Columbia ED and Princeton SCEA

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello, I just visited some colleges and I really loved Columbia but Princeton was awesome as well. I'm just wondering how realistic they are for me and if one of them is easier or harder for me to get into. Which should I apply early to? Am I wasting my time?</p>

<p>Intended focus: Physics (CC for Columbia)
SAT I (breakdown): N/A
ACT: 33 (35 S, 34 W, 33 R, 31 M) [Retaking this in September]
SAT II: N/A
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.9
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2%
AP (place score in parenthesis):
AP Calc AB (5)
AP Lang (5)
APUSH (5)
AP World (4)
AP Chem (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load:
AP Physics I
AP Gov
AP Micro
AP Macro
AP Calc BC
AP Stats
AP Lit
Academic Decathlon
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Dozens of medals for AcDec (national, state, and regional level), highest scorer on team at 2014 nationals
Minor Awards: NHRP, AP Scholar, Recognized as student of the month in regional district</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Academic Decathlon (Team captain 10,11,12) [First time any school in our district has placed 1st at regionals and state, qualified for nationals and placed 6th in the nation, had lots of media coverage since our team really came out of nowhere. I've spent hundreds of hours studying for it]
Chemistry Club (Should have officer position next year, 11,12)
Calculus Club (Also should have officer position, 11,12)
Job/Work Experience: Builds and fixes computers for friends and random people
Volunteer/Community service: Not much, I organized fundraisers to send our team to Nationals for AcDec
Summer Activities: Boys State, studying for next year AcDec
Essays: Hopefully should be unique. Going to talk about how I skateboarded for around 7 years and how it really shaped my personality and then how I really started to care about school around my sophomore year. Also going to talk a lot about how AcDec catalysed that process
Teacher Recommendation: From AcDec coach who I have had as a teacher for 3 years, very very close, should be amazing
Counselor Rec: I go to a large public, so it should be pretty generic as I've only spoken to her a couple of times
Additional Rec: not sure yet
Interview: Not yet</p>

<p>State (if domestic applicant): AZ
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Middle class, large public (2400 kids)
Ethnicity: Hispanic/Mexican
Gender: M
Income Bracket: $120,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM</p>

2

<p>Due to your URM status and decent stats, applying to either is reasonable. It seems as if you like Columbia more, so do as you outlined above: both ED and SCEA will increase your chances, no matter which school you choose for ED and which you choose for SCEA</p>

3

<p>@supercilious‌ Do you think that SCEA has slight lower chances since it isn’t necessarily as binding as Columbia ED?</p>

4

<p>I have a suggestion - look at the supplements for both Columbia and Princeton and start mentally drafting the essays in your head. Maybe that will answer your question of which you really prefer.</p>

5

<p>@scholarme‌ Well I suppose I’d prefer whichever I would make it into really, they are both amazing schools in amazing locations and I’m sure the quality of my essay would be around the same regardless of the supplements </p>

6

<p>Anyone else have any thoughts/chances? Will chance back.</p>

7

<p>hey! you have an incredibly good shot at either, being a minority with leadership, lots of acadeca medals, etc. Just make sure your essays are well written and you will be fine. Chance me back? </p>