2013-2014 Columbia University Application Thread

[HereWeGo21]

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To those of you waitlisted, like me: now we fight!

http://bencurtisjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1082587734_1385245990.jpg

 

[Amygdarya]

Just stopped by to congratulate everyone accepted so far (great job!) and to commiserate with those who got wait listed by their first choice.

(And that sure was the nicest preinterview rejection letter 🙂)

 

[WorfoSAUR]

Can any current students comment on typical financial aid packages? How much money could I likely receive?

EDIT: Oh, just looked at the last page. I see that Columbia doesn't offer merit aid, but only need based. I'm guessing I'm not really eligible for that.

Also, I had a friend who got rejected, so people did get rejected post-interviews.

 

[RocDiva4040]

For all of those WL, did the letter in your ADMISSIONS DECISION tab change to a letter about financial aid after you accepted the offer?

Also historically, when does wait list movement start happening?

 

[nemo123]

For all of those WL, did the letter in your ADMISSIONS DECISION tab change to a letter about financial aid after you accepted the offer?

Also historically, when does wait list movement start happening?

Yep, mine did.

Last year, there was some waitlist movement around May 10th, but the large bulk of acceptances occurred post May 15th.

 

[RocDiva4040]

Thanks a lot @nemo123 !

 

[Can'tShakeThis]

Acceptance packet arrived. Dean Nicholas crossed out my last name and wrote in my first name. I feel so special haha!

 

[surely]

Acceptance packet arrived. Dean Nicholas crossed out my last name and wrote in my first name. I feel so special haha!

That's adorable. Ahhhhh.

 

[Sophocles]

That's adorable. Ahhhhh.

You're still very special but we all received those last year, as well. Congrats to all those who received acceptances. I really hope you strongly consider coming here and you should definitely speak to the current students if you guys have any questions.

 

[baconshrimps]

Im just going to put it out there. Did anyone hear from Dr. Donald Quest? Im just curious. Hope nobody gives a false answer to this or trolls. Just trying to go to med school here. Lol but seriously congrats to those who r in any med school

DONNY QUEST? lolol


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile

 

[DrCaliBoy]

I was wondering if any current students know what time second look starts on April 4th.

 

[fhg]

I was wondering if any current students know what time second look starts on April 4th.

Also, any idea of the general schedule of events?

Thank you!

 

[Appletini10]

Congrats to all those accepted and good luck to everyone with the remainder of the process!

Can any current students comment on typical financial aid packages? How much money could I likely receive?

EDIT: Oh, just looked at the last page. I see that Columbia doesn't offer merit aid, but only need based. I'm guessing I'm not really eligible for that.

I'm not sure where this information originally came from. I'm at P&S on a merit aid scholarship. I was extremely impressed by the effort P&S went through to make sure it was financially competitive with my other options.

 

[Sophocles]

Congrats to all those accepted and good luck to everyone with the remainder of the process!



I'm not sure where this information originally came from. I'm at P&S on a merit aid scholarship. I was extremely impressed by the effort P&S went through to make sure it was financially competitive with my other options.

On that note, I personally know people from low-income backgrounds that have received ~50k in scholarships and also receive LDS loans; although this number is definitely not the norm, private schools like Columbia have money to help students in need.

 

[fhg]

Congrats to all those accepted and good luck to everyone with the remainder of the process!



I'm not sure where this information originally came from. I'm at P&S on a merit aid scholarship. I was extremely impressed by the effort P&S went through to make sure it was financially competitive with my other options.

That's awesome, congrats! Would you suggest letting P&S know about competing merit scholarship offers?

If so, how/when did you approach this?

 

[Appletini10]

That's awesome, congrats! Would you suggest letting P&S know about competing merit scholarship offers?

If so, how/when did you approach this?

Generally, my suggestion would be to be transparent with your decision process. If financial considerations are keeping you from P&S, definitely let the admissions office know, and they'll try to work with you. And I would say that sooner is probably better than later, so that you can give them every opportunity to help you out. Hope that's useful!

 

[fhg]

Generally, my suggestion would be to be transparent with your decision process. If financial considerations are keeping you from P&S, definitely let the admissions office know, and they'll try to work with you. And I would say that sooner is probably better than later, so that you can give them every opportunity to help you out. Hope that's useful!

Thank you! Any suggestions about whether they prefer phone vs. email?

 

[mmmcdowe]

I'd try email before you call, just because they will likely redirect you to someone in finaid.

 

[fhg]

Thank you both for your input!

 

[RocDiva4040]

Got my wait list letter in the mail today. No personal note from the Dean on it. Is it officially time to let go of the dream?

Sidenote: I hate how hopeful the tone of the letter for the wait list is. I know there's like 600-800 of us on there. We're not all getting in lol

 

[nemo123]

Got my wait list letter in the mail today. No personal note from the Dean on it. Is it officially time to let go of the dream?

Sidenote: I hate how hopeful the tone of the letter for the wait list is. I know there's like 600-800 of us on there. We're not all getting in lol

Hmm that's weird... I ran to my mailbox after you posted this, and my waitlist letter isn't here... And I live in NYC... Except I got a ton a mail, and when I originally picked it up, I thought one of them would be from Columbia. I went through it, only to find mail from Dartmouth and NJMS lol. The weirdest coincidence ever.

