help/chances!!!

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I am currently a junior at a boarding college prep school in Pennsylvania. I am pretty much a noob at the whole college app process as I have only started to worry about that now... Here are my stats - do you guys think I can get into Columbia ED???</p>

<p>General Info</p>

<p>-I am half Indian and half Caucasian and was born and raised in the US
-Non-Denominational Christian (close to Methodist/Congregationalist)
-Male
-School: Small (class of 35 only); extremely competitive college-prep boarding school in PA
-Lower Social economic bracket (Dad is a professional, but has been in rough times for the past decade in private practice... fam. income >40,000/yr; family of 4)
-Dad -Professional Degree (O.D. + Ph.D)
-Mom- no college (nor anyone in her immediate family)</p>

<p>Grades/Tests</p>

<p>-SAT Reasoning: 2150 (this was my first and only time so far taking it)
-W:750 M:720 CR:680
-GPA: 4.10 W (Don't Know UW)
-Class Rank: Definitely in top 15%, probably in top 10%
-AP Tests/SAT IIs: I haven't taken any yet, will wait til May (any good ideas of ones to take)
-Course load: I have taken all the most advanced courses possible for me to take since 10th grade, but my school doesn't permit APs 'til 11th grade... Very few Honors courses are offered bc of small class sizes but even regular (Acad.) classes are very intense due to selective nature of school (large # of Academic courses REQUIRED for graduation is also reason for low W GPA)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars</p>

<p>My school doesn't offer too many (again, bc of small size they can't support that many) but here's what I am involved in:</p>

<p>-Student Congress (only 1 yr, bc only started this yr; 5 hr/wk)
-I am official creator/admin for a blog for the S.C. also...
-School Newspaper (2 yr, 3 hr/wk; plan to become an editor next yr)
-Peer Tutor (1 yr bc 11th grade is first year you are allowed to start, 3-4hr/wk)
-History Club (1yr bc started this year, 2 hr/wk)
-Computer Club (1 yr bc started this yr, worked solo last yr to get it founded so i guess i am 'creator,' 3-4 hr/week, most likely will be "Master Chief" aka Pres. when elections take place)
-I did about 10-15 hrs of community service last yr, 10-15 over the summer, and have done 10 so far this year</p>

<p>Summer Programs</p>

<p>I am planning to apply to one or both of the two following programs over the summer:</p>

<p>-Junior Statesmen Summer Program @ Georgetown OR Princeton
-TASP program @ Cornell U.</p>

<p>Essay/ Teacher Recommendations</p>

<p>I write extremely well. Last year I took a standardized writing exam (you write a full-process piece in 2 40-minute sessions) and ranked in the 99th percentile of all test takers in Independent Boarding Schools; in addition, my English teacher loves my writing and glorifies it to all of her other classes. I wrote a pretty darn good essay for my application to USC's RHP program, and I think it is pretty good stuff to reuse. It explains how my mother had a heart attack my sophomore year and how much I realized she mattered to me after that. This also potentially can explain how my grades were relatively low first semester of 10th grade. I lost all interest as she appeared terminal for some weeks. Complete text can be found below. Any input??? As for recommendations, I can get a stellar one from my English teacher/Learning Center (where I am peer tutor) manager and another stellar one from my history teacher/S.C. Advisor... my English teacher's recommendation for RHP is also listed below (she trusted me enough to let me have it). But, all in all, I wanted to get some advice from you guys. Do you think i will have a good shot at getting accepted to Columbia? What should I do/What tests should I take in the next year to improve on my resume. Also, what is the best and least 'whining/making excuses' way to explain the size of my school and associated problems and also my lowered grades 1st semester sophomore year as a result of emotional trauma from my mom's condition. Also, another potential essay I could write on was how I was sexually abused during my 10th grade year and how I came/am coming to terms with that? Will admissions office like or dislike that? What SAT I and SAT II/ AP scores should I shoot for? At any rate, here are the essay and recommendation ...</p>

