Columbia MSW Applicants (Fall 2018)

[JonoDuncan]

Hello Columbia hopefuls!

As I was researching information about Columbia's MSW program several months ago, I came across a tread on this site for applicants for Columbia's Fall 2017 cohort. Applicants used the forum to offer encouragement and guidance through the application process, as well as provide updates about acceptance, financial aid, stats, and other things. It looked like it was tremendously helpful for them to have a community alongside them in the process (especially in the dreadful wait to hear back about acceptance). So I wanted to create an open thread for those applying to Columbia's Fall 2018 MSW cohort. Use this thread for questions about the application, updates about acceptance, and anything else related to the application season for Columbia Fall 2018. 

I look forward to hearing from others who are hopeful to attend Columbia for their graduate school and hope to see some of you in the fall! 

[Rockybaby]

On 9/29/2017 at 4:35 AM, JonoDuncan said:

Hi!

Does anyone have any idea when they’ll be sending admissions decisions out? The wait is so hard!

 

[JonoDuncan]

On 1/7/2018 at 6:29 PM, Rockybaby said:

 

I've heard decisions should start coming around February 1st. 

[Rockybaby]

Ok, thanks! So close, yet so far 

[kypie]

On 9/29/2017 at 4:35 AM, JonoDuncan said:

Hello Columbia hopefuls!

As I was researching information about Columbia's MSW program several months ago, I came across a tread on this site for applicants for Columbia's Fall 2017 cohort. Applicants used the forum to offer encouragement and guidance through the application process, as well as provide updates about acceptance, financial aid, stats, and other things. It looked like it was tremendously helpful for them to have a community alongside them in the process (especially in the dreadful wait to hear back about acceptance). So I wanted to create an open thread for those applying to Columbia's Fall 2018 MSW cohort. Use this thread for questions about the application, updates about acceptance, and anything else related to the application season for Columbia Fall 2018. 

I look forward to hearing from others who are hopeful to attend Columbia for their graduate school and hope to see some of you in the fall! 

Ah, thank you so much for creating this! The anticipation is killing me! I really hope you're right about the February 1st decisions; it seemed like the were notifying applicants a lot later in previous years. 

[KCR]

I am waiting on Columbia as well! I saw in one of the forums from last year that people starting hearing as early as January 20th, but I spoke to admissions last week and they said decisions will be out middle of February. I have been accepted to NYU also but Columbia is my top choice so the wait is killing me. 

[JRW7]

15 hours ago, KCR said:

I am waiting on Columbia as well! I saw in one of the forums from last year that people starting hearing as early as January 20th, but I spoke to admissions last week and they said decisions will be out middle of February. I have been accepted to NYU also but Columbia is my top choice so the wait is killing me. 

I am in the same boat myself... what are you going to do if they don't respond before the 4 week deadline for response to NYU is up?

[Rockybaby]

1 hour ago, JRW7 said:

I am in the same boat myself... what are you going to do if they don't respond before the 4 week deadline for response to NYU is up?

If you email NYU’s admissions they’ll give you an extension. I needed to get one and I originally was told to let them know by February 1st...but since we probably won’t hear from Columbia by then, they told me I could have until April since it’s still early in the cycle! 

[JonoDuncan]

17 hours ago, Rockybaby said:

If you email NYU’s admissions they’ll give you an extension. I needed to get one and I originally was told to let them know by February 1st...but since we probably won’t hear from Columbia by then, they told me I could have until April since it’s still early in the cycle! 

Dang! I was accepted to NYU in early December with a pretty good scholarship. I asked for an extension about a week later and they said wait until closer to the deadline, so I did. They granted me an extension till February 2nd but basically put the pressure on me to let them know my answer as soon as possible. Definitely got a different tone from admission than it seems others got! 

[Rockybaby]

2 hours ago, JonoDuncan said:

Dang! I was accepted to NYU in early December with a pretty good scholarship. I asked for an extension about a week later and they said wait until closer to the deadline, so I did. They granted me an extension till February 2nd but basically put the pressure on me to let them know my answer as soon as possible. Definitely got a different tone from admission than it seems others got! 

I’m sorry to hear that! I spoke to someone in person when I visited the campus and he definitely said that they can give longer extensions if needed. Maybe as we get even closer to that February deadline they’ll be more willing to give you another extension? 

[kypie]

Have any of you been receiving emails from CUSSW about scholarships, dual degree programs, and other things? Maybe (I probably am) I am reading too much into this, but I feel like it would be a cruel trick to send out those emails to someone they WEREN'T going to accept. Am I overthinking this? Lol.

[Rockybaby]

5 hours ago, kypie said:

Have any of you been receiving emails from CUSSW about scholarships, dual degree programs, and other things? Maybe (I probably am) I am reading too much into this, but I feel like it would be a cruel trick to send out those emails to someone they WEREN'T going to accept. Am I overthinking this? Lol.

