<p>Hello ，i am currently a student attending community college. I am lucky to have a 4.0 GPA now. I applied to G.S But i am afraid i won’t be able to maintain a good enough GPA to go to Grad school. Could you tell me is is harder to maintain a good GPA. What’s the average GPA of GS graduates? Are they allow to use P/np option？
Thank you so much. Forgive me if any words inapproriate.</p>
<p>GS has the highest average GPA of all 4 schools at Columbia. You can use Pass/Fail for up to six classes provided they don’t fill core requirements. Those details can be found on the website.</p>
<p>If your GPA is really just due to luck, then you might have some problems adjusting.</p>
<p>Harvard Extension School tries to be a meritocratic Harvard. Anyone who can prove that they can do honors-level work at Extension courses (which are taught by Harvard faculty from the college and the graduate schools) can apply for admission after gaining three B’s. A required course is an expo class.
Another difference is that a 4-credit undergraduate course at Extension costs around $1200 only. College kids and, I guess, GS students pay around $4000 for a 4-credit class.
There is sometimes a stigma against Harvard Extension school because it’s a meritocratic school in an elitist school–besides the fact that its students pay much less for the courses (Harvard keeps its prices low because President Lowell, who founded the school, said the courses should be affordable for the greater Boston community.)
That said, Harvard Extension classes are not for sissies–I don’t think Harvard would maintain this 100-year-old school functioning for so long if it ever denigrated its prestige. Extension students can take classes at the college, but they need to apply for special student status. They get an ALB, Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree which can have a field of study (major) and a minor. Extension is thus significantly different from GS. However, at the end, you get that diploma with a Harvard or Columbia seal: that’s what mostly matters (and your coursework too).</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this thread is still active, but the way I see it, GS students have the HIGHEST gpa out of all the undergraduate schools (GS, SEAS, Barnard & CC), so that outweighs any of my concerns about GS’s prestige. If GS performs better than all of the other schools, using same curriculum, IMO, that makes them better than all of the other schools. I think this thread should be an argument about how there are more benefits to being in GS, as opposed to being in CC. Some benefits I have come across from my research:</p>
<ol>
<li>a closer community than CC (GS students seem to be closer as a college than any of the other schools)</li>
<li>the stereotype of having worked very hard to prove themselves to be where they are now, often overcoming obstacles in life (so many GS students have interesting pasts, and they have all proven academic excellence despite their non-traditional path)</li>
<li>being part of the college with the highest average GPA (this would motivate me to try even harder to contribute)</li>
<li>being known for being hardworking (many of the students sitting in the front two rows of a lecture hall are GS students because of their eagerness to learn and appreciation for the opportunity to study at an Ivy League)</li>
</ol>
<p>I like the general attitude of appreciation that many GS students seem to have, and I would be proud to be part of a student body that has proven themselves in the face of obstacles, as many GS students have.</p>
<p>When I visited Columbia University, the campus was huge. Much bigger than I ever imagined. I would have loved to have gone there. But since I was rejected, time to move on. :(</p>
<p>But for those who have the credentials, good luck!!!</p>
<p>I am looking to go attend college for my first time. I graduated high school in 1997, and have never attended any courses for college credits. I have had a pretty successful professional life, working in upper management in manufacturing and in high volume restaurants here in Manhattan.
I plan on first starting off at the Borough of Manhattan Community College this Spring to get my feet wet in higher education, and attend through summer full time all the while. I then intend on transferring into the best school I can be accepted at, saying this, will me going to a college then directly applying to CUGS disqualify me? Or does is the one year break already “served” by me taking 16 years off after high school?
Thanks for your time!</p>
<p>MM</p>
<p>Everything that the above poster said was a lie, particularly the part about GS students in the first year’s classes.</p>
<p>Here are some facts per WikiCU, Columbia’s ostensible encyclopedia:</p>
<p>The School of General Studies, commonly known as General Studies or simply GS, is one of the three official undergraduate colleges of Columbia University. It is a highly selective liberal arts college known for its non-traditional and international students. GS confers the Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Science degrees in over seventy different majors. GS students take the same courses with the same faculty, are held to the same high standards, and earn the same degree as all other Columbia undergraduates. GS students, who comprise of approximately 25% of all Columbia undergraduates, have the highest average GPA of all the undergraduate schools at Columbia.[1]
GS is also home to Columbia’s Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, which is the largest and oldest in the United States. In recent years, up to 90 percent of the students in the GS Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program have been accepted to top U.S. medical schools.</p>
<p>Background</p>
<p>A Columbia undergraduate class could include students from any of the following schools: GS, Columbia College, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, or Barnard College. GS is unique among colleges of its type, because its students are fully integrated into the Columbia undergraduate curriculum: GS Students take the same classes with the same students and professors and are granted the same degrees as students at Columbia College or SEAS.
