is B okay for Columia?

[nathegreat]

<p>Hey I'm a pretty new member and a junior who would love to go to Columbia. Are you guys saying that a laundry list of EC's with a 3.5 or so GPA and ok SAT scores can make someone pass another person with a 4.0, better SATs, but only a few ECs? I'm pretty much like the second guy, do I still have a chance or should I give it up?</p>

[DagnyT]

<p>"is B okay for Columia?"
I'd say it's necessary, at least if you'd like to spell it right. ColumBia...</p>

[UriA702]

<p>

@indiejimmy

high GPA's are overrated...prioritizing grades over passions just turns you into a boring person that no one wants to talk to, be around, or accept to their prestigious school. College admissions are too competitive for schools to base their admissions decisions heavily on numerical values. Get a 4.3+ weighted and a 2200+ SAT score and be an interesting person and you'll have a better chance than a 4.6+ weighted and 2300+ guy that has no talents outside of having good numbers. But that's just my philosophy.

</p>

<p>That is a very ignorant statement to make. Many student achieve high grades because they are intelligent and produce better quality work. Someone "good with numbers" does not mean they don't have outside interests, if someones interests are educational, and they spend their free-time pursuing academic goals, they stand a far better chance than a student with sub par grades who has a wide array of interests.</p>

[UriA702]

<p>

@nathegreat

Hey I'm a pretty new member and a junior who would love to go to Columbia. Are you guys saying that a laundry list of EC's with a 3.5 or so GPA and ok SAT scores can make someone pass another person with a 4.0, better SATs, but only a few ECs? I'm pretty much like the second guy, do I still have a chance or should I give it up?

</p>

<p>No, a laundry list of ECs makes you look unfocused and fake. Top schools are interested in students whose interests outside the classmate say something about them. Having a "laundry list" of ECs makes you come off as fake and trying to hard to sell yourself. The best idea would be to stick to the ECs you are passionate about and excel at them, that says much more about yourself.</p>

[moviefreak126]

<p>What if one has great EC's (I consider them great) but has an avergae GPA?</p>

[mikesown]

<p>moviefreak126: That was my exact situation. I have a 3.7W(about a 3.0UW) GPA, applied to SEAS ED, and got deferred(I had 740M/670CR/660W, 710 iic, 640 chem). I got deferred, which, in my book, shows just how holistic Columbia's adcoms are. I had passionate ECs; I didn't have a laundry list, but, for example, I did 900 hours of community service at one place(doing a bunch of stuff), and I am involved with two CS research projects.The fact that I was a legacy helped, but I don't think that solely prevented me from being rejected.</p>

<p>As long as you can justify why you should be admitted to the adcoms, it's definitely possible for you to be admitted.</p>

[Ann_Onymous]

<p>haha DagnyT i actually thought the thread name was supposed to be ironic...i guess not?</p>

[DagnyT]

<p>I don't know. I don't have an eye for irony on the internet.</p>

[Columbia2002]

<p>
[quote]
What if one has great EC's (I consider them great)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It could very well mean you have an inflated sense of how good your ECs are. Notice how most people on here claim to have "great ECs" / "amazing recs" / "killer essays"? The vast majority of these people probably don't.</p>

[Olive_Tree]

<p>I don't mean to take over this thread, but what about a C? I don't have one, and I've gotten straight As so far, but I have Math finals tomorrow and, unless a miracle happens, I'm afraid that's the grade I'm looking at. Will that leave me with a 0% chance at Columbia? Does anyone know of someone who was accepted to Columbia, or any Ivy League/top college with a C? I'm not going to major in anything Math/Science-related; quite the opposite.</p>