What the F is up with Columbia?

[Mr. H]

First their server goes down forever.

And now, after perusing through the MSAR I noticed that they interview 50% of applicants!!! These number is HUGE, and am wondering if many of you are not applying because of this? The added costs of flying to interviews in the hope you get a spot is always a choice to make, but I think that the chances are too high of NOT getting in to use the money to interview, any opinions on this?

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[cabruen]

Depends on how well you think you interview. I know that if I can get past the stats screening, and can actually get infront of somebody for an interview, that I will do quite well. But that is me personally, I just excel at face to face communication. For me it was a no brainer to submit an application to Columbia, because I will have a good shot at getting an interview, without having my application thrown out based on numbers alone.

 

[moo]

That too was a concern to me, but I flew out there anyway. The decision to offer an interview is not all about numbers though, as I know a few people who had good numbers but did not get an interview. Columbia is a great school and I think if you get a chance to go, you should. Don't let numbers like that deter you. Heck, I'm sure you would say you have a good shot at schools like Finch, BU, etc. but they get 10000+ applications so the "odds" don't look too good.

 

[relatively prime]

cabruen... unfortunately, I don't believe that just because you get an interview that mean numbers no longer matter. I think that even after the interview stage, schools still look at MCATs and gpa... expecially schools that interview a lot of people.

Good luck

 

[Mr. H]

hmm,

very tough decision here! I think I have a good personality and stuff, but I just don't know if that would be enough considering that they interview 50% and the avg. for mcat is 36. So it would seem most with lower scores won't get in, even though there are tons of people interviewing with lowers scores..

 

[Joe Joe on da Radio]

i remember perusing interviewfeedback last year about columbia interviews.

one guy paid $1000 for the entire interview trip only to have his interviewer hastily talk to him for 15 MINUTES! he got a rejection letter 2 weeks later.

something to think about.

 

[bludeviled]

Originally posted by Joe Joe on da Radio
i remember perusing interviewfeedback last year about columbia interviews.

one guy paid $1000 for the entire interview trip only to have his interviewer hastily talk to him for 15 MINUTES! he got a rejection letter 2 weeks later.

something to think about.

$1000 - did he fly in from Russia or something?

even w/ accomodations and stuff, it seems the cost shouldn't exceed $500 - but this could just be my ex-New Yorker naviette speaking

 

[lollie2006]

I don't think the # of interviewees should have any bearing on whether you apply or not. Columbia has notoriously brief interviews and they're very laid back. They are not an AMCAS school, so their #'s (total apps, % interviewed etc) are completely different from other schools. Some advice from a past applicant: don't go into this process with any expectations about acceptance. If you get an interview, you cannot pinpoint your likelihood of acceptance through #'s and if you try to you'll drive yourself nuts. Choose a school because your comfortable there not because your #'s say you're likely to get in. Schools are not the same and it stinks to interview at a bunch of schools and realize you only really liked 2 of them.

 

[SMW]

If you would like to go there, and you get an interview, go. I got in last year with a 30 MCAT and 3.5 GPA. It took 3 months after I interviewed before I got my acceptance. I don't know where this story about the quick rejection came from -- they are not rolling.

 

[trout]

Wow, with such a firm grasp of the language you are a shoe-in for columbia...I would probably argue they aren't one of the most number driven schools, but I am sure others will disagree...I didn't have the "best" undergrad record but many other facets of my application and I got in directly. They do interview many, and some people's interviews are 15 minutes like mine and others are 1.5 hrs and still obviously doesn't predict anything! After meeting people at revist weekend, they do pick a very diverse class...and your story of the rejection, unless they interviewed the first week of feb (which they for the most part were done interviewing in jan-the last date they gave me) don't listen to all that you hear!

 

[kaos]

Originally posted by SMW
If you would like to go there, and you get an interview, go. I got in last year with a 30 MCAT and 3.5 GPA. It took 3 months after I interviewed before I got my acceptance. I don't know where this story about the quick rejection came from -- they are not rolling.

Yay! I have much hope! Thanks!

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by bludeviled
$1000 - did he fly in from Russia or something?

even w/ accomodations and stuff, it seems the cost shouldn't exceed $500 - but this could just be my ex-New Yorker naviette speaking

Well sometimes a ticket can cost that much if the flight is close to full, especially if you're flying to/from a hub airport on the airline that the airport is a hub for. (re: USAirways into/out of Charlotte, their biggest hub)

-RA

 

[athena21]

columbia is an awesome school--it's amazing! i want to go there so badly...they just have a great program and have great opportunities...sorry, a bit off topic but related to columbia...

 

[ocean11]

yeah for me to fly to NY and I pray I get an interview to Columbia it will cost around 600$ CAN just for the flight.... lets see... thats around 400$ US for the flight, plus accomodations... food etc.... so around 700$ dam^!!! anyways I might take the train there (120$ CAN or 70$US), its 12 hours from Toronto, but hey I have LOTS of time to prep for the interview right lol

 

[saiyagirl]

ocean11,

an option for you to save money is to drive down to buffalo, ny and then fly from buffalo to nyc on jetblue. a round trip ticket on jetblue, if you book early enough, should cost NO MORE than 120. sometimes 2 one way tickets might even be cheaper on jetblue. and driving from toronto to buffalo should only take 1.5 hours.

in fact i'd recommend you always look for tickets out of buffalo as well as toronto..if you're willing to drive (or be driven) you'd save a lot of money!

btw, for any of you, if jetblue flys to where you're going--take it!! it's SO damn cheap, all first class seating, each seat has 24 cable television channels to keep you entertained, and they have the best snacks!

i'm a big jetblue fan