For some background, I applied RD and had my alumni interview 11 days ago. I know for a fact 4 of my peers at school also applied to Columbia RD.
Today, my counselor called me in to tell me she had received an email from Columbia admissions regarding sending in ‘additional information’ about me. It wasn’t about my transcripts; counselor said they just wanted to learn more. (I can’t remember the exact wording, this is the gist of it though).
I probed around CC and couldn’t find any similar situation to mine. ALSO, my counselor confirmed she was contacted about me only and nothing about my four other friends. No other school in the RD pool asked for 'additional information" or any other request like that. Didn’t get a likely letter either.
SO, is this a good or a bad sign?? I’m kinda freaking out trying to figure out what it means. Are they seriously interested in me? Should I be relieved or anxious that admissions reached out to her?
Sorry if I sound like a broken record, but I’m understandably kinda freaked out.
Thank you all for your time and have a great day <3
The fact that they are still evaluating you is a good sign vs having already tossed your app into the “no” pile, but I would not be popping the champagne cork at this time. As for your 4 friends, it probably means the AO have enough info to make a decision at this time, positive or negative.
Interesting insight, thank you so much.
I was surprised to see some decisions have already been made at this time. If I’m still in the running today means I’ve already been through the first elimination ‘rounds’?
Also, unrelated, but are interviews assigned immediately or is there a thinning out of applicants before doing so?
My experience is based off of being a Yale interviewer, so I am extrapolating what I am aware of from the Yale process to Columbia. The Harvard litigation also sheds light on the Harvard process for the period covered by the litigants’ discovery.
Since we are in late February, I would guess all first reads have been completed and candidates are being sorted into those going to committee (or subcommittees) for further consideration to make the Ivy date deadline about a month away.
Don’t know if Columbia prescreens interviews (or admits to prescreening). For Yale, it is generally a function of applicants in a region being assigned to available interviewers. Very few interviewees that I have had were admitted (probably consistent with admit rate). We did have an EA admit in my region this year without an interview, but it was a Questbridge student.
Bumping just for some more insight. I recently learned Columbia admits exactly one student from my school each year during RD (consistent over the last 10 years worth of admissions).
I’m interested to see how this plays out because admissions contacted school about me only BUT one of my peers has legacy at Columbia.
Does legacy weigh in a lot at Columbia? He’s a decent candidate, not that great. 1300s SAT, around 3.7-.8 GPA UW.
I know this is all of speculation and not much substance, sorry
