Official Columbia Interview Invite, 2008 Cycle

[Shunwei]

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I just got an email from Columbia for an interview. You guys can check your emails to see if you got the same.

 

[HeatingHomer]

If you don't mind me asking, what are your stats? Thanks

 

[hattrack04]

I just got an email from Columbia for an interview. You guys can check your emails to see if you got the same.

I got one too!... when are you planning to go interview?

 

[john9192]

Man!!
So jealous of you guys..
What are your stats like..??
It seems like Columbia value DAT scores a lot.
Did any of you guys see people interviewing with AA19??
Congrats anyways.

 

[bruinpredent]

columbia invite here too 👍

 

[Shunwei]

I am a little bit confused, though, by their scheduling. In their interview invite they say that you can schedule on Fridays, but when I wrote Ms. Lugo she responded by saying that the Dean will only schedule for Friday, September 21st. Kind of weird considering that this implies everyone will be bunched up into a single day? I would welcome those of you with information to chime in on this.

 

[lizlisadoll]

Hey, I got one today too!
I thought we can schedule on any Fridays?!
Anyways, congrats to everyone who received an invitation!

John 9192, I think Columbia values both GPA and DAT scores. 🙂

 

[wigglytooth]

Me too! Good luck you guys!

 

[Hyphae]

Congrats guys! Count me in!

how is everyone scheduling your interview? I tried calling and got the answering machine, tried to leave a message, but the mailbox is full... =( Whats this about interviews only on Sept 21? I guess I'm going to send and email.

 

[A Bit of Whit]

I got the interview invite as well and I just called and the lady on the phone told me that I was "set" to have my interview on Sept 21 (which was fine for me so I didn't say anything) and that the dean wasn't in and that they're sending an email likely by Friday with more information... something along those lines.

I'm from NY so if anyone has any questions about transportation or etc. let me know!

Good luck 🙂

 

[Mia305]

I got an interview today as well. I am scheduled for September 21st and cannot wait.

 

[angelg5]

Actually, from what I remember of last admission's cycle, Columbia seems to favor high DAT scores. Of course having a high GPA is good, high DAT scores seem to be more critical for Columbia.

 

[SHC1984]

I got one too! 😀 Does anyone know if there is a hotel package that includes transporation from the airport to the hotel to the school?

I just got an email from Columbia for an interview. You guys can check your emails to see if you got the same.

 

[ddhm]

I got the interview invite as well and I just called and the lady on the phone told me that I was "set" to have my interview on Sept 21 (which was fine for me so I didn't say anything) and that the dean wasn't in and that they're sending an email likely by Friday with more information... something along those lines.

I'm from NY so if anyone has any questions about transportation or etc. let me know!

Good luck 🙂

holy cow -- you have some high dat scores!! nice job, man.

 

[building]

woot.

yeah bruinpredent. nyc tripp!

 

[wigglytooth]

I am a little bit confused, though, by their scheduling. In their interview invite they say that you can schedule on Fridays, but when I wrote Ms. Lugo she responded by saying that the Dean will only schedule for Friday, September 21st. Kind of weird considering that this implies everyone will be bunched up into a single day? I would welcome those of you with information to chime in on this.

My understanding from the e-mail is that they will assign an interview date. By the looks of it, the very first day is the 21st.

 

[Hyphae]

so no one has a set date yet, correct?

 

[bruinpredent]

woot.

yeah bruinpredent. nyc tripp!

haha, nyc trip indeed...congrats man! and to think that we were discussing this just last night...

so no one has a set date yet, correct?

i'm confirmed for the 21st

 

[2011]

I've got the same e-mail and I made my interview on 9/21..

Am I the first person set this?

How's City's transportation?

 

[kxb4777]

hey guys.

out of curiosity, did you get notification from columbia to send the application fee, or did you just send it? I got an email from them saying they have all my stuff and to wait for notification, but never anything about paying the fee...

 

[lgwdnbdgr]

I got one too! 😀 Does anyone know if there is a hotel package that includes transporation from the airport to the hotel to the school?