<p>RECOMMENDATION</p>

<p>I am writing to recommend, without qualifications, ------ ------ to the Resident Honors Program at the University of Southern California. There are very few students who I would recommend to an advanced program of this nature; ----- is certainly one of those few. He is a scholar of the highest caliber, who has an insatiable appetite for knowledge, and connecting information across disciplines and ideas. He is, hands-down, the most proactive learner that I have taught over the past fifteen years. He is well-integrated into our school community, his recent appointment to our newly-formed Student Congress a testament to his status as a respected member of the junior class. He is an excellent peer tutor who provides other students with the information and support they need to understand challenging material. ----- was in my 10th Grade Honors English class and is now in my 11th Grade Honors English class. When he began as a student at CFS at the beginning of 10th grade, he was a cautious and introspective student. Now, he is one of the vital members of his class and of the school community. Faculty and students alike have the utmost respect for ------’s competence as a student and as a citizen of our school community.
Academically, there is no doubt that ------ can handle a rigorous college-level curriculum. He is currently excelling in three AP level courses and an honors course. His excellent standardized test scores speak for themselves. What his transcripts and test scores can’t address is his learning style. He is a poster student for 21st century literacy learning. The line between ------’s critical thinking and reliance on the data and information provided through technology is seamless. Yet, he is extremely well-read and has amassed an impressive knowledge base from which to draw conclusions and generate ideas. He is a global thinker and learner, who uses technology to supplement and refine his ideas about any given topic (and I’ve yet to encounter a topic with ------ about which he knows nothing). Any project for class will be creative and utilize the current technology trends or the ideas of great philosophers. As a critical thinker, ------ is one of the most articulate and intelligent students that I’ve had the pleasure to have in class.<br>
------ came to CFS as a socially shy student at the beginning of his tenth grade year. That is a difficult time to enter our school because most of our students establish their groups during ninth grade. ------ very appropriately offered his strengths to the community, and more remarkable, his technology expertise. By the end of the year, he had become part of the CFS fabric and the technology guru. As ------ became more comfortable in the classroom, he became an articulate discussant. Last year, he became the class “professor”, evidenced by the strains of “Ask, -----” or “Let ------ do it” whenever the students encountered challenging assignments or had to present difficult concepts. He continues his role again this year. He has never been arrogant or self-aggrandizing when he explains concepts to other students. He is clear, articulate and accurate.
------’s ability to communicate well with and for others has served him, and us, well as he works in the Learning Center as a peer tutor and as he represents his class in Student Congress. When he approached me at the end of last year to become a peer tutor, I was pleased. He is responsible for helping middle school students with subjects in which they struggle. I can’t always assign all of the peer tutors to work with middle school students because not all of our tutors can discern the learning challenges, and then work effectively with struggling students. ------ does both well. He is respected not only for his knowledge, but for his ability to work with others. During this year’s election for a junior class representative, he was appointed by the senior class as one of the two representatives. The appointment was made based on his rank determined by popular vote, and because the senior class believed that ------ was the best candidate for the slot.
Their selection has proved to be a good one. Within several hours of the first Student Congress meeting, ------ had designed a blog for students to use to voice their concerns and suggestions. It was well-designed and executed. Students were visibly impressed, but I was not in the least bit surprised. ------ cares about the democratic process and he knows how to use technology to encourage others to be part of that process. He is always resourceful and creative in his approach to learning and leading. Others respect him for his efforts, which come so easily to him. He balances his intellect with social purpose amazingly well for a young man of his age.
The major disadvantage if ------ does become a student in the Residents Honors Program at USC is a purely selfish one from my perspective. I will not have him as a student in AP Lit. The course is structured as a seminar course, ------ is a natural to participate. I can already imagine what it would be like for him next year, regardless of where he is a student. Every concept that he reads about and thinks about will serve as a launching pad for new ideas and concepts that ------ will find exciting. His enthusiasm and creative spins will be contagious to other students and faculty members. He will do all of this because it’s who he is, not because he wants attention for being bright and gifted. And he will share what he knows with a passion for learning and a compassion for all communities, local and global.</p>

<p>hummm.. I suggest you DO NOT post your essay. this is the WWW after all!
btw the recommendation is great!! mine was about two sentences from one teacher and the other one.. ok -.-
I havent read your essay bc I am in the process of writing one myself (really!). As i said, I suggest you take it down!
But I think you have a good shot.
As I always say in the chance me threads: Apply!</p>

<p>I also agree that you should take down the essay. It is very well written, but truthfully I did not really learn that much about you, just about the experience you had. Overall I think you have a decent shot.</p>

<p>Oh crap, I didn't realize that posting my essay was a bad idea. I mean, I knew putting it out there was not a good idea and I knew I was putting it out there, but I kinda forgot to put it out there. I hope Columbia doesn't 'see' that 'brain fart'... lol, At any rate, I'd like to thank you guys for your honesty in not stealing it or anything and letting me know of my little stupid moment (ppl on my Mom's side of the family always tell me that I lack 'common sense' despite my intelligence... i guess this is what they mean lol)... I'll take it down tomorrow morning (my EDIT feature is currently disabled for some reason)... And thank you all for your input. I think I definitely will apply - perhaps it'll be one of my reach schools. I mean this all depends on if I get into the RHP program for next year or not (it's a program in which high schoolers skip their senior year and instead start college). </p>

