Columbia University High School Program

<p>yupppp lolll
did you post on there yet ?</p>

<p>haha yup 4th one
the first two letters of my username are my initials</p>

<p>Hey. I went to Columbia’s summer program over the summer, second session. There were about 700 kids, basically saying their acceptance is not too prestigious. I took the art history/architecture course and had a great time.</p>

<p>hey oceaneyes,
i’m taking the architecture course too! do you mean that there were 700 kids in the class itself or the entire summer program?
Can you sort of tell me what I would expect in the course? And I have to bring my own supplies right? (stationery, cutting board, brushes, eg.)</p>

<p>I just got admitted to the session 2, communicating with consumers or sth
anyone else applied there??</p>

<p>hi Orlyz,
i applied for communicating with consumers and i got in!! it’s session 2. we’ll probably see each other are you going?</p>

<p>Hi guys-
I applied and was accepted to both sessions of the HSP for the first semester Visual Arts class and the second semester Architecture program.</p>

<p>Is anyone else doing this? </p>

<p>I have friends who have gone a LOVED it as well as family members who went to the university as well, so i do not believe any of the negative stuff said on this website.</p>

<p>I got my acceptance email about 3 weeks after my application was fully submitted (recommendations and all)</p>

<p>Hope that helps!</p>

<p>hey lauangela i’ll definitely go =)
we should get in touch via email or sth</p>

<p>use the facebook group that was posed before</p>

<p>h1e2g34, im doing first session architecture, so close! do u know if we have to bring our own supplies and stuff for the program…cuz i was looking at the page, and there was a VERY long list of itinerary for the architecture program… :S</p>

<p>orlyz - i don’t have facebook. i know shocking right? But yeah we should get intouch, it’d be cool to meet you when the time comes and we kinda know each other already</p>

<p>i did the arch one last yr. it was a great experience, but its not really prestigious.</p>

<p>People… notice how noone said they got rejected… that’s not a good sign.</p>

<p>how was architecture like specifically? like what do you do there ? lol
and yeah i kno its not very selective nor prestigious…they just want the money.</p>

<p>ok guys. i will give you the ultimate lowdown, speaking as someone from session 1 last year. this is the unofficial guide to columbia university high school summer program :)</p>

<p>THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO LIFE AT THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM</p>

<ol>
<li>** Overview **</li>
</ol>

<p>Ok. This program is not exactly the most prestigious in the world. However, it is bloody fun. There are kids from all over the world. Some of the people that I know have been from Turkey, Italy, France, Greece, Japan, Korea, Brazil, and Switzerland. There are also kids from all over the United States. The classes are 4 hours a day. You go for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, after a midday break in between. During this midday break you can take a nap, buy lunch, workout, or play some soccer on the yard. Classes are fun and some are pretty challenging. Curfew is at 11pm on school nights and 12 am on weekends. Teachers are good. Your academic experience depends on how much you are willing to put into it.</p>

<ol>
<li>** Academics **</li>
</ol>

<p>The teachers are great. Many of them are highly qualified and are willing to work hard with you to help you grasp the material. It really feels like college while here. You are responsible for taking your own notes (not all of the time) and completing the homework. You are also responsible for waking up on time. There is not a huge amount of homework.</p>

<p>3.** Social Life (I know this is what you guys have been looking for) **</p>

<p>I am going to have to break this down into subsections :D</p>

<p>a) Girls and Guys</p>

<p>Hookups are common. They generally happen during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of your 3 week session. The University expects you to be careful during these situations. Condoms ARE provided in the nurses section of most dormitories. Speaking as a guy, there are a lot of good choices for women out there. Most of them are pretty, polite, and engaging. I am sure that there are some cool dudes out there for all you girls out there.</p>

<p>Some tips:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Start hanging out with a group of people (which includes equal representation of the opposite sex) as SOON INTO THE PROGRAM AS POSSIBLE! This ensures that you will get some action later on in the program. Often times, the kids who sit back in their rooms get screwed over later on since the people have already settled into their cliques. It is absolutely essential that you find your own niche quickly. If you don’t, the 3 weeks can be a really boring time.</p></li>
<li><p>Be Yourself. No girl/guy wants to be around a faker. Don’t try to have a different persona whilst here (unless you are introverted, in which case it may be good to try and be outgoing). </p></li>
<li><p>Usually, people from certain countries tend to stick to each other. It is better to try to stick with people from your own countries as you will have better luck scoring with them. For instance, my buddy wanted to hit on a greek girl who turned him down flat. People from these countries tend to stick together, romantically wise.
b) The city</p></li>
</ol>

<p>There is a whole bunch to do in the city. The University provides a lot of resources for you. The Room Advisors are always coming up with awesome trips for you to partake in. These do cost money, however, so it is imperitive that you bring some spending cash. You can also browse the city by yourself. </p>

<p>TIPS</p>

<ol>
<li>Find some friends to chill with (makes it a bunch more fun)</li>
<li>Learn the subway system or go with someone who knows it well</li>
<li>Go with someone with an iPhone or Smart Phone so they can help you find stuff</li>
<li>Keep your money in other parts of your person, just in case</li>
</ol>

<p>c) Friends</p>

<p>Just be yourself and make friends. Common friends are:</p>

<ol>
<li>Roommates </li>
<li>People who are in the same classes</li>
</ol>

<p>Try not to get too attached to commuters. They don’t stick around and are not invited to partake in most of the fun activities. Be cool and you will be liked.</p>

