same submit date! still waiting!

I got dinged by Columbia on Tuesday afternoon after an interview... have been moping around since and haven't wanted to post it on the forums. Sorry for the delay, and just for the record, here was my timeline:

Submitted: 11/26
Interview invite: 12/19
Interviewed: 1/11
Interview report submitted: 1/15
Decision: 1/22

I gotta say it really sucks. I'm currently 0-for-3, and feeling less and less optimistic about my chances of getting in anywhere. Especially after that interview at Columbia which was, frankly, unfriendly.

Actually it wasn't two months -- I caught that right after I posted and it's been edited above. Sorry about that!! Timeline was:

Interviewed: 1/11
Interview report submitted: 1/15
Decision: 1/22

The first 50 minutes of the interview went fine. While the questions were tough ("give me a ballpark estimate of how many brand managers get hired every year" "Besides the six companies and three industries you mentioned that use brand management, what other companies recruit at Columbia for your desired field?").

I was answering them pretty well, I thought. But near the end the interviewer asked me how I chose him as my interview contact. I replied that I followed the instructions on Columbia's letter, which was to contact the first person on the list of three. He became visibly upset at this and told me that I had done it wrong: rather, I should have done research on all three Ambassadors and chose my contact that way, as in business you're supposed to vie for every advantage. I replied that while I agree in theory with that, I wasn't about to try and cross the admissions committee on this. He noted that someone he interviewed just the week prior had done this very thing, and had chosen him because they had a lot in common.
Then he started lecturing me about the importance of seizing the advantage in networking, noted that I'm competing against my fellow students "including the guy with two years' of experience at McKinsey who is just interviewing for fun, but who looks better on paper."

He then asked me why I was applying so late and to so few schools. I replied that I had applied to five schools and submitted my application to Columbia on November 20. He said that was too late and to too few schools, and didn't seem optimistic about my chances of getting in.

Honestly, none of his advice was bad or unwelcome (though I still disagree about not following Columbia's instructions), but the tone of the conversation took a very negative turn near the end. I'm not sure if I was unlucky, if I said the wrong thing, if he was trying to push my buttons or that's just his manner.

I'm amazed that you were given the estimation question in an interview for an MBA program... did you indicate you are in (and going for) consulting?

I went through many pages of CBS interview experience posts on clearadmit.com and don't remember any interviews like this... I'm sorry you had an interview like this, and for your ding I hope you have better luck with other interviews

Wow, that story is ridiculous! I'm sorry to hear that was your experience Fool (ha sorry I just had to). If that had been me I probably would have gotten extremely defensive and angry. I interviewed about a week ago. I went with your thinking and picked the first person on the list because that is what they said to do. My interviewer was perfectly nice, if not a tad standoffish. But I'm not trying to make a new friend here, she is simply there taking time out of her busy work day to interview me. She certainly didn't ask me any questions like that. She asked me the standard "what are your goals why columbia", "what clubs are you most excited about, how will you contribute", "give me a time you showed leadership at work" questions and said "oh and the only question I have to ask you is what a professional setback you have faced is". She also asked me the ethical dilemma question, which I totally bombed. I was expecting it and before my answer seemed fine but once I said it to her I realized it was pretty bad.

I think with Columbia where they have so many alumni interviewers you can either get someone really great or not so great. Unfortunately you got someone awful, and it's unfortunate you didn't get in, because if you did you would have had more leverage to warn the school about him.

Hi guys. Just got dinged without interview. I submitted around Christmas. All the best to those still waiting to hear back.
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You get a phone call if you're accepted and then get an email later. My experience at least...

This is correct. Interview invite is an automated email, dings and wait lists are also automated emails. Acceptances are given via phone call. You should get a call from a blocked number. You won't get an email or website update until after the call, even if you miss the call. I missed the call on a Friday afternoon at work and had to wait until Tuesday for them to call again, I was going crazy.

Just got in off the waitlist.

Got a call this morning, I'm in. Doing the Pre-MBA World Tour for 2 months for sure, who's down?