Chances Please

<p>Indian male from KY
School: Competitive Private (~80 students/grade)
Course load: All Honors/AP's (Hardest Possible)
GPA: 3.85 UW; 4.30 W
PSAT: 213 (Predicted NM Semi-Finalist)
ACT composite: 35 (Writing: 32)
AP's (so far): AP Government (4), AP Biology (5), AP Chemistry (4), AP Calculus AB (4), AP Latin IV (3)
Projected senior AP's: AP Calculus BC, AP Physics, AP English Lit. & Comp., AP Psych.
SAT II: Chemistry: 760 (Retaking only 84th %tile apparently); Biology E: 790; Taking Physics and Math IIC</p>

<p>EC's (major):
-Singing: I'm in my own band and I have been to several national and state honors choirs and I have taken voice for over 8 years. I also play guitar and piano.
-Varsity Baseball, JV Soccer, and Club Tennis
-1st Dan Black belt in Tae Kwon Do
-400+ Hours Research Internship at local cancer center-producing a paper on cancer stem cells in retinoblastoma (eye cancer of the retina)
-150+ hours volunteering at a local hospital
-Academic (Varsity) and Math Team Starter
-Attended KY's Governor's Scholar's Program
-Duke TIP
-Act in school productions
-Board member of school philanthropic foundation</p>

<p>Awards:
Governor's Cup:
District, Regional, and State Recognition
School:
-Biology Book Award: 2007
-High Honor Roll (3 years): 2005-08
-University of Louisville Book Award: 2008
-Biology Olympiad Semi-finalist: 2008
National Latin Exam:
-8th (Latin I): Magna Cum Laude (High Honor)
-9th (Latin II): Summa Cum Laude (Highest Honor)
-10th (Latin III): Cum Laude (Honor)
-11th (Latin IV AP): Cum Laude (Honor)</p>

<p>
[quote]
Chemistry: 760 (Retaking only 84th %tile apparently)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Don't. Leave well enough alone.</p>

<p>Wait, are you submitting your ACT score? I don't think Columbia requires SAT IIs if you took the ACT with writing.</p>

<p>eehh couldn't hurt to submit SAT II's, could it?</p>

<p>Great application, I'd say you've got good chances--blow them away :)</p>

<p>Your ECs just look wonderful, I love the mix, you're doing some cool stuff (playing in a band, tae kwon do, research, sports, math team, acting). Your act and grades too are up to speed. I think so far you fit columbia very well (from whatever limited information).</p>

<p>My only concern is that applications like yours which are so well rounded can fail to show passion, and involvement in what you do. This is the hurdle, portraying that you actually cherish each of your activities, and wish to delve deeper into a subsection of them at columbia. You might want to decide which ones you emphasize on.</p>

<p>Honestly, I've seen more spectacular profiles than yours, so columbia can still reject you, I can see a few other schools rejecting you too, but I cannot see them all doing it. you'll definitely get into a top university. I've seen worse profiles than yours get in. At the moment I think you stand a good chance at columbia because of the balance.</p>

<p>CC or seas, any major? premed?</p>

<p>i plan to go into pre-med most likely. also it may not seem like it in writing, but my main passion is music and its just a large part of my life which is why i started singing and later on learning instruments for back-up. i actually do recitals and stuff, also my band does performances, and I also have attended like National ACDA and All-state choirs around the country, which have been amazing</p>

<p>Shwincity117, given your high ACT score and SAT II scores, I think you can save yourself some money by not taking the physics and math SAT II. You don't want to look...overzealous.</p>

<p>"Shwincity117, given your high ACT score and SAT II scores, I think you can save yourself some money by not taking the physics and math SAT II. You don't want to look...overzealous."</p>

<p>firstly i think he's applying to hyp, which require 3, and there's no such thing as overzealous, taking extra things doesn't hurt you unless others are sacrificed.</p>

<p>there is always limited TIME. It's not worth his time to retake it since the margin of possible improvement is so small. he's already demonstrated that he's mastered that concept, nothing can really be gained by taking it again. he should spend his time in more wise places.</p>

<p>^posting too quickly denz, everyone agreed that he should not retake chem or bio. he has to take at least physics or math II if he applies to hyp (which he intends to do). I was arguing against overzealous, yes you waste time by taking extra sat2s, but no-one ever punishes you for taking extra.</p>