2014-2015 Columbia University College of P&S Application Thread

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XxAnonymousxX said:
I was complete 9/26, and I just received an II this morning!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍:soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited::soexcited:

Lol...in case you can't tell, this is my absolute dream school.

Good luck to everyone applying this cycle!!
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Congratulations!!! They must really love you! Stats?
 
XxAnonymousxX said:
LizzyM ~72

Research, your MDapps info is really impressive! Congrats on the Cornell II!! I have a feeling you will be hearing from Columbia soon. 🙂
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Awww, thank you! You're too kind! 😍 It would be a dream, their PhD to MD program is just awesomesauce (yes, I just said that)!!! 😀

Congratulations again!!!
 
To those talking about OOS vs. IS, are you guys implying Columbia favors NY residents?
 
justadream said:
To those talking about OOS vs. IS, are you guys implying Columbia favors NY residents?
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Nearly the same percentage of IS (14%) and OOS (13%) applicants are interviewed.

However, the ratio of matriculated/applied for IS is 1.5 times greater than for OOS. 3% of IS applicants matriculate, while 2% of OOS applicants matriculate.

Therefore, your residence should have no effect on whether or not you receive an interview, but IS applicants seem to be 1.5 times more likely to ultimately receive acceptance than OOS applicants.
 
MrMe123 said:
Nearly the same percentage of IS (14%) and OOS (13%) applicants are interviewed.

However, the ratio of matriculated/applied for IS is 1.5 times greater than for OOS. 3% of IS applicants matriculate, while 2% of OOS applicants matriculate.

Therefore, your residence should have no effect on whether or not you receive an interview, but IS applicants seem to be 1.5 times more likely to ultimately receive acceptance than OOS applicants.
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brb moving to nyc...
 
MrMe123 said:
Nearly the same percentage of IS (14%) and OOS (13%) applicants are interviewed.

However, the ratio of matriculated/applied for IS is 1.5 times greater than for OOS. 3% of IS applicants matriculate, while 2% of OOS applicants matriculate.

Therefore, your residence should have no effect on whether or not you receive an interview, but IS applicants seem to be 1.5 times more likely to ultimately receive acceptance than OOS applicants.
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If the data is for the ratio of matriculated/applied... perhaps this means that IS are more likely to matriculate, not necessarily that they receive more acceptance offers, right? .. which makes sense... so no need to move to NYC 🙂
 
Brown14 said:
If the data is for the ratio of matriculated/applied... perhaps this means that IS are more likely to matriculate, not necessarily that they receive more acceptance offers, right? .. which makes sense... so no need to move to NYC 🙂
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Sure, it's not going to be entirely accurate. I don't have usnews so I couldn't give the exact percentages. Even so, any reason to move to NYC is reason enough
 
Brown14 said:
If the data is for the ratio of matriculated/applied... perhaps this means that IS are more likely to matriculate, not necessarily that they receive more acceptance offers, right? .. which makes sense... so no need to move to NYC 🙂
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I thought the same thing at first but I have a US News subscription so I ran the numbers and the ratio stays about the same when you do accepted/applied. 5.7% of ISers get accepted while 3.9% of OOSers get accepted, which is roughly 1.5 times more.
 
Where is everyone staying?? I can't find a hotel in the city lol
 
I have a question. I saw in other threads that if you are going to be in the area for another interview, it doesn't hurt to email the other schools in the area (e.g. you have an interview at Columbia, and are waiting on Weill Cornell). Anyone know how to approach this?

Perhaps I am misunderstanding those who did "in the area" emails, but I can't understand how it would help what seems to me is saying "Hey, I have an interview at another school in the area. Still waiting to hear back from you. Can I get an interview since I'm already coming to the neighborhood?"
 
OrbitalOverload said:
II! I am really surprised and happy! So thankful for this opportunity - hoping my interview goes well, this is a dream school. Hoping that you all receive love as well.

Complete 09/21
LizzyM 74-77
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Congratulations!!! And I love your avatar. That Spongebob face is one of my favorites, right after Patrick's as he is scheming while rubbing his "hands" 😉
 
OrbitalOverload said:
II! I am really surprised and happy! So thankful for this opportunity - hoping my interview goes well, this is a dream school. Hoping that you all receive love as well.

Complete 09/21
LizzyM 74-77
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Congratsssss!!! I wish to have your luck soon! well, at least I'll probably be out interviewing instead of being at home which risk me running into the interview troops and silently expressing my envy...
 