On a side note, it has been said before that a personalization isn't needed to get off the waitlist here, so you still have a chance!

 

[LVE]

Got my wait list letter in the mail today. No personal note from the Dean on it. Is it officially time to let go of the dream?

Sidenote: I hate how hopeful the tone of the letter for the wait list is. I know there's like 600-800 of us on there. We're not all getting in lol

Don't give up! If Columbia is where you want to go then let them know. I get the feeling they really care about a desire to go there, so might as well let them know if it is your dream!

 

[RocDiva4040]

Hmm that's weird... I ran to my mailbox after you posted this, and my waitlist letter isn't here... And I live in NYC... Except I got a ton a mail, and when I originally picked it up, I thought one of them would be from Columbia. I went through it, only to find mail from Dartmouth and NJMS lol. The weirdest coincidence ever.

On a side note, it has been said before that a personalization isn't needed to get off the waitlist here, so you still have a chance!

Hmm that is really weird. I seem to get things really fast from Columbia for some reason. I remember the very next day after I uploaded my Thank you note to the portal, I got the email from Dean Nicholas.

On the bright side (for you) maybe this means Dean Nicholas is still personalizing your letter 😉 lol

 

[kevinus]

I haven't received mine yet. How do we know if the letter is personalized?

edit: I should probably mention that I live in California

 

[RocDiva4040]

I haven't received mine yet. How do we know if the letter is personalized?

edit: I should probably mention that I live in California

I think some letters come with a handwritten note from the Dean.

I live in MA btw.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Waitlist letters with a personalization are an indication of high ranking, but people with and without get in and don't get in.

 

[eric51]

To those on the wait list: The wait list movement at Columbia is highly variable from year to year. Some recent years almost no one has been admitted from the wait list, but other years up to roughly 50 people have. It's a little early to know what this year is looking like, and it is true that there are generally a pretty large number of people on the wait list, but if you really want to go to Columbia I would definitely try to keep an open dialog with Dean Nicholas and the admissions office staff and let them know.

 

[Nakazima]

I think the sooner you accept the waitlist spot the sooner you get the letter?..

 

[SixStringPsych]

I think the sooner you accept the waitlist spot the sooner you get the letter?..

Doesn't make any sense since the letter itself says to log in and accept the spot within 2 weeks.

 

[yankees26]

dont overanalyze it. the letter will come eventually

 

[smarts1]

dont overanalyze it. the letter will come eventually

+1. Well then, did anyone else get the letter in the mail yet?

 

[SixStringPsych]

+1. Well then, did anyone else get the letter in the mail yet?

Yes I did. To Long Island, about an hour from manhattan

 

[mmmcdowe]

FWIW even if 50 people get off the waitlist, 100 spots were offered to get that number.

 

[RocDiva4040]

FWIW even if 50 people get off the waitlist, 100 spots were offered to get that number.

Are there really like 600+ people on the wait list?

 

[mmmcdowe]

Are there really like 600+ people on the wait list?

As I said, there are about 600, but many people may not withdraw from the waitlist and not be interested.

 

[Dr.Visionary]

For all the waitlist people wondering about Financial Aid, I called the office today to get some info. Columbia works on a first come first serve basis. So getting off the list later in the cycle puts you at a slight disadvantage in terms of how much money is left for grants and scholarship. However, when a person withdraws their acceptance they are also declining their fin aid thus regenerating some funds for the waitlist. So its not a significant disadvantage.

Also as far as needaccess goes, you don't have to complete it yet if you don't need it for any of your other schools because there is a fee. The counselor told me it takes only 2 days for it to be processed and you will be given 2 week window post your acceptance to take care of it.

Hope that helps.......

 

[Nakazima]

Did anyone get a personalized WL letter? I was just wondering if they are still doing that this year.

 

[asebasp]

I got my WL letter in the mail today. No personalization here

 

[HereWeGo21]

Still waiting on my WL letter.

Also: do you think Columbia will expect to see our spring grades? (for anyone still in school). Thanks!

 

[nemo123]

No letter still...

 

[fhg]

...

 

[jellen]

No personalization here lol

 

[Innocuous]

No letter... I can't say that I am surprised by how crushed I am to think that Columbia may no longer be an option...

 

[mah269]

Hey everyone! Hope your interview season is going well. My name is Mike and I'm a first year here at Columbia. (Side note, I'm also a Revisit Leader and am SO RIDICULOUSLY STOKED to meet some of you on April 4th!) I'm not gonna be frequenting this thread much (seriously guys, for your own health, once you pick a school, sign out of SDN and never. look. back), but I wanted to let you all know that our class started an Instagram account to share our photos with you all to give you a better idea of what day-to-day life is like as a P&S student (summary: it's awesome). The account name is "THEPSCLUB". Please follow us and tell your friends! 🙂

 

[kevinus]

I got my waitlist letter today. No personal message.

 

[jfrwu]

I got my waitlist letter today. No personal message.

+1

 

[zoomx3]

+1

+2 no personalization

 

[sebastian14]

+2 no personalization

+3, no personalization.

 

[pyrrion89]

I got my waitlist letter today. No personal message.

So the idea is if the dean writes some doodles in it, then you're "highly ranked"? This is despite the fact the letter states that the waiting list is unranked? Sounds like it is ranked...

 

[wuzman]

how can a wait-list be "unranked"? do they accept students at random off the wait-list then?