<p>What is the difference between Columbia College and the College of General Studies?</p>
<p>GS is for "non-traditional" students. That is, it's not meant for students coming straight out of high school; usually, GS students had some break in education. Also, it does not award the same degrees I don't think. It's similar to Harvard's Extension School. You could think of GS as the "night school", as some other universities name theirs.</p>
<p>Please do a search of the School of General Studies on this forum. There are threads discussing the differences. I went to General Studies years ago, and I attended classes during the day. My professors were top notch, including 2 who later earned the Noble Prize in Economics. The professor I had for Astronomy is now the head of the Columbia Department of Astronomy and jointly heads the Astro-Physics lab.</p>
<p>Please read this thread:</p>
<p>Burb Parent: Helfand?</p>
<p>Yes. I really enjoyed his class!</p>
<p>the school of general studies degree is the same as the columbia college degree, from what i have heard</p>
<p>Genaral Studies is a Continuing Education degree of Columbia </p>
<p>Harvard has Extension School
Upenn has College of General Studies
Boston Univeristy also has School of General Studies etc...</p>
<p>Columbia General Studies is not considered as same degree as CC/SEAS</p>
<p>Genral Studies students are not allowed in CC/SEAS dorms. not allowed in CC/SEAS social activity. not allowed in CC/SEAS alumni activity/networking
not allowed in CC/SEAS job database not allowed in CC/SEAS dining hall etc..</p>
<p>General studies courses are offered at night
for example</p>
<p>General Chem F1404 ( F means genral studies) is at 6:10 pm
General Chem C1404 (C means CC/SEAS) is at 10:35 am </p>
<p>General studies is a really night school of Columbia for working adults..</p>
<p>
[quote]
not allowed in CC/SEAS dining hall etc..
[/quote]
</p>
<p>As if that's a bad thing. Anyone can go into the dining hall-- you just pay te $12.</p>
<p>First Year meal plans are for CC/SEAS only</p>
<p>Yeah but you can pay it with dining dollars, which are available to anyone. There are a couple elderly gentlemen (one starred in Sister Act...weird story) who eat there frequently.</p>
<p>I never felt excluded when I attended GS. Because I was an adult, I had my own life and apartment in NYC. The needs of the younger student are different from the needs of an adult. In general, the housing needs are different. Many of my GS classmates were married. As an alum, I receive many alumni invitations both from GS and the alumni association for the entire University. I also get things from the Graduate School of Business where I attended. </p>
<p>As far as I remember, I could eat anywhere I wanted. During the 3 years I was there, I don't think I attended classes at night although they were offered for some classes. I did attend classes that were designated for GS, CC, Barnard and the GSAS (economics). </p>
<p>While I was there I didn't dwell very much on what the differences were between the GS degree and the CC degree. I was happy to be at GS! The CC students were younger, and they had different needs. At that time CC was all male too. </p>
<p>I think it is best to view the 2 as separate and distinct undergraduate degree granting entities within CU. They share many similarities, including the wonderful faculty that any student at CC or GS is lucky to have. The amazing resources of Columbia University are available to all undergraduates.<br>
If you have the opportunity, take advantage of them!</p>
<p>wow yellow hair, can you be any more negative?</p>
<p>"Columbia General Studies is not considered as same degree as CC/SEAS"</p>
<p>you still get a BA from columbia. all that's different is that is says general studies.</p>
<p>I have a friend who's 19 and was kinda looking for the typical college experience, but had been to a few colleges already and was transferring in and basically was "nontraditional" enough that they foisted GS on him.</p>
<p>He has basically been treated like a second-class citizen by comparison to the typical college-aged kids he hangs out with. Can't live with the other undergrads, doesn't really eat with them, not allowed into the same sections of core classes as CC/SEAS kids. He's gotten really bitter about the administration.</p>
<p>I have no doubt GS is a good fit for someone more mature who has their own apartment and their own life (and/or a job), but if you're looking for the typical college experience of 18-22 year-olds, that ain't it.</p>
<p>-Steve</p>
<p>I thought the main difference between the two degrees was the language (latin/english) and that the GS one will say general studies but it is a degree from Columbia. I also thought GS students take the same classes as cc students. At least that is what it says in the information packet they sent me. This is starting to make me wonder if I should even apply there. I have no doubt that the education would be great but it just seems like there are so many snobs at Columbia. I mean do people really try to make you feel like you are not as worthy as they are?? Is that the general consensus? I would not want to go to a school with that many narrowminded people. The more I read the threads about GS it just sounds like even though it is a great program there is hostility towards it by the other students.</p>
<p>Honestly, hostility toward GS is similar to that toward Barnard in that tends to manifest itself on anonymous internet fora moreso than in real life. Many GS students do not participate in the same activities/daily life as CC or SEAS students, so there aren't even many opportunities for the alleged discrimination. The truth is that GS students move, not even in their own sphere, but very independently of CC/SEAS students and of one another. I think perhaps the best way to understand GS is this: one's life as a GS student will be very much like a grad student's, save that GS students take undergraduate classes (and they do take the same classes, generally, as CC/SEAS students, with the exception of several Core classes specifically for CC/SEAS students).</p>
<p>^Thank you</p>
<p>I guess I wouldn't actually really have a need to associate with the kids at CC as I am married and already have friends in NYC. I just can't imagine intelligent educated individuals acting the way some posters have described. I am sure you are right though. :)</p>
<p>I have no doubt that the education would be great but it just seems like there are so many snobs at Columbia. I mean do people really try to make you feel like you are not as worthy as they are?? Is that the general consensus? I would not want to go to a school with that many narrowminded people.</p>
<p>I may have overstated the case. The students themselves won't get in your face about anything, the problem is more in the lack of opportunities that an 18-year-old in GS would have compared to a CC/SEAS student. I know GS kids that are really college-aged, they live off-campus and can't do as much with people or with activities, have rents to worry about. The places where the word discrimination really applies are in two flavors:</p>
<ul>
<li>The restrictions the administration puts on you, as compared with CC/SEAS</li>
<li>The fact that some students harbor a latent bias against the older GS students. The average age of a GS student in a class with predominantly CC/SEAS kids is probably around 30. I have seen many a middle-aged man sitting in, say, physics class - and he's usually the one asking dumb questions, or hogging the professor's time after class, thinking he's being a dedicated student when he's really just being obtuse, and so on. There builds up a latent resentment. If you're someone more the typical college age who will act like the typical college student, you won't find any resentment at all. You'll just pay a lot more for housing and commute farther.</li>
</ul>
<p>-Steve</p>
<p>^I get what you are saying. In most classes there is that one guy...I guess at GS they just stand out more because of their age. I would be 23 (although I look 18 LOL) when I would be attending.</p>
<p>A word about the core...</p>
<p>GS students are typically not allowed (there are exceptions) in only two of the core classes - Lit Hum and Contemporary Civilization. However, GS has their own sections of Lit Hum and Contemporary Civilization, with the same professors, same reading lists, etc., and many GS students elect to follow the CC core. If the GS sections happen to be full, GS students may petition the core office to get into the CC sections. From what I've heard around the GS advising office, no GS student has been turned down (so long as there's room in the class).</p>
<p>I believe GS has its own sections of University Writing as well...</p>
<p>
[quote]
same professors
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is impossible, as no Lit Hum or CC teacher instructs more than one section. The professors are distinct, although what you were probably trying to say was that they were equal in quality, I assume?</p>