Columbia Waitlist.....Thread i guess

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

shambohh

Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
It had to start sooner or later......and I'm on it.

Members don't see this ad.
 
shambohh said:
It had to start sooner or later......and I'm on it.

me too. i wrote my groveling letter today to stay on it.
 
any idea how many of us will get off the "list of alternates"?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi everyone. First time I've read SDN or posted here... I just got my Columbia waitlist letter today as well. I'm hoping against hope that I'll be accepted on down the road, but I felt as though my interview with Frantz was actually my weakest med school interview thus far (which was really upsetting bc I absolutely loved Columbia). I got his thank you note "strongly in mind" letter as well.

I get the sinking feeling that Columbia doesn't outright reject post-interview, and that my wait listing is more of a "gentle" let-down (if you can call being left on the hanger gentle). Here's a question: would anyone who reads this who got accepted and who *doesn't* plan on taking it let us know? I for one would appreciate still knowing there's a chance, even if I'm purely in denial now...
 
eriol said:
Hi everyone. First time I've read SDN or posted here... I just got my Columbia waitlist letter today as well. I'm hoping against hope that I'll be accepted on down the road, but I felt as though my interview with Frantz was actually my weakest med school interview thus far (which was really upsetting bc I absolutely loved Columbia). I got his thank you note "strongly in mind" letter as well.

I get the sinking feeling that Columbia doesn't outright reject post-interview, and that my wait listing is more of a "gentle" let-down (if you can call being left on the hanger gentle). Here's a question: would anyone who reads this who got accepted and who *doesn't* plan on taking it let us know? I for one would appreciate still knowing there's a chance, even if I'm purely in denial now...

yo eriol, keep your hopes up. they have an extremely active waitlist. the first-year student i stayed with got in off the waitlist, and another first-year student there said that columbia has one of the most active waitlists in the country, if not the most active. i think he said that ~40% of the incoming class is comprised of alternates.

haha, i got a waitlist, too.
 
Best of luck to all you waitlisters. As a current Columbia M1, I can confirm that there are several people who arrived "late" to the class. The latest I know of is my own case -- I was accepted via phone call in mid-June. Read previous year's threads for advice and inspiration.

The formula is pretty simple; write letters to Dr. Frantz indicating your continued interest. In your letters, emphasize any new stuff in your life and why you're interested in Columbia. Forward any new transcripts if you're still in school. You can ask for a second interview in your letter. Columbia likes students who are very enthusiastic about the school, since P&S is a very student-driven place.

Good luck!
 
shambohh said:
It had to start sooner or later......and I'm on it.

I'm on it too.

Funny, I felt my Columbia interview was my strongest but unfortunately for me it was not with Dr. Frantz.

its been said many times before- this is a seemingly random process.
 
I got the waitlist... knew it was coming. (Plus the smaller white envelope in my mailbox confirmed it)

now question to you all, does everyone's waitlist letter include that you're "very highly ranked" or are there separate versions of this alternate letter? Just trying to figure out if Columbia liked me or is trying to let me down easy.


goodluck to you all. I guess now we wait :oops:
 
chumpana said:
I got the waitlist... knew it was coming. (Plus the smaller white envelope in my mailbox confirmed it)

now question to you all, does everyone's waitlist letter include that you're "very highly ranked" or are there separate versions of this alternate letter? Just trying to figure out if Columbia liked me or is trying to let me down easy.


goodluck to you all. I guess now we wait :oops:

Which state are you in? Sorry to hear about the waitlist.
 
PhotoMD said:
Which state are you in? Sorry to hear about the waitlist.


ny (pretty far North from the city). thanks anyways... and good luck :luck:
 
I got "very highly ranked" as well. I'm more curious as to how big the list is, if there really is any ranking to it, and if *anybody* gets flat out rejected or if they just waitlist everyone post-interview. Can anyone in the know clarify this stuff?
 
eriol said:
I got "very highly ranked" as well. I'm more curious as to how big the list is, if there really is any ranking to it, and if *anybody* gets flat out rejected or if they just waitlist everyone post-interview. Can anyone in the know clarify this stuff?

Apparently Columbia IS rejecting outright. So the waitlist is good! Someone just posted about it in the other thread. And my mail has yet to come, but I have a feeling I might be a part of that dubious distinction too.
 
