Columbia c/o 2016 Applicants (2012-2013) Forum

[twinkletoes16]

So predictions for tomorrow?


I think someone in NYC will get the first NCE, and I'm betting Lavitz will get a NCE with a full-ride named scholly by the end of next week. Then he'll wake up and realize it was all a dream.

FTFY

No, but seriously, I forgot you renamed the VCE to NCE earlier and had no idea what you were talking about at first

At this point, I think I should be hoping to just get in.

I think you'll really be fine. Are you sure you aren't this guy? Only reason I can think that would prevent you from these schools. You have a weird cycle; it's like the schools are scared of you.

[Crowing]

At this point, I think I should be hoping to just get in.

That's what she said.

But seriously, maybe Chicago thinks because you're from NY that you wouldn't go there or something. Whatever I fully expect to see a "should i go to Yale or take a Hamilton" from you by the end of the spring; or rather, I would except you seem like you won't need our stupidass opinions to help you make that decision

[twinkletoes16]

Also looking at last year's Hamilton recipients on LSN, there are a TON that withdrew/turned it down for YHS. Once people do, do they just recycle the Hamiltons and give them out to the next people on their list?


ETA after doing some more LSN stalking, I am 99.9999999% certain someone will receive a NCE tomorrow. The dates line up.

[jbagelboy]

Im not advocating that people from privileged backgrounds should get need based aid - that would be ludicrous. At the same, I think it is a misrepresentation to say attending hys is not a financial burden for most of those paying sticker. It is 200 thousand dollars no matter what and most parents, no matter how wealthy, do not consider it their responsibility to put their 26 year old son through a professional degree.

Let me just say, I know kids who are going to law school on their parents bill. I'm from Newport Beach, I grew up all around them. It's bullshit -- it totally changes the entire equation. They don't even fill out FAFSA or request matching scholarships. It's not even that they can attend the best school without regard for money; the psychological barrier of going to law school at all and the sacrifice it entails, the worries about the job market after graduation and the industry at large, its a footnote for them. And they also won't have to work in law school, whereas I fully expect to have to powerscore it up and teach LSAT prep classes every fall while cramming for my exams to be marginally above average.

I'm not gripping -- in fact, it would be out of place since I'm perfectly well off -- but I've seen (and arguably by this point in the cycle lived) the difference b/t kids who have legitimate concerns about the cost and those who play this game starting with every card in the deck

[bellagio]

Im not advocating that people from privileged backgrounds should get need based aid - that would be ludicrous. At the same, I think it is a misrepresentation to say attending hys is not a financial burden for most of those paying sticker. It is 200 thousand dollars no matter what and most parents, no matter how wealthy, do not consider it their responsibility to put their 26 year old son through a professional degree.

Let me just say, I know kids who are going to law school on their parents bill. I'm from Newport Beach, I grew up all around them. It's bullshit -- it totally changes the entire equation. They don't even fill out FAFSA or request matching scholarships. It's not even that they can attend the best school without regard for money; the psychological barrier of going to law school at all and the sacrifice it entails, the worries about the job market after graduation and the industry at large, its a footnote for them. And they also won't have to work in law school, whereas I fully expect to have to powerscore it up and teach LSAT prep classes every fall while cramming for my exams to be marginally above average.

I'm not gripping -- in fact, it would be out of place since I'm perfectly well off -- but I've seen (and arguably by this point in the cycle lived) the difference b/t kids who have legitimate concerns about the cost and those who play this game starting with every card in the deck

Not arguing against what you're saying, but there are still kids who, even though their parents have more than enough to cover several generations down, are on their own. I've been working part-time jobs since high school and paying my own way through college and post-grad life, and the fact that I have never qualified for any sort of need-based aid has worked against me.

[Lavitz]

I think you'll really be fine. Are you sure you aren't this guy? Only reason I can think that would prevent you from these schools. You have a weird cycle; it's like the schools are scared of you.

Lol, I'm sure I'm not that guy. I mean, I've worked in food prep, but not at Taco Bell.

But now that you mention it, maybe the schools are scared of me It really makes me wonder what my recommenders wrote about me.

