Chance Thread for Columbia University 2018

Stanfordmania
Wed, 09 Oct 2013 10:40:43 +0000

Here’re mine for ED. Econ major.

SAT 2130(Superscore)- CR: 730 M: 650 W:750
SAT II: Taking Math 2 and Eng Lit in November
TOEFL(Don’t need it, but sending anyway 'cuz yolo): 111/120

School System: CBSE(India)
9th grade: Math(9), Science(8), English(9), Social Studies(9), Hindi(9)
10th grade: Math(8), Science(9), English(9), SST(9), Hindi(9)
11th grade: Accountancy(88.3%), Business Studies(93.6%), Econ(68.6%), Math(55.6%) and English(70.87%)(My counsellor reckons this is a challenging stream)
12th grade: Accountancy(62%), Business Studies(77.5%), Econ(81.5%), Math(trash. less than 11th grade), English (71%)
Predicted scores(for the standardized entrance exam in India): Math(95-100%), English(85+%), Accountancy(90-95%), BS(90-95), Econ(idk, but I’m guessing 90-95)
Rank: Top 5% overall(counsellor’ll mention that), and in both the subjects whose teachers I’m getting recommendations from, academic system is super-rigorous in my particular school.

Work Experience: 2 week internship at a Venture Capital firm, researching markets and investment inroad opportunities. They don’t usually take kids from HS.

Awards
a. Proficiency in Oratory Skills
b. 3xBest Delegates

EC’s

a. Secretary General of an international MUN with about 400 participants. Also managed the largest extra-curricular student community in school(MUN community with 200+ people and a secretariat of 50-odd). Pretty awesome experience.
b. 15 MUNs since 9th grade, including internationals. Won in 13 of those, including 3xBest Delegate(1 international-ILMUNC Beijing). Chaired 2 committees, and my school was ranked one of the top 25 MUNing schools internationally by Best Delegate.
c. Chief Editor, Business Club newsletter. Also took care of organisational aspects in the club. One of the biggest ones in my school, been involved since 11th grade.
d. Student Council

Community Service
a. Taught slum kids after school in 11th grade
b. Week-long sensitization/learning trip to a remote village in mountainous India, organized by an NGO
c. Taught my grandad’s friends how to use computers in 9th grade(every weekend for some 6 months)
d. Wrote exams for handicapped kids in school in 9th, 10th and 11th grade

Essays
Sweet Jesus, I’ve been fretting over these. On my fourth draft now, and just can’t decide how to frame it.
Question: When it asks to “list the books you’ve read”, do you just list them, or will a paragraph naming a few along with concise reasons be better?

Extra Info

ED
Indian
No Fin Aid needed
Econ Major
$200k+(can’t confirm though)
First gen to go to the US for undergrad