ThaiTB

Hello everyone. I am applying to Columbia GS for Spring 2012. I would love for someone to look at a draft of my essay and offer a critique! Especially if you have experience.

Back story---Former Marine, attending UC- Berkeley/ City College of San Francisco concurrently . Recent semester GPA, 4.0, and 3.7. Dean's List.

Very nervous, and time is winding down. This is my top school, and the right school for me.

Anyone?

RandomAdmit

Ill take a look. GS seems to be welcoming of transfers from other top institutions. Believe it or not, I have friends in GS whom transferred from Yale ( yes yale ), Cornell, Brown, and a few other great schools. There are definitely a handful of people that are in Columbia now that are from Berkeley.

Since you're a Marine + top school + great GPA, all you need is to polish your essay, explain why you are "non-traditional" plus some other variables, and you should be in great shape. Giving some good reasons that Berkeley is not for you and why Columbia "makes sense" needs to be in your essay if you haven't already done so.

RandomAdmit

One of the things you can mention that contrasts highly with Berkeley is the student/teacher ratio since public schools in California are notorious for over populated classrooms. The fact that possibly a high percentage of students transfer from CCC's so the quality of the student body may be lacking at Berkeley. Additionally, there is almost no diversity at Berkely since almost every other person is asian, and over 70% of students are from California.

In Contrast, although I am too lazy to check my sources, I believe around 30% of Columbia students are actually from New York, and everyone else is spread from across the world. One thing I realized here in Columbia is that a few ( but not all) Community College transfers bring their "bad-habits" with them and, sadly, don't have much to contribute both academically, and socially to the GS community. From a GS ADCOMS perspective, a UCB student would further enrich the GS academic atmosphere.

tsar10027

Hey, I too know someone in GS who initially went to Yale. I wonder if it's the same person.

ThaiTB

I emailed you a draft. Thanks for having a look.

RandomAdmit

emailed who a draft? I didnt get anything

cankerblossom

I'd be happy to take a look at your essay, if you like. I was a transfer from Wolfson College, Cambridge University, and I found that the whole process was much less stressful when I had current GS students helping me out with the essay.

ThaiTB

Thanks, I was accepted Dec. 2011

kidRiot

Semper Fi brother (I know, a little too motto).

Anyways, im currently a Marine, and will be getting out come September. Im currently debating about whether to apply to Columbia GS fresh out of the Corps, or go back up to the Bay Area and attend CC then transfer...

Whats your thoughts on this? The past year, i've been writing college admissions essay for schools I am interested in. I'd much rather go straight into a prestigous school, than be stuck in a CC for a bit with a lot of young kids.