2012-2013 Columbia University Application Thread

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Originally Posted by FijiGNR89

Columbia pancakes with a side of Columbia eggs... because I love Columbia.

well there are only so many ways to say i love columbia

Originally Posted by peanutz

Seems like YMMV. Mine was all loans and suggested looking into borrowing from my family.

Yeah, hmmm. I think financial aid is incredibly unpredictable. I got all loans at a few schools, Columbia did give me a need based grant as well as subsidized loans.

Originally Posted by FijiGNR89

Columbia pancakes with a side of Columbia eggs... because I love Columbia.

Bahahahaha this is the best. Fiji... I'm really rootin' for ya.

Originally Posted by FijiGNR89

Columbia pancakes with a side of Columbia eggs... because I love Columbia.

ugh my thoughts eggsactly

Is it safe to assume that the recommendation to submit an update is for people who have not been doing so regularly? I sent one a few weeks back and have absolutely nothing to add at this point.

That's how I'm reading into it. I sent them an update a little more than two weeks ago. There's nothing to say but I love you.

Originally Posted by futureczar

Is it safe to assume that the recommendation to submit an update is for people who have not been doing so regularly? I sent one a few weeks back and have absolutely nothing to add at this point.

Yes.

Originally Posted by twentythousand

generally when does the big rush of waitlist movement end for columbia? would the chances of being accepted after may 20th be really slim? wondering because i am making travel plans, and the end date of my trip would depend on whether i need to get back for orientation.

It's hard to predict these things but May 20 is pretty early IMO for the end of the bulk of the movement

Originally Posted by MDPhDJourney

Haha, Ditto!

I'm really hoping to get off Columbia's waitlist. I'm already in at a great school but I received a TERRIBLE financial aid package. I hear P&S's financial aid is really good. Can anyone confirm this?

Best of luck to everyone on the alternate list!

Originally Posted by obviouslyteal

Yeah, hmmm. I think financial aid is incredibly unpredictable. I got all loans at a few schools, Columbia did give me a need based grant as well as subsidized loans.

P&S has really good need based money, but it's got to be real need (i.e. regardless of how broke one may be, one's parents can't be making tons of cash )

It's a beautiful day for a phone call Hoping for good news!

Today is not the day either methinks. It is, however; a beautiful day. Just not as beautiful as me.

Originally Posted by FijiGNR89

Today is not the day either methinks. It is, however; a beautiful day. Just not as beautiful as me.

Every time I see you post, I always think it's going to be your acceptance post. Keep us updated!

well i sent in an update letter anyways, talked about how i beat level 30 on candycrush

I had a quick question about the curriculum. I was looking at the 4 year plan, and I noticed that during 3rd year clinical rotations end in late December and step 1 must be taken by the end of February. How do students manage all of that in such a short period? It seems so stressful! You finally finish rotations only to be hit with step 1. Do they just skip new years/Christmas w/ family for a year?

Also, what is BP review classes (it takes place during last few months of MCY before step 1). I assume it is board review courses. Are they Columbia directed/created classes? I guess they help offset the quick turn around b/w MCY and step 1?

Originally Posted by dahassa

I had a quick question about the curriculum. I was looking at the 4 year plan, and I noticed that during 3rd year clinical rotations end in late December and step 1 must be taken by the end of February. How do students manage all of that in such a short period? It seems so stressful! You finally finish rotations only to be hit with step 1. Do they just skip new years/Christmas w/ family for a year?

Also, what is BP review classes (it takes place during last few months of MCY before step 1). I assume it is board review courses. Are they Columbia directed/created classes? I guess they help offset the quick turn around b/w MCY and step 1?

2 full months is more than most schools get afaik so it's not a crazy injustice, nor is it a short time period in a relative sense unfortunately

Originally Posted by dahassa

I had a quick question about the curriculum. I was looking at the 4 year plan, and I noticed that during 3rd year clinical rotations end in late December and step 1 must be taken by the end of February. How do students manage all of that in such a short period? It seems so stressful! You finally finish rotations only to be hit with step 1. Do they just skip new years/Christmas w/ family for a year?

Also, what is BP review classes (it takes place during last few months of MCY before step 1). I assume it is board review courses. Are they Columbia directed/created classes? I guess they help offset the quick turn around b/w MCY and step 1?

and if you go back a few pages on here you will see that they have amazing board scores by the way.

Originally Posted by Dingo Mango

and if you go back a few pages on here you will see that they have amazing board scores by the way.

Yeah. I think the theory is that since you did MCY you actually have much more than two months to study for Step 1 because you've applying the science for a year.

Yes! I think it will be easier to figure out the problems on step 1 since I will have real people and cases I can remember for different things. And just more practice applying things in general.

I am withdrawing, so I may in state, pay a much lower tuition, and enjoy the beach at UCSD! Thanks for all the great support throughout this process guys. Good luck to you all!

Have a wonderful time there, Narie! It's been fun riding the anxiety train with you these last few months nonetheless. See you on the other side in the Medical forums when I see you! :P

Originally Posted by Narie

I am withdrawing, so I may in state, pay a much lower tuition, and enjoy the beach at UCSD! Thanks for all the great support throughout this process guys. Good luck to you all!

godspeed, my friend

any more waitlist movement?

