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School Reviews » Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Photo Credit: Jim Henderson
  • Year founded: 1767
  • ENROLLED TOTAL: 162
  • School Website: View Site >
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Allopathic Medical School
New York, NY
  • SDN RANKING 5
  • INTERVIEW FEEDBACK 5 228 Responses
  • SCHOOL REVIEWS 4 3 Responses

Overview

Overview

School Stats

  • Resident Tuition $69,363
  • Non - Resident Tuition $69,363
  • Application Fee $110
  • AVG MCAT 521
  • AVG GPA 3.9
  • LIZZYM Score 77.3
The LizzyM Score is a measure of your compatibility with a school. Learn More >

Crime: Detailed Stats >

Admissions Information

  • Office of Admissions
  • 104 Haven Avenue, Suite 105
  • New York, NY 10032
  • United States

School Overview

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Fast Facts

Application Service
Situational Judgment
None

School Info

The mission of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University is to prepare graduates to be leaders and role models who define excellence in patient care, medical research, education and health care policy. Their experiences at Columbia will enable them to shape the future and set the standards of medicine in the United States and in the world. Their guided exposure and training will prepare them to exhibit the highest principles of humanism and professionalism in their responsibilities to their patients, to their community and to society.

Curriculum

The Columbia Curriculum is an innovative and flexible curriculum that reorganizes the academic structure of medical education by dispensing with the old designations of first, second, third, and fourth years. Those categories are replaced by three major segments in the restructured curriculum: Fundamentals, Major Clinical Year, and Differentiation & Integration. This new curriculum takes advantage of the latest knowledge about how adults learn and inspires students to take ownership of their own learning. It fosters a team-based approach, an essential element of medicine today, while at the same time allowing students to explore their individual goals in medicine.

Facilities

Situated on a 20-acre campus in the Washington Heights community of northern Manhattan and comprising roughly half of Columbia University's nearly $2 billion annual budget, Columbia University's Medical Center provides world-class leadership in scientific research, health and medical education, and patient care.

Interview Feedback

Interview Feedback

Results Overview

How did the interview impress you?

Response # Responders
Positively 178
Negatively 21
No change 28

What was the stress level of the interview?

Response Avg # Responders
2.95 223

0 = low, 10 = high

How you think you did?

Response Avg # Responders
7.37 132

0 = low, 10 = high

Select Questions & Recent Responses

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

"Put pronouns on the nametags." More from this Member | Report Response

"Keep being awesome!" More from this Member | Report Response

"You really shouldn't trust random doctors to do one on one interviews" More from this Member | Report Response

"More information about financial aid, housing, new curriculum... a formal information session would have been nice!" More from this Member | Report Response

"A little more correspondence via email would be appreciated and eco-friendly!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Make the application process more electronic." More from this Member | Report Response

"I would have liked a financial aid presentation." More from this Member | Report Response

"ZERO formal presentation? hmm" More from this Member | Report Response

"It may have been a busy day, but there were not enough chairs in the waiting room so several candida" More from this Member | Report Response

"Maybe have a formal presentation by the Admissions staff or someone in charge (rather than only stud" More from this Member | Report Response

"Columbia should be more responsive to emails from individuals they have invited to interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"Make it easier for interviewees to sit in on classes. But 1st and 2nd years both had exams the day" More from this Member | Report Response

"it would be helpful to provide written documentation to students regarding curriculum change" More from this Member | Report Response

"Smile more." More from this Member | Report Response

"Offer students a host placement because staying in NYC is expensive." More from this Member | Report Response

"I had to call three times to confirm my appointment. Each of the first two times I was told there wa" More from this Member | Report Response

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?

