is a reach for you because even the best of the best could get rejected.

4

Thanks, Dubukid! Yeah, the AP grades coupled with my lack of relevant ECs are the main reason why I don’t think I really stand a chance. Do you think I should abstain from reporting them, or would that look worse?

5

Don’t read too much into the Penn ED numbers - that number is inflated by the high number of legacies in the pool.
If you prefer Colombia to Penn, then do ED at Columbia.

I think you are a better candidate than you think. Your GPA and standardized test scores are excellent, your ECs are solid. Your AP scores are just alright, but they aren’t going to disqualify you.

Personally, I question your common sense - retaking a 780 Subject Test? grin

Write a good application, and you’ve got as good a shot as anyone, in my opinion.

6

I’d say you’re in, particularly in light of your URM status.

7

Thanks, Nick. You’ve helped calm my nerves substantially. I think I’ll apply to Columbia regardless of perceived admission rates. Soze, I’ve heard that Pacific Islanders are grouped in with Asians, making it not count as a URM. Is that true?

8

Hey,

Asians and Pac Islanders are grouped together as far as I know… Your stats look good, but as for extracurriculars, I would say there is nothing that pops out as extremely impressive which would put you over the hump in terms of admission at top Ivy League schools like Columbia. Granted, if you apply ED, the demonstrated interest is definitely an advantage… also, i think columbias ed rate is 19%, not 9%… so you may want to look into that more carefully. It may come down to your essays, so make sure you express your passion about Columbia in them.

Please chance me at:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1790305-chance-me-for-top-schools.html#latest