<p>I was just wondering, how exactly does the admissions process work at Columbia. All i know is there are junior officers who are assigned geographic area and are the first to see your application. Beyond that, im ignorant. Could anyone fill me in?</p>
<p>What's a "junior officer"? I have no clue where you got that from. Each region is covered by an adcom, who does an initial read. I believe they have carte blanche to reject someone absolutely pathetic who doesn't have a prayer and has nothing going for them; I'm not sure whether a second pair of eyes ever comes across such an application.</p>
<p>For everyone else, the regional adcom presents your application to the committee. They have meetings pretty much non-stop (and beyond than 9am-5pm) for a week or so for ED and about 3 weeks for RD. Depending on the applicant, they spend a very short time discussing you (if you're terrible or if you're awesome) or a longer time if it's a closer call. And after they discuss, they vote.</p>
<p>That's terrifying. I can't stand the thought of being one of the ones thrown in the "not a chance" pile. Although I suppose it's even worse to be someone they labor over and then finally decide just doesn't quite make it.</p>
<p>luckily, none of us will ever know.</p>
<p>About the regional adcoms, do they have one per country? I'm from the Netherlands, so would I just fall under the Netherlands, or Western-Europe, or a combination of the Netherlands with a neighbouring country?
Thanks! :)</p>
<p>I was on the Columbia campus today, visiting a friend, and I saw the board through the windows of the admissions office, discussing things around a big table. I wish I could have seen what they were reading! Maybe it was my application! In response to Duygu, as far as I remember, they clump countries and regions from which they have very few candidates into sections. So you probably have a regional adcom that is a representative from several states as well as the Netherlands and some other parts of Western Europe. For particulars you would have to email or talk to an admissions officer.</p>
<p>the area assignments are in one of the viewbooks or info things, found it last year.. dig through the admission site, its there somewehre..</p>
<p>Ok, thanks!</p>
<p>I was wandering if anyone knew if universities have adcomes for DOD schools in Europe.</p>
<p>they're probably included in the regional responsibility. someone out there wants to talk to you, for sure, although there probably isn't someone specifically devoted to you the way someone is specifically devoted to "Manhattan private prep schools"</p>