I know you want to....

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Rate my chances! Please? I'll give you a cookie...</p>

<p>I would appreciate your opinion on my admission chances to a couple institutions including: Amherst, Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Smith, UVA, Washington and Lee, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Yale</p>

<p>I'm a female from Virginia...which is, in my opinion, the middle of nowhere. I’m mainly applying to Northeastern colleges because of the liberal slant.</p>

<p>I would eventually like to study Biology, possibly with a neuroscience concentration, and journalism. I used to think I was really strong with regard to my left brain, but it seems I’m pretty balanced.</p>

<p>Quantitative data:</p>

<p>Old SAT: 730 Math; 730 Verbal; 1460 composite
New SAT: 720 Math; 740 Verbal; 790 Writing (11 essay); 2250 composite
SAT subject tests: 750 United States History; 730 Math IC; 740 Math IIC; 690 Biology (Molecular) <em>**I took the Bio test at the start of my AP Bio course, before we had covered Photosynthesis and Respiration ;-(
AP: AP US History 5; AP Calc AB 4; AP French Language 4
GPA: 4.8 (weighted); 4.0 unweighted; I've maintained straight As so far throughout my high school career.
Class rank: Top 2% of large, competitive high school (~500 per graduating class)
*</em>*I attend a math, science, technology magnet center, which is located within the larger high school. With regard to class rank, however, I compete with the regular high schoolers.</p>

<p>Junior year courses:
AP US History
AP Calc AB
AP French Language (highest level at school)
AP Stats
Honors Physics
Honors English
Journalism</p>

<p>I'm taking 5 AP classes as a senior, including Calc BC, Biology, Environmental Science, English, and Government. This is a very demanding schedule for seniors at our school. Basically, the only APs that I have not taken at my school are ones for languages I have not studied (Latin, Spanish, German, etc.) and AP Chem and AP Physics. I am taking Bio and Environmental concurrently this year, however…</p>

<p>Extracurricular activities:
--Three-year involvement in prize-winning school newspaper; Staff writer; Front Page Editor; current Deputy Editor-in-Chief; requires more than 5 hours of work per week; We have a large staff and our newspaper is always very large…
--Four year member of French Club; current President; our club conducts regular French Club-esque activites such as Mardi Gras Celebrations and French movie nights as well as community service projects. We are doing a Salvation Army drive for hurricane victims.
--Multicultural club; four-year member; current President; outreach to minorities in school as well as fundraising for impoverished children in India
--Two-year member of Interact Club; active member; Angel Tree, Habitat for Humanity, local marathons, etc.
--12 years of classical piano (at least 5 hours per week); I have participated in local competitions as well as festivals and have received superior rating every year.
--Two years of competitive swim team (5-12 hours per week depending on time-consuming swim meets)
--Key Club, Robotics, track, colorguard, and FDA (Future Doctors Association) - (I participated in these for one year; Colorguard was a pain because it is a segment of the marching band of my school and required literally 30 hours a week; Robotics was not my thing, and Key Club was too big and unorganized).</p>

<p>Community activities:</p>

<p>--Gallery education/exhibit interpretation at local science museum; I have accumulated over 200 hours and absolutely love this job; I get to play with hissing cockroaches and liquid nitrogen; I wrote one of my college essays about my volunteer job and it how it relates to a future career.
--Volunteer at local nursing home (assisted with events, festivities, etc.); over 50 hours
--Volunteer at local botanical garden (horticulture, garden greeting, language translation, etc.)
--Volunteer at local university labs (over 200 hours of service); took care of lab animals and equipment; conducted lab experiments
--Piano concerts at local nursing homes</p>

<p>Work Experience:
--Job at local mall (~15 hours per week)
--Academic tutor at school (multitude of subjects); 1-2 hours per week
--Red-Cross certified babysitter (~10 hours each week); I love children and would like to become a pediatrician.</p>

<p>Awards and honors:
--First place in state-wide science fair; presented research to undergraduate-level fair
--Second place in regional science fair; progressed to state ISEF competition
--National Merit Commended Student
--AP Scholar with Honor
--High PSAT scores (3 consecutive years)
--Principal’s Scholar
--JHU Talented Youth
--National Honor Society (inducted as junior)
--Math Honors Society (inducted as junior)
--French Honors Society (inducted as freshman)
--Journalism honors society (inducted as sophomore)
--Beta Club (inducted as junior)
--Superior rating in annual piano competitions
***I have more, but they're kind of specific.</p>

<p>Independent scientific research is an important facet of my application. Since freshman year, I have undertaken research at local colleges and universities and have been mentored by accomplished professors. I have volunteered over 250 hours for this effort. My research revolved around alcohol tolerance and marijuana usage, which was pretty interesting. I now have a lot of experience dealing with various lab techniques and animals…I intend to continue conducting research in college. </p>

<p>For two summers, I have traveled abroad to participate in educational programs. I won't list the countries or the programs, but one was two months long and absolutely amazing because of the diversity of the participants. I actually wrote about this experience for one of my college essays.</p>

