2015-2016 Columbia University College of P&S Application Thread

[destroythemcat]

Would a gap year after high-school/before college be considered "time off from your undergraduate studies"?

Thanks!

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[Glazedonutlove]

I keep trying to submit but it keeps saying "you have to have at least one parent name." ....There is no where to enter parent names!!!! Unless I am missing something? Is anyone else having this problem

edit: nevermind haha

 

[destroythemcat]

For collegiate extracurriculars should i include research I did in a lab? Should i also include volunteering i did over a summer?

 

[a94wang]

Does getting a stipend from a research fellowship count as "work for compensation"?

 

[mehc012]

For collegiate extracurriculars should i include research I did in a lab? Should i also include volunteering i did over a summer?

I mean, those sound like extracurriculars...why would you not include them?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Would a gap year after high-school/before college be considered "time off from your undergraduate studies"?

Thanks!

I don't think so, but I also don't think it would hurt to include it.

Does getting a stipend from a research fellowship count as "work for compensation"?

That's what I wrote about and they seemed okay with it (though that wasn't the only thing I put in that box).

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

.

 

[bararaboi]

Just received a pre verification secondary.

 

[bararaboi]

Should I go ahead and upload a CV?

 

[timeflies]

Should I go ahead and upload a CV?

Consensus seems to be to upload one if it adds anything that isn't covered in your primary or the rest of the secondary.

 

[deleted393595]

Consensus seems to be to upload one if it adds anything that isn't covered in your primary or the rest of the secondary.

Personally, I think that they're using it as a convenient summary of your application.

 

[Chasing Never Land]

I've been verified since June 8 - but no secondary yet.... should I be worried? anyone else in this position?

 

[Chasing Never Land]

^^^ checked my AMCAS, school was missing from my list for some reason (100% sure I added it)..... so if anyone is experiencing this, go check your med school list!

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

Hi everyone! What is exactly meant in the "collegiate activity" section? I was wondering if people are also including their gap year activities and meaningful hobbies. I would not want to leave anything meaningful out.

 

[neuroresearchguy23]

I'm putting all clubs, volunteering, sports teams, music, and hobbies that I did during college only. Not gap year.

 

[HelpMe212]

How are you guys writing the collegiate activities? As a list? description? do you guys include positions you may have held?

 

[bararaboi]

How are you guys writing the collegiate activities? As a list? description? do you guys include positions you may have held?

I'm of a particular background and all of my activities revolve around a single theme....so I'm probably going to go with a paragraph form, talking about what I did and why I did it.

 

[PugsAndHugs]

I'm putting all clubs, volunteering, sports teams, music, and hobbies that I did during college only. Not gap year.

Is it DURING college or IN college? A little confused...

 

[G.NA]

Is it DURING college or IN college? A little confused...

Hm? what's the difference? They're just asking for a summary of ECs during college. I didn't think it was a hard question?

 

[HelpMe212]

How is the collegiate activities different than your activities list from the primary application?

 

[neuroresearchguy23]

During college. Anything you did from your freshmen year till your senior year. I think the major difference between collegiate activities and the work/activities from the primary application is I'm only including things that are tied with my college and I am not writing about any employment (since there is already space for that).

 

[HelpMe212]

I'm of a particular background and all of my activities revolve around a single theme....so I'm probably going to go with a paragraph form, talking about what I did and why I did it.

How do you plan on fitting that all in 400 characters?

 

[G.NA]

How is the collegiate activities different than your activities list from the primary application?

no difference. Just bullet point those activities (so yes it's kind of redundant, a little)
Personally I couldn't fit all 15 of my AMCAS activities there, so I'm just putting the most important 8

 

[PugsAndHugs]

no difference. Just bullet point those activities (so yes it's kind of redundant, a little)
Personally I couldn't fit all 15 of my AMCAS activities there, so I'm just putting the most important 8

To rephrase, I meant do the activities have to be tied to the college? For example, volunteering at hospital X freshman year has nothing to do with the college, so is it a "collegiate activity"?

 

[G.NA]

To rephrase, I meant do the activities have to be tied to the college? For example, volunteering at hospital X freshman year has nothing to do with the college, so is it a "collegiate activity"?

If you did it during college, it is a collegiate activity. Columbia's not trying to quiz you on Webster's definitions!

 

[neuroresearchguy23]

grr, for the "what aspect of Bassett is most appealing to you" question.. I'm stuck between 2 aspects which are important to me. Would it be wrong to talk about both? thoughts?

 

[bararaboi]

How do you plan on fitting that all in 400 characters?

Thought that it said 400 words for a second...

 

[HelpMe212]

For the urban environment question... are you guys targeting Washington Heights specifically or just writing about the complex environment in general?

 

[G.NA]

For the urban environment question... are you guys targeting Washington Heights specifically or just writing about the complex environment in general?

i'm doing both

 

[timeflies]

How is the collegiate activities different than your activities list from the primary application?

It is most likely the case that all of your ECs will already be listed in your primary.

But generally speaking, I think ECs refer to activities that you participate in with other students outside of course requirements (clubs, organizations, sports, tutoring possibly, etc). I'm sure hobbies will be fine to mention as well.

My guess is that it excludes things like jobs, research, or volunteering (unless the volunteering was associated with the club, which in that case, I would assume you would talk about the club and mention the volunteering portion in the explanation)

 

[172714]

Anyone else confused about the size limit for the photo?

EDIT: I figured it out.

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

Thanks guys! Also the section on translating scholarly material is required. While I don't want to write "N/A", I also don't want to leave out the foreign language I speak colloquially. Anyone else facing that issue too?

