The Pre-Submission Application Review (PAR) program is designed for PhD applicants (or MS to PhD) who seek valuable feedback on their application materials before submitting the final version. Through this initiative, you'll have the opportunity to receive personalized feedback from a current PhD student specializing in your area(s) of interest. The program focuses on reviewing your personal statement and, if provided, your CV.
Our mission is to promote equal access to application mentorship opportunities for all applicants. We believe that by providing guidance during the doctoral program application process, we can help broaden the representation within graduate research fields and foster a more diverse and inclusive academic community.
Note: The PAR program is independent of the admissions committee. Student reviewers are NOT allowed to disclose your name or help you to connect to anyone else at Columbia University. Additionally, your participation does NOT guarantee admission into any of the PhD programs in APAM, and the feedback you receive is NOT disclosed to the admissions committee or faculty.
Eligibility
Anyone intending to apply to Columbia University's Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, or Materials Science and Engineering MS/PhD or PhD program is eligible. Participation in this program is on a first-come, first-served basis and dependent on the availability of our volunteer PhD reviewing pool.
PAR Program Timeline
- Submit Materials for Review: The deadline for submitting your application materials for review under this program is December 8th, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET (since APAM PhD program applications close in mid-December). Keep in mind that participation is first-come, first-served so submit your materials to us as early as you can!
Submit materials here. - Confirmation email: After you submit your materials, you will receive an email letting you know if we were able to match you with a PhD student reviewer in your area to review your personal statement. You will receive this email within a week of submitting materials– if you haven’t received a match by then, please email us at [email protected].
- Feedback Delivery: If matched, you will receive one round of feedback by December 11th, 2023. We understand the importance of timely feedback during the application process. We aim to return your reviewed materials within one week of submission. Reviewers are matched on a rolling basis, meaning students who submit their materials earlier might receive feedback earlier.
For any other questions, please email the APAM graduate student council at [email protected].