2012-2013 Columbia University Application Thread

[Narie]

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haha. wow, thanks for the honesty and encouragement. 😉

good luck to you, my fellow f(r)iend!
I hope your letter of intent is somewhere near, but not as good, as mine. 😉

 

[FijiGNR89]

Make sure you address yours to 630 W 1,168th St.

The admissions office is really uptown.

 

[Narie]

Make sure you address yours to 630 W 1,168th St.

The admissions office is really uptown.

1,168th?

I thought the mailing address was 630 W. 168th St., Box 41?

 

[OwlPower22]

Happy Hunger Games, guys.

 

[OwlPower22]

May the odds be ever in your favor!!

Seriously, if medical school admissions was played out as in the Hunger Games, I'll be standing on a heap of all y'alls.


ok, I have to stop playing so many video games. 😛

 

[FijiGNR89]

Yo... My buddy has me stuck on mass effect. It's the shiz

 

[Sophocles]

Any COD players?

 

[SBuck53]

Any COD players?

Was until my 360 red ringed 🙁

Makes the waiting to hear baout the waitlist much much longer

 

[Classof2013PreM]

Any chance of getting in here without an update or letter of intent? haha, I'm not planning to submit one and I don't want to waste my time on the waitlist

 

[wangers5270]

.

 

[OwlPower22]

Any COD players?

I played it up until college. I was decent at Black Ops.

 

[OwlPower22]

Yo... My buddy has me stuck on mass effect. It's the shiz

Ohhh dude I heard that was a great game.

I say we have Left 4 Dead 2 gaming nights if we get into Columbia.

 

[Narie]

I want Columbia, and I am not afraid to show it!

 

[deleted503015]

Ohhh dude I heard that was a great game.

I say we have Left 4 Dead 2 gaming nights if we get into Columbia.

mass effect is the best.

 

[MedicalAuthor]

Ain't nobody f'ing with dat Halo, Halo, Halo, Halo....

....4

 

[Sophocles]

Wow!!! I can definitely see myself spending the next four years with you guys...

Not trying to be creepy..

 

[mmmcdowe]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether a letter of intent should be addressed to the entire admissions committee or directly to Dean Nicholas?

Doesn't matter

Any chance of getting in here without an update or letter of intent? haha, I'm not planning to submit one and I don't want to waste my time on the waitlist

Yes

 

[FijiGNR89]

My high school career was a four-year blur of counter-strike 1.6. I vaguely remember interacting with someone once in real life during that time.

 

[pya]

.

 

[FijiGNR89]

I mailed one in the other day but now I'm wondering if I should submit it via the portal as well. Only one person will be able to physically read it... Will everyone on the adcomm be able to read it through the portal?

 

[081479058]

I mailed one in the other day but now I'm wondering if I should submit it via the portal as well. Only one person will be able to physically read it... Will everyone on the adcomm be able to read it through the portal?

I think you should submit it through the portal (too).

 

[wangers5270]

.

 

[Sophocles]

The packet they gave us during the interview stated that all correspondence should be uploaded through the portal; even thank you letters that were handwritten should be copied and uploaded.

 

[mah269]

For those of you who have received packets, did Dean Nicholas edit your acceptance letters...? He like, took a blue pen to mine and crossed out the "Dear Mr. Hernandez" and scribbled in "Dear Mike." And he also sprawled a "congratulations!" across the bottom. Haha, I love this guy.

 

[Sophocles]

For those of you who have received packets, did Dean Nicholas edit your acceptance letters...? He like, took a blue pen to mine and crossed out the "Dear Mr. Hernandez" and scribbled in "Dear Mike." And he also sprawled a "congratulations!" across the bottom. Haha, I love this guy.

Yup!😀
Same here.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Thats a good sign, the only real measure of "rank", since the list as a whole is unranked. It is important to note, however, that having it doesn't promise an acceptance, nor does lack of one codemn you.

 

[smallone]

hey mmmcdowe, which post are you responding to? aren't they talking about their acceptance packets? or did people on the waitlist get packets? i'm not at my "home" address...