In addition to its bachelor’s degree program, the School of General Studies offers combined undergraduate/graduate degree programs with Columbia’s schools of Law, Business, Dental Medicine, Social Work, International and Public Affairs, Teachers College, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, as well as undergraduate dual-degree programs with SEAS, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and a dual-BA program with Sciences Po. In 2012, GS launched a pilot dual degree program with City University of Hong Kong. [2]</p>
<p>Admissions</p>
<p>Admission to Columbia GS is highly selective and “extremely competitive.”[3] According to the College Board, the GS acceptance rate is 23%. Admissions officers examine high school records, test scores, extra-curricular activities, resumes and essays. They conduct interviews in person and on the phone. They also consider college-level work and real-life experience. For transfer students, most successful applicants attain GPAs of at least 3.8 according to the GS admissions office. GS also requires standardized test scores for entry. The school will use scores from the SAT, ACT, or the school’s own General Studies Admissions Exam. A list of admissions requirements and procedures is available from the General Studies website and statistics on application, admission, and matriculation are available at the website of Columbia’s Office of Planning and Institutional Research. GS admissions statistics are not reported in conjunction with CC/SEAS statistics. This is related both to GS’s different admission deadlines and the fact that CC/SEAS and GS have different applicant pools.
Applicants to the School of General Studies must have a break of one academic year or have compelling personal or professional reasons for part-time attendance to be eligible to apply for admission. Prospective Columbia undergraduates who have had a break of a year or more in their education are considered non-traditional and are required to apply to the School of General Studies (such persons are automatically ineligible for admission to Columbia College). GS students have the option to attend part- or full-time unlike Columbia College students, who are required to attend full-time. Also, scholarships at Columbia GS are merit based rather than income based like that of Columbia College or SEAS. In the 2006 class, the average age was 27 for incoming students, and the majority attend full-time.
Most GS students are transfer students, as 78% of the admitted class in 2006 transferred some college credit.[4] A list of admissions requirements and procedures is available from the General Studies website
Additional statistics on application, admission, and matriculation are available at the website of the Office of Planning and Institutional Research. [1]</p>
<p>Placement</p>
<p>More than 70 percent of GS students go on to earn advanced degrees after graduation. Columbia GS students have been admitted to top graduate programs all over the country including law schools at Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, the University of Chicago, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall), Duke, and Cornell. They have also been admitted to medicals schools at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Stanford, UC San Francisco, Yale, Columbia, the University of Chicago, Cornell, and many others. In recent years, GS graduates have been recruited by investment banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, UBS, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup.</p>
<p>Nontraditional students</p>
<p>GS enrolls world-class artists, Olympic athletes, and musicians; investment bankers and business owners; published authors and military veterans; and people who come from as far away as China, Israel, and Germany. Many students work full-time while pursuing a degree, and many have family responsibilities; others attend classes full-time and experience Columbia’s more traditional college life.</p>
<p>Many have enjoyed successful careers in fields such as investment banking and information technology and quite a few are nontraditional due to previous conscription or community service requirements in their home countries. A substantial portion of the population enter as transfer students; the previous schools of these students range from community colleges to Columbia’s peer institutions.</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>GS students must complete a total of 124 credits to graduate. Up to 60 of these credits may be transferred from another institution; at least 64 credits must be completed at Columbia University.[5]</p>
<p>Core Requirements</p>
<p>GS has been progressively bringing its Core closer into alignment with CC, most recently during the summer of 2012 when it replaced the Cultural Diversity requirement (1 class that may overlap with another core class, commonly Asian Music or Art) with CC’s 2 class Global Core requirement. The following table lists the core requirements for GS and CC for students matriculating Fall 2012 or later.</p>
<p>[School</a> of General Studies - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia](<a href=“http://www.wikicu.com/School_of_General_Studies]School”>School of General Studies - WikiCU, the Columbia University wiki encyclopedia)</p>
<p>“Everything that the above poster said was a lie,…”</p>
<p>Rather harsh words, you didn’t mean that right? Partly mistaken maybe?</p>
<p>Let’s look:
“My friend, a first year at Columbia, says that there are very few GS students in his classes. He has only ever spoken with 1 GS student, and that was through a student organization.”</p>
<p>Why is this necessarily a lie? Do you know this person’s 1st year friend, or what classes he/she is taking?</p>
<p>Didn’t you yourself post,#1293 in this very thread, as follows?
