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

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I'm happy to help you build one at P&S. I did set building in college, so I know my way around most wood building implements. It could be a fun project! We could paint it and all sign it!
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hi folks,

i've been reading this thread for weeks freaking out about the waitlist process, and after writing dean frantz several times he finally invited me for an interview! Any advice from those of you who have been fortunate enough to be accepted following a second interview? Thanks!
 
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teachingdoc said:
hi folks,

i've been reading this thread for weeks freaking out about the waitlist process, and after writing dean frantz several times he finally invited me for an interview! Any advice from those of you who have been fortunate enough to be accepted following a second interview? Thanks!
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Look up some quotes related to medicine and at the end of the interview offer your commitment to Columbia.
 
Accepted from the waitlist today! Dean Frantz called me early in the morning. I sent him a couple of letters throughout the year, sent in a letter a couple of weeks ago saying how much I wanted to go there, and tried calling last week, but never got through. So, I sent him an email saying I was ready to be committed to Columbia and that I wanted to talk to him about it. He called to make sure that was true, and admitted me!

P&S class of 2013, here I come.
 
Seems like there has been quite a lot of waitlist movement at Columbia, even before May 15th. Did they accept fewer students this year to begin with? Congrats on your acceptance!
 
Question: have they requested that we send them our transcripts yet? What is the deadline for that?
 
Tiare208 said:
Question: have they requested that we send them our transcripts yet? What is the deadline for that?
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From the acceptance letter: "When your final transcript is ready, please have your registrar send us a copy of it as soon as possible. If, however, you cannot have a copy of the final version sent to us by August 2, 2009, please call or write to tell us why before July 15th."
 
seems like my luck is out...no matter what I send or call, he just tells me "we are keeping you in mind".

Is that bad?
 
Bollywood Junkie said:
seems like my luck is out...no matter what I send or call, he just tells me "we are keeping you in mind".

Is that bad?
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Well, since he has offered interviews to others in the same situation--you must not be too high a priority on the "non-ranked" waitlist 😉 BUT, don't lose hope! There still remains a reason they initially placed you on that waitlist. If I were in your position, I would beg the HELL out of Frantz! Keep trying :luck:
 
Yeah Bollywood Junkie I get the same kind of reply from him... He pretty much said to wait for May 15th...
 
Dr. Frantz just called me and offered me a spot, which I will absolutely be accepting! I had never interviewed with him, but I sent one letter of intent in early April, called to follow up 2 weeks after, then sent another letter of intent the first week of May.

Can't wait for my new adventure in NYC!
 
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Congrats! I'm glad it all worked out for you. See you in August. Does anyone know when/if Columbia has given us a first year schedule? It'd be nice to know when winter break, spring break, and summer start so I can put it in my calendar.
 
Tiare208 said:
Congrats! I'm glad it all worked out for you. See you in August. Does anyone know when/if Columbia has given us a first year schedule? It'd be nice to know when winter break, spring break, and summer start so I can put it in my calendar.
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They haven't approved the academic calendar for 09-10 yet. Check the website after 7/1.
 
Ouch. I'll be out of the country by then. That's going to make planning REALLY tough. Oh well!
 
Just got in yesterday!! Awesome call from Dean Frantz. SOO Excited!
I wrote a letter of interest after my interview, then a letter of intent after being waitlisted. I called him a few weeks ago but got the "there hasn't been much movement yet, wait until after May 15th." I tried hinting at meeting but he didn't offer an interview. So it's not over if you get a response like that.
I also sent two more recommendations, one from a certain celebrity doctor.
I actually just sent another strongly worded letter of intent yesterday morning that is going to look super awkward now 🙄.
Do you guys know how long it takes to get your financial aid package if you send the forms in soon after getting in off the waitlist?
Hope to meet you all next year!
 
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Congratulations to everyone getting accepted off the waitlist! I just had a second interview with Dean Frantz after sending several (3 I think) letters of intent/updates and got accepted at the end of the interview! I was completely in shock.

