GS vs. Barnard

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p>I'm currently a sophomore at Georgetown University in Georgetown College. I'm an English major with a double minor in Computer Science and German. I have a 3.68 GPA and am involved in numerous campus organizations. I want to transfer into the Columbia University system. I have been rejected twice from Columbia College-- first as a freshman, and then again as a transfer (despite balancing courses to make the Dean's List and simultaneously earning my EMT license for the District of Columbia). I'm working harder in my classes this year, which hopefully will raise my GPA a bit.</p>

<p>I'm being shallow and straightforward in asking this question: Would it be more prestigious for me to graduate from Columbia's GS, or Barnard with a Columbia diploma? I know a lot of people are very touchy about the Columbia/Barnard relationship, but then again I have to ask how seriously GS is taken when it allows students to attend on a part time basis at the age of 70.</p>

<p>Don't give me grief for asking this, because if you were looking to get your foot in the door for grad school or employment you'd be asking the same question. I was also accepted to NYU when I was in high school, so I might transfer there if Columbia doesn't work out, but I know that I want to be at an elite liberal university in an urban setting. I just want to know which is the most elite.</p>

<p>I would appreciate a Columbia student or alumn's perspective on this.</p>

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<p>I'm a columbia student, my vote would go to GS. However, I don't think you're eligible for GS because you're a traditional transfer. The GS students have taken everything from 2 years to two decades off before getting a BA. I think in theory you can apply to both Barnard and GS simultaneously. Again I don't think GS admissions will look at you if you're a traditional student.</p>

<p>Between NYU and barnard, I'd personally choose NYU for most things. Barnard is all girls which you should want to consider. NYU has less of campus and campus feel which you should want to consider. Since Georgetown isn't urban enough for you, then NYU might be a great option. </p>

<p>To be honest if prestige is what you're after G-town might even be better than NYU or Barnard. Unless we're talking stern business school. If you want to be in a liberal urban place, I understand.</p>

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<p>depends on who reads the resume. some will think Gtown is more prestigous others will think a GS or Barnard degree is more. Bernard > GS. obviously it will it matter how you say write columbia GS barnard during interviews and if the person knows the truth. Also it depends on what you want to do, not just your major. You mentioned grad school, I think Columbia and Gtown are put in that teir 2 category together and are judged more less the same( HYP = tier 1)</p>

<p>If anything though, a transfer during college years does not look good to employers or grad schools. (I cant wait for the **** I will get for saying that, but its true, looks weird and you will need to explain it always and grad schools make you send transcripts from all schools, pain in the ass)</p>

<p>It seems you are a pretty cool, if not slightly lesbianic chick and if you r not happy in Gtown, then transfer. </p>

<p>but you said u want to be at an elite school in an urban setting. YOU GO TO GEORGETOWN!!!, u aint gona find many schools better than that fitting your description</p>

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<p>Georgetown is a terrific school: and I agree with apm and Confidential coll: the Gtown degree is more prestigious.</p>

<p>"I think Columbia and Gtown are put in that teir 2 category together and are judged more less the same( HYP = tier 1)"</p>

<p>Nah, columbia's tier 1: Don't know about Georgetown. </p>

<p>"anything though, a transfer during college years does not look good to employers or grad schools."
It's fine if you have a solid reason--like you didn't like the academic setting or didn't find it challenging enough.</p>

<p>You seem to be doing really well at Georgetown, can I ask why you'd like to transfer? If it's prestige you're after, like confidentialcoll said, stay put, unless you're thinking Stern.</p>

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<p>"It seems you are a pretty cool, if not slightly lesbianic chick and if you r not happy in Gtown, then transfer. " LMAO, I seriously love you. I cracked up so hard when I read that, because that pretty much sums me up.</p>

<p>The academics here at Georgetown are what one might call "baller." I've learned a lot in my classes. My main unhappiness here stems from how conservative and homogeneous my school is. Though, technically speaking, there are more Democrats than Republicans on campus, I'd say that most people's political views are moderate. Also, it is a Catholic school and sometimes I feel kind of stifled because of that. I know I knew this when I matriculated, but I got a very different impression at my Accepted Students event, where they had a moon bounce, large stereo system blaring Led Zeppelin, and gay people kissing. You can't buy condoms on campus, which is really inconvenient when you want to get your late-night bone on (not that I would ever do such a thing!) and have to get to the convenience store. It's just the principle of the matter. The worst part though is the homogeneity. Even though we have a decent number of international students, everyone is that sort of ultra-groomed, pearl-decked, Topsider-sporting Bro or prepster. I went to art high school. I have piercings and tattoos <em>gasp at Georgetown</em> and I feel like I really don't fit in here. Consequently I'm more than mildly lonely.</p>

<p>PS, I'm not a lesbian, but I'm told I seem that way quite often. Maybe some pearls would remedy that.</p>

