2010-2011 University of Colorado Application Thread

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chrisoc13 said:
No I know what people were getting at, trust me I was offered an interview way back in September and it has been silence ever since my interview. I am aware they are not acting like it is rolling because frankly it really isn't. My point was to the poster who seemed to think rolling admissions is stupid. To some it may be, to others it is helpful to be able to plan ahead. Some people have more to plan for.

As a result of Colorado's inability to make a move I know I went from them being my top choice to barely being in the running at this point.
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Chrisoc13 you got my point better than others but still only halfway. I was more referring to it making less sense from the perspective of the school not from that of applicants. I feel like waiting to review all applicants before making decisions gives them the best opportunity to pick the best among the batch. I know that it makes it easier for many applicants to know ahead of time I just don't see that translates to the schools getting the best possible students.

Of course you could make the argument that applying earlier shows motivation and maturity. In which case I'd clam up, being insecure about my own late applications, and mumble excuses about the timing of my MCAT...
 
Gara said:
Chrisoc13 you got my point better than others but still only halfway. I was more referring to it making less sense from the perspective of the school not from that of applicants. I feel like waiting to review all applicants before making decisions gives them the best opportunity to pick the best among the batch. I know that it makes it easier for many applicants to know ahead of time I just don't see that translates to the schools getting the best possible students.

Of course you could make the argument that applying earlier shows motivation and maturity. In which case I'd clam up, being insecure about my own late applications, and mumble excuses about the timing of my MCAT...
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I see what you are saying. Problem with waiting a long time to get the "best applicants" is you lose some by waiting so long. Many great schools do not wait until March and as a result you get some left overs. By then they have already been accepted.

Colorado is an example of that for a friend of mine. I am not saying he is the best applicant, but with 14 interviews and several acceptances it seems to me he is a very strong applicant, yet Colorado has taken so long to make a decision that he told me there is very little chance he will go there. O remember when he came back from the school he told me he loved but talking to him now their lack of effort to court him in any way or sense has made them drop much lower on his list. He's already begun making plans elsewhere and it would take one heck of a financial offer to reconsider Colorado.

I interviewed there as well but it wasn't a great option for me anyways hence using my friend who did as well as an example.

Who knows, maybe they won't want him ever. But I will chuckle if they try to accept him. Had they acted as quickly as other schools they would have had him. But they didn't.

That is the problem schools like Colorado don't get. They are an excellent school, but even excellent schools should strike while the iron is hot, because once it cools, the student very easily could have passed them by and next thing you know waiting for the best possible students turns into getting what is left over with a few hold outs.

Imagine if recruiting in sports was done that way. "we will wait till the last moment and then ask the best athletes to come to our school." Guess what, they already signed at an equally good school and got tired of your putsing around.

Anyways I'll still wait mostly because I like the options, but they also have dropped like a rock in my interest level due to their lack of attnetion in trying to get me.
 
blah2537 said:
I see what you are saying. Problem with waiting a long time to get the "best applicants" is you lose some by waiting so long. Many great schools do not wait until March and as a result you get some left overs. By then they have already been accepted.

Colorado is an example of that for a friend of mine. I am not saying he is the best applicant, but with 14 interviews and several acceptances it seems to me he is a very strong applicant, yet Colorado has taken so long to make a decision that he told me there is very little chance he will go there. O remember when he came back from the school he told me he loved but talking to him now their lack of effort to court him in any way or sense has made them drop much lower on his list. He's already begun making plans elsewhere and it would take one heck of a financial offer to reconsider Colorado.

I interviewed there as well but it wasn't a great option for me anyways hence using my friend who did as well as an example.

Who knows, maybe they won't want him ever. But I will chuckle if they try to accept him. Had they acted as quickly as other schools they would have had him. But they didn't.

That is the problem schools like Colorado don't get. They are an excellent school, but even excellent schools should strike while the iron is hot, because once it cools, the student very easily could have passed them by and next thing you know waiting for the best possible students turns into getting what is left over with a few hold outs.

Imagine if recruiting in sports was done that way. "we will wait till the last moment and then ask the best athletes to come to our school." Guess what, they already signed at an equally good school and got tired of your putsing around.

