Columbia 2011! Forum

[bob77]

Hi, wondering if anyone held hasn't received a decision yet?

+1

[expat17]

ED deferred... got put on reserve this morning.

Sorry to hear that. Was it via email?

yup

sorry to hear as well.

i still have no decision. anyone ED deferred get denied yet? would seem silly if they didn't deny us right out the bat in september and instead waited until now ....

if that's the case, trying to figure out if i should be checking my permanent snail mail address (which i'm 5,000 miles away from at the moment) or keep maniacally refreshing mozilla ....

[Naked Dude]

By some act of divine intervention, I got placed on Reserve, having applied only because a last minute fee waiver ensured that I wasn't wasting the equivalent of a nice steak dinner on a longshot. But...dreams sort of not really come true. Reserve at a dream school. I shall send my LOCI, but tell me, those who are in the know, how optimistic should a person on Reserve be?

[Naked Dude]

Definitely. Reading this thread makes me believe that Columbia's admissions does a lot more than numbers-> decision. There are a lot of 171s floating around, most with GPAs higher than mine, who have been dinged, while a friend who went to the same UG as I did with similar numbers and I are on reserve. I obviously have no experience getting off reserve, and if you went by this thread and got discouraged, you would probably just want to throw in the towel. But if Columbia really is your dream (like it is mine), send a LOCI, visit the school, do anything you can. Let them know you're still really into them. I can't say it will work, but I can say with some authority that not doing it will almost guarantee that you won't get in.

Yeah, I'd have to agree that the CLS admissions process appears to have a non-negligible "soft factor" component within the 25% to 50% percentile range. I was a shade under the 4.4 index and got in, whereas other 4.4 indices were held. I'm not sure what happened to these people subsequently, but have many people been getting in off holds?

That's for damn sure. I applied late, am Reject on LSP, and am not AA or an uber desirable URM, and was placed on Reserve.

[descartesb4thehorse]

Definitely. Reading this thread makes me believe that Columbia's admissions does a lot more than numbers-> decision. There are a lot of 171s floating around, most with GPAs higher than mine, who have been dinged, while a friend who went to the same UG as I did with similar numbers and I are on reserve. I obviously have no experience getting off reserve, and if you went by this thread and got discouraged, you would probably just want to throw in the towel. But if Columbia really is your dream (like it is mine), send a LOCI, visit the school, do anything you can. Let them know you're still really into them. I can't say it will work, but I can say with some authority that not doing it will almost guarantee that you won't get in.

Yeah, I'd have to agree that the CLS admissions process appears to have a non-negligible "soft factor" component within the 25% to 50% percentile range. I was a shade under the 4.4 index and got in, whereas other 4.4 indices were held. I'm not sure what happened to these people subsequently, but have many people been getting in off holds?

That's for damn sure. I applied late, am Reject on LSP, and am not AA or an uber desirable URM, and was placed on Reserve.

Lots of people think Columbia's reserve is one of the hardest soft rejects out there. Speaking practically, fine. You should probably deposit somewhere else, etc. But speaking idealistically, I still have hope.

[Naked Dude]

Definitely. Reading this thread makes me believe that Columbia's admissions does a lot more than numbers-> decision. There are a lot of 171s floating around, most with GPAs higher than mine, who have been dinged, while a friend who went to the same UG as I did with similar numbers and I are on reserve. I obviously have no experience getting off reserve, and if you went by this thread and got discouraged, you would probably just want to throw in the towel. But if Columbia really is your dream (like it is mine), send a LOCI, visit the school, do anything you can. Let them know you're still really into them. I can't say it will work, but I can say with some authority that not doing it will almost guarantee that you won't get in.

Yeah, I'd have to agree that the CLS admissions process appears to have a non-negligible "soft factor" component within the 25% to 50% percentile range. I was a shade under the 4.4 index and got in, whereas other 4.4 indices were held. I'm not sure what happened to these people subsequently, but have many people been getting in off holds?

That's for damn sure. I applied late, am Reject on LSP, and am not AA or an uber desirable URM, and was placed on Reserve.

Lots of people think Columbia's reserve is one of the hardest soft rejects out there. Speaking practically, fine. You should probably deposit somewhere else, etc. But speaking idealistically, I still have hope.

