<p>first of all congrats to everyone accepted early to Columbia (i’m a dartmouth '10!)
so I have this friend who is set on going to Columbia and I am almost 100% sure she won’t make it… I love her and all, but she isn’t applying to any safeties because she is so sure she will get in (right now she thinks a safety if georgetown)
now for her stats… </p>
<p>3.5 GPA (I think… not sure though- she got a C in precalc, so i dont know what her grades are like after junior year) (no APs)- not a competitive highschool, class of 134 in rural montana
has taken 3 years of math and 2 years of science- not too demanding of a schedule
low 11 something or 10 something on old SAT (i dont quite remember)
hasnt even taken SAT IIs</p>
<p>activties…
jv basketball one year, froshmore team the other years, made varisty this year (not too competitive of a team… we dont even place in MT)
jv volleyball 1 year, froshmore other years, sat on bench for varisty (again not competitive)
part of interact (i dont know what it is even… part of the rotary or something- they dont do much)
joined BPA this year- we haven’t had competitions yet
thats it… </p>
<p>i actually dont even know what schools would fit her- but i am pretty positive not columbia… she is so set on it though, and i dont know how to approach her and tell her that she should really be looking at other options- and she will only be applying there and georgetown if I dont do anything (GCs are just encouraging people to apply anywhere, parents are clueless…)</p>
<p>any suggestions? (on how to approach/schools that fit)
thanks so much…</p>
<p>and that includes columbia…
I would just break it out to her, its good for her to know where she stand when she apply. I’ve heard it all too many times from friends and parents that I won’t make it, and although its discouraging to hear, it was the honest opinion and a powerful one too. to some degree these opinions drove me to work harder on my application.</p>
<p>your friend will need to face the reality sooner or later, its better to let her know where she stands before she apply then let her go off with the illusion that she will be accepted and receive the rejection in april.</p>
<p>yea… it is just such a hard thing to approach (you do think I am right in that she doesn’t have a chance— right?)
she is a very insecure girl, gets depressed very easily even if you say something like “you look tired today”— telling her her dream is not really a reality is going to be hard to do…</p>
<p>Vanessa–you are a good friend, but there is only so much you can do. It sounds as if she’s dtermined to follow this path. Beyond suggesting to her that she’s ineligible because she hasn’t taken the SAT 2’s, you really can’t go much further–suggesting she’s unqualified would more likely make her dislike you than make her see the truth.</p>
<p>OTOH, if she really doesn’t apply to safeties, there will probably be time to apply to state schools or community college in April. Most state schools have flexible deadlines, so in the event she needs to re-apply, you can probably help her then, even if she won’t hear reality now.</p>
<p>today I made some headway… I talked to a GC about helping her out… I think she overheard me and came to me for help later today- she is still determined to go to Columbia and Georgetown, but I think I can atleast get her to apply to some other schools–</p>
<p>she says she hasnt signed up for any SAT IIs yet… if she takes them in january, is that too late for Columbia? (and can you still even sign up for the january ones?) – is columbia and georgetown totally out of the running because it is not possible to take these tests or can you submit them later?</p>
<p>My boyfriend has been busy these last few SAT dates because of leadership conferences, so he only has one SAT II. He called the schools he’s applying to, however, and most of them will accept the January SAT scores. If your friend is going to take them in January, have her call the schools ahead of time just to make sure.</p>