<p>Hi, I was wondering if you guys could chance me! I know it's pretty early but it doesn't help to know what I should improve on. Thanks!</p>
<p>Name: KB24yo
Race: Asian
Gender: Male
State : CA
GPA : 3.65 UW / 3.7 W
SAT : 2280 ( Math-760/CR-800/Writing-720)
SAT2 : Chinese - 800 / Math 2 - 800
AP - US (5) / taking EURO and Psychology this year
*Received 2 C+'s the beginning of sophomore year (mother contracted breast cancer)</p>
<p>School Related Activities:
- Student Council (4 years)
- Model United Nations Club (secretary)
- Kiwins Club (co-treasurer)
- Mock Trial (lawyer/witness)
- Rooftop Tutoring (president)
- Fiddle For Fun (president)
- IMPACT team leader (mentor for incoming freshmen)
- In 2 School Musicals
- Started recycle trash bins at school to raise money for school (+$3000)
- JV Basketball (1 year) & Varsity Wrestling (1 year)</p>
<p>Music - Viola:
- School Symphony Orchestra (4 years)
- All-State Orchestra (4)
- All-National Orchestra (3)
- Performed at the White House
- Invited by the Chinese government to play in the Beijing Olympics
- Traveled to Argentina/Africa to teach less fortunate kids how to play a music instrument
- Toured France, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, and China playing with local orchestra(s)
- Organized local music fundraisers to raise money to buy instruments for less fortunate children in 3rd world countries (+$5,000)
- Played in the pit orchestra for 2 school musicals</p>
<p>Extras:
- Published a children's book
- Organized a jog-a-thon at local elementary school to raise money for school supplies
- Church choir member/audio recorder/hymn leader/orchestra member
- Volunteer at soup kitchen (+100 hours)
- Private math tutor for elementary kids
- Work : Part-time @ Hollister (5 hours a week)
- Intern for law firm with sports attorney, Leigh Steinberg</p>
<p>I would cut down on the number of activities and focus on developing your leadership roles and increasing your proficiency in a select few roles. For example: becoming a better debater and entering (and winning) higher-level debate competitions.</p>
<p>Don’t spread yourself too thin. This is relevant because you won’t be able to fit some of your activities on your college applications (most of them, including the Common App, restrict the number of activities you can put down), and your essays can’t refer to more than a handful of them as well. So the details that really matter are the depth and scope of your high-profile activities. It looks like music might be one of them, although as an Asian student, you need to balance that with a non-stereotypical activity as you write the “deep dive” essay(s) for your Columbia application.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you in the next few months!</p>
Shouldn’t that be "it doesn’t <em>hurt</em> to know what I should improve on? : P</p>
<p>Looking at your post, what might help push you in is one of the following:</p>
<p>a. your music (definitely something you want to write about somewhere in your app.); also, prepare to send in a recording, perhaps contact whomever you might find there for undergraduate music/college-wide music groups, etc.****
b. that children book’s you wrote (out of curiosity, what kind is it? for what age group?)***
c. intern: if you actually did something worth writing about and someone high up in the firm - like Leigh Steinberg -is willing to write a letter of rec. for you which will include confirmation of what you did**
d. the fund raising or if there were any notable things you did in your other clubs*
e. if you’re good enough to wrestle to be recruited to columbia (im guessing this wont happen? heh)*****</p>
<p>***** = likely to help the most (out of the five above) based on the information you provided so far
= likely to help the least (out of the five above) based on the information you provided so far</p>
<p>Like zephyravatar said, if you can, go and take another SAT II. It probably wont be “necessary,” but it won’t hurt to show that you are proficient in another subject.</p>
<p>Also, what are you thinking of studying at Columbia? That would also relate to whether you should take another SAT II (ie. if you’re thinking of doing sciences, definitely take a science one since you don’t have any AP sciences - but then again, i doubt you’re thinking of doing sciences).</p>
<p>Oh, and chances? You have a shot. Just like all the other qualified applicants to Columbia.</p>
<p>Oh and KB24yo, good luck with your applications. Despite what I said in my last line above, I think with your music and perhaps one of your other extracurricular, you’ll have a slightly better shot than some (but not all) of the other qualified applicants. (heh, couldn’t find an edit button)</p>
<p>That said, I said what I said because its the truth - no one on this board can tell you whether you will get in or not and none of us can “accurately” predict your chances.</p>