Oh believe me, I've deposited elsewhere. I have no illusions. But I appreciate the courtesy of a soft reject.

Why is their reserve one of the hardest soft rejects?

[descartesb4thehorse]

Why is their reserve one of the hardest soft rejects?

Others may disagree with me. It seems Mich and UVA dump more applicants by volume on their WLs, but Columbia's rarely sees any movement.

[TLSNYC]

Did anyone else get their decision emailed to them twice? No joke, I got a waitlist email at 11 and again at 3 today.

[Naked Dude]

Why is their reserve one of the hardest soft rejects?

Others may disagree with me. It seems Mich and UVA dump more applicants by volume on their WLs, but Columbia's rarely sees any movement.

Yeah...I'm sure it varies year to year... Whatever, doesn't cost anything.

[save the world]

Hi, wondering if anyone held hasn't received a decision yet?

+1

+1

[descartesb4thehorse]

Did anyone else get their decision emailed to them twice? No joke, I got a waitlist email at 11 and again at 3 today.

super-secret ranked waitlist. you're on both of them.

[swl56]

haha i got it twice as well... i was hoping the first time was a mistake and the second time around was the "real decision" (an acceptance)... but alas.

[sargell83]

placed on reserve today as well.

[math101]

Withdrew from this WL and Chicago's today. Not that that's helping anyone. It was actually a bit tougher than I thought it would be. Now all that's left is for NU to WL me, so I can withdraw from that too.

[nyckid]

No movement today? I guess tomorrow's the big day. I think there's one other deferred ED here who still hasn't heard?

[expat17]

No movement today? I guess tomorrow's the big day. I think there's one other deferred ED here who still hasn't heard?

that would be me, ma'm / sir!

[expat17]

No movement today? I guess tomorrow's the big day. I think there's one other deferred ED here who still hasn't heard?

that would be me, ma'm / sir!

you think they're dragging on us because we are just that useless that it doesn't matter when we get put on reserve ...or should we dare to speculate?

[jdtorque]

Ding. Expected, but still stings. Now it's just Cornell (please!) or my local safety school. Good luck to those still waiting

[shouldvegoneforanMBA]

Does everyone who gets placed on reserve have something in the email that says "first reserve"? are there two categories of reserve, first and regular?

[expat17]

Does everyone who gets placed on reserve have something in the email that says "first reserve"? are there two categories of reserve, first and regular?

nope, all reserve pool is the same (stinking and overcrowded) heap. they whittle away the list over time, like a slow death. the first reserve refers to the fact that all have made it through "cut 1." they will likely do another "cut 2" in june or something, at which point they will rename the survivors second reserve ... and so on and so on.

EDIT: excuse my pessimism, but the CLS reserve/waitlist is notoriously long and drawn out.

[expat17]

Ding. Expected, but still stings. Now it's just Cornell (please!) or my local safety school. Good luck to those still waiting

Sorry to hear. Did you just find out right now or was it sitting in your inbox?

Crossing my fingers for you for Cornell!

[jdtorque]

Ding. Expected, but still stings. Now it's just Cornell (please!) or my local safety school. Good luck to those still waiting

Sorry to hear. Did you just find out right now or was it sitting in your inbox?

Crossing my fingers for you for Cornell!

Actually got it in the mail yesterday. As I understand, the bad news comes in snail mail, good news electronically

[jrose5]

Does everyone who gets placed on reserve have something in the email that says "first reserve"? are there two categories of reserve, first and regular?

nope, all reserve pool is the same (stinking and overcrowded) heap. they whittle away the list over time, like a slow death. the first reserve refers to the fact that all have made it through "cut 1." they will likely do another "cut 2" in june or something, at which point they will rename the survivors second reserve ... and so on and so on.

EDIT: excuse my pessimism, but the CLS reserve/waitlist is notoriously long and drawn out.

And not to mention virtually impossible to get off. As much as I wanted CLS earlier, I'm gonna consider this a soft ding.

[bluecanary622]

so, if you have heard absolutely nothing at any point... and submitted before the deadline... safe to assume a ding and its in the mail? since they say they promise decisions by May 1st and all.

[TLSNYC]

According to LSN,no one was let in last year off the reserve. Does that seem right/accurate to you all?