<p>Sorry, I'm quite new to these forums and this question has probably been answered many times. I've seen it on some of the other Ivy boards, but not too sure if it's been arisen here. I applied ED to CC and I was deferred =(. I know for a fact that my essay was very weak and that my "Why Columbia?" response was so generic. Since then, I've written a whole different essay that I feel is much stronger, and I also feel the need to emphasize certain things about myself that I felt misrepresented of in my application. So my question is should I email Columbia with my new essay (and/or other supplemental essays I've done) and a new response to the "Why Columbia?" question, and if so how should I present this email. Thanks to anyone who's read this and congrats to all the people who've been accepted to Columbia.</p>
<p>well, it sounds like it couldn't hurt.</p>
<p>it's a ballsy move. make absolutely sure it's a big improvement. show the two essays and two why-columbia blurbs to people, and ask them to tell you which is better and by how much. if you get a consistent response, then maybe it's good enough to try and sell the adcoms on.</p>
<p>I know for a fact that my essay is a HUGE improvement. My previous essay and response were very weak and I know that they will have some impact on the adcoms. The big part is how to approach the email, as in what I should include in the email. I don't want to just put "Hey, I felt misrepresented by my essays so here are my new ones." To me it seems I didn't put much effort for my ED app. But if anyone has any suggestions or is planning to do the same thing, please pm me =D.</p>
<p>I don't think you need to send in a new "why Columbia." You should just write a letter/email reiterating your interest in CU while incorporating into that what you'd say in the new "why CU." With the essay, I think it's OK to send them a new essay and tell them that you wanted them to learn more about you so you thought you'd present yourself in a new essay.</p>
<p>you could always try it, but I'm not sure if they'll accept that since that might seem like they're giving you an unfair second chance.</p>
<p>If I were the Columbia adcomm I'd wonder with so much on the line why did you bother to send in a weak essay and weak why Columbia response. Then follow it up with better choices the second time around. You don't think they are getting deluged by information from deferred applicants.</p>
<p>Let's face it the Ivy's reject and defer some amazing kids. You might as well move on.</p>
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Let's face it the Ivy's reject and defer some amazing kids. You might as well move on.
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<p>You should move on and not put all your eggs in one basket, but it's OK to try to pursue CU. Some deferrals get in.</p>
<p>Right, if you get deferred, it's not the time for defeatist advice like "move on". Things can make a difference, and I think <em>mailing</em> in these materials (or emailing them if you think electronic copy is better) with a brief explanatory note saying something like,</p>
<p>"I think I may not have represented myself as best as I could have in my initial application. For my reconsideration, I'd like to offer some additional thoughts of mine, in line with what the application asks for. Please accept them with my thanks. Regards, [whoever]"</p>
<p>Then attach two docs, make one of them very clearly the "Essay", and one of them very clearly a "Why Columbia" blurb. You may have to have them on MS Word docs, in which case keep the latter to a brief length.</p>
<p>What do you have to lose?</p>
<p>Yeah, thanks everyone for the advice. I think I'm just going to email my new essay, incorporating something along the lines of what Denzera has stated. I don't have anything to lose, and even if I didn't send it in, my original essay/respon would be very weak. I at least should try to show that I'm determined to get in (which is something my brother emphasized to me after talking with a former Harver admissions officer).</p>
<p>I'd say go for it (but via snail mail). At worst, you'll be able to do this in a few months:</p>