Official Columbia University 2016 RD Results

skymara15
Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:29:38 +0000

Decision: Waitlisted at CC

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2250 (Reading 720, Writing 740, Math 790)
ACT: n/a
SAT II: Math II (760) Lit (590) ugh
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 21/280
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Calculus AB (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: AP Economics, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Spanish Language, Human Physiology & Anatomy, English 12
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Haha, yeah right
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Varsity Soccer 4 years (All League), Varsity Tennis 4 years, Logged about 200 hrs of community service with a tennis program for underprivileged children, participated in Model United Nations, National Honors Society
Job/Work Experience: n/a
Volunteer/Community service: See above
Summer Activities: Did a lot of backpacking throughout the US
Essays: My essay was not stellar by any means, but it was decent. It was about how my dad’s family’s summer home in upstate NY was like going back in time 50 years.
Teacher Recommendations: Probably very good. My English teacher loves me plus he is a freaking genius.
Counselor Rec: Decent
Additional Rec: n/a
Interview: n/a
Other
State (if domestic applicant): Oregon
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: $200K
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Legacy maybe? My grandparents went in the 40s and my uncle in the 70s. Geography also, these schools kill to have kids from the west coast.
Reflection
Strengths: Nothing in particular, just a well-rounded, solid application.
Weaknesses: Weak SAT IIs, but my decision makes me think that they almost did not even matter. SAT was about average for Columbia I think so nothing there that made me stand out. That might have been something I needed. I also have not won any significant awards. Sure, I’ve won awards at my high school for being a great academic student, but nothing spectacular. Also I had a very weak school rank, barely in the top 10%. Though my school is a top notch public; it’s sending kids to Stanford, Penn, Harvard, WashU, UChicago, Cornell, Northwestern every year.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: University of Washington, University of Oregon, USC, University of Miami, Santa Clara University, University of Denver
Waitlisted: Columbia
Rejected: n/a

General Comments: Well, I was extremely elated with my decision. I thought I had absolutely no shot. USC skimped on the money for me, but Miami gave me a lot of money so I am going to put down a deposit there. However, I am going to stay on the waitlist and cross my fingers! And though I am not very hopeful, Columbia is practically the epitome of American education, so how could I pass up an opportunity to have a chance to attend?