RD Chances

Colleges & Universities Columbia University
1

<p>I come from a very competitive public school in a relatively well off middle class suburb of Dallas (average salary in the suburb per family is around 105k/year). In the top 10 ranked students of the senior class, usually at least 2-3 go to Ivy League schools.</p>

<p>-Rank: 8/685
-GPA: 4.1429 (Weighted)
-SAT: 2220 (2240 superscored) (Essay: 11 both times)
-ACT: 35 (E: 33, M: 35, R:35, S:35, Essay: 10/12)
-SAT2s: Math IIC - 800, Chem - 740, USH - 720</p>

<p>Sophmore year APs: Calculus BC (5), World History (3 but cancelled the score), Computer Science A (4)</p>

<p>Junior year APs: Statistics (5), Macroeconomics (4), Microeconomics (4), English Language (5), Chemistry (4), United States History (4)</p>

<p>Senior Year schedule (all APs): Physics C, Biology, Government, English Literature, Art History, Multivariable Calculus (not an official AP class)</p>

<p>I have taken the most rigorous course load offered by my school.</p>

<p>I also think taking Multivariable Calculus will give me somewhat of an edge in the admission process since the highest offered by most schools (even really good private schools in my area) is Calculus BC.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (with grade level in parenthesis):
-Eagle Scout (11) (been in Cub Scouts since 2nd grade, went through Weblos as well)
-Chief Administrator of self-started online computer discussion board (cyberitforums.com) (9-12)
-Owner of self-started business (Forum above, revenue from ads and other promotions)
-National AP Scholar
-National Merit Semifinalist
-Coppell Conservatory Piano Lessons (6-11)— won several medals and ribbons on Sonatina and Fall/Spring festivals
-AMC - 10A School Winner (10)
-AMC - 12B School Winner, Score: 105. AIME qualifer (11)
-Have a lot more math competitions coming up this fall, hoping to do well (ARML, Texas A&M tourney, Rice tourney, etc.) (12)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 8th at Nationals (in NYC), 2nd at state in “Network Design Team” (11)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 6th at state in “Novell Network Administration”, National Alternate (11)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 2nd at regionals, 27th at State in "PC Servicing and Troubleshooting (10)
-Business Professionals of America, placed 1st at regionals (9)
-National Honor Society member (10,11,12)
-Started building website for company Copy Cat Printing (10,11)</p>

<p>Leadership Positions (with grade level):
-Math Club, Founder, President (11,12)
-Boy Scouts Troop 700 Librarian (9)
-Boy Scouts Troop 700 Patrol Leader (10,11)
-State Officer Voting delegate for Business Professionals of America (9)</p>

<p>Community Service (with grade level):
-Primary Care Clinic of Lewisville (non profit clinic) - over 100 hours (this summer)
-Lewisville Senior Activities Center, part of SeniorNet program, taught senior citizens how to use computer (around 40 hours) (10,11,12)</p>

<p>Stuff I like to do? (might help in what I will write in essays)
-Reading
-Basketball
-Running
-Lifting weights
-Investing (stocks)
-build, troubleshoot, repair computers</p>

<p>I am also bilingual (speak Malayalam, a language of South India)</p>

<p>My essay should be decent. My main essay will be about how my father’s death influenced me (father died when I was 2 1/2 years old).</p>

2

<p>How can you call your school competitive when you’re the AMC-12 school winner with only a 105?</p>

3

<p>How can you judge a whole school’s competitiveness based off of the results of a MATHEMATICS exam that most people don’t even know about?</p>

<p>Maybe I should mention the school sends at least 5-8 people from every senior class to the top 10 colleges, more than 10 to top 20.</p>

<p>Also, thank you for hijacking the thread. I would appreciate if we could get back to the topic at hand…</p>

4

<p>You have a chance but no one at this time has a good chance. It appears that every student applying has very high SATs (greater than 22200 and high subject tests. ED was a disaster for most applicants. Overall for the college and Fu, only 597 out of approx. 2600 ED applicants were accepted. That is 22% for those who don’t have a calculator. Given the number applying RD, the acceptance rate will probably be 8% or below. Not good odds.</p>

5

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<p>“Most people” won’t get into Columbia. The people who matter know about it; the AMC/AIME/USAMO is a much more in-depth mathematics test than the SAT I or II. The fact that you were the school winner w/ only a 105 out of 150 shows that your school isn’t very competitive, at least math-wise.There’s a reason MIT asks for your scores on their apps…</p>

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<p>Really? Because earlier you said…

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<p>Hijacking? I’m questioning the asserted competitiveness of your school, which can play a large factor in admissions and your chances.</p>

6

<p>Yes, I copied and pasted this thread from two years ago (added in scores and stuff). Over the last two graduating senior classes, we have sent around 5-8 students.</p>

