<p>Hey there, CollegeConfIvy. Here’s what I have for your comments.</p>
<p>“…You seem to have a lot of questions about the disparity between these colleges,…”</p>
<p>Actually, no I don’t - my questions were rhetorical.</p>
<p>“…Am I to take from this that students who spend time at a community college are unworthy of a Columbia education?..”</p>
<p>God, you’re a drama queen. Let me explain the point: No Ivy League school goes to community colleges to recruit students. In fact, No Ivy Leagues goes to ANY school to recruit students - ever -; except for the so called Ivy League Columbia GS. Instead of going off on some ramble about worthyness and talent, and providing students with a chance to succeed, remember that you said so yourself that you are in debt for attending GS. Community College students make great suckers for shiny titles like “Hello there sir, madam, would you like to become an Ivy League Student? JOIN COLUMBIA GS!” Enough said? And PLEASE, spare me the part where you’re something special or that community college students are talented - they are not. Everyone is the same, and the hardest-working cookie gets ahead, plain and simple.</p>
<p>“GS is a very small school and has a very unique program, perhaps because it caters to a minority population.” You’re right! It does cater to a minority population. With an exceptance rate of nearly 50%, guess what population that is? THE PAYING ONE! BINGO! So while you’re hooked on GS’s BS altruistic attempt to increase funding for you and other GS students, remember their goal: to goad in people who have cash, or that can take out enough loans to attend a pseudo-Ivy League. THAT’S why their aid is based on Merit and not need, and I guarantee you that even a stellar Valedictorian from a community college doesn’t get a free ride. </p>
<p>“All students who have taken a break between school and college are encouraged to apply to GS”. Yeah, thanks for the copy & paste there, sir Seaches-a-lot. The point behind my rhetorical question has for basis to show you blindfolded people that Columbia wants transfer students from community colleges and adults FAR AWAY from its main College. Noble of them isn’t it? As for the lack of merit, the answer lies with acceptance: if one of two idiots can get into GS, why the HELL would I want to attend a school where 50% of the students are idiots? Remember, 47% acceptance rate - it’s not like you’re putting a camel through a needle.</p>
<p>“The diploma for each of the undergraduate colleges is different”. Of course it’s different, and that’s the whole point. GS is NOT Columbia College, or a Science/Engineering branch of Columbia, nor the Law school or the Medical - GS is just continuing education, under the guise of “Ivy League” title! THAT’S IT! And you ask why is it less prestigious? LOL, I’ll repeat myself: is there prestige in gaining entrance to a school where every other person is accepted? Besides, read this thread. Sometimes people assert how “employers won’t know the difference between Columbia College and GS”… lol, in my opinion, who cares? What’s the point of buying your way in into a pseudo-Ivy League if the whole point is to prove your worth by being admitted through restrict and demanding academics/extra-curricular activities, competing with other highly-qualified individuals?</p>
<p>“Are you equating the HES with GS?” Nope - just making sure that no one will use it as an example to tell me “HES” is also Ivy League - because it’s not.</p>
<p>As per the part where you didn’t understand, I can explain it easily. Unless you work hard and you’re top 1% of your class, don’t expect to attend a real Ivy League. If you do expect to attend an Ivy League, put in the work for it. As per GS, which is what I call a “pseudo” Ivy League, well, you pay the price (or half the price, in your case).</p>
<p>You mentioned how attending Columbia GS means a lot. What you meant to say is: “attending GS means a lot TO ME”, because unlike Columbia College students, you probably don’t have the grades nor the extracurricular activities to gain entrace into a real Ivy League school (or you would have applied for admissions into Columbia College instead, where they offer need-blind aid, right?) And uh, cry me a river on the minority issue - I’m minority as well.</p>
<p>As for students going to top graduate programs, I certainly hope that GS has at least a handful of bright people, or the whole system is doomed. Just so you know, every school (as mediocre as it may be) must have a valedictorian and salutatorian - GS is not special in that sense.</p>
<p>Sorry buddy, but the fact remains: GS is not Columbia College. Its admission criteria is roughly 50% (which is sad if we are calling it an Ivy League, since every other Ivy is less than 10%). And, it doesn’t offer need-blind aid. </p>
<p>You are, in short, paying top money to earn the distinction of an Ivy Student when you have not earned it. The common argument against this assertion is the poor excuse of having the same classes as regular columbia college students. </p>
<p>If you’re dissapointed or enraged regarding my post, then ask yourself why. You’re not mad because you think I’m a ■■■■■ - you’re mad because you know I am right.</p>