Will I have to burn my Columbia sweatshirt?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p>Otherwise known as my chances thread. I really couldn't stand the temptation. Applying ED to CC. Chinese-American female.</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: 2360 (800M/800V/760W)
SAT II: 800 MIIC, 790 U.S. History, 780 Bio M (+ 730 Chem, but don't colleges only look at top three?)
GPA: 5.047 W (not sure for UW)
Rank: top 3 out of 269
Grades: straight A's, took 3 APs this year (AP Bio, APUSH, AP English), will take 5 next year (AP Chem, AP Euro, AP French, AP English - 2 yr program<em>, AP Calc); most rigorous courseload
ECs: mediocre, at best
200+ hrs volunteering at assisted living place for people w/ Alzheimer's</em>* for two years (I only volunteer on weekends, which is why the hour count seems low)
Lit Mag - senior editor (2 yrs + senior)
Multicultural Council - member/publicist (2 yrs + senior)
writing club - leader/founder (2 yrs + senior)
piano for ~10 yrs
Relay for Life (2 yrs)
member of NHS
2 wks in lab last summer & this summer</p>

<p><em>Since the class is a two-year thing at my school with people taking the AP Lit exam at the end of senior year, will colleges I'm applying to think I'm retaking the class senior year (they're both called AP English)? Or should the regional admissions counselor be familiar with my school's policy?
*</em>The recreation coordinator at the senior center has said some pretty glowing things about me. I'm the most consistent volunteer, been there the longest, know the residents really well, etc. Should I consider asking her for a third rec?</p>

<p>Recs: I'm hoping that the one from my French teacher will be very good, since she told me at the end of the school year that she thinks very highly of me. I think she also knows me best out of all the teachers I've had; I showed a lot of passion in her class, etc. The other one will be from my AP Bio teacher. Apparently, he's capable of writing people's recs in 20 minutes. He doesn't know me as well, but everyone I've talked to says he's a good person to get a rec from (including my GC).</p>

<p>Essay: I'm worried about this. To be truthful, I haven't done amazing things like going to Tanzania to build schools or running a business. I'll write what I know, and I'm a decent writer. I'm not counting on the topic to be one-of-a-kind.</p>

<p>Sorry for the long post. There's no doubt Columbia is my first choice; I seriously go into ecstasies every time I start talking or thinking about it. I live in MA and attend a pretty good (though not top) school in a relatively small town. I've never heard of anyone going to Columbia, although I know of someone who got into SEAS a couple years ago.</p>

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<p>I think you're chances are great. Don't burn anything yet, but if rejected, I would recommend taking a trip to the campus and burning it on the steps of the library. Payback bit*hes.</p>

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<p>Haha. Excellent advice.</p>

<p>Maybe I'll just wear it inside out to whatever college I get into because I love this sweatshirt. And it was expensive, dammit.</p>

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<p>pretty solid. decent chances. i wouldnt bet on it but i wouldnt be surprised if you got in either. work that essay</p>

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<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Anyone have an opinion on the issue about the third rec?</p>

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<p>How well do you know your principal and vice-principals? They know me well because I'm a Taiwanese born in Argentina who just came to the US 2yrs ago~:P
In addition, some seniors told me they are a good "source" for rec... & I also heard from another advisor that well knowns such as congressmen/women can help you out... </p>

<p>But in the end (i just read your comment about 3rd rec... sorry I didn't read all what you posted at first -.-" ) maybe is the best for your recreation coordinator to get you the 3rd rec since he should know you well and he actually praised you for your works... many prestigeous colleges look for brilliant AND consisten students...
Well, Good Luck!!</p>

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<p>Hey demeter, I think you have some helpful points that will come out on your Columbia application. I'm actually graduating high school this year and going to Columbia College this fall so if you have any questions or curiosities about the application/admission, you can definitely message me. Here are some of my comments:</p>

<p>About the 3rd rec, go for it. I personally had more than 2 teacher rec's and when your school mails out your transcript and other info to Columbia, they can just put in the extra rec in with that. I think I had the standard 2 teacher recs, guidance counselor rec plus 3 additional recs from my debate coach, research advisor, and a Columbia math prof. I might have been overdoing it, but in general, it's okay to add a rec if you're confident that it will have special, different points about you.</p>

<p>As far as the essay goes, don't worry about not having built a town in Africa or something like that haha. It's really just about your personality or some quirk about yourself that is distinctive. Columbia's topic (which I think doesn't change every year) is open-ended and let's you write about anything, literally anything, as long as its about you. </p>

<p>I get the feeling that Columbia really likes people that are cultured, both academically and socially. Their application has sections devoted to your personality - your favorite movies/books/events/concerts/newspapers. So sure, tell the truth, but definitely emphasize things that you've done about your culture ...maybe a book you read in Chinese (if you have?) or a Chinese movie or something like that. And it doesn't even have to be Chinese, just some culture that you participate in. </p>

