<p>“I must say, living in NYC actually impedes me from being able to gain awards in community service and whatnot, its actually outer towns where more individual attention can be given to sucessful and well rounded kids that they get all these awards.”</p>
<p>If you need “individual attention” for your academic achievements in a city that offers many outreach programs and plenty of academic and non academic achievement awards, then you should reconsider going to a school as big as Harvard, Yale or Columbia because you sure as hell won’t be recognized there either. </p>
<p>“I did good volunteering, know five languages, and my gpa (although above average in my schooll which is about 89) is pretty medicore, but I am a URM”</p>
<p>I am half black and go to Thomas Jefferson in VA. (Google it.) In a single family household, we earn 35,000- 40,000 annually and I sure as hell don’t play the “I am a URM” card for any “mediocrity” on my transcript. What are you even implying by saying that? </p>
<p>And stop relying on comments by other CC-ers like Mustafah78 to make you more secure in the application process. There are a myriad of application officers that have different opinions on different applicants, just like I have and Mustafah78 has. Ultimately it is up to those AOs. I was giving my take on the application process. Whatever you do, however you do it have enough faith in where you’re coming from and your accomplishments to apply to a school that fits you. Your application would then speak for your passion and your determination.</p>