At this point, I think I should be hoping to just get in.

That's what she said.

But seriously, maybe Chicago thinks because you're from NY that you wouldn't go there or something. Whatever I fully expect to see a "should i go to Yale or take a Hamilton" from you by the end of the spring; or rather, I would except you seem like you won't need our stupidass opinions to help you make that decision

I knew someone would take that as a sexual innuendo but...shouldn't that be the guy's line?

Anyway, yeah, that was one of the reasons I initially predicted Chicago would YP me. My NYC ties are too strong and there's no incentive for them to get into a bidding war over me when I'm much more valuable to Columbia and NYU than I am to Chicago because of the GPA median. On the other hand, Banjo is also from NYC (I think) and he got in, but that could just mean that it came down to the two of us and they chose him because my numbers were slightly better and they figured that out of the two of us, I was the one more likely to get into Harvard (lol, oops). Also, my strong New Yawka accent probably didn't help

[Crowing]

But now that you mention it, maybe the schools are scared of me It really makes me wonder what my recommenders wrote about me.

I've wondered about that quite a bit too. I have 4 LoRs and of the 3 that I've seen 2 are awesome and 1 is good but not amazing (I ended up not even using that one). The 4th one though...? Theoretically it should be the best one of the 4 since it's from the professor that I thought I had the closest relationship with. But I haven't seen it, so my mind has read all sorts of scenarios about it...

[elterrible78]

Also looking at last year's Hamilton recipients on LSN, there are a TON that withdrew/turned it down for YHS. Once people do, do they just recycle the Hamiltons and give them out to the next people on their list?


ETA after doing some more LSN stalking, I am 99.9999999% certain someone will receive a NCE tomorrow. The dates line up.

I certainly hope you're right. And that Lavitz gets one with a golden ticket inside.

[elterrible78]

But now that you mention it, maybe the schools are scared of me It really makes me wonder what my recommenders wrote about me.

I've wondered about that quite a bit too. I have 4 LoRs and of the 3 that I've seen 2 are awesome and 1 is good but not amazing (I ended up not even using that one). The 4th one though...? Theoretically it should be the best one of the 4 since it's from the professor that I thought I had the closest relationship with. But I haven't seen it, so my mind has read all sorts of scenarios about it...

I have had the same fears. I have only seen one, from my boss, which was great. I am very confident that my UG professor's rec was stellar, but then there's my grad school professor's rec. He's an awesome guy, we're still friends, but we were roommates for a while, and when we were co-writing a paper, things got a little contentious. Plus, his GF was planning on applying to law school when he wrote the rec and she was gunning for T-14, so the paranoid part of me really wonders. I'm sure it's all good, but...

I'll just be generally glad when this whole thing is over with, so I can stop the random, pointless speculation about EVERYTHING.

[twinkletoes16]

Also looking at last year's Hamilton recipients on LSN, there are a TON that withdrew/turned it down for YHS. Once people do, do they just recycle the Hamiltons and give them out to the next people on their list?


ETA after doing some more LSN stalking, I am 99.9999999% certain someone will receive a NCE tomorrow. The dates line up.

I certainly hope you're right. And that Lavitz gets one with a golden ticket inside.

[elterrible78]

Also looking at last year's Hamilton recipients on LSN, there are a TON that withdrew/turned it down for YHS. Once people do, do they just recycle the Hamiltons and give them out to the next people on their list?


ETA after doing some more LSN stalking, I am 99.9999999% certain someone will receive a NCE tomorrow. The dates line up.

I certainly hope you're right. And that Lavitz gets one with a golden ticket inside.

[twinkletoes16]

But now that you mention it, maybe the schools are scared of me It really makes me wonder what my recommenders wrote about me.

I've wondered about that quite a bit too. I have 4 LoRs and of the 3 that I've seen 2 are awesome and 1 is good but not amazing (I ended up not even using that one). The 4th one though...? Theoretically it should be the best one of the 4 since it's from the professor that I thought I had the closest relationship with. But I haven't seen it, so my mind has read all sorts of scenarios about it...

