Is my school stopping me from going to a good 4-year university????

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a rising senior at a tiny public school located in NYC. I'm really trying to apply for Columbia SEAS early decision, but i feel like my lack of ECs are going to be my ultimate downfall, I need some advice.
Firstly I think I should mention that my school offers the following Ecs:
-Mens Basketball (I'm a female)
-Art Club ... I think ...
-I guess Yearbook Committee
-National Honor society </p>

<p>That is all ! You can only be in Yearbook committee as a senior which i will, and i have been a member of NHS since Sophomore year, and will be running for VP of that. I assisted my Chemistry teacher almost everyday after school, for no credit nor recognition, did it just to help some struggling kids. </p>

<p>Aside from that I have been at NYU STEP program since the 8th grade ( New York University Science Technology Entry Program). I volunteered at the New York Aquarium for the summer of sophomore year, during the days when i was so sure i wanted to be a marine mammal vet. I am currently going to a 10-day intensive program at Manhattan college for engineering , when that is up i will be volunteering at my local thrift shop and library - Those are just two places i have a soft spot for :) . And this coming school year i will be applying for the ACE mentorship program which is another engineering program that will last year round, I'm pretty positive i'll get in to that program. </p>

<p>I have looked at the boards and I see people with so much ECs !! I'm not one to compare myself with others but in this situation its crucial because i know ECs are important. Is it possible i could explain to Columbia in any way that my lack of school involvement was not entirely my fault, if it was my fault at all. There was no budget to start clubs, which we tried to multiple times!</p>

<p>I'm a pretty smart kid... i hope. Im 3rd or 4th ( can't remember) in my class, i have a 94.73 overall GPA, which i know compare to others isn't a big deal however the 1st person ranked in the school is above me by not even a whole point. I took my SAT for the first time and got a 1900 i know i will get at least a 2100 by october, no worries on that. I've taken/ will take ever AP offered by my school which is only 6. and for the 2 I've take so far I got 4s (AP english lang and European). </p>

<p>What can i do to up my chances please help me !!! :)</p>

<p>WOW THIS IS LONG lol! However I'm sure I'm not the only one with this issue :| . THANKS :]</p>

2

<p>First thing, don’t stress out and compare yourself to CC standards. Many people on here have crazy credentials. Doing a few things really passionately is way more impressive IMO than a laundry list of clubs and ECs. </p>

<p>Your school isn’t the only option for ECs, so a lack of school opportunities doesn’t excuse a lack of ECs. But that’s besides the point because you have ECs. Columbia will be aware of what your school offers, don’t worry about what you can’t help. </p>

<p>1900 is low by Columbia’s Standards. If you want to go to an Ivy aim for a 2250. It’ll make you more competitive. Show passion for the ECs you do have.</p>

<p>In short, your school isn’t “stopping” you from going to a good 4-year.</p>

3

<p>Lack of in-school EC’s isn’t a problem as long as you have a few out of school. However, I think the only troubling thing(s) on your app is your SAT and potentially rank.</p>

<p>You stated that you’re definitely going to improve your SAT to a 2100 which should be competitive enough to not get your app “thrown out”. </p>

<p>You also stated that you attend a “tiny” public school in NYC. Is this school tiny by NYC standards or by normal standards? If your in a class at or above 100 (approximately), then being ranked 3-4 is great. However, if your class size is truly tiny (i.e. 40 students), 3-4 may not cut it for SEAS.</p>

<p>Being a female should give a minor boost to SEAS. Are you a URM or low income/first generation applicant? If so, you may have an additional boost to your app.</p>

4

<p>I agree with the previous poster. There are other things that look ten times better then in-school EC’s. Anybody can sign up for them and unless you hold a leadership position they are not that impressive. Don’t compare yourself, what matters is that you took advantage of the opportunities that you had.</p>

5

<p>Unless you are hooked a 2100 isn’t going to cut it. And the lack of clubs would be your fault. Join out of school clubs and maybe even make a chapter at your school.</p>

6

<p>“Is your school stopping me from going to a good 4-year university?”</p>

<p>The short answer: No.</p>

<p>The longer answer:
Colleges choose the strongest applications. Someone can compensate for weak ECs if other areas are very strong (test scores, grades, essays, awards, etc.)</p>

<p>Your app: 1900 is low. 2100 is ok but not great. Your class rank & gpa are ok. Your summer activities/volunteer activities are good. However, Columbia is very competitive, and nothing you’ve posted makes you a compelling applicant. </p>

<p>Things you can do to strengthen your app:
–Make sure your essays talk about the opportunities you HAVE taken advantage of, esp. during the summer when you branched out beyond your small/limited high school to do sci/engineering stuff, and how you have a passion for these things
–Bring up your sat score-- this is the biggest thing you can do before you apply! With 1900 I think you’re out. With 2100 you probably won’t make it, depending on your unposted info. With a 2300, no guarantees but you have a better shot.
–If you can start a club (even if its low budget) that is good, it shows initiative</p>

<p>Other notes:
When writing your essays, have the attitude, “I am a strong applicant, there are many great things about me, here are some of them.” Don’t whine about your school or you will sound like a loser.
When choosing what other schools to apply to, have the attitude “I will probably get rejected from columbia, and I want to have lots of other options when this happens.” Do NOT wait until ED results come out, because if you get rejected it will 1. be too late for you to put together great essays for other schools, and 2. you will be pessimistic and write bad essays. </p>

<p>Also, don’t glorify Columbia SEAS as a dream school. It’s less of a heartbreak if you don’t get in, and you’ll be more objective in applying to other schools. Give it a shot, but chillax, don’t make it an obsession. You will write better essays if you aren’t freaking out about possibly being rejected (at least I did). And unless you’re really, really sure you would love to go there, don’t apply ED. Even if you do apply ED, apply to lots of other schools. Depending on unposted info, Columbia is a reach for you. You want to have lots of options when you make your final choice. </p>

<p>In short: Try to strengthen your app while you can. Best of luck applying to colleges. And getting rejected from schools is not the end of the world (it was a good weight-loss program for my ego). Good things will come in the end, every cloud has its silver lining, and so forth. I got rejected from my dream school, and ended up at Stanford ;)</p>

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<p>@ Above poster</p>

<p>What was your dream school? And what were your stats?</p>

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<p>Like everyone has said, your SAT won’t cut it for Columbia. In your essay, I think you should mention that you didn’t have many opportunities at your school. THEN mention how you made up for this dearth of opportunities by doing lots of EC’s outside of school. That will give you a better chance. Best of luck!
Could you chance me for Princeton? Thanks!
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1365139-chance-me-princeton.html#post14624947[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1365139-chance-me-princeton.html#post14624947&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Thanks for replying everyone !
And yes I am fully aware that my SATs are not up to Columbia Status, however I’m not really worrying about that i know my capabilities and I’m sure i can get at least a 2100 if not more.
And I know, Ghee guys. I live in NYC there were plenty of things to do. But to be honest for my first 2 years of HS, I just so happened to get good grades, with hardly nay work put in … I was one of those :expressionless: . Not proud of that anyway, But Junior year i really Stepped up.
And My school is small by NYC standards sorry i didn’t specify that earlier >.< . Small meaning that each class probably has about 150 or less kids. </p>

<p>I just hope its not to late to impress colleges :|</p>

10

<p>Don’t apologize or make excuses for your school. Show how you’ve made the most out of the opportunities you HAVE had, and be positive about it.</p>

<p>Columbia will still be a reach even with higher scores. So, you better look for some other options.</p>