| Topic Name: |
Columbia University |
| Message Name: |
Good school |
| Date Posted: |
01/20/2000 |
| Message: |
I think that your selection of Columbia's General Studies program was a fantastic selection.
I think Reins assertion that Columbia is a second-tier Ivy League institution is highly polemical. While, I think that this is an accurate assessment of several to many of Columbia's graduate programs, the quality of the undergraduate education is exceptional. With the exception of a few first-year introductory classes, most classes have a seminar-like structure and are taught by many of the University's most distinguished and knowledgeable professors.
Many other quality institutions focus resources and energy on their graduate programs at the expense of undergrad students. Columbia has explicitly prioritized undergraduate education.
Furthermore, General Studies is a great program for receiving a quality education a little later in life. All but a few undergraduate classes are available to GS students. (Unfortunately, however, CC undergrads can be a tad snooty and look down their noses at GS students.)
I don't want to suggest, however, that the University is without fault. The administration is infamous for being bureaucratic, slow, and unfair. Many alumni, who have had extremely favorable academic experiences, refuse to give money solely on this basis. Moreover, most undergraduates find the campus social life to be inadequate. This is to be expected. NYC events and cultures fragment the undergraduate community and disrupt the "typical" college social experience. But, as an older student, I would think that this would be less of a concern for you.
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