The key formula for getting into Columbia is to introduce yourself for 10-15 minutes, highlight new things about yourself for 15-20 minutes, and just be yourself. Engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment can alleviate stress and contribute to overall mental well-being.
Columbia is looking for students who follow their academic passions outside of class, such as classes, research, or clubs. To get into Columbia, you need to have exceptional coursework, standardized test scores, essays, and extracurricular activities. Columbia is looking for students who follow their academic passions outside of class, such as taking on leadership roles or contributing to the team, club, or group.
To maximize your chances, go through a competitive application process and be accepted into the program that you want. If you are accepted to one of these enrichment programs, choose a few activities that genuinely interest you and strive to take on leadership roles or otherwise contribute to the team, club, or group.
Be deeply involved in 2-4 extracurricular activities, preferably at the Tier 1 or Tier 2 level, and aim to show leadership, dedication, and impact. By following these tips, you can maximize your chances and maximize your chances of getting into Columbia.
📹 how I got into my dream college *realistc & honest* I stats & ecs to attend @columbia
Timestamps: 0:42 Resources 1:33 The Ivy League Exposed 5:09 My Stats 7:10 My Activities 12:53 My Awards *In this video, …
Which Ivy cares most about extracurriculars?
The Ivy League places minimal emphasis on extracurricular activities, instead seeking a well-rounded profile from a student who is passionate about their interests and willing to make the requisite effort to pursue them.
What is the easiest major to get into Columbia?
Columbia does not offer specific majors that are designed to enhance the probability of acceptance. Students submit applications to their respective undergraduate institutions, rather than to a specific program. Furthermore, expressing interest in an unpopular major can also present a challenge in gaining admission.
Can I get into Columbia with a 3.7 GPA?
The admissions process for Columbia University requires a minimum GPA of 3. 7-3. 8, with a focus on recent college or university enrollment. The Admissions Committee considers standardized test scores, autobiographical essays, recommendations, and high school performance. Graduate GPAs reflect only Columbia-earned grades. High school transcripts, secondary school records, or GED/TASC test results are required for students with less than 30 college course credits. Applicants with a GED or TASC and two or more years of high school are also required to submit their high school transcripts. Interviews may be conducted for some applicants.
Do you need straight A’s to get into Columbia?
Columbia University requires a GPA of 4. 15 to be considered for admission. To compete, students must have nearly straight A’s in all classes and take hard AP or IB courses. Junior or senior GPAs are hard to change for college applications, so a higher SAT or ACT score is necessary to compete effectively. Schools have different requirements for standardized testing, with only a few requiring the SAT or ACT, but many schools consider scores if submitted.
How likely am I to get into Columbia?
Columbia University has a highly selective acceptance rate of 3. 7, with only 4 out of 100 applicants admitted. High SAT and GPA scores are crucial for a chance at admission, as failure to pass these requirements may result in rejection. To be considered, aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1560 SAT and a 4. 15 GPA or higher. Failure to meet these requirements may result in rejection without much consideration.
How to increase chances of getting into Columbia University?
Columbia University requires a strong academic record, a unique niche, a polished personal essay, a compelling “why” statement, and a strong interest in the university. To secure admission, applicants should stand out academically, showcase their niche, and be interested and interesting. Bestcolleges. com is an advertising-supported site, with featured or trusted partner programs and all school search results for schools that compensate the site. To apply to Columbia, take a quiz and compare school matches. This information does not influence rankings or resource guides.
Does Columbia look at extracurriculars?
Columbia University, a prestigious research institution in New York City, is a top choice for students seeking admission to the elite Ivy League. Established in 1754, the university is renowned for its research and its location in the world-renowned city of New York. To gain admission, applicants must achieve high school grades, top standardized test scores, compelling essays, and participate in extracurricular activities.
Columbia’s motto, “In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen”, translates to “In Thy light shall we see light”. The university is part of the NCAA Division I – Ivy League and has a nickname, the Lions. Columbia’s admissions officers aim to assess applicants’ capabilities and fit within the school’s community.
What is the happiest Ivy League?
