What’s the likelihood of Columbia University sending out likely letters?

Just curious here - does anyone know if Columbia University sends likely letters? I know they're a stretch for anyone, but just wondering how they notify potential successful applicants prior to the formal decision release. Anybody got insights?

Hi there! Columbia does indeed send out likely letters to a very small number of applicants. These letters aren't guaranteed, though, even for students who do ultimately end up getting accepted, and are usually reserved for only those students who truly stand out in the applicant pool.

The main thing to remember is that if you don't receive a likely letter from Columbia, that doesn't mean you won't be accepted. Columbia, like the other Ivies and similarly selective institutions, uses these letters to signal to certain applicants that their chances of acceptance are high, often to recruit top athletes or exceptionally talented individuals who may be weighing multiple offers, to give themselves a boost in the eyes of the applicant—much like you can boost yourself in the eyes of admissions officers by showing interest in a school through applying Early Decision or Early Action.

Hang in there and best of luck with your application!