I will help you guys since I was helped last year and the tradition must go on...
Ten not so simple steps to get off the Columbia waitlist and become part of the class of 2008.
1. For the record: once you are in the columbia alternate's list STATS DO NOT MATTER.
If you choose not to believe me, it is your call, but it worked for me last year, and if you are obsessed enough about Columbia and have done your past searching homework, you know who I am and what my whole story is.
2. Letters of interest are what distinguishes you in the pile of applications sitting in the office right now. Phone calls attach a person to a name.
That being said, look at the big picture. You are 1 in 350 right now and what you DO will make ALL of the difference. In many ways it is better to be on the waitlist because, as you will see, what will get you in is who you are, what you do and not a piece of paper that says your grades and extra curriculars.
3. NEVER lose hope.
4. Figure out where you want to go. Wait a couple more weeks, get all of your letters, think hard about where you want to live for the next four years, who you want to be your classmates, specific reasons why a certain school feels the way it does to you. Break it apart, find specifics. Search all websites, read everything that you can.
5. If that school is Columbia, and you know WHY it is Columbia. Write a letter to Dr. Frantz. Let him know. Let him see you through your letter, let him see what drives you and how bad you want it. Ask for an opportunity to meet him, if you haven't met him before. If you did interview with Dr. Frantz the first time around, call him and let him know to consider you for a spot (Dr. Frantz will not interview someone twice, but people who were interviewed by him got pulled out of the waitlist earlier if they called).
6. May is the key month for movement. So, hang in there because spots will open up here and there but most people will get offered places off the waitlist after May 15. The number varies every year, but be assured that there will be movement, there always is, make sure that it is you who gets the spot.
7. Rules of common sense apply. You do not want to seem desperate, psychotic, annoying, immature etc... Remember, we are still picking doctors here, your personality is the most important thing. At this point, the only thing that matters.
8. Do not slack off. But then again, if you are slacking off, you are probably not so interested, and therefore shouldn't be going through all of this work in the first place.
9. This is very important: do not chicken out! I know this is scary, going up to people that have so much power (ie Dr. Frantz) is really scary, having the pressure of the first impression is really scary but the rule of thumb is: YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE. This was my main driving force last year. Keep that always in mind and when in doubt remember: YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE.
10. Good luck! And when you get that second interview, come talk to me!
-IntlMD07
Columbia P&S Class of 2007
BTW: it was totally worth it!