Beating the odds: Columbia Reserve c/o 2016 Forum

[alphebetagamma]

also, just wondering, but is there a general consensus as to why columbia puts soo many people on reserve? i mean, it's generally known to be impossible to get off of, right?

For the same reason applicants apply to safety schools they would never, ever actually attend.

i guess for me it seems irrational to me to apply to a school i wouldn't attend in the first place, so the practice seems strange, but that totally makes sense. good analogy~ thanks!

[JamesDean1955]

Is receiving need aid after getting off the reserve list unheard of? Just trying to keep my expectations realistic...

[ruru]

Is receiving need aid after getting off the reserve list unheard of? Just trying to keep my expectations realistic...

I spoke to Yaa in the Financial Aid office yesterday (I visited in person) and she said that need-based aid is given to those that need it, even off the waitlist. She said unlike merit aid (that is given by the admissions office), the financial aid office processes offers the same way later in the cycle as they do in the beginning. However she noted that most of the need aid is still given via loans, like Perkins which has the lowest interest rate. She said that sometimes that they may give a student $2,500 in Perkins loans and then later in the year give the maximum amount of $8,000. I know this doesn't sound like a lot since it's still loans, but it was reassuring to hear that need-based fin aid was not distributed in the same way as merit aid.

[JamesDean1955]

Is receiving need aid after getting off the reserve list unheard of? Just trying to keep my expectations realistic...

I spoke to Yaa in the Financial Aid office yesterday (I visited in person) and she said that need-based aid is given to those that need it, even off the waitlist. She said unlike merit aid (that is given by the admissions office), the financial aid office processes offers the same way later in the cycle as they do in the beginning. However she noted that most of the need aid is still given via loans, like Perkins which has the lowest interest rate. She said that sometimes that they may give a student $2,500 in Perkins loans and then later in the year give the maximum amount of $8,000. I know this doesn't sound like a lot since it's still loans, but it was reassuring to hear that need-based fin aid was not distributed in the same way as merit aid.

This is good to hear, thanks!

[rosietheriveter]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

[toothbrush]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

noppe, but that sounds very promising.

[Tekrul]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

Why aren't more people talking about this?

People! Come in here and talk about this! What goes on during these interviews, is it a make or break, acceptance or ding deal?

[jbagelboy]

Some good news for y'all today.. I bet a bunch of those admitted to HLS today off the WL had made deposits at CLS.

[JamesDean1955]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

Why aren't more people talking about this?

People! Come in here and talk about this! What goes on during these interviews, is it a make or break, acceptance or ding deal?

+1

And...

Some good news for y'all today.. I bet a bunch of those admitted to HLS today off the WL had made deposits at CLS.

Sweet .

[alphebetagamma]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

nope, but sounds like a good thing!

[ht2988]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

I did! Very excited - based on previous cycles, this is a good sign

[rosietheriveter]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

I did! Very excited - based on previous cycles, this is a good sign

What did it mean in previous cycles? Do you think it'll be a feeler or a real substantive interview?

[ht2988]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

I did! Very excited - based on previous cycles, this is a good sign

What did it mean in previous cycles? Do you think it'll be a feeler or a real substantive interview?

According to last year's thread, a handful of people received a similar email and were admitted shortly after their phone convo. This may be the result of self-selection, but everyone who posted about about receiving this email ended up getting in off of reserve. I'm prepared for a full on interview, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being more of a feeler. Best of luck!!! Columbia is my dream come true!!!

[JamesDean1955]

Anybody get a request to set up a "brief conversation with a member of the Selection Committee"?

I did! Very excited - based on previous cycles, this is a good sign

What did it mean in previous cycles? Do you think it'll be a feeler or a real substantive interview?

According to last year's thread, a handful of people received a similar email and were admitted shortly after their phone convo. This may be the result of self-selection, but everyone who posted about about receiving this email ended up getting in off of reserve. I'm prepared for a full on interview, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being more of a feeler. Best of luck!!! Columbia is my dream come true!!!

Happy for you my fellow deferred EDer!

[Tekrul]

Did anyone get an email back confirming a phone call time? I basically said I am available at any hour they listed on any day they listed, gave them my phone number, indicated I shared a time zone with them. That was yesterday and I haven't heard anything from them today confirming my reply or my available times. Or will they just call us whenever at a time we said we'd be available without setting up an appointment?

Every time I think about the phone call I come close to vomiting. Seriously, if anyone has details on what goes on during this phone call, please advise us in this thread!

[KingFish]

Did anyone get an email back confirming a phone call time? I basically said I am available at any hour they listed on any day they listed, gave them my phone number, indicated I shared a time zone with them. Or will they just call us whenever at a time we said we'd be available without setting up an appointment?

