Unfortunately I can’t really answer your questions, as all of these things will be decided as the situation unfolds. Columbia hasn’t even made any decisions about whether they will delay Commencement or do a virtual ceremony, because it’s too soon to tell for sure what the situation will look like in a few months, and things can change very suddenly as I’m sure you’ve all seen in the news.
So the impact on the program - for example, if classes still need to be online during the fall semester - is TBD and probably will not be decided this far in advance. I would expect that, once decisions have been released and students have committed to the Dual BA Program, the administrators will be better situated to answer questions about what the program will look like in the near future regarding COVID-19. If I remember correctly, there’s a virtual information session of sorts that all of the admitted students are required to attend which gives us information about planning for arrival, getting visas, housing, etc. For us, the online information session was in June. That would be an ideal time for you to ask Dual BA administrators about what changes will be made to the program, as there’s a Q&A portion, and they may address COVID-19 anyway, as it’s on everybody’s minds.
Rest assured that Sciences Po and Columbia are actively monitoring the situation and preparing to make any decisions as necessary, and they will communicate all of these decisions to admitted students.
Once the crisis began to get serious in France, Sciences Po - like Columbia - ended up closing their campuses and switching to online classes for the rest of the semester. Many students who could leave decide to return to their home countries to continue their classes there, as we can be closer to family, save some rent, etc. This is personally why I chose to return home. There are also so many cases in New York City, and hospitals are close to overflowing, so I felt safer in my small town.
From speaking to another Dual BA student who is currently at Sciences Po, I learned that most students chose to return home when they had the chance to leave. (I’m assuming you’re American) most of the American students were the first to leave (at least among those at the Le Havre campus), as they anticipated the travel ban on Europe. Some students chose to stay, as where they were (Le Havre - I can’t say for sure what the situation is like in Reims or Menton) was currently safe with relatively few cases, and they felt they could be exposing themselves by flying home, and it’s safer to stay put and shelter in place there. Other reasons for staying include that traveling home is expensive, it might be harder to study at home with your family or in a different time zone, etc.
Some students also felt that France was slow to act and not handling the crisis well, and there can be a long wait to get a doctor’s appointment even under normal circumstances, although one benefit is it is subsidized. (Get ready to deal with the slowness of French bureaucracy in general.) But to be frank, many other countries (including the United States) are not handling the crisis well either, so you may not be better off in one country over another.
If the situation does worsen again, Sciences Po (and Columbia, for that matter) may switch back to online classes and give you the chance to return home while online instruction is taking place. Whether you decide to return home or stay is ultimately up to you and your personal pros and cons list, but it isn’t necessarily the case that you would be stuck on campus. Hope this helps!
Hey guys! Does anyone know if decisions are coming out today or tomorrow? Looking at past forums, it seems like the Dual BA results have been released the day before Ivy Day in the past, but that could change. Any intel? Thanks.
Hello all! I’ve been notified that questions about COVID-19 and its effects on enrollment decisions can be directed towards the admissions office. There will be an opportunity to have phone or virtual appointments with one of the Dual BA admissions managers (more information to come once this is set up). In addition to the online information session that I mentioned above, this would also be a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the ongoing COVID-19 situation or anything else relating to the program.
Woah! So it could be in the next few hours in that case. Best wishes to everyone. It’s gonna be a tumultuous 24 hours from here on out (whether it ends up being tomorrow or today) but remember to keep calm and carry on no matter the result.
Just a heads up - the Admissions Office anticipates releasing decisions within the next couple of days, more or less on schedule. So be patient, and decisions will be out soon!
Kinda strange, Trinity and Tel Aviv dual ba decisions already have been released yesterday although the associated websites both state april 1 to be the offical date