Originally Posted by quaren

any more waitlist movement?

seems quiet. almost too quiet

I called the admissions office, they said they haven't started accepting from the waitlist as of yet

Well I guess that could be good or bad.. here is to hoping for big movement all at once

Originally Posted by thetiger

I called the admissions office, they said they haven't started accepting from the waitlist as of yet

hmmmm that is not so true... I know several people called off of the waitlist and I think some have even posted here.

Originally Posted by obviouslyteal

hmmmm that is not so true... I know several people called off of the waitlist and I think some have even posted here.

hmm weird..I guess the person i spoke to was not up-to-date with the process, or they are making a distinction between the pre- and post-May 15 list

Originally Posted by obviouslyteal

hmmmm that is not so true... I know several people called off of the waitlist and I think some have even posted here.

perhaps she was referring to after the 15th ?

Just to chime in, the facebook group has 6 people added on Monday and 7 people added one week ago, so I assume at least 13 people have been taken off the waitlist so far. Or all of these people decided on Columbia last minute, but probably not. So, it's safe to say the waitlist movement has started and will certainly continue into the foreseeable future. The group only has 122 people, for a class of ~165.

Then again, Penn's group has 133 for a class of ~165 and I would think their yield would have been significantly higher with all that endowment money they have...

Who would have thought that using Facebook would be like cheating on med school admissions

Good luck everyone!!

Originally Posted by wangers5270

Just to chime in, the facebook group has 6 people added on Monday and 7 people added one week ago, so I assume at least 13 people have been taken off the waitlist so far. Or all of these people decided on Columbia last minute, but probably not. So, it's safe to say the waitlist movement has started and will certainly continue into the foreseeable future. The group only has 122 people, for a class of ~165.

Then again, Penn's group has 133 for a class of ~165 and I would think their yield would have been significantly higher with all that endowment money they have...

Who would have thought that using Facebook would be like cheating on med school admissions

Good luck everyone!!

I think we should also maybe consider that not everyone uses facebook or some people don't join the group or wait until later to join it.
But I have to say that your comment was very encouraging and I appreciate it because I am currently waitlisted at my top choice school

I wouldn't use the facebook group as a metric unless people say they have been accepted off the waitlist explicitly...the numbers as people mentioned are inaccurate because also current first years join to post about housing options etc. It's P&S graduation this week so I have a feeling Dean Nicholas may be a little busy!

Originally Posted by wangers5270

Just to chime in, the facebook group has 6 people added on Monday and 7 people added one week ago, so I assume at least 13 people have been taken off the waitlist so far. Or all of these people decided on Columbia last minute, but probably not. So, it's safe to say the waitlist movement has started and will certainly continue into the foreseeable future. The group only has 122 people, for a class of ~165.

Then again, Penn's group has 133 for a class of ~165 and I would think their yield would have been significantly higher with all that endowment money they have...

Who would have thought that using Facebook would be like cheating on med school admissions

Good luck everyone!!

Originally Posted by wangers5270

Just to chime in, the facebook group has 6 people added on Monday and 7 people added one week ago, so I assume at least 13 people have been taken off the waitlist so far. Or all of these people decided on Columbia last minute, but probably not. So, it's safe to say the waitlist movement has started and will certainly continue into the foreseeable future. The group only has 122 people, for a class of ~165.

Then again, Penn's group has 133 for a class of ~165 and I would think their yield would have been significantly higher with all that endowment money they have...

Who would have thought that using Facebook would be like cheating on med school admissions

Good luck everyone!!

Wait, how do you know how many people are on Penn's FB page? You "withdrew" before decisions came out...

Originally Posted by dahassa

I had a quick question about the curriculum. I was looking at the 4 year plan, and I noticed that during 3rd year clinical rotations end in late December and step 1 must be taken by the end of February. How do students manage all of that in such a short period? It seems so stressful! You finally finish rotations only to be hit with step 1. Do they just skip new years/Christmas w/ family for a year?

Also, what is BP review classes (it takes place during last few months of MCY before step 1). I assume it is board review courses. Are they Columbia directed/created classes? I guess they help offset the quick turn around b/w MCY and step 1?

Rotations end about Dec 15, so you have 10 weeks off to study. Most people study for 5-7 weeks. Frankly, I really don't think the MCY gap between pre-clinicals and step 1 makes a big negative impact. You're going to forget the krebs cycle and the mechanism of thyroid hormone production pretty fast after the course, whereas the core content sticks pretty well. Any additional losses are balanced my tremendous increases in clinical processing speed and knowledge of disease features. Remember, step 1 questions are two part essentially. You can't answer the basic science question without knowing the disease, and the MCY makes you very good at that while allowing for a better framework to re-insert forgotten material.

BP = board prep. Columbia creates them and they are recorded.

Originally Posted by AnonJohn87

Wait, how do you know how many people are on Penn's FB page? You "withdrew" before decisions came out...

All the groups for each school/class are closed but viewable if you type the name in and search them on facebook. For the privacy of others I won't post the links here, but you can definitely find them and see everyone in each group...you just can't see what people are posting if it's a closed group. I call it extreme facebooking