They'll send you a list of hotels that offer discounted rates for Columbia affiliates. Bear in mind, this is Manhattan -- discounted hotels can still be expensive!

Pick a hotel on the A subway line. The A runs express up to Columbia during the day. The C and 1 lines also run to the medical center, but they aren't express trains, so it'll be a longer trip.

 

[dackmonkey]

invite here too!! congrats everyone.

 

[claugh]

congrats on your interviews!

Do you guys mind sharing when your applications where sent out? it would be useful to all those who are still waiting to know when Columbia got your applications...thanks!

 

[building]

anyone here find the columbia offered to not work with their schedule?

I previously thought i was going to interview on sept 21st, but now am stuck with the choices of sept 28th and oct 5th, neither of which are great for me.

anyone want to switch?

edit:
nvm.

apparently i got the last spot for the 21st. columbia seemed nice about the situation and was willing to let me change my choices.

for those of you who already have the 21st and didnt initially have a choice, you can probably call to request a different date.

woot. nycc

 

[thebluebmw]

for columbia, do you just send them the application fee with the photo, or do they tell you when to send it??

Thanks

 

[SHC1984]

I was interviewing on Sept 21, but I changed it..... so hurry up and call them b/c there is one spot for you! 🙂

anyone here find the columbia offered to not work with their schedule?

I previously thought i was going to interview on sept 21st, but now am stuck with the choices of sept 28th and oct 5th, neither of which are great for me.

anyone want to switch?

edit:
nvm.

apparently i got the last spot for the 21st. columbia seemed nice about the situation and was willing to let me change my choices.

for those of you who already have the 21st and didnt initially have a choice, you can probably call to request a different date.

woot. nycc

 

[Bicuspid Bonita]

Can someone who got an interview please post their stats? And did you guys do a lot of research? I went to Columbia for the SMDEP program and really wanted to go there for dental school...but maybe not. No interview. Yet. 🙁

 

[bruinpredent]

Can someone who got an interview please post their stats? And did you guys do a lot of research? I went to Columbia for the SMDEP program and really wanted to go there for dental school...but maybe not. No interview. Yet. 🙁

www.predents.com

 

[AdidasPete]

Hey all, I'm a first year at Columbia. A post I saw on SDN last year helped me out a lot during my interview process so I'm taking a quick break from studying anatomy to return the favor for my fellow SDNers and hopefully help someone like some random 2nd year helped me. This is my take on Columbia's preferences (which is just my take... worth very little). According to predents, Columbia values the DAT scores a bit more than GPA. I fit that mold pretty well. I think my DATs pretty much caught their eye and I got lucky with good refs, good PS, and a sweet interview. As far as my classmates, they all had pretty sick DAT scores and GPAs and as a whole are pretty much the smartest group of people I've ever been around. And to boot they all are very well rounded and really friendly... not a bunch of cutthroat recluses that study all day and are antisocial... so try to get those traits across in the interview. A few big words of advice for the interview... 1. Don't brag... Unless you've got a noble prize in your bag that you feel like showing off, it seriously won't work... Sell yourself, but don't gloat... Some people during my interview were ridiculously full of themselves and I'm sure conveyed that to the interviewed as well. Needless to say, I don't see them here. Go for well-rounded and driven, not the 'everything comes easy to me' vibe. 2. Talk to students on your tour. We're all as anxious to talk to applicants as much as you guys are to talk to us and again, like I did last year, you can get tons of info just from talking to someone who has been through the process. 3. Talk to the AdCom people at your interview. Drs. Davis and McManus are super nice guys and are really easygoing. You will hopefully be speaking to them a lot throughout the process so introducing yourself in the beginning is a big help. Ok... hope that all helps... Congrats all of you on your interviews and beyond and I'll be seeing you when you take your tours...
AP

 

[dackmonkey]

does anyone have an idea of how many applicants will be interviewing each day?

