Celebration

Hi! I posted this in the What are my chances? forum, but I wanted to get chances specifically for Columbia, my dream school. Please, anyone who has attended, been accepted, been rejected, etc...let me know how I compare!

Basics:
- Gender: Male
- Ethnicity: Chinese-Vietnamese-American
- School: Public
- Cumulative GPA: 3.9 (Weighted: 4.3)
- Class rank: I am pretty sure I am in top 10%

Testing:
- SAT I: I haven't taken the reasoning test...I know, very late! However, I am in classes right now and my model tests show that I will score around 1900-2100. I am aiming for 2100+ though
- SAT II: US History - 650, Biology - 640
- ACT: Plan on taking in Fall
- AP: US History - 4, Spanish - 3, Biology - 3

Grades:
- 9th Grade: World History (A/A), English (A/A), Geometry (A/A), Biology (A/A), Spanish 2 (A/A)
- 10th Grade: English (A/A), Honors Algebra 2 (A/A), Honors Chemistry (A/A), Spanish 3 (A/A), Intro to Art (A/A)
- 11th Grade: AP US History (A/A), English (A/A), Honors Pre Calc (A/A), AP Biology (A/B), AP Spanish (A/A), Honors Physics (B/A)

Senior Schedule: AP Calc, AP Stats, AP Euro, English, Intermediate Art, Gov/Econ

Extracurriculars, etc.:
- Youth In Government (Shadowed local officials and presented in mock City Council meeting)
- California Scholarship Foundation
- National Honors Society
- Interact (service club)
- Will be treasurer/secretary of breast cancer awareness club next year
- Renaissance award for Art (only one person per grade level receives)
- Published poem in school anthology
- AP Scholar
- Interned for a computer programmer over the summer

Majors:
- Computer Science
- Architecture
- Accounting/Business

I knows my test scores stink! I am planning on taking the SAT, the ACT, Math II, retake Bio, and retake US History this fall, so I am currently studying like mad.

Also, would applying ED help?

Celebration

Also, I am first gen to go to college and my family makes around 40k a year. How much would I have to pay out of pocket if Columbia were to magically accept me?

Epaminondas

Aim for at least 2200.

And its good that you know your stats stink. Bring up your standardized test scores. Otherwise your high GPA could be placed into doubt. All in all, I'd say you have decent chances. There are some activities in that list that popped out. It'll all depend on how you present yourself on the application essays.

Celebration

Thank you! A lot of people are suggesting that I make the essays humorous. Do you agree?

Also, I might have an internship this fall with a medical billing person if that makes a difference.

mmmcdowe

What's funny to an applicant is probably a tired joke to a reader. I would keep the humor to a minimal amount

conorske

I don't know about that--showing some personality might be good.

Also, why did you leave taking the SAT I and ACT off SO LATE? Why would it have been bad to try them before, at least in junior year?

Celebration

I don't know why I put them off so late...I just didn't plan ahead (stupid me!)

Anyways, I have been taking SAT classes all summer to take in October, and I have also been studying for the ACT in September.