The college experience is not just about getting in, but also about the lodging and academic excellence. Harvard has the highest endowment, which can provide decent lodging compared to other schools that rely on reputation and campus beauty. Brown is ranked as one of the happiest colleges in general, not just Ivies, by CollegeVine Blog. Qualitative surveys can provide useful insight into the influence of schools on their students.
One major factor in deciding which Ivy League is the best in sports is the college sports experience. Princeton has been known for its exceptional sports teams, winning more Ivy League titles than any other school and placing higher than any other Ivy in nine sports, including men’s and women’s lacrosse. When it comes to college sports, Princeton is a top choice.
When it comes to dorms, college web forums like Reddit, Quora, and College Confidential Forums share the same conclusion that it’s hard to have a definite answer without attending all colleges. Some students still give opinions on the subject matter, with some saying that Harvard has the worst dorms due to the old and oddly built buildings. However, this can be said for many colleges, not just Harvard.
In conclusion, the college experience is not just about getting in, but also about the quality of dorms and the overall experience.
Which Ivy has the most attractive students?
The popular dating application Tinder has been engaged in empirical research with the objective of gaining insight into the manner in which users engage with the platform in relation to their level of education. Some of Philadelphia’s most academically accomplished college students have been identified as highly desirable matches on the app. The company’s objective is to gain insight into how users interact with the app in relation to their educational background, with the aim of enhancing the overall user experience.
Is Columbia harder to get into than Harvard?
Columbia became the most competitive Ivy in 2021, but Harvard remains the hardest Ivy League school to get into with an acceptance rate of 3. 59. Yale’s 2028 class had the lowest acceptance rate in recent history at 3. 7, down from 4. 4 in 2027, 4. 46 in 2026, 4. 62 in 2025, 6. 54 in 2024, and 5. 91 in 2023. Dartmouth received a record number of early decision applicants, but its acceptance rate for those applying early was at an all-time low at 17.
What type of students does Columbia look for?
Columbia values students who are passionate about their interests and actively participate in their communities through extracurricular activities, volunteering, internships, and research. They seek students who have made a positive impact and have used their talents to make a difference. Columbia is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community and seeks students who share this commitment.
📹 How I Got Into Harvard, Columbia, & More | STATS & EXTRACURRICULARS
Hey everyone, I’m still in total shock about my college acceptances. I’m so incredibly humbled that I was accepted by Harvard, …
What you said about the statistics game being unfavorable for humanity/art students is so true. I’m interested in criminology but all related classes that my school offers are unweighted, so naturally my gpa is just lower than all my friends who are interested in stem. I’ve always known I was a humanities person but I didn’t known which exact field, so I experiemented with a bunch of fun electives in 9th/10th grade, but since they were unweighted, it has made it really hard to raise my cumulative gpa even though I am taking multiple AP’s now and earning A’s.
Congratulations on your dream college! Also, I am doing journalism in my 2-year college. It was very cool. I will be majoring in journalism for my BA degree at a 4-year college. I have been studying at a 2-year college for 6.5 years. When I was at a younger age, I had to switch schools from state to state for another 2 to 3 years back in grade school. Back in high school, I had to a lot of moving from state to state for another year as well! I have a father who is military, so I moved all over the states. I am from Puerto Rico because of my mom. However, I am technically from the city of Buffalo in New York. I lived there during my early childhood until age 5. I was raised to be a military child. I was diagnosed with autism at age 3. It was before I started preschool. I grew up with an Individual Educational Plan (IEP). Back in my last three years of high school, I had co-teachers and teacher aids who assisted me in my regular education courses. However, I was some elective courses in the small group of setting. Other than that, I was mostly in all my regular education courses except for 10th grade. In 10th grade, I was in some special education courses. I have been a special education student all my life until I went to high school for 9th grade. I lived in three different states for 3 years. I lived in Virginia for 6 to 7 months, and Puerto Rico for a year. Also, I lived in other two different states for 2 years. For right now, I am living in Florida. I will be graduating with my AA degree in general studies for this coming fall semester.
hi! i just wanted to say thank you for making this article bc i’m currently a hs junior that is stressing about the college admissions process lol. we have many similar stats/ecs and this really made me feel confident in what i have accomplished. like you, i have a lot of journalism ecs but i also have some medical related ones like hospital volunteering, shadowing, and dual enrollment anatomy classes. is there a way i can combine journalism and medicine into a theme on my application? (applying to a psych, neuro, or biochem major) do you think my chances of getting into an top 20 w/ premed track are hindered since i have journalism ecs and not strictly science? thanks so much again.