So... I definitely want to show that I'm interested in P&S, but I don't want Frantz to think I'm psycho. How often do you guys think I should contact P&S to reaffirm my desire to attend? More than once every 2-3 weeks? Should I call, or just send letters?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hey all, another waitlister over here. I also got the "very highly ranked" remark, and it looks like most everyone got that! I am not even really sure how to start dealing with this (in terms of letters, etc). Any advice?
 
i was on the waitlist last year. to my knowledge, everyone gets the same letter with the same "very highly ranked" jargon. also, a few people do get rejected post interview. someone i know at my undergrad school did last year for sure. be sure to whip out your very best ass-kissing pens and letterhead for those letters... :thumbup:
 
argh, still nothing from columbia in my mail.
 
so the waitlist letter reached california today. is anyone going to ask for a second interview? what's the best way to go about asking for it?

thanks, and best of luck to everyone who got waitlisted. :)
 
Okay. I've had my cry/rant/scream.

So now I am ready to be added, officially, to this list.

At least it's a popular one!

Cough.
 
Yay! Waitlist purgatory for me :D I'm also apparently "highly ranked". Oh well.
 
What a coincidence, I'm highly ranked as well!

When does the waitlist begin to move? Pretty much after May 15, or before?

I sent in my "letter of intent" today. We'll see what happens.
 
i'm so highly ranked i was waitlisted. :scared:
 
Okay people, time for me to hopefully perk things up around here. So, after a couple hours of being down in the dumps, I thought of a few things that definitely made me feel better, and I shall share these with you all. First of all, much congrats to everyone here - heck, we are on the waitlist at a top school, and that's nothing to sniff at!!! Right? Second, it's NOT a rejection - people HAVE gotten in off of the waitlist, and spots will open up this year, so all is NOT lost. And finally, all of the individuals on here are awesome applicants and have gotten acceptances from other schools (or will be getting them fairly soon) - we're going to be doctors!!! It's easy to lose sight of this during the course of this crazy process, but I thought about it today, and in the end, none of it matters - we're going to be doing what we love, and we're all going to be successful, and we're fortunate for what we have. Yes, Columbia is a great school, and I (as I'm sure most, if not all of you) would love to attend, but at the same time, it's not the only school that would make me happy. So please, perk up, and let's all bond together - you guys have been a great support system for me, and I hope that I can be the same for you. It's truly an honor to be on the waitlist with such an amazing, talented group of people...and let's try to make the most of this experience. I really hope that we all end up where we'll be happiest, and I have no doubt that everyone here will be extremely successful no matter what. :thumbup: :thumbup: :love:
 
ms2209 said:
Okay people, time for me to hopefully perk things up around here. So, after a couple hours of being down in the dumps, I thought of a few things that definitely made me feel better, and I shall share these with you all. First of all, much congrats to everyone here - heck, we are on the waitlist at a top school, and that's nothing to sniff at!!! Right? Second, it's NOT a rejection - people HAVE gotten in off of the waitlist, and spots will open up this year, so all is NOT lost. And finally, all of the individuals on here are awesome applicants and have gotten acceptances from other schools (or will be getting them fairly soon) - we're going to be doctors!!! It's easy to lose sight of this during the course of this crazy process, but I thought about it today, and in the end, none of it matters - we're going to be doing what we love, and we're all going to be successful, and we're fortunate for what we have. Yes, Columbia is a great school, and I (as I'm sure most, if not all of you) would love to attend, but at the same time, it's not the only school that would make me happy. So please, perk up, and let's all bond together - you guys have been a great support system for me, and I hope that I can be the same for you. It's truly an honor to be on the waitlist with such an amazing, talented group of people...and let's try to make the most of this experience. I really hope that we all end up where we'll be happiest, and I have no doubt that everyone here will be extremely successful no matter what. :thumbup: :thumbup: :love:

I feel exactly the same way. I've been trying to stay positive about all of this, I do have other acceptances to good schools which I shouldn't be down about.... but man I want Columbia. I sent in my Letter of Grovelation (well not grovelation, I thought it was decently eloquent...). How long do you guys think I should sit on that waiting for a reply? People Who Got Off The Waitlist Last Year, how did you go about this stuff? I'm thinking that in another two weeks or so I'll send another note explicitly requesting a second interview. Good or no? Should I call as well or no? So paranoid about screwing it up! haha

But in the meantime :rolleyes: I tried to find info in this forum about last years waitlist experiences and I couldn't really do it. Does anyone have links to that stuff? Any help is greatly appreciated. Good luck to all of you, and if you're reading this and you've been accepted to CU, feel free to decline ;) )
 
i think from reading last year's waitlist thread that some people had short handwritten notes written at the bottom of their waitlist letters from Dean Frantz. anyone this year have anything written on their waitlist letter like that?
 
