<p>High School: public, sends a few grads to top schools each year
Will apply for financial aid: Yes</p>
<p>Academics
GPA: 98% (our school doesn't do weighting or use the 4-point scale)
Class rank: 1
Class size: 300
SAT I - 2330 (750/780/800)
SAT II - Math Level 1 790, Math Level 2 800, will take Chemistry
AP - AP English Language 5 (11); various APs in grade 12 year (toughest load possible)</p>
<p>Major School Extracurricular Activities
- Debate and Model UN Club (President)
- Physics Club (President and Lecturer)
- Math Club
- Student Council
- Track and Field </p>
<p>Outside Extracurriculars
- Paid summer internship as marketing data analyst at region-level power corporation
- Long-term recreations volunteer at local nursing home (achievements included setting up a computer volunteer-hours database system from scratch, 10-12)
- Volunteer for reading program at local library (10-12)
- Trumpet playing</p>
<p>Summer Programs
- Shad Valley 2007 (prestigious, selective month-long Canadian summer program focusing on technology and entrepreneurship, hosted on 12 university campuses)
- UBC Connect 2006 (week-long program focusing on global issues with major team project)</p>
<p>Distinctions
- Top 10% and above in major Canadian mathematics competitions (9-12)
- Top 1% in nationwide chemistry competition
- 1st place in provincial/regional-level chemistry competition
- Top 20% in invitational university debate tournament </p>
<p>Recommendations, Essays, and Concentration
Secondary School Report - good
Teacher Reports - great
Essay - a very personal story that took place in my childhood
Others - major is science related, but in the Part II application I will highlight my interest in both the sciences and humanities (especially history)</p>
<p>^ you're the kind of applicant they accept, academic stats are very strong and ECs are on par for accepted applicants. I can see you getting the thick envelope, but nothing is in stone.</p>
<p>Your credentials are definitely very strong. the only weakness i see is that the majority of your ec's re business and tech related, but you said your major is going to be science and humanities related? This will confuse the admssions committee.</p>
<p>Well, only my ECs outside of school are technology-related (except contests, depending on how you classify them)... primarily because my computer skills are what dominates on my resume :p </p>
<p>I also seem to hear some conflicting things about admissions in the US - according to some, passion is valued, but according to others, well-roundness is valued... So which is which? :S Would my out-of-school ECs contribute to my well-roundedness and reinforce my application, or would it only dent my chances? (although Columbia's Core does seem very all-encompassing, and therefore suited for the well-rounded...?)</p>
<p>
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the only weakness i see is that the majority of your ec's re business and tech related, but you said your major is going to be science and humanities related? This will confuse the admssions committee.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>no it won't...they aren't three year olds......this is a total non-issue</p>
<p>
[quote]
according to some, passion is valued, but according to others, well-roundness is valued... So which is which?
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</p>
<p>i think i'll go with both here</p>
<p>i think you are fine all around.....all your stats look great and you have solid ECs.....you'll end up at a top school for sure unless your essay or recs are a total bust which i doubt they will be. Good luck</p>
<p>"no it won't...they aren't three year olds"</p>
<p>LOL!</p>
<p>but it's very possible for applicants to have disjointed ECs and academic interests. As long as you show committment and achievement in both. I don't see too much of a disjoint - science and tech go hand in hand, and business if thinking of studying economics makes some sense, if not thinking of studying economics, it doesn't matter, it portrays a different side of you, so it's good regardless. I'd say they like such people, if EC and academic interests completely coincided you'd run the risk of seeming single-faceted. Columbia also started an entrepreneurship minor this year, so they'll be looking out for people like you.</p>
<p>and if you're a comp nerd/wiz and are into sciences and humanities, it should help you seem unorthodox and multi-talented.</p>