I have had the same fears. I have only seen one, from my boss, which was great. I am very confident that my UG professor's rec was stellar, but then there's my grad school professor's rec. He's an awesome guy, we're still friends, but we were roommates for a while, and when we were co-writing a paper, things got a little contentious. Plus, his GF was planning on applying to law school when he wrote the rec and she was gunning for T-14, so the paranoid part of me really wonders. I'm sure it's all good, but...

I'll just be generally glad when this whole thing is over with, so I can stop the random, pointless speculation about EVERYTHING.

I only had 2 LORs, one from a professor I had for a whole year who was also a dean of my UG, and then one from my former boss. I thought for sure I was F'd since I only had 1 academic LOR and I honestly have no clue about the quality of either (probably meh) but so far it hasn't mattered. Out of the 14 I applied to, I'm in at 6 so far, and would guess I'll end up going 10/14, which isn't too bad (assuming H/S/UVA/Chi ding me).

[elterrible78]

I'll just be generally glad when this whole thing is over with, so I can stop the random, pointless speculation about EVERYTHING.

I only had 2 LORs, one from a professor I had for a whole year who was also a dean of my UG, and then one from my former boss. I thought for sure I was F'd since I only had 1 academic LOR and I honestly have no clue about the quality of either (probably meh) but so far it hasn't mattered. Out of the 14 I applied to, I'm in at 6 so far, and would guess I'll end up going 10/14, which isn't too bad (assuming H/S/UVA/Chi ding me).

I think 1 academic LOR is fine for most places, depending on how long you've been out of undergrad I guess. And overall, yeah, my cycle has been pretty damn good, too. That JS1/no-JS2 has just effed with me, and being analytical both by nature and training, I just keep trying to figure it out. I've mostly moved past it, but it's kind of like giving up on a Rubik's Cube...every once in a while you are going to pick it up and screw around with it.

In any case, congrats on your success so far, and let's hope we both get good news from Columbia (certainly one of my top choices) very soon.

[twinkletoes16]

I'll just be generally glad when this whole thing is over with, so I can stop the random, pointless speculation about EVERYTHING.

I only had 2 LORs, one from a professor I had for a whole year who was also a dean of my UG, and then one from my former boss. I thought for sure I was F'd since I only had 1 academic LOR and I honestly have no clue about the quality of either (probably meh) but so far it hasn't mattered. Out of the 14 I applied to, I'm in at 6 so far, and would guess I'll end up going 10/14, which isn't too bad (assuming H/S/UVA/Chi ding me).

I think 1 academic LOR is fine for most places, depending on how long you've been out of undergrad I guess. And overall, yeah, my cycle has been pretty damn good, too. That JS1/no-JS2 has just effed with me, and being analytical both by nature and training, I just keep trying to figure it out. I've mostly moved past it, but it's kind of like giving up on a Rubik's Cube...every once in a while you are going to pick it up and screw around with it.

In any case, congrats on your success so far, and let's hope we both get good news from Columbia (certainly one of my top choices) very soon.

I'll have been out 2 years in May time flies. Your stats are crazy so I'm sure Harvard will end up coming around. Columbia's rep as cutthroat scares me a little so I guess we'll just have to see! Hopeful I get in so I can tour there and NYU in one weekend.

[Lavitz]

That JS1/no-JS2 has just effed with me, and being analytical both by nature and training, I just keep trying to figure it out. I've mostly moved past it, but it's kind of like giving up on a Rubik's Cube...every once in a while you are going to pick it up and screw around with it.

Yeah, I actually have a new theory about what happened there. I won't have time to type up a detailed analysis tonight, but PM me if you're interested in discussing it (yet again lol).

[Mr. Elshal]

Im not advocating that people from privileged backgrounds should get need based aid - that would be ludicrous. At the same, I think it is a misrepresentation to say attending hys is not a financial burden for most of those paying sticker. It is 200 thousand dollars no matter what and most parents, no matter how wealthy, do not consider it their responsibility to put their 26 year old son through a professional degree.

