“The Columbia community is committed to environmental responsibility; in keeping with this commitment, we will provide some admissions decisions only online, not via regular mail. You may request that a copy of your decision letter be mailed to you after you receive it online; further instructions will be available when you check your decision. We plan to post all decisions online on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern).”
Of course they aren’t going to send paper rejections out… but they would send out paper acceptances.
I don’t think that has anything to do with acceptances. Are you an international student? Because I have heard of this happening with other schools for international students.
Also it’s total BS that the administration is “committed to environmental responsibility”. Like seriously I can’t even count how many brochures I got from them.
It’s not a rejection, just a form letter. My D got the same one and she has a likely letter to Columbia. It probably means that that will not send a paper letter if you end up being rejected, only if accepted.
Did anyone get this who got a likely letter, that would be the test.
Did anyone NOT get this who is in the US?
Wondering the same thing and do not consider myself a great candidate but also not a definite rejection. If you respond to this thread and got this letter and were thinking your chances were good please say that to somewhat reasure the rest of us that it is not over
Ironically when I first clicked on the letter I thought it was good news
Yes saw that after, excellent news. I too got more junk mail from Columbia than almost every school so have to laugh. I suspect they scared a bunch of prospects with that so probably will announce that little tidbit before people apply rather than the late March
Maybe people got it who did not set up their portal?
I think this just means that if you are accepted, you will receive the big envelope with your letter in it. If not, then they aren’t going to send you anything unless you request it. This probably also means you could ask for another acceptance letter by requesting it. When I got deferred, I was also provided a link to go to if I wanted my deferral letter physically sent to me.
It’s a good thing, because if someone is rejected, that person doesn’t want to have to see it twice. There are other schools who do this too. This email means nothing in terms of one’s chances, however.
I’m not sure if I buy the “environmental” concern, given how much mail Columbia sends. But think about all the $$ they are saving themselves on postage and paper by not having to mail out 25,000 (or whatever the number is) rejection letters.
This email was just confusing. Why couldn’t them have just told us our decisions and then said that they could not mail them. I do not get why they had to tell us now, it is just making everyone anxious.
Certainly not. The email means exactly what it says - they won’t be sending rejection letters. It also serves as a reminder for you to check on Ivy day. Source: got both this email and a likely letter.
We got that email at several schools, and then 2-3 weeks later, son was admitted, (on-line) and then the accepted info came later…sorry can’t remember the school though. UNC maybe? Univ. of Richmond…?
@pewr124 I mean it doesn’t explicitly state that it’s rejection letters they will not be saying. That’s implied. But thanks everyone, fears slightly alleviated
@green678 Think how much they’d save if they didn’t send me fifty different brochures about “Why Columbia” --after I’d already applied. I got more mail from Columbia than I have for some schools who won’t stop spamming my inbox. Apparently, if I’ve been rejected from everywhere I actually want to go, I can still apply. By April 15.
No. You get the decision online and then if it’s an acceptance you get a second one mailed. They are being “environmentally conscious” by not mailing the many rejection letters.