<p>Because of journalism, I have numerous publications; I have also written for the major local newspaper. I also was selected for a prestigious workshop this past summer. I was rated the best journalism student, so my work was nominated for advancement to the national competition level.</p>

<p>Essays: I think I'm a pretty decent writer, so they're okay. I'm not sure if they will POP OUT to the admissions office, however, since everyone that applies to Yale is mind-boggingly accomplished. Nonetheless, one's about my volunteer job and the other about my overseas camp experience. I enlisted the help of some older people, and they liked them a lot…</p>

<p>Recommendations: One from two-year Calc teacher; one from Chemistry teacher; I think they should be pretty good; the one from the Chemistry teacher will be better though because he thinks I'm a "poster child" and apparently likes me a lot. Whatever...I also submitted a supplemental recommendation from my newspaper adviser, which I thought was well-written and nice...He related me to "Emerson's Scholar," which sounds like a complimentary thing to say.</p>

<p>Supplementary materials: CD of piano playing (Chopin!), journalism articles; science project research abstracts</p>

<p>I also sent along a resume a month after I submitted my application. Hopefully, they'll look at it. ;-)</p>

<p>Alumni interview: Went really well in my opinion. The guy (who was very elderly) went to Yale undergrad and then Harvard. He literally spent 2 hours talking to me and seemed tickled by the things I said…meaning he laughed a lot. He also seemed quite tickled by things HE said...lol. He was just a really talkative guy and was EXTREMELY knowledgeable about EVERYTHING I brought to the table. Anyways, he was very interested in my culture and wrote me an e-mail later telling me that out of the 15 years he had served as an alumni interviewer, he had only encountered 2 or 3 individuals that seemed to offer all I have to offer. He also said that New Haven would be very lucky to have me. (This interview was for Yale).</p>

<p>I applied to Yale EA, but am realistically anticipating a deferral. Although I do have admirable accomplishments, my test scores are not bad, but sort of average. </p>

<p>What are my chances for:
Amherst
Brown
Chicago (I have legacy).
Columbia
Dartmouth
Harvard
Smith
UVA
Washington and Lee
Wellesley
Wesleyan
Yale</p>

<p>Thanks guys! :-D</p>

2

<p>that looks great. at schools like harvard and yale your chances might be hurt a tiny bit by your scores, but you have tons of other great stats.</p>

3

<p>You'll get into almost all, if not all of the non ivies, and probably 1 of the Ivies (just b/c their admission can be such a crapshoot...I know a girl who applied to all of the Ivies last year (Penn ED) and got rejected to all except Harvard (w/ no hooks)).</p>

4

<p>Haha, what's a "crapshoot?"</p>

5

<p>^Based on nothing...just the luck of the draw-sorta thing.</p>

6

<p>Well, that's certainly unfortunate. How can I help my chances?</p>

7

<p>Most of the Ivies accept less than 15% of their applicants... there isn't much you can do to strengthen your applications there besides writing a stellar essay.</p>

8

<p>definetly a lotto ticket holder.. but like everyone else said, you still gota survive the draw. gl though</p>

9

<p>this is a columbia board, not a yale one, so what's with all the talk about yale? i think if you want to know about specific schools, you should post on their boards. you might have already, but that's what i did.</p>

<p>i do think your chances for columbia are great. good luck!</p>

10

<p>Oh, lol, I had a lot of stuff written specifically for Yale because it was my EA school, but I'm anticipating a deferral. What makes my chances at Columbia great?</p>

11

<p>you've got super numbers, and while your list of ec's is pretty long, it seems that there are a few of them that you're particularly passonate about, which supposedly is what the ivies want to see.</p>

12

<p>oh yeah and they're right about the crapshoot thing, but being from va does give you somewhat of a hook i would think, just bc most ivy leaguers are from the northeast/midatlantic/california (i think!). i don't think they get a huge amount of applicants from va, though i could be wrong.</p>

13

<p>i don't kno whether or not u applied ED to columbia, but u'd be a solid ED candidate there. or a solid ED candidate just abt anywhere. i don't really think that at some schools such as HVard and Yale, u have a geographic advantage to being a Virginian; however, if u applied ED somewhere and were from an underrep. state, then i suppose you'd have your advantage</p>

<p>for ex, i applied ED to Columbia College, and I'm from Texas. Texas is a LARGE state, but I don't know anyone else here applying ED to Columbia, most of my friends choose to apply ED to places such as Rice and sometimes Vanderbilt</p>

14

<p>I don't think Virginia is an underrepresented state, but it is definitely not one of the main Ivy feeder states.</p>

15

<p>Please post your results, Coquettish, when they come in 10 days! Your statistics post is remarkably detailed, and I think other posters may learn a great deal from the Yale decision.</p>

16

<p>I guess they could learn from my blunders...however, I don't have the best test scores or grades, and I certainly haven't invented a cure for cancer. lol</p>

17

<p>Quiltguru, I was deferred from Yale EASC.</p>