2019-2020 Columbia VP&S

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sadpremed121 said:
I did and I think a lot of people use it for a why Columbia essay
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Is this commonplace? For several of the other secondaries I left it blank. Is it because the other ones mainly stress to explain disadvantages in the section?
 
throwaway2020MD said:
Is this commonplace? For several of the other secondaries I left it blank. Is it because the other ones mainly stress to explain disadvantages in the section?
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Eh, everyone just has a different opinion on this. I've been leaving all such prompts blank. I don't think there's anything particularly different about this Columbia one. Just write something if you have something specific/compelling to say. In my mind, if you're considering a "Why Columbia?" essay, I'd say consider including it if there's something very specific and unique that makes Columbia a particularly good fit for you (i.e. not early clinical exposure, active learning, etc)
 
throwaway2020MD said:
Is this commonplace? For several of the other secondaries I left it blank. Is it because the other ones mainly stress to explain disadvantages in the section?
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It depends on the wording. Some of the additional information are more like what unique thing about you should we know. This one is more open to anything so you can just put in a why Columbia essay. It can’t really hurt unless you write something bad. I also left additional essays blank for a lot of schools.
 
I have a new phone number. I changed it on AMCAS but do I have to contact individual schools to update them about this change?
 
Neurotic question here...so i have been drafting my essays in google docs and just pasting it in the secondary. I just read that columbia and some other schools stress using notepad. If my essays look fine after submission then it should be ok right? Or is there still a chance that they can have a messed up format? Thanks
 
throwaway2020MD said:
Neurotic question here...so i have been drafting my essays in google docs and just pasting it in the secondary. I just read that columbia and some other schools stress using notepad. If my essays look fine after submission then it should be ok right? Or is there still a chance that they can have a messed up format? Thanks
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Just paste without formatting. But it should be fine
 
Student189045 said:
How can I handle the fact that the work experience and leadership essays are explicitly answered in my primary application activity section...? I really don't know how I can write entirely new things about both experiences as they were both most meaningful and I put a ton of time into those paragraphs to make them the best they could be
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They are not required to be new, they are summary of all in one single section.
 
Student189045 said:
I’m not sure I understand. Basically, they ask for my most meaningful leadership position, which I explicitly describe in my primary. Should I just reword what I already said?
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It is plural as in positions.
 
“Did you work for compensation during college, during the year, or the summer”

Would a research grant count here?
 
Student189045 said:
“Did you work for compensation during college, during the year, or the summer”

Would a research grant count here?
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I worked in a lab and was paid through a stipend. Were you paid for your work or did the grant only pay for the supplies and stuff?
 
Student189045 said:
I was paid compensation. Should I just do a super brief summary since this is explicitly an activity in my experiences and I would only be repeating what I’ve already said
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I didn’t include any paid lab cause I took it as did you work because you had to for money
 
ChymeofPassion said:
I included all activities in which I was paid money, irrespective of whether or not I was required to work for myself or my education.
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where did your rejection come from if you dont mind me asking? we have a similar LM so just preparing myself for the R hahaha
 
Should I upload a one page resume in the CV section or leave it blank? I don't see the purpose of creating a CV when it would literally be the same thing as my experience report
 
Student189045 said:
Should I upload a one page resume in the CV section or leave it blank? I don't see the purpose of creating a CV when it would literally be the same thing as my experience report
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I think its more for people who had pubs or other experiences that they couldnt fit on the primary. if you have any other info or new experiences then i would use the cv to elaborate. also a good place to talk about awards etc
 
the_expert said:
I think its more for people who had pubs or other experiences that they couldnt fit on the primary. if you have any other info or new experiences then i would use the cv to elaborate. also a good place to talk about awards etc
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Haha I'm traditional as can be so I have nothing new, I'll just leave it blank 🙂
 
Student189045 said:
Looking for brutal honesty here. My only leadership is a 50 hour experience leading a seminar (going to repeat it this fall). Seeing as Columbia has an explicit question about describing meaningful leadership positions, is it even worth it for me to apply here? It's going to be hard for me to act like a 50 hour leadership activity is anything close to what others are probably writing. I understand that my stats are extremely high, but if Columbia is really looking for people with multiple significant leadership positions, I'm not sure they'll choose me. If it's going to be an R I'd rather just save the application money

Edit: Also if there are any Columbia students browsing this thread please weigh in!
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I say apply.
 
Student189045 said:
Looking for brutal honesty here. My only leadership is a 50 hour experience leading a seminar (going to repeat it this fall). Seeing as Columbia has an explicit question about describing meaningful leadership positions, is it even worth it for me to apply here? It's going to be hard for me to act like a 50 hour leadership activity is anything close to what others are probably writing. I understand that my stats are extremely high, but if Columbia is really looking for people with multiple significant leadership positions, I'm not sure they'll choose me. If it's going to be an R I'd rather just save the application money

Edit: Also if there are any Columbia students browsing this thread please weigh in!
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There are also other ways to be a leader aside from being president/captain of a club.

