<p>Some of the core courses were clearly recycled from the system that was in place when I was there, others seemed more like the original intention which was to emphasize ways of thinking more than the actual facts. The idea was to get away from surveys. Personally I benefitted from a mix - small freshmen seminars, big lectures with famous guys like John Finlay and the group that taught Chinese history. The guy who did the intro physics course in my day is still teaching the same course though it has a new name. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.</p>
<p>WesDad, you are totally wrong. I’m pretty sure that I could have gotten into at least one of HYP, considering that I got into a Scholars program ED at Columbia. I genuinely wanted to be in NYC and did in fact like the core curriculum since it would make me explore classes beyond my intended major and even let me stumble upon something else I might be passionate about. Just because you’re at Columbia doesn’t mean that you couldn’t get into those other schools. Some people, if they are truly wise, value fit over prestige. By the way, I know of people who got into Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, but not Columbia.</p>