<p>Can anyone tell me more about the Scholars Program at Columbia? I got a Kruge Scholars notification with my package today and I was hoping that someone could give me some insight as to how big the program is, how beneficial it is, any experiences, etc.</p>
<p>I was a CP Davis scholar, which is the engineering equivalent. the admissions committee preselects these scholars, and all 4 types (Kluge, John Jay, Global, Davis) are basically lumped together. The Scholars office has a bunch of programs each semester, mostly things like taking you to free shows, bringing legitimately interesting speakers on campus in smaller, personal settings, etc. It felt like mostly an enrichment program. It lasts all 4 years and you get some sort of designation on your diploma. In exchange, you're required to go to X number of events per semester (or lose the scholar status).</p>
<p>My understanding is that since that time, they've added some more mentoring features to the program.</p>
<p>Anyway, aside from some cool shows that I got to see, the most practical thing it gave me was, my status as a scholar enabled the financial aid office to convert a whole bunch of loans into grants for me. Which was pretty nice.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and to answer your questions, i'd say each class has maybe 50 scholars total (between the 4 types). The big things I got out of it were money and shows, although the lectures were occasionally very interesting. It's also a program that is very responsive to input; I suggested to Dean Lorch that they bring in one of my personal heroes, Arthur Kinoy, to talk - and they did. (well, the man died the week before he was to come speak, but they sent his son and a video)</p>
<p>
[quote]
you get some sort of designation on your diploma.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Really--where on the diploma? It doesn't even have the major on it; shocked that they'd put info on it like that.</p>
<p>Dude, I don't know what your diploma said, but mine (despite being SEAS) definitely says my degree was in Applied Mathematics.</p>
<p>Either way, I don't distinctly remember it having that designation, but that's what I was told repeatedly by the Scholars office. I guess I just chalked it up to me playing hooky on a bunch of events my junior and senior years, maybe they kicked me out and I didn't know it. <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>Your diploma really says Applied Math? Where? I'm looking right at it, and it just says:</p>
<p>
[quote]
FOR THE DEGREE OF</p>
<p>BACHELOR OF SCIENCE</p>
<p>HAS ACCORDINGLY BEEN ADMITTED TO THAT DEGREE...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I've seen a dozen or so diplomas -- both SEAS and the latin CC ones -- and have never seen a major listed on there. But I don't think I've ever seen a diploma from someone in a class below me. So maybe they changed it?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info Denzera! I really appreciate it. </p>
<p>I hope you don't mind if I ask a few more questions...Did it seem worth it? Did you make a friends out of it? Do you think it gives you any advantages, like for connections, internships, prestige, etc? </p>
<p>Oh and sorry for the typo..I meant to say "Kluge" and I keep typing "Kruge" for whatever reason.</p>
<p>I mean, I had a few things to talk about with a few people, and got to take my girlfriend along on a few of the events, but it wasn't earth-shattering. It also wasn't a big time investment.</p>
<p>They also help you a lot with applications for fellowships (i.e. Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, etc), because the same office does both.</p>
<p>whoa..COLUMBIA has a scholars program? how much different are the scholars from the rest of the student body?</p>
<p>well, i can't speak for everyone, but i'm smarter...</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Hey~ Does anyone know if all Scholars programs are offered to ED applicants upon ED admissions or do they wait until April with the regular applicant pool? Did anyone get John Jay scholar if they did get it? =) ( i think thats the only one i qualify for as in eligible)</p>
<p>I got in ED, and was notified via a letter in my admission packet.</p>
<p>Son's a John Jay, and it does not mean much. I think the original idea was to mark the students they might groom as fellowship applicants later, but that function has now been split off to a separate office. The scholars office is trying to turn the program into a student-run organization. And, I believe that they now assign graduate student mentors to first year scholars. Other than that, they have some speakers, put on some dinners, offer some tickets to events. I'm sure there are some students who get more out of it than others. The Spectator had some articles on the scholars program last week.</p>
<p>The one really worth hoping for is to be named a Rabi Scholar if you are in math or the sciences. They are chosen by science faculty, and get summer internships in campus labs, and get drawn right in to the science community on campus. You can't apply for it, and I think they only pick ten or so a year, from students who have already shown an interest in and apptitude for scientific research while in high school.</p>
<p>None of these things really mean that much. Nobody outside of Columbia really knows what any of these things are, and when it comes time to apply for internships/grad schools/jobs, what's going to matter is what you've done during your years at Columbia and not some title you were anointed upon matriculation.</p>
<p>Also, there aren't really any opportunities at Columbia that are closed to "regular" students that are only available to "scholars." Columbia is not the kind of place where they hand-pick the elite few and coddle them for four years.</p>
<p>Truazn, I applied ED and got it with my acceptance letter in the mail just last week.</p>
<p>Rabi scholars aren't part of the "Scholars Program" that we've been discussing. it's run by the physics department, it's basically a merit scholarship (ssshhhhhh), and they get perks nobody else does.</p>