I applied ED for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Columbia University and was deferred.
Academics:
GPA: 96.3 (at time of deferral) and 97.15 currently; 4.0 unweighted (my high school does not weight GPA)
I take the full IB diploma program. Below are my courses
English A: Literature Higher Level
French B Standard Level
History Standard Level
Biology Higher Level
Mathematics Standard Level
Chemistry Higher Level
Theory of Knowledge
Predicted Score: 43 out of 45
EC:
Costumer, actor, and set-constructer for my high school’s theatre department for all four years of high school
President of a club that serves food to the homeless weekly
Editor of the school paper for three years
Member of both the National Honor Society and French National Honor Society
Member of the India Club
Tutor for French, Biology, and Chemistry
Busboy at a French restaurant the summer before last
Exchange student in France for a month last summer
Also, post-deferral, I am going to speak at a TEDx Talk Event that my school is holding to discuss the significance of some research and experimenting I have done and I have recently secured both monetary and hygiene/clothing donations from five multinational companies that I will use as part of my campaign to offer more than just food to the homeless in my hometown. I have outlined both of these activities in my deferral letter and attached a synopsis of my TEDx Talk.
Columbia is my dream school, so any insight into my chances would be really appreciated! Thank you!
Also I am applying to Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Swarthmore College, Haverford College, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston University, Brandeis University, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Any idea what my chances are for these schools?
Looking at your list, I see a lot of reaches. The first 4 are major reaches/likely rejects. The GPA and test scores are good but nothing really stands out with the ECs, although you are dedicated to them. Remember that those schools have a ~10% acceptance rate. Swarthmore is a reach as well. Don’t know much about Haverford to give an opinion.
BU, Brandeis, and Wisconsin-Madison seem more reasonable and within your range. I would call them low matches. Michigan is tough if you’re OOS. That would be a low reach in my opinion.
You have the grades for WashU (son got in ED this year) but they have been known to reject high scoring students if they feel that you’re using them as a backup to an Ivy. WashU likes demonstrated interest (visits, etc). Good luck with your acceptances!
Wow! You really have amazing grades for a full IB student. How did you manage that? In my kids’ school no one ever got a 4.0 . Roughly 1-2% of each class achieve 45/45 in the IB exams, but there are much less students who achieved a GPA close to 3.9 in the last ten years.
Assuming your essays and recommendations are good, I would have said that you would get in to Columbia in the early round. I willI still say you have a better chance than the RD applicants since you showed your interest with your ED application.
Most of the other schools you’ve applied will be though since they already filled nearly 50% of their incoming class with EDs and you are just another RD applicant. If you had applied EA to Michigan, you would have more chance. Haverford is one of the schools who prioritize ED and fill half of the incoming class with EDs, therefore it will be again though for you.
Boston and Brandeis should be OK. But, with your high grades and ACT scores, you have the risk of being rejected (for the same reason the above poster mentioned). If you applied for the merit scholarships in BU, you have a better chance
Stay cool and concentrate on your classes. If you didn’t update the other schools about your TEDx speech, do so urgently. Other than that you cannot do anything to change the schools’ decisions, You still have a good chance in Columbia. You can also have a good surprise from the others.
Princeton University - Deny
University of Pennsylvania - Accept
University of Chicago - Waitlist
Northwestern University - Deny
Swarthmore College - Deny
Haverford College - Accept
Washington University in St. Louis - Waitlist
Boston University - Accept
Brandeis University - Accept
University of Michigan - Accept
University of Wisconsin-Madison - Accept