<p>Hey, first time posting on here but it looks like there's some good information so I thought I'd look for some feedback on my application.</p>
<p>I'm a USMCR veteran who completed a tour in Afghanistan from 2011-2012. I won't bore you with the details, but my essay was largely about my experience over there and how it has transformed into my recent experiences on a college campus (community college level) in the last year. As I'm sure a lot of applicants have said, I did not have great transcripts from high school and actually received my GED for dropping out prior to enlisting. When I got back from my deployment, my GPA at my community college was a 1.81. I have since maintained a 3.8/4.0 my two semesters back and brought my cumulative to 3.53. Additionally, I was nominated President of The Veterans Club, Chair of a Committee on the Student Senate, Phi Theta Kappa, another honors society, and maintained good academic standing by making the Deans List two semesters in a row now.</p>
<p>I've also worked to take classes that would emulate what a Columbia GS freshman or sophomore might have under their belt. Since I want to study Economics, I took the engineering track for math (currently in Precalc and scheduled for Calc I this summer) instead of "business" calc or stat. I focused on humanities, science, art, and foundational english/writing courses to include honors classes. I also received letters of recommendation from my accounting teacher, my USMC Captain, and my professor for Honors Anthropology who also happens to coordinate the information session with Columbia every semester and knows most of the admissions representatives that come down to the DC area.</p>
<p>Don't have SAT/ACT scores within the last 5 years, but I did take the GSAE and feel comfortable saying I did very well on the exam.</p>
<p>I feel the greatest weaknesses in my application would be 1.) My cumulative GPA of 3.53 and 2.) Only having taken a non-credit Algebra course (MA99 but I got an A) and Trig (got a B this winter). I feel like they might be worried about my ability to perform in Calculus, even though I expect a B in precalculus and I'm not too worried about stat. I expect another 3.8 or above semester and a cumulative of 3.65 or above by the end of the spring. I don't know how much higher I can push that with the classes I would need to take after my math is done this summer. I have 40 credits, not including the 12 I'll receive from the completion of this semester.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any feedback! I've also submitted my application for Early Action and was told I should get a response by the 1st, but who knows.</p>
<p>Arg, internet failure ate my reply. Retyping, but excuse the brevity.</p>
<p>So you’re clearly a strong candidate in many respects, but they may have some reservations. The high school and GED are a non-issue, don’t worry about those. Similarly a rough transition semester after coming back from a deployment isn’t a dealbreaker. </p>
<p>The concern will be, as you mentioned, good but not excellent grades. Particularly as a potential econ students they may be a little worried about the math grades. (Econ requires essentially 4 math classes: Calc I and III, Statistics with Calculus, and Econometrics; and uses a lot of calculus in intermediate micro and macro). </p>
<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to do a phone interview to discuss whether you’re really ready to handle the level of academic intensity at Columbia. The higher your GPA this semester, the better your odds are.</p>
<p>If they don’t accept you this semester, you may be a great candidate in another semester or two if you continue to rock a >3.8.</p>
<p>Campaigner - thanks for the feedback. They have everything and, short of a few loose ends I can’t really control in the short term, my package is reasonably competitive. Hopefully my veteran status and the hours of work and editing I did with multiple professors on my essay will convey something valuable to the committee. I think you’re right though, it’s probably a big dice roll at this point and just a waiting game. If not, I’ll take a few summer classes (probably Calc I and Stat) and try to edge my GPA up closer to 3.7 or 3.8 overall.</p>
<p>idk how comfortable you are with math but I definitely would not recommend relying on calculus I as a gpa booster. Calc I is completely different from any other math class in term of how much new stuff you have to learn. It’s basically like learning a new language. Expect to memorize 50+ formulas. And your understanding and familiarity with trig needs to be nearly perfect. </p>
<p>If you want to boost your gpa, I would suggest taking some electives that are relevant to your major.</p>
<p>Aiccia - I hear you on that. Unfortunately, I’m also using my GI Bill at my community college (dare I say squandering?) for the sake of going full time and getting good grades. On top of that, I only have 60% benefit for a little over two more years. To illustrate what a confounding variable this is I researched my benefits and at Columbia I would only be covered for about 10K and I also qualify for the Pell Grant. If there’s a separate process for applying for the Pell Grant, other than just qualifying, I can tell you I haven’t started it so I don’t even know if that’s a sure thing at this point.</p>
<p>My point being that I probably will not “wait” for any schools after one more full semester if I don’t get into the ridiculous reach schools I applied to. No safety schools this round. If a school like GS or Georgetown doesn’t take me, and yes I realize they would have to be profoundly impressed given my cumulative GPA right now, I would be willing to take summer classes (one session) and then classes in the fall and apply for the spring semester of 2014. That said, I really only have the summer and, potentially, the fall to demonstrate an ability in math.</p>
<p>So which is more important, taking microeconomics (got an A in macro) and inching the GPA higher or maybe sucking it up and getting a B in Calc I to demonstrate an ability to perform in an academically rigorous environment? Again, keep in mind I will have my summer grade and then I’ll be applying with that new GPA and whatever my schedule shows for the fall. I won’t have the benefit of showing them what my grades would be by the end of the fall.</p>
<p>That being said, if I don’t get in this round I’ll be applying to GS again for the spring along with probably at least 6 or 7 other schools. It remains my number 1 school though. I spent some time researching GS, their mission, how they got started largely to accommodate returning WWII veterans, their practically unrivaled ability to land veterans jobs on Wall Street, etc. I mean the list goes on. I also love the commitment they’ve demonstrated to veterans and non-traditional students. I don’t think any other Ivy League school has come even close.</p>