So I've heard from other sdners that the area around columbia is "not nice" but how can anywhere in Manhattan not be nice??? Lol Can anyone shed some light on this??
 
Jr MD said:
So I've heard from other sdners that the area around columbia is "not nice" but how can anywhere in Manhattan not be nice??? Lol Can anyone shed some light on this??
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Safety wise: it's actually extremely safe up here at the CU medical school. Crime rate is one of the lowest of all the areas in Manhattan. Being a single female, I feel very safe walking around 3am alone.
Food wise: there are more south american food than anything else. But whatever you want in terms of cuisine, there is one around here. some of these cuisines might not be the highest quality, but many are pretty darn good.
Population wise: mostly hispanic population up here. However, the area of the dorm are like a mini college town. It's almost completely taken over by people related to CUMC.
Environment: you've got hudson greenway, you've got riverside drive, inwood park, riverside park and central park are all accessible, so actually around here you've got the best access to nature and to scenery places of all the manhattan.
Commute: Extremely convenient, since you've got the express A and local 1/C. You can get to midtown in 20mins. There are 3 large zip car garage around here. Tons of options.
Housing options (In case you are sick of the dorm): This little path here is one of the best kept secret of manhattan in terms of apartments. Highest quality/cost ratio so far. I am saying this after having moved over a dozen times in the past 10 years literally all over Brooklyn and Manhattan.
 
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Friendly_female_house said:
Safety wise: it's actually extremely safe up here at the CU medical school. Crime rate is one of the lowest of all the areas in Manhattan. Being a single female, I feel very safe walking around 3am alone.
Food wise: there are more south american food than anything else. But whatever you want in terms of cuisine, there is one around here. some of these cuisines might not be the highest quality, but many are pretty darn good.
Population wise: mostly hispanic population up here. However, the area of the dorm are like a mini college town. It's almost completely taken over by people related to CUMC.
Environment: you've got hudson greenway, you've got riverside drive, inwood park, riverside park and central park are all accessible, so actually around here you've got the best access to nature and to scenery places of all the manhattan.
Commute: Extremely convenient, since you've got the express A and local 1/C. You can get to midtown in 20mins. There are 3 large zip car garage around here. Tons of options.
Housing options (In case you are sick of the dorm): This little path here is one of the best kept secret of manhattan in terms of apartments. Highest quality/cost ratio so far. I am saying this after having moved over a dozen times in the past 10 years literally all over Brooklyn and Manhattan.
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Wow thanks soooo very much for your insight! I can't wait to visit!! What do you mean this little path??
 
Jr MD said:
Wow thanks soooo very much for your insight! I can't wait to visit!! What do you mean this little path??
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You are welcome. it's the small area surrounded by Broadway and hudson river, between 165 and 173ish. It's not a wide known fact how nice this area is to the rest of the Manhattan. The apartments are about 10 to 20% lower than what they should have cost considering the convenience and the niceness of the area. The best street to live on is Haven Ave north of 168th, where it starts. The med school is on 168th, so the closer the better, but mostly Haven ave is pretty nice. The new B&N bookstore and starbucks just opened on Haven and 168th and there will be a new deli on 170th and haven as well.

A couple more things:

1. At night you can have campus security car drive you home as long as you don't live too far away. CU's campus security is well trained and well funded.
2. Fairway market on 133rd, where you find everything to make any food and where they built a cold room the size of a normal supermarket, does $8 door to door same day delivery with no upper limits in terms of weight. Fresh direct also comes here.
 
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researchismymiddlename said:
Congratulations!!! And I love your avatar. That Spongebob face is one of my favorites, right after Patrick's as he is scheming while rubbing his "hands" 😉
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Thanks! I'm thinking about the episode where Spongebob finds out that Squidward loves Crabby Patties..... "You love Crabby Patties, don't you Squidward." 🤣

Friendly_female_house said:
Congratsssss!!! I wish to have your luck soon! well, at least I'll probably be out interviewing instead of being at home which risk me running into the interview troops and silently expressing my envy...
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Thanks F_F_H, I'm rooting for you. I know you've interviewed at some great schools this cycle too. I'm optimistic that we'll both wind up very happy by the end of it!🙂
 
Jr MD said:
So I've heard from other sdners that the area around columbia is "not nice" but how can anywhere in Manhattan not be nice??? Lol Can anyone shed some light on this??
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It's Washington Heights. I was just there this past week, left this morning in fact, for reasons unrelated to interviewing at Columbia. The area is perfectly fine and has much more character than certain other areas of Manhattan, such as Lower Manhattan in the Financial District. It has a very large Dominican population and you are 50 to 60 blocks north of Columbia's main campus in Morningside Heights, which is gorgeous and has some nice restaurants nearby. Morningside is just north of the Upper West Side, which in my opinion is one of the best areas in NYC and borders Central Park. If you have the opportunity to attend Columbia the neighborhood it is located in should not be a justifiable detraction in my opinion.
 
