Clear Admit or Just Fluff?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>I got an email today from Columbia Fu, and it reads:

[quote]
Dear Applicant,</p>

<p>I am writing to inform you that your application to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University has been carefully evaluated and that you have earned designation as a likely candidate for admission. We will be reviewing your mid-year grades, but as long as you maintain your current level of academic progress and good standing, you can expect to receive favorable word when admissions packets are mailed on March 28th.</p>

<p>The Committee on Admissions was deeply impressed with your scholastic and personal achievements, as well as your demonstrated interest in the fields of engineering and applied science. I offer you my sincere congratulations on your accomplishments thus far and eagerly anticipate those that lie ahead.</p>

<p>If we can be of any help to you, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office at <a href="mailto:ugrad-ask@columbia.edu">ugrad-ask@columbia.edu</a> and 212-854-2522. Please save the date for Columbia Engineering Days on Campus on April 20th and 21st, which will include lab visits, faculty lectures, tours of New York City and much more. I hope you can join us, and all of us here wish you the best during the exciting months ahead.</p>

<p>Sincerely yours,</p>

<p>Jessica Marinaccio
Executive Director
Undergraduate Admissions</p>

<p>P.S. Please note that a hardcopy of the above will be mailed this week.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm wondering if this is something to be excited about, or just a notice that I've passed initial screening or something. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>YEAAAAA, it is something to be excited about.</p>

3

<p>You're in, unless something major goes wrong.</p>

<p>What are your stats?</p>

4

<p>Nothing major happened and my mid-year grades are pretty good and consistent with my other grades. However I did make a B in English this semester, my first B ever. It was only one point below an A, and my English grades usually ride around the A/B mark anyway.</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: CR 800 M 800 WR 730 Essay 12
SAT IIs: Chemistry 770 Math II 800 US History 790 Physics 750 Literature 730 World History 750
ACT: English 24 Math 36 Science 36 Reading 35 Essay 10 Composite 34</p>

<p>School curriculum:
14 AP classes, 15 exams. Passed all but one, only one 3. </p>

<p>ECs:
Mathematics Team - South Carolina All-State Math Team member, AIME Qualifier
Envirothon Team - Individual 1st Place Soils, Team 3rd in State and 2nd in State back to back years
Marching Band - Best Rookie, Clarinet and Pit Percussion Section Leaders, Most Improved Section when leader
Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano - 6 time All-State Clarinetist, miscellaneous awards with the three instruments
Stanford EPGY for two summer sessions, AwesomeMath Summer Program for last summer, earned a Yellow Group Top Scorer award there
Work three jobs - Restaurant Assistant Manager, Math/Phsyics Tutor, Computer Technician (business I run independently)
Volunteer at library and Mobile Meals
Volunteer for some pro bono tutoring</p>

<p>Awards:
Presidential Scholar Nominee
NMF
I dont have too many awards :P</p>

<p>GPA: 5.17 (weird South Carolina standards)
Rank 2 of 439</p>

<p>I dont really think that merits a "clear admit." My essays were ok and I think recs were ok. I'm kind of high on the numbers, but I dont really have anything special. Like, say, Siemens Finalist. :)</p>

5

<p>Even if you think it doesn't merit a clear admit, they sent the letter to you anyways. Take it how it is, because it's a great honor getting a likely letter from Columbia Fu. Congratulations!</p>

6

<p>mpoon, what schools are you applying to. just curious : )</p>

7

<p>wow ur stats are very very good</p>

8

<p>applied to the usual. My stats aren't that spectacular, especially compared to some of the others around here, USPhysics Team, Math Olympiad Team, Intel Winner, TASP, RSI, etc, etc. I dont have any of it. In fact, I got rejected from RSI, lol.</p>

9

<p>mpoon -- are you a girl?</p>

10

<p>i got one of those last year and got in (and totally slacked off 2nd semester of sr year) so kick back and relax (relatively) :)</p>

11

<p>mpoon, you are clearly very talented, congrats on your acceptance to columbia!</p>

12

<p>A 2330 SAT and 15 AP exams is called "nothing special?"</p>

<p>You definately do not have to be a Siemens Finalist or a RSI attendee to apply to college (I got rejected by both competitions...haha @@"). Those are just the top of the top of the top. </p>

<p>You have a great application, congratulations!</p>

13

<p>That's what's referred to as a "likely letter." Congrats; you're in.</p>

14

<p>Unless you do something stupid.</p>

15

<p>So basically, if I got a likely letter before my mid-term report was sent, and my grades on the mid-term were:</p>

<p>A: AP Physics C, Engineering
A-: APUSH, AP Spanish 5, BC Calc, AP Econ
B+: AP English</p>

<p>Can I celebrate?</p>

16

<p>I'm a guy.</p>

<p>DaTurtle: that is extremely close to what my mid year report looks like. I hope I can celebrate too.</p>

17

<p>u can party like there no 2mor!...lol</p>

18

<p>Are you asian? Your stats are amazing. The only way I can imagine you didn't get an automatic acceptance is because you're asian, and it's very hard to get engineering/maths that way.</p>

19

<p>I disagree completely with the above poster, and find his or her views to be commonly-propagated bull*****.</p>

20

<p>mpoon, is Columbia your first choice school?</p>