 

[lizlisadoll]

AdidasPete, thanks for your advice!
It's good to hear that Columbia students are happy to be there.
Makes me want to go to Columbia even more, and I'm very thankful that they've provided an opportunity for me to talk about myself, why I want to become a dentist etc. 🙂
I'll keep your advice in my mind, and hopefully do well on the interview! I guess I'll see you when I take the tour!

 

[:) hi!]

hi, I am wondering about place to stay in New York. I thought the school is gonna send out information, but it's been too long. I will arrive at LGA airport and have NYU and Columbia interviews. If anyone can recommend a hotel that is close enough to both schools, i'd greatly appreciate.

 

[annie86]

so I didn't get an email, only an email asking me what I wanted for lunch from columbia. then i got a letter in the mail. i changed my date to Friday Oct 19th. I'm nervous! I want to stay in nyu saturday and maybe a bit of sunday just to hang out in the area. i need a place to stay.

 

[sonylarkhi]

hi, I am wondering about place to stay in New York. I thought the school is gonna send out information, but it's been too long. I will arrive at LGA airport and have NYU and Columbia interviews. If anyone can recommend a hotel that is close enough to both schools, i'd greatly appreciate.

Well...Columbia's located on the upper west side and NYU is on the lower eastside of Manhattan...they're about a thirty minute ($25) cab ride from each other....techniquely staying right around midtown (40th St - 70th St) would be right in the middle but hotels are more expensive in that area....I think staying somewhere in the Bronx (close to Columbia) would be the cheapest.....

 

[collegeboy30000]

Hello All,

I am also a 1st year dental student, and was browsing on this forum looking for a "Columbia Interview Thread" and I too want to help.

[Sry for the long reply].

I prepared by reading the questions posted on the interview feedback section on this site<-extremely helpful, reading my application over and over again. If you prepare you will be ok, like AdidasPete said, make sure you are not flashy about yourself...they know that already...they just need to meet the wonderful person they have selected. Be yourself, its normal to be nervous, especially if its your first interview. You will meet Dr.Davis and Dr.McManus, who are definitely the nicest/funniest/coolest people. They will try to make you feel very welcomed and wanted<-they do want you. I stayed in Jackson Heights (its in Queens, I stayed with a friend) and I paid for a taxi($45) and I got there at 7:30am, lol, two hours before the actually start time. Nonetheless, it is alot better to be very early than very late. Don't take the risk of walking in late.

[If you are not from NYC, or have not visited in a while, you will see alot of Black Lincoln Town Cars, those are taxis that you negotiate the price before you get in b/c they are not metered(always negotiate the price). Only the yellow cabs are metered. Just be ready to spend money while staying in NYC, have a good time, there is lots to see.]

For hotels just check hotels.com or any other major search engine and type in the schools address. The day before my interview I came to the to see where it is to make sure I would not be lost. The area is a very lively neighborhood and not "ghetto"...well maybe at like 3am, but thats like on the east side of broadway and the school is west of broadway. There are numerous restaurants/grocery/places to get basic home necessities up and down broadway...I'd say about 20-30 and thats just from 163 to 177.

Enjoy the school, the cost is not that bad, you will be dentist and hopefully you won't have a hard time paying it back. You will be amazed at the number of students at Columbia that match for the specialties they want. Its not a cost, its an investment in your future. Columbia has great deals when it comes to taking out loans to pay for school, especially with Citibank and two other lenders I forgot their names. You will receive alot of info...please pay attention or bring something to write with.

On my tour, I remember going to the dental anatomy and occlusion lab...meaning you will see us 1st years, don't be shy, come in and say hi (I sit in the back corner, its alphabetical). Our class is very tight group, we all get along very well. In classes like anatomy and SB(Sciences Basic) [its in the auditorium with the med students] and I always see our class together in the middle-front, lol. We are like one big glob! We also have numerous socials with the meds, they are very friendly and cool kids. The D-2's are always here for us, basically we have alot of support in academia and to help us stay calm. In all its a great school, with alot of opp. for growth and networking.

Oh, and downtown is a 20 min ride away, what a cool place to live!

