Columbia letter post interview --- anyone else get it?!?!

[kuhlguy]

my letter says "Final decisions will not be made until some time around March 1, so don't worry about not hearing from us before then. I can assure you that we will keep you very strongly in mind."

anyone get this too??? is it generic or is it good news for me?? interviewed there in late nov

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[DrBreeze]

I got the letter too, as did one of my friends I was wondering the same thing as you, though. Good luck!

 

[SigurRos]

I got something like that in response to my thank you note, but I think its a generic thing because my interview went horribly

 

[jackson123]

I got it as well...mine was signed by Dr. Frantz

 

[amers24]

I got it as well. From last years threads, t seems like last year some people got this letter and others got a stronger letter ("it would give me great personal satisfaction to have you as a student at columbia" or something along those lines). Who knows what any of it means.

 

[DulyNoted]

After searching the forums with google, I see there are (at least) 5 outcomes to thank you notes written to Columbia's admissions:

Of the 3 "personal" responses, they seem to break down like this:

"very much in mind." Seems to be reserved for those that interviewed with Frantz and also appears to be the "worst" response based on past years.

"very strongly in mind." Both accepted and waitlisted students got these. Nothing to infer either way?

"very strongly in mind.... great personal pleasure... you would be an asset to P&S." This message (again based on previous years' posts) seems to be a positive sign, but some that received it were still waitlisted.


I sent a note and got "very much in mind" FWIW. Just in case you think I'm thinking about this too much, do a search. There is literally a decade of speculation about this, and you can find theories about the particular wording of each letter from as far back as 2001.

 

[SBBunny]

So.... I forgot to mail a thank you letter to my Columbia interviewer. This is particularly awkward because I attend seminars from his department and see him regularly. Do you think that I should try to send a thank you note now? Have I completely shot my chances at getting into Columbia because I failed to show my interviewer the common courtesy of thanking him?

 

[DulyNoted]

So.... I forgot to mail a thank you letter to my Columbia interviewer. This is particularly awkward because I attend seminars from his department and see him regularly. Do you think that I should try to send a thank you note now? Have I completely shot my chances at getting into Columbia because I failed to show my interviewer the common courtesy of thanking him?

You can still (but don't necessarily have to) send a note at this point. Plenty of people got accepted in previous years without sending a note, LOI, anything.

 

[majik1213]

After searching the forums with google, I see there are (at least) 5 outcomes to thank you notes written to Columbia's admissions:

Of the 3 "personal" responses, they seem to break down like this:

"very much in mind." Seems to be reserved for those that interviewed with Frantz and also appears to be the "worst" response based on past years.

"very strongly in mind." Both accepted and waitlisted students got these. Nothing to infer either way?

"very strongly in mind.... great personal pleasure... you would be an asset to P&S." This message (again based on previous years' posts) seems to be a positive sign, but some that received it were still waitlisted.


I sent a note and got "very much in mind" FWIW. Just in case you think I'm thinking about this too much, do a search. There is literally a decade of speculation about this, and you can find theories about the particular wording of each letter from as far back as 2001.

now THERE is some post-interview analysis for ya! You should get in just for looking this deeply into things.

 

[dienekes88]

ACK! I sent a thank you card, and I didn't get anything like that!

I thought that interview went spectacularly...!

 

[ColKurtz]

ACK! I sent a thank you card, and I didn't get anything like that!

I thought that interview went spectacularly...!

Ditto, I haven't heard a peep in months. Sounds like we are in good shape.

 

[dienekes88]

Ditto, I haven't heard a peep in months. Sounds like we are in good shape.

hahaha. yeah.

I really liked the school, so I'll probably send Dean Frantz a letter (of intent?) and see what happens.

 

[ColKurtz]

hahaha. yeah.

I really liked the school, so I'll probably send Dean Frantz a letter (of intent?) and see what happens.

Yeah I sent one a few months ago after my interview and still nada

 

[dienekes88]

Yeah I sent one a few months ago after my interview and still nada

Alright, I'll mention your letter in my letter.

I'll also mention my thank you card to my interviewer in my letter.

Man... I better get three of these notes for all the mail I'm throwing at them.

 

[ColKurtz]

Alright, I'll mention your letter in my letter.

I'll also mention my thank you card to my interviewer in my letter.

Man... I better get three of these notes for all the mail I'm throwing at them.

Or we would write a combined letter, tag team style. I bet they haven't seen that before. Maybe that would set us apart from all of those solo writer chumps in the eyes of the committee?

 

[DrBreeze]

Those of you who got letters from Dr. Frantz...

did the first half of your letter say that your interviewer (if it wasn't Dr. Frantz) enjoyed interviewing you?

haha it doesn't really matter, but I was just curious

 

[dienekes88]

Or we would write a combined letter, tag team style. I bet they haven't seen that before. Maybe that would set us apart from all of those solo writer chumps in the eyes of the committee?

Brilliant.

I'll even take the subway up there to hand deliver it to him. That way I can flat out ask him for some "keep you in mind"-letter-action.

 

[USC2008Trojan]

Those of you who got letters from Dr. Frantz...

did the first half of your letter say that your interviewer (if it wasn't Dr. Frantz) enjoyed interviewing you?

haha it doesn't really matter, but I was just curious

Yes, mine did....way to burst my bubble. I thought I was special...I thought Columbia and I really had something....but I guess she treats everyone like that....such a flirt....honestly though, it makes me want her more....it's sad really.