Where's the love for Berkeley applicants? I know two guys here who are all around quadruple-hitters (very high stats, amazing ECs, stellar letters of recommendation, etc) and still haven't received any word from Columbia whatsoever. I'm hoping that they weren't rejected. I'm guessing they'll hear about their status this upcoming week.
 
3-5-05
Day three, still no word from Columbia post wait list. My supply of beer and pizza has started to run low. Spirits beginning to dwindle...

On a serious note, I have a question about financial aid. If I don't go to Columbia, I'll go to my state school. If I go to my state school, I don't need to apply for financial aid for M1. So I haven't bothered with FAFSA yet. Now, if I were, miracle of all miracles, to get off the waitlist at Columbia, would I be screwed as far as financial aid is concerned?
 
Hey ya'll - so this may seem like a really stupid question, but if we've been waitlisted at a school, do we still send financial aid info to that school, or is there pretty much no point? I'm assuming they have no use for such info, but I remember hearing from someone that it should be sent to waitlist schools, so what's the deal?

Anyway, I've gathered some of the threads discussing the waitlist from last year (they're not too purty, but nonetheless):
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=107538&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=111598&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=62577&highlight=columbia
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=8265&page=4&pp=20&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=57196&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
 
well, I'm sitting here and after reading all those waitlist threads I still can't tear myself away from SDN :oops: The Columbia waitlist is quickly becoming an unhealthy obsession, but I will persevere... after reading old threads, the plan of attack seems to be to wait about 2 weeks for a response to my first LOI and then send another/try calling.

Katie, you're still perfectly in the green for completing the FAFSA (I haven't done it yet), but you definitely do want to do it if you're serious about attending a private school like Columbia.

Question: I've been trying to discern if people in years past who had second interviews had their first interview with Dr. Frantz (becuase i did). Does anyone know if he interviews people he's already spoken with a second time?
 
eriol said:
Question: I've been trying to discern if people in years past who had second interviews had their first interview with Dr. Frantz (becuase i did). Does anyone know if he interviews people he's already spoken with a second time?

No, he only second interviews people he didn't first-interview, if that makes sense. :rolleyes:

Columbia, where is my freakin letter!??! I wish they'd just give it to me already so I can stop wondering myself to death!
 
KatieOConnor said:
3-5-05
Day three, still no word from Columbia post wait list. My supply of beer and pizza has started to run low. Spirits beginning to dwindle...

On a serious note, I have a question about financial aid. If I don't go to Columbia, I'll go to my state school. If I go to my state school, I don't need to apply for financial aid for M1. So I haven't bothered with FAFSA yet. Now, if I were, miracle of all miracles, to get off the waitlist at Columbia, would I be screwed as far as financial aid is concerned?

No!! I was in-state at UNC, and Columbia was cheaper! We have awesome fin. aid here. Fill out the FAFSA.
 
aprilshyla said:
No, he only second interviews people he didn't first-interview, if that makes sense. :rolleyes:

oh :( that makes me feel like my chances are even worse now... This process is so destructive to self confidence!
 
Hey everyone, this is my first post on SDN, although I've followed some of the Columbia threads for a few days now. I just got my waitlist letter 2 hours ago woohoo! :) :( mixed emotions, but im mostly happy :D ! I just wanted to wish the best of luck to everyone here, and I hope we all get in. Like many of you, Columbia is my dream school and it would be awesome if we could all be classmates there next year :thumbup: .

Anyway, I was just wondering if everyone here asked straight out for a second interview, because I remember seeing in a past year's thread that its best to subtly suggest that you want a second interview because they are not official interviews (though I'm not sure how you can subtly ask for that haha :confused: ). Also, when you guys send letters of intent every 2-3 weeks or phone calls, do you just say the same thing every time, like "Columbia is my first choice. Please accept me" over and over? Hehe I'm having trouble thinking of more excuses for sending these letters.

