Please take the time to chance me!! Don't know if applying is worth it!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p> NUMBERS
GPA - 3.95/4.5
ACT - 33 (first time taking it with one practice test, retaking soon and aiming for 34/35)
Class Rank - 10/406</p>

<p> EXTRA CURRICULAR
Chemistry Research at a tier 4 university - Volunteer with responsibility of one portion of the project - 100+</p>

<p>Optoelectronic Research at a tier 4 university - Volunteer - 100+</p>

<p>Public Health Department - Volunteer with a doctor in the TB center - 4 hours a week for a year (200 hours)</p>

<p>Muslim Students Association - President and Founder - 2008-2010</p>

<p>Muslim Interscholastic Tournament - Participant in Nationals in Regionals 9 - 12, founder of High School Team in 11th grade, team captain 11th and 12th grade, various award in math and science, fundraising organizer all four years - 400+</p>

<p>Project Downtown - Volunteer (passed out food that I helped cook and clothing to homeless in downtown atlanta) - 300+</p>

<p>Science Honors Society - Tutored high school students in chemistry</p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta - Tutored high school students in mathematics</p>

<p>National Honors Society - tutored 4th graders - once a week for a semester</p>

<p>Interfaith Committee of high school - Founder and Chair
Ambassadors - Board member in 12th grade, member since 11th</p>

<p>Foreign Languages of Club - Board since 11th, member since 10th</p>

<p>Other Clubs - National Honors Society, Science Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Beta, Key Club, HOSA</p>

<p>Youth Group - Member since 9th grade - 200+</p>

<p>Tutor - tutored 4th graders - once a week for a semester</p>

<p>Humanitarian Dinner - Volunteer - 2 years</p>

<p>American Eagle - Employee - November 2007 to October 2008</p>

<p>Jewelry Story - Employee - December 2008 to Present</p>

<p> AWARDS
1st - Honorary Physics Award - School
2nd - Knowledge Test at MIST - Regional
3rd - Knowledge Test at MIST - National
1st - Best MSA Newsletter - Regional
1st - Technology Award - School
Highest Grade - Biology - School</p>

<p>National Honors Society - National
Science Honors Society - National</p>

<p>National competitor of MIST every year of high school</p>

<p> COURSES
Junior Course Load
1. Honors Physics
2. Honors Spanish 4
3. APUSH
4. Honors American Lit
5. Honors Analysis (Precalc)
6. Spanish 5
7. AP Physics B
8. AP Stats
* All A's</p>

<p>Senior Courses
1. BPE/Health
2. AP Physics C
3. AP Calc BC
4. AP Lang
5. AP Psych
6. AP Econ/Gov</p>

<p> EXTRA COMMENTS
I am inclined towards the sciences.
I moved around a lot my freshman year; therefore, I was not able to pursue many ECs. I am retaking the ACTs (my first time was a 33 with a week of prep) and am aiming for a 34/35
I've made two Bs in high school, one in honors algebra 2 in 9th grade and one in honors chemistry in sophomore year. In my next math classes, Honors Geometry, Honors Analysis, and AP Stat I made a 99, 95, and 96 respectively. In AP Chemistry I made a 94 and a 5 on the AP exam. I believe that shows a very high upward trend, so I hope it doesn't hurt me much.</p>

<p>I live in GA and am south Asian female.</p>

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<p>i think you are in great shape- for columbia idk if you even need to raise your score by that much. at this point you have to ask yourself if that extra point or two will make that much of a difference- if anything, shoot for a 36 if you really want to (thats what im doing anyway)</p>

<p>good luck-- CHANCE BACK!</p>

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<p>clearly applying is NOT worth it. I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now.</p>

<p>trim your ECs to the 5-6 you think are most important to you.</p>

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<p>I agree with zephyr, choose an EC or two that you think will most impress them (probably the research) and stress them in your application by talking about them more in your essays/short statements.</p>

<p>Your junior year course load looks a little slim, but your senior one looks good, and your ACT score ain’t bad either. Just remember that nearly every other applicant will have similar, if not better, stats, so you have to stand out by concentrating on essays that will make you shine and seem unique.</p>

<p>I noticed that in pretty much all of the chance threads you’ve posted, you wonder if its “worth it” to apply to prestigious institutions. Even if all the chances in these threads turn out to be negative (and i would caution you not to read too much into these–people told me i wouldn’t make it into berkeley, let alone columbia), I would apply anyways. Unless the application fee is an issue, there is seriously no harm done in applying to 10+ schools (make sure to have a safety). The work required is minimal; you’ll be recycling pretty much the same major essays (i wrote 2 or so and just chose one for each school, making minor alterations), and all you need to do is maybe a few hour’s research to know the intricacies of a school to impress them on the “Why This School” essay. Don’t doubt yourself, or let others doubt you. Apply!</p>

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<p>the first sentence in my previous post was blatantly sarcastic by the way, in case it wasn’t obvious on an online forum.</p>

<p>well, I wouldn’t say that most applicants will have similar or better stats, but I will say that most applicants would have other redeeming features if they do not have quite as good stats (I use the word redeeming, but clearly it can be more than enough to compensate).</p>

<p>

Berkeley isn’t that easy to get in either =/ unless you’re in-state? I was international so I was pretty happy of getting into berkeley.</p>

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<p>Maybe I’m really out of touch with college admissions, but it doesn’t seem necessary to retake a 33 ACT for a 1-2 point increase. I mean, there is the risk that you’ll score the same or lower the second time. You have solid EC’s and have clearly demonstrated your academic excellence, so I don’t think a slightly higher ACT would make any difference. You could use that prep time to focus on your senior year classes, since your course load looks very heavy.</p>

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<p>True, I was OOS and ORM and got into Berkeley. Even so, I’d say that the admit rates for Berkeley OOS is slightly higher than Columbia overall (even though i’m SEAS, which has a higher admit rate). I was just commenting on how chance threads really don’t mean much. People said I couldn’t get into Cal but I did. All chance threads really serve to do is give the poster self confidence or self pity. I still stand by my argument that it’s “worth it” to apply to any school. As in, even if all the chances turn out to be “you’ll never make it in,” apply anyways.</p>