Did you do a research project on your own, did you volunteer with young kids, did you work with co-worked on a project that required you to take a lead?
 
umbrellatree said:
There are also other ways to be a leader aside from being president/captain of a club.

Did you do a research project on your own, did you volunteer with young kids, did you work with co-worked on a project that required you to take a lead?
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Hmm I like this perspective. I definitely have experience with some of the things you've mentioned
 
Anyone try an ITA letter here?
If so, was your letter sent pre or post II?
What effect did it have?
 
unluckyadhessiveness said:
Why would you send an ITA post II? The point of an ITA is to get an II.
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The point of an ITA is to help coordinate travel so that you don't need to travel more than once to the same place, which can be very expensive and also difficult for those still in school etc. The honest use is to ask after the II, in order to have a date for interview that is convenient. Some people think they game the system by asking about it before the II, to force their application to get noticed. The programs see right through this anyway.
Someone posted this weekend that they were asked to provide proof that they were already going to be in town where they were asking... sometimes it is risky waters to tread in when trying to game. Also when parents are doing the work for their kids... it's very awkward on an adult site like this. just saying....
 
jecki46 said:
The point of an ITA is to help coordinate travel so that you don't need to travel more than once to the same place, which can be very expensive and also difficult for those still in school etc. The honest use is to ask after the II, in order to have a date for interview that is convenient. Some people think they game the system by asking about it before the II, to force their application to get noticed. The programs see right through this anyway.
Someone posted this weekend that they were asked to provide proof that they were already going to be in town where they were asking... sometimes it is risky waters to tread in when trying to game. Also when parents are doing the work for their kids... it's very awkward on an adult site like this. just saying....
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Attempting to game the system without being able to prove that your ITA was authentically for another med school interview, could be application suicide. Not sure why any applicant at this or any level would even consider it.

As far as asking for it pre II at the target school is part of the whole nature of ITA. A small set of schools indicate ITA only after II, but most schools don’t.
 
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@jecki46 -
So are you saying you didn’t ask a friend or parent to review or proofread any of your apps? Were they doing the work for You? Why would it be any different to help aggregate some SDN info to provide some added knowledge to a student’s planning process?
 
proudofmykids said:
Attempting to game the system without being able to prove that your ITA was authentically for another med school interview, could be application suicide. It sure why any applicant at this level would even consider it.

As far as asking for it pre II at the target school is part of the whole nature of ITA. A small set of schools indicate ITA only after II, but most schools don’t.
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I don't think that sending an ITA email for a bona-fide pre-scheduled trip is problematic (without having a prior interview in the area). Maybe I'm flying to the other coast to see family. It'd still be convenient and save me money/time to interview around the same time frame. It is called an "In the Area" email, not a "I have an interview from a competing med school nearby" email.

"If you live far from New York and plan to be in New York City or its vicinity, you are welcome to send us an e-mail message letting us know the exact dates you will be in the area." This is the text from Cornell's email. Nowhere does it say that this email is contingent on having an interview at another medical school.
 
Enterococcus said:
I don't think that sending an ITA email for a bona-fide pre-scheduled trip is problematic (without having a prior interview in the area). Maybe I'm flying to the other coast to see family. It'd still be convenient and save me money/time to interview around the same time frame. It is called an "In the Area" email, not a "I have an interview from a competing med school nearby" email.

"If you live far from New York and plan to be in New York City or its vicinity, you are welcome to send us an e-mail message letting us know the exact dates you will be in the area." This is the text from Cornell's email. Nowhere does it say that this email is contingent on having an interview at another medical school.
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Exactly.
 
You are misunderstanding my response. Someone above asked why one would send an ITA post II. I was explaining you could have reason to send post or pre. But the reason is not “to get an II” as they suggested, but lessen the burden of traveling to a distant location. I did not suggest it was wrong to do, and have in fact sent one myself so far with a favorable response which saved me about $300.

And @proudofmykids no there is a huge difference in asking a premed advisor to look over your essays for grammar and typos, and having your parent canvas SDN for info and strategy about their adult child’s applications that they alone should be responsible for. We are all busy. Some of us are full time students, some have full time jobs and spouses and children on top of all this. Time to cut the cord. This is adulthood and professional school.
 
So I made a dumb mistake here. I submitted my application without answering the essay about my parents' profession (and didn't realize it because our internet went down before that page got saved due to a severe storm near my house). I feel like it looks sloppy that I had to submit an update explaining this and answering the question. Do you think they're just gonna write me off for this reason?
 
lifeisgood7 said:
So I made a dumb mistake here. I submitted my application without answering the essay about my parents' profession (and didn't realize it because our internet went down before that page got saved due to a severe storm near my house). I feel like it looks sloppy that I had to submit an update explaining this and answering the question. Do you think they're just gonna write me off for this reason?
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No
 
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