Hello GSers. I have a question about eligibility.

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

If you are going to answer my question, please read whole paragraph and answer. Thank you :slight_smile:

Hello. GSers. I’m a student who wants to apply Columbia General Study.

First of all, I love this kind of curriculum. Because I love studying generally! I want to major in Computer Science. However, besides CS, I want to study various things – such as Education, Psychology, Business, Math – in World-Class level. Therefore when I knew about these courses – GS, Cornell College of Arts and Science, and UPenn LPS – I was so happy.

I’m a programmer, and I have 3 years of work experience – before I work in a company, I worked as a freelancer – and was CTO of startup. We did good. We got good value, made good product… but I quit to study. And I really want to see the big world and learn lots of things.

Furthermore, I’m a senior at domestic high school in South Korea. I worked full-time after I finish the school. And I quit the job 7 months ago to focus on study.

Therefore I took AP exams – predict scores are 5 on Calc BC, 4 on Mechanics, 4 on Microecon, 5 on MacroEcon, 5 on Stat, and 5 on CS –

Took ACT – current score is 30 but think i can do better on next sitting --,

I have quiet good ECs – school CS club founder and president, school book debate club founder and president, got few prize from Korea government, VP of a group that consists of Korean students who love Science and Math, and so on. I did many things.

I volunteered in my way – I made a website of NGO and making a service for homeless or unprivileged people.

Anyway, my dream schools are Stanford or Harvard, but I know that I’m not good enough to get in Harvard or Stanford because of my score. However, in case of Cornell, LPS, or GS, I think I could give it a shot.

Therefore I have three questions.

  1. Is it a good shot for Cornell, LPS, or GS?
  2. Can I apply to GS? I have heard that I have to take a year or more break to apply GS, but I did not took break and I don't want to. I made an appointment with advisor in GS but it's June, 28. I do not want to wait until then.
  3. Is there is many discrimination in GS honestly? I really like to be hang out with experienced people --because they are more mature --, but I do not want to miss my campus life tho.

Thanks in advance. Hope you have a great day :slight_smile:

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Hi, can you please make it clear whether you have finished high school education ? If yes, when did you finish ?

I’m sorry but your information is quite confused to me. How can you work for 3 years and haven’t had 1 year break in education ?

I’m an admitted GS student (Computer Science). I can help but i need some clarifications.

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Hi Kevin. Thanks for answering :slight_smile:

I have not finished my education. In Korea, we start semester in March.

Furthermore, I started programming at 12. Like I said in the paragraph, I worked after I finish the school. I slept about 4 hours a day to digest these schedule haha…

Again, thanks for answering in advance :slight_smile:

4

Yah I see @penguini . If you haven’t finished high school. You should apply for Columbia College (not GS). You need at least 1 year break in education to pursue a degree at GS. The only exception ( apply to me) is that you’ve got a bachelor degree already. With a degree, you can apply to GS as second-degree seeker without taking a break.

Hope it helps!

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Thanks @Kevin2509 for kind answering!

Well, college said that there are some exceptional cases, so I should wait for advisor.

Have a great day. :slight_smile:

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no problem. There are a few cases when GS can accept you straight out of high school. However, you need to demonstrate the need to study PART- TIME. Otherwise, I wouldn’t see any chance that they can let you apply as it’s against the whole spirit of GS.

1 more thing, you should apply to Columbia college instead. CC has a very generous financial aid package as opposed to GS. GS give student 10k vs CC 50k. So… if you can apply to CC, go for it!!
Best of luck!

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Well, @Kevin2509 I really appreciate your answer – I do, sincerely. However, I don’t think even if I am able to apply GS, I don’t think I am againsting the whole spirit of GS. Because I have experienced many things AND studied hard. In my perspective, experiencing and doing these many things is not traditional at all. Working full time as a student is not easy. To work as a student is not depends solely on my skill – of course the most important fact is skill. It’s depends on my communication, meeting various people, speaking well, business… there were lots of things that I should have though about.

Furthermore GS is literally for people who wants to study ‘Generally’, and the reason why GS wants non-traditional student is --IMHO-- they already know what they can do well, what they want to study, and the fact that knowledge in one particular subject is not enough to change the world. Therefore through the GS, they can learn broadly so that they can impact world! That’s the reason why ‘General Studies’ is ‘General Studies’. That’s the spirit of GS! And I’m the one who understands that and ready for that!

Furthermore, as I’m an international student, either way I cannot get generous FA package, but thanks for the information tho. :slight_smile:

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I see your perspective and do respect it :slight_smile: Just 1 last thing, if you are admitted to CC as an international student, you can still receive a full FA package as US students. Hence, in term of financing, CC beats GS :slight_smile: Also, CC students go through the Core as well so CCs also learn “broadly”.

Hope the information helps!! Plz keep me posted about what the advisor tell regarding your case :smiley: Best of luck!

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The General Studies name is derived from Studium generale, the name traditionally given to medieval universities - it has literally nothing to do with students who want to study ‘broadly’ or ‘generally.’ In fact, a GS student can narrow his or her curriculum Also, @Kevin2509 GS students have to take most (if not at all, depending on what you have studied at your previous college) of the core classes required for a Columbia undergraduate degree. In most cases, GS students, at the very least, have to take two global core courses, an art humanities course, and a music humanities course at Columbia - it is difficult to transfer in credits for these classes.

@penguini You wouldn’t have to demonstrate the need to study part-time. This is by no means a requisite of GS students - most are actually full-time students, the college just simply makes accommodations for those that DO need to study part-time. You have impressive stats that the college will be attracted to, but having not taken a break in your education, you will definitely be at a disadvantage. You’ll have to sell this well in your admissions essay. If you’re still in high school, why are you applying to UPenn LPS and Columbia GS? Is there something specific about the nontraditional programs that appeal to you? Though I agree that with your working experience you are certainly not a traditional high school student, per se, there are tons of HS students that do maintain myriad ECs and jobs - hence why undergrad admissons has become so brutally competitive.

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@Kevin2509 Yeah, I will. Thank you :smiley:

@nickdrake Hi Drake. Yes, I am really appealing to those kind of nontraditional courses. Think I am kind of weirdo… Furthermore, imho, there will be lots of students who did internship or something but I think students who are working professionally are rare. Why would this kind of people go to college? If I were born in US, I would not think of going to College, but I will keep work in the Silicon Valley or something! Anyway thank you for the answer :slight_smile:

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@penguini are you saying that people who apply to GS are weirdo??

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@yesorno0101 NO ABSOLUTELY NOT… That was not my intention… However I think weirdo is very inappropriate expression, I appologize.

I was meant I am little different from the other people. I kinda have huge eager to study broadly unlike people who just wants to enter college, which is not GSers. That’s the reason why I cannot wait to meet GSers. :slight_smile:

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I don’t know what you mean by studying broadly, but GS students are studying in the same environment that other students (CC students etc.) do (take the same class and same professors). Since what GS students study is the same as others, I assume that you can study broadly as a CC student as well. Also, from my understanding and what the GS web site says on the top page, GS is school for non-traditional students to pursue traditional education since educational opportunities for non-traditional students are generally more limited than for traditional students. "The School of General Studies of Columbia University is the finest liberal arts college in the United States created specifically for returning and nontraditional students seeking a rigorous, traditional, Ivy League undergraduate degree full or part time."So it can be said that GSers are those “who just want to enter college” so that they can pursue traditional and one of the most rigorous programs that are usually only accessible to traditional students.