Columbia University!!! chance me please

<p>SAT:
Writing - 750
Reading - 730
Math - 620
TOTAL: 2100</p>

<p>SAT Subject Tests:
U.S. History - 700
English Lit. - 740</p>

<p>GPA: 4.2 weighted
APs: Euro, U.S., English Lit, English lang, Government, Biology</p>

<p>Extra Currics School Related:
1. Model United Nations Team Member - 2 yrs
2. Editor-In-Chief of School Newspaper
3. The Young Philosophers Society - President and Founder (school club)
4. The Global Awareness Project - Co-founder (civil rights infractions awareness and education project within my school)
5. Head Editor of School Literary Journal
6. School Political Action Group - Democrat VP
7. Varsity Tennis Team member - 3 yrs
*8. Running for Student Council President</p>

<p>Extra Currics outside of school:
1. Boyle Heights English tutor - tutor kids in the underprivelaged area of los angeles free of charge
2. Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles - consistent article contributor
3. TreePeople ongoing volunteer - environmentalist group volunteer
4. Ongoing Obama campaign volunteer
5. National Conference of Synogague Youth (NCSY) - VP Education</p>

<p>Summer '07:
1. TreePeople (environmental group) - summer intern
2. Bet Tzedek Legal Services - summer volunteer, probono law firm</p>

<p>Summer '08:
1. National Assocation for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - Summer Intern, Legal/Justice Divison
2. Don't know what the second thing i'm doing is yet</p>

<p>--What do you think my chances are for columbia? any freedback is really appreciated</p>

<p>I think if you improve your SAT scores, you should have a pretty solid chance! You seem very well-rounded and have interesting, varied EC's. Best of luck to you!</p>

<p>thanks! do i really have to improve SATs?(;</p>

<p>If you improve your SAT scores to a 2250-2400, especially in the 2300 range, I'd say you're set.</p>

<p>ya but i mean thats not happening...how are my chances as of now? im also thinking of applying to penn and cornell, michigan, brandeis, nyu</p>

<p>--im a junior</p>

<p>I have no idea what that winking face is insinuating, but yes, I do. To be very competitive at a school like Columbia you need to have a great score. I mean, to be blunt, you should technically take your SAT 1 and 2's over, but they mainly look at SAT 1's IMO, so by improving those (i.e. to a 2250+), I'd say you have a very solid chance.</p>

<p>Also, this may seem off base, but are you African American (looking at the NAACP volunteering, etc)? I'm not sure what the policy is in regards to minorities, but that could tip scales in your favor too.</p>

<p>Wow, okay my post was a bit late. But anyway, you're a junior. TAKE IT IN OCTOBER AGAIN. If you want Columbia, then make it happen.</p>

<p>im not an african american - i'm just really interested in civil rights law and i contacted a bunch of civil rights organizations and i found an internship with them the most compelling</p>

<p>Of the schools you named, here is how I would rank your chances as of now:</p>

<ol>
<li>Brandeis</li>
<li>New York</li>
<li>Michigan</li>
<li>Columbia</li>
<li>Cornell</li>
</ol>

<p>Frankly, if Columbia is your number one choice, I would take the SAT again in October and apply early.</p>

<p>alright i guess i would agree with that ranking -thanks - and btw, in comparison with the middle 50 percent of columbia's SAT statistics - im on the high end for reading and writing and just below in math...not too bad - i think im just gna stick with my scores - a lot of ppl get in with 2100s</p>

<p>That will be the tipping point in your application. Hopefully the people reviewing your admission can look past the numbers</p>

<p>well all im saying is that i think 2100 is enough to get me considered, and past that i'm really confident about my EC's, letters of rec, summer stuff, and my essay</p>

<p>I know testing freaks some people out, but wouldn't you feel better re-taking it and feeling REALLY confident with a nice fat 2200+?</p>

<p>This is the last post where I'll mention this because I'm starting to sound like a testing nutcase, but just keep that in mind.</p>

<p>I say you're fine.</p>

<p>lol of course! but practically, i just don't see myself getting that - with tutoring i came up from 1700 (pre tutoring diag) to a 2180 on my last diag and on my sat i got 2100 - pretty on target display of what i can do. i just think its too risky b/c if i get a 2050 the second time (which is very possible), it'll look like my 2100 was weak</p>

<p>ya im taking them again in october - gna try to raise my math from 620 to 700 from now until then...just bought a bunch of prep books</p>

<p>im a junior as well and columbia is my first choice. i would say u could probably get in... ur scores are not bad (u got me by 100 points :P ) on both the sat i and sat iis. i know what u mean, its not happening with the scores. i would say just to work really hard on ur esssay because u seem like a unique, passionate person (judging by ur ECs) and just take the sat one more time, without stressin or studying. good luck i am rooting for u! 09!!! PS: if u r really into columbia u should apply early decision because their acceptance rate goes up to 26 percent rather than 10 percent regular decision</p>

<p>What? Sadofle is ridiculous. Your verbal scores put you in the top 5% of test-takers nationwide, and right in the middle 50% of admitted students at Columbia. Your math score probably in the top 15-20% nationwide. Your SAT scores are FINE, you don't need to retake it. SAT scores are not going to make or break you at Columbia, a place that could fill their class with perfect 2400s if they wanted to.</p>

<p>I think you have good chances at most of the schools to which you plan to apply, particularly Brandeis and Michigan. For Columbia, Cornell, and NYU, your plan is to make yourself stand out. Those civil rights internships seem REALLY interesting and you should definitely elaborate on why you chose them and how they relate to your future goals and plans. Social justice seems to be a running trend with you and universities love students who are socially conscious, so definitely play that up -- particularly your abilities as a self-starter (calling those firms and asking about positions; beginning the Global Awareness Project). Address those traits in yourself and discuss how you plan to continue the trend at Columbia.</p>

<p>Best of luck! Hope to see you there in the future! (I'm entering a Ph.D program at Columbia in the fall.)</p>

<p>P.S. (I also agree with the poster before me. If you truly want to go to Columbia and financial aid is NOT a problem for you, you should apply for Early Decision, as your chances become greater. HOWEVER, if there is ANY chance that you will need substantial aid to attend and you don't make under $60,000, I would not recommend applying ED.)</p>

<p>wow juillet that was really helpful! i had some questions about applying to Columbia for fall 09 and you really helped clear up a lot of my lingering thoughts. </p>

<p>your sats are really good, i hope i can get 2100 (im not taking them till june). if you think about the middle 50 percents listed on college board, there will always be some people that get in with bad test scores. good luck!</p>