<p>it seems the past few years , thay want more even proportion of geniuses and idiots ;-) that's why a lot of sub 1500 got in.. for my part 1390 didn't do the trick... deferred...</p>
<p>Lol Columbia Massacre 2004...heh...that's funny -- yeah, that was tough.</p>
<p>gee, thanks....</p>
<p>:::Revives thread:::</p>
<p>One comment from a Dartmouth 'o9er- dart seemed to be stat-based. Columbia... what the? It doesn't even make sense to see so many 1500+ not get in. Youguys have my sympathy. And remember, the admissions officers might have been on something when they reviewed your app</p>
<p>SEAS</p>
<p>750m/740v, 800iic, 780chem, 710 writ
3.8uw, all honors, highly selective HS, unranked</p>
<p>SHP and Summer Program, a few other random things.</p>
<p>I have a question for Welsh0913, SpeckTackYouLerr, daria1000, kms0484, rp123, calla66, & smithk:</p>
<p>HOW would you know the content of your teacher & GC rec's (whether "good," "excellent," "mediocre," -- not to mention what the "special focus" was in your recs). We've been encouraged to waive our right to see our recommendations, because they then look more credible, less psychologically coerced, etc. Based on what my teachers SAY about me to my face & to my Mom, I get a general idea of what they probably wrote, but nothing else.</p>
<p>Not trying to insult, because many of you have better SATs than me, & as good or better e.c.'s, but is it possible that reading your own rec's (if you did) was a liability in your apps?</p>
<p>I waived my right of access, but that doesn't mean that they cannot voluntarily give their recommendations to me. I think that it means that I can't demand to see it, but I'm not sure. At my school, the teachers and counselor give back our recs to us to proofread.</p>
<p>Thanks calla. That's what I thought. At my h.s. I think the admin. keeps things more tightly close to the vest -- quite freaked about secrecy, confidentiality, & the like. School also doesn't rank. Think this is all about not allowing students to brag to other students, etc. (whether rank or recs), and/or influential parents demanding to know why Teacher X raved more about Student Y than about Student Z. Also, my school's pretty small, & maybe they figure the intimacy will encourage competitiveness & comparisons if too much is known about ranks & recs.</p>
<p>We just submit our resumes, etc. along with our rec forms to the teachers. Thereby it would be questionable to actually <em>need</em> "proofreading," assuming teacher is intelligent enough to know how to use spell-check as well.</p>
<p>deferred seas:</p>
<p>1330 (760M, 570V)
740 physics 710 2c 580 writing
gpa - about 3.8 ranked just around top 10 percent most demanding courseload
great interview, great recs, good essay
10 varsity letters, 3 varsity captainships, awards and all that good stuff</p>
<p>accepted CC</p>
<p>1370
700v/670m; 750 Writing, 670 Lit, 650 US Hist
3.8w/4.3uw; 9/152 (top 6%)
Tons of writing awards all through high school
Regional and state awards and such on viola
City youth symphony and chamber orchestras
Section leader and student conductor at school
(I'm obsessed with writing and music)
Student Council state awards as committee head at school; current president
NHS treasurer
Key Club - designated driver of EVERYTHING (I even wrote that on my app, haha).
I only mentioned the stuff that was most important to me, like they asked</p>
<p>I didn't interview. 2 great recommendations from AP English III teacher and Spanish teacher I've had for 3 years. I'm really big on writing, so my essay and short answers worked out quite well.</p>
<p>Also, for the record, a sub-1500 score doesn't necessarily make you stupid. The SAT is only a part of the consideration; you can be noticed by the officers if you've got above a 1300 and a top percentile rank, I'd say, but after that, something else gives them the pull. They also look for people who'd fit in at the school, be a part of the environment -- I wouldn't go crazy over tests and GPA stuff.</p>
<p>accepted cc</p>
<p>1440 - 790 math/650verbal
790 mathIIc, 760 chem, 670 writing
4.0 uw, 4.31 w (i have the highest possible at my school, it doesnt offer a lot)
Work 25+ hrs
Attend CU summer program and Boy's State
Very good recs
Very good essay, very original and very me
Scholar's Bowl co-captain
NHS
Am teaching myself AP Calc BC in an independent study
I do origami (my RA mentioned how he read I did this when I got to the summer program so maybe it helped get me into both)
Poor family background (I think this helps a lot)</p>
<p>Hi... this is actually my first post here, but I thought I'd share, like you said, for posterity's sake:</p>
<p>Accepted CC</p>
<p>SATs: 1540 (800V/740M), 800 Writing, 780 Lit, 760 US History
GPA: 4.0 (HS doesn't weight), rank 1, most core classes for past two years taken at college due to crappy high school.
Glowing recommendations (never read them, but my teachers are like family to me), great interview (it lasted three hours)
National Merit semifinalist, Willamette University Gifted Scholar
Lived in Japan as an exchange student for six months in junior year, fluent in Japanese.
Founded Human Rights Club in soph. year (now president), editor of newspaper, president of Current Events and Politics Club, 1st chair trumpet, theatre "techie," NHS member, blah blah blah.
Volunteered extensively for the DNC, other progressive causes.
Work for local newspaper (feature writer).</p>
<p>Rejected CC</p>
<p>730,630,700,720,800</p>
<p>straight A's (no GPA), top 10% of class.</p>
<p>this makes absolutely no sense to me.
you columbia cc'ers have my sincerest condolences (and congradulations).</p>
<p>Accepted CC
1500 (700M/800V), 800 writing, 690 math iic, 730 literature
3.98UW, top 3-ish%
IB Diploma candidate, public inner-city high school
NHS president, TONS of music, various other clubs/activities, kind of shoddy volunteering (but showed that music is my passion and I do it constantly)
and a job.</p>
<p>COLUMBIA '09-ers! (this includes BC, SEAS, CC)
I made a Columbia University c/o 2009 LiveJournal community. PLEASE join!! A bunch of people have so far and it's lots of fun to get to know everyone.
<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/community/columbia2009%5B/url%5D">http://www.livejournal.com/community/columbia2009</a></p>
<p>posting to defend against the accusation that columbia overlooks 1500s and 700+ scores.</p>
<p>accepted cc</p>
<p>sat i: 1510 [800 v / 710 m]
sat ii: 800 writing, 790 literature, 730 bio-m, 680 ic
gpa: 4.9/4.0, rank: 6/521</p>
<p>ib diploma candidate, nat'l merit semi-finalist, ap scholar </p>
<p>ec: orchestra; debate [vice-president]; varsity soccer, track, and cross country; club soccer; nhs; french nhs [president]</p>
<p>No offense at all you 1500+ers who aren't getting in but this thread certainly gives me some hope for RD, although it's a different process. Nonetheless I REALLY hope to join ya'll in the class of '09 at Columbia. Pray to God Coach Shoop bids for me!</p>
<p>Deferred CC.
1480 SAT (770V, 710M)
700 Bio, 770 Writing, 680 French (I took it as a French IV student)
4 on English Lit AP (having not taken the class)
3 APs this year
President of Drama Club, Young Democrats (and founder)
School newspaper editor
MUN member
Avid equestrian
Leads in many school plays since 9th grade
Directing the Spring play</p>
<p>NMS Commended Scholar
Maryland Distinguished Scholar Semi-finalist</p>
<p>LEGACY</p>
<p>this gives some hope to my not-so-hot gpa (like 3.2) but my outstanding awards and ECs, i'm hoping to apply to SEAS next year</p>
<p>any advice from acceptees is very much appreciated:)</p>