<p>And PPS, thanks for clarifying about Columbia GS. It's quite unclear on their website, which makes it sound like students who want wiggle room around the core requirements of Columbia College are welcome to apply.</p>

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<p>um can you tell me what "baller" means? i am new. </p>

<p>so you went to an art high school and you have tats and piercings. and you are looking for an "elite" school where you will fit in better and is less homogeneous??? </p>

<p>ha, um not really gona happen, not even at columbia, ur just too smart. no wait i actually read that yale has more tattood artsy safe sex practacing students than any other uni in the whole country. but seriously thats just college, at least a good college, its a bunch of whites and asians with a few others, blacks and intl students thrown in for pezaz. </p>

<p>i cant comment on everyone at every school but it seems pretty consistant that from a distance most people can meet a couple friends they will have till the day they die and a few hundred aquintances that you will start losing touch with at an exponential rate starting the day of graduation or the day the class ends even. if you cant meet a couple close friends than you are not looking hard enough or just having a bit of bad luck. it sucks but it happens. </p>

<p>One more thing that is totally not in place to mention and may not even be the case, but I will say it anyway. 1. good for you for using condoms, not enough kids do it. 2. dont let lonliness lead to hooking up with the wrong guys for the wrong reasons. This may make you feel worse and you deserve more respect than that. but this is college so if its out of horniness and attraction and not lonliness please get ur **** on, twice even. (PM me for details :)) not my place but i said it, just in case</p>

<p>Are you getting out into DC enough??? I know fresh/soph years its stuff, especially with classes and not knowing anyone. </p>

<p>Look you cant transfer until next year anyway right??? so try to make the most of your soph year by any means necessary. you said u r an english major and have like 45 minors right? I wont be easy but why dont you spend your entire junior year abroad. Like in london or germany??? it will change your life. You will meet people. This will bring you back for only senior year where by kids are older, more mature and you will just have one year left. I know its not the perfect solution to your situation, but I thought I would mention it. BUT do not drop out, I did, it was dumb. Just keep getting good grades and hating the world a bit on the inside and you will meet people eventually. </p>

<p>Do you have an off campus job??? These are hard to get right now and I know its a lot of work. but even if it is a 10 hours a week, less even, you may be able to find work at a place that has your type of crowd more than Gtown, like a hip clothing store, record store, bar/restaurant?? </p>

<p>I think campus clubs are a joke for making friends but the job thing may work for you and then you will meet people outside of school and then you can tell all the hoyas in pearls to go **** themselves?</p>

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<p>one more thing, if you really love NYC and have to live there, then apply but gtown is way more prestigious than NYU, even stern. </p>

<p>And being unique means a lot. Of course the kid with peircings wants to be in New York and the dad's money in dockers wants to go to Georgetown but if you can be the kid that knows both sides of the coin more power to you.</p>

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<p>"but seriously thats just college, at least a good college, its a bunch of whites and asians with a few others, blacks and intl students thrown in for pezaz."</p>

<p>this is completely untrue, schools are very different, this description might fit princeton, but does not fit columbia by any means. From scabooter's description of herself, she would certainly not be the 'average' student at columbia, but there'd be many like her and most would accept her as nothing out of the ordinary. At NYU she'd be the average student.</p>

<p>"I wont be easy but why dont you spend your entire junior year abroad. Like in london or germany??? it will change your life." "Just keep getting good grades and hating the world a bit on the inside and you will meet people eventually."</p>

<p>great advice, seconded twice.</p>

<p>"I think campus clubs are a joke for making friends"</p>

<p>Unsure about G-town, but at columbia this is completely contrary to my experience and observation. If you find a club that you're passionate about, with people that you like and get along with, they will eventually become among your best friends at college. I can see it happening to me. It takes a while but a high level of involvement and a little charm / personability will go a long way to making good friends who you will inevitably meet weekly. The key is choosing a club partly for what it does and partly for who's in it.</p>

<p>"And being unique means a lot. Of course the kid with peircings wants to be in New York and the dad's money in dockers wants to go to Georgetown but if you can be the kid that knows both sides of the coin more power to you."</p>

<p>couldn't agree more, well said. Even I feel better now :p</p>

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<p>"but seriously thats just college, at least a good college, its a bunch of whites and asians with a few others, blacks and intl students thrown in for pezaz."</p>

<p>this is completely untrue, schools are very different, this description might fit princeton, but does not fit columbia by any means.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abstract/enrollment_ethnicity_2007.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opir/abstract/enrollment_ethnicity_2007.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>38% minority including 1, 214 asians. </p>

<p>In your fizz-nace cc.</p>

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<p>^ love, take a look at the numbers again, for CC and Seas it's 42% minority, but 41% white. The rest are other and unknown. the 38% minority is for all 3 undergrad schools, and only considers those who have explicitly declared their ethnicity. It's safe to say that approximately half are minority for CC and SEAS only, which I usually consider when I discuss coming to Columbia for a traditional undergrad education.</p>

