Second major or concentration in a different school/college within Columbia

My S is interested in applying RD. However, he’s not sure whether to apply to Columbia College or SEAS as a CS major. He is aware of the difference in the types of degrees and the core requirement, etc. He’s also interested in taking on a second major or another concentration. Would he be able to do this if the second major (or concentration) is in a different school/college?

If your son gets in to either of these schools, it won’t matter. It is tough to get into either of these, but both allow cross registration for the same classes. As a CC student, DS found himself in many classes with SEAS kids, and he double majored. The dean/advisors will happily work with strong students to help them achieve - it doesn’t always matter what the school’s formal guidelines are because there are exceptions made all the time, for the best interest of the student and the school. Columbia doesn’t exactly advertise that they throw resources at all of its students, but if a student asks, and can make a compelling argument, they do find ways to make things happen.

Thank you @3puppies That’s very good to know. My S is trying to figure out whether CC or SEAS is a better fit for him (the type of CS degree is secondary). One of the considerations is whether, by applying to one school/college or another, he’d face any restriction down the road, assuming he is accepted and enrolls. Cornell, for example, also offer CS degree in both AS and Engineering schools, but an AS student is not allowed to have a second major in the Engineering school, and vice versa.

Any CC’er would tell you that CC is better than SEAS. And vice versa. For someone interested in multiple majors, there might be a little more flexibility on the CC side, but it depends of course on what the majors are. But the CC students have to take a swimming (or diving) class that the SEAS students don’t. But every year, there are a bunch of CC kids who have double majors, perhaps a bit more than at SEAS.

Students who are capable of being accepted at both, and capable of pulling off a double major, are pretty special people, who are driven to learn. The sheer volume of the work they do would overwhelm many students - even many of their peers. Yet these are the students who don’t just manage, they seem to do better with more on their plate.

If this describes your son, best of luck to him

Thanks again @3puppies I’ve read all the threads here on CC vs SEAS, and I can see why that’s not an easy decision.