Columbia University in the City of New York - Chance Me?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi all,
I would greatly appreciate it if y’all could chance me for Columbia.
I am a senior at a small private school in Addison, Texas.
In my second semester of junior year, however, I attended high school in Dobbs Ferry, New York, which is just an hour’s train ride from Manhattan. It was here in New York that I fell in love with the city and decided that I wanted to spend my college life there.
Without further ado, here are my stats:

(My school does not rank, and does not weigh GPA)
GPA: 3.7
ACT Score: 34 (with a 10 on writing)
High Honor Roll all four years of high school

Senior Class Load: AP Calculus AB, AP Literature, AP Biology, Advanced Latin, Struggles for Independence, Sociology
Extracurriculars: Literary Magazine member (10-12), captain of golf team (12), founder of Wildlife and Birding Club (12), Latin Club (9-12)
Job Experience: 100 Hours at California Chicken Cafe, 100 (and counting) hours at Round Rock Honey, 200 hours at Barbara Cobb Brim Couture
Volunteering: Senior volunteer at Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, SPCA of Dallas, tutor at Tom C. Gooch Elementary School
Summer Activities: Volunteering at wildlife rehab center, beekeeping and honey sales at local farmers markets, golf tournaments around the US
Essays: wrote about best friend in New York who was cutting herself, confided in me, and I saved her life
Recs: really really good

I’m super interested in ornithology and birdwatching, and I really want to pursue this sometime in the future. I am also in love with the city of New York.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

2

The GPA is a hair low for Columbia – try to pump that up a bit this year.

The 34 ACT is competitive.

Based on numbers, your chances are about in line with the overall acceptance rate at Columbia – about 6-7%.

So make sure you write killer essays. Focus perhaps on your love of birds, how that led you to start the club, etc. Add other things you do about which you are passionate – so they know you are well rounded too – but don’t be afraid to really hammer home the ornithology/birdwatching thing. You could also incorporate that into life in New York city and state – which birds you’d encounter in the city and nearby birdwatching areas where you’d find perhaps more avian diversity.

3

You have a nice interest in wildlife. Definitely speak about this in your essays. I think you stand a good chance. Good luck

4

GPA is low, but you seem like a very interesting person and if you show that in your essays it will really help. You seem to really like Columbia not just for its rank/prestige and you have super cool interests.
Maybe try to raise your GPA this first semester and really work on your essays and make them perfect! Good luck!

Chance back please: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1804806-upenn-ed-last-minute-check.html#latest