<p>Stats:</p>
<p>SAT: 2300 (770 M, 730 CR, 800 W)
SAT IIs: 700 Bio, 780 WH, 780 U.S. History
GPA: Not sure.
Rank: 20/900 (about 2.2 percent)
Essays: Strong
ECs: Track, XC, every year. I play the cello well, and am attending Interlochen this summer. Good community service, and youth orchestra involvement<br>
Teacher Recs: Very Strong
Counselor Rec: Very Strong
Hook (if any): Legacy, Early Decision
Location/Person: Dutchess County, NY
State or Country: U.S.
School Type: Very Large Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male</p>
<p>Could someone let me know what my chances are? As an early decision legacy, I assume they are greatly improved?</p>
<p>your gpa will be an important factor. you look like you’re in good standing, but you’re gonna have to kill with your essays, because right now, even though you’re definitely qualified, i don’t see anything that stands out about you, and the fact of the matter is that there are thousands of people with your stats or better vying for the same spot at columbia. legacy will definitely help though. my advice: do something extraordinary lol</p>
<p>Thanks Joso.</p>
<p>I don’t know my GPA on a 4.0 scale, because my school uses a 100 point scale. Thus, I thought displaying my class rank better display any academic merit. Thanks for the advice, absolutely true.</p>
<p>I think what will set me apart is my cello playing. I know someone who can do a professional recording, and I play well enough to play in the orchestra, and help the program along. You’re right, and i’m counting on my essays to be excellent, but nothing is certain until they’ve been written. I KNOW that my counselor and teacher reccomendations will be exceptional, and that should be very helpful as well.</p>
<p>Do you have any reccomendations for something “extrordinary”?</p>
<p>Hmm… Your commonapp essay really has to set you apart. I believe that the essay is an important component as is the interview. If you have an interview and write a strong essay your chances will increase a great deal. Your scores and academic rank all seem fine, so those two areas are the ones you will really have to work on and make exceptional.</p>
<p>I’m not seeing anything special with your ECs right now, to be honest. Are you interested in pursuing cello playing in college? Have you done anything impressive with it yet (I know this sounds condescending, because being able to play that well is already impressive, but I mean as far as things to put on paper)? Do you have any leadership positions, or are you planning on getting any your senior year? These are things to be considering to boost your chances.</p>
<p>You guys are all right; I do need to work to make myself stand out. As far as the cello goes- Interlochen summer camp is considered difficult to be accepted to- and colleges love to hear recordings coming out of that camp- so they say. I’ve attended summer music camps for the past three years (2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks). I would play cello in college- and will send in a recording, that they will hopefully be impressed by. I also run spring track, winter track, and cross country (not slowly, but not fast enough to be recruited). As far as leadership: I’m sure my teachers will write about my leadership in class, but tangibly I’m not really involved in a vast array of clubs (I stay after every day of the year for track- so I suppose you could say I was shooting for ‘depth’, not breadth, of EC involvement). I spent two seasons coaching younger cellists in my youth orchestra organization, if that’s considered leadership? My youth orchestra is VERY strong, and I’ve been playing in it for probably 8 years now.</p>
<p>GPA is right around 3.75-3.8— for those that were wondering— on an A-4, B-3…scale. Any ideas?</p>
<p>your gpa looks good to me. like i said before, do somethin awesome - music related since that’s the angle you’re coming from. start an initiative where you teach underprivileged or just younger kids music; enter cello competitions and win them; things like that. but if doesn’t come from your own desire to do those things, they won’t really work out. it’s all about you: do what you can and want to, and if in the end it doesn’t get you into the school you want to go to, well then you shouldn’t be going there</p>
<p>Your scores/GPA is fine.
- I would retake or take another SAT subject test though (since I believe Columbia requires 3 right?), that last 700 can be a bit better. Have you taken any AP tests though? If they are all in 4’s and 5’s range, I would say you wouldn’t have to worry about your academics.</p>
<p>2) I see 2 trends in your ec’s from what you’re writing…track and cello. Any leadership in those areas? I mean, if you’re really good cello player there’s plenty of things to do with that - tutoring underpriviledge kids, playing for senior homes, fundraising by playing your cello, etc. all of which could stand out. A lot of students to track however, so I’m not sure if you can stand out in that area.</p>
<p>3) Right now, I think it just comes down to your essays. If you’re recs are as glowing as you make them out to be, if you write an unique/powerful essay, I think you would be ushered in the admit stack during early decision.</p>
<p>i agree - pursue the music more, it’ll make you stand out more, and there are more opportunities to give back and stand out with it. </p>
<p>also, columbia only requires 2; i just checked the admissions website:</p>
<p>“In addition to either the SAT or ACT, you must also take two SAT Subject Tests”</p>