<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>Let me begin by saying I appreciate all feedback and thank you in advance. I've always wanted to go to Columbia, though I feel like I have no chance of getting in at all. I was going to apply NYU Early Decision because I also loved the school for many of its own reasons, but Columbia is and always has been my first choice. I feel as though I would regret not knowing if I applied and was accepted to NYU.
Here are some of my stats:</p>
<p>ACT (composite):30 on first sitting, 31 on second </p>
<p>GPA: 97 weighted</p>
<p>Class Rank: 49/290</p>
<p>Course load: Many IB courses, but chose not to do diploma due to art requirement </p>
<p>Intended Major: journalism </p>
<p>Hooks: I live in New York state. My parents didn't finish high school. Lesser income. First generation to attend college. </p>
<p>Also over the summer, I attended Harvard SSP and took journalism. My professor wrote me a journalism recommendation and told me I should pursue it. </p>
<p>Extracurriculars: mock trial, honest club (president), cyo basketball, school newspaper, organ society, french club, international humanitarian law </p>
<p>Recs: good</p>
<p>is Harvard SSP selective program, or just like other summer programs that you can attend if you have money? </p>
<p>@paul2752 It’s selective</p>
<p>@Lunamoon24 What about the financial picture? Are your parents prepared to pay for either one if you ED them? Are the costs comparable, or is one significantly cheaper?</p>
<p>One thing to consider: if you have any interest in eventually getting a Masters in Journalism, you don’t really need to do it for your undergrad. You could major in just about anything while working for a student newspaper or blog to get journalism experience. At the very least, if you want to do the bachelors, consider doing a double major in an unrelated field. There are a lot of niches in journalism, so having a specialized field of expertise could help you to differentiate yourself (e.g. CS, public health, genetics, international relations). </p>
<p>Assuming they’re comparable cost-wise, go for Columbia. My rule is to never ED if you would have regrets. Make the regret-free choice, or don’t ED at all.</p>
<p>Apply to Columbia ED. You have nothing to lose. Besides, NYU has ED 2 so if you don’t get in to Columbia you can try for early decision there if you wanted to. Good luck!</p>