Unknown
extra cirricular activities
Biology
don't even try to get in... you won't
Biology
I've always wanted to go to Columbia. I just worked hard in high school, maintaining a very high GPA, mostly A's. I took the most challenging courses available (AP) even if I didn't do wonderful in them (I made up for this by taking the courses over at my local Community College). I also tried to frame my application in a particular way; everything in my application served to portray me in a certain light.
Biology
I pretended like I actually cared about the university and not its name.
Chemical Engineering
I didn't get super high SAT scores (It was in the upper 1300 range). Nor was I valedictorian (5th percentile). But I did devote my time to doing something special (eg.I researched in a computational chemistry lab. My friend was a NY Times finalist). I also showed my personality in my essay. I wrote about the special circumstances in my life that made me stand out. Don't be afraid to show your uniqueness. Show your intelligence. Every student here is not ordinary. Eg. A classmate of mine is Spanish but he can speak mandarin. Another is Indian and can speak Japanese. Even if your grades and scores are great it might not guarantee entrance. The salutatorian of my school also applied to Columbia but she was rejected. But others such as my classmate and I who didn't get as high grades, were admitted. Just make yourself stand out. Don't be discouraged by counselors just because they say you don't have the grades.
| Chemistry
Be inteligent. C'mon guys, do you really expect to find some sort of secret technique to get in? No one really knows how college admissions work (admission officers included).
Cultures/Civilization
Columbia contacted me, we corresponded, and my application was accepted. The fees to get in, all together, cost several hundred dollars. If you are thinking of transferring, don't, - Harvard provides full Tuition for transfers who don't have enough funding, Columbia only provides full tuition to freshmen immediately out of high school.
Education
the courses are interesting but the students are snooty enough to drive you out of the campus and force you to transfer to another college.
English
Get recruited for athletics. Seriously, I've met some genuinely dumb people who got in because they can play a sport. Other than that, there's no guarantee.
English
Do what you love and be passionate about some field, whether academic or professional. Work hard in high school, get to know your teachers, and demonstrate your ability to be committed to realizing goals, and the rest will take care of itself. Good luck!
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