<p>I'm interested primarily in computer science but might take some music and will probably take lots of non-CS-related math classes. Thinking that was more appropriate for Columbia College instead of Columbia Engineering, I applied to the general College. Now, after reading that "the majority (but not all) of computer science students come from fu", I'm wondering if I should have applied to Engineering since the acceptance rate is so much higher.</p>
<p>How do you think this influences my chances? Does the more competitive Engineering pool make it balance out? With the application I wrote, it seems like the admissions committee might wonder why I didn't apply to Columbia Engineering. Now I can't stop worrying.</p>
<p>actually…there is something you can do, you could send an email and explain that you meant to apply to engineering, it isn’t unheard of for people to change their minds and i have heard of this being the case. can’t say i know any student being admitted as a result. though there is a calculation you take in writing the email - it could be seen as self-serving and not honest.</p>
<p>i would say your above reason doesn’t really constitute a strong reason to do engineering. it comes across as self-serving and not an interest in engineering.</p>
<p>and as said before columbia engineering is a more self-selecting pool, i would not read into admission statistics too much, they don’t give you enough information. on par, both schools are equally as difficult to be admitted to.</p>
<p>i had friends who did CS in both the college and SEAS. it really is more about your personality than anything else - do you want to have non-science classes be most of your core requirements, or do you want science classes. but in general i think that because at other schools CS is in engineering schools exclusively folks forget that CS is in both schools at columbia and just assume it is in engineering. it is more likely for CS students to presume to apply to engineering, thus it explains why most and not all come from engineering.</p>
<p>Do you know (or could you link me to) what the specific differences in requirements are? I don’t mind having a broader liberal arts background at all, but if I have to take three composition classes when I could be studying math I’ll be a bit upset.</p>
<p>seas majors are predictably bigger. seas has a 71 or so credit requirement. cc is 41-44 credits (which by a cc major is pretty robust), you could choose to take more at your leisure of course.</p>
<p>From their FAQ
Why should I pursue a Computer Science degree at Columbia?</p>
<pre><code>* Columbia University offers both a Bachelors of Art and a Bachelors of Science major in computer science. The B.A. major encourages students to obtain broad exposure to the arts, humanities, and social sciences while providing them with the appropriate computer science background necessary for graduate study or a professional career. The B.S. major encourages students to obtain broad exposure to the engineering core while providing the appropriate computer science background for further activities in academia or industry.
</code></pre>
<p>Columbia College also has an Information Science Major. In general the hope as you see is to push comp. sci. into other dimensions - psychology, business, etc., so for cc folks they want you to get exposure in other fields.</p>
<p>Thank you. Last question: If I spend a year in the College and then decided I’d rather be in Engineering, would switching be a possibility (assuming I get good grades and can demonstrate I’m capable of it)?</p>
<p>I have a friend who accidentally applied to the College instead of SEAS and is currently CC’13. He is pursuing the 3-2 program so he can get both an B.A. and B.S.</p>
<p><em>Allow me to get on my high horse, with the resultant flaming…</em></p>
<p>I really don’t understand how a 17 year-old has any clue about ultimate career plans. I entered an elite LAC many years ago thinking I was was “pre-med.” I never took a college biology course, because I learned through my college math and chemistry courses that I truly had no interest in medicine. I became a philosophy major, and went to law school. I enjoy being a lawyer.</p>
<p>My wife entered State U as “pre-law,” majored in Political Science, and went to Harvard Law School. She has not practiced law in more than 20 years, thinks the law is “horrid,” and let her bar license lapse.</p>
<p>My father enrolled in an engineering school, majored in mechanical engineering, and spent the first few years of his career trying to work out of engineering. He had a very successful career in management at IBM.</p>
<p>How does any young person know his or her path? My older son is finding his way as a junior at an elite LAC, and my younger son is a first-year at Columbia College without a clue. They are both totally on track, in my book.</p>
<p>^great post, I made the choice to move from wanting to becoming an automotive engineering to an engineering consultant to international development to wanting to work on wall street. I will be working in finance next year and I’ll probably shift careers (even if within the financial world) soon enough.</p>
<p>Basically stick to the college, it gives you more options, and you’ll probably realize within a few months to a year whether or not you want to be an engineer, at this point transferring to seas shouldn’t be too tough.</p>
