I've caved - chance me ED to Columbia?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I promised myself that I wouldn't post a chance thread, but the nerves are getting a bit more than I can handle...</p>

<p>I'm interested in applying early decision to either Columbia University, Cornell ILR School, UPenn Wharton, UChicago, USC, NYU Stern School via Questbridge</p>

<p>Basics
◘ Gender: female
◘ First-Generation, daughter of immigrants
◘ rural NE Pennsylvania
◘ Family income <21,000, applying via QuestBridge</p>

<p>Testing/Academics
◘ GPA: 3.9/4.0
◘ SATI: 700 CR, 630 M, 680 W : 2010 (taken in March, re-taking in October for hopefully higher score)
◘ SATII: 630 Literature, 600 Math I, 680 World History (Re-taking Lit and Math in November)
◘ ACT: Composite: 29 (Re-taking... eventually. Sept 10 test center was closed)
◘ AP: Biology:4, Chemistry:3, Euro:4, English Lang: 5</p>

<p>◘ Course Load: Most rigorous available. 8 total AP classes, 4 years of German
◘ Senior year: AP Physics, AP Calc AB, AP USH, AP English Lit, Anthropology, German IV</p>

<p>◘School: 6-12 Independent school in Northeastern Pennsylvania, small town, 42 students in Senior class</p>

<p>Volunteering:
◘ 8+ years at small family ethnic food business. gained experience in preparing ethnic foods, sorting finances for a small business, and management
◘ 4+ years at nursing home. volunteered at bazaars, gave manicures to residents, created and led activities
◘ 4+ years Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation volunteer
◘ 3 years, member of "Awareness Club" - helped raise awareness about breast cancer and LGBT events, raised money for the disasters in Haiti and Australia</p>

<p>Activities:
◘ FBLA (secretary, president)
◘ Speech and Debate (student adviser)
◘ Mock Trial (student adviser)
◘ Student Government (secretary)
◘ National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, German Honor Society
◘ Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation leadership forum
◘ Pennsylvania Girls State </p>

<p>Awards/ Honors:
◘ FBLA regional awards (1st and 3rd places) FBLA state award (10th place)
◘ National Catholic Forensics League Competition- Ntnl Qualifier- Omaha, Nebraska
◘ U. Rochester - Susan B. Anthony Award
◘ AP Scholar with Honor Award
◘ National Merit Semifinalist (just found out! ahhh!)</p>

<p>Jobs:
◘ Work as a cashier, summer and during school year, help with bills and savings for college</p>

<p>Etc:
◘ Bilingual - Fluent in Polish
◘ Interest in going into business field, preferably in sync with international relations
◘ Really good essays, passionate about restoring the value of the small business</p>

<p>Please and thank you! I really appreciate it (:</p>

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<p>Sounds like your essays, academics, honors, and ECs are all on-track really. Good for you! I think they’re phenomenal. Plus, first-generation college student will work to your advantage, as well. Your major pitfalls are your test scores, which all seem to be low. If you go to an “easy” high school so-to-speak, colleges will look at your test scores more to compare you with everyone else. However, if those go up, I feel like you have a very good shot at many of these schools, including nyu, columbia, cornell, u chicago…maybe not wharton cause thats suuuppper tough, but yeah…you have a super shot if you get those tests up! :]</p>

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<p>As Jack said, I can really see you getting in if you can bump those scores up. Get to it!</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

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<p>thank you so much for the feedback! I’ve been working with test prep the past few weeks, so I’m hoping to get my scores much higher once I re-take the tests.
I’m honestly so in love with Columbia, I’d be so thrilled to get in!</p>