Hello, I am currently a junior (Indian female) in a relatively well off high school in NJ.
Premed path
Will likely apply ED.
GPA: 4.45(Weighted), 3.89 (UW)-- both will likely go up by the end of this year.
Sophomore year course load (only 2 AP offered): Honors US History I, Honors Algebra II, Honors Chemistry, Honors Spanish, Honors research class, CP english.
Junior year course load (4 AP offered): AP Biology, AP Physics I, APUSH II, Honors English, Honors Spanish, Honors Precalculus, Honors research.
SAT: 1540 (800 M, 740 R/W).
Subject Tests: 780 Chemistry, Taking Math II(hoping for 800) in May, may take Bio for 800 in may as well.
ECS: Captain of debate team, captain of science olympiad team, varsity tennis, NHS.
2 Published papers in notable medical journals.
Edit: Also have around 150 hours of Volunteer hours.
Awards: 4th place at a science fair in research class.
Have 2 more scientific publications for the discovery of 2 new genes.
*Legacy.
Is is a giant problem that I have not taken the most rigorous classes? I have taken mainly rigorous classes and plan on taking 7 APs senior year to hopefully counter the class load.
Also planning on applying to Dartmouth, Cornell, WashU as my reach schools.
Edit: Also have around 150 hours of Volunteer hours.
Awards: 4th place at a science fair in RMG.
Have 2 more scientific publications for the discovery of 2 new genes.
The relative lack of AP classes until senior year could be an issue-will your counselor mark your schedule as most rigorous? That might be a blemish since the standardized testing is fine plus you have ECs related to a potential major/interest.
Taking 7 AP classes as a senior is also not a good idea. Maybe 4 that are math/science related plus a FL.
Most high achieving students considering a STEM major will have taken an AP History or AP English class.
Add safeties as well (Rutgers, etc).
I might add Case Western and Rochester as targets as well.
I noticed that you put down legacy in your chance me. Columbia only considers legacy for children of Columbia College and SEAS alumni. Since Columbia has so many large graduate programs, many applicants have a connection to the University but don’t get any special treatment from undergraduate admissions. The “word on the street” is that Columbia only provides a bump for legacy in ED. They feel no need to provide special consideration for very privileged applicants who don’t choose Columbia first. And it is commonly believed that the legacy bump raises admissions odds mostly for the strongest applicants. So while most valedictorians with 1600 SATs are rejected, most legacy students with similar high stats are accepted. Marginal legacy applicants may actually get their odds dinged because they have the lowest stats among the most advantaged applicants in the entire pool.
Yes, it will be marked as most rigorous, and I will apply to Case and Rochester as targets. Do you think I have a shot at any of my reach schools (Columbia, Tufts, Dartmouth, Cornell, WashU, UChicago, UPenn, NYU, Carnegie Mellon)? Which do you think I should ED to (a place where I have the best chance to be accepted)? Thanks.