Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants

There have been a few JTerm and ED dings. You have to go back a few dozen pages though...

Thanks.. any one got result/interview call for ED after submitting on 09/22 ?

While I have no facts to back this up, I think they run a programmed screen that sends out invites automatically if you meet certain criteria. That is the only explanation I can think of for people that get invites next day even at times where volume should have been high (close to the deadline). The other people that get sent invites after a week or more are probably getting that from an actual person. And there is probably a plus to getting it from actual person, as someone who gets it from a computer may not necessarily have an application that a admin person likes, versus someone who gets it from a person has at least one person that likes their app. Opinions?

Again, completely pulling this outta my behind, just a theory.


And no, i havent heard anything either, this is the beginning of my third week since going complete.

While I have no facts to back this up, I think they run a programmed screen that sends out invites automatically if you meet certain criteria.

CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision (e.g. how many “reads” does it get, how long is each read, who reads it, does the committee convene to discuss it as a group, etc.)?

MM: I think one of the things that is a bit overwhelming is the volume that we deal with here. Having said that, I am delighted that there are so many people interested in attending, and we want to give everyone full consideration.

Once an applicant hits “submit,” his or her application goes to a first reader. Because we feel strongly that each application be reviewed by a qualified reviewer, we have very few outside readers in this role, and those who are are usually former employees of the admissions department.

Applicants can be invited to interview at any point in the process and being invited for an interview is a very positive signal to the applicant; the invitation is really, really important. A first reader can nominate an applicant for an interview, at which point candidates are sent a list of alumni in their local area who have volunteered and been trained to interview applicants. The applicants may choose whom they interview with and they arrange the interview. There is an interview format that we send to our alumni interviewers. They conduct the interview blind – which means that all they get is a resume of the applicant – following our format and return their answers to us.

The application then will go to a second reader. If an applicant hasn’t been nominated for an interview by the first reader, the second reader will also have the option to extend an invitation for an interview. I think this is very important because we all have our own biases and are very diverse in our backgrounds. Many of us have come from corporate America, others of us have worked at other business schools. I think it’s important for applicants to know that they get a 360-degree review and that they can be invited to interview at any point.

Then, if everyone agrees on a candidate, it’s easy. Dilemmas come with differences of opinion, so we work as a committee to reach consensus. Sometimes we’ll do an additional telephone interview or we’ll check references – we’ll do whatever it takes to make the right decision. Coming to Columbia is the most important decision applicants make and the most important decision we make. The people we accept will be Columbia alumni for life, and we want to make sure we select people who are right for the school.

Hmm, i would think not just GMAT/GPA, but pretty much anything that is numbers based is up for being included. Tops for me (in addition to GMAT and GPA) would be years of experience, race, and starting and current income. I can't remember what else requires a number response. And again, my theory is not that its only a computer reviewing your application but that a computer initially reviews it for very specific components to expedite the interview invite process, after which your application goes through the readers as described in the above interview with MM. No one else thinks this might even be a possibility?

CBS adcom is so social media savvy. Their website is the most intuitive and useful of any bschool (besides looking great). Youtube page and Twitter are always up to date. And now embracing gmatclub?!? How much more in tune with applicants can you get?

3rd week's the...charm? Looking for that admit...

Remember when we thought we were going to get calls on the week of the 26th?
That just seems silly now....

It definitely has to be this week!! I would prefer earlier in the week than later though!

I'll take it any time..

I didn't do Yale last week as I didn't have that good of an essay for them.. Tuck is tomorrow, app ther eis finalized. Growing anxious about this whole thing now. What a crappy time this is, the waiting time that is..

That being said, I think the wait is often times much longer than 2 weeks... Losttraveled and Fudgeycakes, how long did you wait again?