2019-2020 Columbia VP&S

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sadpremed121 said:
I don’t think people usually go to second look at schools they’re waitlisted at
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I know. I’m asking how second look factored into other people’s decision since I know I’ll be missing. Do they give valuable information about their curriculum etc.?

Sorry if that wasn’t clear...?

Just trying to gauge what to factor when choosing between here (in the chance I ultimately get in) and my other top choices.
 
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Med.Geek said:
Hold on to the WL offer! WL movement is quite active here. Like an above poster said, pretty much the same cohorts that were accepted to Hopkins/Penn/HMS have also been accepted to Columbia. We can all only attend one school, so seats will undoubtedly open soon. And unlike mayo...not everyone is automatically thrown into the WL pile. Head up!
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What are the odds we get off the WL without an update letter / letter of intent? I'd definitely strongly consider going to Columbia if accepted, although I don't feel confident enough to send a letter of intent. By omitting this, do I still have a chance of getting in off the waitlist? Should I still send an update even if I haven't been doing any volunteering / medicine-related activities?
 
filthy_premed said:
What are the odds we get off the WL without an update letter / letter of intent?
———————
I'd definitely strongly consider going to Columbia if accepted
———————
Should I still send an update even if I haven't been doing any volunteering / medicine-related activities?
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I can’t comment on the odds, I don’t think anyone can know that. But they’re there and there is definitely a chance.

If you would attend if accepted, there is your intent. PM me and I’ll help you draft an intent letter.

You dont need to include updates if you just want to send in a letter of intent.
 
Do yall think that the AAMC would be responsive to a mass of students asking to push back the Apr. 30th deadline to accommodate for potentially delayed revisit days, re: covid-19?

Moving to NYC would be a major change for me, and I feel like I need those (now uncertain) revisit days to make an informed decision...
 
survivors said:
Do yall think that the AAMC would be responsive to a mass of students asking to push back the Apr. 30th deadline to accommodate for potentially delayed revisit days, re: covid-19?

Moving to NYC would be a major change for me, and I feel like I need those (now uncertain) revisit days to make an informed decision...
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Probably not tbh but I agree that all these revisits being cancelled is making it tough
 
Is anyone's portal not working? I can't open it even in different browsers since I got the admissions email yesterday.
 
Does anyone know where I can get Columbia’s match lists from previous years? It seems like they only release the current year match list. @WedgeDawg
 
Well so much for exploring the area... can anyone comment on life in washington heights? I have heard all sorts of conflicting things (calm neighborhood vs dangerous area, nothing to do vs plenty within 10 min walking, great spacious apartments vs terrible options...)

I was hoping to see for myself. Does anyone have some real experience around the area, or some objective information to cite?
Med.Geek said:
Just got an email that columbia will not be hosting a revisit this year. It will occur "electronically by phone/zoom"
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babykarat said:
Well so much for exploring the area... can anyone comment on life in washington heights? I have heard all sorts of conflicting things (calm neighborhood vs dangerous area, nothing to do vs plenty within 10 min walking, great spacious apartments vs terrible options...)

I was hoping to see for myself. Does anyone have some real experience around the area, or some objective information to cite?
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I'm a first-year at P&S living off-campus and would be more than happy to discuss the neighborhood! In short, I love it, even though it has a couple downsides—major one being that it's hard to get to all my friends and concerts in Brooklyn… Great Spanish-speaking area, nice groceries and neighborhood stores instead of big-box ones, a cool range of restaurants, the A and 1 fly downtown fast enough to hang out regularly on the west side. It's totally safe, you just have to use common sense. There are gorgeous parks and views of the river up here. It's particularly perfect for people who are only 50-80% on living in "Manhattan" but who want quick access to a world-class city.

The no-revisit thing is a real bummer!!! Coronavirus is sweeping the island and I think the undergrad campus in particular has been scared into making sweeping pronouncements for all the schools.

This year I haven't been checking SDN much but would be happy to answer questions for people who wanted revisit as a chance to evaluate their culture-fit. Might be able to wrangle some classmates too. Personally, I didn't go to any of those revisit weekends, since I was working on the other end of the country and was only into one school by March. For all the waitlist people: I was WLed at Columbia! This process is crazy, it all shakes out eventually and any med school will offer you an incredible education. Stay strong.