Thanks a lot to everyone who offered advice leading up to my interview! I guess it helped 😀

And best of luck to everyone else out there still waiting...
 
teachingdoc said:
Thanks a lot to everyone who offered advice leading up to my interview! I guess it helped 😀
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Excellent point, I should have said that earlier. I doubt I would have gotten in without the pointers on SDN. Thanks everyone!
 
i am looking at Columbia's last year's secondaries and I came across a question about employment. I have not worked during my undergraduate studies except one summer. Is that going to work against me?
 
viscous said:
i am looking at Columbia's last year's secondaries and I came across a question about employment. I have not worked during my undergraduate studies except one summer. Is that going to work against me?
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Meh, I doubt it so long as you've been busy. I had very little to put in the awards and honors section, but I made it through.
 
has anyone by chance been accepted since the 15th??? scared most of the movement has already happened...
 
Hi I'm a P&S 4th year leaving my huge apt on Haven and 172nd, which is right past the Towers. The rent is super cheap (very comparable to Bard, $715 and 745) for a much better place than Bard. Here's the housing description. Please let me know if you're interested!

---

2 large BRs available in spacious 3BR apt in Washington Heights for 6/1 and 6/15. Looking for female roommates
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Each BR has two large windows and closet space either in the room or right outside room

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*Kitchen with window with plenty of cabinet space

About the building:
*Intercom system in lobby
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About roommate:
*Female post-doc in orthopedic surgery, friendly, quiet, respectful of space

About the area:
*5-7 minute walk to Milstein Hospital
*10-12 minute walk to 1/A/C

Price:$715 for smaller (but still large) BR, $743 for the other. Utilities generally run $30-40 per person. Heat, hot water, gas all included.

Please contact Sunnie at [email protected] or call 347-426-8128 to find out more information and/or set up an appointment to see the place.
 
So I called and he said there had been fewer withdrawals than he would have liked at this point but that he is sure there are more to come. I thought he might have been letting me down easy but then he said he was optimistic about my chances...
 
ArtemisEntreri said:
So I called and he said there had been fewer withdrawals than he would have liked at this point but that he is sure there are more to come. I thought he might have been letting me down easy but then he said he was optimistic about my chances...
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This seems to be one of Dean Frantz's catchphrases. Several of my letters have this in it from him, but then again it ended up working out for me...
 
has anyone been told by dr. frantz "we will give your application serious consideration" and instructions to send a letter of intent? is this a let down or a maybe? ahhh columbia please let me in...
 
Furby - wait he actually told you to send a LOI? Had you sent one or more before?

Mmmcdowe - that's good to hear if you ended up getting in! I think what he actually said was "I'm optimistic about your chances, which is as far as I can go without giving you a guarantee." I'll keep trying 🙂!
 
yes, to confirm that columbia is my top choice. the reply you received sounds as promising as possible. he is known to be a man of his word... so i would think if he said he was optimistic about your chances, that is the case. good luck!!!
 
Thanks, I hope you're right! Good luck to you too, maybe there will be movement soon! :luck: I would definitely send the LOI soon if he asked for one...
 
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Anyone ever got into Columbia with similar stats?

Employed Engineer
MCAT 34R
3.64 Undergrad GPA
4.0 Grad GPA (@ Columbia)
200+ volunteer (@ NYP/Columbia Med Center)
 
My timing is so bad. Last two times I called he'd already left the office. Damn long weekends. :bang:
 
Does anyone know if Columbia has a laptop/computer requirement for students? If so, do you know what the specs are?

In addition, is there wireless internet in the med school classrooms? It's my understanding that the lecture are podcast, so I would assume yes, but I'm not sure.

Just curious, trying to get prepared. Thanks in advance!
 
A quick note for all those on the WL: I talked with Dean Frantz yesterday and he said that they have had far fewer drops off the WL than expected. He told me that if I get off the WL somewhere else to take it because it is unlikely that many will be taken off the WL...sorry to tell everyone.
 
Did he say "unusually little movement" or something else?

Also, Druzie, did you ever get a hold of him?
 
