<p>I know some schools place great emphasis on the numbers- others seem to look past the stats and at the person (for example, Uchicago). I really hope to get into Columbia next year, but my gpa is on the low-side (3.6ish, around top 15% though our school doesn't rank). As an aside, my extracurriculars are by far the best part of my application, and I have been involved with Columbia for much of high school (took a course there, summer program, a parent is a grad. school prof). </p>
<p>Based off anyone's personal experiences or stories through the grapevine, how obsessed is Columbia with the numbers and GPA specifically? Is it worth applying ED or even applying at all? I have a looming feeling I'll be deferred then waitlisted...</p>
<p>...actually I think that says that his parent is a grad school prof, as in a teacher at their grad school. But that helps too, actually.<br>
And I know that in my case, they looked past my grades, which were also a 3.6, though my sats were in their range for one, and above for the other two, and my ecs were probably the strongest part of my app. I mean, you never know, and I think it was really random that I got in, but I guess there's still hope for you.</p>
<p>grades are still by far most the important factor that colleges will look at. whats next you'd suppose they look at SATs, ECs, essays and recs and etc etc.</p>
<p>sure it'd help, a perfect GPA. but if yo could profile the entire accepted class i'd be willing to say tons of ppl without that perfect GPA got accepted. several perfect GPAs probably got rejected too. having said that, to answer your question; i guess it could be a problem. </p>
<p>and yes, my parent got their PHd and teaches in a graduate program at Columbia- i was actually planning on asking the admissions offfce whether or not i get any legacy benefit b/c they didn't attend undergrad</p>
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sure it'd help, a perfect GPA. but if yo could profile the entire accepted class i'd be willing to say tons of ppl without that perfect GPA got accepted. several perfect GPAs probably got rejected too. having said that, to answer your question; i guess it could be a problem.</p>
<p>but not a very big one.
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<p>You don't need a perfect GPA to get in; just a very good GPA. If you have low grades, then it is a major problem.</p>
<p>barca is my favorite team...and it is stacked...gonna win la liga this year and would have won champions had it not been for the wretched regulation of away goals</p>
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Columbia 2002, on what basis are you saying Columbia's emphasis is heavily on grades...personal experience or what?
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<p>I don't think I said that. I said: "You don't need a perfect GPA to get in; just a very good GPA. If you have low grades, then it is a major problem." But yes, Columbia does think that your academic record is the most important part of the application.</p>
<p>"Columbia does think that your academic record is the most important part of the application."</p>
<p>Yea, same as pretty much everywhere. Considering the make-up of the CU application, I wouldn't say that CU is more into stats than other schools. It's not the LSE which pretty much takes all the 10 A* ppl. Personal stories don't help that much, but I didn't have great stats and still got in.</p>
<p>I've mentioned it before, but I had a 3.3 unweighted GPA and got in. But I was a pretty excellent applicant besides that, and had to earn my way in with a year and a half of work experience regardless - I didn't get in my senior year, outright, with that GPA.</p>