<p>Hey guys.
We're 2 students, one in SEAS, and one in CC, who are here to answer your questions about applications and school life in general.
We went through this whole depressing application process last year so we know how much it sucks, and how it's kind of resassuring to talk to people. Or so the CC guy thinks. The SEAS girl doesn't think so. But whatever.
ok anyway, post away. We'll answer in between of depressing reading exercises.</p>
<p>Are you two an item?</p>
<p>SEAS girl eh? whats it like to be a girl in such a guy school?</p>
<p>actually we're two girls and yes we are an item
college is a time for experimentation; columbia is very liberal, you should try to keep your mind open</p>
<p>hahahah just kidding we're just two friends who are bored on a thursday night :(</p>
<p>being a girl in a guys school? good way to pick up guys <em>wink</em></p>
<p>no actually you don't really notice that there are more guys; there seems to be a relatively even distribution in my classes except for in the one accelerated physics class i was in</p>
<p>what major are you looking at? (both of you!)</p>
<p>im doing biomedical engineering and going pre-med and the cc guy is double majoring in neuroscience and behavior and art history and going pre-med</p>
<p>(totally random question) how's the food!</p>
<p>John Jay will get you fat, but Ferris and JJ's Place are awsome</p>
<p>Do those really funny guys still work at JJ's Place? Those guys were better than the food. Everyone loved them. One was Julio and the other was a black guy who I can't remember (Charlie perhaps?).</p>
<p>Hi, I wonder why the university people still visit this site..you all must be very nice people..not forgetting here even if the forum is of no use to you any more:)</p>
<p>I think I am not applying to Columbia after all..it seems that the SEAS is pretty stingy with giving financial aid to int'l students..I'd rather try U Penn then...hard choice. Our stupid school only allows us to choose max of 3 ivy schools. I am left with one other than the need-blind princeton and yale...</p>
<p>Columbia09er and friend - why did you decide to attend Columbia - as opposed to another IVY?or an LAC?</p>
<p>what are the classrooms like? whats nyc like as well? ive never been there. i really want to go to columbia!!</p>
<p>I am a HS junior. I went to Columbia's High School Summer Program and am planning on going again Summer 2006. I'm not going because of the name- although that is a plus. I've got other ECs and summer programs- but will it help my (possibly ED) application if they see I'm already comfortable in that enviornment?</p>
<p>ooh ooh!</p>
<p>i'm a girl (last time i checked) and i'm also interested in BME. what can you tell me about the program? is BME at columbia more about medical equipment or the cell/tissue engineering aspect? do you like having the modified core as an engineering student... is there any room to take other electives such as a language or economics after the core and the engineering requirements?</p>
<p>the one thing i am worried about is that i will discover at some point in my college career that engineering isn't really for me, and that i will find it impossible to switch into arts and sciences at whatever school i find myself. i hear that it's really hard to get into CC from SEAS... sort of like a back door? how true is this? what percentage of engineering students switch out?</p>
<p>is BME a popular major at SEAS?</p>
<p>i'm not particularly concerned with being one of the only girls as that's been my experience all throughout my high school classes. but what is the nationality of most of the engineering students--all asian and indian? any nice jewish boys i can bring home to mom and dad?</p>
<p>haha.</p>
<p>thanks </p>
<p>igrok</p>
<p>I'll take up the BME question, since I most likely know more than a freshman would. There are three tracks, two that are more about imaging/mechanics and one that is more about tissues/cells. 2/3 of the program is the same for all three. You can look here for the specifics:</p>
<p>Some people like the modified core, but others hate it. It depends whether you're the type that hates humanities or wants to be well rounded. You will HAVE to take other electives after you finish the core, the general engineering requirements, and your major. You'll need technical electives (science/engineering courses that are outside your major) and non-technical electives (you can use a language or economics here).</p>
<p>BME is pretty popular. Lots of premeds do it. Maybe 25-35 people per year do it. It isn't impossible to switch to CC, as the "impossible" stuff is an urban legend.</p>
<p>I'm making an educated guess, but I'd say SEAS is, less a few other minorities, probably 1/3 white, 1/3 asian, and 1/3 indian/arab. A fair number of the whites will be Jewish (could be 1/2 of them). Columbia on the whole is probably 1/4 to 1/3 Jewish, so you shouldn't have a problem with that one.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>After the deadline, can I send a better SAT score to Columbia or is the one before the deadline permanent?</p></li>
<li><p>Can my scores of 690 Math and 690 Verbal with an essay of a score of 8 be "good enough"?</p></li>
<li><p>I think I did bad on the Subject Tests because my teachers stunk and I couldn't find the Princeton Reviews... will my application be discarded because of these low scores?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>What do you like about Columbia? What is the area like? Is there school pride among Columbia students?</p>
<p>basically I love how my floor on John Jay has become a family. During the week we eat, watch TV, and do work together. And then during the weekends, we go out into the city to places like Soho, Tribeca, and sometimes the Upper East Side.</p>
<p>The area around Columbia is really nice. It feels like New York but at ther same time you are away from the real "city". Walking down Broadway, there are bars, cafes, grocery stores, restaurants, , many starbucks, and pizza shops. There are also lots of parks......people.....nice apartment buildings.....basically the area is nice.</p>
<p>Columbia sweatshirts are in right now......but football games are not</p>
<p>piggy-backing to ask a pre-med question.</p>
<p>I think I'd fail at BME for my planned pre-med track so what other alternatives are there? I'm thinking Biochem or straight Biology. Are those decent choices?</p>
<p>I think I've also heard that if you're going pre-med, your undergrad major doesn't matter so much as getting in the required premed courses and good grades. Is that really true or would it still be better to stick with a science-y major rather than going off on a tangent to history or something like that?</p>
<p>You can major in anything and get into med school. English and History majors get into med school all the time. No matter what you major in, you still have to get great grades in the premed courses (and a good overall GPA). If you're smart enough to get an A a course like organic chem or physics, then I'm sure you're smart enough to do well in BME or Bio/Biochem. If you think you'd fail BME because you hate (or aren't very good at) science, then you'll have trouble with the premed courses. Do what you like.</p>