<p>various questions on various parts of this invariably frustrating application (too much? sorry)</p>
<p>1.) for books should we list the author?
2.) is it epically lame if most of our regularly read electronic publications have the words "new york" in them?
3.) is it vain to upload a photograph if we know they wouldn't recognize us? (that being, according to the app, the main reason they want the photo)
4.) "additional information" ... what does this entail? should something go here? this being here freaks me out, because i feel like everyone else is utilizing this additional space and i'm not!!!!</p>
<p>I asked the same book question on this forum, and was advised to only list authors for not well-known books (of which I read a lot). I ended up writing the author for two or three titles and then listing books I read that most people have heart of (maybe). As for what well-known books means, just use common sense. Just don’t freak out about it too much (which is, admittedly, what I was doing. but I’m okay now.)</p>
<p>Haha, the first publication I listed was the tiny paper of my tiny hometown (which has so far managed to keep going during this recession). And then without thinking about it I listed two other publications that I read all the time, The New York Times and The New Yorker. I’ve only been to New York once, like 10 years ago… visiting Columbia wasn’t really an option for me. So yeah, I think it looks a little weird for me too. Probably much weirder for me than for you, Martinsheen, if you actually live in New York. Thoughts, anyone?</p>
<p>About the photo, I don’t think it’s a big deal as long as you don’t go too overboard. It might be obvious to them that it’s not how you normally look, it might not, depends on the picture.</p>
<p>About extra info, um, I was wondering the same…</p>
<p>These questions make your app invariably frustrating only if you let them irk you. When you think about it, you’ll see how inconsequential each individual part is in deciding your admission. </p>
<p>1) Put it there if you want to. If your book is well known enough, you don’t have to throw an author’s name there. If it isn’t well known, throwing an author’s name will have no purpose.</p>
<p>2) Why would it be? They ask you what you read regularly and you tell them what you read regularly. </p>
<p>3) It’s optional for a reason. They aren’t going to kick you out because you don’t want to show them your face. And if they do, then you probably wouldn’t have enjoyed an institution that made its decisions that way would you?</p>
<p>4) it might be a good thing that you’re not using that space. columbia frowns upon people who send in stuff just in order not to leave blank spaces or in a desperate attempt to get adcoms to like them. Leave it blank unless there’s something that really needs to be said that you haven’t said. Are you an ED applicant by the way?</p>
