<p>I'm applying to Columbia College ED this coming fall and I'd like some opinions. </p>
<p>GPA: 3.65 unweighted
SAT: 2130( 690M 700W 740 CR) Took it twice. I'm really good at math but I can't do SAT I Math for some strange reason.
SAT II's: Haven't taken them yet but conservative estimates would give me the following
Physics: 700
Math II: 750
History: 760</p>
<p>Just out of top 10% at a top 10 New Jersey High School. </p>
<p>Extra Curriculars and Such</p>
<p>Freshman
Freshman Football
Bnai' Brith Youth Organization Member
Helen R Burchell Scholar Runner up (wrote a 8 page research paper on the cholera pandemic and gave a video presentation as a part of a team
Freshman Tennis</p>
<p>Sophomore
JV Football
DECA
-Participated in both Regional and State Events
-Won award for top test score at States
Bnai Brith Youth Organization Chapter Treasurer
8 Hrs of Community Service teaching autistic kids tennis</p>
<p>Junior
Varsity Football
DECA
-Regional top test score award
-Regional Quiz Bowl Participant
-Finalist in two categories at States
-Award for top test score at states and another for top role play
Bnai Brith Youth Organization Vice President of Programming
Ridgewood Greater Learning Society (club dedicated to promoting learning for the sake of learning)
Maintained an Economics Blog</p>
<p>Senior
Varsity Football
Bnai Brith Youth Organization Vice President of Membership
Ridgewood Greater Learning Society
National Honors Society
Participant in The Fed Challenge (Economics competition at the Federal Reserve)
Independent Study in Economics(using MIT's Open CourseWARE continue studying Economics after AP Econ)
Economics Blog Continues</p>
<p>AP's: US History, Econ, Physics, Calc AB, Spanish</p>
<p>I'm definitely going to have great recommendations and I have some great essay ideas.</p>
<p>My numbers may be low but I think i will be able to prove that I am qualitatively worth accepting.</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>That’s nice… hahaha.</p>
<p>Seriously some extensive answers would be greatly appreciated</p>
<p>To be (brutally) honest, your stats are on the low side of the applicant pool, as you yourself admitted. But don’t make the false assumption that you can mitigate those blemishes with your brilliant personality and zest for life through your essays, interview, or teacher/counselor rec.</p>
<p>There are a lot of applicant with good grades and excellent ECs, recs, and essays.</p>
<p>The only hook I can see for you is athletics. Contact the Columbia coaches, try to get recruited, and then you’ll have a good shot at getting in.</p>
<p>Your stats and ECs are similar to mine, although your grades are a bit lower, and I was recently admitted RD for CC '13.</p>
<p>My advice to you is to write a really great essay that makes you stand out, to show some diverse interests on your application (when they ask you about books that you’ve recently read, movies you’ve seen, etc.), and to show how you would take advantage of the opportunities at Columbia and in NYC.</p>
<p>Also, submit your application early so that you can get an interview.</p>
<p>Epaminondas: I’m not good enough to play for Columiba (most likely). Unless I have a breakout season next year… Thanks for the honesty. I know it’s an uphill battle. </p>
<p>evillikeahobbit: I’d love to hear more about how you think you got in. I know I may seem to have a low chance but I’m willing to take a shot at ED. That’s another thing I love about Columbia; the app itself. I read many books, especially ones that coincide with my varied interests and my drive to learn more about the world around me. Therefore, I think the app is well suited for me and will raise my chances.</p>
<p>About my GPA… as a Freshman in HS I didn’t care and thought I could fly through high school as I did through middle school. Well, I was wrong. I’ve had a huge “crescendo” with my grades into Junior year, and I’m inclined to get straight A’s in all Honors/AP courses, which have filled each year of my schedule even prior to this year and next.</p>
<p>I think that what really set me apart was my essay. I wrote about something that I was passionate about (film) and discussed how it has allowed me to progress as a student and a person. I think that it was very well written. I crammed a lot into my Why Columbia? answer because they only give you 500 words. I discussed diversity, opportunities in New York City, and being surrounded by a student body that was so intelligent that I could learn from my peers as well as professors. In the written parts of the application, I really concentrated on demonstrating a love of learning and showing how I would take advantage of the opportunities provided at Columbia. In the books, movies, art, etc. section I included a lot of really different things like foreign films, philosophy (Flatland), plays that I’d read (mostly O’Neill), concerts I’d attended, a Stephen Colbert book, etc.</p>
<p>I’m also a Hispanic female, so that probably helped a little.</p>
<p>If Columbia is your first choice, then apply ED. The fact that you’re applying ED shows that you really want to go to Columbia and the admissions officers do take that into consideration.</p>
<p>It’s good that you’ve your grades have improved because schools do like to see improvement over your high school years.</p>
<p>If you have any more questions feel free to ask.</p>
<p>Wow. That’s exactly how I envision myself getting accepted (minus the whole Hispanic female part… I’m neither). I plan on writing my essay about Economics (my future major and most loved subject) and how it has changed my outlook on the world. </p>
<p>And your Why Columbia? essay is exactly what I want to do; talk about how great the city is and learning from peers and such. </p>
<p>Yeah, ED is my only real hope. I think I’m done if I go RD. Thanks for the help… i really appreciate it.</p>