My scores suck.

Colleges & Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Should I bother to apply?</p>

<p>RACE/GENDER
Korean female</p>

<p>SCORES
ACT: 33 super-scored
Best Composite: 31, 12 writing
Literature Sat II: 760
US History Sat !!: 720
<strong>I took the ACT again in September, I'm awaiting scores. I will be taking the Sat IIs again in October, hoping for an 800 on Literature and at least a 750 on US History and taking Spanish also</strong>
AP Language - 5
AP US History - 5
AP Micro/Macro Economics - 4, 4
AP World - 4</p>

<p>SCHOOL
Type: average, public high school in a suburb near Chicago, IL. Sends one or two to Ivy Leagues every year.
rank: 6 out of 454
Weighted GPA: 5.6 (out of 5.0)
Non-weighted: 4.9 (out of 5.0)
I've taken the hardest course rigor since freshman year. I took AP world history, AP US History, AP macro/microeconomics, AP language, and I am currently in AP Biology, AP Psychology, AP Government, AP Calculus BC, and AP Literature. I've taken up to Spanish 4.
<strong>I also take a creative writing class at my local community college, not really for credits. Just for self-study and to help build my writing portfolio.</strong></p>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS
-School Literary Magazine, Poetry Editor
-Class Board President
-National Honor Society Vice President
-School Newspaper, Guest Editor
-Varsity Golf all four years, Captain
-Freshman Advisory Leader
-Student Council
-Track
-Creative Writing - I have a decent sized portfolio of both poetry and prose, as well as songs I've written the lyrics and the chords for. I've been published a few times, and voted Teen Ink Magazine's Readers' Choice for February of 2009
-Volunteer after-school tutor at a local Elementary School twice a week
-volunteer internship with Open Books, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy in the Chicago-land area and this year, opening our very own book store (as seen on abc and NY Times)
-Piano for 15+ years, certified by the Illinois Music Teachers' Association for Levels 1, 2, 3 (I had to quit competing freshman year, because I developed arthritis in my fingers)</p>

<p>HOOKS
-First generation college student
-My father is disabled, unemployed and on social security benefit, because he injured his back the year my little brother was born (when I was four). He is bedridden, and my mother is a flight attendant so she's home five to ten days a month. I basically raised my little brother and so missed out on a lot of EC opportunities...I did not talk about this in my application at all, only my counselor described these circumstances in her letter of rec.</p>

<p>ESSAYS/RECS:
My counselor rec is phenominal.
I got my AP Lang teacher and Spanish 4 teacher, both worship the ground I walk on..and both have written letters for students that got into Columbia in the past.
My essay is probably the strongest point of my application, I wrote it on the burdens of being a first-born but it's atypical and not a sob story at all, I promise haha.</p>

<p>I'm applying ED with an inten to be an English/Creative writing major, but i'm feeling pretty cynical. It's my dream school. Do I have a shot in hell?</p>

<p><strong>oh, and the application says that writing samples will not be reviewd! So I can't send any of my extra-curricular creative writing stuff? I'm toast.</strong></p>

2

<p>intent**
oops.</p>

3

<p>Oh, and PS I’ll have another rec letter from a Columbia alumni, graduated top of his class and now is a judge in DC. I did some volunteer work for him last summer, and he knows me very well. I dont think it will help, but at least it’s something.</p>

4

<p>Sorry again, I’m also graduating after first semester because of an opportunity to be a teaching aid at a public school in South Korea for a semester. I will be teaching English there for five months. I’ve already notified Columbia about this and they have said that it’s a good opportunity.</p>

5

<p>Yes…</p>

6

<p>is that a sarcastic yes? =[</p>

7

<p>No. </p>

<p>Not sarcastic, but hopefully a little funny.</p>

<p>Of course you should apply if you think it’s the right school for you! Is that really your question? Who is going to say “No. Don’t apply.”</p>

<p>I know you’re “new” and all, and let me be the first to say “welcome”, but does someone really need to tell you your scores don’t “suck”? What would that mean for all the average folk scoring ACT’s of 20?</p>

<p>P.S. My dad and husband went to Columbia. Good luck!</p>

8

<p>Didn’t mean to sound whiny or naive! Thank you for your wishes!
Anyone else think I have a realistic chance?</p>

9

<p>How is it even possible to get past a 5.0GPA?</p>

10

<p>I agree with kristgem…</p>

11

<p>weighted gpa? aka AP and honors classes.
its based on a 5.0 scale at my school.</p>

12

<p>People like you are why this site is so annoying. Do you honestly think your scores suck? Is your self-esteem that low, that you need to be validated by random strangers? </p>

<p>You know very well your scores don’t suck and that you have some amazing extracurriculars. Will you get in? Maybe, but your chances are better than a lot of other people. So please stop posting here, and people like him/her. </p>

<p>Btw, I’m a current freshman and my scores were a little under yours.</p>

13

<p>Your chances are excellent and you seem exactly like the kind of person Columbia is looking for. Also, don’t forget to submit your portfolio with your app.</p>

14

<p>exactly what alex said…i’m applying, and compared to you, i am wayy underqualified. thanks.</p>

15

<p>No offense, but you two are URM and a legacy, respectively.
Not that that makes you a shoo-in, but I lack such hooks. I’m not fishing for compliments or looking for random validation.</p>

<p>I recognize that my scores are on the low side in this applicant pool, and I also realize that my extra curriculars are focused and passionate. My question, basically, is if they are focused and passionate enough to counter my slightly low stats. I am sincerely worried they may be fatal to my chances, so I was only wondering if I was being unrealistic. I don’t think the hostility was necessary.</p>

16

<p>The only people that are going to be able to answer that questions are the admission officers…</p>

<p>Subjective opinions on this sight about your qualifications will only confuse you. It won’t change anything.</p>