OK, so a little bit of background on me: I am a high school junior in NYC who is very interested in mathematics. I participated in the AMC and got into the AIME, I scored 800 on the PSAT last year, I go to a Math Circle program at NYU on weekends, and I get mid-90s in my Honors Precalc class. I’m interested in applying for a Columbia College Credit course, specifically [url = <a href=“http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/summer-term/courses/817%5DSTAT”>http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/summer-term/courses/817]STAT S1201Q which is an introduction to statistics with calculus.
I really want to join this course but I’m not sure if I can get in. Because I was sick a lot during sophomore year spring semester, I got pretty bad grades (a couple were 90, but I got 85 in math, 80 in foreign language, and 70 in chemistry). In addition, my grades from previous years were not very competitive-- I averaged around mostly low 90s and mid-80s. Despite having scored 95+ in all my classes last semester, my GPA is stuck at 89.75. This barely meets [url = <a href=“http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/admissions/apply%5Dtheir”>http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/admissions/apply]their requirements for a minimum 3.3 GPA.
I think I might be able to get a recommendation letter in time, my physics teacher has said in the past she’s willing to recommend me for college. Hopefully she’ll agree to write me one, given the deadline is in 1.5 weeks… My college counselor is also friendly, I talk with him often, and I think he’ll agree to write a letter too. I’m not sure whether it’s worth stressing them out about it, though.
In addition to the above qualms, the [url = <a href=“http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/admissions/tuition-and-fees-summer%5D$6,360”>http://sps.columbia.edu/highschool/college-credit/admissions/tuition-and-fees-summer]$6,360 tuition for 3 credits seems quite extravagant. Or at least that’s what my mom told me; I haven’t researched much about college things yet, and I’m not sure how much 3 credits would cost on average.
The main reason I’m considering going, though, is because I want to challenge myself this summer, and I want to have something else to put on college applications. By next year it’ll be too late. Should I try to apply?