"University Writing, Contemporary Civilizations, and Literature Humanities are the three classes that are divided between CC/SEAS and GS students (plus one physical education course). "
As a first year, wouldn’t that friend be taking some of these very courses ?</p>
<p>“This is because they are not offered on-campus housing at all.”
You’re say that this is a lie? I thought it was true!</p>
<p>“They also are much older than the college/SEAS students.”
You’re saying this is a lie? But in post #1293 you wrote “The division is made so that GS and CC/SEAS students can intermingle in an intimate classroom setting with people of like age. Usually, these three courses are populated by 18-19 year old first years at CC/SEAS and 27-29 year old first years at GS. The administration creates this separation to funnel students of similar age into these very small courses.”</p>
<p>A family member attended SEAS a bit ago, he mentioned once that he took a section of a particular course that was basically for GS students. Meaning that, yes, students in other CU colleges can sign up for it too, but the predominant population of students in that section of the class is typically GS students. IIRC that section met at night, rather than during the day. So this would be a way to offer courses with the same material, taught by the same faculty, yet have the students be largely segregated by college of the university. However such segregation would likely be incomplete in many cases, such as that one.</p>
<p>I’ve no idea what proportion of courses have separate sections primarily geared/populated by GS students. But evidently, based on his report, the number is not zero.</p>
<p>BTW he took that section because he thought he would receive a better grade in the course that way, because the curve for that section was dominated by GS students and not students in the other colleges. As it happens, he received a poor grade in the course. How he would have fared in one of the CC sections we’ll never know.</p>
<p>It is highly highly highly unlikely that someone can go to Columbia and not have GS students in virtually all of his/her classes, save two to three. As such, it is impossible for a student in CC to attend Columbia and ny have well over 90% of his or her classes with GS students. If one actually attends Columbia, then one will quickly realize that GS students maintain a significant pressence in Columbia classrooms. </p>
<p>Glad to see that you scanned my previous posts, copied, then quoted them just to point out what amounts to be a semantics error on my part.</p>
<p>“It is highly highly highly unlikely that someone can go to Columbia and not have GS students in virtually all of his/her classes, save two to three.”</p>
<p>So, let’s say you are an SEAS major at Columbia, and your major sequence consists of courses in: engineering mechanics, engineering dynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer,
advanced engineering design project, advanced fluid mechanics. With engineering electives in structures and electrical engineering (or whatever else they have there…). It is your contention that CGS students will be in virtually all of these classes.</p>
<p>Interesting, I had previously thought that CGS students only majored in liberal arts subjects, and hence would be unlikely to be in any of these courses at all. </p>
<p>I would have thought it is quite conceivable that some SEAS majors actually have quite limited interaction with CGS students. Particularly freshmen, like InkeDotLy’s friend.</p>
<p>Live and learn.</p>
<p>If you couldn’t grasp the inferrence that when I stated taking classes at Columbia I was referring to the two liberal arts colleges (GS and CC), then you might have to do some living and learning on your own. Sometimes reading comprehension extends beyond what is explicitly stated. It’s irrevelant to compare the school’s one engineering school with its two liberal arts colleges with regards to synthesis of coursework. Your attempt at using such an attack leads one to conclude that you are either equivocating my argument to serve as grounds for a “straw man” response, or, and perhaps less likely, that you completely failed to grasp an obvious, yet unstated assumption ingrained in my argument.</p>
<p>Quick question: </p>
<p>Let’s say you barely scraped by in highschool and managed to go to a four year school. Then, you went to that school and failed. A year later, you’ve been diagnosed with depression/add and on your medication and took the little credits that you have (13) and transferred to a community college and is doing awesome (4.0 awesome). </p>
<p>Do you have a shot at Columbia GS? </p>
<p>Please answer guys, I’m desperate to know. I’d rather be disappointed now.</p>
<p>Edit: Also would I need to take the SATs again? How many semesters should I stay in at my community college to ensure that they won’t reject me (assuming that I can still apply)?</p>
<p>Streetball,</p>
<p>I am a current student and Columbia University School of General Studies and also work as a tour guide. I think that your plan to enroll at BMCC to get your feet wet for a little while before applying to GS is a good one. I attended community college before applying to GS also, and it worked out great. To answer your question directly, your time off between high school and college already satisfies your 1 year off requirement, so you don’t have to take any more time off between now and applying to GS unless you want to. </p>
<p>I hope this helps!</p>
<p>Follypolicies,</p>
