Questions For Columbia Pre-Meds

jae221
Mon, 28 Oct 2013 01:28:33 +0000

Hi, I’d just like to preface this post by saying that I’ve searched some pre-med posts for Columbia online. Most of what I’ve gathered, however, have been tidbits extracted from threads such as “Pre-Med at Yale vs. Columbia vs. MIT” and the like. So what I’d really like to know is the perspectives of current students and alumni who have been through/have experience with the pre-med program at Columbia. For them I have a few questions:


How cutthroat is the pre-med atmosphere at Columbia?
How much time does the average pre-med have to pursue outside activities (i.e.: volunteering, part-time jobs, internships) during the school year?
Opinions on Columbia’s Pre-Med advising? Specifically, does Columbia screen students it feels aren’t strong enough applicants?
In terms of research: Is it common for undergrads to work hands-on with their profs, or are they mostly relegated to menial tasks like washing beakers and petri dishes? Do any undergrads get published in scientific journals for their research?