 

[dienekes88]

Those of you who got letters from Dr. Frantz...

did the first half of your letter say that your interviewer (if it wasn't Dr. Frantz) enjoyed interviewing you?

haha it doesn't really matter, but I was just curious

Dude, you're freaking me out here.

 

[ColKurtz]

Is being "kept-in-mind" too much to ask?

 

[dienekes88]

Dude, I think I've developed a pretty unhealthy obsession with Columbia. I think you may be getting there too.

Oh, if you want to freak yourself out go to last year's "waiting to hear" thread. Somebody brought back to life a thread from 2002, and last year's thread was mentioned in it.

It's cool, though. March 1st is a Saturday, so the earliest I can find out is March 3rd (I live in NYC). I have 28 days to freak out.

 

[DrunkMD]

damnit. this sure did rain on my parade. i wouldnt even take it too badly if i wasnt accepted, but i am crushed by the fact that y'all got the exact same letter.

i honestly thought that my interview with the faculty member was the best that i had throughout my entire interview season. i figured that "keeping me strongly in mind" was an indication of how awesome the interview was.

well played, dr. frantz. you had me fooled.

 

[RPedigo]

"very strongly in mind." Both accepted and waitlisted students got these. Nothing to infer either way?

Got this.

Those of you who got letters from Dr. Frantz...

did the first half of your letter say that your interviewer (if it wasn't Dr. Frantz) enjoyed interviewing you?

haha it doesn't really matter, but I was just curious

Got that, and also a thank you for the thank-you card.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I'm happy to see that the SDN tradition of dissecting the Columbia letter is still alive and vibrant!

Back in 2004, I think we agreed that there was no relationship between the wording of the letter and your prospects.

 

[SBBunny]

Although I feel really guilty about not thanking my interviewer (we had a really great conversation), I'm glad that I don't have a letter from Columbia to obsess about.

 

[ColKurtz]

Dude, I think I've developed a pretty unhealthy obsession with Columbia. I think you may be getting there too.

Just one of my many.

 

[MelMelisqueen]

aw, man. That was some excitement followed rapidly by disappointment. I guess they keep everyone who interviews very strongly in mind, or else they wouldn't have interviewed them.

 

[candav]

I am also "very strongly in mind." And now I'm picturing my face floating through Dean Nicholas' brain.

ETA: I also received two separate responses to the same thank you card, nearly a month apart. So really, I'm "strongly^2 in mind"?

 

[MelMelisqueen]

Yeah they're pretty much keeping you Chuck Norrisly in mind

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to the school-specific discussions forum.

 

[candav]

Yeah they're pretty much keeping you Chuck Norrisly in mind

I didn't get the joke, so I turned the other way and said, "Americans, pshaw."

 

[LJ1000F]

lol does "will receive very strong consideration" sound more or less promising than "very strongly in mind"

 

[omelas]

I am also "very strongly in mind." And now I'm picturing my face floating through Dean Nicholas' brain.

ETA: I also received two separate responses to the same thank you card, nearly a month apart. So really, I'm "strongly^2 in mind"?

I also received two responses.. I don't think it means much.

 

[mika2234]

Did you guys recieve these letters in the mail or via email? I interviewed on 1/13 and havent received anything of the sort. Should I be worried?

 

[nuitsansetoiles]

Guys, I think we're way over-thinking this. It seems like a fairly generic letter to me with generic phrasing. I doubt it's an indication of anything. After all, aren't most people waitlisted post-interview anyway?

But in case you were wondering, I also have "very strongly in mind".

Did you guys recieve these letters in the mail or via email? I interviewed on 1/13 and havent received anything of the sort. Should I be worried?

I received this as an email. But it was in reply to a thank you letter that I sent after my interview.

 

[MelMelisqueen]

I didn't get the joke, so I turned the other way and said, "Americans, pshaw."

I would have come up with an analogous Canadian, but let's face it, you don't have one. You guys are like a nation of Bambis trying to walk on ice.

Guys, I think we're way over-thinking this. It seems like a fairly generic letter to me with generic phrasing. I doubt it's an indication of anything. After all, aren't most people waitlisted post-interview anyway?

But in case you were wondering, I also have "very strongly in mind".

yeah, I don't think it means anything at all. Although there was something in my letter that referenced the letter I wrote, so I at least know that *someone* read it.

Did you guys recieve these letters in the mail or via email? I interviewed on 1/13 and havent received anything of the sort. Should I be worried?

No, not at all. These are only sent out as responses to letters you send in.

 

[mika2234]

No, not at all. These are only sent out as responses to letters you send in.[/QUOTE]


Thank you! I sepnt the better part of this morning freaking out a bit. I did write a thankyou card which I hand delivered about a week after my interview (I stayed in NYC for some other interviews) so perhaps I will get a letter sometime soon.

 

[mmmcdowe]

There are several variations of those letters. People have been analyzing minor word variations for years. The only firm conclusion is that no variation absolutely confirms your decision. Letters with personal notes do occur, but those are a wait list thing and indicate strong standing if the student wishes to still attend. They are not always a shoo in either, but are definitely the only clear indicator ever given out.


I think Columbia just likes trolling sdn