FDNY while attending Columbia?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia School of General Studies
1

<p>I was wondering if anybody here knew anybody who was working in public service while attending Columbia, specifically in the FDNY or something else with a similar shift schedule. Is it doable? </p>

<p>I'm considering trying out to become a firefighter in January, and with all the tests and bureaucracy, of course, it'd end up being several months to a couple years before I ended up actually beginning my service. I've spoken with a couple of firefighters who said they attend college while serving; they've told me it's doable if you're passionate about both school and your job, because you're ultimately only working for two or three 24-hour shifts per week, during which you can study if it isn't an especially busy day. Still, I don't believe either of the two guys I spoke to were attending a four-year institution, much less Columbia.</p>

<p>I served in the Marine Corps for almost five years, and am feeling the itch to serve in some capacity again, without all of the political ramifications of military service. I visited a few departments last year and was amazed by how similar the camaraderie and unit cohesion in the FDNY was to the Corps.</p>

2

<p>This is a question that you should direct to your assigned academic advisor. There’s no reason why you can’t manage it somehow though. G.S. allows for part-time attendance if you’re otherwise occupied with other important activities such as work.</p>

3

<p>Thanks, ComaPrison. I’ll do that. I’m hoping it won’t have to come down to part-time attendance. From what I’ve heard, FDNY is very supportive of its members seeking an education in their off-time and allows for unlimited shift swaps for students.</p>

4

<p>Sorry to revive an old thread… Hoping someone has more information about this, especially any GS students that also work for the FDNY (fire or EMS divisions.) I’m a career Firefighter/Paramedic in El Paso hoping to attend GS in the spring, and while GS is my dream I would hate to leave the fire service.</p>

5

<p>I’ve never heard of a GS student being able to manage both the commitment to FDNY and Columbia. But, we do have an on-campus ambulance corps. It’s unpaid, but if you’re looking to satisfy an itch, it might be the way to go.</p>