2008-2009 Columbia College of P&S Secondary Application Thread

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rowerlauren said:
Yeah but now that I'm done and have 0 secondaries hanging over my head I'm enjoying the break. I mean I have been pondering Duke's old essays, but I don't want to actually write it until I know the prompts for sure.

My roommate is slacking and hasn't even started her essay... so not everyone has submitted theirs.
Click to expand...

Wow. Impressive. Very impressive.
 
chad5871 said:
I have friends (several, actually) who have still not submitted their AMCAS. We're all still way ahead of the curve, guys. No need to stress yet!
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Dude, my AMCAS last year wasn't verified 'til ~8/10 or something.

You guys are on the ball!!! 👍
 
chad5871 said:
I have friends (several, actually) who have still not submitted their AMCAS. We're all still way ahead of the curve, guys. No need to stress yet!
Click to expand...

that makes me feel quite a bit better actually. i was just freaking out to my bf about my last letter not being in and how slow my premed committee is anyway but i guess we are still ok.

jesus, med school is insane. we are freaking out in june when *technically* the deadline is like october
 
Hi,

Is anyone else having problems with the "downloadable forms"? I've been trying to download the "photo document" form, but it seems like the pdf doesn't open properly...
 
Question about the optional section... it says to include things like additional majors...

How about a minor in a language? It's on my AMCAS but doesn't fit in anywhere on the secondary...
 
Has anybody heard anything from Columbia verifying that they received your LORs or your snail-mailed photograph?

It's been 2 weeks since I sent my stuff in, but I guess they haven't gone through everything yet...
 
Nope, I haven't heard anything. I submitted and sent everything on 7/2
 
shemarty said:
Has anybody heard anything from Columbia verifying that they received your LORs or your snail-mailed photograph?

It's been 2 weeks since I sent my stuff in, but I guess they haven't gone through everything yet...
Click to expand...

I emailed them with a legitimate questions since my LORs have been having issues, thank you AMCAS, and I got back a rather curt response.

"Hi,

It is much too early in the process to give any status checks. When we work on your application you will receive an email.

Thank you"

So it seems like they will not be emailing us as to the status of our application from this.
 
rowerlauren said:
I emailed them with a legitimate questions since my LORs have been having issues, thank you AMCAS, and I got back a rather curt response.

"Hi,

It is much too early in the process to give any status checks. When we work on your application you will receive an email.

Thank you"

So it seems like they will not be emailing us as to the status of our application from this.
Click to expand...

Hm well that's okay. I guess their office is just not there yet. Which is better then them having lost our LORs or something like that.

*continues to wait*
 
lubthumpdub said:
Hi,

Is anyone else having problems with the "downloadable forms"? I've been trying to download the "photo document" form, but it seems like the pdf doesn't open properly...
Click to expand...

Are you using a mac? The downloadable forms use .asp to turn the input boxes into the pdf form. .asp doesn't work with mac OS (apparently)...
 
I got an email saying my file was complete within a week of submitting my stuff. So you guys may want to give em a ring and see what's up...
 
rowerlauren said:
I emailed them with a legitimate questions since my LORs have been having issues, thank you AMCAS, and I got back a rather curt response.

"Hi,

It is much too early in the process to give any status checks. When we work on your application you will receive an email.

Thank you"

So it seems like they will not be emailing us as to the status of our application from this.
Click to expand...


Exactly the same response I received. No idea what is going on. I submitted Jun 15th 😕
 
daybed said:
I got an email saying my file was complete within a week of submitting my stuff. So you guys may want to give em a ring and see what's up...
Click to expand...

When did you submit, when did you get the e-mail, and what did the e-mail say?
 
Dear Applicant,

This email is to inform you that your application for admission has been completed and will be evaluated by the Committee on Admissions when they convene in mid September.

You will be notified promptly if the Committee votes to request an interview with you.

