2019-2020 Columbia VP&S

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xkcd6330 said:
I repeated a lot from my most-meaningful section on that question. I know repetition in secondaries is generally frowned upon, but I just don't see how I can make up an entirely new set of takeaways/lessons when I already made it a point to address this on the primary. Also, in the past, Columbia has asked people to summarize their activities, and even this year they still ask for a CV, which makes me think perhaps the interviewers don't read our primaries all that closely, and the repeated info is ok.
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This was my thought too. Thanks for the conformation!
 
Do any MSTP applicants think the 5000 word caps were a mistake? I was already barely at 5000 characters with my PhD goals, so I can’t imagine getting even close to 5000 words...
 
babykarat said:
How are you all filling out the "Experiences" section? Is this only for paid work, or would you include volunteering/research/other ECs?
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I’m stuck on this one too...I’m probably going to do paid work and research, those are the only ones to me with a clear “Employer”. Also do MSTP adcoms see our MD secondaries? Because this seems exactly like the working for compensation question from that
 
Doctors' Docta said:
I think in the past resume was fine... anyone confirm this?

Also: should everything be on my resume!? In the past, I always kept it to one page but idk if I should include everything and make it longer?
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I think leave your resume 1 page! They have all your experiences through the primary app
 
xkcd6330 said:
Oh, that’s probably MSTP only. Can an MD only applicant confirm?
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PhD to MD program applicant here. Did not have the experiences section. Had my own awful section.
 
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How are other people approaching the CV? Should it be 1 page? I don't have a very concise one - the last one I made was for my undergrad committee, and they wanted it in a really specific / stupid format, so I need to make a new one.
 
Are people really using 300 words to describe their parents occupations? That’s like a seperate essay.
Last year it was a 100 character limit.
 
Mr_Kurtz said:
How are other people approaching the CV? Should it be 1 page? I don't have a very concise one - the last one I made was for my undergrad committee, and they wanted it in a really specific / stupid format, so I need to make a new one.
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FWIW my CV was 1.5 pages or so and I uploaded it. I dont think the length matters. Some people who have other degrees or are nontrads will have longer CV's
 
RJ McReady said:
FWIW my CV was 1.5 pages or so and I uploaded it. I dont think the length matters. Some people who have other degrees or are nontrads will have longer CV's
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Mine is 4 pages but I had already made one for another reason and I am nontrad. I'm surprised they even require a CV because all the information can be found on the primary app.
 
EmbryonalCarcinoma said:
Mine is 4 pages but I had already made one for another reason and I am nontrad. I'm surprised they even require a CV because all the information can be found on the primary app.
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I thought the whole point of a resume is that it’s one page? Isn’t that the standard?
 
In secondaries should I use Columbia, Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Vagelos, Columbia VP&S, VP&S, P&S?
 
For "If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)", are they referring to time off during undergrad? This does not mean gap years right?
 
baylafan said:
For "If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)", are they referring to time off during undergrad? This does not mean gap years right?
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Correct.
 
Did anyone else not upload a CV? I just assumed it was optional
 
baylafan said:
For "If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. (250 words)", are they referring to time off during undergrad? This does not mean gap years right?
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You can take time off during college before completing undergrad.
 
Anybody got tips on how to approach this leadership essay
 
hailbate said:
Did anyone else not upload a CV? I just assumed it was optional
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Was not going to upload one but thought maybe this is a chance for me to elaborate more on a few experiences. Need to distinguish myself any way possible given my stats lol.
 
What have you all been using for the "anything else?" essay?

I'm between using my urban challenges essay since I worked on it for a week, but also believe I can write a strong "Why Columbia?" essay.
 
aek46 said:
What have you all been using for the "anything else?" essay?

I'm between using my urban challenges essay since I worked on it for a week, but also believe I can write a strong "Why Columbia?" essay.
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I did a 200 word why Columbia.
 
I have a question about a Canadian undergrad. The website says:
"It is rare that we admit individuals from foreign universities because the Admissions Committee does not have satisfactory means of evaluating premedical education at universities outside of the United States and Canada. We therefore require at least one year of premedical training at an institution in the United States"

Since US & Canada are mentioned in the first part, but not in the second part (ie: 1 year in US), would a Canadian undergrad not be sufficient?
This should probably be asked to admissions: Does anyone have the email for admissions?
 