Alrighty I'm gonna go celebrate a little by having a beer and doing hw woooo.
 
hi, waitlisted here as well in berkeley. seems like it takes a lot of work to get off the waitlist and frankly, i'm rather sick of this process that has been going since june. i guess i dont want it bad enough. anyway, good luck to all of you if columbia is your dream school! :luck:
 
My waitlist letter stated "very highly ranked"--do all waitlist letters say this or are some "highly ranked" instead?
 
ead said:
My waitlist letter stated "very highly ranked"--do all waitlist letters say this or are some "highly ranked" instead?

as far as I've been able to tell they've all said "very highly ranked." Does anyone have anything more personalized? A handwritten note or anything?
 
ms2209 said:
Hey ya'll - so this may seem like a really stupid question, but if we've been waitlisted at a school, do we still send financial aid info to that school, or is there pretty much no point? I'm assuming they have no use for such info, but I remember hearing from someone that it should be sent to waitlist schools, so what's the deal?

Anyway, I've gathered some of the threads discussing the waitlist from last year (they're not too purty, but nonetheless):
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=107538&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=111598&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=62577&highlight=columbia
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=8265&page=4&pp=20&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=57196&highlight=Columbia+Waitlist

I think I just developed an ulcer from reading those threads.
 
Just got the waitlist letter, that puts me up to 3 waitlists, 0 acceptances. I guess I won't know until the summer....argggggggg. I think it must say somewhere on my AMCAS, "Don't accept this guy right away, make him wait in agony until the summer to tell him if he is going to be a doctor."
 
Even though I haven't even started this process yet and I won't be starting for a few more years, I already hate it with a passion. :)
 
eulogia228 said:
Even though I haven't even started this process yet and I won't be starting for a few more years, I already hate it with a passion. :)

The best advice I can give you is to run far, far away from SDN until you actually apply (or at the very least, until May 16). Compounding our March neuroticism with all the time you still have left can not possibly be healthy!
 
I just read the columbia waitlist thread from 2003. that was some depressing ****. The very last posts on July 10, 2003 read something like:

*can we stop bumping this thread. its like reopening a wound*

and

*inserts needle into eye*

god help us.
 
rme04 said:
I just read the columbia waitlist thread from 2003. that was some depressing ****. The very last posts on July 10, 2003 read something like:

*can we stop bumping this thread. its like reopening a wound*

and

*inserts needle into eye*

god help us.

If we were all in the same place I would definitely buy each and every one of you a beer right now. And probably another after you pounded the first one. ;)
 
If I have things on my transcript that don't show up on AMCAS (such as A+'s) would you recommend that I send those into Columbia? Or would they be unhelpful overkill?
 
eriol said:
If I have things on my transcript that don't show up on AMCAS (such as A+'s) would you recommend that I send those into Columbia? Or would they be unhelpful overkill?

you mean like updated grades? definitely send them, esp. since they are good. i'd think they can't hurt and could only help your app. (i had a friend who sent an updated transcript to columbia post-interview, pre-decision and got back a nice stock/generic postcard thanking him for his communication)
 
CalGoldenBear said:
you mean like updated grades? definitely send them, esp. since they are good. i'd think they can't hurt and could only help your app. (i had a friend who sent an updated transcript to columbia post-interview, pre-decision and got back a nice stock/generic postcard thanking him for his communication)

not exactly updated. Remember how AMCAS doesn't count A+'s, and rounds them down to A's? I thought that letting them know I had A+'s in these big, difficult courses might count for something...

EDIT: nm, stupid question.... AMCAS keeps a copy of our institutions letter grade, and just rounds down to 4.0 for point totals. They waitlisted me with a copy of my actual grades :oops:
 
eriol said:
not exactly updated. Remember how AMCAS doesn't count A+'s, and rounds them down to A's? I thought that letting them know I had A+'s in these big, difficult courses might count for something...

The reason AMCAS doesn't have A+s is because a lot of schools don't have them, so they are really only meaningful to the particular school. For instance, my school assigns 3.7,3.8,3.9,4.0 and so on for each course, but when I mail grades I send the AMCAS letter equivalents.
 
I interviewed with Dr. Frantz, and I thought things went really well. I guess they didn't go well enough. Hmmmm... what should I do?
 
tommerbommer said:
I interviewed with Dr. Frantz, and I thought things went really well. I guess they didn't go well enough. Hmmmm... what should I do?

Let me guess...he spent the first half of a long interview asking you questions, and the second half of the interview telling you how great Columbia would be for you. Then the waitlist...

Start writing.
 
yikes... deja vu.
when is the absolute earliest one might hear??? i don't know if I have the moral fortitude to go on...
 
Top