Anyways I'll still wait mostly because I like the options, but they also have dropped like a rock in my interest level due to their lack of attnetion in trying to get me.
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Schools like Colorado don't get it, or you don't get it? When did Colorado ever say they wanted the statistically "best" applicants? On my interview day they made it very clear that they were looking for students who were a good "fit," based on much more than academics. If students are impatient/insecure enough to move CU down on their list because they can't wait a couple extra months, then I doubt Colorado is the place for them anyway. Realize that schools get thousands of good applicants, and all schools have different visions on the type of people they want to attract. If this were after the March deadline, then I believe we would have a right to be frustrated. Until then, quit feeling so entitled and be fortunate that you are still in the running.
 
alobar said:
Schools like Colorado don't get it, or you don't get it? When did Colorado ever say they wanted the statistically "best" applicants? On my interview day they made it very clear that they were looking for students who were a good "fit," based on much more than academics. If students are impatient/insecure enough to move CU down on their list because they can't wait a couple extra months, then I doubt Colorado is the place for them anyway. Realize that schools get thousands of good applicants, and all schools have different visions on the type of people they want to attract. If this were after the March deadline, then I believe we would have a right to be frustrated. Until then, quit feeling so entitled and be fortunate that you are still in the running.
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Nicely put.
 
blah2537 said:
I see what you are saying. Problem with waiting a long time to get the "best applicants" is you lose some by waiting so long. Many great schools do not wait until March and as a result you get some left overs. By then they have already been accepted.

Colorado is an example of that for a friend of mine. I am not saying he is the best applicant, but with 14 interviews and several acceptances it seems to me he is a very strong applicant, yet Colorado has taken so long to make a decision that he told me there is very little chance he will go there. O remember when he came back from the school he told me he loved but talking to him now their lack of effort to court him in any way or sense has made them drop much lower on his list. He's already begun making plans elsewhere and it would take one heck of a financial offer to reconsider Colorado.

I interviewed there as well but it wasn't a great option for me anyways hence using my friend who did as well as an example.

Who knows, maybe they won't want him ever. But I will chuckle if they try to accept him. Had they acted as quickly as other schools they would have had him. But they didn't.

That is the problem schools like Colorado don't get. They are an excellent school, but even excellent schools should strike while the iron is hot, because once it cools, the student very easily could have passed them by and next thing you know waiting for the best possible students turns into getting what is left over with a few hold outs.

Imagine if recruiting in sports was done that way. "we will wait till the last moment and then ask the best athletes to come to our school." Guess what, they already signed at an equally good school and got tired of your putsing around.

Anyways I'll still wait mostly because I like the options, but they also have dropped like a rock in my interest level due to their lack of attnetion in trying to get me.
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Sorry, your friend is not as good an applicant for Colorado as you would think. CO has accepted its prime applicants and is actively "courting" some of them, as you might say.
 
I have to agree with DeadlyWarbler on this one.

There is certainly no shortage of quality medical school applicants applying to medical school this year, and thousands upon thousands of QUALITY applicants won't get into ANY medical school this cycle. I highly doubt that the admissions people at Colorado, or any other medical school for that matter, are going to lose sleep because they were moved to the bottom of applicants' lists.

The sense of entitlement here is "mind bottling". :laugh:
 
SFGuy2011 said:
I have to agree with DeadlyWarbler on this one.

There is certainly no shortage of quality medical school applicants applying to medical school this year, and thousands upon thousands of QUALITY applicants won't get into ANY medical school this cycle. I highly doubt that the admissions people at Colorado, or any other medical school for that matter, are going to lose sleep because they were moved to the bottom of applicants' lists.

The sense of entitlement here is "mind bottling". :laugh:
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Agreed!
 
Has anyone been pre-interview rejected yet? Rather, recently?

This school's the only reason I'm still anxious this season!
 