Let me just say, I know kids who are going to law school on their parents bill. I'm from Newport Beach, I grew up all around them. It's bullshit -- it totally changes the entire equation. They don't even fill out FAFSA or request matching scholarships. It's not even that they can attend the best school without regard for money; the psychological barrier of going to law school at all and the sacrifice it entails, the worries about the job market after graduation and the industry at large, its a footnote for them. And they also won't have to work in law school, whereas I fully expect to have to powerscore it up and teach LSAT prep classes every fall while cramming for my exams to be marginally above average.

I'm not gripping -- in fact, it would be out of place since I'm perfectly well off -- but I've seen (and arguably by this point in the cycle lived) the difference b/t kids who have legitimate concerns about the cost and those who play this game starting with every card in the deck

Not arguing against what you're saying, but there are still kids who, even though their parents have more than enough to cover several generations down, are on their own. I've been working part-time jobs since high school and paying my own way through college and post-grad life, and the fact that I have never qualified for any sort of need-based aid has worked against me.

On this topic, I think my parents would probably be able to cover me if they really wanted to but they gave me the option to go to an expensive UG and they wont pay for Grad School, or free UG and they would pay for grad school. I thought there was no way in hell I'd want to do any school after UG so I went to a UG with prices not far off from what I'll be paying at Law School. Now I'm basically on my own, but without aid because the schools see that my parents could pay if they were so inclined. However, while that sucks, in case of a serious emergency, where my home was being foreclosed and the collections agencies were sending ninjas to kill me in my sleep because I missed so many loan payments, my parents would probably step in and help out a little (bare minimum).

I do think, though, that having to cover your way through law school is a huge motivational factor and if I knew that I would never have to pay tuition or pay back loans, I probably would not try as hard in school. There's a lot of pressure that comes from being financially independent but if you can channel it properly that can be a better asset, in the long run, than parents who foot your tuition bills

[ph5354a]

Not arguing against what you're saying, but there are still kids who, even though their parents have more than enough to cover several generations down, are on their own. I've been working part-time jobs since high school and paying my own way through college and post-grad life, and the fact that I have never qualified for any sort of need-based aid has worked against me.

On this topic, I think my parents would probably be able to cover me if they really wanted to but they gave me the option to go to an expensive UG and they wont pay for Grad School, or free UG and they would pay for grad school. I thought there was no way in hell I'd want to do any school after UG so I went to a UG with prices not far off from what I'll be paying at Law School. Now I'm basically on my own, but without aid because the schools see that my parents could pay if they were so inclined. However, while that sucks, in case of a serious emergency, where my home was being foreclosed and the collections agencies were sending ninjas to kill me in my sleep because I missed so many loan payments, my parents would probably step in and help out a little (bare minimum).

I do think, though, that having to cover your way through law school is a huge motivational factor and if I knew that I would never have to pay tuition or pay back loans, I probably would not try as hard in school. There's a lot of pressure that comes from being financially independent but if you can channel it properly that can be a better asset, in the long run, than parents who foot your tuition bills

My thoughts exactly. I get super bitter sometimes about the fact that my parents have high enough income to thwart any aid I may receive (even though they give me very limited support --which I've come to appreciate), however, I know that, for example, they will be willing to act as a guarantor for an apartment for me, or possibly co-sign a loan, which can help out tremendously. There are tons of minor things like that that are not options for lower income students and can make a big difference in your financial stability.

[Anonymous4444]

What are the odds ppl will get today (lavitz I'm looking at you)?

[bellagio]

What are the odds ppl will get today (lavitz I'm looking at you)?

I'm no Lavitz but I'll take a guess: 86.57%.

Unfortunately for me, I'm currently abroad in London and mail takes about 2-4 extra weeks to get here from the states.

[Lavitz]

The rest of this page should be people posting random percentages: 72.93%

[Anonymous4444]

If u update ur app u may get an email instead...

[Anonymous4444]

38.4 (I'm a pessimist

[BigZuck]

48.9%

[elterrible78]

17.4

And lol at the advantages of having to wory about money. Every time Mrs. worm or I am up at 2am with a panic attack. I clinch my fist and whisper the word "yessssss!"

My wife and I high-five each other and then giggle like maniacs at our luck.

I say today is about an 11.332

[spyke123]

33.3333333333333333333, repeating 3 of course