<p>would it be advantageous for a prospective student (in terms of the admissions process) to visit columbia? as in, would it help show dedication and eagerness to go to the school?</p>
<p>Have you seen the application? They ask you specifically whether you've visited the campus and how you've been in contact with the school. Columbia wants to be your #1 choice. That's why the admit half of their ED applications and only something like 10% of the RD ones.</p>
<p>In short, yes, visit.</p>
<p>Columbia does not accept 1/2 its ED applicants.</p>
<p>ED acceptance rate was about 24% and RD rate was 8.9%. </p>
<p>Yes, Columbia cares highly about your interest in the school.</p>
<p>yeah, i hadn't seen the app yet. thanks a lot.</p>
<p>It definitely plays into the admissions decision, but it also helps you. I wouldn't recommend going to a school that you haven't visited. By visiting you can decide if you see yourself there next year, plus you'll have much more to write about in the why Columbia? essay.</p>
<p>Definitely. I visited all the way from Oregon. Not only is Oregon an underrepresented state, but visiting shows that you show interest. I think Columbia got a little yield-hungry and didn't want kids they thought would jump the boat. I think interest is crucial for Columbia.</p>
<p>Although they won't really know if you visit or not. The app also asks if you had an informal visit - (ie. went on your own to visit a friend instead of visiting with a tour group) so you don't necessarily have to do one of their info session things which i thought were a waste of time. also if you live very far away they will understand if you were unable to visit. you can check off that you went on their website and all that other stuff.. they have a lot of options.</p>
<p>half of the class is filled with ED applicants, that's probably what was meant</p>
<p>Idk if this matters but the Optional Pic I sent to them was of me ON the Columbia campus, hehe</p>
<p>what do you mean by "how you've been in contact with the school" ? does that mean I should talk to a faculty member in a department I'm interested in or something? I don't really know whow any of that works...</p>
<p>lol touche legendofmax. what schools did you get into btw/where are you going, cause it seems like you got into a bunch of good ones</p>
<p>I am going to Penn. I got into Penn, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Georgetown, UVA, Tufts, Lehigh, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and OSU. These were all I applied to sans Princeton ED which didn't take me (crappy app and ubersad essay)</p>
<p>jmarsh, here's the first question (after the biographical information) on Part II of their application:</p>
<p>Have you visited the Columbia campus? (Yes/No) How has your interest in Columbia developed? Please check all that apply
1. Campus visit
2. College fair
3. Columbia visit to your school
4. Conference or summer program on campus
5. Conversation with an alumnus/a or current student
6. Information session on campus
7. Letter from Office of Undergraduate Admissions
8. Open House Program
9. Overnight stay on campus
10. Reception in your area
11. Tour
12. Video
13. Viewbook or other publications
14. Web site
15. Other: __________</p>
<p>oh, so if we check numbers 1, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, and 14, it will obviously show that we express interest, right? I thought it would be more thorough and inquisitive than that :)</p>