I just started sophomore year and am wondering what else I need to do to beef up my application to be accepted into Columbia and what my chances are as of now.
Freshmen year
Spanish 1
Spanish 2 accelerated
Int math 2 H
English H
Biology H
Dance
Cross country/soccer/ track
Sophmore year:
Chemistry H
AP chem
AP world
Spanish 3 accelerated
Int math 3 H
English 2 H
Cross country/ track
Extra curriculars: FBLA, CSF, fashion club, piano 8 years, JV cross country, track, soccer,
Awards: FBLA 8th place intro to business procedures sectionals
GPA: (once Sophmore year is completed if I continue to get straight as): 4.4 weighted 4.0 unweighted
PSAT scores (taking classes this year to try to improve ) : 1460/1600
personal: white female
200k bracket
California blue ribbon&california distinguished high school
I will probably right about how my mom had cancer for my essay.
Come back in two years. Keep hard, rigorous classes in your schedule, and make sure to do things that interest you. Don’t do stuff that you don’t want to do, because volunteering for a cause your are not passionate for is not a good move. I don’t know what CSF stands for, so just respond and tell me because I’m curious, but we have FBLA at my last HS and I was president. If you like business then do business clubs, and try and expose yourself to the different aspects in classes that you take. Do an internship. Volunteer someplace. I was interested in Medicine and Business, so I did some clubs and classes for business, and a volunteering stint at a hospital. Do what you like. If you do that, Columbia would be stupid to turn down someone who is doing what they love (just bear in mind that Columbia does turn down people like this though)
It is way too early to think about specific colleges (especially the hyper-competitive ones). You just have one full year’s GPA and you have no standardized testing other than a PSAT.
Please recognize that HS should be an experience in and of itself – a time of learning and growth and not just a 4 year college application prep experience.
It is good to take school seriously and know that college will be on your horizon, but it is too early to start planning for specific colleges. I agree with @mellamousted and would highly recommend that you get off of CC until your junior year.
For now you should focus on:
–Working hard, learning, and doing as well as you can in the most challenging curriculum you can manage.
–When the time comes study for standardized tests.
–Continue your involvement in activities you care about and work towards making meaningful contributions to those activities.
–Enjoying spending time with your family and friends.
When the time comes asses your academic stats (including GPA, standardized tests, course rigor) as well as your financial needs and apply to a wide range of reach, match, and safety schools that appear affordable (you will have to run a net price calculator for each school you consider) and that you would be happy to attend. You need to expand your horizons and recognize that there are many wonderful schools out there where you can have a great 4 year experience and get where you want to go in life.