I am a sophomore in high school and I haven’t taken my SATs yet. Due to covid, I don’t know if they will even be administered. I really want to get into Columbia University. I have a pretty lengthy list of EC’s. My GPA is 4.0 I believe (98.5) so far, and I plan on increasing it by taking AP exams in the upcoming months/years. What should I do to meet the criteria?
Hi! I’m applying to Columbia this year and have many friends/siblings who have been through the process.
No one has a definitive checklist for you, but the success stories I’ve heard in the past do have a few common denominators:
- Connections to the university. I don’t know if you live near Columbia, but now as everything’s virtual, it doesn’t really matter. Reach out, perhaps take a high school course there, talk to professors, get to know the campus/curriculum/vibe so that you can write a killer “Why Columbia” essay
- Tell a story in your application. Colleges like high GPAs, but what they like more are students who they know are passionate enough in what they want to study (or just in academics in general) that they will thrive just because they want to learn more. Take classes and participate in extracurriculars because you’re interested, not just because you think it looks good. You’ll have better essay material and more life experience. Step out of your comfort zone not because they want you to, but because you’ll thank yourself when you’re deciding what to study.
- Work experience. It can be paid or unpaid, but it should be in something you enjoy and can talk passionately about in an interview or essay! And preferably work with people, not just coding on your computer, for example. (Or both, if you’re into coding!) Working with people is CRUCIAL because what universities fear more than anything is that they’ll have to coddle you once you get on campus. That’s why they often keel away from essays about mental health and other similar topics, unless they have a clear growth story.
- Don’t spread yourself too thin! All of the stuff I said above is super important, but if you seem passionate about 22 different extracurriculars, and you’re taking no time for yourself or your own hobbies, that can be a red flag. Step out of your comfort zone, but spend time on what you enjoy, no one’s asking you to be good at everything.
- Essays!!! When the time comes, these are SO IMPORTANT. Cannot emphasize that enough. Write about everything I said above. Edit the HECK out of them. Get your school counselor to read them, but also your parents, friends, and other people who know you well and can tell you if they feel like the writing represents you.
- Last one, I promise. Apply early. You can apply early decision, if you are sure Columbia is your top choice, but even if you don’t, submit your application early. It will give you a significantly higher chance at getting an interview, which can only help your application!
It may sound cliche, but remember, the Ivies are a lottery and no one is guaranteed. There are so many incredible universities, and if you keep up your grades and extracurriculars, you’ll be eligible for many of them!
Sorry, I got a little carried away in this, but I hope you find some part of it helpful. Good luck in the process, and feel free to reach out!
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Hello, I was recently admitted to Columbia in December. There is no rhyme or reason to getting into Columbia but I think everything @ig364728 stated is great advice to be a competitive applicant. Again this is not from the perspective of an admissions officers or a professional, but just a student who had success with the college process. Some other things I would add:
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Spend some time developing your interests outside of academics. I think some things that particularly made me stand out were my different interests and how I tied them all together in the supplements. So for ECs it’s okay to focus more on quality instead of quantity if you aren’t that interested or engaged in a couple of your ECs.
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Really do research on Columbia and what makes Columbia unique and different from other schools and how that relates to you. Even small fun facts about the history and the structure can be useful and often times you can tie into your “Why Columbia” essay and it helps you stand out as someone who pays attention to detail and sees Columbia from a different perspective. Often times people write about New York City or the Core Curriculum when describing how Columbia differs from other schools, and these can be included, but tie it into a grander scheme that relates to you individually and also try to find specific things about their programs and other aspects that you can tie to how you will benefit Columbia and how the school will benefit you.
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If you are not able to take the SAT/ACT don’t be discouraged I can only speak from the experience of applying this year, but if COVID is still here when you apply and you aren’t able to submit an SAT/ACT don’t feel discouraged. I know many people, including myself, who got in test optional. Focus on the aspects you do have and highlight the best parts of your personality and your academics/work ethic.
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Get recs from teachers who know you well on both a personal and academic level. Teachers who you have had conversations with about things outside of their class or academics or even teachers who rave about your work ethic. Also, make sure to create a bond with your counselor. I cannot stress how important this is. Simply asking questions about scheduling, classes, or the college process helps your counselor gage and understand you. Let your counselor know your plans for after high school and your goals post secondary school as early as possible. Even talking to your counselor about future plans, your hobbies and interests, or even things you are worried or stressed about regarding your classes. Teachers and counselors will be able to refer to this and vouch for you in the recommendation letters.
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Bring out your personality throughout the application Yes, there are supplements and other sections that are more geared towards your academics, but throughout your application from your ECs to personal essay to supplements be yourself and let your personality shine. I know it seems cliche and like it is hard to do but once you don’t over think it too much it just all flows. The key to all these applications, in my opinion, is you need to make it so that AOs are advocating for a person and not an application itself. Also have a variety of trusted adults read your essays. Me personally, I had my English teacher (who also teaches at the local community college), a grad student in a different career field from my intended career field, and an undergrad student at a T10 read my common app essay to offer different perspectives on the essay.
In the end, although cliche, everything happens for a reason and you are always where you need to be in life. So don’t let Columbia be the end all be all, but strive to be the best student and applicant you can be in the process.
Good Luck and feel free to PM!
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