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alobar said:
Schools like Colorado don't get it, or you don't get it? When did Colorado ever say they wanted the statistically "best" applicants? On my interview day they made it very clear that they were looking for students who were a good "fit," based on much more than academics. If students are impatient/insecure enough to move CU down on their list because they can't wait a couple extra months, then I doubt Colorado is the place for them anyway. Realize that schools get thousands of good applicants, and all schools have different visions on the type of people they want to attract. If this were after the March deadline, then I believe we would have a right to be frustrated. Until then, quit feeling so entitled and be fortunate that you are still in the running.
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Then why can't Colorado reject applicants who aren't in the running? That part that strikes me as heartless. It hurts applicants' ability to plan for the future--those who are eventually accepted as well as those who are eventually denied.

Also, I don't see why it is an insecurity to write off a school that waits until March or April to accept. People have lives, spouses, and families, and it's difficult to move a family on short notice. Maybe you should wait until you have a family before you start chewing people out for looking out for theirs.
 
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I wanted to respond to add some information to what was being discussed about whether CU values their potential students or not. I was accepted the first day acceptances went out, and admissions has sent e-mail messages (including from my interviewers), made phone calls to me (from first-year student and dean of admissions), and even set up a blog for accepted students to read, all of which I assume was for recruitment purposes. Basically no other school I was accepted to has done as good of a job recruiting me! During and after my interview day, I got the impression that CU really cared about their potential students.

I think they know what they are doing in terms of recruitment, and to my understanding, they are looking for very specific things in their students. Overall the admissions office really made me feel like they cared about my attendance. This is just the perspective of somebody who was accepted early, and I'm sure it feels very differently being on the other side of this, but I thought it would shed some light 🙂
 
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chrisoc13 said:
Yeah that's my point. Really that is why they are just about out of the running for me. I have a spouse with goals of her own. I can't just wait for a school to choose to accept me in late March, April or May, when other equally or more prestigious schools have already given an offer. It puts them out of the running because I have to think about more than just myself.

Good to hear evergy that they do a good job trying to keep you once they have chosen to accept you. Several schools have reached out to that level with me and it is nice, certainly makes you feel wanted. Some schools have made a point to do it all along the process which helps even more.

By the way congrats on the acceptance!
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I definitely understand what you mean, making your spouse happy with your location, allowing him/her to secure employment, etc. are all really important factors. Just as important as the educational quality of the institution in mention. I don't think this problem is unique to CU but endemic to the medical school application process across the board. The AAMC claims to promote access for medical education to minority and underprivileged groups, but applying in general is really quite taxing (financially and emotionally) on anyone that isn't a traditional student with well-off parents who are helping fund the process. Trying to coordinate applications with my soon-to-be fiancee and dealing with poor earning potential since graduating from college has been hard, and I don't think I am at the bottom of the barrel by any means. There are many sacrifices asked of us on this journey -- it's good that you're willing to draw the line somewhere in order to preserve your family's happiness 🙂
 
Evergrey said:
I definitely understand what you mean, making your spouse happy with your location, allowing him/her to secure employment, etc. are all really important factors. Just as important as the educational quality of the institution in mention. I don't think this problem is unique to CU but endemic to the medical school application process across the board. The AAMC claims to promote access for medical education to minority and underprivileged groups, but applying in general is really quite taxing (financially and emotionally) on anyone that isn't a traditional student with well-off parents who are helping fund the process. Trying to coordinate applications with my soon-to-be fiancee and dealing with poor earning potential since graduating from college has been hard, and I don't think I am at the bottom of the barrel by any means. There are many sacrifices asked of us on this journey -- it's good that you're willing to draw the line somewhere in order to preserve your family's happiness 🙂
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I understand the not quite unique position many older, more established students face but I think the solution is to accelerate the process instead of using rolling admissions. Personally I applied late specifically because of those financial reasons described and it kind of sucks I'm put at a disadvantage because of it.

If we were to all find out on some semi-set time earlier in the year then it would solve the issues for everyone. I know that personally I want to look at all my options before making any decisions and I think that thought is shared by a lot of my peers. I appreciate the dilemma faced by others but I have a hard time accepting a disadvantage in order to accommodate those people. That being said the low number of interviews I have received this cycle, and in turn my lower chance of acceptance, is mostly a product of my own mistakes on this first shot. If it comes to a second cycle then I'll be more informed and prepared to apply earlier and more intelligently and as a result I'll be less vocal about my dissatisfaction with the concept of rolling admissions.
 