<p>The good thing about GS is that they evaluate every application on a case by case basis. I am a current GS student and work as a tour guide for the school, and I also had a hard time in my early college years before I began to improve. I was expelled from high school and failed out of community college my first go at it, but then took some time off to reevaluate my life, and returned to school and performed very well. Columbia gave me a shot, because I demonstrated to them that I was worth it through my later performance at community college and my explanation of how I grew as a person in my application. </p>
<p>I hope this anecdote helps. Without meeting you, I would say apply anyway, and don’t give up hope. As for direct answers to your last questions (how many semesters to take and regarding the SATs) I would contact the GS admissions office directly. Their number is on the GS website. Why not get your information directly from the source?</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>RoBoCU, all I can say is we are kindred souls. First let me say, thank you for the information. I followed that same path, magnet school for visual and performing arts k-6, jr and sr high highly rated, but home situation was challenged and I ended up kicked out of high school to get a ged. Later attempted a very expensive private college to flunk out, actually I quit showing up. Had some good success in the work place working for a few companies, most notably one that is building a new hq. I do some contract work for that same company and carry a 3.65 in CC and on par to leave in june with a 3.9 easily. I am very interested in the GS school and had a specific question. I have a tad bit of a colorful past, not illegal mind you, but in the Jimmy Hendrix sense of the word “I am experienced” I have had a pretty unconventional life so far, and I am feeling for thresholds. I am wondering specifically if I should go warts and all on my essay? I have a feeling I should, but anything you wish to add to what you have posted already would be wonderful! I thank you in advance. Surathani</p>
<p>Surathani,</p>
<p>Go for it, “warts and all!” My name is Christina and I am also a tour guide and GS student, and I think such information is probably very relevant to your story. I imagine it illustrates not only the experiences you’ve been through, but also how you’ve learned from them, both of which would likely be important for the admissions team to understand.</p>
<p>Lots of GS students have had (and continue to have) “unconventional” lives, and that’s a big part of what makes it such a supportive and inspiring community.</p>
<p>Christina</p>
<p>I know people out of HS and apply to GS directly. It’s like an adult school, extremely easy to get in, and they can still say that thay “go/went to Columbia”, but they know themselves that it’s not the real thing, and they miss out on the real college experience.</p>
<p>@Fiorucci76,</p>
<p>As I mentioned above, I’m a current student at GS, and I’d like to clear up some misconceptions about the school. </p>
<p>GS is the premier liberal arts college for returning and nontraditional students who are seeking a rigorous Ivy League education, and there is nothing else quite like it. There are a few important things that set GS apart from “adult schools,” namely, that students take the same classes as—and share the classroom with—traditional Columbia College undergrads, are taught by the same professors, and are graded on the same scale. In terms of education, the GS student experience is identical to that of Columbia College students.</p>
<p>As for missing out on the “real college experience,” this couldn’t be further from the truth. One of the many wonderful things about GS is that students are fully integrated into the undergraduate community. Not only do we take the same classes, but we are also eligible (and encouraged) to join any undergraduate student organization. Additionally, the GS community is a close-knit one. We spend time with one another outside of class, and our Student Council organizes numerous social events throughout the year, which provide even more opportunities to connect. At GS, the extent to which you will have a “real” college experience is completely up to you. </p>
<p>The notion that GS is “extremely easy to get in” to is simply false. Although the admit rate is higher than that of Columbia College (but still very competitive), this is largely due to the fact that GS applicants tend to be self-selecting—that is, a higher percentage of applicants are qualified. Deciding to return to school at a place like GS is not one that is typically made lightly, as many GS students have other responsibilities to juggle like family or a demanding career. </p>
<p>Finally, regarding applying to GS directly out of high school, I would like to clarify the GS admissions policy. To be eligible for admission to GS as an undergraduate, applicants must have had a break in their education of at least one year. Students applying directly out of high school would not be admitted, unless they are applying to one of the highly-competitive Dual BA programs. Conversely, Columbia College directs those who have had such a break in their education to apply to GS. </p>
<p>I hope this clears things up. Please feel free to reach out if you have further questions.</p>
<p>Christina</p>
<p>Dual BA is not hard to get in because I know so so seniors who applied and then realized that in GS was to be in classes with adult students and then pulled out.
But, hey, I am just providing a clarification between the GS and CC. Personally, the GS part is a downside of Columbia. </p>
<p>@Fiorucci76 </p>
<p>People like you give Columbia a bad name.</p>