<p>ruskie - you know, I never thought about trying to get my personality to show in the essay - its definitely something that i should have done lol... I kinda just wrote it over Thanksgiving Break and sent about 3-4 drafts back and forth to my English teacher via email... Thank God this RHP thing was only a trial run (unless I get accepted, which is doubtful - this program has an acceptance rate of about 8%)... I'll definitely take your advice into account when I am writing essays next year. (Oh btw, the sexual assault/abuse thing - Good or Bad to write on if its applicable? I really don't want to USE the fact that i got deplorable treatment from other but on the other hand, it has shaped a lot of my life since then...)...</p>

<p>OK, well i g2g so Santa Claus can come LOL... </p>

<p>btw... good luck on your essay michael92 - I hope it comes out well!!!</p>

<p>actually dude you're pretty screwed. after a short time, the edit feature for posts becomes locked for good. you'd better pm a mod to delete your post.</p>

<p>thanks! as a matter of fact, I just finsished my essay and sent it yesterday :s
as someone said earlier, though, it is great, but talk more about YOU</p>

<p>Columbia ED? Didn't results already come out.</p>

<p>It is a good chance for you to find another essay topic, one that speaks more about you and your future potential. An essay about how your mom got sick so then you learned to appreciate her is hard to read and risky to use.</p>

<p>Guys,</p>

<p>First of all let me remind you that I am a JUNIOR this year. I know Columbia ED for Class of 2013 are out... I will be applying NEXT year for Class of 2014... Next, all this info. is what I quoted on an application to USC's RHP program (which accepts current high school juniors so they can start freshman year of college when they normally would be doing senior year). I'd say my chances getting into that program are slim to fair (maybe 20-40%) bc expectations aren't nearly as high as for senior applicants to USC or any other school (e.g. they do not require AP exams or SAT II's for RHP applicants)... So, I started this thread bc I wanted to get some input if it would be worthwhile to apply to Columbia IF I get rejected @ RHP this year (it IS ultra-exclusive; 8-10% admission rate; only 30 ppl accepted from whole US +Intl.). Now, the essay was also something that I did specific to USC's admission, not Columbia's. I figured that I should get input on it in case I could use elements of it in a Columbia essay. </p>

<p>That being said, I realize now that the essay WAS largely about me... I basically wrote it on the topic I did for two reasons: 1) that event WAS a big part of my sophomore year and 2) I wanted to be able to explain low-ish 1st semester grades to college admissions officers... However, due to comments posted on this thread suggesting that it should be more about ME and less about the event, I think that if I use elements from it, they will be used sparingly (I think it did adequately answer the SC prompt which was asking to elaborate on a major event/turning point in your life and how it changed you)... Now I am thinking of using a different event that happened last year, in which I was sexually abused by another student at my school, as my essay topic if it fills a prompt. This topic really shaped a decent bit of my sophomore and (so far) junior years. And I feel that when I emerge at the other end of this horrific tunnel, I will be a better person from all of it (I am not sure yet since I am not quite there yet, but I feel that this could potentially reveal a lot about my personality...</p>

<p>Oh I see. Must have skipped over the junior part.</p>

<p>Issues about adversity or traumatic events can work but you just gotta make sure to have a good enough ratio of adversity:recovery. There are some essays which wallow too heavily in tragedy and only leave a few cursory sentences that discuss how it made the author a better person. Keep that in mind.</p>

<p>thanks for the advice thebeef...</p>

<p>Just out of curiosity, what do you think a 'good enough ratio' would be. I obviously understand that it can vary from essay to essay, but, in general, how much of the essay should focus on the adversity and how much on the recovery. I understand that it is bad to have only a few sentences focusing on recovery, but wouldn't it be equally as bad to have only a few sentences on the adversity? I mean, I wouldn't want a piece to get marginalized by admissions officers bc it appeared blunt and curt when referring to a supposedly sensitive topic. In the same way, I don't want it to become marginalized bc it seems to elaborate on and exaggerate a situation that really didn't seem to make me grow at all (or at least this is how it would seem with less focus on recovery part..) SO maybe somewhere between 1:1 and 1:2 would be a good ratio to strive for??? Or maybe something a little different?</p>

<p>Thanks at any rate,
iprihar216</p>