liszt21

Hello!
I'm about to be a senior in high school, and I was just wondering what my chances were, in being accepted regular decision at Columbia.
High School Current Cumulative G.P.A.: 3.69 UW,4.26/4.57W
Ap Courses Taken: AP Human Geography (4), Ap European History (5), Ap English Language, Ap Calculus B.C., Ap Biology.

My Senior Year Courses are:
AP English Literature, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Statistics, Anatomy, AP Government

Current College Courses I am taking at the local community colleges are:
Intermediate Spanish II
Sociology
Psychology

Past College Courses I have taken:
Business Information Systems: Grade- A

*I am in the second highest school orchestra as of Junior and Senior Year
**Sophomore year I received the "Most Improved" Award
**I also won a history debate at my temple's annual day celebratioin
Extra-curriculars:
Indian Classical Dance: 2001-Present
Piano: 2004-Present (I truly love the piano, and am quite an excellent performer).
I will also be sending in a music supplement of my playing of La Campanella to Columbia.
District Solo and Ensemble Participant (3 years). IHSA participant (1 year): Division II
Science Fair: IHSA State Science Fair (Freshman Year):Bronze
Violin: 2005-Present
Math Team: 2009-Present
Science Olympiad: 2009-Present: Captain Junior year (not sure of senior year)
Temple Volunteer: Community service hours at present: 36 (only 30 are required, but I will be completing 80 more this summer).

Jobs:
Fermi-lab On Call Technician: 2012 (summer-to hopefully, december)

Internships:
California hospital (1 week in August)

Test Scores:
ACT w/writing: 34
SAT: 2380
SAT Subject test:
Math: 800
Chemistry: 760
Physics: 800
Biology: 800

Additional Summer Plans:
1. Applying for a grant to install a solar panel in my school
2. Am working on a project to clear up the lake at my school
3. Am organizing a fundraiser to raise money for an eye foundation (provides surgery in india for children who have difficulty seeing)
**Fingers crossed that these go off well!

*****Please note that I'm quite a good pianist, so I think my music supplement will be top notch. Will this help me?

Also, please note that I got two c+'s Junior year, and a few B's. That is why I am taking summer college level courses, to prove to colleges that I can and will work to succeed.

bfaresich

Your grades are sub-par for Columbia.

limabeans

Have heart: your SAT is excellent, but your grades are so-so, especially in Junior year. (What happened?) How are your AP scores?

Piano is great, but don't fuss about the number of hours of volunteering. It sounds like you're a clock-watcher, and doing it just for the credit. (Who cares what your temple requires?) The biggest question is: what happened in junior year? No Science research after freshman year?

Here's my suggestion: focus on your music supplement, your grades, and your essays. Don't bother with any additional stuff, like your history debate award, that doesn't relate to "who you are". Instead, paint a simple but complete picture of you. Skip the "who you'll become" or "how Columbia is everything I'm looking for" message.

liszt21

Limabeans: My Ap scores are 4's and 5's, but i haven't received my junior year ap scores yet.
Junior year was horrible, I just, went through this terrible transformation, but I'm on the right track now. haha no, I love volunteering in anyway I can, especially at the temple! Well at fermilab i've been doing science research, and I'm working on a science experiment for the Seimen's competition I couldn't participate in science fair sophomore and junior year because of prior commitments on those days.
Do you think the music supplement can really help me?

Columbia10027

I'm a current Columbia student (class of '14) and I'm working on starting a company that provides application and essay counseling/advice, but I'm trying to freelance my services a bit before diving in. I'm planning on offering one on one skype conferences to evaluate candidates' essays or applications/supplements. Contact me at rcm2140@columbia.edu for more info!