<p>Thanks will do</p>
<p>Also, reach out to WindowShopping. He's not only a GS student, but he transferred there after a few nontraditional years - and entered, I believe, at age 19 or 20. So he can probably tell you a little bit more than the average GS student.</p>
<p>I hate whatever crap software this board runs on. I just had a very long reply to Porscheboy16 that the server decided to eat before posting. And I'm not spending another 30 minutes retyping.</p>
<p>Porscheboy -- if you want to go back and forth on the private message thing, fire away. An abridged version of what I had written: you'll be admitted without question but you'll need to complete (and pay for) a lot of required core/distribution crap that probably won't interest you at this point of your post-secondary studies given everything you've done to date and the fact that you're pretty set on what you want to do going forward.</p>
<p>Denzera's correct. I was admitted to GS at age 19 and if I hadn't suffered a crippling injury of sorts, I would have graduated last week at age 21. I've had to take a lot of time off since starting at Columbia for, unfortunately, something out of my control, though I should still graduate at age 22 or so. Not that I'm in a rush or anything.</p>
<p>In the past few minutes, GS earned about 200 cred points with news of Heather DAngelo of Au Revoir Simone being a student (currently on leave, opening for Peter, Bjorn and John and Voxtrot). I did a double-take when I saw a link to this interview on the GS homepage:</p>
<p>next time you're chatting her up at a bar, WS, drop me a text or something.</p>
<p>No way. If I'm chatting her up at a bar, I'll be ignoring you completely, incessantly urging you to get off the phone and meet up for that drink some other time!</p>
<p>Sadly, that other time won't be until probably September. I still can't walk. :x</p>
<p>Hi, Everyone</p>
<p>Im In the process of application and I have couple of question concerning GS. First of all I am an international student I graduated from high school, yet I decided to go to a prep school to apply to better schools. Columbia is my first choice, but recently I found about GS at Columbia. Since, the CC is really tuff to get in I was thinking of applying to GS. Is it possible for me? Is there a possibility I could transfer from GS to CC after a year? I would be very thankful if someone with the knowledge and experience on this subject could give me an advice me. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>GS Admissions would be the best place to ask your question as to whether or not you qualify for admissions. I think the answer is "no" because your education has not been interrupted. I'm assuming you are doing a PG year at a prep.</p>
<p>did you get in? how long was it before you heard?</p>
<p>hey guys, i am an international applicant. I cant find anywhere on the net information about the sort of stats that admitted students have. Do you guys know if I stand a chance?</p>
<p>I have tons of world traveling because both my parents work for the UN and this adds to my diversity. I took a year off after high school to go to Israel and do voluntary work at a temple, it was about spiritual growth and understanding about tolerance and elimination of prejudice. I also worked my way up the ladder and gained valuable experience in databasing etc. This is what I will be writing my essay on and this is the basis of why I believe I am a non-traditional student.</p>
<p>In high school I did poorly, but fortunately European universities accept students based on entrance exams. I have just completed my first semester of Medical School, which is an EXTREMELY rigorous course.</p>
<p>HS GPA: 2.8 (With reason, instability at home/ personal reasons)
SAT: 1800</p>
<p>1st Semester University GPA: 3.75</p>
<p>Recommendations: excellent (read them)
tons of extra curricular activities.
speak several languages fluently.
I don't need any financial aid.</p>
<p>Do you think I stand a decent chance?</p>
<p>I'd consider it unlikely given the stats you've presented.</p>
<p>Having your parents work for the UN doesn't make you "diverse", whatever that means. (populations are diverse, people are people). It sounds (based on your mention of Israel and going to temple) like you're white and jewish, which is hardly a demographic that Columbia is looking to enhance its recruiting of.</p>
<p>Hi everyone! First timer here. I applied to GS after receiving 4 or so emails from the college encouraging me to apply. I am from North Carolina and am thinking about transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill, but Columbia will be my long shot. I have an ACT score of 31, 34 for English/Writing (I'm applying to be an English major), GPA of 3.75, and I am president of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society at my school. I also work full time to support myself since my mother is single and disabled. I took a year off because I couldn't afford college right out of high school with my family's situation. I worked full time for a year, with a summer of intense travel during that time period, as well. I also received the International Baccalaureate degree in high school. Do y'all think I have any chance? Should I choose Columbia over UNC-CH (which is also a great school) if I get in? I know GS is probably a reach, but it doesn't hurt to apply!</p>
<p>Thanks, and serious envy goes out to all of you currently GS-ing it. :)</p>
<p>Hi Denzera, thank you for your response.</p>
<p>The reference to the UN has nothing to do with my diversity as an individual, however it has given me the opportunity to travel extensively as you will see in the paragraph that follows.</p>
<p>I am a Baha'i not a Jewish person. I am of Iranian Origin but I have never been to Iran due to the persecution of Baha'is there. I was born in Australia, but was raised in a village in Lesotho during the Aparthied regime of South Africa. I then moved to Geneva Switzerland where I completed my High school diploma, my service in Israel has nothing to do with the Jewish faith. I now live in hungary. I think I have had a non-traditional upbringing with non-traditional views on life and I believe that would be able to bring new perspectives to the GS class. </p>
