Columbia College vs. School of General Studies - Page 9

redlinekid2 · 06-04-2006, 02:40 PM

I'll be applying for the Spring Semester. If I get to go to the school, I'll certainly have to take out a lot of loans. But it might be worth it in the long run. I'm not sure how long I'll have to stay in order to get my BA degree. Depending on what will transfer from my old school, it should take no more than 2-3 years.

James93921 · 06-05-2006, 01:37 AM

Thanks Tomcat21. Are you going in as a freshman or a transfer? From what I've read on the website, there is literally no fin aid for transfer applicants but freshmen applicants receive anything from $500 to $15000. Nontheless, I know that if I get into the School of Gen. Studies, I would have to take out some loans.

So i'll hold off on checking my mail everyday for another month then.

Anybody out there with financial aid insights???

tomcat21 · 06-05-2006, 09:18 PM

Hey James, I'm going as a freshman and the financial aid still sucks. Basically, I'm getting only $5,000 for the first year. As of right now I am is the process of pursuing a few more creative strategies to pay for it.

bing121086 · 06-06-2006, 02:05 PM

I just finished my freshman year, and I was very pleased with my fin aid package. When I applied, my need based aid at Columbia matched the offers of other schools that had merit aid included. My offer was almost 1/2 of the cost of attendence, and my EFC for this year went down a lot, so I'm waiting hopefully for my aid offer for next year.

tomcat21 · 06-06-2006, 04:40 PM

Hey Bing121086,
Are you Columbia College or General Studies? Because as far as I can find there is no need based aid at General Studies.

dot_parker · 06-06-2006, 06:28 PM

Would anyone who has been accepted to GS be so kind as to post their stats? I'm awaiting a decision (I'm a transfer) and am getting really nervous. I think I got a perfect score on the GS administered test (which was shockingly easy), have a pretty darn good GPA, and excellent essays and recs, but am looking to see how I stack up against someone who has already been admitted. If you don't want to post them here, you could PM me.

Thanks so much.

And is anyone a commuter? I'll (hopefully) be commuting from NJ and can't decide what is worse- the stress of applying for housing and then actually paying for it or paying for NJ Transit and the Metro Card... and then commuting for more than three hours every day.

leobag · 06-06-2006, 06:29 PM

dot_parker, what type of questions were on the GS test?

dot_parker · 06-06-2006, 08:43 PM

leobag, the test was 100 questions, mostly on grammar, rewriting sentences, and reading graphs and charts- I thought it was really basic stuff. There was also an essay. It wasn’t hard to write under pressure- I filled up an entire blue book.

I thought the test as a whole was quite simple. However, of the five other people I was taking the test with, only one other person completed all of the questions before time was up. I was really shocked at how many questions they said they missed.

bing121086 · 06-07-2006, 01:11 PM

Oh, I'm in CC.

goldcoast · 06-11-2006, 03:04 PM

I like to know if I have a chance at general studies. I went part time

however, I did manage to have a cumitative gpa. What is the

gpa needed for acceptance at gs?

mommusic · 06-11-2006, 03:40 PM

Another group of students in GS (~50) are in the joint program with JTS's List College. They come in right out of high school and work towards two degrees, with requirements for one serving as electives for the other.

GS standards are high--they do not accept a 5 on AP English in lieu of Freshman Comp or whatever they call it, but require passing their own test (or maybe it's Columbia's test--I'm unclear on that.) It's supposed to be very difficult but my daughter, who got a 5 and also 800 on SATII Writing, did pass it. So yes, GS students are up there with the best and brightest.

needtogetintoCU · 06-12-2006, 01:42 AM

Hi my name is Josh.
I did ok in high school with 3.3 GPA and 1100 on the SATS. I knew I couldnt get into a columbia. I feel I have a chance now because I have currently at 3.46 GPA at Hofstra University in Long Island NY.( I was taking advance political classes- classes that are suppose to taken during senior year) I recently taken an internship at mediation/arbitration company which I met this mediator which I am hoping for him to write a recommendation for me. He graduated from Columbia and Columbia law. He is also partner in one of the top ten law firms in country and represented very famous clients too when he was praticing law. I am also getting this recommendation from a professor who was previously a contracts law at merril lynch. So the question I am asking what does GS look at in terms of getting in. I have to say anything associated with Columbia is pretigious that why they dont call it ivy for no reason. I am just scared I wont get in- any advice for someone who trying to transfer out. I really want a columbia degree because I want envy when ppl see it and I want to get into columbia law school.

P.S. Does sending in a picture really mean anything thanks.

tomcat21 · 06-12-2006, 06:50 PM

Hey needtogetintoCU,

Basically Columbia GS is CU's money making venture. The idea is let students take the courses but offer no aid and your making nothing but profit. You probably have a good chance of getting in. GS has a really high acceptance rate compared to CC. But they still get a lot of apps and I have a friend who used to be on the admissions committee. She said that GS looks for personality, ability to adapt quickly and a damn good reason why you are a "non-traditional" student. As for the photo I wouldn't. They just don't care. And someone may think that it is pretentious. Good luck!

needtogetintoCU · 06-13-2006, 01:54 AM

Thanks tomcat21, you making feel my dreams can be reality
I really dont care about the Financial Aid, but I really want the Columbia degree. Any advice for me, to make my chances better for admissions. Do you think my recommendations will be solid and go a long way for me? Second do you have any suggestion that will my application solid and standout. Thanks

Josh

mommusic · 06-13-2006, 06:23 AM

needtogetintoCU--

Those professors may have great credentials, but be sure they will write great recommendations for you. It's better to have a glowing report from someone who has seen your best work, than a lukewarm report from someone famous.

Your app would look better with higher SAT scores. Are you planning to take them again?