Applying Early Decision to Columbia University with low GPA

Colleges & Universities Columbia University
1

<p>I want to apply Early Decision to Columbia, its definitely my number one school, but my unweighted GPA is quite low. Please chance me! These are my stats:
Female
African-American (Parents are immigrants from West Africa)
GPA Unweighted: 3.5 Weighted: 5.0
Ranking: 28 out of 419 top 7%
Test Scores: ACT 30
SAT Subject tests Chemistry 600 US History 700 Spanish 700 Math II 700
AP World History 4 AP US History and AP Chemistry (waiting on scores but predicting 3s)
Course Load from Grades 9-11: 4 APs and 12 Honors
3 years of Spanish and now I’m fluent
Extracurriculars: Student Government Association Historian
Student Government Association Sophomore Senator
Homecoming Game Committe Chair
Helped Coordinate numerous School events as SGA officer
Black History Club 3 years
Step Team Member 2 years
National Honor Society
Advanced Drama Program Student 2 years
December Showcase performance 2008
December Showcase performance 2009
Supporting Role in School Production 2011
Understudy to main role in District 13 One Acts Festival
Black History Performance 2010
Black History Performance 2011
House Manager Talent Show 2010
Backstage Manager Talent show 2011
House Manager School Production 2010
District 13 Individual Events Excellent Award 2009
District 13 Individual Events Excellent Award 2010
Alot of my extracurriculars are based in Performances and theatre due to my involvement with the Drama program at my school.
Community Service: 250 hours
213 hours from volunteering every Friday for 3 years in a Middle School
Volunteer project at an orphanage in Ghana, West Africa (where my parents are from) that was under investigation due to claims of children being molested. I plan to teach kids English, bring them American schoolbooks that were being thrown away from the Middle School I volunteered at for 3 years. I also plan on using my skills as a drama student to put on a play within the orphanage where I’ll be the director and of course the children will be the actors. Then when I come back to school I plan on putting on a dress down day (my school has uniforms) where 100% of the proceeds will go back to the orphanage. </p>

<p>Awards: Not many academic awards aside from Gold and Silver Honor roll nearly every marking period (except for two) in my career as a student since 3rd grade. (I’m going to be a Senior)</p>

2

<p>if you want my honest opinion, and i don’t mean to be off-putting, but i don’t think you have a very good shot. your gpa could be better, as could your test scores. that being said, if your extracurriculars were something crazy and outstanding, you’d have a great shot. And that’s not to say that they aren’t very solid, but i’m not sure they’re quite what columbia would want. best of luck to you</p>

3

<p>I would say apply. Your numbers aren’t low enough to make it unreachable. If you put your all into your essays and get outstanding rec’s you should have a good chance.</p>

4

<p>WOW! You sound like an AMAZING STUDENT!! It sounds really cool that you volunteer at an orphanage in Ghana! You should retake the ACT, because there a little low. As long as you apply early decision, I think you have a very good chance of getting in!</p>