Columbia c/o 2017 Applicants (2013-2014 cycle) Forum

[sah]

Well...this is pure speculation obviously, but you can get into H with numbers alone (above both medians) and Columbia probably has a limited number of Butlers and Hamiltons to give out. They realistically know that those with HYS numbers will at least get into H and, if Columbia has run out of Butlers and Hamiltons, they know that HYS admits won't choose Columbia with <50% scholarship over Harvard, so what would be the point.

[TheYesGuy]

I think some of these holds, especially for people with numbers over both medians, are Columbia's way of YP-ing. I bet they just think people who have those numbers will end up at HYS and are therefore reluctant to admit some of them. I don't know what differentiates them, at least on paper, from the people who've received Butlers and Hamiltons so far, though.

I would guess this too

[waferthinmint]

I went complete mid-October, >75 GPA, >50 LSAT, and nothing-- not even a hold. Just radio silence.

This is where I am exactly. What's up yo?

Maybe someone spilled coffee on our applications or something...

+1

Complete late-November, radio silence; good responses from peer schools already. Essentially a de facto hold, but maybe CLS just "doesn't want to label this and just enjoy what we have without needing to label it." Because it could not have taken three-four months to open a PDF application and print it out and move your eyeballs over the words on the page.

[charlie.black]

Well...this is pure speculation obviously, but you can get into H with numbers alone (above both medians) and Columbia probably has a limited number of Butlers and Hamiltons to give out. They realistically know that those with HYS numbers will at least get into H and, if Columbia has run out of Butlers and Hamiltons, they know that HYS admits won't choose Columbia with <50% scholarship over Harvard, so what would be the point.

;

This was my point earlier. That odd grey area where you're qualified, but too expensive. (maybe?)

[jingosaur]

Complete late-November, radio silence; good responses from peer schools already. Essentially a de facto hold, but maybe CLS just "doesn't want to label this and just enjoy what we have without needing to label it." Because it could not have taken three-four months to open a PDF application and print it out and move your eyeballs over the words on the page.

But it does take three-four months for them to holistically move their eyeballs over the words on the page.

[aena]

OKAY.

Judging by how some candidates of the same numbers/complete dates were put on "hold" and some were on on "reserve," I can only conclude that columbia selected a random group of students from each of the number range to put on hold. Hold allows them to postpone making admissions decisions. They want to wait to see how the whole applicant pool for T-14 plays out, and they want to be prudent with the final decisions. Hence the holds we see for both below median AND above median kids.

[waferthinmint]

Complete late-November, radio silence; good responses from peer schools already. Essentially a de facto hold, but maybe CLS just "doesn't want to label this and just enjoy what we have without needing to label it." Because it could not have taken three-four months to open a PDF application and print it out and move your eyeballs over the words on the page.

But it does take three-four months for them to holistically move their eyeballs over the words on the page.

HA nice. This brings to mind a pants-suited woman rolling her eyes crazily while burning the application over incense and whiffing the scent of its smoke as a shaman shakes a rain stick over her head.

[charlie.black]

OKAY.

Judging by how some candidates of the same numbers/complete dates were put on "hold" and some were on on "reserve," I can only conclude that columbia selected a random group of students from each of the number range to put on hold. Hold allows them to postpone making admissions decisions. They want to wait to see how the whole applicant pool for T-14 plays out, and they want to be prudent with the final decisions. Hence the holds for both below median AND above median kids.

Nothing is random. That would be foolish. Columbia adcomms are not fools.

[charlie.black]

Complete late-November, radio silence; good responses from peer schools already. Essentially a de facto hold, but maybe CLS just "doesn't want to label this and just enjoy what we have without needing to label it." Because it could not have taken three-four months to open a PDF application and print it out and move your eyeballs over the words on the page.

But it does take three-four months for them to holistically move their eyeballs over the words on the page.

HA nice. This brings to mind a pants-suited woman rolling her eyes crazily while burning the application over incense and whiffing the scent of its smoke as a shaman shakes a rain stick over her head.

haha i enjoyed this visual. thank you.

