@Bored1997 – you’re mistaken. All are going simultaneously. International apps have dedicated people assigned to them. They aren’t vacationing until the domestics apps get read and decided.
I asked an NYU adcom and he told me that, my app was reviewed about 3 days ago even though I submitted my app fairly early dec 5 while people who submitted apps on dec 31 had already had their apps reviewed on CC and on the NYU albert we can see whether our transcript has been seen or not so we know when the app is reviewed @T26E4 , so maybe I am not right but it is certainly not the order in which we submitted the apps.
I’m sure individual things like what you describe happen all the time. One of the things that applicants don’t realize is that even if someone as responsible as you (submitting on Dec 5) may not get read due to an item missing from the file (rendering it not ready to be read) or some other unknown office peculiarity. Whereas someone whose app sneaks in under the wire, may get all its docs uploaded and ready for review earlier than yours. I’m not saying this is exactly what happened to you – but these scenarios are commonplace.
To extrapolate this to say that non-domestic applicants aren’t being rigorously examined all throughout the process would be a stretch, IMHO. Best of luck to you during your waiting period
No I am not saying that Internationals are in any way disadvantaged by the process 
Is this a “likely letter”? Just got this email starting with …
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions recently notified you that you are a likely candidate for admission. We share their delight in your interest in Columbia University and congratulate you on all that you have achieved thus far …
@cypres Sure sounds like one, congrats!
@cypreswhat is your major? hooks?
Do they send these letters to international students as well??
@juniormathwiz if you want to know why I think I got a letter, I believe it’s because I’m a girl in CS and they’re probably trying to grow their STEM program. I’m pretty ordinary otherwise, haha.
@cypres If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind posting your statistics and basic profile? It would be very helpful! Thank you!!
@cypres congrats! thats awesome!
It would be really helpful if those who received a LL would post their stats
I posted it earlier but basically I founded 2 companies with 5 figures revenue each, teach inner city kids to code, do a lot of work with my state’s Board of Education, and qualified for USACO gold. I also play a varsity sport so that probably helped make me seem well-rounded.
@room101thehorror I’ll post mine, if that’ll be helpful at all (received one last Thursday).
SAT - 2360 (CR 790, M 770, W 800)
ACT - N/A
SAT II - Bio M (800), US History (790), Chem (780), Math 2 (760)
AP - Euro, Bio, English Lang, English Lit, Calc BC, US History, Comp Sci A (all 5)
GPA - 4.55, top ~20 of ~500 (our school doesn’t do official rankings)
Essays: pretty good, mostly about music and specific Columbia faculty I wanted to study with
Rec letters: three 9/10s and one 6/10 that was included by accident
EC: started organization to help HS students pursue composition studies, taught cello for a while, played cello in a number of youth symphonies, did a short internship at a JPL-contracted company, did a music summer camp.
Major: Music (also submitted a portfolio of compositions for evaluation)
Looking at the post above me, and my friend who got several awards at ISEF and is doing work for a start-up at JHU AND did almost all of the things I listed, I really am not sure what I did to deserve this.
My stats are in the UMich decisons thread. 
Just received a likely letter by email! I am so happy!
I’m an international applicant and I applied for Computer Science at Columbia College.
Are likelies expected to receive early financial aid awards?
I got a likely several weeks ago and received an early financial aid estimate today.
My DS received a likely at the end of February and about a week later, they sent us an email asking if we would like to get an early estimate to which we said yes. When we received our estimate about 5 days later, the email said that we could ask questions but couldn’t appeal the package until the official release day. The lady who prepared our package was really nice and answered all my questions promptly.
Nice, I’ll wait to see if I receive an email in the next days. Thank you!
Aw yeah! Received one yesterday! So very happy! Columbia has been my dream school after my Stanford dream was shred into pieces by the early action rejection. I literally could not sleep yesterday night because I was so jittery with disbelief that I actually got it. The weird thing is, though, now I am secretly hoping for Yale and/or Harvard, haha. Where is the end of human desires… lol but anyways, I am really thankful and satisfied with Columbia. Good luck to everyone else who applied!