Hey if you could give me some advice I would really appreciate it! I spent a half of my sophomore year in Spain and due to that I didn’t finish the three ap classes I had begun in the beginning of my sophomore school year. But the classes I took in Spain were much more advanced and ( plus) I didn’t know the language while I was studying them and as a result of studying them I became trilingual. Obviously now I’m under a lot of pressure to do as many ap classes as possible junior year since my school didn’t offer ap classes to freshmens and senior year ap classes don’t count. Do you think the advanced level and language aspect of my classes in Spain compensate for the ap classes I wasn’t able to finish? Also, how do you even get involved with awards? I intern a lot at local newspapers but I have no idea how to apply to a competition? Do you just hand in an example of your writing online and wait for the answer? Congratulations ( even though it’s been a few years) on getting in. Thank you so much!!
WHY do people add the loud ass music over their speaking? OMG, it gets worse! What the hell is with the vacuum cleaner sound out of nowhere? Girl, cut the original sound out, record new sound and add it over the old sound instead of the vaccuum cleaner noise. That said, I do appreciate the more realistic view on top college admissions and it’s refreshing to see someone acknowledge their privilege. Pretty please do something about the sound!
Hey Ashley!!, I am currently studying my 12th grade which is considered senior year and I am an international student. I am quite confident in my extra-curriculars but my academics aren’t the best but I am in the top 15% of my class. I am applying for 2023 fall semester, any tips or suggestions would be appreciated! (My top colleges are : Berkely, Yale, Boston, Duke, Princeton and I am looking forward to major in Business and Economics)
So amazed at the hard work you did! But for those who feel like comparing yourself to her journey, remember that often times, your school or district doesnt offer u these extra curriculars or research opportunities. My HS only offered APush and AP lit. Also we only had one college offer college credit classes for high schoolers and the seats were very limited. At this point know that some things are simply not available to you, and reflect nothing about your talent or merit. Also if you are lucky enough to have all these resources available, you dont have to kill yourself to have a full list of extracurriculars. Do wat u can and enjoy your freedom cuz college will take ur time up sooo fast.
I came across this article after your reaction article, this was entertaining to watch, and definitely helpful! Of course, congratulations getting into Harvard and other prestigious schools! No doubt your achievements and perseverance to take all those classes paid off. I’m sure this article will inspire others as it has inspired me, you’re a role model for many <3
Hi! I’m so happy for your achievements, even if I don’t know you! You really are a hardworking and very intelligent person, besides, you’re gorgeous, so I really feel like giving you a little advice: Take really good care of yourself during college. Classes will get really tough, and sometimes the best seems not enough, but don’t give up. Also, please, take care if you go to parties, you have a bright future ahead of you. Sincerely, someone who’s about to finish her college years.
Honestly I’m so impressed that first of all you knew of dual enrollment classes at such an early age and that you even had the option to take them. I looked for more classes to take but because the school system where I go to is so rigid, I never had the option. Even then, I probably wouldn’t have even known! So I guess this leads me to, how did you learn about all these opportunities? I’ve had to figure out a lot on my own, and it’s been a bit frustrating after realizing that I could’ve done more
I was going to try to post something funny, but about halfway through your article I couldn’t type from crying. What’s worse is that I can only cry in English, not French, German, and Chinese… AT AN INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED LEVEL! (Hell, you can probably cry in differential equations too) Helen, next time put a disclaimer for people like me who are jealous of beauty and brains that they’ll never attain… Totally ruined my day! Not cool 😤 (I don’t mean it Boss; you’re actually so inspirational, like, wtf 🥺)
It is quite impressive how you juggle with so many things in such a short period of time…amazing…My daughter skipped two grades in her elementary school years. Your performance relieved our worries that she may not catch up or looks too young to take any leadership role at the age of 15 before she apply for colleges…
The level of classes you took through school was incredible! It was thought provoking, however, to think that the amount of classes you took was out of the ordinary. At my high school, everyone took 7-8 classes a semester regardless of their level, and then had dual enrollment beyond that where applicable. Is a higher class load not the norm across other public high schools? I feel I would have been much more attentive and would have absorbed more if I wasn’t doing essays, homework, projects etc. for so many classes each day!
