columbia
Columbia University Graduation!!!! Class of 2012!!!! This was the most fun I’ve ever, ever had at a ceremony. It was incredible.
Q&A: Columbia’s Core and Supplement
I have been looking into University in America (I’m from Ireland) and I’m a bit confused about some things. What is the “Core Curriculum” in Columbia? I’ve read through the page and I still don’t understand it! Do you have to pick one area of study and only pick classes from that area? With the personal essays on the CommonApp and in the supplements what exactly are they trying to find out? When applying, is it better to stand out as your own unique person or is it better to show them how you would fir into their College Community? I am so sorry for the bombardment but I hope you can help me! Your previous posts have been a great help! Thanks :)
No problem, I am happy to help!
The Core at Columbia will be about 1/3 of the classes you take. Some of them are 100% required classes that every single undergraduate student at Columbia takes. Then there are a couple requirements that you have to fulfill, such as a foreign language or physical education requirement, that you can pick a class from a list. Apart from the Core, you will have required classes within your specific majors and you will still have some space to take electives. The point of the Core is to open your mind about society and I truly believe that it is knowledge that every educated and cultured person should know. From what I gathered on the tours, the Core was one of the main reasons people picked Columbia and it really managed to bring the entire undergraduate student body together since they were all taking the same classes.
As for the personal essays, it is very important to show them what makes you stand out from the other 30,000 applicants, while seeming like a person that others would get a long with. The college community is full of unique people, so being an individual and fitting in are not mutually exclusive.
I will show my own answers to the Columbia supplement after the jump.
I’m officially attending the Columbia Summer High School Program! Is anyone else going?
I’m taking the Advanced Creative Writing course, by the way, and I’m super excited!
Columbia U version of that Kanye West & Jay-Z song. Good stuff! H/T to @LinwoodRose.
