2009-2010 Columbia University Application Thread

[CdnHopeful]

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What did you guys put for the (mm/dd/yyyy) for the mailing address/email address good until??

It's good forever, so what did you put??

 

[LAman10]

What did you guys put for the (mm/dd/yyyy) for the mailing address/email address good until??

It's good forever, so what did you put??

just put something waaay in the future. like 12/31/2015 (presumably after med school is over). they'll get the point

 

[CdnHopeful]

What exactly is the list format they're looking for in activities?

Like this?

Hospital volunteering, soccer, children's camp volunteer.

Do I include dates? Or should it be a bulleted list instead..?

 

[LAman10]

What exactly is the list format they're looking for in activities?

Like this?

Hospital volunteering, soccer, children's camp volunteer.

Do I include dates? Or should it be a bulleted list instead..?

yeah, like that. They just want a condensed version of your activities for themselves.

 

[CdnHopeful]

Also, when they ask "What collegiate extracurricular acitivities", do I only include the ECs that were university related?

Or do I include things done in the community, such as hospitals or library volunteer?

Thanks!

 

[Mary Jane]

Also, when they ask "What collegiate extracurricular acitivities", do I only include the ECs that were university related?

Or do I include things done in the community, such as hospitals or library volunteer?

Thanks!

I think it is only college related activities. You should check the earlier pages of the thread, where they have discussed these questions already.

 

[Mary Jane]

Finally submitted my (most likely) last secondary 🙂 Even though I love this school, its non-rolling policy made me push it way under the pile of secondaries. Oh well, looks like there is a long line of people ahead of me. I hate the waiting part of this process.😴

 

[mmmcdowe]

Finally submitted my (most likely) last secondary 🙂 Even though I love this school, its non-rolling policy made me push it way under the pile of secondaries. Oh well, looks like there is a long line of people ahead of me. I hate the waiting part of this process.😴

While it is too late now to worry about it, this was probably a poor decision on your part. While it is true that the admission process is rolling here at Columbia, the interview process is not. The longer you wait, the lower your chances are that you will be offered an interview. If you do get an interview, when you do it doesn't matter. I don't mean to panic you, you have good stats (lol at the O writing sample btw), so I think you'll still have a good chance of being asked to interview, but you have several thousand applications ahead of you. Columbia is very old school in the admissions process. There is no filtering, so your application is going to be read in the order that it was received.

 

[Aspasia]

Does anyone know how to check whether or not Columbia has received all the required documentation? On my application, this is what it says:

Congratulations, *****! All required questions have been completed and your Application System has been successfully submitted.

However, I can't find a place that indicates whether or not the photo/letters have been received.

Thanks for your help!

 

[mdeast]

Does anyone know how to check whether or not Columbia has received all the required documentation? On my application, this is what it says:

Congratulations, *****! All required questions have been completed and your Application System has been successfully submitted.

However, I can't find a place that indicates whether or not the photo/letters have been received.

Thanks for your help!

They'll send you a complete email once everything is received and registered. Their admissions system is by paper files...it's not digital so there's no way to track it online. I was complete early July and just got my complete email a few days ago. Just gotta be patient.

 

[Equality]

If you do get an interview, when you do it doesn't matter.

Relief... Cuz i submitted mine rel. late.

There is no filtering, so your application is going to be read in the order that it was received.

Hmm. Less relieved.


Maybe they'll read Bassett applicants first. ^^

 

[Mary Jane]

While it is too late now to worry about it, this was probably a poor decision on your part. While it is true that the admission process is rolling here at Columbia, the interview process is not. The longer you wait, the lower your chances are that you will be offered an interview. If you do get an interview, when you do it doesn't matter. I don't mean to panic you, you have good stats (lol at the O writing sample btw), so I think you'll still have a good chance of being asked to interview, but you have several thousand applications ahead of you. Columbia is very old school in the admissions process. There is no filtering, so your application is going to be read in the order that it was received.

I understand what you mean to say, but it was never a conscious decision. I received my new MCAT score only in the first week of August, which is when I decided to apply to Columbia and other good schools. The speed of my writing and the time I got to work on my secondaries decided the timing of the whole process. However, I do wish I could have submitted Columbia earlier, considering its straightforward questions. Oh well, I will be patient and keep my fingers crossed. 🙁

PS i did get a Q for Writing Sample in my old MCAT

 

[mmmcdowe]

I understand what you mean to say, but it was never a conscious decision. I received my new MCAT score only in the first week of August, which is when I decided to apply to Columbia and other good schools. The speed of my writing and the time I got to work on my secondaries decided the timing of the whole process. However, I do wish I could have submitted Columbia earlier, considering its straightforward questions. Oh well, I will be patient and keep my fingers crossed. 🙁

PS i did get a Q for Writing Sample in my old MCAT

Yeah I wouldn't sweat it either way. It's just funny because you're a engineering major. 😉

 

[kywii]

Interview Invite!

Submitted 6/29
Complete 8/24

 

[neuromcdoctor]

Interview Invite!

Submitted 6/29
Complete 8/24

Congrats!! Did you get a complete email from them?

 

[IHeartSleep]

I imagine it'd be silly to call them and ask about complete-ness if it's all paper apps? (submitted 2nd week of July)

 

[Philly Med]

Congrats!! Did you get a complete email from them?

I called, and they said they have only sent 'incomplete' e-mails, as opposed to 'complete' e-mails. So the woman said if I did not receive an 'incomplete' e-mail, I'm all set.

 

[daisy44]

I received a complete email.

 

[Food]

Do you have to have the photo in to be considered complete? I turned in my photo about two weeks after i turned in my actual app.

