<p>I hear so many times about how people want to go to Columbia/other ivies because they are super prestigious and all that nonsense… Honestly if your main criteria in picking a college in name recognition or prestige i think that you have your priorities sorely mixed up. College should be a place where you feel you can thrive and contribute to the community. A place where you can feel physically and intellectually at home. I mean you’re going to be spending at least four years there… Seriously what is the deal with all the name-value stuff… </p>
<p>Second I cant help but feel sad that you had to sacrifice so much including your relationships to build your college resume… Maybe it’s just me, but I absolutely hate doing things just for college. Pretty much everything I do is not for college but because I enjoy it. Well except for the SAT :P… I think that rather than trying to build up activities for college people should instead try to find out what their passions are and then pursue them… </p>
<p>I don’t really know too much about your situation but it seems that you aren’t happy with what you’ve been doing in high school… I mean if Columbia is a great fit for you then awesome, but if its all for the name or to validate how much effort you’ve given to studying and stuff maybe you should find a better match…</p>
<p>haha and in response to your comment that people applying to columbia are study whores…
i study because i like what i’m studying… otherwise i wouldn’t be wasting my time… and yes i like to think that I have a social life as well 
learning things doesn’t mean that you cant go out and have fun too… its all about balance like admissionsgeek said…</p>