Jr MD said:
So I've heard from other sdners that the area around columbia is "not nice" but how can anywhere in Manhattan not be nice??? Lol Can anyone shed some light on this??
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I agree with what others have said about the area around columbia, but uh bro if you think that "anywhere in Manhattan" = "nice"... you are mistaken...
 
Are we allowed to bring significant others or family on the tour? My mom really wants to see the school!! Haha
 
Jr MD said:
Are we allowed to bring significant others or family on the tour? My mom really wants to see the school!! Haha
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No no no no. Have her explore the neighborhood on her own but do NOT interact in view of anyone involved with admissions.
 
Jr MD said:
Are we allowed to bring significant others or family on the tour? My mom really wants to see the school!! Haha
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I don't think it's a question of whether you're allowed or not. I'm sure there isn't a rule that says you can't. But you really, really don't want to come off as anything less than the utmost in maturity and professionalism. This is Columbia, we're talking about. Do not bring your mother to the interview or on the tour. Instead, focus on killing your interview. Focused on getting accepted and matriculating, then show her the school yourself in your white coat. She'll treasure that more, anyways.
 
Jr MD said:
Are we allowed to bring significant others or family on the tour? My mom really wants to see the school!! Haha
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"Mom, I know you would love to come along, but it turns out family members are strongly discouraged* from attending any part of the interview day."

*by people with common sense on SDN

Like @onceawolverine said, she'll see it at the white coat ceremony or afterward.
 
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Can anyone who interviewed already send me a quick PM? I have an important but private question to ask. #mystery #intrigue
 
I received an email from Dean Nicholas that sounded like a likely letter (used words like "keeping you very strongly in mind", and "think you would enjoy your time here at P&S"). It was in response to a thank you email to my interviewer (but the Dean responded?). Has anyone else received something similar?
 
cutepup101 said:
I received an email from Dean Nicholas that sounded like a likely letter (used words like "keeping you very strongly in mind", and "think you would enjoy your time here at P&S"). It was in response to a thank you email to my interviewer (but the Dean responded?). Has anyone else received something similar?
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Yeah I'm pretty sure we got copy and pasted the exact same letter...
 
For those of you that interviewed, what was your experience like? I read farther back and I do see that you find out the day of whether you are in the morning or afternoon, and that its traditional style. I'll be headed there this week!
 
cutepup101 said:
Do you think he sent it to everyone who sent a thank you email? Or is it in some ways, a "likely" letter?
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I got the same letter as well, but my take on it is that they wouldn't use wording that was so clearly favorable to every applicant. If they did everyone would be feeling like they are "likely"... but that's just my opinion.
 
doctortobeee said:
I got the same letter as well, but my take on it is that they wouldn't use wording that was so clearly favorable to every applicant. If they did everyone would be feeling like they are "likely"... but that's just my opinion.
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Well in that case, has anyone sent a thank you note and not gotten this letter as a response?
 
Brown14 said:
If the data is for the ratio of matriculated/applied... perhaps this means that IS are more likely to matriculate, not necessarily that they receive more acceptance offers, right? .. which makes sense... so no need to move to NYC 🙂
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this would be my hypothesis as well
 
Columbia-Bassett II this morning! Complete at Columbia in late August, added my Bassett essay to my app on 10/5.

There isn't too much info on SDN about the Bassett program interview -- is there anyone who's been to their interview day this cycle (or any previous cycle) who might kind enough to speak to their experiences? My invite email said that I'd be arriving Wednesday, interviewing with them on Thursday (they're kind enough to pay for accommodations), and then I'd be traveling down to NYC Thursday afternoon so I can interview at the main P&S campus on Friday.
 
For an OOS person, how high should my LizzyM be to have a good chance at interview (assuming decent but not superstar ECs)? Like 78?
 
justadream said:
For an OOS person, how high should my LizzyM be to have a good chance at interview (assuming decent but not superstar ECs)? Like 78?
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OOS or IS doesn't matter for Columbia. Their average MCAT is 36 and GPA is 3.8. Take that as you will.
 
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