Every time I think about the phone call I come close to vomiting. Seriously, if anyone has details on what goes on during this phone call, please advise us in this thread!

I had a brief phone call before being accepted back in April. Not a wait list call but maybe I can help. They asked about my low GPA, what I had been doing since graduating last year, and asked me to elaborate on a couple resume items. Conversation lasted almost 15 minutes. No hard questions, just be prepared to explain away a poor GPA of you're a splitter. FWIW I didn't have a good answer to that bit, but they still let me in.

[toothbrush]

Did anyone get an email back confirming a phone call time? I basically said I am available at any hour they listed on any day they listed, gave them my phone number, indicated I shared a time zone with them. That was yesterday and I haven't heard anything from them today confirming my reply or my available times. Or will they just call us whenever at a time we said we'd be available without setting up an appointment?

Every time I think about the phone call I come close to vomiting. Seriously, if anyone has details on what goes on during this phone call, please advise us in this thread!

Be happy you got one. Look into js1 questions 'cause prepping for that will cover your bases. Be ready to address flaws in resume and any updates. That's all. Listen, they want to talk to you and inevitably admit you - don't stress it. Be happy that you're in the .1% and confident 'cause they want to chat. Best of luck. 5 bucks if you drop my name for me.

[ht2988]

Did anyone get an email back confirming a phone call time? I basically said I am available at any hour they listed on any day they listed, gave them my phone number, indicated I shared a time zone with them. That was yesterday and I haven't heard anything from them today confirming my reply or my available times. Or will they just call us whenever at a time we said we'd be available without setting up an appointment?

Every time I think about the phone call I come close to vomiting. Seriously, if anyone has details on what goes on during this phone call, please advise us in this thread!

I don't think they are going to confirm a time until Tuesday since they gave us till 5 pm tomorrow to respond.

[Tekrul]

I had a brief phone call before being accepted back in April. Not a wait list call but maybe I can help. They asked about my low GPA, what I had been doing since graduating last year, and asked me to elaborate on a couple resume items. Conversation lasted almost 15 minutes. No hard questions, just be prepared to explain away a poor GPA of you're a splitter. FWIW I didn't have a good answer to that bit, but they still let me in.

Be happy you got one. Look into js1 questions 'cause prepping for that will cover your bases. Be ready to address flaws in resume and any updates. That's all. Listen, they want to talk to you and inevitably admit you - don't stress it. Be happy that you're in the .1% and confident 'cause they want to chat. Best of luck. 5 bucks if you drop my name for me.

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement. It's really great to know a little more about what is going on.

[DaRascal]

What can be done to help my chances off the reserve list? My LSAT is way below median.

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

Can someone speculate on the odds of receiving some kind of word in the next two weeks? I'm taking the "next evaluation of candidates will begin at the end of May" thing at face value, and I would enjoy getting word before that June 7 UVA deposit deadline. At this point, though I'd obviously like an acceptance, I'd prefer getting a rejection to hearing nothing. Even a "we're kicking your can down the road, you don't have to think about this for a month" would be better, really.

[JamesDean1955]

Really hard to speculate w/r/t CLS. Here are some things I've noticed:

1. There are so many people willing to pay sticker at Columbia compared to the rest of the non-HYS T14, that getting off their reserve is much harder because fewer people withdraw. Getting off the Chicago and NYU waitlists are much easier, for example.

2. They seem to throw out giant awards at HYS bound people rather than distribute awards on a more even basis, so that people are either getting butlers or hamiltons or nothing at all (whereas with NYU, for example, there are plenty of $30k, $40k, $50k, $62.5, etc. handed out). This also contributes to fewer people withdrawing IMO, because now they lock in people who would chop off their left arm to attend AND people with amazing numbers.

This is all based on my observations over the past two cycles (I'm a reapplicant).

[Big Dog]

Getting off the Chicago and NYU waitlists are much easier, for example

True for NYU, but not so sure it is true at Chicago anymore. By interviewing nearly everyone this year, they likely reduced making offers to low-yield folks, i.e., north-easterners who would gladly pay sticker at Columbia, or take a small merit award at NYU, or big money from T7-14. Thus, I speculate that yield will be up, and offers from the WL, down.

[ht2988]

What can be done to help my chances off the reserve list? My LSAT is way below median.

Have you submitted an LOCI? I did, and received an invitation for a brief phone interview a week later... My GPA is WAY below their 25th.

[LRGhost]

What can be done to help my chances off the reserve list? My LSAT is way below median.

Have you submitted an LOCI? I did, and received an invitation for a brief phone interview a week later... My GPA is WAY below their 25th.

How low are we talking? And URM? I submitted one on Thursday or Friday.