Super late chance me

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

This is very late given decisions come out Thursday, but can somebody please chance me? Columbia has been my dream school since I was 7…

GPA (100 point scale): UW - 96.5 W - 103.7

ACT: 35

SAT IIs: Bio-E - 780, Math II - 760, US History - 770

Past APs: Euro (5), Psych (5), Bio (5), Chemistry (4), Language & Comp (5), US History (5)

Current APs: Physics 1, BC Calculus, Gov & Politics, Macroeconomics, Spanish, Lit & Comp, Statistics (7 total)

I’m first-generation Bangladeshi-American, my parents are doctors so around upper middle class, from Long Island, NY

Extracurriculars: Captain in Science Olympiad, Editor of Opinion Section of school newspaper, treasurer of Science National Honor Society, Mentor in school research program, Quiz Bowl, Astronomy Club, Medical Explorers, piano, traditional dance. I’ve won various top 5 awards at Science Olympiad regional competitions and placed in top 15 at state competition. Published in online magazine for essay written on women’s education.

Honors: National Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Science Honor Society, AP Scholar with Distinction, Commended National Merit Scholar.

I’ve also been very involved in research throughout high school. Awards won: 1st place Long Island Psychology Fair, High Honors Long Island Science Congress, 2nd Place JV Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, Honorable Mention WAC Lightning Invitational Science Fair, MIT Inspire Semifinalist, Honorable Ecybermission Competition. Published in Whitman Journal of Psychology (secondary psychology journal); currently pending publication in academic journal for new project.

Summer Experiences: Columbia University Summer Immersion program; intern at Icahn Medical School Epidemiology Institute (listed as co-author on published studies about thyroid cancer treatment); DNA Learning Camp

Volunteer Work: Volunteer at local hospital, worked with young kids at an art school, fundraised for ENT hospital in Bangladesh for low income patients, shadowed at medical practices

Major: Applied biochemistry, indicated interest in minoring in history.

Essays: i think really good? i tried to make myself seem like the student they seemed to want

Recommendations: AP Biology teacher (this is my weakest; prob 7/10; APUSH teacher 10/10, Research teacher 11/10 (she’s known me for a long time and really loves me)

Interview: Really, really good. He said I seemed like a really good fit for Columbia and he would do his very best to advocate for me

Results so far:
Accepted: UNC Chapel Hill (EA), UVA (EA), Northeastern, Boston College, Barnard College

Rejected: UPenn (ED), Johns Hopkins, WashU, Emory

Sorry this post is so long!! Super nervous, someone please chance me!

2

Definite Maybe. You are a solid candidate as are an awful lot of the kids who get accepted, as well as denied or waitlisted.

You are clearly a super talented kid and a great student who is smart enough to understand what the low acceptance rates mean.

You have done everything you can, and now its just a matter of waiting.

One thing that sticks out to me is the “i tried to make myself seem like the student they seemed to want”. I am not sure this is the right approach. Of course, it surely works for some kids, but the admissions team is skilled at detecting insincerity. Applicants are encouraged instead to present themselves as openly and honestly as who they are. This is really difficult for many kids, so I hope your application seems “natural” instead of “forced”.

I am really impressed by your summary, and I am sure that you will do great wherever you end up. Best of luck, and I hope it’s Columbia!