So, I’m wondering how random this is an how you think Columbia might react to this…
I think I have pretty average stats for those admitted to Columbia: 34 ACT, 4.0 GPA, most rigorous courses offered at my school, great recs, officer in 3 clubs, class officer, etc. So I’m thinking its a crapshoot in that respect, just like it is for most people.
However, what I’m curious about is how Columbia might react to the fact that a lot of my ECs have been focused on agriculture. I’m from a town with 6,000 people and twice as many cows. So agriculture is a pretty big part of my life. I’ve been a state officer for FFA (a youth ag leadership organization) and almost all of my volunteer work centers around agriculture because those are the opportunities I had in my community. I’ve never intended on majoring in agriculture, but I want to go into economics and eventually work with food systems in developing countries (thus why I applied to Columbia because they have an amazing econ program).
So… do you think they will find this strange or unique?
I am not sure you truly understand the size and scope of the admissions process. There are lots of applicants to Columbia with similar ECs - many of them have similar stats as well. Several of these have been accepted over the years.
Columbia accepts students from all over the country - and the world. While it is true that a majority of their applicant pool comes from the Northeast, you have to understand that the Northeast does have its rural/agricultural communities as well as its urban/suburban. They will have seen and rejected/accepted scores of students with stories like yours.
What will shine in your application is your hardworking spirit and generally positive attitude. And if you don’t get into Columbia, it won’t be because your ECs are not “as good” as anyone else’s.
Where else have you applied?
Did you look at Cornell?
@txstella I did apply to Cornell but its really not my first choice because I’m interested in studying economics for undergrad and Cornell doesn’t have as impressive of an econ program as others do.
@3puppies I definitely understand that there are tens of thousands of applicants who have similar or better stats that I do. I just was wondering if Columbia usually saw a lot of students who had been involved in mostly agriculture ECs in high school. I know that the northeast has a lot of rural communities… I live in upstate New York. I never asked anyone specifically at Columbia but at some schools I’ve visited like NYU, I’ve mentioned that I’m interested in agriculture (not as my major but as a non-academic activity) and they looked at me like I had two heads.
I applied to NYU, U Penn, U Chicago, Northwestern, Yale, and Binghamton.
Are you interested in ag or is it simply what you have had the opportunity to be involved with?If you are interested in food science and ag, your choice of colleges is odd. Why wouldn’t you apply to some land grant and Ag related programs (which Cornell is but none of your others are)
@lostaccount It’s just something I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in. I’m not interested in going in to agriculture. I am interested more in the international relations field than I am interested in agriculture.
That wouldn’t be a typical EC but it wouldn’t be unique either. There are always kids at Columbia from rural communities who have been heavily involved in FFA or 4H. It seems your interest in ag dovetails w/ your interest in rural economic development. I will say that Columbia does want to make sure that students can thrive in NYC – in fact they made quite a big deal about that at our alumni interview committee meeting. But I’m assuming your essays made it clear why you were interested in a big city school after growing up in a rural environment. Good luck!