Chances for Columbia?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Hey everyone. I'll be applying to Columbia this year and I wanted to know what you guys thought of my chances. Thanks.</p>

<p>Stats:
35 ACT
2210 SAT (won't submit)
800s on Math 2, Chem, Latin, US History
5s on APUSH, Chem, Calc AB, Macroecon, Latin Vergil
Taking AP Bio, World History, AP Calc BC, AP Lit, Latin IV, Band
3.991 UW 4.386 W
Rank 2 of 230</p>

<p>ECs:
Tuba-Marching Band 9-12 (Section Leader 11-12), Symphonic Band 9-12 (First Chair each year), Youth Orchestra 9-12 (Principal 9-12), Symphony Orchestra 9-12, Pit Orchestra 9-10 and 12, District S&E 1st Division Rating 9-11, State S&E 1st Division 11, selected to Michigan Youth Arts Festival 11
Quiz Bowl-9-12 (Captain 11-12). Led team to three straight top three finishes at state
Latin Club-10-12 (Treasurer 11, President 12) Organized about 8 events per year and participated in Junior Classical League events
Science Olympiad-10-12
Math Club 9-12
NHS 11-12
Worked at grocery store for 2 summers, about 25 hrs/week
Attended MI Boys State</p>

<p>Awards:
NMSF
AP Scholar with distinction
National Latin Exam Gold Medal 2x</p>

<p>Other:
From small town in SW Michigan (like 10k people). Possibly geographic diversity?
Interested in majoring in Classics
Will apply financial aid
White Male</p>

2

<p>I don’t believe anyone (including me) is qualified to determine odds, but I know that rural midwesterners are at a premium at Columbia, at least based on my son’s anecdotal experience. You seem to have made the most of the opportunities presented to you. </p>

<p>You must provide all standardized test scores to Columbia, including all sittings of the SAT. No worries, however, with your ACT score.</p>

3

<p>Ah okay I did not realize that. So they will consider the 35 more, even if I submit SAT?</p>

4

<p>Your SAT 2210 is respectable, as are all of your other stats! I think being a tuba player could be a hook (if they need one), and you have a history of “intellectual pursuits” which CU seems to like because it’s an indicator that you can handle The Core (medals in Quiz Bowl, Sci-Oly, Latin, etc, will help your chances). But needing financial aid could hurt your chances ($$ talks these days). I don’t think being a white male is a strike against you nowadays.</p>

<p>Good luck! (from the mom of a happy CC student)</p>

5

<p>Thank you! I don’t think anyone from my school has ever gone to Columbia before…though we’ve had people go to MIT, Harvard, Darmouth, UChicago, and Northwestern in recent years (of course 10-20 each year go to UMich). I don’t know if there are any other people applying to Columbia from my school this year. I think I’m the only one but there are 4 other NMFs and a few other kids who are applying to top schools so we’ll see.</p>

6

<p>bumping this up</p>

7

<p>I like your application in general in terms of scores, gpa, and ec’s… a really strong application. Classics is also a small department, so the school probably wants to get kids who want to study Classics, which would also boost your chances.</p>

8

<p>Thanks! I’m writing my common app essay about Latin, too</p>

9

<p>Apply ed im sure you would have a great shot.</p>

10

<p>I will not be applying ED due to financial reasons. Do I still have a reasonable chance RD?</p>

11

<p>pretty much automatically in ;)</p>

12

<p>What are the financial reasons that are preventing you from applying ED?</p>

13

<p>I’m applying for financial aid, so my parents don’t want me to ED anywhere so that we can compare aid packages in the end. Are my chances severely hurt if I’m not doing ED?</p>

14

<p>Decent chance. Great scores.</p>

15

<p>hey i am also not submitting my SAT, but the application directory says we need to submit ALL standardized test scores, confused here</p>