2012-2013 Columbia University Application Thread

[Sophocles]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Eh sorry, but I was born and raised in Manhattan, and currently work at Columbia. I could tell you that Columbia is DEFINITELY not in a prime location. It's in a ghetto neighborhood. You are certainly right though that southern parts of Manhattan (below 30s street, imo) are more desirable than being on 168th Street. Also, there really is not much to do on Columbia's medical campus.

Well I respectfully disagree. Washington Heights is hardly a ghetto neighborhood. Try Harlem, LES, Flatbush, many parts in the Bronx, etc... It's not the UES, that's for sure, nevertheless, to say it's ghetto is an exaggeration. Whether it's in a prime location can differ depending on how you look at it. In regards to medical school, it's not Downstate where I wouldn't want to live to get a great clinical education, but it's joined to NYP which is arguably one of the best places to learn as a medical student. Also, although it is in a lower income neighborhood, there are plenty of places that one can volunteer and become involved in the community. Again, another huge reason that makes it desireable for someone trying to learn medicine while immersing into a great community and population.

If you are looking for a place that you can party and study medicine, then perhaps it might not be the best place, although the train can pretty get you anywhere within a reasonable time for $2.25. My priority is a great place to learn, with great facilities and opportunities. I can honestly say that there aren't many other locations and schools that can offer what Columbia has to offer. My opinion.

 

[Fuska2012]

Well I respectfully disagree. Washington Heights is hardly a ghetto neighborhood. Try Harlem, LES, Flatbush, many parts in the Bronx, etc... It's not the UES, that's for sure, nevertheless, to say it's ghetto is an exaggeration. Whether it's in a prime location can differ depending on how you look at it. In regards to medical school, it's not Downstate where I wouldn't want to live to get a great clinical education, but it's joined to NYP which is arguably one of the best places to learn as a medical student. Also, although it is in a lower income neighborhood, there are plenty of places that one can volunteer and become involved in the community. Again, another huge reason that makes it desireable for someone trying to learn medicine while immersing into a great community and population.

If you are looking for a place that you can party and study medicine, then perhaps it might not be the best place, although the train can pretty get you anywhere within a reasonable time for $2.25. My priority is a great place to learn, with great facilities and opportunities. I can honestly say that there aren't many other locations and schools that can offer what Columbia has to offer. My opinion.

👍

 

[dvorjak]

Complete 9/17/2012. No news yet.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Well I respectfully disagree. Washington Heights is hardly a ghetto neighborhood. Try Harlem, LES, Flatbush, many parts in the Bronx, etc... It's not the UES, that's for sure, nevertheless, to say it's ghetto is an exaggeration. Whether it's in a prime location can differ depending on how you look at it. In regards to medical school, it's not Downstate where I wouldn't want to live to get a great clinical education, but it's joined to NYP which is arguably one of the best places to learn as a medical student. Also, although it is in a lower income neighborhood, there are plenty of places that one can volunteer and become involved in the community. Again, another huge reason that makes it desireable for someone trying to learn medicine while immersing into a great community and population.

If you are looking for a place that you can party and study medicine, then perhaps it might not be the best place, although the train can pretty get you anywhere within a reasonable time for $2.25. My priority is a great place to learn, with great facilities and opportunities. I can honestly say that there aren't many other locations and schools that can offer what Columbia has to offer. My opinion.

Well said, Also, something like 20-30% of the student body lives outside of Washington Heights. If you don't want to live there then don't. I think people overestimate the difficulty of commuting during medical school.

 

[futureczar]

How is columbia financial aid? Are there scholarships/grants available or do most students end up paying full price? 70k a year (tuition plus cost of living) seems very high, especially compared to some state schools. I understand the prestige factor and the fact that there are plenty of other schools that cost that much. Just wanted to get a students prespective on the financial situation. Thanks!

 

[yellowfish]

How is columbia financial aid? Are there scholarships/grants available or do most students end up paying full price? 70k a year (tuition plus cost of living) seems very high, especially compared to some state schools. I understand the prestige factor and the fact that there are plenty of other schools that cost that much. Just wanted to get a students prespective on the financial situation. Thanks!