 

[Sophocles]

hey mmmcdowe, which post are you responding to? aren't they talking about their acceptance packets? or did people on the waitlist get packets? i'm not at my "home" address...

Yeah, these were acceptance packages, but I think that last year the waitlist packages had this nuance which alluded to some sort of "preference" in the waitlist.

 

[MedicalAuthor]

Yup!😀
Same here.

Yeah, I got the same.

I wonder if that was planned, or if he got the stack of letters to sign and was like...wait, this is too informal!

Probably the latter. The former would be too calculating, haha.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I'm referring to the waitlist letter personalization.

 

[SBuck53]

I'm referring to the waitlist letter personalization.

mmmcdowe,

If you could clarify for me, Does everyone on the waitlist get a snail mail package?

It was unclear to me in your post if everyone got a package and it was a good sign if yours was personalized or if getting a package at all was a good sign.

Thanks!

 

[med17]

I'm referring to the waitlist letter personalization.

did people get actually mailed waitlist packages? where is this personalization and what kinds of things have people been getting..?

sorry i didnt reload the page in the 5 minutes it took me to read it.. now i cant figure out how to delete this!

 

[OwlPower22]

Nope, no waitlist letter here. I suppose they're saving paper. None the matter.

 

[wangers5270]

.

 

[smallone]

No hard-copy waitlist letter here.....

...and if I did have a waitlist letter with a personalization, I wouldn't put any faith in it because I had a super, super personalized letter from the Dean in the fall. Still love Columbia lots and am hoping to be accepted.

 

[dahassa]

My friend opened a poll comparing Columbia with other ivies, and would like your help! She loved Columbia and is thrilled to have been accepted!
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=989612

Thanks everyone!

I think there is already a poll comparing yale vs penn vs columbia from last year. So it's fairly recent and over a hundred people participated.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=905164

I believe people decide Penn>Columbia>Yale (although it would be Yale and Columbia for me😍)

Also, there is a thread where someone was deciding Columbia vs Yale

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=617109

I think ultimately one of the OP picked Columbia. Hope that helps!

 

[shnechniak]

Just got a snail mail copy of my waitlist letter. There was a personalized note at the bottom by Dr. Nicholas. I know I shouldn't look too much into it, but I hope hope hope I get in off that 600 person waitlist! :/

 

[Sophocles]

Just got a snail mail copy of my waitlist letter. There was a personalized note at the bottom by Dr. Nicholas. I know I shouldn't look too much into it, but I hope hope hope I get in off that 600 person waitlist! :/

Good luck, it seems that some people have declined their acceptances due to Harvard. Perhaps, with Yale and some other schools, more people will drop and people that really want to go to Columbia can come. 👍

 

[shnechniak]

Good luck, it seems that some people have declined their acceptances due to Harvard. Perhaps, with Yale and some other schools, more people will drop and people that really want to go to Columbia can come. 👍

Thanks Sophacles! I hope so.

 

[dahassa]

Good luck, it seems that some people have declined their acceptances due to Harvard. Perhaps, with Yale and some other schools, more people will drop and people that really want to go to Columbia can come. 👍

I dont know about yale, but I think a lot of spots opened up after the Harvard acceptances. Columbia and Harvard seem to have a lot of the same cross admits. Around 100 people get off the waitlist I believe. In fact, 2 of the medical students I met during my interview were initially waitlisted. So, I would definitely keep hope alive.

 

[Sophocles]

I dont know about yale, but I think a lot of spots opened up after the Harvard acceptances. Columbia and Harvard seem to have a lot of the same cross admits. Around 100 people get off the waitlist I believe. In fact, 2 of the medical students I met during my interview were initially waitlisted. So, I would definitely keep hope alive.

Why not Yale? According to a couple recent threads there seems to be a couple of people waiting for Yale's decisions to determine whether they will go to Columbia or Yale. Makes sense to me.

 

[dahassa]

Why not Yale? According to a couple recent threads there seems to be a couple of people waiting for Yale's decisions to determine whether they will go to Columbia or Yale. Makes sense to me.

