ED...too much of a reach?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p>Okay, the dreaded (and obnoxious) chance me thread. Admissions is a crapshoot, that much I realize. But am I academically qualified? </p>

<p>I realize that Columbia is a HUGEEE reach for me, but would applying ED (CC) even help in my case? I know, I know...my test scores are abysmal, and it's not like I have a stellar hook either. But right now, UChicago and Columbia are my two, first-choices. If ED isn't going to help me at all, then I'd much rather focus on my Chicago app. I know it wouldn't hurt applying, but at the same time, I'd rather not do a lousy job on an app.</p>

<p>Asian female
Type of school: Large Public (2700 students); random fact: Hilary Clinton is an alumna (haha....)
GPA : 4.38 weighted
3.76 unweighted</p>

<p>Rank: 30/657
Extracurriculars:
- COACH 10-12 (volunteer tutor at high school)
- Brotherhood 10-12 (service organizational group); also a Board Member for Brotherhood organizing soup kitchens & Market Day
- Key Club 10-12 (service)
- Hawk Pride Leader 11-12 (service; school leader, give out monthly lessons on ethics, morals, respect, school issues to lower classmen)
- Model UN (11-12)
- Constitution Team (We the People Civic Competition) (12) <-- this is going to be a huge time commitment, ate up my summer ***We've won state for the past 15 years and have gone to natls every year
- Volunteer for Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University 10-present
- did 60 hour unpaid pharmacy technician internship at Walgreens
- Hawk Honor Card 11-12 (given to students who miss less than 8 days of school per year, with a GPA of 3.5+, a leadership position, and good character)
- National Honor Society
- Zoetrope Film Society (Co-founder)
- Equinox Literary Magazine (judge)</p>

<ul>
<li> Spanish poem published in Reaching (school’s foreign language literary magazine)</li>
</ul>

<p>Awards:
- English Department Award: Student of the Month (Jan of 10th grade)
- Perry Rose History Award (11th grade; Daughters of American Revolution Nominee.)</p>

<p>OTHER:
- I took a summer course at University of Chicago ("American Fiction in the 19th Century" with Professor Veeder, who's a fairly well known literary critic on Henry James and other gothic lit).
- I work as a tutor at Kumon.</p>

<p>Classes taken:</p>

<p>FRESHMAN YEAR</p>

<p>World Cultures Accelerated A A
Algebra II A A
Spanish I A A
English I Accelerated A A
Biology Accelerated B B
Intro to Business A A</p>

<p>SOPHOMORE YEAR </p>

<p>AP European History (3) B A
English II Accelerated A A
Chemistry Accelerated B B
Accelerated Geometry/Trig B A
Spanish II A A
Journalism PASS (A)</p>

<p>JUNIOR YEAR
AP US History (4) A A
English III Accelerated A A
(AP Eng Lit & Comp 5)<br>
Accelerated Math Analysis B B
Physics Accelerated A B
Spanish III A A
Pharmacy Technician Internship PASS (A)</p>

<p>SENIOR YEAR
AP English
AP Calculus BC
AP Bio
AP Economics
AP Comp. Government
Spanish IV</p>

<p>ACT: 30 (only took it once, but will take it again).
SAT REASONING: Will take in the fall.
SAT II's: (also took all of them once; will probably retake)
Literature- 670
Korean w/ listening- 770
US History- 650</p>

<p>Basically, I know my stats are pretty mediocre and asking about my “chances” is pretty ridiculous since the whole admissions process is a crapshoot, but I guess I can’t help but post another obnoxious chances thread.</p>

<p>I know the info I've provided doesn't give a holistic picture of what my application will look like. I'm going to take the SAT Reasoning in the fall and I'm retaking some subject tests too.</p>

<p>Oh, I'm also an intended English major. I definitely want to double major or at least minor in Art History as well.</p>

<p>Anyway, again...if you don't think ED is going to help at all, please just give me honest feedback. Thanks</p>

2

<p>Fellow applicant here.. I’m not a pro in these things.. But you don seem as bad as you mentioned</p>

3

<p>gpa seems good but depends on your school
absolutely need to retake ur SAT IIs (well not korean) but they are off the mark and you won’t get any leeway since ur asian
If your SATs turn out like your SAT IIs you’re in trouble</p>

4

<p>scores on the SAT2s don’t improve with time. it’s not something you can practice, either you have the knowledge after taking a year’s class, or you don’t - you’re not going to learn more about US History 6 months after the class ends.</p>

<p>Definitely agree that the SAT1 is a major upcoming factor for you. Practice, get lots of sleep, do math team, etc :)</p>

5

<p>scores on the SAT2s don’t improve with time. it’s not something you can practice, either you have the knowledge after taking a year’s class, or you don’t - you’re not going to learn more about US History 6 months after the class ends.</p>

<p>This is a discouraging generalization, Denzera. I studied US History independently for a month and got 740. Plus, I’m an international and I’ve never taken US History classes before. Nothing is impossible.</p>

6

<p>Are you applying EA to Chicago? Make sure to write an awesome essay.</p>

7

<p>

nobody’s saying it’s impossible, you’re arguing against a strawman. what i’m arguing is that it’s not a good investment of his time.</p>

<p>Sure, if you study independently, are very diligent about it, and don’t let it interfere with other things, you can certainly get a good score on an SAT2. But most peoples’ primary preparation for an SAT2 is the class they take on it; absent that class, there’s no structure that will prepare you for it within school, and it’s much harder.</p>

<p>He’s got bigger priorities than taking whatever slim time he has outside of class and using it to independently study for an SAT2 he’s already taken. There are better ways to improve your profile.</p>

8

<p>Yeah, I’m applying EA to Chicago. Currently working on my Borges prompt. :)</p>

<p>I’m not going to lie, I still place Columbia over Chicago; but the chances of getting into Columbia are slim to none for me. </p>

<p>The next best school that I could find that had a curriculum resembling Columbia’s Core was UChicago. UChicago’s Core is definitely more science/math oriented (:/), but it’s not too shabby. Columbia’s is still 10x cooler, in my opinion;but, I suppose it’s all subjective.</p>

<p>*sigh. So, basically…the general consensus on the board here is that if I get a solid score on the upcoming SAT (2200+?), I have a somewhat better chance of getting in ED?</p>

<p>Should I just forget retaking my SATIIs and just focus on my SATs? What about my ACTs? I was planning on retaking those too…</p>

9

<p>If I were you, I would not try to “chance” or “rationalize” your pending admissions decisions. Higher scores are better than lower scores, but higher scores (how high is a high score, anyway?) means diddly.</p>

<p>You also probably know that Columbia and Chicago, for all of their similarities on paper, are different schools with different points of pride and different “feels.” The two are not interchangeable and not really compatible in some ways.</p>

10

<p>

I think Denzera has a good point. Just because you self studied and did really well doesn’t mean that restudying for a test will help a lot. I self studied world history and got 790. But I took Physics 4 months after the class ended and got a 670, then took it again after taking AP physics and only got 710.</p>

11

<p>US History and Literature suck to study subject tests for, just because for one there is so much specific memorization and the other is mostly ingrained and innate abilities of comprehension and analysis.</p>

<p>Science + Math is actually very study-able. You have Calc, so a high 700 is very doable, as well as a Chem, Physics or Bio exam (get a good review book).</p>

12

<p>I agree with Denzera, don’t even bother retaking SAT2’s. I got around the same scores as you and I know that I can do much better things with my time. Good luck</p>

13

<p>You really aren’t as bad as you think, and you have a okay chance..Your grades in school are fine, But your EC’s are weak as you have almost no leadership or major roles, or a major internship/volunteer service.</p>