Unique situation, chances?

Colleges & Universities Columbia University
1

<p>First and foremost I have to ask even though I find this unlikely, but Columbia is my dream college. I want to declare an Economics major and I need to know my chances at Columbia. I honestly don’t want to have to give up, I want to know how well they’ll acknowledge my unique conditions and the fact I’m trying as hard as I can for as big of a workload as I can.</p>

<p>First off, here’s my background, read this thread and you’ll understand:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=286720[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=286720&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Okay, so moving on to what I’m doing at the moment.</p>

<p>My course load is as follows, I’m a Junior:</p>

<p>AP U.S. History
Honors American Government
AP/IB Chemistry II
Pre-Calculus
AP English Language
Honors Economics</p>

<p>As of right now my GPA is at 3.87 with the end of my first 9 week period in an American high school, with a straight-A report card (this is weighed in with my grades that were factored in from Brazil).</p>

<p>I am self studying for:</p>

<p>AP Microeconomics
AP Macroeconomics
AP U.S. Government</p>

<p>I will be taking the SAT Reasoning, the SAT Subject tests in Literature, U.S. History, and Mathematics Level 2. I will also take the ACT this year.</p>

<p>My course load for next year, as I plan it, is as follows:</p>

<ul>
<li>AP Statistics</li>
<li>AP Calculus AB</li>
<li>AP English Literature</li>
<li>AP Psychology</li>
<li>AP U.S. History (1 semester, complement the fact I missed a semester this year)</li>
<li>AP English Language (1 semester, complement the fact I missed a semester this year)</li>
</ul>

<p>Now, supposing that I get 750+ on all my SAT Subject tests, that my GPA by the end of the year is 3.91 (perfectly feasible), and I get over 2200 on my SATs or/and 36 on my ACTs. Supposing also that all my AP grades this year are within the 4-5 range, mostly 5s with perhaps a couple of fours, and also factoring in the fact I’m going to be spending this summer at Stanford at the EPGY summer program, how are my chances at Columbia?</p>

<p>The facts are I was in a foreign country, I had great grades but I could do nothing about not having any extra-curricular or advanced courses available to me. I’m trying as hard as I can to compensate, my school does not offer any extraordinary extra-curricular programs either. But I’m doing the most I can.</p>

<p>Will the fact I had a lack of opportunity be factored in? Do I have a chance? As can well be seen, I’m doing the most I can in 10 months to have a feasible application to Columbia. It’s not just another Ivy to me, it’s THE Ivy I’ve dreamed of. Any advice, opinions, and reality checks are welcome.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance =)</p>

2

<p>Woow, i am not that well trained at situations so convoluted as urs. Sry.
But u seem great. I do think that u should go to an interview, and clarify this. Or even better, clarify this through ur essays or ur common application. I am Greek, so i know how crappy education in other countries can be (thank god i am in IB now).
I really hope u succeed, and i think they will definitely appreciate ur enthusiasm and courage and self-discipline, seeing that u r self-teaching 3 AP classes. If u excell in everything u can, u do have a shot of succeeding.</p>

<p>Good luck , wholeheartedly…;)</p>

3

<p>debate_addict, thanks :). The problem is that we actually had a couple of good schools in Brazil, but they were private schools with exorbitant costs. I’m talking $25k tuition/year, it was absurd. Those schools have a great IB Programme, the regular Brazilian school I studied in had no such thing as the Brazilian model of school is completely different; they have NO extra curricular activity, NO advanced classes, NONE. Although to compensate, when I got here I had 2 years of biology, 2 years of chemistry, 2 years of physics, etc. </p>

<p>About IB, my current school is an IB World School but we suck at it, basically. I wanted to take IB and was willing to re-do 11th grade next year so I could start at it, but everyone has told me I do NOT want to do the IB Programme at our school because we’ve only been doing it for 2 years, and right now in a senior class that started with 150 IB students, 15 are left - and max 4 of those will graduate with the IB Diploma. So my best shot is just taking all the AP classes I can manage, which is what I’m doing.</p>

<p>Thanks for the opinion bro, it’s motivating.</p>

4

<p>Just tell the admissions office what you wrote here (preferably more concise). Challenge yourself by taking some Community College courses and MAKE SURE you do MANAGE to get the scores you want to get. It’s easier said than done, but with enough work it should be possible. Gl</p>

5

<p>Thanks bro, will do :)</p>

<p>Anyone else have any opinions? All are welcome :D</p>

6

<p>Find other ways to challenge yourself like truazn said.</p>

7

<p>Nogardder, I would but honestly I barely have free time now. I need to spend all day atop my prep books and self studying my AP stuff as well as the excessive homework for my classes in school, plus I still have to worry about factoring in community service. I can’t imagine how I’d make time for community college classes right now without eventually screwing something up because of lack of time :/.</p>

8

<p>OK, well if you’ve pushed yourself to the max, then I there’s no point in pushing yourself over the top.</p>