<p>d) Parties</p>

<p>This is an important part of the guide. Take a look at this timeline:</p>

<p>1st Week - Parties are good to meet guys and girls. Set up by RA’s, these parties do not include drinking (you should know that!). However, during the first week most guys and girls are excited to get to know each other. </p>

<p>2nd Week - Lame. Guys and Girls have already set up into their cliques and social groups so the only people who go to the parties in the 2nd week are groups of friends who go together, or people who have yet to find a niche.</p>

<p>3rd week - nonexistant</p>

<p>So it is important that you attend the 1st week parties to socialize. Other 2 weeks are optional. </p>

<p>d) Intradorm</p>

<p>Okay. This is also important. After curfew, you are not allowed to walk throughout the dorm. You can stay up as late as you want and chill on your floor, but you cannot go to other floors. People have been expelled for this, so make sure you pay attention to this rule. </p>

<p>That being said, try and foster a sense of community in your floor. Mine was freaking awesome. One of the RA’s brought an xBox 360 and we all played it late into the night. We also watched DVD’s on it. Something as simple as that can be great for fostering a sense of community. You want to get people talking and socializing, then the pieces will fall into place. Seriously, the right dormmates can make all the difference in the world.</p>

<p>Also, when you are in your room you should keep your door open so that people can invite you places.</p>

<ol>
<li>** Activities **</li>
</ol>

<p>There are a lot of activities to be taken advantage of. The UNiversity sponsers trips outside of the city (six flags, whitewater rafting). There are also concerts going on at all times. You will never be bored. HOwever, make sure you dont end up as one of those kids that stay shut in all the time. GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE!!! Go on as many trips as you can financially afford and make new friends. Trust me, you will thank me later.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>** Food **</p></li>
<li><p>Dorm Food</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Dorm Food sucks. The main dining hall is John Jay Dining Hall, which has absolutely horrible food. Luckily, there are choices outside.</p>

<ol>
<li>Outside Food</li>
</ol>

<p>There are a lot of restaurants around Columbia. Some favorites include Chipotle, Columbia Cottage (chinese), and more (my grammar is failing, its late at night sorry). Some are cheap and some are expensive, obviously. Restaurants in the SoHO area are also common. There is no shortage of food so have fun.</p>

<ol>
<li>Market</li>
</ol>

<p>There are a lot of markets right outside of Columbia that sell fresh produce. There is also a great store (M to M) that has a lot of asian food and fresh produce. You can buy ramen there as well as cool sodas. </p>

<p>Another interesting note: most food places deliver late into the night. I can remember times when my friends and I have ordered food at 4 in the morning. (ie. “Yo! I am ordering food who wants?!”) Keep that in mind ;D</p>

<ol>
<li>** Homework **</li>
</ol>

<p>There is a lot of homework in College Prep classes as well as Architecture classes. The others have it a bit easy. There is almost none.</p>

<ol>
<li>** Dorm Essentials **</li>
</ol>

<p>An AC unit is included in your room. You should bring:</p>

<ol>
<li>A computer</li>
<li>Clothes</li>
<li>Air Freshener <- important for when you have people of the opposite sex hanging out in your room</li>
<li>Obvious toiletries </li>
<li>Movies</li>
<li>Music</li>
<li>Things to make it feel at home</li>
<li><p>A FITTED bed sheet</p></li>
<li><p>** Working Out ** </p></li>
</ol>

<p>You have full access of Columbia’s facilities. There is a gym and workout room which you should take advantage of. It helps keep you focus.</p>

<ol>
<li>** Map of Columbia **</li>
</ol>

<p>Just remember that if you are in the city at 10:55 pm on a school night, tell the taxi driver to go to: 116th and Broadway as fast as he can.</p>

<p>Map:</p>

<p>|broadway| campus |amsterdam|</p>

<p>if you remember the above map, you will be able to find your way around campus easily.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>** Tips **</p></li>
<li><p>All the above mentioned</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t keep old food in your room</p></li>
<li><p>Use common sense</p></li>
<li><p>Be careful as to what you say around certain RA’s</p></li>
<li><p>Use common sense in the city</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t walk around the city at night by yourself</p></li>
<li><p>Get a credit card or one that you can withdraw PAPER money from. This way if you are running short on actual cash you can just withdraw some from your account. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>SUBWAY TIPS</p>

<ol>
<li>You can always take the:</li>
</ol>

<p>1, 2, or 3 Red trains to get to Columbia’s campus. Make sure you take the subway uptown, as columbia is at the top of manhattan. Some are faster than others, but they all get there the same way.</p>

<ol>
<li>** Conclusion **</li>
</ol>

<p>You get out of this program what you put into it. It can be one of the greatest academic and social experiences of your life. You will meet people from all over the world and will have a lot of fun. Remember, go into it with an open mind and don’t be afraid to try new things.</p>

<p>cripes i cant believe i wrote all that</p>

<p>md5hash, that was exactly what i’m looking for, thank you!
what do you guys do at night?
i’m looking forward to it ie hookup…</p>

<p>for anyone whos taken archiecture, do you know if we need to bring our own materials?</p>

<p>hey guys so i applied to the explorations in genetics and molecular biology program and if that doesnt work out, the mathematical boot camp was my 2nd choice</p>

<p>so i heard from the admissions 3 weeks after i handed in my app but that was to find out my chem grade now its taking forever !! (will i ever heard from them again)</p>

<p>angels what do you mean?</p>