❤
 
teatimepanda said:
I'm a first-year at P&S living off-campus and would be more than happy to discuss the neighborhood! In short, I love it, even though it has a couple downsides—major one being that it's hard to get to all my friends and concerts in Brooklyn… Great Spanish-speaking area, nice groceries and neighborhood stores instead of big-box ones, a cool range of restaurants, the A and 1 fly downtown fast enough to hang out regularly on the west side. It's totally safe, you just have to use common sense. There are gorgeous parks and views of the river up here. It's particularly perfect for people who are only 50-80% on living in "Manhattan" but who want quick access to a world-class city.

The no-revisit thing is a real bummer!!! Coronavirus is sweeping the island and I think the undergrad campus in particular has been scared into making sweeping pronouncements for all the schools.

This year I haven't been checking SDN much but would be happy to answer questions for people who wanted revisit as a chance to evaluate their culture-fit. Might be able to wrangle some classmates too. Personally, I didn't go to any of those revisit weekends, since I was working on the other end of the country and was only into one school by March. For all the waitlist people: I was WLed at Columbia! This process is crazy, it all shakes out eventually and any med school will offer you an incredible education. Stay strong.

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I 100000% agree with this and also to help please feel free to ask me any questions about life here at Columbia from a first year medical student perspective!
 
teatimepanda said:
I'm a first-year at P&S living off-campus and would be more than happy to discuss the neighborhood! In short, I love it, even though it has a couple downsides—major one being that it's hard to get to all my friends and concerts in Brooklyn… Great Spanish-speaking area, nice groceries and neighborhood stores instead of big-box ones, a cool range of restaurants, the A and 1 fly downtown fast enough to hang out regularly on the west side. It's totally safe, you just have to use common sense. There are gorgeous parks and views of the river up here. It's particularly perfect for people who are only 50-80% on living in "Manhattan" but who want quick access to a world-class city.

The no-revisit thing is a real bummer!!! Coronavirus is sweeping the island and I think the undergrad campus in particular has been scared into making sweeping pronouncements for all the schools.

This year I haven't been checking SDN much but would be happy to answer questions for people who wanted revisit as a chance to evaluate their culture-fit. Might be able to wrangle some classmates too. Personally, I didn't go to any of those revisit weekends, since I was working on the other end of the country and was only into one school by March. For all the waitlist people: I was WLed at Columbia! This process is crazy, it all shakes out eventually and any med school will offer you an incredible education. Stay strong.

❤
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I'm currently on the waitlist! I'm wondering, when you got off the waitlist how long did they give you to decide?
 
xkcd6330 said:
I asked this question on interview day and was told that AOA is announced post-match. Any current student feel free to correct me!
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Yup! AOA post-match, so it doesn't feel like we're competing against classmates at all in terms of standing.

I wasn't choosing NYU vs Columbia. The Columbia need-based aid is VERY good, but it doesn't offer much merit or non-need-based, so that's the big split. As much as I could talk everyone's ear off about how much I love a lot of aspects of the culture, curriculum and community here, going to medical school can be as expensive as buying a whole house. Go where the price makes sense and where you'll be happy enough to succeed!

That said—to throw a little shade intra-city—I didn't apply to NYU because I heard it was kinda cutthroat, and that's the impression my friend got interviewing there last year.* He said when he asked his tour guides what they liked about the school they kept talking about the prestige instead of their lives or the people. I'm sure there are lots of lovely folks downtown but I don't have a lot of patience for that kind of scene. Happy to be corrected by anyone who attends if it was a fluke.

Columbia bends over backward to make us feel comfortable while still having our back 100% in the match, from everything I've seen and heard.


*also didn't apply to NYU because I assumed there was no way I'd get in, lol, and nearly didn't apply to Columbia; nothing makes sense
 
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teatimepanda said:
Yup! AOA post-match, so it doesn't feel like we're competing against classmates at all in terms of standing.

I wasn't choosing NYU vs Columbia. The Columbia need-based aid is VERY good, but it doesn't offer much merit or non-need-based, so that's the big split. As much as I could talk everyone's ear off about how much I love a lot of aspects of the culture, curriculum and community here, going to medical school can be as expensive as buying a whole house. Go where the price makes sense and where you'll be happy enough to succeed!

That said—to throw a little shade intra-city—I didn't apply to NYU because I heard it was kinda cutthroat, and that's the impression my friend got interviewing there last year.* He said when he asked his tour guides what they liked about the school they kept talking about the prestige instead of their lives or the people. I'm sure there are lots of lovely folks downtown but I don't have a lot of patience for that kind of scene. Happy to be corrected by anyone who attends if it was a fluke.

