<p>lol this post really is pretty urgent; i'm sending in either the Columbia or Brown application, Early Decision, tonight, and I need some help deciding which one. (I have both apps ready to go, btw)</p>
<p>Here's a really quick rundown of my stats:</p>
<p>SAT Composite
Math: 680
Verbal: 730
Writing: 790 (11/12 on the essay)</p>
<p>Rank 14/729 (top 2%)
Took the hardest courseload possible, including virtually every AP course
terrific teacher/counselor reccs, great essay
Live in Houston, Texas (so that might be a Geographic advantage)
Ethnicity: Bangladesh
500+Community Service; Leadership; NHS, etc.
Scholastic Writing Awards 2006</p>
<p>I THINK I have a better chance at Brown, but I'm not sure...
If I were given admission at both, I guess I'd go to Columbia, but by a slim margin...</p>
<p>So...do I have any chance at Columbia? Do I have any chance at Brown?
Where would I have a better chance at? Thank you VERY MUCH for your help!</p>
<p>You've got 2 schools which could not be more radically different from each other. Being from Texas is not going to give you a geographic advantage at either school because they are not at a loss of applicants/students from NY, CA, MA and TX. what have you done lately to show columbia love because they do take into consideration how much and the level of contact you've had with them</p>
<p>I agree with Sybbie. These schools are polar opposits and would be very unlikely to be the top 2 choices of someone who understood the schools.</p>
<p>But I'll answer the question anyway. You have a MUCH better shot at Brown for many reasons. Your SATs are really low for Columbia, which is getting as hard to get into as HYP. Brown doesn't get as many apps from Asians and their average SAT is considerably lower.</p>
<p>Hopefully you have more ECs, otherwise with a 1410 (neither are counting writing this year) both are unlikely.</p>
<p>You clearly don't have a first choice (and you didn't indicate whether you will require aid.) If you do, I'd say you are better off applying ED to neither.</p>
<p>i have no chance at RD at either/as i am aware, the ivys said they will look at the SAT essay/wut's the average sat score for columbia? the princeton review puts columbia's admitted students SAT ranges around 650-730 for both math and writing, and on the pr website, it says, the average admit sat score is 1409 anyways/btw i'm applying for fin. aid, and i kno it's need-based/and to suze-mini, whoever, i'm well aware of both brown and columbia's academic structure, and that brown lets u basically take wutever classes u want, whereas columbia requires u to take numerous required courses through its Core Curriculum</p>
<p>You have no information that suggests that a non-hooked, non-legacy, non-athlete, non-developmental, non-desired URM requiring financial aid has ANY advantage to Columbia or Brown by applying ED. Both schools are quite aware of your need status ("need-blind" is a hoax - they know you require assistance from the first page of the application, the only question is the degree to which they take that into consideration). If you were an admissions officer, what advantage would there be for them to accept you ED, knowing full well that you would be there in the RD round, and could compare you with all the other applicants?</p>
<p>What you do know for sure is that if you apply ED, you will not be able to compare financial aid offers, which can vary quite widely, even among schools that claim to meet 100% of need. I still think you are better off applying ED to neither. But that's your choice.</p>
<p>Mini is correct. I am also in the camp that believes no unhooked candidate has an advantage applying ED to a top school. That's when they accept recruited athletes, legacies, urms in the know and "friends"</p>
<p>As hjas been written here, to be competitive, the unhooked need to be over the 75%. Half of the class is made up of the hooked category candidates. An unhooked international has even a higher bar as my next door neighbor, from Hong Kong, has had to face.
while she's throwing in a few ivy apps, her real focus is on top LACs where Asians are underrepresented. And she doesn't need aid.</p>
<p>Familiarize yourself with the number of internationals your schools take. Look at the % receiving financial aid. Then apply to schools where you are solidly in the range. Sorry, but if you just look at ivies, I hope you have schools in your home country you'll be happy at.</p>
<p>Without considering the politics and chances and all that confusing stuff in regards to ED. I honestly think that if you are even considering the possibility that if you were accepted to both regular, that you would have a hard decision to make, ED isn't the right call in either place. If what the people here are saying about "unhooked" candidates is true, then you are simply giving your fate away for no good reason. Just my opinion, I like to leave all the doors open until I make a decision.</p>
<p>I also agree that you don't have a strong chance ED, so risk outright rejection. And if you need aid, even schools that offer similar contribution can have a radically different loan package (loans or not), so it's not a smart idea to go ED here.</p>
<p>If you don't know by now where you want to apply to for ED. Then you shouldn't apply at all. And by waddling between two schools only on the mere basis of which one will accept you doesn't show much about your character.</p>
<p>and it says on their Financial Aid Website for US Citizens and Permanent Residents:</p>
<p>Admission to Columbia is need blind. This means that when your application is reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admission it is looked at without regard to whether or not you are able pay for the total cost of attending Columbia.</p>
<p>But you are still a unhooked candidate so ED is really not going to give you that much of an advantage. The upside is at least in december you will know one way or the other</p>
<p>Mini said
Are you sure that you read what Mini wrote in post # 9 </p>
<p>
[quote]
You have i][no information that suggests that a non-hooked, **non-legacy, non-athlete, non-developmental, non-desired URM **requiring financial aid has ANY advantage* to Columbia or Brown by applying ED
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Op is a non-hookd applicant needing financial aid. As mini stated where is his advantage in applying ED?</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you were an admissions officer, what advantage would there be for them to accept you ED, knowing full well that you would be there in the RD round, and could compare you with all the other applicants?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Suze wrote</p>
<p>
[quote]
Mini is correct. I am also in the camp that believes **no unhooked candidate has an advantage applying ED to a top school. *That's when they accept recruited athletes, legacies, urms in the know and "friends"*</p>
<p>Well, I'm going to argue with just about everyone here.</p>
<p>1) Lots of students are attracted to both Brown and Columbia. The idea that someone has no idea about them if they want to apply to both is arrogant. There is a lot more to schools than they' re curriculum styles, and personally, I think that a Core, and an open curriculum, may attract more of the same students than a smorgasbord distriubtion requirement curriculum. </p>
<p>2) It is established "CC" wisdom that schools really do take finances into account whether they say so or not for ED. The general reasoning--why wouldn't they? My answer--because they say they don't. I don't make a habit of accusing folks of lying because it makes sense that they are. If I did think so, Iwouldnt send my kids to those schools.</p>
<p>3) The idea that only "unhooked" applicants get in ED is ludicrous. 40% of Columbia's class is admitted ED--they can't all be hooked. I know my son wasn't. </p>
<p>I know the attacks will follow thick and fast, but I believe we perpetuate a lot of "facts" on this site based on assumptions, not evidence.</p>
<p>to the OP: I'm glad you went with your preference, though I do agree that if you weren't sure, ED might be a dicey thing to do. I think it's only the best choice if the school is your hands-down, slamdunk favorite, but in the end, it's up to you.</p>