<p>With regards to my stats, they are wat they are but to elaborate: Dentistry in Europe is more challenging than american Undergraduate courses(from what I have been told). Instead of 5 subjects we take 10, and have 44 hours of class per week. We are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. I have a GPA of 4.5 on our scale, and I am ranked in the top 5% of Dental students at my University. I made a rough assumption based on conversions online that my american equivilant GPA would be roughly 3.75 but in all honesty I have no idea. I appologise for misguiding you. </p>
<p>I also completed the IB diploma in high school.</p>
<p>I speak 7 languages fluently. I can read and write in 4 of those languages fairly well. English is my second language.</p>
<p>With the more intricate amount of information which I have now given you do you think that I stand a half decent chance at being admitted? Or am I wasting my time applying? It is the only University I am applying to, and would like to attend.</p>
<p>How could I strengthen my application? Would it be wise to take the ACT exams?</p>
<p>I appreciate all feedback.</p>
<p>You present yourself as a high risk applicant at the moment because your test scores and HS GPA are so low. Doing some practice exams for the SAT and taking it again (with a decently improved score - shoot for 2000) would probably be a big boost for you. An improvement would back up your intelligence level suggested by your other skills.</p>
<p>You also would want to explain a compelling reason why you want to shift from dentistry to a more general bachelor's degree. If they don't ask that specifically in the transfer application, definitely provide a concise explanation for why columbia would be a much better fit for you (and columbia specifically).</p>
<p>Denzera your guidance has been invaluable and I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I have to get an SAT score of over 2000. </p>
<p>As far as compelling arguements are concerned I think I will be allright. I have a long list of reasons for transfer all of which are academically related, for example: My love of the natural sciences but my dislike of dentistry. My belief in a liberal arts degree creating more dynamic people who have a more open mind developing their ability in litrature and history as well as my great interest in economics which I would love to persue, as opposed to simply studying dentistry. The GS community and its diverse and mature nature being similar to that of the background of the Bahai world centre in haifa which from my own personal experience was the most intellectually maturing environment to be in, I believe the GS school has the same sort of environment etc etc.</p>
<p>I was thinking that maybe I should just write the ACT with the writing section and send that. That way they won't see the bad SAT scores. Unfortunately the ACT test dates aren't until April 4th and I am applying as an early applicant which has the March 1st deadline with decisions being sent out on the 1st of May.</p>
<p>Should I apply with my SAT scores and then when my ACT scores are available send those in as well? or should I apply and when my ACT scores are ready send those in even though they will be a few weeks late?</p>
<p>With decent SAT/ACT scores and following the guidance which you have given me with regards to my essays, do you think I would have a decent chance?</p>
<p>Thank you again for all your assistance.</p>
<p>I just spoke to the admissions office on the phone they said "we like to see an SAT score of 1200" on the old SAT's.</p>
<p>But im guessing to be really competative I should have a 1300/1600 or a 2000/2400 as Denezera said.</p>
<p>GS students get sort of a bum wrap and wear a little bit of a "scarlet letter", if you will. A large majority of them have extremely competitive backgrounds and will knock your socks off in classes - professors confirm this frequently in classes. I'm a CC student, but after several semesters at Columbia, I eventually befriended many in the GS program. I think it is good to have some outside, non-traditional exposure when we, as CC students, live otherwise insular student lives with peers who are very much like us and have almost clone-like backgrounds. The SAT requirements and high-school records required are not "night school" like at all for GS, and my sense is that whoever wrote that post has not actually taken much time to get to know a handful of GSers. One of my male friends in GS already has a BA from Harvard; another started at U Penn and left to be a professional model for 4 years. There are the occasional "feel good" stories in GS, but, come on, they exist in every program - even CC. </p>
<p>As for the academic program side of it, GS students only take University Writing in sep. classes - everything else is 100% integrated. I've appreciated this integration many times in some of my non-lecture classes, when GSers have tended to be less shy (or insecure or something) in discussion groups than most of my fellow 19 year olds in the class. Its refreshing and at least it gets the ball rolling when we would otherwise have sat their staring at the TA while they awkwardly tried to pretend they don't notice the painful silence in the class.</p>
<p>How is the housing provided by GS? I'm an international student and I'm very curious about this aspect.
Are the apartments sanitary? Any pest issues? Are they well heated during the winters?</p>
<p>Does CC offer online courses? I work full-time in NYC and currently take SUNY online classes, which is really convenient, however, I would love to transfer to Columbia....</p>
<p>columbiagirl123 -- Great post from someone coming out of CC. I think what you wrote tends to be the norm as most of the traditional kids become more comfortable with the university.</p>
<p>AnonAnnay -- I don't know a whole lot about the housing situation at GS, but I do know that UAH (unlike Housing and Dining which controls CC/SEAS housing) sets a certain amount of units aside for GS. It's never enough as there's always a long waiting list. It's not impossible to find a room in a nearby apartment for a comparable rate and still live alongside other Columbia students. That's what I'm doing now.</p>
<p>As for the housing stock itself -- it varies. Recently, there were complaints about the few UAH floors of a private complex above a bakery with private tenants, CC/SEAS floors, and a few set aside for UAH. In time, CC/SEAS gained control of more floors bumping UAH out, and would renovate their own stock, leaving UAH's units fairly disgusting.</p>
<p>jbnyc -- Not for credit. Sorry!</p>