<p>I doubt that anything can outweigh a low GPA. It’s all about mitigating the damage.</p>
<p>“I just happen to come from a school where the top 20%, even 10%, are asians who’ve done nothing but bust their asses for better scores and can’t find a purpose to actually exploring the city or anything. They define themselves by those scores. I can’t say the same, though I have comparable numbers. I’m pretty sure I’m in the top 5%, or top 10% at least.”</p>
<p>My instant reaction to this was anger. Seems like you’re implying that you’re more intellectually capable than the Asians because you don’t put in as much effort but still get similar results. Unfortunately, that implication is far too broad to be useful. The truth is, there’s no way you could know whether they do “explore the city or anything” because I’m pretty sure you’re far too busy to be following them around in YOUR free time. And please, “they define themselves by their scores”? Have you even taken the time to get to know them or any of the other high achievers in your school? From what you’ve written, I’m inclined to think otherwise.
Still, I really do wish you the best. Many kids with high stats and the early decision card are still rejected, so don’t be discouraged. I really do feel that they’re looking for students who “fit” the school as well as really talented kids, so I think that you still have a good chance. I also attended a competitive high school, so even if I disagree with some of your views, I do understand what you may be going through.</p>
<p>lost.butterfly i think the original poster is implying that they are a better candidate since they don’t go for the grade, but more for the experience of learning. This is something I see in my own school. Many high achievers just learn for the grade and are miserable; seemingly without true personalities while others are also intelligent but learn to learn and may not do as perfectly but still do well.</p>
<p>i’m asian. indian, specifically. i am, reluctantly, part of this circle and have gotten to know everyone well. too well. i’ve tried to throw parties, and somehow, the subject always turns to academics. and after moving here and falling into this unfortunate circle of peers, i can’t get out. our school is segregated based on GPAs and scores. i do my best to hang out with people outside of my school because i am sick of their crap. OMG I GOT A 750 IN WRITING OMG OMG KILL ME NOW I WOULDVE HAD A 2400. it gets old after the ten thousandth time.</p>
<p>I’m sympathetic, CS. My high school was very similar, although I think a greater number of the academic-superstar crowd had real personalities. And frankly, the personalities for a lot of these people won’t fully develop until college. Mine didn’t - I was an insufferable prick, now I’m a much more sufferable prick.</p>
<p>
“outweigh” is a strong word. It is perhaps the only thing that can influence a reader to overlook or mitigate it.</p>
<p>I’ve repeated ad nauseam on this forum about the means by which I got admitted to Columbia with a 3.3 UW GPA. Search for it if you want the full story. But the basic idea was the same. I ended up mitigating it with a lot of full-time work experience that conveyed the strong impression that I had grown up and matured, and my work ethic along with it. So, having a personality and a lot of genuine passion in a lot of other areas, they wanted to take me but needed that additional proof that i was ready.</p>
<p>CS, if I were in your shoes, I would look to overwhelm them with a sense of, “Look, I really do have a work ethic! But I spend my time in so many other places that I get spread thin. Look at all this effort I put into <em>__, and _</em><em>, and </em>. So I got a B here and there - it was worth it for all the great things I learned and contributed to.” You convey that attitude (assuming you feel it genuinely), and you may be a good bet.</p>
<p>
undisclosed, I will not have the good name of the fine, fine vegetable of Broccoli besmirched on this board. I beg thee, sir, recant your vile slander.</p>
<p>Nonsense, Steven.</p>
<p>The broccoli is, as Newman best says, the vilest of weeds. Nature’s equivalent of the nipple hair. That is to say; no one wants to taste that ****.</p>
<p>ChasingStarlight, OmG the Columbia App was one of the reasons I knew the school was perfect for me- I even told my interviewer that. Your case seems very similar to mine, although I got to say that your GPA is just fine. Ranking does matter though. You seem like a solid writer, so try to write an essay that really highlights your uniqueness, the depression thing and all that. But do not make yourself look like a victim, you can rather make it funny, like a black comedy or something. I went through the same application process, though I applied RD. I got in, so if you have any questions I would love to help you. By the way I am not one of those kids, who keep telling people that it was a miracle that they got into BlahBlah Ivy League School, and actually had a 2400 on SATs and 4. gazillion GPA. So really, I would be glad to help.</p>
<p>Thanks, Sofia! I’m sure I will have questions over the summer as application dates get closer. I don’t really know if I can use that in an essay though… I’ve already got this idea that I’ve been molding for a while and it has nothing to do with my struggles all. I want my counselor to help, and I’m sure she will, but I just don’t know how to ask her. </p>
<p>Also, does the depression thing actually hurt me? I don’t want it to seem like I can’t handle the courseload or anything… school isn’t necessarily what triggered it, as in, not the academics but the people and environment.</p>
<p>I do not think it will hurt you if you know how to play your cards. For example, if your interviewer asks you about any specific problem you have encountered this is a great choice, only if you tell him how you overcame it, therefore drawing attention to your personal skills. And a tip for the whole app thing is to highlight how you are still in the process learning. It is not good if you come off as someone who already knows everything. The college of your preference would like to feel that you are going to gain something from the educational experience they offer.</p>
<p>So are you currently attending Columbia or did you get in and decide on somewhere else?
