<p>I'm thinking about taking Physics as a Major from Columbia College but then SEAS also has Applied Physics. I've looked at Columbia's help with major's pages but I am not really satisfied with their descriptions. I'm also going to have as part of my double major mathematics.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me what are the differences between Applied Physics and Physics and Applied Mathematics and Mathematics as far as what is learned in each? Right now I'm leaning towards a career in academia but I want to keep my options open.</p>
<p>Well, for one, in the college you'll be taking a more extensive humanities CORE (Literature Humanities, University Writing, foreign languages, and Contemporary Civ), and in SEAS you have a more science-y CORE (but I don't know what that is because I'm in the college). If you want to take physics and math as well as humanities and foreign language, then go the college route; if you don't want to, go SEAS.</p>
<p>Your introductory science classes (calc, chem, phys, etc.) are going to be the similar if you're doing SEAS or a CC science major. In CC you do all of the liberal arts core, but you do only about 2/3 of it in SEAS.</p>
<p>I'm not a huge physics guy, but do you have any particular interest within physics (theoretical, partical, experimental, etc.)? You should look at the upper-division classes for each of the two majors:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/bulletin/dept/applied_phys_math.php?tab=undergradreqs%5B/url%5D">http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/bulletin/dept/applied_phys_math.php?tab=undergradreqs</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin/depts/physics.php?tab=ugrad%5B/url%5D">http://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin/depts/physics.php?tab=ugrad</a></p>
<p>I can't really articulate the meaningful distinctions between these courses. You might want to call the departments and try to talk to the undergrad advisors.</p>
<p>Hi Columbia2002</p>
<p>Sorry for the late reply. Having computer troubles (and just at the right time!)</p>
<p>I went to my application page to try to change from Columbia College to SEAS but it seems you cant change any info from part I of the app once its submitted.</p>
<p>I'm still not sure though. I want to do pure mathematics.. but I'm also interested in Applied Physics and those majors are offered by different colleges so I'm in a bit of a rut. </p>
<p>How difficult is it to switch from CC to SEAS in the case that I am accepted? Also in the case that I decide to stay in CC am I bound to stay in the major I listed on my app? I think I put physics in front of math as a first choice but I've changed my mind on that.</p>
<p>I'm self studying up to Calc III (using a proof oriented book) by myself so I'd be thankful if you could tell me whether its possible to 'opt'/test out of a class (Honors math III) which a student feels he is already qualified for. I've scoured the Columbia website and I haven't found any email addresses/phone #s for admisisons representatives I can pester with questions.</p>
<p>Ah. And my stats. If anyone could approximate my chances for me:</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=119089%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=119089</a></p>
<p>I'd like not to count my chickens before they are hatched...</p>
<p>Well, in terms of calculus/mathematics placement, you just choose which level you think you belong in. They have optional guidelines like if you got a 4 or 5 on AP Calc AB, you should enter Calc II, but if you got a 3 on AP Calc AB and you want to start with Calc III, you can. If you got a 5 on BC and want to start again with Calc I, then you can do that also. After placing yourself, you can switch yourself.</p>
<p>One way to look at it is this- many college students change their major from what they intended when they apply- if you're OK with being locked into a science track, cool go with SEAS. If you're interests tend to be more humanities based (you see yourself dabbling in art hist, english, regional studies, etc.) think about CC. That's all I can say since I'm CC and ended up becoming a History major my junior year</p>
<p>Thanks bing121086, I saw that afterwards. ConfucianNemisis too, I think I'll go to CC as well unless I have a profound change of heart.</p>
<p>Btw. I'm writing my (long) essay for Columbia and I'd like to know what's a reasonable word limit. Would 8-900 be pushing it, even if it was 'pretty good'? There's no word limit on the app so I'm guessing its up to discretion but I don't want them to feel like I'm prolix or something.</p>
<p>Sooo.. anyone wanna take a read and tell me what they think? I want to have this completed by today's end.</p>