Chances for Columbia University?

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

It is my top school right now. I am a sophomore, and I want to go into their film/film studies program with a double major in political science. Here is what I have done so far:

Freshman:
2-D Art… A
College Prep A Math1… A
Honors Earth Science… A
Honors English 1… A+
Honors French 2… A
Honors Symphony Orchestra… A
Honors Western Studies… A
P.E./Health… A+

Sophomore: (now)
Honors Biology… A
Honors Chemistry… A-
Honors English 2… A+
Honors French 3… A
Honors Math 2… A-
Honors Symphony Orchestra… A-
Honors World Religions… A+
Video Production 1… A+

Junior: (PLANS)
AP English
AP U.S. History
Honors Math 3
Honors Physics
Honors French 4
P.E./Health
Honors Symphony Orchestra
Video Production 2
(Independent Project)

Senior: (PLANS)
AP English
AP Government
AP Econ
Video Production 3
AP French
AP Art History
Honors Symphony Orchestra
Writing Through Film
P.E.

I am in the television station, debate team (most likely captain next year), Writing Club/Poetry Slam, Guidance Honors Association, Secretary of GSA, and manager of African Aid Association (and next year may be accepted into the National Honors Society and World Language Honors Society). I played Softball and Volleyball in Freshman year. My extra-curriculars are my life, and I enjoy them all so much! (I don’t do them because they “look good”.) I have over 200 volunteer hours so far, and over the summer I am going to debate camp and I am assistant editing a full-length, professional documentary to enter into film festivals. I am also counting on great recommendations because I have teachers who have already offered them to me when I need them. I might be going to France for a week next year to participate in an exchange program my school has. I am career shadowing a retired screenwriter, and I work at the local library as a page. Finally, I took the PSAT and PLAN tests. I am hoping to count on ACTs for my test to send in.

How do I look for Columbia Film? What should I improve? Should I continue Orchestra or insert more APs senior year? How many APs should I take? Should I send both tests (SAT and ACT)? If you have anything else, suggestions-wise, that would be great! Thanks!!!

2

You seem pretty awesome! Straight A’s are amazing for any school and your EC’s are fantastic! I’d say it’s a safe bet that you’ll get in!

3

“safe bet that you’ll get in!”? Don’t listen to the guy above, he has no idea what he is talking about. Your ecs and grades are fine, but no one has a “safe bet” to get into columbia unless they’ve cured cancer or have rich parents that feed them money.

4

This is great, you have a strong chance to get in

5

It is a very good idea to take a math class your senior year. You also need to disclose your test scores and ethnicity. Come back in a year (though hopefully as an aspirant to Columbia you eventually realize how worthless chance threads are). Especially when it comes to Columbia, with a very small number of exceptions nobody can really tell you that it is anything other than a reach.

6

No matter how good an applicant looks, there is never a safe bet. I applied ED this year with stats better than yours and got flat-out rejected, not even deferred.

So sure, you look like a really competitive applicant (especially if you score high on standardized tests), but it is still a very slim chance.

7

Just to reiterate what @satman1111 said, these schools accept less than 10% of applicants.
My explanation: (completely based on opinion)
Applicant Breakdown
50% likely not qualified
25% Good students, but not “well rounded” (no ECs, etc…)
25% Amazing people
So if you think you are in that top 25% (you very well may be), there are 3-4 extremely well qualified people, like yourself, for every one spot. Just hope you get lucky because a certain portion of the admissions process is a crapshoot.