<p>I am thinking of applying GS but have found it difficult to compare Columbia GS to other schools. On college confidential some people have described GS as being on par with Columbia College while others have describe it as not much better than a community college. I understand that GS students and Columbia College students take the same classes but it appears GS is less prestigious. I am curious to know how GS compares to other schools such as Duke, Wesleyan, Lehigh, and Cornell.</p>
<p>The idea floating around online both here and elsewhere that General Studies appears to rest on one issue: admission rates. Other than the rate of admission, as you stated GS students take the same courses at the same institution and receive the same degree upon graduation. It’s also worth noting that GS has the highest GPA of any of the schools of Columbia.</p>
<p>My point is, what is “prestige” to you? Being a member of a college under a university which accepts 7% of applicants or being a member of a cohort which has a higher rate of acceptance AND boasts a higher GPA than those prestigious few?</p>
<p>Go to whichever university fits your personality and needs the best.</p>
<p>And go back and piece together that argument…GS is not much better than a community college, yet students there take the exact same courses as the “prestigious” Columbia College? Does that make sense?</p>
<p>I was not making an argument. Those are just the opposing views I have observed. In my opinion GS is a great school. I have not been able to find a lot of academic statistics about GS and I am just curious to see how people compare it to other colleges.</p>
<p>I’d love to know where people are saying that GS is not much better than a community college…that makes no sense. You might as well be saying Columbia as a whole is no better than a community college…which is ridiculous.</p>