The following is an excerpt from the incredibly popular website, College Confidential.
Gosh. No one can answer that. I doubt, even if you knew someone in Columbia's admissions department they could answer that. Let's say their rep from your area has ... 100 (?) applications to review and consider.
30 of them are an immediate "no" due to stats or something else that really stands out (who knows, discipline). I'm totally MAKING UP these numbers...just explaining how they are correct when they all say the process is holistic (once yohave the stat range)
So now he still has 70 people and maybe gets 10 slots to fill. I know the regions don't have EXACT specific numbers. But you will not find an elite school that isn't represented throughout the nation/world. So...it's not like their Midwest rep is going to be allowed 500 spots, you know?
So he sifts through and the cream rises to the top first. The 2400/36/4.0UW kids. And they might go in the "yes" pile and he already has 5 "yes" and only 5 more to place out of the remaining 65. THEN he actually reads. Again...MAKING ALL THIS UP but...once you look at the numbers you see how HARD it actually is to get into these colleges. HYP, for example...only 1200-1600 IN THE ENTIRE NATION get into their freshman class. That's a LOT of very special kids who were told no.
So...back to Columbia Admissions person...who has to narrow 65 kids into 5. Now he reads essays. 5 of them can't form a decent sentence even with their high scores.
Down to 60.
10 of them showed no continuity or passion in their ECs. Down to 50. 10 more little/had no leadership roles, 10 more had little/no volunteer work. STILL 30 and can only take 5!
So....what next? He reverses the process and, instead of eliminating he now selects the 10 of them had state or national championships in one thing or another (sport, music, acadmic). And they have "everything else", interesting essays, plenty of "extras".
Yet he STILL can take only half of THOSE! So something just stands out for him in the 5 he picks versus the 5 he doesn't. One of them is an "army brat" and had to change schools repeatedly but still excelled. One of them started a charitable foundation or helped raise her younger siblings when her single Mom fought cancer. Another one is so passionate about math that they've taken every advanced class their school offers and some local college courses too AND is Math Bowl champion...you get the picture. The fourth one plays oboe...and Columbia is looking for oboe's this year (it happens). And the last one goes to a tiny school and lives on a farm and their town is offering to help with tuition if the child returns home and practices medicine for 5 years after becoming a doctor.
So...YOUR child, while I'm sure a very attractive candidate...just didn't end up in that mix. There are SO many talented kids; they work SO hard these days. I'd HATE to have the job of selecting. But...your child will get a great education and I believe that (for the most part!), kids get in where they SHOULD get in. I hope your child will be happy at their "2nd choice". But, I'm sure you already know, there is no real answer to your question.
Luck!
