Hello!
I was wondering if there’s a chance I get into Columbia or NYU. I love New York and that’s my main reason for applying to those colleges.Right now I’m a junior. My GPA is a 3.8 and my ACT with writing is 33. I think I have a pretty good back story that may help me out on either of these. I lived in Spain and France when I was 6 and 13 respectively. I went to those two countries because my parents are professors and they were on their sabbaticals, so I speak Spanish and French both pretty well. My other coolish story is that I grew up with epilepsy. As far as we know, since I was 4 years old I have been having seizures, but the seizures really exploded when I moved to France and that’s when we I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Then in June of 2015 I had a surgery on my left temporal lobe (where the doctors thought the seizures were coming from). After a week or so with a grid on my left temporal lobe to measure where exactly the seizures were coming from I had a piece the piece of my brain where they thought the seizures were coming from removed. It was about the size of a squash ball that they took out. About two weeks after my surgery I expressed my interest in the brain to my surgeon and he offered me to work on the research they wanted to do on my brain (when I was at the hospital they did some things on me to see where my foreign language ability and piano playing came from in my brain). So over the summer of 2015 I did research on my own brain and I will do a 8 week or so internship to do more research on the brain this summer.
I also have played piano for 10 years and soccer my whole life. I am also a part of my school’s speech and debate team at my school.
Everyone who was willing to read my long story, do you think I could get into Columbia or NYU?
Your GPA is good. Your ACT is also pretty good.
Your stories are interesting and would make for a great essay.
You have a decent amount of ECs but I don’t think they stand out like most people applying there. They usually have medals and have national level work. I guess once your scores are in, it’s all about the ECs.
I think the whole thing about doing research on your own brain would play well on your application.
Columbia is an ivy league. It’s very competitive. Some people with tremendous scores also don’t get it. I do think it’s a very very far reach. Honestly, your chances are very very very slim. However, you should still apply. You could be lucky.
NYU, you have a better chance than Columbia. I wouldn’t say it’s a match but it is within reach.
I still think you should look at more 2nd or 3rd tier schools too.
Your backstory is definitely eye-catching and would make great topics for essays. Your GPA and ACT scores are definitely competitive for the pools of both schools. Hopefully, you’ve won some awards in some of your EC’s: That would definitely make your resume awesome. If not, do your best and at least hold leadership positions in some of the EC’s.
Just remember, you want your resume to tell a story about you: You’ve definitely got a plethora to share so be sure to utilize it!
I agree with @Komz1304: You definitely want to look at some more 2nd/3rd tier schools. And since Columbia is an Ivy, admissions is left to some aspect of chance.
are you in need of financial aid?
Which division of NYU are you applying to? They have different admissions scenarios. I think your chances at Arts & Sciences are very good. Gallatin is holistic, in the manner of small colleges, and I think your unusual life story would help you there. Stern is more of a reach. Columbia is a reach for everyone, but I think you have a shot. If you are not looking at a STEM major, finances aren’t a major concern, and being in Manhattan is your foremost objective, don’t overlook Eugene Lang College at the New School or Fordham-Lincoln Center. Lang is a small, progressive, liberal arts college - sort of like Bennington or Hampshire re-located to lower Fifth Avenue. Fordham-Lincoln Center is best known for its terrific Performing Arts programs, but it has an all-around liberal arts curriculum. Lang has almost nothing in the way of Science, and Fordham-LC has no Chemistry department on-site due to Homeland Security regulations in Midtown (students can travel up to main Bronx campus, if they choose). I’d put Columbia and Stern or “Poly” at NYU in the “reach” (but by no means unreasonable) category for you. I’d consider Arts & Sciences or Gallatin at NYU and Fordham matches, and Lang a low match. Pace would be an academic safety if you want to focus on NYC.
@ivyhopeful no need for financial aid, but of course would like some
@wwogzama I want to major in neurology and then go to med school and research epilepsy for clear reasons. so most likely applying to Stern. Thanks for letting me know about another NYC college!
Stern = business
If you’re thinking med/ neurology it should be CAS unless I’m missing something
Oh oops I thought stern was the one for science and arts. My bad! @thecoolboy1234
Update?
I think that NYU would be a good match. Comparing your stats to some of the seniors in my school who got in, you are a lot my qualified. But I think my school might be considered a feeder school so I don’t know if it’s comparable.