transferring from SEAS to college

<p>Is it easy to transfer from SEAS to college, vice versa?</p>

<p>I understand that in past years they've made it difficult to transfer from SEAS to the college, because they don't want people using SEAS as a backdoor into Columbia College admissions.</p>

<p>The short answer is, no it's not easy. This is one of the reasons I chose Penn over Columbia, which easily allows students to freely move between SEAS and SAS provided their GPA isn't too bad. Columbia on the other hand requires all interal transfers to the College to basically be treated like the external transfers. You'll need recs, essays, ec's, etc. Basically, you have to reapply from scratch.</p>

<p>Sure you'll have to go through the entire applyication process (which isn't that bad), but I'm sure your chances of acceptance are greatly improved by the fact that you go to the same University. Whether or not they'll admit it, I guarantee they show preference for one of their own.</p>

<p>prc, it's not greatly improved. The College and SEAS are remarkably separate, and admissions to one doesn't even imply preference for the other. The only reason admissions rate would be higher (if it is at all) is because students in SEAS did quite well in hs (1450+ SAT, top 5% of graduating class) and probably have a decent college GPA. Historically, dozens of students dissatisfied with the engineering school apply to the College ever year, and most are turned away because they don't have proper reason to want to switch their majors (I've heard from friends around campus that this figure lies around 2-3 accepted out of 20+ applicants). In order to make a successful internal transfer, you must have real academic reasons why majors in the engineering school won't suit you intellectually.</p>

<p>hmm.. what about double majors in two different school? will you still have to make a internal transfer application? and will that be easier, say compared to a pure transfer?</p>

<p>For that you file an application for what's called the 3-2 program if you're currently in the College (or the 4-1 if you're in SEAS). You do this in your junior year.</p>

<p>does anyone have why they made 3-2 for college but 4-1 for SEAS?</p>

<p>I think "easier done than said" accurately describes the process. Columbia likes to scare people into thinking that the process is impossible. They want SEAS people to focus on doing well rather than thinking "Maxwell's Equations don't make any sense..I'll just fail this test and change to a poetry major."</p>

<p>I don't know a single person who actually applied and was rejected. I've been out a few years, but the "transferring is almost impossible" line was puppeted back then. Plenty of people talk about switching, but they're mainly "just talking" at times when they're frustrated with a tough course.</p>

<p>The fact that you fill out the same application as non-Columbia people is form over substance. If you did reasonably well in SEAS and have a halfway decent reason for switching, you'll get in. I think most people have the common sense to make up a halfway decent reason.</p>

<p>As far as going from CC to SEAS, I don't know anyone that has done it. I presume that it will be impossible unless you've taken most of the math/science prerequisites during your first year in CC.</p>

<p>purplefish -- "double majors in two different schools" would be like a 3-2/4-1 program in 4 years. You'd have to complete the CC core, the SEAS requirements, and both majors. It isn't impossible, but would be EXTREMELY difficult. To help illustrate, I managed to graduate in 3 years, but there was no way I would have been able to get the second degree if I stayed the full 4 years.</p>

<p>vgboy--SEAS-->CC is probably 4-1 because a SEAS kid already does about 2/3 of the CC core and only has to take a couple core classes and a few major specific courses. SEAS majors generally require many more courses (and less electives).</p>

<p>thanks columbia 2002
you help me a lot!
you mean many core courses instead of many more courses?</p>

<p>well, what do u mean from scratch, b/c at cornell for example, to switch into arts from engineering or any other college is that you have to submit an essay, do an interview, get a rec, but anyone who has been through it knows its like a joke, and all you need is a 3.0 or even lower, and you are pretty much in. The lady who works directly with it, told me firsthand, its really easy and its not like reapplying. Perhaps, Columbia says the same thing, idk?</p>