LOVE LOVE LOVE Columbia! Chances please!?!

<p>Rank: 5/ 550 people (Very Competitive)
GPA: 4.7 (out of 4 due to weighting)
Class load: hardest possible no doubt!
ACT: 29 ( I know, I know. This is my WEAKEST point. I am seriously working my butt off this summer. I am studying daily, have resorted to help from a tutor, and hope to raise this score to at least a 31-32 by Sept.) </p>

<p>ECs: </p>

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<p>Editor-in-chief of School Paper - first junior to become one in a long time, I am absolutely certain that the newspaper advisor will write me a first class recommendation. I am also the first EIC to serve for two years in a row! </p>

<p>Question: Our school paper won a national award from Columbia University (silver crown) during my time this year as EIC, is something I should mention? This award is not directed to me specifically but more to our entire paper. I think it's appealing as it is an award recognizing the top few papers internationally and is from Columbia itself. </p>

<p>Founder and manager of newspaper website </p>

<p>Awarded Outstanding web-designer by IU </p>

<p>Write for other community papers as well, including our cultural one.</p>

<p>Many essay competition awards; won 1st place in state for a newspaper article I wrote. That same article won 4th place nationally at another competition (which I will not list here for security reasons as you can easily look me up) </p>

<p>Wrote an inspirational children's book on meditation - this will be published internationally (on Amazon) in approx. three weeks and is also going to be available at many local bookstores throughout the state. (this is honestly and personally one of my most special accomplishments!) </p>

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<p>History Fair 3rd Place in State/Metro scholarship Winner/ National Qualifier (Alternate) </p>

<p>History Fair Executive Director's award for Superior History </p>

<p>Internship at congressman office summer before junior year </p>

<p>Attended Illini Girls State</p>

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<p>Founder/President of an Indian community service council for students (we help out at various community festivals, represent the youth, currently planning a cultural show and a trip abroad to India)
***Currently collaborating to make this an "international student" effort meaning students of all cultures create a joint effort. </p>

<p>State Cultural Pageant winner (first runner up) and miss talent </p>

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<p>500+ volunteer service hours through hospital volunteering (the usual lol), tutoring, after school enrichment program helping for younger children, etc. etc. </p>

<p>Math Honor Society President</p>

<p>Founder and manager of MHS website (to submit service hours, updates on events, etc) </p>

<p>National Honor Society </p>

<p>French Honor Society </p>

<p>DECA state winner</p>

<p>I have several other ECs but I feel that these are my main ones and the ones that I am most proud to be involved in! However, as you can see my goal was to essentially divide my interests in three areas: writing/publishing, Politics/History, Indian Culture. Then of course, this is all accompanied by the usual honor societies and community service. </p>

<p>While I sincerely hope I can increase my ACT score by September (hopefully I am a lucky gal on Sept. 12) as I have this as my biggest commitment for the summer, I would like you to evaluate my chances for this fall!</p>

<p>Recommendations – My counselor especially told me I am her “top junior” and will receive a “stellar” recommendation, and I am certain that the same will apply to my Newspaper Advisor/English teacher who has seen megrow extensively since freshman year. Also, would it be advisable to receive some sort of letter confirming the legitimacy of my internship at the Congressman’s office? I don’t want to give off any sort of impression that it was received through connections and whatnot since it most certainly was not! </p>

<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>

<p>You’re probably not gonna have room for all that on the app.</p>

<p>hmmm well I am know, I just wanted to give CCers the opportunity to seem me as a whole I guess. I just poured out everything I could remember here…this is actually serving more as a guideline for me than anything else. </p>

<p>Besides, several of those things are awards or can be grouped together. SO I’ll obvs have to do a much better job putting my resume together.</p>

<p>Any other suggestions?</p>

<p>come on CCers! Chances/suggestions pleasee!</p>

<p>My view is that essays are the most important element of an app by far. Test scores/GPA reassure the adcoms that you are capable. ECs are kind of bottom barrel tie breakers unless you write about them. </p>

<p>Get the test scores higher. take your subject tests. write essays about that journalism award maybe.</p>

<p>thanks for your perspective! Do you really think ECs dont matter much…? That would suck for me considering my ECs really represent me and my personality. </p>

<p>I guess at a school like columbia…you just gotta be lucky.</p>

<p>^ obviously lol, its like a lottary</p>

<p>It’s not that they are irrelevant. I mean compared to anyone else you will still have an advantage.</p>

<p>BUMP pleaseeee!</p>