Moose97 said:
I have a question about a Canadian undergrad. The website says:
"It is rare that we admit individuals from foreign universities because the Admissions Committee does not have satisfactory means of evaluating premedical education at universities outside of the United States and Canada. We therefore require at least one year of premedical training at an institution in the United States"

Since US & Canada are mentioned in the first part, but not in the second part (ie: 1 year in US), would a Canadian undergrad not be sufficient?
This should probably be asked to admissions: Does anyone have the email for admissions?
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Moose97 said:
I have a question about a Canadian undergrad. The website says:
"It is rare that we admit individuals from foreign universities because the Admissions Committee does not have satisfactory means of evaluating premedical education at universities outside of the United States and Canada. We therefore require at least one year of premedical training at an institution in the United States"

Since US & Canada are mentioned in the first part, but not in the second part (ie: 1 year in US), would a Canadian undergrad not be sufficient?
This should probably be asked to admissions: Does anyone have the email for admissions?
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MSAR says the following:

Information about required/recommended premedical coursework and competenciesAt the time of application, at least three full academic years at an accredited college in the U.S. or Canada One year of English One year of Biology with labs One year of Physics with labs Two years of Chemistry, one of which must be Organic Chemistry, both with labs Biochemistry is highly recommended but not required
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Canada seems to be clearly included for education.
 
I'm sort of confused about this question under "program selection." I'm just applying regular MD and am not interested in any of the 3 programs offered. Do I just not check the "I wish to change....", and then click submit?

271146
 
helpmeout441 said:
I'm sort of confused about this question under "program selection." I'm just applying regular MD and am not interested in any of the 3 programs offered. Do I just not check the "I wish to change....", and then click submit?

View attachment 271146
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If you dont have a PhD in biomedical science, the question not apply to you.
 
is anyone else having the problem where AMCAS received their letters and the "document status" page says that they have the committee letter, but there's still an "x" (rather than a checkmark) next to "letters of reference" on the status page?
 
aspiringdoctor87 said:
is anyone else having the problem where AMCAS received their letters and the "document status" page says that they have the committee letter, but there's still an "x" (rather than a checkmark) next to "letters of reference" on the status page?
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How long ago was your letter in? There's a normal delay before the app is marked complete, possible because they have to verify that your letter meets their requirements?
 
xkcd6330 said:
How long ago was your letter in? There's a normal delay before the app is marked complete, possible because they have to verify that your letter meets their requirements?
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It just got in this morning! That may be why. I noticed that all the schools that use the same system all still say "incomplete"
thank you 🙂
 
Unrelated to the app, but can anyone tell me about Columbia’s English requirement? MSAR didn’t exactly convince me—do they absolutely require 2 writing intensive courses if you were exempted from taking English in college due to AP credits?
 
renman97 said:
Unrelated to the app, but can anyone tell me about Columbia’s English requirement? MSAR didn’t exactly convince me—do they absolutely require 2 writing intensive courses if you were exempted from taking English in college due to AP credits?
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From their website:

For applicants whose undergraduate college awarded Advanced Placement credit in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or English, we strongly suggest they take an additional year at the collegiate level
 
caffeinatedMD8 said:
From their website:

For applicants whose undergraduate college awarded Advanced Placement credit in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or English, we strongly suggest they take an additional year at the collegiate level
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Right. Just not completely sure if “strongly suggest” truly = require, or not, ya know?
 
271368

Someone had just posted this on reddit and I remembered I had a similar issue with regards to the fake path thing. I had already converted to a PDF and it still did this... any one think it’s an issue?
 
For the "did you work during undergrad" question, I was lucky to get paid for conducting research as work study. I was wondering if anyone thinks it would look obnoxious if I went into detail about what I did and what I learned from it (basically Activities section 2.0 except hopefully not an alarming amount of overlap). They allow 300 words for it, so I feel weird if I'm too direct and only write a couple sentences, but I'm not sure if turning this section into an expanded Activities description would be too over-the-top.
 
Constantius said:
For the "did you work during undergrad" question, I was lucky to get paid for conducting research as work study. I was wondering if anyone thinks it would look obnoxious if I went into detail about what I did and what I learned from it (basically Activities section 2.0 except hopefully not an alarming amount of overlap). They allow 300 words for it, so I feel weird if I'm too direct and only write a couple sentences, but I'm not sure if turning this section into an expanded Activities description would be too over-the-top.
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I kept my responses to this question super short. I also got FWS for research as one of my jobs in college and I literally just said "did research" or something along those lines. For one of my jobs, I worked as a library assistant and I said "cataloged new donations to library". Up to you how detailed you would like to be but I was advised to keep answers to this type of question short and simple, especially since my research is mentioned tons in my activities section
 
How formal should the photo be? I have a shirt-and-tie photo taken by a photographer but it is in an outside setting, would this work?
 
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