Chance me please...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>I am applying for 2009 entrance. And I am living in China and am a Chinese so a lot of stuff doesn’t apply to me. But still I am dying to know my chance of getting in. </p>

<p>Early’s that I’ll probably do: Brown, Yale, Dartmouth,Columbia, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis…( and those you suggest)</p>

<p>Rank: top 1% in a 720 class.
Ethnicity: Chinese male
GPA: 95/100
SAT: 2310 Cr 710, W 800, Math, 800
SATII: 2400 Math2 800, Physics 800, Chemistry 800.
TOEFL: 116/120
PSAT: n/a
ACT: n/a
AP: n/a (but our courses are actually about the same difficulty)
Self-conducted more than 10 researches on economy, psychology, cinematography and Chinese medicine </p>

<p>EC:

  1. The Peasant Association (Creative Drama Club) since 9th
    Founder
    President
    Very active member</p>

<li><p>Chinese medicine 2003-2008 </p></li>
<li><p>The Floating Flame Editor Association since 9th
English Editor
Staff Writer
Art Designer
Senior Editor </p></li>
<li><p>The Literature Art Association since 9th
Co-founder
President
Active member</p></li>
<li><p>School Representative since 9th
Presenter
Guest speaker
First receptor</p></li>
</ol>

<p>6.Bike Ride Association 11th
Founder
Organizer</p>

<p>7.English Debate Team 10th
team leader</p>

<p>8.Volunteer in International Affairs 2003-2008
Receptor
Guide
Activity organizer </p>

<p>9.Free English Assistant 2003-2008
Adviser
Activity organizer </p>

<li><p>Free psychological therapy 2003-2008<br>
Founder
Activities organizer </p></li>
<li><p>Business advice for stores on campus. since 9th</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Awards: most are school competition.
800 meter champion </p>

<p>Winter Around The City Long Run champion</p>

<p>Centenarian Celebration 1st receptor </p>

<p>Student Association Contest(SAC) champion</p>

<p>Debate Contest best debater </p>

<p>Art Festival Best film editing</p>

<p>BMX World Championship 1st receptor</p>

<p>Creative Writing Contest (CWC) 1st for 5 times</p>

<p>Volunteer in International Affairs 1st organizer/guide</p>

<p>Model Student model student </p>

<p>1500 meters 1st </p>

<p>Shot put 1st </p>

<p>pulications: about 13 poems and prose</p>

<p>my biggest concern is my financial status. Since I almost need a full ride, how much will my FA amount affect my app?</p>

2

<p>Firstly you can only apply early decision to one university, figure out which one you would like to go to most and apply there early.</p>

<p>Secondly wow! that's a huge amount that you've done out of class. however, you must show passion in few things, the rest is good but you can't possibly say that all 11 committments out of school are serious. Several of those could be though. I think you have a very good chance, even though you're international applying for financial aid. The awards really help to show that you have accomplished a decent level in many of your activities. I've seldom seen a better profile than yours. </p>

<p>I can still see universities rejecting you (even columbia), because you might come off as trying to pad your resume rather than pursue things you are passionate about. The might also reject you if your essays are mundane / arrogant / emphatic, which, from what i've seen, is a problem with Asian over-achievers. I think you'll get into most of the schools you listed above, good luck.</p>

3

<p>Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I don't understand what "trying to pad your resume rather than pursue things you are passionate about" means. I really cared a lot about my movies, psychology practice and editing and am trying to convey my love for them through the essays. By the way, what does "emphatic" essay look like? I am thinking about writing my passion for psychology practice and spreading happiness.</p>

4

<p>"I don't understand what "trying to pad your resume rather than pursue things you are passionate about" means."</p>

<p>when high schoolers realize that colleges look at more than academics, they get involved in a whole bunch of activities, without putting their heart into them, colleges can see through this. Sometimes, it's difficult to portray that you actually deeply care about what you do, when you have a lot of activities. I'm not saying you don't care about what you do, but portraying a high level of involvement is always difficult.</p>

<p>"I really cared a lot about my movies, psychology practice and editing"</p>

<p>this is good.</p>

<p>"and am trying to convey my love for them through the essays."</p>

<p>you don't have to do this, you can write about what ever you want in the essays. It's more of a chance for admission committees to gauge your personality / character. </p>

<p>"By the way, what does "emphatic" essay look like? I am thinking about writing my passion for psychology practice and spreading happiness."</p>

<p>an emphatic essay is one where you appear to be trying to hard to write a good essay, are over-emotional / or exaggerate a lot. like:</p>

<p>"I wake up every morning and strive to make those around me happy, I long for the day when I save someone from suicide, I wish for my whole life to revolve around psycology. I am certain I am the best at psychoanalysis in my whole class"</p>

<p>However true this may be, if you write in this style it will hurt you considerably, as you don't appear genuine or mature or sophisticated. Initially the essay exaggerates, becomes triumphant and then becomes presumptuous and arrogant / delusional. There's no real disadvantage of making fun of yourself in the essay a little, your achievements will be evident from the rest of the app, there is no need to reinforce or verify in the essay (although you still can do this). I wrote the shorter essay about my activities / passions and those i'd like to do at columbia and I wrote my longer essay about traveling,cultural difference and a couple of funny anecdotes.</p>

5

<p>Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. Actually my fist personal statement was(quite funny) about my fishing experience but I was shocked when I discovered a very very similar(in tone, topic and everything) essay in a book. I think if I want to write about my psychology practice, I might not be as funny but I can be quite honest.(because I was first movivated by quite despressing event and then I gradually understand to be happy)</p>