Columbia 2010 Forum

[lz06]

whaaaat?!?! noooooooooooo now I never want to check my mail box

[maudlinstreet]

My friend asked me - can she apply now (LATE!) and still be considered for a hamilton. Told her no. Right?

yeah, if previous years are any indication, she probably wouldn't be able to get a hamilton at this point

[BaiAilian2013]

Nothing for me today.

[CoaltoNewCastle]

Parents aren't getting mail today and probably won't tomorrow either. Maybe not even Friday.

[Kronk]

Nothing for me today.

You frowning only relieves my anxiety, captain.

[gahthelaw]

Nothing for me today.

You frowning only relieves my anxiety, captain.

ditto on down the chain

[Core]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

[booboo]

Core, they may just want to see their URM applicants in a broader context (review other apps they haven't seen yet...) but want to hold your interest in their school... .

[Core]

Core, they may just want to see their URM applicants in a broader context (review other apps they haven't seen yet...) but want to hold your interest in their school... .

I love your optimism, almost as much as your tar.

[notanumber]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

My totally baseless suspicion is that they're wary of your LSAT score and are waiting to see what the larger class composition (especially in terms of URM applicants) looks like before deciding to accept or deny your application. Sounds like you're doing everything right (LOCI etc...) Good luck!

[maudlinstreet]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

I think hold is better than waitlist. here's what columbia has to say:


In addition to its “admit” and “reject” decision categories, Columbia Law School maintains both “hold” and “reserve” groups of candidates. When an applicant is placed in the hold category, the Admissions Committee has opted to postpone making a decision on his or her candidacy at the time of initial review; in other words, the Admissions Committee has not yet made a determination on the application, and it will be reviewed again by the Committee later in the admissions season. Hold category applicants can expect to receive a decision on their candidacy (admit, reserve, or reject) by the end of April.

Unlike applicants who are “wait-listed” at some law schools, candidates placed on reserve at Columbia are at no point ranked ordinally. Rather, each application on reserve is reviewed again in its entirety by the Admissions Committee on a periodic basis during the summer months, as openings in the entering class materialize. Upon each review, some candidates will be offered or denied admission, while others will be asked if they wish to remain in consideration for any future openings in the class later in the summer.

The difference between the hold and reserve categories is that the initial review process is completed for candidates placed on reserve. Reserve candidates will not be reevaluated for admission until the summer months, as openings in the entering class materialize. Applications placed on hold are still being actively reviewed by the Committee, and hold candidates should expect to receive a decision (admit, reserve, or reject) by the end of April.

[booboo]

It seems like my optimism is needed, everyone ITT is overly pessimistic.

Sunshines and rainbows...

[crackberry]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

I hate to say it, but this is Exhibit A in the "should I send a LOCI before getting a decision" debate. I suppose it's possible you could have been rejected without sending the LOCI, but I doubt it. We'll never know.

[blue5385]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

This is making me feel like submitting a LOCI even though I applied later than you (November). I'm thinking a hold is better than a waitlist, but I'm not sure. Good luck!

[crackberry]

This is making me feel like submitting a LOCI even though I applied later than you (November). I'm thinking a hold is better than a waitlist, but I'm not sure. Good luck!

Wow so we had the exact opposite reaction. My thought is - if you send a LOCI and then don't get in, you have nothing with which to supplement your file. On the other hand, if you don't send a LOCI and then get WLed/held, you can update your file with everything you initially planned to send them in the first place. Hard to say which is the correct course of action, which is, of course, why there is a debate over it.

[Core]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

I hate to say it, but this is Exhibit A in the "should I send a LOCI before getting a decision" debate. I suppose it's possible you could have been rejected without sending the LOCI, but I doubt it. We'll never know.

I don't think the LOCI had an effect either way and, unless you have some impressive new developments (I really didn't and won't), doesn't generally have one. A school like CLS knows its applicants are all dying to attend.
Also, while they received my LOR, LOCI, and writing sample last week, I doubt it was really fully "considered" just yet, as I'm sure the committee is made up of more than one person and my file is not on the top of their list at this point.

