chances at getting admitted to columbia

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
21

<p>you sound like a type A that wants to be involved in as many things as possible, and glorify yourself beyond what you truly are - ie. 2nd vs. 6th rank - National Merit Scholar vs. Commended. I think this will reflect in your application, and I think the school won’t like it. </p>

<p>I had three main extracurriculars that I was involved in extensively, and had MAJOR accomplishments in, and that’s why I got into the places I did. Its not breadth, its depth that gets you places.</p>

<p>Sorry, I’m just not seeing it. </p>

<p>P.S. - no body cares if you didn’t study, colleges aren’t going to know that, and the world is not going to know that. What matters is the score you got. Honestly, the “studying” aspect only marginally increases your score, and this baseline is honestly where you’re going to stay. </p>

<p>this is the reality.</p>

22

<p>“Honestly, the “studying” aspect only marginally increases your score, and this baseline is honestly where you’re going to stay”</p>

<p>Not true. I worked my way up from a 1350/1600 in the diagnostic to 1560 in the test. There’s something to be said for practicing and retaking the test. </p>

<p>Aren’t you being overly harsh? I agree that the score matters, and no one cares how much one studies–but you’re pretty much shutting out the possibility that she can improve her scores. </p>

<p>You can argue that mine was an exceptional case, but I have plenty of friends who made significant improvements in their scores after studying.</p>

23

<p>No studying helps a lot. I went from a 208 PSAT sophmore year to a 227 junior year and a 2310 SAT after studying. Without studying I’m pretty sure I would have gotten around a 2000-2100 SAT.</p>

24

<p>Yeah, studying definitely helps. If it didn’t, why is Kaplan getting filthy rich from all the test-prep students?</p>

25

<p>I guess, bu you guys might be anomalies. Also, how does one study for a test like this?</p>

26

<p>uh. practice? You need to get into the rhythm of solving the problems and understanding how the pattern of questioning works.</p>

27

<p>Oh ok, I didn’t realize that one could study for a standardized test</p>

28

<p>Buy the College Board Blue Book. It’s like 25 bucks at Barnes & Noble and you get several full length practice examinations. If you practice the tests and are honest with yourself, you’ll get a feel for how the test works and what you can do to do better.</p>

29

<p>I didn’t really study for my exam, and no one told me that I should have, so I always assumed one couldn’t. I don’t know.</p>