<p>Okay guys... theres a post on this a few down but like those ppl i just realized that they COMPLETELY screw you over for formatting for the short answers. Literally, it fills up half the side of the screen so that essentially you can write twice as much on the paper app. What should we do? Abandon online app and do it on paper? PLEASE HELPPP!P!!!P PANIC TIME!</p>
<p>I literally can write 3 sentences for my favorite activity... which is ridiculous especially when thers a huge amount of space left</p>
<p>is it supposed to take up all that space or is the format just messed up?</p>
<p>Its definitely the formatting. It's only placing text on 1/2 of the template on the Columbia App. I'm calling them tomorrow and probably doing the paper app instead on Adobe.</p>
<p>the other thread on this forum said it was intentional</p>
<p>call them, or print it out and mail it.</p>
<p>i printed and mailed my ED app. allowed better attention to detail.</p>
<p>columbia did this formatting for a reason, in order to compensate for the typed answers being smaller than the handwritten ones. just to warn you, printing out the app with typed in answers to "squeeze" in more information may not look favorable to an admissions committee. i was worried when i saw this at first though.</p>
<p>it might, or it might not. I printed it out and used my parents' typewriter. For the more important parts, i put down "see attached page". When asked about activities and accomplishments, I put down the biggest highlights, and put "see attached page". I looked it up today, it seems I had a two-page attachment with all the sheit I did in high school, a half-page attachment with my 239-word response to "Why Columbia?", and a 530-word essay.</p>
<p>Quality over quantity still is in effect, but quality can make them overlook an excess of quantity.</p>
<p>Just called them today... they said you cant switch the method of applying =( guess im just gonna stay with the online app and suck it up...</p>
<p>they clearly do this in order to minimize the amount they have to read....</p>
<p>I did something similar to Denzera when i applied...I took the app they posted online and used the Acrobat typewriter function to fill stuff out. I didn't attach any additional pages but my essay was longer than Denzera's. BUT....and this is important....he applied for 2002 and i applied for 2003....back then there was NO ONLINE APP!!! so really, none of what he said or what i said should really be taken as an alternative. They REALLY want you to use the online form in order to limit what you write and you dont want to put urself at a disadvantage by signing up online and then sending in a paper app....so sorry, but my answer is deal with it.</p>
<p>To add to what Shraf says, everyone is dealing with the same space constraints--they want to see what you put in the space they give you, not how you can figure out a way to send them more stuff. So, no one is being disadvantaged by the online app, which is the one the vast majority of applicants will be using. Don't let it make you nuts; strive for brevity--it'll make them happy, and a happy admissions counselor is more likely to accept you! :)</p>
<p>(From a mom of an applicant who got accepted using the online app and no supplemental stuff of any kind).</p>
<p>Best wishes to all of you ED'ers who are finishing up right now!</p>
<p>I agree it can be done. My student was admitted last year using the online application. He probably did the best writing on the Columbia application of all he filled out. It was one of those things where everything just clicked.</p>
<p>I agree, though, the formatting on the online applications in general can drive one nuts. I remember there was one that chopped off the last couple letters in every line you wrote in the essays when we printed it out (don't remember what school). We had no idea if the school saw the chopped off version if they printed it out on their end. </p>
<p>Columbia did have a little section last year for supplemental info in the body of the application. He did put a few sentences in there explaining freshman high school grades (He had a medical condition first semester that caused him to miss a lot of school and he made some B's). If you really felt like there was something else you wanted to say you could do it there, but I'd make sure it was something you couldn't fit in somehow on the main part of the application and essays. He submitted no other additional information. Good luck</p>
<p>the info that momoffive's son submitted is more along the lines of what you would include if you are attaching extra info...something that doesnt appear anywhere else on the app and that you think is important to explain.... you shouldnt view at as more space to pat yourself on the back for what u'v done.</p>
<p>yeah, so can we list more awards/honors/accomplishments on the supplementary materials page that we couldn't have listed on the app
AIME scores, summer activities...etc</p>
<p>
[quote]
yeah, so can we list more awards/honors/accomplishments on the supplementary materials page that we couldn't have listed on the app
AIME scores, summer activities...etc
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I thought we SHOULDN'T do that kind of stuff...</p>
<p>Yea you shudn't, only use the additional info to ELABORATE (provide more info if ambiguous) on stuff we already said</p>
<p>so for example, one of my activities is called "China Care". Obviously they're gnona have no clue what the heck that is so it's appropriate to elaborate. Dont add extra stuff that you didnt alrdy mention somewhere else. Same goes for awards...</p>