Harvard or Columbia - Where would you go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Much easier as a legacy to get into Harvard than Columbia.

This is why MIT students aren’t impressed by Harvard. All MIT students are qualified to be where they are. Not true with all Harvard students.

Who cares? MIT admits a lot of kids turned down by other Ivies.

Yeah, because the Ivies look at a lot of non-academic factors i.e. legacy status, parent's donations to the school, etc. when admitting students. MIT doesn't.

Not PP here but the kids you're talking about only make up a small percentage. The vast majority are not there through those means. I don't have a dog in the fight of MIT vs. Harvard, but hearing people label every Harvard kid like that is very frustrating.

33% legacy is not a small percentage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Columbia submits and fully advertises the GPA and test scores for each of its undergraduate divisions. There is no skullduggery. Anyone can read these”

Really now? So 3,000 students, aged 25 and up have their GPA and test scores listed? 1/3 of the undergraduate student body who are in SGS, are taking classes alongside with the rest of their peers and you say they have this information readily available? I’m trying to find the the GPA’s and scores for students enrolled in the SGS. Can you help me out please?

Lol go away. Every university has its extension school.

Hear that SGS students. You’re enrolled in an extension school. I bet you’re surprised to hear that,

NP. They’re not the least surprised to hear that. They know they aren’t part of Columbia College. What did Columbia do to hurt you?

DC went to Columbia College (refused to apply to Harvard) and liked it a lot. But it is really intense and has lots of required classes in literature etc. Columbia pushed DC to new levels and DC emerged with an incredible work ethic. But if you want a more laid back experience, Harvard is probably the way to go. Neither school takes dumb kids and OP’s kid will be challenged at either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“ Are the students at the College as good as at HYPSM, if tat is what you are asking ? Yes, probably to definitely.”

This is where I disagree with you. If 1/3 of the undergraduates are matriculating after the age of 25, it should be safe to assume that most of these students are not of the same caliber as those matriculating at HYPSM as 18 year olds. Those schools, all of them, do not have 1/3 of their enrollment wrapped up with untraditional students.

If it makes you feel any better, I went to Harvard and there are definitely some dummies there.

[Anonymous]

Harvard has a lot of legacy kids and a lot of kids from prestigious and influential families. Who you are family-wise is probably why 50% of the kids are at Harvard. This was recently explained to me by a friend who teaches at Harvard. It was enough of a turnoff to my kid that he refused to apply. He ultimately chose MIT and is happy there. He said MIT kids don’t mix with Harvard hardly at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ Are the students at the College as good as at HYPSM, if tat is what you are asking ? Yes, probably to definitely.”

This is where I disagree with you. If 1/3 of the undergraduates are matriculating after the age of 25, it should be safe to assume that most of these students are not of the same caliber as those matriculating at HYPSM as 18 year olds. Those schools, all of them, do not have 1/3 of their enrollment wrapped up with untraditional students.

If it makes you feel any better, I went to Harvard and there are definitely some dummies there.

Yes, I agree. I was shocked how sub-par some of the kids were. Not sure how they got in. Although some were most definitely athletes. Much lower admittance bar for athletes. But Columbia probably has the same issue. I was poor and mostly hung out with the poor kids. The ultra wealthy and politically elite kids had their own groups. Blacks mostly hung out together. Same as most college campuses I guess. I work for the federal government now so not sure the Harvard name did me much good. Although random people still seem impressed I went to Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard has a lot of legacy kids and a lot of kids from prestigious and influential families. Who you are family-wise is probably why 50% of the kids are at Harvard. This was recently explained to me by a friend who teaches at Harvard. It was enough of a turnoff to my kid that he refused to apply. He ultimately chose MIT and is happy there. He said MIT kids don’t mix with Harvard hardly at all

I heard MIT kids don’t think too highly of Harvard. MIT is not a school you can buy into.

[Anonymous]

“ NP. They’re not the least surprised to hear that. They know they aren’t part of Columbia College. What did Columbia do to hurt you? ”

Not a thing. The SGS is not an extension program. That is my point. Students there can take just about every class that is offered at Columbia College. Extension students aren’t so lucky. The fact remains, that up to 1/3 of Columbia’s undergraduate population are taking actual classes with Columbia College students. That’s a huge percentage of students of which Columbia does not report statistics to USNews. Their lofty rankings are somewhat based off the fact that a large amount of students, as smart as they could possibly be, are living off the reputation of the remaking 2/3’s who came in as true freshman. Do you think all universities are doing this at such a high rate? Im certain very few of the students in SGS would be admitted to Columbia College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“ NP. They’re not the least surprised to hear that. They know they aren’t part of Columbia College. What did Columbia do to hurt you? ”

Not a thing. The SGS is not an extension program. That is my point. Students there can take just about every class that is offered at Columbia College. Extension students aren’t so lucky. The fact remains, that up to 1/3 of Columbia’s undergraduate population are taking actual classes with Columbia College students. That’s a huge percentage of students of which Columbia does not report statistics to USNews. Their lofty rankings are somewhat based off the fact that a large amount of students, as smart as they could possibly be, are living off the reputation of the remaking 2/3’s who came in as true freshman. Do you think all universities are doing this at such a high rate? Im certain very few of the students in SGS would be admitted to Columbia College.