Thank you
Admissions Office
 
sss403: Submitted 6/15, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
seven87: Submitted 6/18, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Shemarty: Submitted: 6/19, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
ar2388: Submitted: 6/24, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Waterlilly: Submitted: 6/27, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
copingmethods: Submitted: 6/29, Letters rec'd: 7/11, Complete: 7/15
Vadd0: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Isis24: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Myuuchan: Submitted: 7/6, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rplyler1: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rowerlauren: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
dr drummer: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
happyandswell: Submitted: 7/9, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
 
So the day after telling me you won't inform me of my status I get told I am complete... Weird.

sss403: Submitted 6/15, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
seven87: Submitted 6/18, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Shemarty: Submitted: 6/19, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
ar2388: Submitted: 6/24, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Waterlilly: Submitted: 6/27, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
copingmethods: Submitted: 6/29, Letters rec'd: 7/11, Complete: 7/15
Vadd0: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Isis24: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Myuuchan: Submitted: 7/6, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rplyler1: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rowerlauren: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
dr drummer: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
happyandswell: Submitted: 7/9, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
 
Yea, after you posted what they told you, I was expecting this to take another MONTH or something...

YAY for being complete at Columbia!
 

sss403: Submitted 6/15, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
seven87: Submitted 6/18, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: 7/22
Shemarty: Submitted: 6/19, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
ar2388: Submitted: 6/24, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Waterlilly: Submitted: 6/27, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
copingmethods: Submitted: 6/29, Letters rec'd: 7/11, Complete: 7/15
Vadd0: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Isis24: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Myuuchan: Submitted: 7/6, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rplyler1: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rowerlauren: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
dr drummer: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
happyandswell: Submitted: 7/9, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
 
sss403: Submitted 6/15, Letters rec'd: 6/12, Complete: 7/22
seven87: Submitted 6/18, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: 7/22
Shemarty: Submitted: 6/19, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
ar2388: Submitted: 6/24, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Waterlilly: Submitted: 6/27, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
copingmethods: Submitted: 6/29, Letters rec'd: 7/11, Complete: 7/15
Vadd0: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Isis24: Submitted: 7/2, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
Myuuchan: Submitted: 7/6, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rplyler1: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
rowerlauren: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: 7/22, Complete: 7/22
dr drummer: Submitted: 7/8, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
happyandswell: Submitted: 7/9, Letters rec'd: ??, Complete: ??
 
Hi guys. It's my first time in shemarty-ville, thanks for setting up these secondary threads! It's my second time applying, it'll be nice this year to have these threads around.

About the Columbia secondary, does it bother any nontraditional applicants that there isn't a space asking you about your post-school activities? It's all in my primary, but it's weird that there isn't a specific space in the secondary like the other schools do. I'm considering forcing it into #5 or #6 but do you think that's too big of a stretch?
 
hmm, so if your email said the committee won't convene to discuss possible interviews until mid-sept... then that means that if i hope to have everything in and complete by the end of aug (due to late recs, mcat score..) then does that mean i can still be in the first batch of apps that columbia looks at??
 
lala2626 said:
hmm, so if your email said the committee won't convene to discuss possible interviews until mid-sept... then that means that if i hope to have everything in and complete by the end of aug (due to late recs, mcat score..) then does that mean i can still be in the first batch of apps that columbia looks at??
Click to expand...

Who knows. But, I imagine that they place them in a stack in the order recieved.
 
Decicco said:
Who knows. But, I imagine that they place them in a stack in the order recieved.
Click to expand...

We expect the Committee to convene at the beginning of September. The order they are sent for review is in the order of completion.

Sincerely,
P&S Admissions
 
Rachman said:
Hi guys. It's my first time in shemarty-ville, thanks for setting up these secondary threads! It's my second time applying, it'll be nice this year to have these threads around.

About the Columbia secondary, does it bother any nontraditional applicants that there isn't a space asking you about your post-school activities? It's all in my primary, but it's weird that there isn't a specific space in the secondary like the other schools do. I'm considering forcing it into #5 or #6 but do you think that's too big of a stretch?
Click to expand...


i know, wtf? i have more EC post-bac and its annoying to not mention it! its almost like they assume you are coming straight out of undergrad.
 