Columbia bends over backward to make us feel comfortable while still having our back 100% in the match, from everything I've seen and heard.


*also didn't apply to NYU because I assumed there was no way I'd get in, lol, and nearly didn't apply to Columbia; nothing makes sense
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have you (or any of the other current students on here) heard of columbia matching another school's need-based package if another school calculates need differently? I've heard they don't match merit scholarships, but I haven't heard anything about the more unique scenario of another school giving a more generous need package than columbia (rare, given how generous columbia is need-wise)
 
Punky Brewster said:
have you (or any of the other current students on here) heard of columbia matching another school's need-based package if another school calculates need differently? I've heard they don't match merit scholarships, but I haven't heard anything about the more unique scenario of another school giving a more generous need package than columbia (rare, given how generous columbia is need-wise)
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Not sure but always worth asking. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

The aid stuff is usually pretty individuated, let along between different schools, so I can't answer in full confidence. But you should definitely be assertive in getting your needs met. There might be room for leveraging other offers.
 
Punky Brewster said:
have you (or any of the other current students on here) heard of columbia matching another school's need-based package if another school calculates need differently? I've heard they don't match merit scholarships, but I haven't heard anything about the more unique scenario of another school giving a more generous need package than columbia (rare, given how generous columbia is need-wise)
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They do match need base and they do match scholarships actually. They matched one of mine last year.
 
Cherry1997 said:
is there an FB group for accepted students?
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Not yet! There will be, I promise, right now with COVID-19 and trying to see what we can do about still having a possible revisit weekend for everything, that’s kind of top priority right now. But there will be one up soon! I also imagine the admitted students are going to have A LOT of questions concerning things and we want to make sure that we have the time to adequately answer everyone’s questions and stuff like that
 
Another current first-year at Columbia (hi anonymous friends) and I'd be happy to answer any questions as well. I grew up in the Midwest, went to a small rural school, lived in Boston for a year, and then came here. Adjusting to the city was tough for me at first but I've finally come to get used to the sounds and the sights and I love living a subway ride away from everything poppin downtown. Columbia gave me incredibly generous aid so if anyone has questions about that hmu. I was also choosing between a very similar school not too far away from this one - happy to discuss my thought process and decision-making. It's really a bummer (though understandable) that Revisit was cancelled, so please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything you want to know about.
 
swissnational said:
Not yet! There will be, I promise, right now with COVID-19 and trying to see what we can do about still having a possible revisit weekend for everything, that’s kind of top priority right now. But there will be one up soon! I also imagine the admitted students are going to have A LOT of questions concerning things and we want to make sure that we have the time to adequately answer everyone’s questions and stuff like that
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Thanks!!!
 
I definitely don't want to bring negativity but I read through last years thread to get an idea on WL movement and it seems there was significantly less than Columbia historically had.

They even sent this email out to confirm it:
We appreciate your interest in VP&S and are reaching out to provide you an update. We have had considerably fewer withdrawals than we had expected by this time of year, and at the present it does not seem likely that things will work out favorably. That said, we will continue to keep your candidacy under consideration in case things could change unexpectedly.
We wish you the best going forward.

Hoping for the best for all of us but it's best to keep our expectations realistic 🙂
 
Student189045 said:
I definitely don't want to bring negativity but I read through last years thread to get an idea on WL movement and it seems there was significantly less than Columbia historically had.

They even sent this email out to confirm it:
We appreciate your interest in VP&S and are reaching out to provide you an update. We have had considerably fewer withdrawals than we had expected by this time of year, and at the present it does not seem likely that things will work out favorably. That said, we will continue to keep your candidacy under consideration in case things could change unexpectedly.
We wish you the best going forward.

Hoping for the best for all of us but it's best to keep our expectations realistic 🙂
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Well I already declined my A and know of 4 others who have done the same! I'm a firm believer in doing what you can while you still have some control over the situation (ie. updates, continued correspondence, etc.). You can't be disappointed in the outcome or in yourself if you know you've put your best foot forward and have given it your all.
 
Hey did anyone receive the login to NetPartner for the financial aid application? The deadline is coming up.
 
Whats with the student activity questionnaire? It says it’s not received but I can’t actually find a form to fill out and send them.
 
If anyone on this thread has had success with aid negotiations can you please DM me? I'm trying to hear the experiences of as many people as i can.
 
does anyone know the breakdown of need or where to find it? like what "brackets" of income/help there are and how much aid they give to each
 
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