<p>I'm sure as heck trying for Columbia. Not going to lie; I'm not well off.</p>
<p>Anyways, definitely not going for a pity story:
I'm graduating in 2011, but I have a problem - I'm poor as crud. I can apply for a fee waiver, but it's too hard for my parents to shell out even $20 per app. We're dead broke, and it's been like this for my whole life, so the whole college application costs are taking me completely by surprise. My parents are determining whether to apply to Columbia based upon your guys' and my counselor's replies, because even one application costs us over 50 each college, adding on score submission costs. </p>
<p>I was referred here by friends/counselor. Typing this from a library computer because I have no internet at home, so please I'd really like some replies when I check back in next time, I'm going so far as to beg; I really hope you guys can help me to get the posts that I need to submit this application.</p>
<p>Please don't expect too much, I'm definitely not even close to being a great candidate, but hopefully my view of myself is just the slightest bit incorrect; I'd like to have a chance at a prestigious school near a large city, and New York has always been my dream city ever since I realized my surroundings were not exactly ideal.</p>
<p>Asian Male</p>
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<p>GPA Weighted - Approximately 3.81. Definitely not the highest.
A total of 5 Honors classes (My high school does not offer English in Honors)
A total of 6 AP classes (2 each year from Sophomore until present)
- AP Biology (Sophomore, 3), AP World History (Sophmore, 4), AP US History (Junior, 3), AP Statistics (Junior, 4), AP Literature (Senior, N/A), AP Government (Senior Year, N/A).</p>
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<p>1) Tennis team captain
2) Tennis team for a total of three years (From sophomore - senior)
3) Worked with a non profit organization for 2 years to raise funds to raise wells in rural parts of Africa.
4) Worked with 3 organizations that work together with one another to publicize large scale beach clean up events, fundraising, etc. Given the official position of public relations manager.
5) Work Experience: Worked at a large scale cosmetic business (Produces and distributes over Korea, China, and the United States) marketing department. Also managed the company's booth at a convention in Las Vegas. Worked over the period of 1 summer.
6) Have mentored students in an official school organization for 2 years, in all aspects of life, from both school related to personal issues.
7) Life coaching club president. I am the president of my school's coaching club, and we have had volunteer service hours at various churches and middle schools in aiding them in their personal issues.
8) Government official aid. I helped a local politician get elected to our city council by distributing poll notices and phoning prospective voters.
9) Debate. In freshman-sophomore year, I debated both in and out of school, and even participated in competitions held in local community colleges.
10) Library aid. It's one of the only reasons I can access library computers this late at night >_< From Freshman-Sophomore (and a month so far this senior year) I reshelved books, taught others at the library how to use the computers here, filed away paperwork and organized library data in the main computer.
11) Key Club Representative. From Freshman to Sophomore year, I held the official positions of representative of my class. I worked alongside the club president to coordinate events and meetings with our sponsors.
12) NHS member for two years.</p>
<p>Overall about 200 community service hours.</p>
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<p>Beyond that, I'm done for extracurriculars. I've not much time to do academic stuff or extracurriculars due to the financial strain it'd put on my family in the past, and I'm pretty sure it compares to others in my year from other schools.</p>
<p>I'm in my immediate family not the first to enter college; my parents entered college when they were at this age but both did not finish, they dropped out of college (Does this improve my changes? Needing clarification).</p>
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<p>SAT Subject Tests:</p>
<p>700 Literature
680 Biology (E)
660 United States History</p>
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<p>ACT Cumulative - 32</p>
<p>Unsure of scores at the moment, will attempt to procure them sometime soon if possible; at father's workplace.</p>
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<p>Community College Courses:</p>
<p>Took 2 introductory college classes at a local college.</p>
<p>Econ - A
Psychology - A</p>
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<p>And that's all I can remember. I tried to follow how others typed up their "Columbia Chances?" threads, and this is my 2nd post, so if I did anything wrong here please inform me.</p>
<p>Thoughts? Comments? Alumni, parents, counselors, students, teachers, anyone who has a sense of the college application and acceptance process, PLEASE help me.</p>
<p>I hope you guys can spare the time for a detailed comment, and thank you all so much for the responses in advance.</p>
<p>Happy Early Holidays, hope your Thanksgiving breaks went well!</p>
<p>-Prospective-
2011 Graduate</p>
Good luck, please PM me if you get this and need more help.</p>