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Legend
SS: Secondary Sent
C: Complete
II: Interview Invite
I: Interview

sss403: SS: 6/15, C: 7/22, II:?, I:?
seven87: SS:6/18, C: 7/22, II:?, I:?
Shemarty: SS: 6/19, C: 7/22, II:?, I:?
ar2388: SS: 6/24, C: ?, II:?, I:?
Waterlilly: SS: 6/27, C: ?, II:?, I:?
copingmethods: SS: 6/29, C: 7/15, II:?, I:?
Vadd0: SS: 7/2, C: ?, II:?, I:?
Isis24: SS: 7/2, C: ?, II:?, I:?
Myuuchan: SS: 7/6, C: ?, II:?, I:?
rplyler1: SS: 7/8, C: ?, II:?, I:?
rowerlauren: SS: 7/8, C: 7/22, II:?, I:?
dr drummer: SS: 7/8, C: ?, II:?, I:?
happyandswell: SS: 7/9, C: ?, II:?, I:?
 
When you all are filling out the "essays" where they want you to list things, are you literally just listing them as title sort of things, like the titles for each experience in our primary, or what? It seems odd for us to list these things with no further explanation, since it's a secondary and all (usually meant for expanding on ideas and experiences, not cutting them down to lists). Odd question, but thanks for your help.
 
yes, just listing. they even say that they should be separated by commas and not to use enter or return 🙂
 
i submitted my application in beginning of July and haven't heard back from them at all.... 🙁
 
poohbear00 said:
i submitted my application in beginning of July and haven't heard back from them at all.... 🙁
Click to expand...
same here. then again my LOR's arent in... 🙁 stupid premed committee at my school.
 
A few questions:

1. My AMCAS still isn't verified but the app asks for your GPA. Should I try to figure it out myself and put that in? Or should I wait until my AMCAS is verified? I'm guessing they won't really consider my app complete anyway until my primary is verified, but I just really want to start sending these things in.

2. For the question on number of hours spent working, some people have said that they included class hours. Does this seem to be stretching it to anyone else? It does say that its for work for which you were "recompensed."

3. I'm taking 2 years off between undergrad and med school, but there isn't really a place to talk about it, although clearly its in my amcas. Should I include this in the additional document? Or will they see that as repeating what's in my primary?

4. Finally, I know this has been asked, but when it tells you to list your ECs, I just listed them, no dates, no details. It seems to me like if they want the details they could look at your primary, right?

Thanks!
 
I was wondering for question six: "If your education has been interrupted for any reason, please indicate briefly the reasons, the duration of the interruption and how your time was spent." Does it just mean if you took time off in the middle of college (like a semester or a year doing something else between two of your years as an undergrad) or does it include a year off between undergrad and medical school?

I'm taking a year off and still figuring out exactly how I'm spending my time, although I have a few medically related plans. I talk about these things extensively in my AMCAS application, so do I need to explain that again in question six, or not?

I guess I'm just confused because I don't see a year off as "interrupting" my education since I already graduated and went straight through my four years, but I'm not sure.

Any advice on this one? 😕

Also, I've really appreciated reading these forums for the last couple of weeks as I'm filling out secondaries, so thanks to everyone for posting. I guess I was inspired to get an account and start posting myself now. 🙂

For demanding so much time and effort from their applicants, I think a lot of these schools need to work on the clarity and user-friendliness of their applications. I was glad the AMCAS had such a huge instruction book.
 
I think education interrupted means stopping out for a quarter/semester/year in the middle of college. They'd want to know, hmm, was it because of a personal reason? could you not handle college? did you decide to travel abroad for awhile on your own? did you get suspended?


I'm taking a year off, too, but I don't consider that "interrupting my education" the way these secondaries ask about it.
 
shemarty said:
I think education interrupted means stopping out for a quarter/semester/year in the middle of college. They'd want to know, hmm, was it because of a personal reason? could you not handle college? did you decide to travel abroad for awhile on your own? did you get suspended?