 

[phuynh94]

Thanks guys! Also the section on translating scholarly material is required. While I don't want to write "N/A", I also don't want to leave out the foreign language I speak colloquially. Anyone else facing that issue too?

I put "none" even though I'm a native Vietnamese speaker. I just don't know enough to translate scholarly material, and don't want to be dinged as a liar in case it ever came up in an interview.

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

I put "none" even though I'm a native Vietnamese speaker. I just don't know enough to translate scholarly material, and don't want to be dinged as a liar in case it ever came up in an interview.

Good point, I guess they can always check our language backgrounds on AMCAS, plus at the top of the secondary they list our languages.

 

[aztlannation]

Good point, I guess they can always check our language backgrounds on AMCAS, plus at the top of the secondary they list our languages.

If you're fluent I would say put it. I will put Spanish for my application even though I don't think I can translate scholarly material (like research papers and stuff). I do, however, have Spanish Interpreting experience in the ER. If you're fluent, it shouldn't take you more than a few months to learn a good amount of medical terminology. I'm sure if I tried to read scholarly material I could quickly learn since I'm a native Spanish speaker

 

[G.NA]

If you're fluent I would say put it. I will put Spanish for my application even though I don't think I can translate scholarly material (like research papers and stuff). I do, however, have Spanish Interpreting experience in the ER. If you're fluent, it shouldn't take you more than a few months to learn a good amount of medical terminology. I'm sure if I tried to read scholarly material I could quickly learn since I'm a native Spanish speaker

Uh the question asks if you can currently translate scholarly material. Not if you THINK you can learn to do so. Native speaker does not equate advanced translation skills; interpreting is much easier because people do not speak the way people write books. Be careful

 

[taco152]

In all honest, I can barely translate English scholarly articles.

 

[aztlannation]

Uh the question asks if you can currently translate scholarly material. Not if you THINK you can learn to do so. Native speaker does not equate advanced translation skills; interpreting is much easier because people do not speak the way people write books. Be careful

I understand that. They are also vague on what type of scholarly material. Language translation could definitely be one of them. I would imagine the likely definition of scholarly material in this case is the ability to interpret languages in a medical setting (like in the clinic). I highly doubt they want us translating research articles from another country into English. Columbia serves a large population of Hispanics and I'm assuming they want a good number of students to be able to effectively communicate with them. Yes, a native speaker can not necessarily do this...but they quickly can.

My advice is if you're a native speaker of another language to put it down and begin learning medical terms -- that should be enough to be able to translate scholarly material into English. You want to be competitive and knowing another language is a HUGE advantage. However, feel free to "interpret" this question how you wish

Good luck fellas!

 

[premeditated618]

If you already live in a big city, do you have to answer the urban environment question?

 

[phuynh94]

If you already live in a big city, do you have to answer the urban environment question?

I did, but I talked about how living in an urban environment means that I'm prepared to tackle expected challenges such as X, Y, and Z.

Good luck!

 

[ineedsleep93]

Hey guys, I submitted primary on 30/6, and havent been verified yet but I finished my secondary. Is there any advantage of submitting it before i am verified, or should i just wait and edit more till i am verified?

 

[G.NA]

Hey guys, I submitted primary on 30/6, and havent been verified yet but I finished my secondary. Is there any advantage of submitting it before i am verified, or should i just wait and edit more till i am verified?

you won't be verified until the end of the month and it's no bueno to wait that long to submit a simple secondary (implies disinterest in the school). If you're done, check it over in 2 days and submit.

 

[ResidencyHopeful123]

Any consensus if a research award (monetary) counts as summer employment?

 

[G.NA]

Any consensus if a research award (monetary) counts as summer employment?

only if you're doing research with it? If you just got money that is not employment

 

[Dr. Retractor]

Any consensus if a research award (monetary) counts as summer employment?

I believe a stipend in which you got paid (ie money into your bank account) for doing research would count as employment, but just a grant that goes to you or your PI to be used for research would not.

 

[Avocat]

For collegiate extracurriculars should i include research I did in a lab? Should i also include volunteering i did over a summer?

I mean, those sound like extracurriculars...why would you not include them?

I'm a little uncertain about including summer volunteering as an extracurricular, since "extracurricular" seems to suggest that you are doing these activities while taking classes, i.e. during the academic year. But maybe I'm getting into semantics here.

 

[G.NA]

I'm a little uncertain about including summer volunteering as an extracurricular, since "extracurricular" seems to suggest that you are doing these activities while taking classes, i.e. during the academic year. But maybe I'm getting into semantics here.

you are overcomplicating hon. extracurricular means anything beyond school

 

[warrior209]

I'm a bit confused on the extracurriculars question on the secondary. Do we merely list off our collegiate activities, or do we add any brief description? I can't even describe four activities without passing the 400 character limit....

 

[PatrickStarMDPHD]

I'm a bit confused on the extracurriculars question on the secondary. Do we merely list off our collegiate activities, or do we add any brief description? I can't even describe four activities without passing the 400 character limit....

I wrote it in brief paragraph format. My activities had a theme so they kind of flowed together. I just could not afford to go into great detail into what I actually did due to lack of space.

 

[G.NA]

I'm a bit confused on the extracurriculars question on the secondary. Do we merely list off our collegiate activities, or do we add any brief description? I can't even describe four activities without passing the 400 character limit....

I bullet pointed b/c I have 15 AMCAS activities so I wanted to get in as many as I could. Wrote 8 short titles (e.g., "Co-Founder at [org name]" "Clinical research in interventional radiology")