Gara said:
I understand the not quite unique position many older, more established students face but I think the solution is to accelerate the process instead of using rolling admissions. Personally I applied late specifically because of those financial reasons described and it kind of sucks I'm put at a disadvantage because of it.

If we were to all find out on some semi-set time earlier in the year then it would solve the issues for everyone. I know that personally I want to look at all my options before making any decisions and I think that thought is shared by a lot of my peers. I appreciate the dilemma faced by others but I have a hard time accepting a disadvantage in order to accommodate those people. That being said the low number of interviews I have received this cycle, and in turn my lower chance of acceptance, is mostly a product of my own mistakes on this first shot. If it comes to a second cycle then I'll be more informed and prepared to apply earlier and more intelligently and as a result I'll be less vocal about my dissatisfaction with the concept of rolling admissions.
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It is key to realize that applications are a rolling dynamic process. None of us like to wait, but it is what it is. Rolling admissions has many benefits, one of which is something most applicants appreciate, more interviews. If you have a standard deadline of December, you have shaved off months of possible interviews, because you CAN'T offer interviews until the deadline for applications has been reached. While CU doesn't initially appear to be rolling admissions, it is, and people have been getting acceptances throughout this process. CU is also one one of the first schools to let you know that submitting in June vs August won't really negatively impact your application there, because they wait so long to send out the secondary and they have an automated algorithm that sorts the applicants based on stats, so even if you apply late, your application will be moved to the top of the pile, if your stats are better than the rest of the pile. That doesn't mean you will get an interview, it just makes your application more likely to be reviewed before someone with lower stats.

Personally, I don't like a stats based sorting system, but that's the nature of the game...
 
wow, I just sent an "in the area" e-mail and got a rejection in response
 
Well, guess I knew it was coming. Hopefully, UW pans out for me. Looks like that may end up being my last option.

Good luck to everyone else.
 
rcorn said:
wow, I just sent an "in the area" e-mail and got a rejection in response
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It wasn't the letter you wrote, it was a coincidence. I just got one too.

It's a bitter sweet moment... I'm sad about CU, but happy that I have an answer, even though it wasn't the one I wanted.
 
vandalpremed said:
Well, guess I knew it was coming. Hopefully, UW pans out for me. Looks like that may end up being my last option.

Good luck to everyone else.
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I got that email too... Bummer this was my 2nd choice school. Are you hoping for UW as in Seattle or Madison?

It's coming down to the last few schools here...
 
just got my rejection e-mail. i guess it comes down to my one late interview now OOS. hoping that the 8 other schools that i haven't heard from aren't silent rejections =/
 
bieber said:
just got my rejection e-mail. i guess it comes down to my one late interview now OOS. hoping that the 8 other schools that i haven't heard from aren't silent rejections =/
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I'm with you there! I was hoping it wouldn't come down to just a few, but I guess so. Hey, we only need one, right?
 
Sorry to all who got rejected. Are these Pre or Post interview rejections?
 
Dmannn said:
Sorry to all who got rejected. Are these Pre or Post interview rejections?
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Pre-interview rejection here too. At least I have other interviews scheduled in March but still... If MCAT scores and grades can't get you an OOS interview then what can?
 
Add me to the list... rejected today, no interview.
 
Still no post interview rejections?
 
bieber said:
just got my rejection e-mail. i guess it comes down to my one late interview now OOS. hoping that the 8 other schools that i haven't heard from aren't silent rejections =/
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You are probably already doing this but I would reiterate make sure you are staying in contact with the schools you haven't heard from. Let them know are still interested!
 
DeadlyWarbler said:
I got that email too... Bummer this was my 2nd choice school. Are you hoping for UW as in Seattle or Madison?

It's coming down to the last few schools here...
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Seattle! Well sort of, I would actually be in Moscow/Pullman my first here because of the Idaho WWAMI program.
 
Despite the supposed changes to the admissions system, this seems like the same timeline as last year (Mid-February mass pre-interview rejections), so accordingly the masses of post-interviewee in limbo will hear mid-March...