I'm taking a year off, too, but I don't consider that "interrupting my education" the way these secondaries ask about it.
Click to expand...


Thanks shemarty. I guess that's what I wanted to hear. I'm just going to put an N/A for that one too.
 
For some reason in the last couple hours I am no longer able to get to the secondary. When I click on the link contained in the email, I get an error message. I also tried going through the Columbia's website but I still get the same message. Is anyone else getting this or is the problem on my end. Thanks a lot.
 
iheartsnow said:
A few questions:

1. My AMCAS still isn't verified but the app asks for your GPA. Should I try to figure it out myself and put that in? Or should I wait until my AMCAS is verified? I'm guessing they won't really consider my app complete anyway until my primary is verified, but I just really want to start sending these things in.

2. For the question on number of hours spent working, some people have said that they included class hours. Does this seem to be stretching it to anyone else? It does say that its for work for which you were "recompensed."

3. I'm taking 2 years off between undergrad and med school, but there isn't really a place to talk about it, although clearly its in my amcas. Should I include this in the additional document? Or will they see that as repeating what's in my primary?

4. Finally, I know this has been asked, but when it tells you to list your ECs, I just listed them, no dates, no details. It seems to me like if they want the details they could look at your primary, right?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

1. If you want, use the given scale to convert your grades or wait for your primary to get verified.

2. Doesn't make sense to include class hours as work hours, imo.

3. I'd indicate it again in the additional document section. There's nothing to lose.

4. I also listed them using commas as instructed.
 
has anyone used the extra page at the end to submit extra information? I want to use it to describe my intention to apply for the MPH as well, but I'm not sure if it's the appropriate place... thoughts?
 
If there's something else you want them to know, including about your MPH plan, that's definitely the place to tell them.

I used that spot to say I'd be abroad and couldn't take an interview until January - like I'll get one, here's hoping.🙄
 
Hey all,

Just started to do the secondary today. Some questions though:::

1) I'm Chinese, so I would technically be classified as "South East Asian" right?
2) When they ask you to list out undergraduate schools you went to, does that include schools at which you took summer courses?

Thanks!
 
fuzzywuz said:
Hey all,

Just started to do the secondary today. Some questions though:::

1) I'm Chinese, so I would technically be classified as "South East Asian" right?
2) When they ask you to list out undergraduate schools you went to, does that include schools at which you took summer courses?

Thanks!
Click to expand...


chinese is east asian.

south east is like vietnam and thailand.
 
BDNF said:
chinese is east asian.

south east is like vietnam and thailand.
Click to expand...

they don't have that option.. lol

i dont fit under asian pacific islander either..
 
Under the 'previous education' section when they ask you to list your 'other academic institutions' is it really necessary to list your GPA? for example if i took 2 summer classes at a CC, do i need to list my gpa for those two classes? it doesn't say required.... but im wondering if i still should :hello:
 
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For awards... is it okay to list Dean's List? If not, that section would be empty for me.

I'm sure most of you have some really awesome awards and stuff...
 
Horseback riding and dancing would definitely be extracurriculars....the rest is not exactly extra curricular in the traditional sense....But if you bring it up on a technicality then yes, they could be considered extracurricular if you were not getting credits or money for the activities you've mentioned...
ar2388 said:
hey, for the second question when they ask to list EC's what do they count as extracurrics? dancing, research, tutoring, notebook grading, horseback riding, public health group ---- do all these count as EC's or should i not list tutoring and grading bc I got paid for them?
Click to expand...
 
fuzzywuz said:
For awards... is it okay to list Dean's List? If not, that section would be empty for me.

I'm sure most of you have some really awesome awards and stuff...
Click to expand...


Dont worry...I'm writing Dean's/Presidents list ...About others getting a lot of awards...Don't sweat it...maybe some people do have a lot...but that should not be a point to fret over...

cheers!!🙂
 
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