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I called Dr. Frantz a few days ago and he said a very similar thing to me. He said that theres been very little waitlist movement, the class is actually still overbooked and they may need to bribe some people to defer a year in order to cut it down to size. Also said the chances of accepting more people from the waitlist is vanishingly small and he is running into problems fullfilling promises to people he said he would accept already.

At least he is honest in telling us about our chances...
 
ArtemisEntreri said:
Did he say "unusually little movement" or something else?

Also, Druzie, did you ever get a hold of him?
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He said that the lack of movement was unexpected. It is very unlikely that many more people will be taken off the WL.🙁
 
Hm but he seemed to not be saying this at all when I called just about a week ago... Isn't most movement supposed to be happening between now and June 15th?
 
I spoke with him an hour ago and asked to meet, as I am planning to move soon. He said he couldn't, because there's been unexpectedly little movement this year, and they are currently over-enrolled. He's even doubting if they'll get the class down to size. He advised me to go ahead and commit somewhere else, as he expects any movement that does happen will happen very late.

Sorry, all! Maybe those really exceptional applicants still have a chance, but if you're borderline like me, it sounds like this is it.
 
rugbyclassical said:
Anyone ever got into Columbia with similar stats?

Employed Engineer
MCAT 34R
3.64 Undergrad GPA
4.0 Grad GPA (@ Columbia)
200+ volunteer (@ NYP/Columbia Med Center)
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FWIW (if you're the applicant in question), I met a friend of the Dean's at work, and when I mentioned I was on the WL, he told me that Dean Frantz "loves English majors and rugby players." Looks like you meet one of those criteria. Good luck.
 
Well this isn't good news 🙁. I'll give him a call early next week I suppose so he can tell me the same thing... Still, maybe something will still happen, good luck all.
 
Sorry to hear that guys! That's really surprising that they are so clogged in terms of waitlist movement. I wonder what the deal is?

I know that some schools, when overbooked, will offer financial incentives for deferrals. I'm not saying I'd do it, but if I was offered a cushy merit scholarship I might be swayed, especially if I still had opportunities to work in a research lab at Columbia.
 
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ArtemisEntreri said:
Well this isn't good news 🙁. I'll give him a call early next week I suppose so he can tell me the same thing... Still, maybe something will still happen, good luck all.
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artemis, did you by chance call yet? i cannot bring myself to dial columbia b/c i do not want to hear the sad news... 🙁
 
Maybe he's just being overly cautious? I'm sure that there will be more movement. After all, there's a whole SUMMER left for people to drop out of the class. Good luck to you all!
 
hopscotch - No, I haven't called yet. I had called on the 17th and I had said I'd call back in a few weeks so I thought I would wait at least two weeks. I don't want to harass him (too much 😉) so I'll call on Monday. I'll post here after I do although I suspect he'll tell me the same sort of thing...

Tiare208 - hopefully you're right...
 
Allright... So he did say he over-projected the number of people he thought would drop based on previous years and recently feared the class would be overenrolled. That's probably when some of you guys called him. However, apparently a few people have dropped since then and it is no longer looking as hopeless for the wl.

I asked if this meant movement would be happening in the late summer and he said he can't control or predict who will drop but that it could happen at any time. He also said it's not unusual to get no drops for several weeks and then multiple ones in a single day.

In other words...we keep waiting 😛. Still, it's much better than just getting a "no" right now 🙂. As always, :luck:!
 
There are openings at Cornell, Northwestern and probably UCSD. I doubt this will affect Columbia's enrollment, but fingers and toes crossed for waitlist movement. Pleaseeee Dean Frantz go to the WL...
 
Yeahhh still no news here...so much for most movement being between May 15 and June 15. Maybe there will still be that sporadic wl movement...
 
Druzie said:
FWIW (if you're the applicant in question), I met a friend of the Dean's at work, and when I mentioned I was on the WL, he told me that Dean Frantz "loves English majors and rugby players." Looks like you meet one of those criteria. Good luck.
Click to expand...


yeah, the doc asked me if i played rugby during my interview, later admitting that he had never played it before & that he was 'not the athletic type'. i think he was trying to ascertain if i enjoyed fitness & sports, as a doctor or surgeon needs to be fit...
 
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