Sorry lol I was looking at the yields lol. Since both Columbia and Yale have around a 40% yield (compared to Harvard's 75%), I figured they are pretty even when it comes to cross admits. I'm actually one of those ppl waiting for Yale b/f making a final decision so it was def a fair point.

Anyway, I was trying to increase hope not decrease. Harvard alone had to open up several spots and I highly doubt Columbia has started to contact waitlisted students about this spots. So, there is still plenty of hope.

 

[Sophocles]

Sorry lol I was looking at the yields lol. Since both Columbia and Yale have around a 40% yield (compared to Harvard's 75%), I figured they are pretty even when it comes to cross admits. I'm actually one of those ppl waiting for Yale b/f making a final decision so it was def a fair point.

Anyway, I was trying to increase hope not decrease. Harvard alone had to open up several spots and I highly doubt Columbia has started to contact waitlisted students about this spots. So, there is still plenty of hope.

Oh, I see. I didn't even think about the yields.

Also, for what it's worth. I thought you did a pretty good job on the other thread comparing Yale and Columbia. I didn't quite agree with you when stating that Columbia teaches for the boards, but how would I know. Perhaps, one of the current students can come on and talk about their experience with the teaching during the preclinical year and a half.

Also, good luck with whichever route you take.

 

[eyessmile]

I thought Columbia's yield was around 50%, higher than Yale's.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Columbia has typically ranked third to fourth in yield, with the other three being Harvard, Hopkins, and Penn. I think Yale suffers more from the randomness in life due to the lower number of acceptances and class size.

Also, Columbia's yield is more like 50-55% most years.

 

[dahassa]

Oh, I see. I didn't even think about the yields.

Also, for what it's worth. I thought you did a pretty good job on the other thread comparing Yale and Columbia. I didn't quite agree with you when stating that Columbia teaches for the boards, but how would I know. Perhaps, one of the current students can come on and talk about their experience with the teaching during the preclinical year and a half.

Also, good luck with whichever route you take.

Thanks and good luck. I hope you get into your top choice as well! It would actually be great if someone could talk on the breadth and depth of the first 2 years.

I thought Columbia's yield was around 50%, higher than Yale's.

Ya you are right. Columbia's is higher. I actually got that info from an older thread. So it's a few year old.

 

[bambo337]

so i know that many schools, columbia included, state that the great majority (if not all) of the wait-list movement will begin after may 15. however, seeing as many (if not most) students do not wait nearly that long to decide whether or not to matriculate, does wait-list movement at columbia actually start sooner? or do they have a policy of waiting until after the 15th of may (perhaps to know exactly how many seats will be available)?

i ask because im wondering if/how i should space out any recs/update letters (i sent one in mid-feb, and so i do not have much to add in terms of updates -- although i can elaborate on intent and fit). alternatively, is it preferable to get all your stuff out ASAP?

 

[mmmcdowe]

so i know that many schools, columbia included, state that the great majority (if not all) of the wait-list movement will begin after may 15. however, seeing as many (if not most) students do not wait nearly that long to decide whether or not to matriculate, does wait-list movement at columbia actually start sooner? or do they have a policy of waiting until after the 15th of may (perhaps to know exactly how many seats will be available)?

i ask because im wondering if/how i should space out any recs/update letters (i sent one in mid-feb, and so i do not have much to add in terms of updates -- although i can elaborate on intent and fit). alternatively, is it preferable to get all your stuff out ASAP?

A trickle sometimes begins in late april/early may, but the vast majority is on or after May 15th. Columbia accepts about 200 right away, so there is a "buffer" before they finally drop below their class size. I would send in any letters/updates by mid-april.

 

[mah269]

Does anyone know if there's a schedule available yet for Second Look? I have another school that I wanted to visit that same weekend, and I'm trying to figure out when I should be going to each. The registration form was really vague with the details. (E.g., for Saturday, is there ONLY a Family/Partner program? My family isn't coming and I am sadly partnerless, so I don't know if I should be hanging around Saturday.)

 

[idrinkgreentea]

i'm wondering the same thing too. i'm hoping that a detailed schedule comes out soon so I can start booking my flight!