mmm chances mayhaps?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Caucasian Female from Upstate, NY.
(Junior)
Highly Competitive School, ranked one of the top in nation
School doesn't rank but definitely am in top quartile</p>

<p>GPA: 3.75 unweighted
ACT: 29
SAT II: 660 History, 660 Literature (Plan on retaking Lit)
SAT I: retook today. (got an 11 on the essay but overall didnt like my score) expecting in mid 2000s.
(I realize my numbers are weak but my ECs might be strong enough to make up for that?)</p>

<p>Courses: Advanced language since 7th grade. Gifted Program since 6th grade; it's a class at my school. Honors SS every year offered. AP US, AP Language and Composition, AP Literature, AP Statistics, AP Law and Government.
(Taking both Microeconomics and Philosophy at Harvard over the summer)</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>One of 10 teenagers to be selected from an applicant pool of over 100 to write for my city area's newspaper.
(Was asked to be on board again, have been on for 2 years now)</p>

<p>Current Vice President of my school's DECA
Voted next year's President of my school's DECA
Regional reporter for Rochester, NY DECA
Will be President of Rochester, NY DECA next year probably
1st place at regional's 3 years in a row
(Youngest in my school to originally be involved)
Won at states!!
(qualified to represent NY for Nationals this year)</p>

<p>Vice President of my Temple youth group 3 years in a row
Currently Membership AND Communications Vice President of youth group</p>

<p>Regional Israeli Danceleader of National Federation Temple Youth
Cabinet member of NFTY-North East Lakes Region
Voting Delegate of NFTY-North East Lakes 2 years in a row</p>

<p>One of three Counselor's In Training last summer to recieve a perfect eval score of '5' for entire summer (out of 45 CITs)</p>

<p>Helping Hands Volunteer Club member since Freshman year.
VOLUNTEENS Club member Freshman and Sophomore year.
Teens for Teens member Freshman, Sophomore, and will be Senior year.
Volunteer at local research center doing secretarial work once a week Sophomore year.</p>

<p>YESTERDAY I GOT THE WELLESLEY ACHIEVEMENT BOOK AWARD!</p>

<p>Have been dancing since 7th grade.
Piano since 8th.
Have had leads in school productions and have participated in improv productions. Have helped with makeup at performances etc.</p>

<p>Hook: I wrote a letter to Leona Helmsley, owner of the Empire State Building, when I was younger convincing her to light the building Blue and White for Channukah. AND IT WORKED! (Was on national TV etc. but then again this is a long time ago)</p>

2

<p>You have a chance, but by no means a guarantee. Your scores and GPA are a bit low, and you need a real hook. Also, many of your activities and involvements, while impressive, seem a bit random, and not all fitting together to paint one coherent picture. My advice is to retake your SAT's, and really figure out what you want to do and what you really love and try to focus on just those things. When describing your achievements, keep in mind your essential interests and use them to paint a more concise and identifiable image of yourself. College classes at Harvard are impressive, and going to a good high school is beneficial. Make sure your essays are meaningful and from the heart. Hope this helps</p>

3

<p>i agree with knightmare in most regards, though i think it won't be impossible to make a nice coherent picture of yourself out of those ECs. also, i don't think what you said was your "hook" is actually a hook in the usual sense... however, i like the idea of it, and it has the potential to be the topic of a great essay. do be sure to show a passion for something that is displayed in your participation in the ECs (and even classes) you have, and try to raise those SAT scores.</p>

<p>as i see it, you definitely have a shot. good luck.</p>

4

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<p>Are you familiar with 'Columbia Unbecoming' and the middle-east studies debacle? Just wondering what's your take on that.</p>

5

<p>Yes, I'm familiar with it.
I am not going to leave that out of my app because I'm scared of potential anti-semitic admissions people. It's who I am. Why cover that up?
I feel that if a school were honestly to reject me based on that then I would not want to be there anyways.</p>

6

<p>"potential anti-semitic admissions people."</p>

<p>Columbia has a very high percentage of Jewish students--I don't think anyone could believe that that could be an application problem.</p>

7

<p>yeah, hilovepie, i don't think that's what invictus meant. there is definitely a significant number of jews on campus (though not as significant as at various other institutions), and the admissions officers are not anti-semitic. that just wouldn't make sense... plus, i'm pretty sure mine was jewish... :) </p>

<p>i personally put all of my important ECs on my app, including involvement at my synagogue after my bar mitzvah. while my conservative jewish math teacher was concerned about sending students to Columbia, "the poison ivy," i assured him that i would be ok, and that i would represent Israel properly to fellow students and faculty. in fact, i feel very similarly about Israel and America: i support each of them, but definitely cannot claim to agree with all of either country's policy decisions.</p>

8

<p>wow i agree 100% carpe college.</p>

<p>the camp I go to is actually Camp George (part of the UHAC movement) and I feel like they cram a lot of pro-Israeli ideas down our throats. Unfortunately for them this tactic had the opposite effect on me as it only made me want to learn more about the other side(s).</p>

<p>While I must admit I am slightly biased in favor of Israel, I DEFINITELY don't agree with a lot of Israel's retaliation tactics and think both sides are almost equally to blame (as I said I'm slightly biased, hence 'almost'.) While I like to be optimistic I don't think we'll see the end of it in our lifetimes which is really, really unfortunate.</p>

9

<p>but back to chances. :)</p>

10

<p>hope for the best and prepare for the worst?</p>