[waferthinmint]

Complete late-November, radio silence; good responses from peer schools already. Essentially a de facto hold, but maybe CLS just "doesn't want to label this and just enjoy what we have without needing to label it." Because it could not have taken three-four months to open a PDF application and print it out and move your eyeballs over the words on the page.

But it does take three-four months for them to holistically move their eyeballs over the words on the page.

HA nice. This brings to mind a pants-suited woman rolling her eyes crazily while burning the application over incense and whiffing the scent of its smoke as a shaman shakes a rain stick over her head.

haha i enjoyed this visual. thank you.

haha happy to help.

[aena]

OKAY.

Judging by how some candidates of the same numbers/complete dates were put on "hold" and some were on on "reserve," I can only conclude that columbia selected a random group of students from each of the number range to put on hold. Hold allows them to postpone making admissions decisions. They want to wait to see how the whole applicant pool for T-14 plays out, and they want to be prudent with the final decisions. Hence the holds for both below median AND above median kids.

Nothing is random. That would be foolish. Columbia adcomms are not fools.

Just trying to figure out how realistic it is to get off hold and whether writing an LOCI is truly worth it.

Do they actually even read the LOCI's? Especially given how Columbia waitlists pretty much everyone and they must get thousands of the letters saying pretty much the same thing. Like what substantial difference would a LOCI make(assuming no significant change in GPA, LSAT, and softs) unless you are a YP candidate?

[EquallyWrong]

I don't think its random, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have a particularly good reason for doing it. I'm sure the decision to hold some people was basically a coin flip. My hope, and I think it is the only sensical way for them to do things, is that surviving the hold wave after being complete for months means we'll hear something from them by this time next week. The only advantage they get from these holds seems to be incidental YP from people they didn't mark out for Butlers/Hammys, which, again, has probably reached coin flip status at this point. It would be helpful for both parties, though, if they included a line in the email about what this means for those relying on scholarships...

[charlie.black]

I don't think its random, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have a particularly good reason for doing it. I'm sure the decision to hold some people was basically a coin flip. My hope, and I think it is the only sensical way for them to do things, is that surviving the hold wave after being complete for months means we'll hear something from them by this time next week. The only advantage they get from these holds seems to be incidental YP from people they didn't mark out for Butlers/Hammys, which, again, has probably reached coin flip status at this point. It would be helpful for both parties, though, if they included a line in the email about what this means for those relying on scholarships...

Is there a large dose of blunt luck in law school admissions? Yes.

[fivestarfolds]

Held today. Not surprised.

non URM Hispanic

[Humbert Humbert]

So is the wave over? Was it a mass email (right around 11 AM EST), or have they been going out steadily?

[drawstring]

Held with a 4.1+/173

[drawstring]

I hate Columbia this cycle

[zhcrobert]

Held with a 4.1+/173

it's crazy

[lakers180]

Held with a 4.1+/173

what thats insane

[neprep]

Held with a 4.1+/173

Well, I guess is this image is in order once again…

[Pau.C.]

.

[FuriousDuck]

...

[charlie.black]

Held with a 4.1+/173

blows my mind. sorry draw

[drawstring]

Held with a 4.1+/173

blows my mind. sorry draw

Held with a 4.1+/173

Dammit... I was following this thread hoping that you'd get an acceptance. I still think they'll eventually accept you. For what it's worth, I'm buying the "Columbia is procrastinating" theory.

Thanks a bunch guys. It made me quite worried that I totally effed up my apps given how long I've waited on HLS and now this at a school where I have practically 100% chances according to mylsn, but seeing so many other strong applicants with the same news makes me a bit less worried. I have no clue wth Columbia is doing this cycle, and can they really afford this given their drop in apps and medians?

[Pishee77]

So is the consensus that held is a good or bad sign? Is the acceptance/waitlist from held 50/50 or more waitlists?