For those rejected the post-application season follow up sessions with the Dean of Admissions are worthwhile, they give you individualized feedback on your application and make suggestions on how to make yourself a better applicant.

Also, those that have not been pre-interview rejected yet but have not been offered an interview, I believe they maintain a small pool until interviews are over for last minute call-ins, this happened to me last year and I managed to get an interview by calling-in letting them know I was in the area.
 
I interviewed last Friday (2/18) and they told us it was the last interview day. They cut the number of interview days in half this year, but doubled the number of people each day, so the total number of interviews stayed the same. They said the time line for admissions will be the same as last year (we could hear in a week, three weeks, or the last day of March) but everybody will know their status by the end of March. Sorry to anybody still hoping for an interview...
 
Does anyone happen to know how many students they put on the waitlists? ie, x number on 1st tier, y on 2nd, z on 3rd? I should probably just stop thinking about my odds and wait until I hear, but in reality, I'm going to obsess over it anyway. That leads to another question: Anyone have unusual ways of keeping their minds off whether they'll get in or not?
 
I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I know the first tier usually all gets in, and a few people from the second sometimes get in (some years half do, some years only one does). I don't think anybody from the third tier has ever gotten in... I'm not sure if they give out exact numbers though.
 
dive2high said:
I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I know the first tier usually all gets in, and a few people from the second sometimes get in (some years half do, some years only one does). I don't think anybody from the third tier has ever gotten in... I'm not sure if they give out exact numbers though.
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Yeah, I've heard that, too. I'm just sitting here neurotically running the numbers in my head, trying to figure out the probability of receiving an offer at any point after interviewing. I rediscovered some data on their website about the class of 2012. They interviewed 1132 applicants and made 270 offers, giving a 23.8% probability of acceptance to interviewed applicants.:scared: It doesn't distinguish offers made without waitlisting and offers eventually made to waitlisted applicants, and basically makes my inquiry into waitlist numbers moot. Either you get in or you don't. Time for me to get back to refreshing my inbox. It's been at least 3.7 minutes since I last checked. :laugh:
 
Those numbers are slightly off. They gave 1132 interviews, but each applicant got 2 interviews, so they interviewed 566 applicants. The numbers are very similar this year. Also, the 270 offers include the offers that are given to applicants on the wait list.

I hope this helps!
 
dive2high said:
Those numbers are slightly off.
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D'OH! I knew that seemed like an awfully high number of interviewees. I like your definition of the word "slightly", too. Tell you what, next time I screw up and overestimate some factor by, say, 100%, and then arrive at a horribly incorrect conclusion based upon that false presumption, and do so in a public manner, you're gonna need to be there to run cover for me. Got it? That'd be awesome!

Also, I had figured that the 270 offers included those made to waitlisted applicants as well. So, based upon those, more accurate numbers, anyone who interviewed has a 47% chance of gaining admission. :xf: Good luck, all!
 
dive2high said:
I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I know the first tier usually all gets in, and a few people from the second sometimes get in (some years half do, some years only one does). I don't think anybody from the third tier has ever gotten in... I'm not sure if they give out exact numbers though.
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The current MS1 class had all first and second tiers get accepted. One person from the third tier was accepted a week AFTER school started, but I think that's the first time a 3rd tier wait-lister got in.
 
I heard that CU SOM received numerous citations from the state accrediting board (2009 or 2010). Is this true? Thanks!
 
Tomorrow could potentially be a big date for CU acceptances...March 1st. Here's hoping that something happens, and those of us who have been waiting 4-5 months finally get good news! I interviewed all the way back on October 4th and really would just like to hear something at this point.

Let us know if anyone has heard updates!!!

Good luck my fellow interviewees 🙂
 
Anyone know if the last round of acceptances will go out sometime this week or if they go out mid-March? Thanks and good luck!!
 
B056436 said:
Anyone know if the last round of acceptances will go out sometime this week or if they go out mid-March? Thanks and good luck!!
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No one really knows...I thought they'd maybe send some this week, some around the 15th and the rest at the end of the month. Doesn't look like anyone on the blog got good news yesterday though.
 
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