-
The 2026-2027 MD School Specific Threads are now live in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 cycle threads can be found here. -
Scholarship Access: Becoming a Student Doctor course
Free access to comprehensive medical school prep. Eligible students include AAMC FAP recipients and HS graduates from underserved areas. Apply today.
2010-2011 Columbia Application Thread
Started by ksmi117
- Status
Jeez they're slow. I submitted my secondary 8/1, was complete 8/24. If there's any love to be had for me, I guess it'll be a long wait.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So I interview in NYC next Friday..
I sent psadmissions an in the are email, but never got a confirmation response or anything like that. I know a few other people sent similar emails and did get a "we will put this in your file" sort of response. Should I try again?
I sent psadmissions an in the are email, but never got a confirmation response or anything like that. I know a few other people sent similar emails and did get a "we will put this in your file" sort of response. Should I try again?
Yeah, I would. I got a response at almost immediately when I sent my in-the-area e-mail.
Show me some love Columbia 😍.
If there are any current students at Columbia in this thread who are participating in the Columbia-Bassett program, what do you think so far? I am very interested in this program and hoping I get to interview with them!
If there are any current students at Columbia in this thread who are participating in the Columbia-Bassett program, what do you think so far? I am very interested in this program and hoping I get to interview with them!
Complete 8/16, interview invite today. They don't quite seem to be going in order... you may hear back sooner than you think. 🙂
Any good hotels within walking distance of the med school? or that have a shuttle?
thx
thx
Last edited:
mmmcdowe
Duke of minimal vowels
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
You could stay down by the undergrad at a hostel/hotel and take the subway up for a couple of dollars.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Thanks for the reply. Do you have any particular hotels that you would recommend?
thank you again!
thank you again!
I'd stay with a student if you want to be close and save some money. Lots of people willing to have you stay with them in Bard. You can contact the admissions office for the list.
I submitted my application on 8/29, and I'm still not complete. Should I contact them?
Were your letters in before or after you submitted your application? Even if you submitted your application on 8/29, if your letters were in 9/10, your submitted date would actually be 9/10.
If not, try waiting a couple of days and contacting them. I submitted early-mid September and was complete this week.
Hope this helps!!
I like the idea of staying with a student. Thanks!
Also, I was wondering which taxi company would be the cheapest to go from LGA to Columbia.
Also, I was wondering which taxi company would be the cheapest to go from LGA to Columbia.
don't go for the non-yellow cabs because they will rip you off. if you are going for a cab pick the yellow ones. check out the airport shuttles and see how what their rates are (usually require a reservation). if you don't have much luggage, take the m60 bus from LGA and get off at 125th and broadway.. then get the A train to 168th which is where P&S is.
My letters were in Sept 8th, so I guess my submission date would actually be 9/8. Even so, it seems like I should be complete by now, so I will contact them.
Thanks for your answer!
I got the "complete" email 7/15 and my MCAT scores were out 9/9... but haven't heard anything yet 🙁 fingers crossed
congrats to those who got an interview
hey cole - did they offer you an interview with the in-the-area email?
congrats to those who got an interview
hey cole - did they offer you an interview with the in-the-area email?
Show me some love Columbia 😍.
If there are any current students at Columbia in this thread who are participating in the Columbia-Bassett program, what do you think so far? I am very interested in this program and hoping I get to interview with them!
🙂 I applied to the Bassett program too - I have only read good things about it
Agreed...take a yellow cab if you take one because those fares are non-negotiable. However, also agreed that taking the bus/subway is definitely the way to go if you don't mind doing so because it is WAY cheaper $2.25 vs. ~$30 each way. The only thing is if you take the M60 to Broadway you'll want the 1 train, not the A. If you want the A, which is better, then you need to get off a couple of blocks before Broadway at St. Nicholas Ave.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
good point... i'm just used to st nicholas and broadway being so close to each other at 168th st.
Is this the 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.
If any additional letters of recommendation are uploaded on AMCAS after the date of this e-mail, please notify us by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. When you send this e-mail, please identify the letter writer in your e-mail.
You will be notified promptly if the Committee votes to request an interview with you.
Thank you
Admissions Office"
It turns out I received this more than a week ago... Can't believe I overlooked it.
"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.
If any additional letters of recommendation are uploaded on AMCAS after the date of this e-mail, please notify us by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. When you send this e-mail, please identify the letter writer in your e-mail.
You will be notified promptly if the Committee votes to request an interview with you.
Thank you
Admissions Office"
It turns out I received this more than a week ago... Can't believe I overlooked it.
Would any current students or applicants who have interviewed mind briefly describing the interview day? I'm coming up in a few weeks, and have only a vague impression from the invitation materials of the sequence of events throughout the day. Many thanks!
one imagines an email stating your application is complete is, in fact, the completion email.
The interview day this year consists essentially of 4 parts:
1. Your interview - very low key, you have 1 interviewer, lasts about 30 minutes, will take place in the morning before lunch/tour or in the afternoon after lunch/tour.
2. Brief meeting with Dean Nicholas - I think this starts around 11:30. He is the Dean of Admissions and will briefly talk to you about some of the highlights of the school/program/curriculum/city/etc.
