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Interview Feedback

Individual Response

  • Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
  • Allopathic Medical School
  • New York, NY
Overall Experience

How did the interview impress you?

Positively

What was the stress level of the interview?

2 out of 10

Questions

How long was the interview?

40 minutes

Where did the interview take place?

At the school

How many people interviewed you?

1

What was the style of the interview?

One-on-one

What type of interview was it?

Open file

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

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

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 2)?

"Why do you want to be a doctor? Why Columbia? Where else did you apply?" Report Response | I was asked this question too

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 3)?

"Have you done any traveling?" Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

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

What was the most difficult question?

"Why did you choose to attend _______________ university? Do you have any regrets about going there? (And I don't.)" Report Response | I was asked this question too

How did you prepare for the interview?

"read my application, read this site, looked at Columbia's website" Report Response

What impressed you positively?

"the caliber of students that attend, the friendliness of the students" Report Response

What impressed you negatively?

"Bard Hall really blows. It isn't apartments, it is dorm rooms. It is dark and gloomy and the rooms are really really small. You don't even get your own bathroom--you share with the whole floor, and the floors are co-ed. (Ew...I think I'm past sharing my shower with the opposite sex and toting my stuff down the hall with me!) There was a tiny little cafeteria with horrible food. There are no decent places to eat, no meal plan, and "ghetto" kitchens. The neighborhood sucked--it was the epitome of ghetto, and there is absolutely nothing to do there. That didn't seem to bother the current students, though, who admitted that they didn't have much time for a life, since they sat in class from 9-5 and then studied all night. The students acted like they were really happy there, but when questioned about why they chose this school, it sounded like their only reason was the name Columbia. They also wished they could move the campus about 100 blocks south. Many of the students opted to live downtown and spend lots of money on housing because the dorms and neighborhood around Columbia suck." Report Response

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

"That I would hate it and not see myself there, so that I wouldn't have wasted my time and money going there. " Report Response

What are your general comments?

"The interview itself was very relaxed and easy. I just didn't like the school at all, and felt I would be totally unhappy there--it was just the wrong school for me! People seem to either really love it or really hate it, so keep an open mind, but don't be afraid to admit it to yourself if you don't like it. Also, all the current students stressed the importance of sucking up to the dean and telling him how much you loved the school, since "he wants to accept people who will go to Columbia."" Report Response

Tour and Travel

Who was the tour given by?

Student

General Info

On what date did the interview take place?

10/25/2002

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