 

[allen5055]

Just got a complete email. I submitted my secondary 7/14 but I didn't have my primary verified until 7/24.

 

[kywii]

I did get a complete email.

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

 

[fadfaruq]

I did get a complete email.

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

Do you mind posting your stats?

 

[eric51]

I got an interview today!!!
Anyone else going on September 25th?

 

[ClarKent]

🙂

 

[TypeSH07]

🙂

Mind if I ask when you were 'complete'?

 

[flip26]

Just got the complete email.

For people who already got interview invites, when did you get the complete email?

 

[flip26]

I called, and they said they have only sent 'incomplete' e-mails, as opposed to 'complete' e-mails. So the woman said if I did not receive an 'incomplete' e-mail, I'm all set.

I can now confirm that this is bull**** - they definitely sent me a complete email, today.

Some of the people working in these admissions offices have no idea what they are talking about...very frustrating process.

 

[PDtoMD]

I just received the "complete" e-mail after submitting on 7/13. As others have said, they are a very busy and thorough admissions office. I think that others will see things start to move.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Be nice, they are understaffed and have giant towers of paper applications piling up.

Congrats to those who have received interviews, I look forward to meeting some of you.

 

[Philly Med]

I can now confirm that this is bull**** - they definitely sent me a complete email, today.

Some of the people working in these admissions offices have no idea what they are talking about...very frustrating process.

Thanks for clearing this up --I promise I didn't make this up!! I was definitely told this, lol.

I look forward to receiving that 'complete' e-mail, as I submitted in early August.

Good luck to all of you!

 

[eeeeee]

Complete today. Submitted 6/29.

 

[dw2158]

I can now confirm that this is bull**** - they definitely sent me a complete email, today.

Some of the people working in these admissions offices have no idea what they are talking about...very frustrating process.

hm, i was told the same thing when i called. oh well, guess we are getting the complete emails!

I just received the "complete" e-mail after submitting on 7/13. As others have said, they are a very busy and thorough admissions office. I think that others will see things start to move.

ok, i guess i am willing to be patient for columbia 😛

 

[ClarKent]

Mind if I ask when you were 'complete'?

Hey,

I was marked complete late August, a little over a month after I submitted. Hope that helps.

 

[rbsckmnn]

Got a "complete" email today. One step closer to my dream school.

For those who received interviews...how long b/w complete email and interview invite?

 

[FutureScaresMe]

Complete!

Submitted 8/1

For those who received interviews...how long b/w complete email and interview invite?

seems to be ~2 weeks... let's hope it will come sooner!

 

[twoinone]

is there anyone who submitted things way back in June and still not marked complete

 

[neuronc]

Was complete 8/28 and no news. Guess that's not good for me.

 

[FML]

is there anyone who submitted things way back in June and still not marked complete

I sent in my stuff 6/19 and just got the complete email today.

 

[ziggydoc]

Ya submitted in June here, no complete email yet. SOooOOoo slow

 

[mmmcdowe]

The adcom only started meeting last week. Trust me, they are working hard. I saw Dean Frantz leave at 6ish on LABOR DAY from the adcom office.

 

[flip26]

Be nice, they are understaffed and have giant towers of paper applications piling up.

Seems strange that when people call the office that the staff aren't all on the same page with the question about complete emails...several people on this thread report that they were told we only get "incomplete" emails, and that is evidently not the case...

Any inside information regarding the Barrett interviews? Has anybody who applied for this program gotten an interview? That seems like a much more complex interview scheduling situation (NYC and Cooperstown), and my guess is that they have not started scheduling those yet...

 

[dw2158]

Seems strange that when people call the office that the staff aren't all on the same page with the question about complete emails...several people on this thread report that they were told we only get "incomplete" emails, and that is evidently not the case...

Any inside information regarding the Barrett interviews? Has anybody who applied for this program gotten an interview? That seems like a much more complex interview scheduling situation (NYC and Cooperstown), and my guess is that they have not started scheduling those yet...

yeah i was told i was fine if i hadn't gotten an "incomplete" email. but then this morning i got a "complete" one. go figure.

 

[Philly Med]

yeah i was told i was fine if i hadn't gotten an "incomplete" email. but then this morning i got a "complete" one. go figure.

Hah, same. Gotta love it. 🙂

 

[FutureScaresMe]

yeah i was told i was fine if i hadn't gotten an "incomplete" email. but then this morning i got a "complete" one. go figure.

Has anyone even received one of these fabled incomplete emails?

 

[mrmilad]

has anyone received an invite who applied for the Basset program?

 

[LAman10]

Has anyone seen my dog? he's missing 🙁

 

[fadfaruq]

Has anyone seen my dog? he's missing 🙁

Did your dog receive an interview, if so, when was he complete?

 

[ziggydoc]

has anyone received an invite who applied for the Basset program?

Not I, but I just got my complete email today so...

 

[mmmcdowe]

Seems strange that when people call the office that the staff aren't all on the same page with the question about complete emails...several people on this thread report that they were told we only get "incomplete" emails, and that is evidently not the case...

Any inside information regarding the Barrett interviews? Has anybody who applied for this program gotten an interview? That seems like a much more complex interview scheduling situation (NYC and Cooperstown), and my guess is that they have not started scheduling those yet...

Two possibilities:

1) They meant that until now no one had gotten anything beside an incomplete email. Remember, they just started reviewing applications.
2) One of the office workers just returned from summer leave.

Either way, it isn't a big deal. The chances of them not having or losing your application are nil.

 

[neuronc]

They don't seem to be going in order either. I submitted 8/4 and was complete 8/28 while it looks like ppl who submitted in June are just getting emails or waiting 😕. Hope that doesn't mean I was already reviewed and not invited for iview tho .