<p>As far as your AP class, don't worry about too much about how the admissions office will look at your schedule. They get literally thousands of applications and though they have regional officers, I doubt they get the time to sort out the different tracks of classes at local high schools. If you're concerned about it, ask your guidance counselor to attach a memo to your transcript making the discrepancy clear. </p>

<p>And for SAT II's, Columbia only asks you to pick 2 scores. Of course they can see all of them, but I'm pretty confident they just stick with the ones you give them. They don't even ask for AP scores, but they do have a part of the application where you can attach additional info that wasn't mentioned in their app. Among other things, I put my AP scores there and I'm sure a bunch of other people did too. </p>

<p>Oh and by the way, always keep in mind that you're competition is also regional and ethnic. I don't like this fact, considering that I'm Indian and was science-inclined when I applied (which is pretty common for Indian people and may have been a little unattractive), but you definitely do need to play up your non-science talents as an Asian person. Your numbers are great across the board, it's clear to me that you can do alott more than the stereotype might suggest, but as it was in my case, alot of Indian/Asian people have those really high numbers and it's not enough by itself. </p>

<p>You can do this in your application. If possible, pick a recommendation from a history teacher as a supplement (but only if you know for certain that this person will write something special). And if you're really interested in majoring in the humanities, that might be even better. If that's the case, definitely play that up. But it's not a good idea to put these interests down for the sole reason of increasing your chances, just play it up if it's actually true. </p>

<p>Good luck and like I said, any questions, let me know.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much. (:</p>

<p>Being a "typical Asian" (to some extent), my career path will probably be more science-inclined. I'll probably ask for that third rec because I think she sees a side of personality that my teachers don't. </p>

<p>I'm also an avid reader, so I'll definitely try to emphasize that (my friend said Columbia's application was almost fun because of the book/movie question, so I'm sure I'll have fun with it, too). I really don't know how good my writing is, but I'll try to let my, er, "talent" shine through in the essay.</p>

<p>Do you think not having a rec from an English teacher will have any negative effects? I'm worried that since my ECs are rather inclined in that direction, the adcoms will think it weird that I didn't ask for a rec from my English teacher.</p>

<p>Congratulations on getting into Columbia - I'm excited for you!</p>

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<p>I remember going to Columbia for an accepted student's event around this time in 2003, prior to my freshman year. My advisor asked his charges what their favorite movie was. Nearly everyone said something like "A Beautiful Mind"...a couple mentioned Godfather. I mentioned something about enjoying James Bond, to the bewildered scowl of my prospective advisor and the muffled giggles of a few. There is a degree of pretension and desire for the "cultured" that goes into the application process. </p>

<p>Once you're admitted, however, there's no end to the number of people you'll meet who wile away their hours downloading Family Guy or holding Sex and the City parties. The presumption that the Core is "only useful for cocktail parties" is sadly as widespread among some of the graduate preceptors as it is the student body. Go figure. Everyone, though, takes ample advantage of the free New York museum access a Columbia ID affords one.</p>

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<p>well, i would have to say the folks at columbia would be very nescient if they didn't enjoy family guy. :)</p>

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<p>Naturally. Though they are also the sort of Family Guy fans who realized it was in their best interest to substitute Frasier (or somesuch) on the application. And they use words like "nescient".</p>

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<p>lmao quite</p>

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<p>you can ask your counselor to attach the recreation coordinator's rec to his own (he can write a sentence on his rec referring to the coordinator's rec, but this way, it appears to the admissions office like you're not flooding them with stuff), and include your english teacher's rec as an additional one in the folder.</p>

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<p>Thanks, that's a good idea about attaching the extra rec to the counselor one.</p>

<p>Haha. I'd be one of those people who says "A Beautiful Mind". I really do want to be cultured and knowledgeable in different fields (I really wish I could be a "Renaissance" person), so hopefully, that'll come across on my application.</p>

<p>I'm really grateful for all the helpful advice I've been given so far. Hopefully, I'll have good news on 12/15.</p>

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<p>The irony of all the "Beautiful Mind" references is that it so heavily showcases Princeton, Columbia's unspoken archrival (a phenomenon going back to the school's very foundation in reaction to Princeton, or perhaps to the killing of Columbia alum Alexander Hamilton by Princetonian Aaron Burr). </p>

<p>They will love that you want to be a Renaissance person. They will also love if you have one super-distinguishing talent that rises above the others, the better to cast the university in a glorious light when you employ it as a distinguished alumnus...not necessarily a contradiction in terms. The ideal Columbia admit would really be utterly fascinated by politics or engrossed in a certain art, but also want some fencing or music or literature on the side.</p>