I’ve gotten an email about a scholarship, and one about a dual degree...definitely wondering the same thing as you haha 

[JonoDuncan]

14 hours ago, kypie said:

Have any of you been receiving emails from CUSSW about scholarships, dual degree programs, and other things? Maybe (I probably am) I am reading too much into this, but I feel like it would be a cruel trick to send out those emails to someone they WEREN'T going to accept. Am I overthinking this? Lol.

I wondered that for a second. But I highly doubt that is the case. They probably send it to every applicant. If decisions aren't to be made for 2-4 more weeks, how would they know? And if they did know who they were going to accept, why would they withhold those decisions for 2-4 more weeks? haha. 

[Rockybaby]

6 hours ago, JonoDuncan said:

I wondered that for a second. But I highly doubt that is the case. They probably send it to every applicant. If decisions aren't to be made for 2-4 more weeks, how would they know? And if they did know who they were going to accept, why would they withhold those decisions for 2-4 more weeks? haha. 

That’s exactly why I’m not certain. I know when I called admissions last week to ask about decisions because of deadlines for other schools, they said I could call back at the end of this week to see if I could get my decision earlier. So I don’t know if they’re withholding decisions. Who knows though...

[JonoDuncan]

On 1/19/2018 at 8:45 AM, Rockybaby said:

That’s exactly why I’m not certain. I know when I called admissions last week to ask about decisions because of deadlines for other schools, they said I could call back at the end of this week to see if I could get my decision earlier. So I don’t know if they’re withholding decisions. Who knows though...

Hmm. Interesting. Keep my updated on what happens with that. I don't want to keep NYU on the hook if I don't have to! 

[Rockybaby]

4 hours ago, JonoDuncan said:

Hmm. Interesting. Keep my updated on what happens with that. I don't want to keep NYU on the hook if I don't have to! 

Of course! So NYU gave me a small extension. I ended up calling Columbia to see about my application status. They confirmed decisions will be going out starting February 1st. I was told to email the director if I needed my decision earlier so I could weigh all my options (which I did)...currently waiting for a response to that email 

[JonoDuncan]

February 1st! That's great. But this also doesn't really solve my problem as financial aid information won't be made available till March if I'm admitted. I might so bold as to request a March 31st extension from NYU haha. 

[Rockybaby]

Hopefully they’re able to do that for you! When I visited NYU and spoke to someone in person, he definitely said they can go as late as April for extensions. If I’m admitted to Columbia though, I’ll probably call the financial aid office and see if aid notifications go out earlier than March since I have to let U.Penn know by March 15th...not really the best planning from admissions committees haha

[Quinoa96]

Hello all! Also waiting to hear back from Columbia! I was already accepted to NYU and UChicago, but hoping that Columbia offers me more money. If not, then I'll have a tough time choosing between Chicago and NY. Hopefully we'll hear back sooner than Feb 1st. I feel like the other universities have released acceptance emails earlier than they advertised that they would.

[Rockybaby]

Congratulations Quinoa96! Those are great schools, I definitely understand why that’d be a tough decision. It’s possible that we’ll hear back earlier, but I think Columbia likes to be the outlier in all of this...just hoping they don’t make us wait too much longer!

[JonoDuncan]

They teased us with the early admissions last year! Some came mid-January. 

[kypie]

On 1/19/2018 at 4:20 AM, JonoDuncan said:

I wondered that for a second. But I highly doubt that is the case. They probably send it to every applicant. If decisions aren't to be made for 2-4 more weeks, how would they know? And if they did know who they were going to accept, why would they withhold those decisions for 2-4 more weeks? haha. 

I went to an information session towards the end of last year, and the Director of Admissions said that they refrain from notifying applicants on a rolling basis so that "other applicants don't see others getting accepted on social media if they aren't notified at the same time." Lol.

[Kat_MSW2018]

This is a fun forum! Haha I am also a prospective candidate for Columbia's fall 2018 MSW program! Anyone here an Advanced Standing candidate?

[JonoDuncan]

On 1/22/2018 at 10:51 PM, Kat_MSW2018 said:

This is a fun forum! Haha I am also a prospective candidate for Columbia's fall 2018 MSW program! Anyone here an Advanced Standing candidate?

I am an advanced standing candidate! I'm hopeful to enroll in the policy track. 

[KCR]

On 1/22/2018 at 6:24 AM, Rockybaby said:

Of course! So NYU gave me a small extension. I ended up calling Columbia to see about my application status. They confirmed decisions will be going out starting February 1st. I was told to email the director if I needed my decision earlier so I could weigh all my options (which I did)...currently waiting for a response to that email 

Have you heard back from the director of admissions from Columbia?