I doubt you guys talk about this much, but do you know many people who had weaker academic stats and still got in… those who weren’t URMs or didn’t have any other hooks?</p>
<p>Apply. I am a living example of the fact that GPA is not that important-- I had far more than 5 Bs in high school, and my high school is terrible. Just do what you love and make sure that you show who you really are to admissions officers. The rest should fall into place. By the way, I am indeed attending Columbia in the fall.</p>
<p>I don’t know why I became so cynical about the whole process. All we can do is our best, right? But perhaps it’s the constant self doubt that comes with going to a competitive school, and reading CC threads, that keeps telling me that my GPA will screw me over. I know there are stories of people succeeding against all odds, but I don’t feel like I, personally, will be one of those lucky people. Luck isn’t on my side with most things academic. Not to wallow in self pity, but I don’t know how colleges reject 2400’s and 4.0’s and accept awful scores. How good can a person really be to deserve that, even with great EC’s and stuff? </p>
<p>Pizzicato, what was your story? I’m hoping you were just a normal kid who didn’t cure cancer or go to China and end poverty or something to spark some hope in all of us.</p>
<p>It’s definitely not a magnificent story. One of the things that I did is that I pursued my love of music as far as it could take me, composed, etc. Never made all state orchestra, nothing like that; just used the resources available to me. Also, I demonstrated, not only with my course load but with my outlook on life, a passion for the humanities and social sciences. one huge aspect that factored into my acceptance, I think, was that I’m highly motivated and pursue things autodidactically, even if it doesn’t come with recognition or a GPA boost; for instance, I’ve taught myself a few years of Japanese, a great deal of French, and many other subjects. My essays were simple-- one was about the passion I feel when I play my flute, the other was about sitting at a caf</p>
<p>Note: I have not taken math since my sophomore year of high school.</p>
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<p>they don’t take 4.0 2400s once in a while because those candidates have revealed some other serious deficiencies, either being narrow personalities, or lacking maturity etc. All of which are impediments to future success. There is a correlation between getting good grades/scores and doing well at Columbia and doing well in life but the inputs to success are varied. saying you hate taking tests and learning boring stuff doesn’t bode well with Columbia because you will definitely come across classes where the prof and material are boring and you just need to stick it out, accomplishing annoying things quickly and well is also an important life skill. So don’t be either complacent or wallow in self-pity, you have a higher burden of proof, that’s all, do your best to meet it, your chances anywhere amazing are low, just like everybody else’s. get off this thread and get back to work (or fun if it’s the summer).</p>
<p>thanks pizzicato, that’s really inspiring. honestly, even in a little post on CC, you sound amazingly passionate. :D</p>
<p>I was just accepted as a transfer applicant, and I thought maybe I could help give you some hope. In high school, I was a marginally above average student. I was involved in a lot of clubs, and on student council and a couple sports teams, but my grades par at best. Upon graduating, I was ranked in the ~44th percentile, 32/71. I applied for columbia as a freshman and didn’t get in. However, I applied again my freshman year of college with a 3.28 GPA and was accepted - so it can happen, even with below-average grades.</p>
<p>^this is highly deceiving,</p>
<p>1) You went to an ultra competitive public high school and managed a 2310 on the SAT (putting you at the 75th percentile for columbia)</p>
<p>2) you did some great community work following katrina (sells well)</p>
<p>3)the 3.28 is after your freshman year was complete no? didn’t you apply to columbia with a 3.86 or 3.7+? [you must have done quite badly second semester if that is the case]</p>
<p>4) you own a fcking business that generates a significant and consistent profit, this changes things quite a bit.</p>
<p>I mean, yeah, I have good extra curriculars, but I’ve seen tons of people here with that. No, my first semester GPA was a 3.28. Second was like a 3.5.
I wasn’t trying to dishonestly downplay the extacurriculars, I just wanted to give some people an idea of the lower end of the GPA range that could get in without sounding like I was just bragging about myself.<br>
Congratulations on 1500 posts, fyi.</p>
<p>EDIT: When I posted the chance me threads, I was expecting a 3.7 or 3.8, but I got violent food poisoning the night of the calculus final, which ended up netting me a C- in the class(1.7), which pretty much tanked my GPA</p>
<p>pizzacatodreams: thank you so much for posting that!</p>