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<p>ok we could continue to argue about this and I know you are more than happy to boost up your number of posts on this site, cuz u just flat out are not an active memeber of the cc.com community at least not for columbia related topics. Do you got to columbia as a student or are you a paid staff member whos only job is to post on this site??</p>

<p>This is all in jest, back to me being right. </p>

<p>most people that put uknown or other on their apps are just white people trying to get themselves a bit of an AA boost and not be put in the white people pool. that big minority number includes asians, and I said...</p>

<p>"at least a good college, its a bunch of whites and asians with a few others, blacks and intl students thrown in for pezaz."</p>

<p>white and asians being the key phrase. Look you will see enough of every ethnicity to make it worth your while, but these schools are mostly white and asian. </p>

<p>and SEAS is like 10% not asian or white. this you know.</p>

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<p>also what does ^ love mean?</p>

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<p>"Look you will see enough of every ethnicity to make it worth your while, but these schools are mostly white and asian. "</p>

<p>Well I would hate for them to be half black or hispanic, because that would be hugely disproportionate. Compared to ethnicity numbers in the US, only asians are disproportionately high: </p>

<p>Columbia undergrad: 9% black (US: 11%), 11% hispanic (US: 15%), non-hispanic white 41-50% (us 67%), asian 20% (US: 5%).</p>

<p>From this perspective columbia is not overly white and asian compared to the general populace. Yes the majority is white and asian, and you win if you were meaning precisely this, I would have agreed with you from the start if you were saying something that redundant. But the racial mix you find at columbia leans more towards minorities than most (almost all) top schools.</p>

<p>"also what does ^ love mean?"</p>

<p>sign of affection? - duh</p>

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<p>how is a small arrow and the word love a sign of affection??</p>

<p>like does it mean something???</p>

<p>at first i thought power of love anyway have a nice day</p>

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<p>and you would hate from them to be half black or half hispanic. </p>

<p>you my friend are a racist. and that just aint right</p>

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<p>the "^" means I was responding to your last post, it's used frequently enough on this site. "love" is what I used to address you, like 'friend' or 'dude' or 'buddy'.</p>

<p>"you would hate from them to be half black or half hispanic.</p>

<p>you my friend are a racist"</p>

<p>Thanks for the slight, but to be clear, let me explain:</p>

<p>If Columbia is aiming to at least loosely represent the racial make up of the US, being either half black or half Hispanic is hugely disproportionate. I, however am no affirmative action advocate and if the undergrad population was half black / hispanic, with each earning a spot through merit, I would be wholly in favor. </p>

<p>My views allign with the supreme court's: taking extra minority candidates because they contribute to ethnic and racial diversity on campus is acceptable. Systematically giving minorities an advantage because they are minorities is, according to the supreme court unconstitutional, and according to me counter-productive.</p>

<p>I am not making a racially biased statement here, just advocating either reasonable representation of the populace or a system based solely on merit, or a trade off between the two.</p>

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<p>I practically live off campus. It's how I keep my sanity. And thanks for suggesting going abroad. I'll have to look into it more. Also the art school that I went to is a magnet school (by audition); one of the defining features of magnet schools is that they aim to have equal numbers of all races. Also, it was in Hartford, so I suppose I'm just used to seeing more people of color. Maybe I'll just suck it up. You guys are right that a lot of people would kill to be here, and I realize that and consider myself very very lucky to have an opportunity to be here, but I guess part of me feels like that if I'm paying for it, and working my ass to pay for my contribution, I should really love it.</p>

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<p>"Baller" is what Bros say when they think something is badass.</p>

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<p>no one in college "really loves" anything. if you did you're probably nieve or an idiot or both. </p>

<p>we are learning but, lets be honest this is lib arts., sitting in boring classes and writing BS for a teacher or a TA even on a topic and in a style chosen by them is usually a complete waste of time. its a means to an end either working or going to grad school. I remember NOTHING from freshman year, u r an english major, you could read and analyze these books on your own at home.</p>

<p>I will admit a good writing composition or creative writing prof can teach better communication, writing and critical thinking skills, but its rare. </p>

<p>what? $40,000 a year for a lib arts degree and I will forget everything and may even unlearn things I did well....</p>

<p>Yup.</p>

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<p>That wasn't being racist. For god's sake, you've strayed away from the topic. Scabooter: from what you've said, give columbia a go. I think you'll fit in great. Sure, we have our preps and I-bankers. But the great thing is, they get along. I'm a management consultant and have a bunch of artsy friends, maybe I'm just awesome, but I know there'll be tons of kids you'll get along with regardless of background. </p>

<p>Columbia is also kind of annoyingly liberal at times...but it's not too bad.</p>