Hi this is my first post so I apologize if the format is incorrect. Currently I am a high school sophomore at a prestigious Los Angeles private High School. I am a year ahead in math (currently taking Honors Calculus A) and have a 3.64 cumulative gpa because I did fairly poorly freshman year. I play varsity tennis and am I member of the ecology club. I also plan on interning at a local Venture Capital or Hedge Fund firm either this upcoming summer or my senior summer. I am a white, Jewish male and my income bracket is 1,000,000+. My mother went to Columbia law school (not sure if this counts as a legacy?) and was wondering if I raised my gpa, had a rigorous junior year schedule, and good standardized test score would I stand a chance at Columbia or Upenn acceptance. Thanks!
I would go about this differently than what you described. This strategy creates facts (high GPA and rigorous schedule) to fit a conclusion (getting accepted to Columbia University or the University of Pennsylvania). This occurs mainly because of the trends that emerge after acceptance data is released from the Ivies (i.e. high SATs are prevalent among admits, so they will increase your chances of acceptance.) What you need to do is derive a conclusion from previously held facts. In other words, do what’s best for you (e.g. I can tolerate a rigorous schedule while maintaining a high GPA) and leave it up to the colleges to decide if they want to admit you. After all, no one ever knows why a college accepted or denied their application. Good luck!
Agreed to the above poster.
You shouldn’t strategize on what you expect. Many top college applicants make this mistake, and many of the face flat out rejections.
Also, do what you want. What do you want to study? What other schools can give me equally, or almost equally great education in what I pursue?
3.64 GPA isn’t good enough for Upenn or Columbia and your ECs, it depends. Are those firms owned by your family? Or by your family friends? If so, gaining internship in those places won’t be hard, and schools will know it. Not saying it’s worthless, but it probably won’t be so well received as internships that kids got without connection. Your mother went to the GRADUATE school, so no, it doesn’t count as a legacy.
Also, No SAT, no chance.
I am still in 10th grade so I have no taken the sat yet and I play on majoring in economics. Thank you for the tips both of you!
Hi. What do you mean by strategize on what you expect? I just don’t want to make the same mistake.
It’s like, you are making strategy to achieve a goal ASSUMING the goal is guaranteed. For example, looking at top schools only is such thing, which is a huge mistake you must avoid
I know for me, freshman and sophomore year I got hooked by these top schools. However, being a junior now, im starting to realize that there are PLENTY of good schools that are still challenging to get into, but not as hard as Columbia etc.
Also, don’t just assume you’ll get good scores and you’ll have good ec’s. my friend made his whole college list based off of the assumption that he’d get a 2000 or a 30. However, he got an 1870 and a 27, so now he has to completely rethink his list.
For me, my practice scores were 26/27, so I made a list of schools based on my abilities at the time, even if I was only a sophomore. Now, I’ve done many more EC’s that are unique, and I’ve raised my score to a 30. Now, ive adjusted my list and added some schools that wouldnt have been on my list had I gotten a 27.
Basically, make goals for yourself to reach these standards, whatever it is. Worry about reaching your goals first, before you get ahead of yourself and think about getting into one of the hardest and most prestigious schools in the country!
Good luck my friend!