<p>I visited Columbia last weekend and didn't expect to love it, but I did. It's a beautiful campus, my tour guide was amazing, and everyone I talked to couldn't stop singing the praises of the university. I love their Core Curriculum, and their wide array of academic strengths would really help someone like me, who has no idea what she wants to major in. My parents and I think that Columbia would be a really great fit for me.
I'm just worried about getting in. I took the PSAT and a Mock SAT and got 2100 on each, but that's before I did any studying/prep at all, so after I'm done with this course I'm taking those scores should logically improve. I've taken 2 mock subject tests and scored 750/800 on each (French and Lit.) I took punishing classes my junior and sophomore years, so as a result my GPA is a little low (3.67 unweighted, 4.12 weighted) but I think I can drag it up to 3.7 unweighted by the end of junior year, and I'm in all honors classes with 3 APs (the highest number my high school offers to juniors.) As far as extracurriculars go, a lot of my time is spent at ballet with a local company, but I'm in a few clubs. I've won several poetry and prose contests, local and state-wide, and this summer I'm interning at the Yale medical research labs on some of their current projects.
I've been thinking about my essay. I'm a solid writer, but when I visited Columbia the Admissions officer mentioned something that struck me. She said that one option is to go with a content-driven admissions essay, for example, "My name is Sam, I live in Connecticut, and I have a ten-pound Pomeranian." But she also said that you could, "write about your experience visiting Columbia and show us about yourself with tone and style." Do you think she meant that I could write a narrative? I write a damn good narrative (I won a state-wide contest with one.)
Anyway, I know that my numbers aren't fantastic and that admission to Columbia is ridiculously competitive, but I fell madly in love with that school. I'll probably be trying Early Decision, but in your opinion, do you think I have a chance of getting in? What do you think I could do to improve my chances?</p>
<p>From our experience with our own children, your SAT scores are right there…your GPA is a tad low - but you are in several honors - and you will bring it up, I’m sure - I can tell you’re an amazing student just by the tone of your post here!</p>
<p>You write well, so there will be no problem with your essay - MAKE IT MEMORABLE!</p>
<p>Do you have any leadership within the extra-curriculars you’ve mentioned? Columbia (as well as any other Ivy League) will be looking for leadership positions - if you don’t, sign up for a couple quickly - see if you can fill an empty spot - and get it on your brag sheet.</p>
<p>On brag sheets - make sure you have one (a resume) to either forward or take with you on interviews. If they do not offer interviews, or you feel like checking it out - try the bragTAG application on Facebook to create a multi-media brag sheet that can be emailed to the college admissions officer. </p>
<p>If you create any videos, make sure you get across the point of how much you fell in love with the campus and community on your visit, and how closely matched you are for the student body. The brag sheet is for all those activities that you can’t fit on a normal application - and will really round out your standing for consideration.</p>
<p>Good luck, let me know how you made out - I’m sure you will get more great advice from the community here on College Confidential. John@bragTAG</p>
<p>i mean, the only thing i can tell is do all you can lol. think outside the box too. try to look up some more writing competitions, since you say you’re a good writer. seriously, look up a ton, and just submit your work. i did that for music just for myself (not even as a means for getting into school) and ended up winning several big-time ones, which definitely looks great on an application. </p>
<p>college admissions really aren’t as much of a mystery as everyone thinks, in my opinion. they are looking for exceptional people, so BE EXCEPTIONAL. or just make yourself look so. lol. otherwise you’ll be just another of the thousands upon thousands of people they look at who are very smart and have 4.0 GPAs and 2100+ test scores (dont get me wrong, you gotta have those, but you need much much more).</p>
<p>but seriously lol just do all you can (without looking fake i guess?). keyword: <em>can</em>… as in, don’t kill yourself with things and let your grades drop.
good luck</p>
<p>Being a good writer will certainly help a lot, applying Columbia or anywhere else. </p>
<p>Columbia uses the common app, so experience of visiting Columbia may not work for your main essay. If it was about the supplemental essay “why Columbia?”, I am not sure how much one should write about their dog. Just saying…</p>
<p>In general, for personal statements, a narrative is better so you can “show, not tell.” For the “Why Columbia?” essay, try to be as specific as possible. If you can integrate your personal experiences with Columbia into why you want to attend Columbia, so much the better. I wouldn’t worry too much about a “brag sheet,” especially a multimedia one. The admissions officers don’t necessarily have time to read them, and sending unnecessary supplemental materials can annoy them. Overall, I think your SATs are decent, your GPA is a little low, and your ECs are a little below average. What’s really going to make you stand out next to the other 35,000 applicants is going to be your writing. Also, if Columbia is your first choice (and you’re not too concerned about financial aid), definitely apply ED! The admissions rat eis higher, but even more importantly, I think that applicants with less stellar grades/scores but killer essays that can show why they’re a good fit for Columbia get a more sympathetic read in the ED round. Don’t get me wrong, though; it’s absurdly difficult to get into Columbia. But good luck!</p>
<p>Remember, Sammii - EVERYONE is writing, and writing well - pwoods made a very good comment, and we agree - you have to SHOW colleges admissions departments what you’re all about - very hard to do on paper! Don’t annoy college admissions officers, but gently ask if you can send an email link to your online brag sheet - you’ll have an edge!!!</p>
<p>@sammii. sure, resumes are important and all, but bragTAG is just trying to get you to use his product. i’m sure its useful, but still lol be aware</p>
<p>Yeah, I get that. I guess I’m just really nervous because I’ve been going through the CC threads of people who got in ED and regular decision, and their stats and ECs look really spectacular.
To clarify, my ECs are decent-ish, I think. I have ballet, which I’ve been doing consistently for eleven years, and I might even have pursued it fully if it weren’t for the injuries I’ve sustained (I broke my foot a few years ago, shin splints abound, tendinitis, the usual ballet stuff.) I’m the US Youth Representative of a worldwide girls group that my family has always been very involved in, and I’m headed to their national conference this summer in Ireland, and a few years ago I attended their conference in South Korea. I’m in the French Club, and I’ll probably get leadership in that soon, and I’m in the writing club, and helped start this after school program we do with the elementary schools to encourage reading, writing, and poetry. I’m in my local community theater circuit, and I usually help assistant direct 1 play a year and act in 1 as well. Overall, I don’t have a long list of ECs, but I feel like the ones I have I’m really dedicated to.
But that’s just my thoughts. I’ll try to get my SATs up in the 2250-2350 range, which I think is perfectly do-able (it’s mostly the math I have issues with) and see where I am come June. With any luck I’ll be able to put together a worthwhile application. Is there anything else I should be really focused on?</p>