Columbia Postbacc question

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[mishjtnyu]

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[mishjtnyu]

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i got this from their material on applying to medical school:

"The Premedical Committe will have your committee packet prepared for medical schools by early September"

excuse me? early September?

so they want you to submit your primary in early to mid June. Based on that you will be verified and receiving secondaries by the end of June - early July. Let's say you turn in all your secondaries by the end of July.

Basically, during the entire month of August, your application file is sitting at med school offices around the country waiting for the committee to get off their asses and send in your committee packet before you can even be considered complete and medical schools can even *look* at your file.

I'm sorry but isn't Columbia putting their students at a significant disadvantage, considering interview invites are handed out starting in August and most schools operate under rolling admissions?

 

[jbing]

this is not from a link, this is from a Word document that the postbacc office sends to students. If you would like me to forward you the document, provide me your email address.

 

[mishjtnyu]

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this is not from a link, this is from a Word document that the postbacc office sends to students. If you would like me to forward you the document, provide me your email address.

 

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[mishjtnyu]

You may have missed the point of his post.....and all the schools you listed are non rolling so yeah getting it out in september wouldn't matter there (nor would the aug mcat)

and noone mentioned this info during a program planning session...and NOV of application year makes it a bit late to switch programs doesn't it? of course unless i missed out on all those programs that will write you a committee letter after only taking orgo 2 and bio 2 at their institution?



"Relax... unless your application stinks, it will not be a problem. Friends from last year's application group (even some that took the August MCAT) are currently matriculating at UPenn, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, etc."

The deans announced the September date on the paperwork provided in November, so this is hardly news (well, unless you did not bother to read said paperwork).

Relax... unless your application stinks, it will not be a problem. Friends from last year's application group (even some that took the August MCAT) are currently matriculating at UPenn, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, etc.



Wouldn't a serious premed have been thoroughly versed in the application process and perhaps inquired about the committee letter process (a crucial component) BEFORE selecting the program? I am not one to defend Columbia's program (it certainly has its faults), but YOU are culpable if you feel slighted on this issue.

ETA: Culpable especially since I see that you are applying for a second time so the committee's timeframe is definitely NOT a suprise.

 

[Aladdin Sane]

You may have missed the point of his post.....and all the schools you listed are non rolling so yeah getting it out in september wouldn't matter there (nor would the aug mcat)

and noone mentioned this info during a program planning session...and NOV of application year makes it a bit late to switch programs doesn't it? of course unless i missed out on all those programs that will write you a committee letter after only taking orgo 2 and bio 2 at their institution?



"Relax... unless your application stinks, it will not be a problem. Friends from last year's application group (even some that took the August MCAT) are currently matriculating at UPenn, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, etc."

first of all, a rolling admissions med school is not going to fill their entire class by the end of 2005, especially when most have deadlines for secondaries well into 2006. so you're not at a disadvantage and this was validated by the admissions officers present at this year's med school fair, it was probably the most popular question asked and i should know, i helped organize it.

and secondly, the september deadline for the committee letter, which is the worst case scenario, should be the least of your problems because a lot of people don't even GET a letter because of debbie m or because of an orgo screwing. so if you get one, kiss the feet of the Alma Mater and thank her that you weren't one of the truly deserving people that worked hard for one and were rewarded with nothing.

 

[mishjtnyu]

Thanks sooooooo much for the clarification on that, I was clearly misinformed. "FYI: September is the very latest that the packet will be mailed. Mine went out in the very beginning of August.[/QUOTE]

I appreciate the clarification so much, and clearly need to just worry about bio and orgo now.

take care everyone

Notice the "etc"... plenty received entrance to rolling admissions schools as well. Considering the OP is in the minority (i.e. Columbia Postbaccs who have to reapply), I doubt the committee packet date is what sunk his/her application.



So, are you incapable of asking? The typical Columbia Postbacc wastes the deans’ time with plenty of irrelevant questions.



You clearly missed the point of my post. I never said anything about switching programs after the fact. What I did state was that this is question that should have been posed BEFORE starting a program if it was such a concern.

FYI: September is the very latest that the packet will be mailed. Mine went out in the very beginning of August.