Any international students applying for Columbia University in CS? Need help with applications!

[ANerdHasNoName]

Hi, I apologise if I'm posting in the wrong place but application deadlines are approaching and I'm freaking out!

I'm applying for Columbia's CS PhD program and there was a transcript section that said to mail our official transcripts as well as scan and electronic copy. However, I'm an international student - my transcripts are in English, but they aren't using the US 4.0 scale. The instructions for that section wasn't very clear as they said to mail "official" transcripts which I'm assuming are sealed with your university stamp/sticker on the envelope. However, they also said in their FAQs that we have to get our transcripts converted to the 4.0 scale. Anyone applied before and knows what they want? If they require the conversion, then I have a very tight schedule to get the conversion done in time for Dec 15.

Another question I have is, can I apply for a Masters and PhD at the same time through MICE? I know for the PhD applications they ask if we would like to be considered for the MS program if we didn't get in but I recall the MS applications are considered on a rolling basis. Hence, I would like to apply for the two separately and wouldn't mind paying that extra application fees.

If any international students have applied to Columbia before, please help me! I have emailed a bunch of times over the past month or so and did not get a single response.

[DutchStudent]

I don't have any experience with Columbia University specifically but perhaps I could provide some insight based on what I have seen with other universities.

All universities I applied to only asked me to upload a copy of my transcript. Sending official copies is only required when you get accepted. This is however based on experiences from other universities, so I am not 100% sure. Not even 50% I guess. Have you already started the online application? Perhaps the transcript section in there can provide some more information.

Regarding the combine MS and PhD application. This also varies widely for each university so I don't have a concete answer. If they say that you are considered for the MS when applying to the PhD it seems useless to submit another application, big chance that it even isn't allowed. 

Have you tried calling them?

 

[PokePsych]

It varies per program - some require you to send it up front (I know for me 3 schools out of 4 did - others only care if you are accepted).

Official is indeed the stamp/seal thing.

In general, most schools will not ask you to convert things, but if you have to you should contact their office (unfortunately)