<p>Any insights into this program, what it is and how it actually plays out would be very appreciated. My son was selected for it but is having a hard time figuring it out. Thanks much.</p>
<p>Aniger- feel free to search for other scholar threads on here, there are always a lot.</p>
<p>[Scholars</a> Program | Student Affairs](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/scholars]Scholars”>Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program | Columbia College and Columbia Engineering) - gives more insight into the program.</p>
<p>the language may seem unclear because columbia is trying to walk the tight rope between telling your son he is very special, and also not creating a situation where other students would be jealous. it is a tough situation - schools that have honor colleges face a lot of this problem. i think the most important thing to know about being named a scholar is that columbia wants your son to attend very much.</p>
<p>in short- john jay (as well as the other scholar designations: davis, kluge, egleston, rabi) is an honor bestowed on a small group of students at columbia. the scholar designation usually goes to different kinds of students with different intentions. and the scholars in total form a scholar community. in general, the scholars were founded with the mission of pushing students into graduate study, with john jay scholars usually being mostly humanities and social science future academics. that has softened of late with the realization that some folks may wish to pursue leadership roles or jobs in industry. the goal of the scholars program, then, is to provide the resources and the incubation so that future academics and future leaders in industry can get a headstart.</p>
<p>the scholar experience is very much predicated on going beyond the core curriculum, helping students think about issues that they learn in class and hopefully giving them the resources and the funding to explore those interests. there is a commitment aspect: students are expected to attend events, especially in their first year, participate and discuss the issues in small seminars. there is the benefit side: students have access to internship opportunities, unique networking chances as early as their first year, and can apply for special grant funding to do research wherever they want in the world during the summer or school year.</p>
<p>i was a scholar. it was a very rewarding experience that pushed me to consider graduate study, gave me funds to travel and do archival research, and it is the reason i am now in graduate school attending one of the best programs for my area of study.</p>
<p>it is hard to imagine what my life could have been without being a scholar. maybe i would have arrived at the same place, but it was talking with graduate students (who lead the small seminars) in my first year and getting to know them personally that catalyzed my movement to academia. but it was the same interactions that led friends of mine to go to work for top NGOs as undergraduates and now are doing great things in Washington, New York and globally.</p>