<p>I’m a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School, located in NYC. What do I have to do to be a good candidate for admission into Columbia through Early Decision? I have a 94.4 average which is pretty horrible but the classes at my high school are more challenging than those at other high schools. (Stuyvesant is I think the 15th “best” school in the country) I know that I need a good SAT score and have to bring my average up a bit (which I am doing). I’m going to take 3 SAT II’s, 2-3 AP tests, and I don’t want to sound like a total dick but I’m pretty sure I’ll be okay on the SAT (I hope). I did some volunteering stuff, I regularly work in my school’s AP Chem lab, and I applied for the National Honors Society at my school. Is there anything you guys think I should specifically do to be a better candidate? Do you have any advice to offer? I know its a little too early to be stressing over these things; but its been my dream to go to Columbia since I was a kid and I want to do whatever I can to fulfill that dream. Thank you everyone, for taking your time to read and reply to this desperate cry for help…</p>
<p>In order to be a competitive applicant to columbia, you should do exactly the opposite of what you just did. don’t ask us what to do - find something that you’re passionate about and display a commitment to academics and an unquenchable desire to learn. don’t let anything contain you or influence your actions (especially college admissions) - the best applicants are those who’ve done something that clearly shows their passions. Having a 4.0 and a 2400 SAT score is worthless without a passion (a passion other than college admissions, that is).</p>
<p>exactly. some of Columbia’s peer schools are more stat-focused, but Columbia in particular tends to get sold more on good stories than numbers. what separates students here from students at Podunk U is primarily their passion for their studies or other activities - be they political, cultural, athletic, entrepreneurial, research… decide what you care about, and pursue it to the ends of the earth. showing balance in your grades and coursework just proves that you have the intellectual horsepower - it’s necessary but not sufficient.</p>
<p>A book on MBA admissions once put it much better: to get into a top program, you have to at once prove that you would FIT IN (i.e. be able to handle the workload, demonstrate maturity and time management, intellectually curious, etc) as well as STAND OUT (would add something unique and inspirational to the campus and student body). For some applicants the hard part is fitting in, for many, the hard part is standing out.</p>
<p>Take the most rigorous curriculum that you can handle successfully. Then seek out extracurricular activities where you can make a difference and lead by example. This might include debate, various academic competitions, athletics or even paid work. Try to avoid doing things just to pad your resume. Pick a few things you really like, and do them as best as you can.</p>