Highschool in Romania-》 9th grade to 12th grade! These are the numbers of subjects studied in each grade: 9th grade = 16 subjects; 10th grade = 18 subjects; 11th grade = 14 subjects; 12th grade = 15 subjects! These were all mandatory and pre-selected by the Gov. We cannot choose any of them! In order to graduate highschool you must pass the Baccalaureate test. Based on my highschool profile I had to pass a romanian language test as well as an oral exam, english oral exam, sports ( gymnastic, basketball, 50 m sprint,long jump), psycology and geography. =》 Highschool diploma!
I want to say first I am proud how much you put into your education and so happy you follow your dreams and didn’t do what everyone else was doing in high school you follow your dreams whatever god has planed for you in your future you are going be awesome at it wishing you the very best at harvard and follow your dreams
I’m going to apply for Medicine + Biomed engineering in December in my country through using my portfolio and stats. One thing I notice is you are really capable and impressive through your leadership and dedication in anything you want to do. Btw, I am still amazed by your research. It’s interesting!
Obviously the other colleges didn’t accept you because you may demoralize almost all other students having such incredible high stats and extracurricular activities and graduating high school in 3 years instead of 4. Probably you may graduate from Harvard in 2 years or at most 3 years. If you can continue academically like this you will be very famous in your academic area soon. As a medical professor I didn’t come across any hyper-talented high-school student like you. Congratulations
Wow seriously I have always wanted to reach ivy league schools but from your stats it makes me feel like theres no way I will lol, I have a unweighted 4.0 GPA and Im part of student gov and tons of AP classes but I only have a single parent who refuses to give me rides or support me in anything so participating in extra curricular is EXTREMELY challenging for me. Is there any advice you could give me?
Hi Helen i heard that the American universities dont consider it good or don’t prefer those students who have many resuot cards/transcripts . Is this true or not? Like if i have 3 or4 result card papers/transcrip tp attach to my application is this okay? Or will it effect my chances of acceptance? Like i first appear in 3 subjects and get my hardcapy resuot card. Then i appear in 5 subjects and have a seaparate result card for it. So i have to attach all of those. Please answer.
She is from a rich family with lots of connections; her dad is a Math professor at a university in Georgia. She more than likely went to a private school, probably had a college advisor since 5th grade, did dual enrollment at her dad’s school, got connected with the “research” topics through her dad. Not taking anything away from her, she did the work but she is definitely not from an average background so I don’t think people should be comparing themselves to her. This is not a story of “I overcame adversity and made something of myself”, this is more a story of what’s possible to achieve when you’re rich, connected, and your family supports you. She would have ended up fine Harvard or no Harvard. Let’s just hope she doesn’t burn herself out.
Hello!! My mom and I were perusal your college reaction articles and we were soooo happy for you!! Congrats 🎉👏!! I just wanted to ask a question if you don’t mind. Did you have an interview (during your admission)? If they did, can you tell me some general questions to expect, I would be really happy if you can reply
I did the same thing! My middle school had the option to take pre-ap classes which were highschool credits. I was already a grade ahead because I started school a year early so i start my senior year of HS at 15 years old and I will graduate at 16. Ill be 17 a few months into my first semester at college which is really scary but im happy to see someone else with the same story!
I just joined two clubs at my college lol, but many clubs in High school I joined Community Services, Soccer, Ambassador, Annual Staff. I didn’t join as much in my college because it was kind of interesting, but I didn’t want to join so much but I had to join a ASL (American Sign Language) club, Picnic Club (It means you have to join and make friends and go to many events over the Fall and Spring semesters I thought it was cool that I got my own pumpkin lol
Hey Helen, I really want to..no…*need* to know how you got into research at such a young age? I know you’re damn busy right now as a freshman but is there any way you can reply to this? I really, really want to get into research at least by 11th grade. Its really very restricting, my age, being curious and 16 shouldn’t be this binary.
