<p>So I had my interview on Thursday and my interviewer made me a little uneasy about Columbia. We were talking about all the internships and job opportunities that would be available due to the fact that Columbia is in NYC, and then the interviewer was like don't expect anything to be given to you, Columbia won't help you in getting these opportunities. This kind of worried me because I know at a lot of other schools, there is a lot of help in this area and in academic advising. Can anyone clarify for me how academic advising is at Columbia and how helpful they are?</p>
<p>I'd say that this is pretty accurate. I've got jobs because I <em>attend(ed)</em> Columbia, not because somebody at Columbia held my hand and the work for me. The advisors (academic, career, etc.) at Columbia are largely useless. These people have fancy titles (they're all "Deans" of some sort), but they generally have little-to-no experience and and are getting under 40K. The administration is notorious for red-tape and bureacracy, so don't expect anyone to hold your hand. Columbia is a place for people who are mature and independent.</p>
<p>I'm all for maturity and independence and I feel like I can handle that. However I hope its easy to find opportunities. Something like a poster or something posted around campus. There's at least right?</p>
<p>It depends what you want to do. The more common stuff that many people go into (i.e., finance) is pretty easy to find out about. You're generally going to have to do the legwork for most things.</p>
<p>Honestly I think the advantage pays off more for grad (when you can get part time internships through more focused programs), but in other areas Columbia offers just as many opportunities as the other Ivies - no more, no less.</p>
<p>I have to disagree. Now, I've only been here for a semester, but I think the administration has been pretty helpful. I had a registration crisis that was out of my control, and my academic adivser helped me sign up for some classes. I'm constantly getting e-mails about lectures on resume writing, interviewing, etc, and there are all kinds of meetings with business leaders (well, if you're studying business or finance). Study abroad info sessions are held too. You definitely have to be independant, but you're not thrown to the wolves or anything. I was anxious about this reputation of Columbia too, but it's really not bad at all.</p>
<p>That's really all I think I'll need. Some meetings and some notices of opportunites. I think most of us can go do everything else by ourselves. Thanks bing.</p>
<p>Columbia2002 -- I'm curious whether your opinion that the academic and career advisors at Columbia are useless is based on your experience of asking them for help and not getting it.</p>
<p>The reason I ask is because when I suggested to my sophomore son that he look at the career center for summer internships, he didn't even have a password yet to access the site. He clearly had never looked there, relying instead on friends to hook him up with interviews, review his resume for him, etc. He has only met with his advisor once -- the first week he was at Columbia. So, though he would undoubtedly agree with your assessment, it's based on what he's heard about how useless the advising is rather than any personal experience. I assume the career center has the same services most do. No?</p>