3. Lunch - This is one of the best parts because you have at least 2 students that will eat lunch with you and the normally 6-10 other interviewees and try to answer any questions you have about the school, give you lots of information, tell you all about our super cool activities with the P&S Club, etc.
4. Tour - Two students will take the group on a 1-hour tour of the medical campus to include the Children's Hospital, lecture hall, library, and a few other places.
I'm a first year and occasionally do the lunches/tours, so please feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.
Thanks so much, this is extremely helpful!
I sent an in the area email like 4 weeks ago, never received any confirmation or anything like that.
I just recently found out that they normally do give some sort of confirmation that they have received your message. I sent another one yesterday and got a response.
I am going to be in the area this week. I am almost positive I won't be able to attend if I don't get one in the next few days.
No point to this, just saying. I hope they manage to get to my file.
I just recently found out that they normally do give some sort of confirmation that they have received your message. I sent another one yesterday and got a response.
I am going to be in the area this week. I am almost positive I won't be able to attend if I don't get one in the next few days.
No point to this, just saying. I hope they manage to get to my file.
Last edited:
.
Last edited:
that sucks but at least you're getting interviews! I don't even have one so far.
Has anyone gotten the rejection email from columbia?
mmmcdowe
Duke of minimal vowels
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
In the past Columbia does not send any decisions until the end of the cycle. That may change with the new administration.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Got an invite just now. Complete August 12. I applied to the Bassett program. Dont know if that makes a difference in the timeline.
I am wondering for those that also applied to Bassett do they tell you if you are interviewing for the Bassett program? I am wondering if I am interviewing for the Bassett program or maybe I wasn't selected for Bassett and am just interviewing for the P&S because nowhere in the invite mentioned anything about the Bassett program.
I am wondering for those that also applied to Bassett do they tell you if you are interviewing for the Bassett program? I am wondering if I am interviewing for the Bassett program or maybe I wasn't selected for Bassett and am just interviewing for the P&S because nowhere in the invite mentioned anything about the Bassett program.
interview invite, complete mid august. don't lose hope if you feel you've been passed up, which is how i felt!
mmmcdowe
Duke of minimal vowels
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
Congrats, bleargh! Did you receive a complete email in mid-August, or was that just when you got your stuff in?
my complete email is dated mid august, i turned my secondary in some time mid july i believe
Thanks for clarifying! Good luck!
i was complete 8/11 and still haven't heard anything back, so I'm starting to fidget a bit more...
they did respond to my in the area e-mails with a confirmation, although those have not resulted in an interview (i made it very clear in those e-mails, though, that i understood how thorough their process was and that i didn't expect that simply in the area email to grant me an interview). eeps!
they did respond to my in the area e-mails with a confirmation, although those have not resulted in an interview (i made it very clear in those e-mails, though, that i understood how thorough their process was and that i didn't expect that simply in the area email to grant me an interview). eeps!
Same here. I sent an in-the-area e-mail explaining that I would be booking my travel plans in 2-3 weeks, but they never got back to me, so I went ahead and booked my flight up there.
mmmcdowe
Duke of minimal vowels
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
There is nothing wrong with calling to ask if they received your request. The admissions office is not the admissions committee.
Interview invite today!! Complete 9/15!
I'm on the lower GPA side, so stay optimistic those who are waiting 🙂
I'm on the lower GPA side, so stay optimistic those who are waiting 🙂
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
that's awesome! good luck!
after seeing your complete date (versus mine--8/11, after which I haven't heard anything back), I called to ask how they processed apps and the rather abrupt lady at the front desk replied that it wasn't done in any chronological or alphabetical order. i wonder what THAT means!
mmmcdowe
Duke of minimal vowels
Staff member
Administrator
Volunteer Staff
Lifetime Donor
15+ Year Member
It's done by pile. The piles are approximately based on completion date but obviously where one pile ends and another begins causes some skewing of dates. The piles are then all read by Dean. Nicholas and also by adcom members. Then interviews are offered. If all interview offers for the recent future are filled, they set your file to the side and offer you interviews when more are available. Some files are no doubt held and reread later. If you have been complete for some time and are getting nervous don't hesitate to send more information on recent events.
Congrats bleargh!!
+1. got the invite on friday as well! complete 9/30. I'm on the lower MCAT side...so yes, everyone stay optimistic!
Does Columbia do interviews on Fridays for the regular MD program?
Fridays are generally the only days that work for me....
Fridays are generally the only days that work for me....
Yes...they do interviews Monday-Friday every week except certain holidays.
the average mcat of accepted students is approx. 36 and according to MSAR for the class of 2013, the 10th percentile MCAT was 32. so stats-wise, your chances are lower but not impossible. as long as you have an impressive story to tell the adcom and show passion for medicine and other interests, the odds against you lessen. besides, columbia is not as much of a numbers ***** compared to other similarly ranked schools. they love diverse individuals more so than other schools imo so keep that in mind. they also interview among the highest number of applicants (>1000) so that tells you something.
Gah, I wish they had an essay asking about a bad situation or something about my life. I have a few stories that has honestly defined who I am today.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
- Status