"Most of the questions were really specific to me and my trajectory, so I don't think they really apply to others. However, they did NOT ask me "why medicine" or "why Columbia."" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you like the city?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research experience? (I talked about it in my app)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about X experience." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a physician?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What brings you to Columbia" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why medicine instead of art? (I submitted my portfolio as a part of the supplemental)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your extracurricular" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How has X experience influenced your career goals?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So I see you presented at the SPER conference in 2007, tell me about your research." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think you could make it among all of these science majors since you majored in the arts?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you know about Columbia?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about why you went to your school." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose to apply to Columbia P&S?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How long have you been interested in medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Interview was conversational and questions focused on activities in my file" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"It was very conversational. Questions weren't probing, they were just continuations of our conversation. The interview covered talking about my research (not down to specifics, more of what I liked about it and learned from it), what I like to do for fun outside of school." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How have you liked your experience at a state school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your undergraduate institution." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me about what you are doing during your year off." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What influenced you to be a doctor?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a doctor?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"just asked me to expand upon my resume" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What brings you to Columbia?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What brought you to medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about X activity. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your activities in college?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why do you want to go into medicine" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Usual stuff." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"n/a" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"describe your research" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what do you do for fun?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me about yourself" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Extracurriculars" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I wasn't asked questions. entirely conversational. he talked most of the time." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your undergrad institution." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are you doing now? (now = this year, now that i'm not taking science classes)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't remember" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"smt about my application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"at what juncture in your life did you decide to become a doctor and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about this experience.." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, you're a rugby player?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Question about my job." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"In your volunteer experience, what were you inspired by? (She asked for at least 5 different things)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you interested in pursuing geriatric medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you like opera?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"About my family" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What were three of your favorite undergraduate courses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"it really is all related to your personal life and very conversational so don't worry, you'll have the answers to all the questions" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in the future? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do I want to be a Dr.? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your first encounter/impression with medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Describe your family" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me what you did while studying abroad?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"your parents are doctors?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Favorite three undergrad courses." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"favorite undergrad class, followed by favorite nonscience class. also most important EC activity" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was the spark that prompted your interest in medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What can Columbia do that would make you want to come here? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me about your father" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Describe my MA program at Columbia" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your present job." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain what ______ class is about? (a nonscience class I took)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"do you liek sports?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where did you grow up?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research? What did you discover?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you do at ______, _______, ______? (my undergrad, plus the 2 other schools where i took classes)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me about your extracuricular interests in the arts" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"questions about research i had done" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do in your free time?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your favorite country [during your travels]?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you learn so much about computers?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about this class you took..." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your Crohn's Disease. How long did it take for you to be diagnosed? What medicine did you/do you have to take?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was it like growing up in...?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Columbia?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family and your background." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So how did you end up in Rochester (for undergrad) being from Miami?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me more about your thesis research...what have you been finding?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why medicine" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did your decision to become a doctor evolve slowly or over the course of a single experience?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why medicine after your graduate degree?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do your parents do?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Who is your favorite impressionist painter?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you find in your research?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions, just conversation." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Healthcare question." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You have taken a non-traditional path to medicine. Explain to me what motivated you along the way." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did I go to my high school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family? Where did your parents go to school what do they do?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"See above." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what do you do for fun" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you choose your undergraduate institution?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Relationship with family." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if you graduated without a dual degree and just with an MD? (I want to go MD/MPP or MD/JD)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me more about your psych research" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Columbia, so far away from California?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why did you major in economics? how do you plan to use that in the future?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How I could so strongly claim that health care extended beyond treating disease without having treated any patients? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why medicine and when/how did the decision become solidified?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you get here? (To which I said I took the train) - You are a New Yorker, so are you familiar with the neighborhood?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Clarify this part of your application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"where is home for you? (i think trying to figure out if i want to be in ny)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you pronounce your name?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think that genetic studies of schizophrenia will allow us to understand the pathways that are involved in the disease?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about yourself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"standard issue." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where did you go to undergrad and what did you like and dislike about it?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"(see above)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you see as your strong points?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"One or two questions about my file." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"question related to my work experience " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the utility of your research?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to come to P&S?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How long have you been interested in medicine? So, you have volunteer experience..." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you plan on doing in ten years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the future of (your undergraduate institution)?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, tell me about .... (various items from my application)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Refer to first comment at top" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain your research to me." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How'd you like school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me X (y, and then Z) in your application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are the greatest problems with the health care system today, and how would you fix them?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 3 years? 10?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your missionary experiences in Panama." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the New York Times?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about yourself?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why I chose my undergraduate college, my major, and a career in medicine." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none of the "tell me about yourself" stuff (yay!) The interviewer asked me a little about my research experience." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So you were born in Utah?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 15 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do for fun? Tell me about your research projects. Do you see yourself as a clinician or researcher?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me more about your thesis." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you like science?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you like your undergraduate school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why are you taking a year off?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why biochemistry? Why not bio.? Why not chemistry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What field of medicine are you interested in?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you enjoy taking humanitites classes along with a science major." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you like <my undergrad institution>?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"See above. I've managed to block the rest of the interview." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

