<p>So, I realize that this is way early (I'm a junior), but this has been bothering me. I'm slightly (okay, more than slightly) obsessed with Columbia, so I read several blogs/papers about it (the Spectator, the Phlog, and the Bwog). Should I list these when it comes time to fill out my application this fall (I'm applying early decision)? I'm worried that my obsession will seem less flattering than creepy. The last thing I need is to come across as some stalker.</p>
<p>On a related note, I wrote a sonnet about alma mater over winter break. Should I attach it in the additional info section or is that kind of thing frowned upon? I know they don't recommend additional essays, but would this count as one?</p>
<p>p.s. Please don't flame me, I already know I'm a freak. <em>blush</em></p>
<p>hmm both of your ideas, although cute and funny to us, probably won’t cause the admissions people to think the same thing. not only do they not recommend additional essays, they do not want any writing sample at all. additional info is for someone who, for example, has an illness or disability that they weren’t able to state in the other parts of the application.</p>
<p>you could maybe list one blog. that shouldn’t hurt. but don’t put all of them!! :)</p>
<p>It’s a tough question to answer (though the answer is obviously no). It’s good that you love Columbia, but Columbia wants to hear about you on the application, not them. If you listed a bunch of real, legitimate publications and then tacked Spec on to the end, they might not mind. But you have to remember that loving Columbia is not a substitute for being an attractive applicant. This is clearer with regard to your second question. You absolutely should not contravene their instructions just because they’ll see how much you like the school. That just shows you’re a Columbiaphile, not a good applicant. If you wanted, you could write your “Why Columbia?” in the form of a sonnet, but don’t attach something extra that has nothing to do with your application as a gimmick.</p>
<p>On a larger note, stop loving Columbia. If you’re blinded by love, you won’t be able to approach the college admissions process rationally, and that will hurt you. Not only do you have to accept the very real possibility that you could be denied, but you also have to realize that focusing too much on them and not enough on you could hurt your attractiveness as an applicant.</p>
<p>Personally, I visited Columbia as a rising junior, and found that I really loved it. I already loved New York, and the campus and classes seemed nice. It was my preliminary first choice, almost by default. But I recognized that I hadn’t really considered other options yet. Throughout junior year, I tried to research other options and find the colleges that were the best fit for me. I kept coming back to Columbia, though I wondered if this might be because I was inadvertently defining “best fit” as “most resembles Columbia!” At any rate, I assembled a preliminary list and then visited a bunch of schools (Columbia, Brown, BC, Harvard, NYU, Georgetown, GWU, and Johns Hopkins) and found that maybe Columbia wasn’t my first choice. For a while, I considered whether I’d prefer Brown’s Open Curriculum and more traditional campus located in a medium-sized city. Ultimately, I decided after another visit to Columbia that I loved the school and applied ED. I wanted to make sure that my love for the school was conveyed through my application, and hoped that it would make me a stronger applicant, but I also realized that loving the school was simply not enough to get me admitted. So although I read Bwog and Spec, and otherwise acted like an infatuated Columbia freshman, my actual application focused on why I was a good applicant and was college-agnostic (other than the “Why Columbia?” section obviously). Moreover, I accepted and embraced the fact I might be denied and ensured that I’d be happy to attend any of the schools I applied to, even selecting favorites that I stood a better chance of being admitted to (like NYU). All I’m saying is, make sure your love for Columbia doesn’t end up hurting you.</p>