This came up on the last page, posts #542-544

 

[twentythousand]

does anyone have statistics for this school?

 

[bearintraining]

does anyone have statistics for this school?

USNEWS:
Applied: 7150
Interviewed: 1253
Accepted: 314
Enrolled: 166

 

[smile8888]

Just curious, how much does a 9 in verbal hurt my chances of getting an interview at such a prestigious school like Columbia?

Columbia being my top dream school, I am concerned about how negatively that 9 will be. I took the MCAT in May and got a 31Q with an 8 in verbal, and retook MCAT again in August and got a 34Q with a 9 in verbal. English is my second language and never learned English until the age of eleven, but English isn't much of a problem for me now in terms of writing, reading, and communicating. Most people can't really tell that I am not a native English speaker.

I am well aware that according to MSAR, 9 in verbal is around the 10th percentile, but will admissions take into consideration of my English background? How positively will they see my MCAT scores increase from 31Q to 34Q? I have a cGPA/sGPA of around 3.79/3.82, 2+ years of research, and plenty of clinical.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Claudin]

Just curious, how much does a 9 in verbal hurt my chances of getting an interview at such a prestigious school like Columbia?

Columbia being my top dream school, I am concerned about how negatively that 9 will be. I took the MCAT in May and got a 31Q with an 8 in verbal, and retook MCAT again in August and got a 34Q with a 9 in verbal. English is my second language and never learned English until the age of eleven, but English isn't much of a problem for me now in terms of writing, reading, and communicating. Most people can't really tell that I am not a native English speaker.

I am well aware that according to MSAR, 9 in verbal is around the 10th percentile, but will admissions take into consideration of my English background? How positively will they see my MCAT scores increase from 31Q to 34Q? I have a cGPA/sGPA of around 3.79/3.82, 2+ years of research, and plenty of clinical.

Thanks for any input!

Yo, our applications are exactly the same except I have a 3.7/3.72 GPA. Just apply and see what happens lol.

 

[Sophocles]

Anybody interviewing this week?

 

[FijiGNR89]

I'll be there tomorrow (Wednesday).

 

[Sophocles]

I'll be there tomorrow (Wednesday).

Awesome, I'll see you there. I'll be the one asking everyone I meet if they aer Fijingr89 or not? Is that creepy? How have you been prepping?

 

[writergirl333]

has anyone written an loi for Columbia?

 

[FijiGNR89]

Not creepy. I'll be asking if anyone is macho, which is arguably more so. I've just been re-reading my secondary as well as running through the site. It's my ninth interview, so I feel comfortable in my skin at this point with interview technique. It is strange, though, that there is only one interview.

 

[OwlPower22]

Anybody interviewing this week?

I'll be here Thursday.

 

[leungdong]

I heard columbia med is notorious for only accepting ivies and rarely accepts others. is this true?

 

[Fivo]

I heard columbia med is notorious for only accepting ivies and rarely accepts others. is this true?

If it is, may god have mercy on our souls. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next

 

[dance13021]

I heard columbia med is notorious for only accepting ivies and rarely accepts others. is this true?

ONLY ivy grads? No.
But are a large percentage of their students from ivies, ivy-caliber prestigious schools? Certainly.

Don't let this inhibit you from applying, either way.

 

[stevecoral155]

ONLY ivy grads? No.
But are a large percentage of their students from ivies, ivy-caliber prestigious schools? Certainly.

Don't let this inhibit you from applying, either way.

I was the only state-school interviewee on my interview day, but that's also the plainest case of sampling error you'll ever find.

 

[kaige333]

ONLY ivy grads? No.
But are a large percentage of their students from ivies, ivy-caliber prestigious schools? Certainly.

Don't let this inhibit you from applying, either way.

So they are like...committed to diversity right?!