<p>There was a real a question in there somewhere… oh, right. So math or a higher GPA if I only have this summer to change things?</p>
<p>Hi. I haven’t done this college search in forever and recently just began the journey all over. I’m also a veteran weighing the value of squandering benefits in regular schools to just transfer into an Ivy. I think this guy’s essay might give you an idea that GPA and test scores aren’t exactly the main criteria they look for nor is it exemplifying a military enlistement. I’ve never seen a better essay.</p>
<p>It’s pretty good and I can see why he was accepted, but there are probably other variables at play that we may or may not know about. I agree GS probably cares more about your essay than practically any other of the top schools out there. That being said, I know they’re strongly recruiting veterans. To give you an example of this, I came home in the summer of 2012 from my deployment looking for schools. My Captain at the time made me aware of a maradmin that had been released about Columbia GS and the Director of Admissions. You know what it said? He was coming to Lejeune to interview Marines to be accepted as freshman at Columbia for the coming fall. You know what the requirements were? SAT scores (period) and an ASVAB with a GT score of 120 or higher. That’s it. That doesn’t involve any Calc or college level writing. I mean they were doing this based on an interview. I got scheduled for one but it ended up not working out.</p>
<p>I’m not saying a lot of people got in this way, but the fact is they were considering it on some level. Enough to where they had admissions traveling down to military bases and talking to guys who probably haven’t put pen to paper in at least 4 years unless they were writing a patrol order. That’s why I feel like I should have a good chance, with the exception of the fact that I chose a major I haven’t proved myself to be completely capable of excelling in. I mean if they really don’t care about past performance, you would think they’d be looking at my GPA over the last year (3.8 and above every semester) and NOT weigh to heavily on the fact that I had old grades weighing down my cumulative until I could retake some of those classes.</p>
<p>In the end, if you want to pursue a career that will have huge returns down the road (law, finance, medicine…) I think it’s worth a loan of 10-40K if necessary. I might have to supplement the GI Bill somewhere in that zone. It still beats the 200K price tag most people would have to pay going all four years and I try to look at it like that.</p>
<p>Edit: When I said it “ended up not working out” I mean I never got to do the interview. Not that they interviewed me and didn’t accept me. ;)</p>
<p>The essay exudes the entire purpose of GS. It’s about mining for diamonds in the rough. Old and rock crusted over that don’t know the potential they got. I mean if some of the brightest minds in the world have flunked out of school or totally skipped most traditional education to pursue a more enlightened approach or walking a higher path then Columbia’s method is viable.</p>
<p>I think they look for those individuals but can tell right away just reading an essay to reject them. I’ve heard 4.0 GPAs with top scores as well as a long list of accomplishments and a comeback story …get rejected flat out. Essay? Terrible creative intellect? Can’t think on their own? very isolated minds? Tunnel vision test acers? lazy photographic memory types? The ones they bestow the honor upon are individuals that are MATURE and READY to rise up to the call. People with something very unique from the rest of society whether it’s an incredible story, amazing hardship, extremely multi-talented, very rebellious philosophical mind like the guy above…or a standout community leader…I think they assume open minds, flexibility, maturity and hard ass work do the grades. Isn’t that how it works for us military veterans? We go into schools in our late 20’s and blaze through with a 3.5 or better and usually a lot of beer to help…ha. We are flexible, mature, focus tenaciously and open minded to ideas and people because of the wide range of demographics and social dynamics we’re forced to work with in our fields.</p>
<p>I asked a Columbia alumni what it takes. He did a few semesters in the GS School back in 92 and 93. His return wasn’t until like 2007 for the MBA? He mentioned his time living in the USSR under extreme poverty and immigrating to the US set him aside from a lot of applicants. Something like a diamond in the rough with his intellect. He’s pretty entrepreunerial and creative.</p>
<p>What I’m doing is SUNY Empire State College and loading up on Economics, Calculus and English Classes as well as squeezing in a Cultural Class and Science Class. I’ll try 16 credits Fall and Spring. I need 4.0 and I’m also preparing for the SATs if I can manage a 2000+. My friend suggested I go around for my global business core course and interview executives in companies from Asia through some connections as well as politicians for my papers if the professor will allow. I’m getting back involved in as many civic volunteer organizations as possible but regards to a topic I think will help my community here. Rather than just show I volunteered at everything possible. There are laws against foreigners leading events, organizations or large functions even in colleges so I"m very limited. However, I think the exposure I get living overseas and submurging in a 3rd world culture is a rare experience. It’s not the same as a vacation, 6 month contract job with a cushiony condo or a study abroad program where they really look after you.</p>
<p>I’ve had to stay here and sorta screw up my education, work history and other things over some personal matters. My son is here and I left back overseas to raise him as well as get dual custody. Ex left the US with him. It’s been a hard and very interesting venture. I’m trying to GS to give my son a better future. I’m also a first generation American in my family from Korea being adopted. Hoping all this sets me apart aside from some other stuff i’ll leave out ;)</p>
<p>Are you asking me? If so, then I would do it. You seem to fit the bill of non-traditional. I would imagine if you articulate all that pretty well in an essay and can get transcripts from your schools then you probably have a good shot. That being said, there are people who have already gotten in who might be more help.</p>