It was for their GS program for non traditional students. Honestly, I think I was rejected because I probably didn’t meet the requirements since they require you to be out of college for at least a year and during that time I technically withdrew, not took a break. So this would be my first time applying to Columbia College!
I’m curious, as someone who was looking at my stats for the first time. What was your first impression/thoughts and do you think my application will be competitive/stand out against other Ivy League/top public applicants?
I’m far from an expert on Ivy admissions, so I’ll leave that to other posters.
But I’m glad to know that you have safeties on your list, and please know that more important than where you go, is what you do. Aside from the gamble that is tippy top college admissions, you already have the ability to make of your life what you envision, and I hope you won’t let an acceptance or rejection to any school shape your opinion of your own potential.
That said, I think you have much going for you, not the least of which is your passion, so keep that up and you will continue to shine, wherever you go.
I just submitted these apps on October 1st and should hear back late November-January! I applied with a 3.75, however I submitted a midterm report for 7 classes with near perfect grades so I’m hoping that will help my application. My Brown application was definitely the strongest as I submitted the interview video which took hours to edit. However, at the time I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study so I applied as a Gender and Sexuality Studies major to all.
I never applied to these specific colleges no. I applied to around 16 four year colleges and was accepted to nearly all of them. However I had something traumatic happen in my last year of high school so I went to a small private college an hour away. This private college was also a negative experience because I was a cheerleader and the basketball team found out I was trans and started to blackmail me. My grades were trash at this school so I decided to take a gap year then enroll in a community college.
I withdrew during my gap year but I try not to include the classes from the small private college. In my major classes (business) I actually did really well and got an A in almost all. I had like a 2. something during that time.
Thank you so much! I hope so too! I made the mistake of posting this same thing to reddit and people are just cruel on there but people on here are so helpful and supportive! <3
I’ll be sure to include it in my applications then.
Plus I guess it could show improvement and desire to learn since I’m in the honors college and I have a strong GPA now. I could also include why my grades were poor during that time in my essay so it’s not overlooked in my application. I think it will be better for me to own it rather than hide it right?
That your CC college grades are good - but won‘t stand out in particular.
Also, while admission counselors will have experience with high schools in their territory, I suspect they‘ll be less informed/will have less in-house historical data about individual community colleges.
I do think the more interesting aspects of your application are your gap year, your ECs/volunteering!
Secondly, that I question your categorization of „target“ for schools like NYU, Columbia. They are reaches for everyone.
And, of course, I couldn‘t understand how you thought you should apply to
GS rather than Columbia College? (Normally, for a trans woman I would have suggested to also apply to Barnard - but they are need aware for transfers, and/or offer no aid depending on Spring/Fall.)
Yes, I feel you would be well advised to strongly consider excellent alternatives, such as Emory - which is highly respected!
Honestly I didn’t really know what safety, target, and reach was until I googled it today so that’s my bad. Target for me = schools I’m personally aiming for. It doesn’t really mean “oh I think I’m going to get into these schools”. Reach for me means, “Colleges I’m applying to and putting my best effort in, but not necessarily confident that I will get accepted”. I’m a Georgia resident going a college that shares an education system with GT and UGA so I listed them as potential safeties.
I’m trying my best to tie my ECs with my Essays and LOC to my identity as something I’ve used to empower my academic and volunteering efforts. I’m hoping that this will make me stand out. I just applied to an internship for the human rights campaign so I hope this will strengthen my application as well. I just got into contact with someone who has a very similar background to me and got into Yale except they were more psychology focused.
I applied to GS because I was a little desperate to be honest. Though I know now that I most likely was rejected because I technically have not taken a break in my education journey. I withdrew during my gap year. NYC has a medicare program for trans people so Columbia or NYU would change my life not just academically, but having access to gender affirming care.
Yes Emory is on my target list! I’m definitely going to apply there, GT, and UGA!
From my understanding, the IVY’s make it easier to be able to recruit to IB or other positions. There are a lot of history majors for instance who pivot to Finance related careers but I feel like this only applies to the IVY’s or other top institutions as most of them don’t have a finance major since they are a liberal arts school. For schools like Harvard, Yale UPENN, I’ll be applying as a History major. I’m not 100% sure what I want to do right after undergrad job wise but I definitely want to go to Law School. Going to a school that will allow me to recruit to internships or well paying job is important to me.
You do not need to stand out. You need to focus on your academic record (the number one thing adcom’s will be focused on) and then you need a coherent narrative (I’m losing track, frankly) of what/how/when/why you’ve done since graduating from college and why attending a four year university is the right next step for you- and you will excel at.
You’ve had a lot of challenges in your life- sending you hugs- but don’t add to them by trying to “stand out”. Colleges don’t accept students who “stand out”, they accept students whose track record shows they have what it takes to be successful at their institutions, and will add measurably to campus life. If you have time for an internship at a human rights campaign- and it’s what you want to do with your time- terrific. But it’s not going to move the needle on your admissions decisions.
Focus.
Do you even WANT to be an I-banker, before you start worrying about majoring in history and then pivoting to finance? and if you want banking, why do you need law school? Do you even know what I-bankers do?
I’m getting whiplash. You need a coherent story- where you’ve been, where you’re going. And stop speculating on why you were rejected- it doesn’t matter. You’re where you are right now, move forward.