 

[BurghStudent]

Complete 9/6. No news yet 🙁

 

[wiscolove]

has anyone written an loi for Columbia?

it wasn't really an LOI, more like in-the-area email due to my interview at einstein on 11/5 plus telling them that i'm taking a science class during my year off to demonstrate continued dedication. this was 3 weeks ago. they said thanks for the update and i haven't heard from them since

 

[dsk89]

Complete 9/6. No news yet 🙁

Complete 7/18, no news. Chill.

 

[BurghStudent]

Complete 7/18, no news. Chill.

True. I can't let this craziness get to me. Only, a friend of mine mentioned they were complete and invited only 2 weeks after. I need to get off this forum lol.

 

[Corriefangirl]

is columbia rolling or non-rolling? I've done all my apps but was thinking of applying here before the deadline

 

[Sophocles]

is columbia rolling or non-rolling? I've done all my apps but was thinking of applying here before the deadline

It's non-rolling. Decisions come out in March. 5 months of waiting!!!!!!👍

 

[Corriefangirl]

It's non-rolling. Decisions come out in March. 5 months of waiting!!!!!!👍

Thanks! so do we have to have our apps in by Oct 15th or have them submitted in time to be complete by Oct 15?

 

[mmmcdowe]

Just curious, how much does a 9 in verbal hurt my chances of getting an interview at such a prestigious school like Columbia?

Columbia being my top dream school, I am concerned about how negatively that 9 will be. I took the MCAT in May and got a 31Q with an 8 in verbal, and retook MCAT again in August and got a 34Q with a 9 in verbal. English is my second language and never learned English until the age of eleven, but English isn't much of a problem for me now in terms of writing, reading, and communicating. Most people can't really tell that I am not a native English speaker.

I am well aware that according to MSAR, 9 in verbal is around the 10th percentile, but will admissions take into consideration of my English background? How positively will they see my MCAT scores increase from 31Q to 34Q? I have a cGPA/sGPA of around 3.79/3.82, 2+ years of research, and plenty of clinical.

Thanks for any input!

No one can really say. It isn't ideal, but people with 9's and 34s or lower get into Columbia. Your second language status will be taken into account, but it will depend on how fluent you are when you interview. If you struggle to speak at a primary language level (excluding accent), that could hurt you. No one can say how much that increase in MCAT will help you, but it will help you.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I heard columbia med is notorious for only accepting ivies and rarely accepts others. is this true?

No. About 1/4 of students probably come from Ivies, at least that was the case in my year. That being said, you will find this to be the case at all of the top schools. Harvard pumps out 300 great applicants a year after all, and the other schools tend to break 100+ a year too. ~60 schools are represented in any given year. I went to Arizona State.

has anyone written an loi for Columbia?

They are accepting of LOIs and update letters. The applications stay open all the way until decisions are made.

So they are like...committed to diversity right?!

Very committed, and they have a very broad definition of it.

 

[somethingdeep]

I heard columbia med is notorious for only accepting ivies and rarely accepts others. is this true?

I know they accept people from a variety of schools, but I have to say at my interview a couple weeks ago, there were TONS of candidates from ivies.

 

[bearintraining]

I know they accept people from a variety of schools, but I have to say at my interview a couple weeks ago, there were TONS of candidates from ivies.

This could easily be a sampling bias. i.e., perhaps people from Ivies get interviews earlier on than the rest... many reasons why this could be inaccurate.

 

[somethingdeep]

This could easily be a sampling bias. i.e., perhaps people from Ivies get interviews earlier on than the rest... many reasons why this could be inaccurate.

This is very true. It was still pretty striking though, especially compared to Cornell, where my fellow interviewees were from a much wider variety of places. It's interesting to look at what kind of candidates different schools choose to interview early in the season.

 

[stevecoral155]

This is very true. It was still pretty striking though, especially compared to Cornell, where my fellow interviewees were from a much wider variety of places. It's interesting to look at what kind of candidates different schools choose to interview early in the season.

To ironically confirm the selection bias, every single person on my Cornell interview day went to a small, elite private school. I was the only state school kid there.

 

[somethingdeep]

To ironically confirm the selection bias, every single person on my Cornell interview day went to a small, elite private school. I was the only state school kid there.

🙂 OK, I'll definitely stop drawing conclusions based on my co-interviewees!