"All of the questions were very specific to me, which I really appreciated on the part of the interviewer, who seemed to have really thoroughly gotten to know my file." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Has to do with a very specific thing I wrote in my application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"See above" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What sort of relationship, long-term or short-term, would you like with your patients?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do schools like high MCATs? (He proceeded to tell me that it was so they could brag to other schools)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Wasn't so much a question as a discussion about Frankenstein and Victorian literature! I'd been taking a class on medicine and mystery in 19th century lit, and the interviewer had also read a lot of it." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the health care bill? Will it be successful?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is a book you recommend I read?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you know Naomi Campbell?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you play rugby in college?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose to apply to Columbia P&S?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The interview was entirely conversational. My interviewer was extremely interesting and our interests coincided so it was quite stress free." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My interviewer and I had a similar pre-medical background. Many of his questions stemmed from that." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 25 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none really." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The whole process was very conversational. The most interesting part was discussing my time abroad." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Define the term_________. (Picked it from my research explanation)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your interest in surfing and SCUBA diving?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What needs to change in healthcare in the next ten years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was it like working with 12-year-olds? (at a summer camp)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"It wasn't a question exactly, but the interviewer surprised me with a comment on an aspect of my background/application." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do your parents ever feel that your pursuit of a medical career will interfere with retaining your culture?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you travel to a certain country?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A lot of questions about my undergraduate experience: why I like my school, what my friends are like, etc." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Name some of the philosophers you enjoyed studying the most, and tell me why you enjoyed studying them." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No interesting quetions...just the questions you'd expect about your interest in medicine, your activities and experiences in college and life in general" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what sort of music do you like?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"if you were going to write a review of your research, what would you title it?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you think of your bible-belt education in Texas?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why don't you think that cell cultures dervied from nerual stem cells are appropriate models for neuronal signalling?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None really too provocative, just conversational stuff from my application." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"nothing interesting" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Basically every interviewer asked the same questions: Why MD/PhD, Tell me about your research, How do you think you will like New York." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"technical question about my religion (wrote about it in amcas)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Standard questions" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"i think i was asked one question the whole time: what do you like to do for fun?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing too interesting, just basic stuff." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was it like following your mother's automobile accident? (Personal challenge that came up in conversation)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where did Sudoku originate? (or something like that)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why are kids fatter now?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think you've taken enough non-science courses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none were really interesting per se" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are you going to be doing in ten years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"n/a" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What kind of camera do you use? (I have done photography in the past)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What's the difference between a curveball and a slider?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, your family's a long-time (home state) family...do you think you'll be able to do all of the things you enjoyed in college in NYC?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Question about my volunteer work." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I was hardly asked any questions. My interviewer spoke for most of the time. I suppose, "are you interested in pursuing geriatric medicine"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"they weren't, really." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 15 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you feel about using dying babies as organ donors?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none really" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you really enjoy James Joyce's Ulysses? Why/How?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"questions about my time spent abroad" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What my dad's influence was in my decision to be a Dr. (I mentioned him in my essay)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you stay in Texas for three years? (answer: because my master's program took two, and I stuck around to date my eventual wife...the last part got a laugh, becuase he didn't see it coming)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none really. I only had about 3 questions. It was more like a conversation. The questions I had weren't even, why do you want to be a doctor or why columbia? It was more about my family and why I chose my undergraduate college." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing interesting... just asked questions about my application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none. was asked about specific items in my app." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What were your three favorite undergraduate courses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"talk about my experience at my undergrad school--be prepared if you went somewhere mediocre" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you read any books about physicians who serve as role models to you? (It wasn't phrased so awkwardly in the interview, but I can't remember how he asked it.)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are your thoughts about Calculus?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you think your mom would handle you being in New York City? (I'm from CA)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What can Columbia do that would make you want to come here? (I was not expecting that one)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you recomend to tohers about your research" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"tell me about your father (i had mentioned his influence in my personal statement)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My three favorite undegraduate classes." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions were asked; it was really just a friendly conversation ranging in topic from rubgy to our families to European history to beer-tasting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What's the most pressing issue in healthcare?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain what _______ is? (about a class I had took outside of science)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"do you like sports?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Almost all of the questions I was asked were specific to my application." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The standard question with a twist: Him: What would you do if you don't get into medicine? Me: I'll keep trying until the day God comes down and tells me to stop. Him: Then what? Me: (slight pause) Him: Find a new god." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you read Camus "The Pest?" (I had, in French.)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How come you don't have an accent (I grew up in Africa and studied part of college in the UK)?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you going to like living in New York? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about post modern Italian Literature. (I took a class in it)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Define capitalism. Define globalism." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you play any instruments?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you learn so much about computers?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None. Standard stuff." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Just about some classes I took --" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Given your different medical experiences, are you more interested in surgery or medicine - why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't remember. Everything was very conversational. He wanted to know about my family. He had read my file very carefully which I appreciated so just discussed various interests. Or I explained my previous job in finance." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Since you come from a bicultural family, how do you think the different medical views of these cultures have influence you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"they were all questions pertaining to my work and graduate experience. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What were your findings regarding teen pregnancy? (I worked in the South Bronx doing research there). " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none, nothing off the wall." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Im not going to lie here, the interview was only 15 minutes. I was a member of the BALSO invites and we were given breakfast in the morning and had our own interviewer (The Dean of Minority Affaris). She was laid back and wonderful, told me after seeing I played rugby and had high marks that I was "almost guarunteed admission."" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing toooo out of the blue" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you fun?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"how do you think people make decisions about presidential candidates?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

