Chances for applying to Columbia ED next year please?

Student Lounge African-American Students
1

<p>Hi I am currently a junior in high school, what do you think my chances would be if I applied ED next year?</p>

<p>State: MA</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Biracial (African american and caucasian)</p>

<p>GPA (unweighted)-3.7</p>

<p>GPA (Weighted)- 4.56</p>

<p>SAT: Reading, 800
Math: 760
Writing: 800</p>

<p>Extra Curricular Activites: </p>

<p>9th, 10th, 11th, (and 12th for next year) member and violinst of the school orchestra
Copy editor of the school newspaper 10th grade
President and creator of my of high school STAND chapter (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) 11th grade, and will continue till I graduate
Member of Tri-M Music Honor society- 11th grade, (and continue next year)</p>

<p>Interests in Volunteering: </p>

<p>One of the things that I am most passionate about is increasing the literacy rate for lower-income children across the nation. I am really passionate about volunteering, and am considering entering the Ameri-corps after college graduation for a year. I had tried to volunteer at non-profit organizations that were geared towards my interest in education and literacy, especially catering towards helping lower-income children in inner-cities. It is important for me to help these children, especially since I have a parent that grew up in a very low-income inner-city Boston neighborhood, and came out of the Boston public school system. I also still have family that live in poorer areas in inner-city boston, so it is close to my heart to help many of these disadvantaged children throughout the country.</p>

<p>Volunteer Work: (450 hours and counting)</p>

<p>Registration Coordinator for First Book, a non-profit organization based in D.C, which helps distribute free or reduced-priced books to lower income children across the nation. As a registration coordinator I had reached out to many different Title 1 schools, and after school programs that serve over 80% of low income children. To date, I have helped over 25 schools and after school programs including Washington D.C, New York City, and around the inner-city Boston area in Massachusetts, recieve free or reduced priced books. </p>

<p>Volunteer at an elementary school after-school program in my hometown, (11th grade and continue on in 12th grade)</p>

<p>Volunteer for Student Solutions, a non-profit organization based in North Carolina, which helps increase the literacy rate in children across America by providing literary and eduacational resources to schools in need. As a volunteer, I helped create databases of schools across the country that Student Solutions would reach out to to provide educational resources and materials to.</p>

<p>Volunteer for Nanubai, a non-profit organization based in India, which helps keep women and children in schools and India, and also helps increase the literacy rate among them. </p>

<p>Awards/Achievements:</p>

<p>Winner of First Book Registration Coordinator Challange</p>

<p>Presidents Volunteer Service Award- Gold</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Bronze Certificate</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Silver Certificate</p>

<p>Congressional Award- Gold Certificate</p>

2

<p>Wow you have done a lot in high school. Your numbers look really good and your volunteer work seems very passionate haha you remind me of myself a little bit…but for what it’s worth I would say that you’re in. But do you have any ap, act, or subject test scores?</p>

3

<p>thanks, I haven’t taken the AP test yet, bt im shooting for a 5 on the world history exam. I still have to take the ACT as well.</p>

4

<p>^With a 2360 on the SAT, taking the ACT would be completely pointless.</p>

5

<p>don’t bother with the act. unless you get a perfect score you can only match your current sat. these credentials are impressive. good luck.</p>

6

<p>just a side thought, but do you plan to check the caucasian and african american box on the commonapp. or just one? i don’t mean anything by this, but this isn’t the first time that this situation has arisen and i am curious as to what you will do.</p>

7

<p>I’m not sure yet on which to check off. Do you think that checking off “Caucasian and African American” or only “African Amercian” will give me the greatest chances of admission?</p>

8

<p>Probably just checking off African American.
However, personally speaking, I really don’t like it when people do that. Not because I have some sort of insane fear that someone will “steal my spot” or anything, but just because of the level of dishonesty. Especially when it comes to bi/multiracial people who are somewhat black, because their true heritage used to be a thing they couldn’t claim or had to hide to advance themselves, eg: the one drop rule and passing, respectively. Why not just say that you are what you are?</p>

9

<p>i would disagree. i doubt checking caucasian and african american would limit your chances</p>

<p>and it’s all about how u identify yourself anyway</p>

10

<p>Seems like you have a GREAT shot at Columbia ED!
HOWEVER, there should be some kind of disclaimer on all chance threads because they’re not the most reliable sources. I was just viewing a chance thread not too long ago with people who seemed like total shoo-ins because of their stats, but in the end, they got deferred.</p>

<p>All of that being said, if there were something missing, I’d say that you ought to enroll in some challenging courses (AP/IB courses)…it would definitely give you a plus</p>

11

<p>If you market yourself as African American, you will definitely will have a lot more opportunities.</p>