<p>I have a friend who is going to start Columbia GS this fall and these were her stats and life story:</p>
<p>Applying from: American River College in Sacramento,California
Accepted: Columbia GS, UC Davis, UCSC, UCI
Rejected: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD
Major: Anthropology B.A
GPA: 3.14
Major Prerequisites: Done
Major GPA: 3.41
SAT: 1500/2400
IGETC/General Education requirements for GS: Done
ECs/Work Experience: Volunteer at the share institute, works at the transfer center (32 hours a week) and at a kids science camp (16 hours per week)</p>
<p>Life story: She first enrolled at the community college right after high school in 2000 but she dropped out after one year because she only had a 2.0 gpa and she got discouraged from going to school as she was not involved on campus and no one guided her. She then worked full time for five years as a waiter at a casino and a few odd jobs here and there.
In 2006, she decided to go back to school and in her fist semester back, she did ok with a 3.0 GPA but while going to school and working at the same time, the apartment she was living at evicted her because she was not able to pay the monthly rent as she was putting most of her limited budget into school, and food. Even financial aid was not enough to put her through. She then had to live in a homeless shelter close to campus for six months and at the same time, she still went to school and worked full time in the transfer center trying to put her life back together. It was during her stay in the homeless shelter that she got interested in anthropology as she was exposed to different people and cultures. She still managed to get a 3.0 average during her stay in the shelter. Her family tried to help her during the ordeal she had to go through but it still was not enough as they were going through with financial problems of their own. She eventually found another apartment to live at.
Her work and volunteer experiences reinforces her openness to other cultures and her ultimate goal is to earn a Ph.D in cultural anthropology and do research on California Native Americans. </p>
<p>Hooks and other information: She is the first in her whole family to attend college
In her last 70 semester units, she was able to get a 4.0 average.
30 years old
Applied Early Decision</p>
<p>This shows the level of holism that Columbia has as compared to UCLA and Berkeley when reviewing applicants. She did not have the highest GPA or the best SAT scores, but her personal statement put her over the top.</p>
<p>Thats an amazing story ^</p>
<p>My military career/ education history is relatively simple. I enlisted in the Army at first to pay for college, and was assigned to the 10th Mtn. Infantry, I excelled in my unit and was placed in the Battalion scout/ sniper platoon after making it through scout selection (250 people started, 2 weeks later we were left with a platoon of 25). </p>
<p>I was asked by my Commander later that year after Sniper school and SERE school to apply to WP and when I was accepted went to school there for a year and a half
when my old unit was getting ready to deploy I decided to resign and went to deploy with them
you can go back to active duty if you havent begun your junior year and you have over one year left on your enlisted contract. It also provided a less painful breakup when I told the Dean and Superintendant that I was leaving. haha</p>
<p>Im currently a sniper team leader in Afghanistan and my enlisted contract ends in November. I start a 2 week trip back to the states from my Combat outpost in 12 days. Ill be starting school in the spring on the Armys dime and they pay for my apartment and food too
everything for the next 4 years is paid for. And with about 2 years of credits already Im hoping the GI Bill will carry me through my Masters degree.</p>
<p>I peppered my personal essay with more detail to elucidate my level of Life and real world experience and Im pretty confident about my chances. I think that of the three schools Id enjoy Columbia the most. Living in the city, plus I have friends at West Point and on Long Island.</p>
<p>Thats a ridiculously low GPA. I mean, GS courses are COLUMBIA courses. Its hard to believe that adcoms will accept students with that low of a gpa and expect them to succeed here. Something is amiss. Im assuming she didnt apply for a hard science major or anything that involves math, no offense.</p>
<p>randomadmit- she applied as an anthro major. Plus she had a grade trend going of 4.0’s in her last 70 sem units.</p>
<p>Columbia GS also looks at grade trends of your college coursework. She had a low GPA when she initially started community college 10 yrs ago.</p>
<p>Bad grades from 10 years ago, and with a 4.0 for 70 units I doubt they added her gpa up cumulatively like that. In my estimation, they looked at those grades from 10 years ago as a part of her “story” and her recent grades (which is a sizeable amount of units - 70) as her actual gpa. To cumulatively add-up grades from 10 years ago and a 4.0 for 70 units, as the original poster presented would not be an accurate approximation of what kind of student she is today.</p>