[somewhatwayward]

Placed on "Hold" at Columbia today - received a letter dated from the 9th. Is this their version of a waitlist?
They invited me to submit updates and a LOCI. However, over the past 2 weeks, I sent them a 1-page LOCI, writing sample (an improved version of my Yale 250), updated transcripts of a 4.0 fall semester, and an additional LOR, so I have nothing more to send them.
I'm pretty disappointed and confused. I spent months on my essays and they were by all accounts great. My LORS and softs are also strong. The only detractors to my app are my UG and my 168 LSAT score, but non-AA URMs with lower LSAT scores have gotten in, so I don't know what to think. It may be that CLS (and NYU) give less of a boost to PRs in their vicinity than they do to Cuban/MX applicants.
I applied to CLS in October. Anyone have any info on the % of "Held" applicants who ultimately gain admittance?

i am surprised by the hold. i think you'll be in when it is all said and done.

[Sakura3210]

Core- I'm on hold too, so it may be a URM pile. Here's hoping.

[blue5385]

Seeing the "IN AT COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL!!!!!!" thread get bumped to the top a couple minutes ago made me sad and bitter.

[CoaltoNewCastle]

A school like CLS knows its applicants are all dying to attend.

That's not really true. The best applicants to CLS will get scooped up by HYS, except for the ones they retain with named scholarships. I think you've been yield protected because they think you're probably getting into Harvard (and you are probably getting into Harvard). If you show interest in them I think they'll let you in.

[Dignan]

A school like CLS knows its applicants are all dying to attend.

That's not really true. The best applicants to CLS will get scooped up by HYS, except for the ones they retain with named scholarships. I think you've been yield protected because they think you're probably getting into Harvard (and you are probably getting into Harvard). If you show interest in them I think they'll let you in.

I really don't think that Columbia yield protects. If you look at the data on LSN, there's just no evidence for it. Columbia doesn't deal with likely HY admits by waitlisting them; they deal with them by offering acceptances with scholarship money.

[blue5385]

A school like CLS knows its applicants are all dying to attend.

That's not really true. The best applicants to CLS will get scooped up by HYS, except for the ones they retain with named scholarships. I think you've been yield protected because they think you're probably getting into Harvard (and you are probably getting into Harvard). If you show interest in them I think they'll let you in.

This is true for people with outstanding stats, but what are your thoughts on splitters (like myself) who are at/slightly under one 25% and considerably over the other 75% sending in a LOCI? I sincerely doubt I will be scooped up by H and didn't even apply to Y or S. Would it be overkill in my case since they already know I'm not a YP candidate?

[Kronk]

Laughing over here at the idea of Columbia yield protecting. They accept HYS candidates and hope they will accept the Butler and Hamilton, and they are essentially king of the rest (except for California crazies like me). Their yield rate is 5th in the nation behind HYS and Berkeley.

[TheWire]

A school like CLS knows its applicants are all dying to attend.

That's not really true. The best applicants to CLS will get scooped up by HYS, except for the ones they retain with named scholarships. I think you've been yield protected because they think you're probably getting into Harvard (and you are probably getting into Harvard). If you show interest in them I think they'll let you in.

Hey Coalt, your cycle is quite interesting to me, mind PM'ing me your PS?

[georgina]

This is true for people with outstanding stats, but what are your thoughts on splitters (like myself) who are at/slightly under one 25% and considerably over the other 75% sending in a LOCI? I sincerely doubt I will be scooped up by H and didn't even apply to Y or S. Would it be overkill in my case since they already know I'm not a YP candidate?

not to knock, but just to clarify, the gpa 25% is 3.6, and the lsat 75% is 175. i thought i had a vague impression of your numbers being a pretty even split... but maybe i'm wrong.

anyway, i (splitter) went ahead and sent a LOCI because i had legitimate info to update, and because i can get another rec if i get hold/WL. if you only have one thing left in your app arsenal, i'm with crack in saying you should wait.