The only reason why I think I have some sort of ground for applying to Columbia ED is because my GPA is well within their range. I am in the top 15% of my class (competitve private school). However, my SAT score… not even in Columbia’s 25th percentile … I am planning to take it one more time but it’s going to be pretty close to the deadline! (Oct. 7). Nevertheless, I don’t expect this last take to be in the high 1500s… perhaps the mid to high 1400s is more feasible… (currently at a 1380. Ouch! I know! Don’t judge me!) I am horrible at standardized tests, and I just assume I’m not great at them. I drew these conclusions based off those ranges on prepscholar.
I believe I’m different in terms of what I do outside of the classroom. My ECs are good in my opinion, I will save you the details because this isn’t a chance me thread. (Please just take my word for it) I am Asian… but raised by a single mother in a middle class family in Houston, Texas. And finally I went through all my essays/supplements with the teachers writing my recommendations (who I dearly love! Let’s hope they love me just as much).
In the gist of it, I have everything in place except my SAT score!
The real question is: should I wait it out til regular decision for a better score, or give it my all? I visited Columbia and I fell in love with the campus. I also spoke to an alumni about her experience, and it made me love Columbia even more! I would not mind being binded to Columbia at all.
Thanks for reading! Any advice or insight will be appreciated.
That SAT score is not competitive against the peer group within which you will be judged. Don’t fall in love with a school yet- especially not a super reach. I would apply non binding EA somewhere else that is perhaps a high match so that if successful you can cull the number of your applications and save Columbia for RD.
If you haven’t taken the ACT yet you may want to try that since some kids (especially before the recent SAT change) find they do better on one exam or the other.
I am applying to EA match schools like Baylor! Columbia isn’t the only one I’m applying to in the early round. I just wanted to know if I should apply ED since it’s my absolute first choice despite the SAT score. I thought the ED aspect would show how much I’m truly devoted to the school plus the essays I’ve written… sorry if I sound self righteous.
A 1380 SAT score is fine for most colleges, but not very competitive for Columbia. If you are below the 25%th percentile in an academic area and have no hook then your chances of admission are extremely slim. The mid 50% for Columbia is 1510-1580 https://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/classprofile/2020
With a 6% admit rate, Columbia has to turn down many many applicants who are very well qualified in every single area of their application.
While Columbia does practice holistic admissions, the top priority is the student’s academic record to include GPA, course rigor, and standardized tests. In general, strong ECs, essays do not make up for below average academics.
Therefore I’d say if you can improve on your SAT or as mentioned above try the ACT and see if you can get your score up to Columbia’s averages then I would suggest doing so.
A reasonable reason to bypass the ED round is if a person thinks his/her application can be improved over time. That can include showing a strong first semester senior year or in your case improving standardized test scores.
In the end it is entirely you call though.
It is fine to put in a reach application (ex. Columbia) or two but I would also strongly recommend that you get the idea of a dream college out of your head and focus on a group of schools you would be happy to attend and appear affordable that match your academic stats.
No, you don’t sound self-righteous! Just very enthusiastic.
To be honest, I think that even with a 1450 your chances at Columbia would be very small. That’s because in the four things they consider (high school grades and courses taken; test scores; ECs; and essays and recs) you would likely be weak (for them) in one, and very good (but not spectacular) in the other three. By the way, GPA itself is not a very meaningful number. Schools like Columbia will look at your high school record in context. You will get credit for being at a competitive school and for the difficulty of courses you take, but they’ll also note that you’re not at the top of your class.
On the other hand, you might not have that much to lose by applying to Columbia ED. October 7 is not too late to get scores to them for ED, if you have them on your form for free scores. To apply anywhere ED, you need to be excited to go there and (in your case) they need to have really good financial aid. (Make sure you’ve run the Net Price Calculator for Columbia and everywhere else you consider, by the way!) It might be there is no other school with ED that fits that for you. In that case, all you have to lose is the application fee, as you’ve already spent the time on the essays, apparently.
I’d suggest considering if there are any other schools where ED could make sense for you. You will get your October SAT score back before the November 1 ED deadline, so you will have a chance to think about what is the best thing to do. If some people say you are wasting your time applying to Columbia ED, well, they might be right. But maybe it’s something you still want to do so you won’t regret not having tried.
Thanks for all the responses! Yes I know how slim my chances are, but who’s chances aren’t slim?
In terms of those hooks, I am first generation and none of my parents attend university (divorced). However, because I’m Asian I guess that doesn’t count…
I am applying to multiple colleges in the early round, and I’m not narrowing it down to just columbia. I am well aware of how selective it is. My main concern is if all of this sounds irrational because of my SAT score…
as mentioned my GPA is within their range
And I have a few 5s on AP tests I’ve taken.
I believe my ECs are good, and I believe my essays and recommendations are strong.
Again… my only concern is my SAT score
Like @Wilson98 said, my weak point he was referring to was my SAT score. But I truly believe I have all the other pieces… that is not me saying I have a great chance at getting in. I just think I have some sort of ground because my Application isn’t completely… crap? So am I crazy for wanting to apply ED?
If you want to apply ED, if the schools seems affordable, and if you have no need to compare financial offers between schools then go for it. This way you never have to wonder “what if”.
Just recognize that it is a huge long-shot especially given your SATs and that Columbia regularly turns down people with no weakness in their application.
ED may give you a better shot at Columbia than RD, so if this is your number 1 school, and you have backups, go for it, and hope your Oct test puts you in the mid to high 1400’s+. I think there is also a huge difference between top 15% vs top 5%. With these stat’s (even mid 1400 SAT’s), I’d also say “go big or go home” on your essays. Write something provocative with a lead that will grab someone’s attention and take a chance that they will love it or hate it.
I’m in the top 15% because although I got straight A’s my freshman and sophomore year, they weren’t all high As. (Had several A-'s). My peers had high A’s throughout high school so unfortunately I didn’t make the 10%. To give you guys a better perspective, there are only 42 seniors in my class, and it’s pretty competitive in the top percentages… I don’t know if that undermines my application or anything.
Nonetheless, I greatly appreciate all of your advice. My greatest takeaway from all of you in one sentence would be “If you want, go for ED, but don’t have high hopes because of your low SAT score”. And trust me, I never had high hopes to begin with! That is why I’m applying to other safety schools where I have a greater chance at acceptance. But I really enjoyed Columbia when I visited, and just researching more about their core and what they have to offer as an institution made me want to go here. That is why I’m applying ED because it’s my first choice, and if I had to be binded to one university on earth, it’d be Columbia.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things. Because your school is very unique your counselor probably has a much better idea if you have a chance or not. Some schools will have students get into very selective schools even when they are not in the tip top percentage. So long as you have strong back up plans and your parents have run the FA calculator and feel like the $ works why not apply ED. You’ll know by December if you get good news or need to send in lots of other RD apps.
I am in the same spot as you. I’ve got a pretty weak ACT score and I’m currently waiting for the Oct28 test to get a high ACT score. I am debating whether to just apply for ED or RD since I heard that your chances go up if you apply ED because it shows that you’re interested, which I really am. I read somewhere in the thread that you’d go there rather than any other college, and man I feel you. My dream is Columbia, but the only thing that is bugging me is that if I apply ED I would have to send in my ACT scores without even looking at them which is making me nervous. It feels like we’re legit in the same boat. I wish for you the best. Hope we both get into Columbia.