 

[MedicalAuthor]

Is Columbia MMI?

 

[mmmcdowe]

Is Columbia MMI?

No. Single open file interview with a senior adcom member scheduled for 45 minutes.

 

[hopeful2017]

sooooo anyone know the best way to get to Cooperstown, NY? It looks like Syracuse and Albany are decently close, but it still seems like it could be a bit of a struggle.

Anyone who interviewed with Columbia-Bassett last year?

 

[mah269]

Hey, not sure if anyone can answer this, but...

Since the interview schedule has two different times for interviews (morning and afternoon), do they ask interviewees with early flights if they prefer interviewing in the morning? And if so, does that mean you can leave right after the tour (2pm)? Just trying to plan ahead. 🙂

 

[Sophocles]

Hey, not sure if anyone can answer this, but...

Since the interview schedule has two different times for interviews (morning and afternoon), do they ask interviewees with early flights if they prefer interviewing in the morning? And if so, does that mean you can leave right after the tour (2pm)? Just trying to plan ahead. 🙂

Most people had morning interviews in my group and they all left at 2. There's nothing to do afterwards.

 

[Whomp]

More specifically, what does "non-rolling" admissions mean?

 

[cdnmedhopeful]

More specifically, what does "non-rolling" admissions mean?

It means that the time you interview has no bearing on your chances at getting in.

Under rolling admissions, the earlier you interview, the earlier your file is reviewed by the committee for acceptance. Earlier in the cycle there will be more spots in the class, but as the cycle goes on and spots are filled, there will be less seats for the later interviewees (and thus they will have lower chances of admission).

Non-rolling schools review all files at once and send out all decisions at a certain time, so the class is never "less full" like it would be in rolling systems.

 

[FijiGNR89]

OMG first day of acceptances, I can't wait to hear from Columbia!!! Oh, wait...

 

[mmmcdowe]

Hey, not sure if anyone can answer this, but...

Since the interview schedule has two different times for interviews (morning and afternoon), do they ask interviewees with early flights if they prefer interviewing in the morning? And if so, does that mean you can leave right after the tour (2pm)? Just trying to plan ahead. 🙂

You can request a morning and they will do so. If you have a morning one then yes you can leave after the tour (ends 2:15). I would make sure that they confirm a morning interview before making the ticket though.

 

[smile8888]

I know this question has probably been asked. But does anyone know how receptive Columbia is to "in the area" email? I am interviewing at another NY school in December, and I am flying all the way from California, so it would be really great if I can interview at more than just one school (if possible) in one trip.

I submitted my Columbia secondary on 9/7, but retook the MCAT in mid-august. Received my second MCAT score mid-Sept, so I would assume my application wasn't complete until sometime after mid-Sept. If anything, they will probably get to my application in the next few weeks (anyone completed mid-sept/late-sept got interview invites yet?)

But what do you guys think? Should I let them know I will be there in December? Or should I just wait and see how things go the next few weeks? I think my stats are okay if not decent with a 34Q and 3.75/3.81.

Any advice and feedback will be greatly appreciated!

 

[FijiGNR89]

You should send them some notification that you will be in the area. A couple people in this thread have done so, and some of them have gotten interviews out of it. That shows that they definitely are responsive. It can't really hurt you, but it has the possibility to make things more convenient.

 

[pfaction]

You should send them some notification that you will be in the area. A couple people in this thread have done so, and some of them have gotten interviews out of it. That shows that they definitely are responsive. It can't really hurt you, but it has the possibility to make things more convenient.

I literally live an hour away so I really shouldn't say that.

MSTP, no news.

 

[FijiGNR89]

Would be a bit disingenuous if you did it, dude.

 

[Soma50]

I was complete end of August and haven't heard anything yet... Should I send an LOI? Or just wait it out?

 

[justhanging]

I was complete end of August and haven't heard anything yet... Should I send an LOI? Or just wait it out?

I was complete a little less then a month earlier (8/1) and still haven't heard a thing. Does Columbia do silent rejections? (Sorry if this has been asked before)