" If I were to go to Costa Rica, what would you recommend I do? ( I had studied abroad there) " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"the guy pretty much did all the talking" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing out of the ordinary, but a nice conversation." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My transcript looks a little funny because of some seminar courses I've taken in the Classics department, so he asked me a lot about what I learned in those classes" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you have any doctors in your family?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your favorite gallery in DC?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why your major? (i was a religion major)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Pretty standard stuff. Whole interview was more conversational." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions... we had a 45 minute conversation." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Only had 3 questions. The first was (paraphrase) what is the biggest challenge/problem in healthcare?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, what do you want to talk about?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"About my specific clinical experiences-" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about X (in my essay)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your family?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The interviewer was really interested in my research work, which includes clinical trials in hypnosis. He had some past experiences with it and talked for a while about that." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No specific questions were asked, oddly enough. The doctor interviewing me just asked where I was from, a few things about my background, etc. It was more or less a very pleasant conversation." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A very blunt question about something very specific (and negative) about my application--I was actually happy it was asked, so I could explain myself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

""Where have you been accepted to medical school?"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you desire in a medical school environment?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you plan to adjust to the community her around Columbia (which is known not to be the greatest)? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why did you major in economics? how do you plan to use that in the future?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The students at this school usually come from very well known schools; how will you compete with their previous education?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What made you decide that medicine is a better vocation than music which is more of an avocation?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose your undergraduate school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing really interesting" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"about the origin of the research institute i currently do research at" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the medicare bill in congress?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think you could live in NY?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What kind of music do you like/play? (I'm a musician; I was very pleased that my interviewer and others had an interest in what interests me) " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"i did a minor in architectural art history. he pointed out some buildings in pictures around his office and asked me to identify the style, era, architect, and all that good stuff." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"First off, the physician who interviewed me likes to do closed file interviews. This was my first interview and I thought it was great. Very laid back. The most interesting question she asked me was also the most difficult. See Below " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the most pressing question in science today? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"no interesting questions" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Not really interesting...but how do your parents feel about you wanting to become a doctor?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No interesting questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The interviewer started talking about his secretary and patients ad nauseum. Given that the interview only lasted 25 minutes and he spent most of the time talking about himself, it was a big fat waste." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing was really interesting" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How was it growing up in _____?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10/15 years? (Not what kind of doctor, but what do you see yourself doing...)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How would I go about bringing in preventive medical practices to the country (I write about how I want to go into preventive medicine in my application)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you were Arnold Schwarzenegger what would your platform on health insurance reform be?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Interviewer was very interested in my non-academic activities" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you take the time to apply to Columbia?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are the most important factors that will allow you to choose one school over the other?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So ... you play the piano? (I did NOT mention the piano at all in my application)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I was only asked one question: "What would you contribute to Columbia and how does that make you different from everyone else I will interview today?", but we talked a lot about my response." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So what's new in the computational front? (regarding my research). Frantz had some good questions too" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"non really - the usual fare" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you like [the school you went to]? What are your thoughts on its curriculum?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"nothing really interesting - just about the stuff in my application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the greatest problem with health care today? Really, most of the questions were not that interesting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what would you do next in your research project if you had a grant and a full time tech?