Hi hello Helen you may not read this, but I wanted to give it a shot. I’ll be graduating as class of 2022 as a junior and would like some advice from you. How were you able to be so determined and disclipined in your studies? I would like to give it my all for my last year of high school, but I’m scared what’s on hold on me. How is it taking AP World History & AP English, were they extremely challenging would like some advice for that too. Also, some suggestions/advice for the ACT of you’ve taken it. Thank you for your time!😊
Helen im totally blown away. I have a request. Can you please help me in my MBA application, how should i frame my essays and my profile, i am a bit old(already have done an Msc Degree in a quant heavy subject, with good grades). Please let me know how much will you charge for helping if/when you are alright with it. Regards
im going to be a junior next year, and I wanna try to get into Harvard to make my family proud, but my grades are not good in freshman and sophomore because of the school environment of severe bullying. Is there a time where I can turn my way around and get my grades really good for junior and senior and have a chance to get into Harvard or any Ivy League school? I averaged freshman and sophomore’s with cs and a few ds. I am interested in the accounting department.
Heyyy! I’m an Indian student looking forward to give SAT this august and then apply for colleges but before that i had some concerns regarding my extra curriculars, can you pls help me out with them? It’s a humble request, just plz help me out🥺…. It’s very difficult for an international student as we don’t have high school education system like you guys, we don’t get to choose subjects every semester…. Plz help me out🥺🙏🙏
I’m going to be a freshman next yr, but I’m going to be taking algebra 1. I’m on the accelerated path for everything else (social studies, lit, and science). I’m taking honors bio, honors lit, honors global studies, and an AP class next yr too. I usually do pretty good w math. My ave for 7th grade math was 101 and my ave for pre algebra was 100. My school won’t let me be a yr head in math like some of my peers cuz I did bad on the placement test in 5th. However, in 10th, I’ll be able to take honors geometry. Do you think there’s a possibility for me to get into an Ivy League? Cuz I want to get into one, but I’m a bit discouraged cuz of math.
What I want to know is the role that your parent/s played in all of this? I am an East Asian mom 😉 and I have a Gifted and Talented child. He’s 8 years old and plays the piano as well. He goes to a Collegiate Preparatory school and I want to prepare him for an Ivy league school in the future. I began teaching him how to read at one year old and he started reading at 2. He’s involved in Bible quizzing and they have made it to Nationals last year. What do I do to get him interested in pursuing courses early on? What did your mom/dad do?? Lol. I want to know! My son is smart but cares more about his play time more than he does others. I want him to be an achiever but I don’t want to break him in the process.. Btw, you are so gorg and your personality is top notch! I want tips from your parents! 🤣❤️
That is truly impressive! But even though u took so many AP and honors classes, u ended up submitting only 4 of em. Also i dun think there is a place in the common app where we can list every class taken in all 4 yrs. SO does that mean if i take 5 APs and do well on them (also sending all of them to college) wld be gd enuf for getting gr8 colleges like u did??
Hey! I’m kind of interested in volunteering at senior centers accompanying or teaching them with my love of crochet. Do you know how I can come to this and find a senior center that would like that? I have a senior center right next to my apartment and I was thinking to just suggest to them the idea. May I ask how have you personally got to volunteer at the senior center?
Hey Helen!! I am a 17-year-old from India. you inspire me so much. I too try to get involved into as many stage shows or volunteer programs as I can. And ya we both love love Dancing. I would love to connect to you through email or any other way possible. I am not a lot of burden, I like thinking that way. I’d appreciate you taking time and reading this, I could use your help. Keep up the good work!!
Amazing article nd Congrtas for harvard but i have some questions, If u can help? I’m pretty good at Art, writing, singing, debates…. But in my area ppl aren’t big fans of such things they just want me to study and not to have any ECs. I’m topper of my class and i was #12 in my state…. With 99 percent marks overall. If you can tell me any things more to do or you can tell me some online places where i can show my talent and get some Certifictes. I’m also taking part in social working like environmental protection planting awareness about diseases etc… Help me if u can do
Don’t waste your time and money at school, go apply for a job where you want to work and invest that money into bitcoin. By 2026 you’ll be a multimillionaire and you’ll be able to do whatever you want. Oh, and keep up with the YouTube website; a worldwide broadcasting agency at your fingertips is an opportunity that shouldn’t be squandered.