 

[lgwdnbdgr]

Columbia should send you a sheet with recommended hotels. If not, you can find it at http://tp194.purch.columbia.edu/purchasing/contracts/hotelRates.pdf

All of these (I believe) are hotels close to the A, C or 1 subway lines. All three subways take you right to the corner of the medical center (168th and Broadway).

If you already have an interview, Drs. McManus and Davis already know your application without looking. They've already decided that you are smart enough to be a Columbia student. They just want to make sure your personality is compatible. So relax and be yourself. If you won't fit in at Columbia, you are unlikely to convince the admissions committee otherwise. If you do, you'll probably be miserable here, anyway.

Like AdidasPete and CollegeBoy already pointed out, we have a very supportive class. Columbia goes out of their way to try to create that atmosphere. When you go to Columbia, you don't have to be in the top 2 or 3 in your class to get into OMFS or Ortho. Pretty much everyone recognizes that the cutthroat attitude doesn't help them.

CB already mentioned this but it bears repeating -- don't be late. That seems to be the only way to piss off Dr. McManus. This, however, is good advice anywhere -- it's just plain rude to not put in the effort to show up on time.

During your tour, you'll come in to our Dental Anatomy and Occlusion class. Don't be shy -- it is a lab class, so we just work at our own pace. You won't be interrupting anything that can't be interrupted.

 

[hattrack04]

is anyone not going tomorrow? I was scheduled to go tomorrow but I changed it to Oct. in order to get all my east coast interviews done in one trip.......Good luck for whoever is still interviewing tomorrow!

 

[Mia305]

I'll be going up there tomorrow. I am actually at the airport right now waiting to fly to New York, and just my luck- my 415 flight has been delayed until 630. This could be a long day.

 

[sonylarkhi]

I'll be going up there tomorrow. I am actually at the airport right now waiting to fly to New York, and just my luck- my 415 flight has been delayed until 630. This could be a long day.

You can always count on being delayed when flying into LaGuardia....even if the weather's perfect....air traffic control always holds up flights in....be careful if you're flying in with a time sensitive schedule

 

[Mia305]

Well I finally made it in to NY. And the good news??? They lost my bag! I'm hoping that this is the low point of my trip.

 

[CoachJawbone]

Just got my interview!!! Would anyone who's been to their interview care to give some honest feedback?

 

[CiaoBella]

got an interview invite today. i'm sure i'll see some of you guys there! good luck everyone 🙂

 

[SMCohen]

Just got my interview!!! Would anyone who's been to their interview care to give some honest feedback?

There's no need to be nervous - Drs. Martin and McManus, as well as the interviewers were all very friendly. I've posted interview feedback, so check that out.

 

[MilDoc23]

woot woot! i received an interview invite this week and scheduled it for 11/30. i'm very excited to see Columbia!

 

[speedkdy]

just got an interview invitation from columbia and I am soooo excited to be there. 😀😀😀
it's one of my top choice!

 

[john9192]

just got an interview invitation from columbia and I am soooo excited to be there. 😀😀😀
it's one of my top choice!

Glad they're still sending out interview invites.

 

[speedkdy]

is the class almost filled?
I really wanna go to columbia. it's my top choice. i hope i have a chance of getting in.

 

[Sawmoo]

just got an interview invitation from columbia and I am soooo excited to be there. 😀😀😀
it's one of my top choice!

I haven't heard anything from them yet, no rejection or interview offer and whenever I contact them, my application is still in review. I hope I am in your same situation.

 

[Bicuspid Bonita]

What? there's more interviews being given out? There is still hope then. I applied to 10 schools and got 9 interview invites, but NOTHING from Columbia! I would trade 8 of them to interview there!!🙁 I wish they'd just send me a rejection letter so i could just get on with my life.

 

[swtcatastrophe]

I haven't heard anything from them yet, no rejection or interview offer and whenever I contact them, my application is still in review. I hope I am in your same situation.

at least you're under review. i'm still pending and should be going under review in the next week or two... not that i expect anything positive out of it. at this point, i just want to know if i'm going to have to reapply or not, so like bonita, i just want to get it over with.