<p>Also, all the students who did get into those schools from my school never took AMC/AIME. Math isn’t the only test of competitiveness…if you think it is, then I think you are truly mistaken. Competitiveness as in how hard the classes are as well as what colleges other students get into from my school, that is what I am referring to, not AMC/AIME scores (which are also a measure of competitiveness but definitely not the only one)</p>

7

<p>It really depends whether a lot of people in your school take the AMC or not. At my school, virtually every above-average math student takes it every year. If that’s the case for his school, then it is true that it is not the most competitive.</p>

8

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<p>Most competitive schools in America participate in the AMC program and top score of 105 for a school is low, suggesting that your school is not competitive. The AMC is a very large program, probably the largest in the math contest ‘universe’, and well known by all serious math students. Your school may be more competitive than the average (because it participates), but certainly not on the level of many of the highly successful tech magnet schools or academies.</p>

9

<p>Oh my god…I actually cannot believe this whole thread has turned into whether or not my school is competitive based off of my AMC score. Jesus Christ…no last year, about 5 people took the AMC12, one kid made it to USAMO and scored a 6 I believe. This is a PUBLIC SCHOOL and is competitive for a PUBLIC SCHOOL, hence why I said a “competitive public school.” It is, as you said amb3r, not on the level of many “high sucessful tech magnet schools or academies.” Honestly, I just think this is ridiculous. I wanted to evaluate my chances and all you guys are focusing on that one aspect itself. Well, guess what? I can’t change that aspect! It’s the SCHOOL I go to! So, please, can we move on? Wow…</p>

10

<p>Wow. Move on from AMC and give this kid a chance!</p>

<p>BACK TO THE REAL QUESTION:
Predator, I think you have just a good of a chance as anyone, although your ECs will definitely show initiative and help you to stand out.</p>

11

<p>My guess is that your chance at Columbia is decent, although not spectacular. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got in, or surprised if you did not.</p>

12

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<p>That’s interesting…because in your post you said you were the AMC12 school winner last year. For both posts to be true, someone else must have scored <105 on the AMC12 and >10 on the AIME…hmm…</p>

13

<p>Yes, you are correct. The kid who made it to the USAMO scored a 100.5 on the AMC12B but raped the rest of us on the AIME.</p>

14

<p>In a very general sense, you are very intelligent, and have achieved a lot more than most high schoolers. I’m not so sure this makes you competetive at Columbia. What you lack is a spark. Something terribly unique that Columbia absolutely needs on their campus. Look for that in yourself, because everyone has it, and figure out how to put it on paper. Average shot now, but with the right essay, solid gold.</p>

<p>ACT>SAT, so they would use that…I’m guessing you’re white. Good scores. Maybe raise the SAT IIs? Not that they arn’t good, I’m just not sure if they are competetive for your six figure income bracket.</p>

<p>Ok, your essay sounds pretty bogus. If the death happened 15 years ago, I don’t think you were old enough to remember it, but I could be wrong. Talking about the implications of that death would be more effective. But, either way, your essay sounds like a plea for pity. A really desperate one. I could better judge if I were to read it. PM me for advice. (with no fear of debauchery as I’m already in ED).</p>

<p>Nobody is going to give a damn about your math score. If addiional information doesn’t help your application, they won’t consider it. If it does aid your application, they will. Considering harmful additional information is unfair. If they did that, and I had to take a math test, there is no way in hell I’d of gotten in.</p>

<p>Happy Holidays, if you are so inclined to celebrate them!</p>

15

<p>Thank you trackster. I sent you a PM.</p>

16

<p>it’s a small point, but a “very competitive public school”, even non-exam/magnet, can send upwards of 15% of its class to top-10 universities. my HS did.</p>

<p>knowing how competitive your HS is really does make a difference in evaluating your chances. i’ve said this in other threads, but if you’re the best student at your school, you have no idea how good a student (or applicant) you really are, compared to the applicant pool at (say) Columbia. thus, a little humility is called for, instead of jumping down the throat of people who ask legit questions.</p>

<p>we in this board tend to helpfully answer all questions fairly posed, and ignore those who take an attitude with us. you are, of course, free to respond however you like.</p>

17

<p>So are there any ways to gauge how competitive your school is? General guidelines?</p>

18

<p>i agree that showing how competitive your HS is doesn’t make much of a difference. having said that, your AMC scores aren’t spectacular but hell not that many people who take the test even make it to the AIME. i think being a school winner could only help you but your chances, like mine, are not spectacular (we have very similar stats).</p>

19

<p>this thread sucks.</p>

<p>someone powerful make it die.</p>

20

<p>Denzera, I was calling it competitive compared to other schools in our relative geography. After all, that is what they look for isn’t it? How competitive you are in relation to your environment as well…I wasn’t jumping at their throats, I was irritated at the fact that my school’s competitiveness was measured in a close minded manner by how many people take the AMC tests. </p>

<p>zdub08, please shut the **** up. As for spectacular, obviously no one has a spectacular chance at any of these schools unless they cure cancer or something of that sort.</p>