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"He asked me what I knew about French Literature." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the situation at Agusta National Golf Club?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Pretty normal interview questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't remember." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your family life like?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None really " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do for fun?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the pharmaceutical companies that make such large profits off of their drugs?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No remarkable or thought provoking questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do I feel that I would be competitive with the other students that have come from ivy-league schools?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your favorite undergraduate class?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your name." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your thesis on?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing too interesting" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you tell other pre-meds about research? Would you recommend it?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Questions relating to quantum mechanics." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you see your future?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing too interesting. The interviewer didn't ask the really cliched questions (e.g. "Tell me about yourself"), but his questions were pretty straightforward." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"We talked about almost everything in my application....he asked very, very specific questions about my research (I was a graduate student so I had lots of research experience) he was also knew my research very well (luck of the draw) but didn't let me know this until later-" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How have your parents influenced your academic goals? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"We talked about quantum mechanics." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Its been a long time. I remember the interview was very laid back. The doctor who interviewed me was extremely impressive (taught at Harvard Medical School and currently does joint teaching with Oxford), but also very nice and considerate. He mainly asked questions about my experiences noted on the application. It was my first interview anywhere and ultimately my best because he focused on my life and my motivations for medicine, and did not try to stump or put me on the spot." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"my interviewer was a very interesting woman. we immediately started talking about the things we had in common (she had read my file and started the conversation down this direction.) we had a very involved conversation about my essay, which touched on a difficult medical situation in my family. we also talked about my research. we talked about books and sports. the conversation felt more like a chat with an adult family friend. i felt completely at ease. granted, she was a psychologist, so that might have been the point. either way i wound up getting in and am absolutely going there this fall. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My interviwer was Canadian so we got into a conversation about the Canadian health care system (which I am only slightly familiar with!)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What does the ring in Lord of the Rings do? (I was reading the book at the time.)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What will you do if your [research] hypothesis turns out to be wrong? Have you thought about living in New York?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

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Individual Responses

Read what each person had to say about their experience with this school.

Browse Individual Responses

School Reviews

School Reviews

Results Overview

Overall, how satisfied are you with this program?

Response Avg # Responders
8.00 3

0 = Terrible, 10 = World Class

What do you like most?

"Freedom! They trust us to know what benefits us individually and they don't micromanage our choices. I don't go to histology lab, but I do attend lecture. Other people love the small group sessions but prefer to watch lecture at double-speed and save a bunch of time. If I have a friend in town and I feel comfortable taking a day off, I take a day off. But I know exactly how I learn best, and I love that Columbia respects that. There's something for everyone. The world-class lecturers don't hurt, either. It's pretty cool to suddenly realize that the place you know the current lecturer from is "The Colbert Report". Nobel prize winners lecture as well." | Report Response

"Students get exposed to a lot of interesting pathology. Also, we get to rotate through hospitals in the surrounding area, not just in Washington Heights where the medical center is." | Report Response

"New P/F curriculum that the current students seem to really enjoy. Deans/teachers work to get the students what they want. Tons of resources for student activities." | Report Response

What do you like least?

"The administration doesn't talk to each other. We occasionally have things scheduled at times that make no sense, and have to e-mail the administration to tell them that they're all conflicting with each other. It always gets sorted out in the end, but it's kind of silly." | Report Response

"The school is not very flexible. Also, the Dean's office goes on and on about civility in the learning environment and the fact that it is not tolerated at Columbia. This is absolutely not true." | Report Response

"The location within NYC is not optimal." | Report Response

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About the LizzyM Score

LizzyM, SDN Moderator and medical school admissions committee member, is the inventor of the LizzyM Score. The score allows you to see if you are a competitive applicant at a given school. If your LizzyM Score is far below or above the average, you may not be a good fit. If your score is far below, your application may be screened out due to numerical cutoffs. If it is far above, the school may assume they are your “safety” school and that you won’t attend if they offer an acceptance. This score should be used only as a guide to help you select schools and is not a guarantee of acceptance at any school. If you use this as your sole criteria to select medical schools to apply to, you don’t deserve to get in anyway.

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