NP here. Give it up already. You are such a bore. How many times will you make the same point. Nobody cares. School of General Studies is obviously separate. If my kid gets into Columbia and ends up going, it seems pretty cool if he has some military vets in his classes. Much nicer than just a bubble of sjw elite students. It seems like a plus to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard has a lot of legacy kids and a lot of kids from prestigious and influential families. Who you are family-wise is probably why 50% of the kids are at Harvard. This was recently explained to me by a friend who teaches at Harvard. It was enough of a turnoff to my kid that he refused to apply. He ultimately chose MIT and is happy there. He said MIT kids don’t mix with Harvard hardly at all

I heard MIT kids don’t think too highly of Harvard. MIT is not a school you can buy into.

Really? Here is a former MIT adcom who says they do development admits also

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2019/03/13/confessions-former-admissions-director/qPQppf0AhpJIbIJ8mZ6q9L/story.html

"In truth, for every office of admissions there is a development office that builds a university’s endowment through donations from alumni and wealthy individuals."

Chris from MIT, a trusted and frequent poster on CC, says they don't give legacy preference, but stops short on development admits.

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/just-to-be-clear-we-dont-do-legacy/

So I don't think your statement is true.

[Anonymous]

Definitely NOT Columbia. Who wants their children living in a danger place for 4 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard has a lot of legacy kids and a lot of kids from prestigious and influential families. Who you are family-wise is probably why 50% of the kids are at Harvard. This was recently explained to me by a friend who teaches at Harvard. It was enough of a turnoff to my kid that he refused to apply. He ultimately chose MIT and is happy there. He said MIT kids don’t mix with Harvard hardly at all

I heard MIT kids don’t think too highly of Harvard. MIT is not a school you can buy into.

Really? Here is a former MIT adcom who says they do development admits also

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2019/03/13/confessions-former-admissions-director/qPQppf0AhpJIbIJ8mZ6q9L/story.html

"In truth, for every office of admissions there is a development office that builds a university’s endowment through donations from alumni and wealthy individuals."

Chris from MIT, a trusted and frequent poster on CC, says they don't give legacy preference, but stops short on development admits.

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/just-to-be-clear-we-dont-do-legacy/

So I don't think your statement is true.

Wow, are you unemployed after Columbia general studies rejected you? That’s a lot of “research” you are doing. I hope someone’s paying you for all your “work.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard has a lot of legacy kids and a lot of kids from prestigious and influential families. Who you are family-wise is probably why 50% of the kids are at Harvard. This was recently explained to me by a friend who teaches at Harvard. It was enough of a turnoff to my kid that he refused to apply. He ultimately chose MIT and is happy there. He said MIT kids don’t mix with Harvard hardly at all

I heard MIT kids don’t think too highly of Harvard. MIT is not a school you can buy into.

Really? Here is a former MIT adcom who says they do development admits also

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2019/03/13/confessions-former-admissions-director/qPQppf0AhpJIbIJ8mZ6q9L/story.html

"In truth, for every office of admissions there is a development office that builds a university’s endowment through donations from alumni and wealthy individuals."

Chris from MIT, a trusted and frequent poster on CC, says they don't give legacy preference, but stops short on development admits.

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/just-to-be-clear-we-dont-do-legacy/

So I don't think your statement is true.

Wow, are you unemployed after Columbia general studies rejected you? That’s a lot of “research” you are doing. I hope someone’s paying you for all your “work.”

+1. Research is for suckers. What you pull out of your ass is much more reliable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ NP. They’re not the least surprised to hear that. They know they aren’t part of Columbia College. What did Columbia do to hurt you? ”

Not a thing. The SGS is not an extension program. That is my point. Students there can take just about every class that is offered at Columbia College. Extension students aren’t so lucky. The fact remains, that up to 1/3 of Columbia’s undergraduate population are taking actual classes with Columbia College students. That’s a huge percentage of students of which Columbia does not report statistics to USNews. Their lofty rankings are somewhat based off the fact that a large amount of students, as smart as they could possibly be, are living off the reputation of the remaking 2/3’s who came in as true freshman. Do you think all universities are doing this at such a high rate? Im certain very few of the students in SGS would be admitted to Columbia College.

NP here. Give it up already. You are such a bore. How many times will you make the same point. Nobody cares. School of General Studies is obviously separate. If my kid gets into Columbia and ends up going, it seems pretty cool if he has some military vets in his classes. Much nicer than just a bubble of sjw elite students. It seems like a plus to me.[/quote

Columbia is overrated at USNWR. They are not a top five school.

[Anonymous]

Harvard fo sure.

[Anonymous]

To the fellow who keeps bashing GS :

You are ignoring the fact that Columbia College deans would not permit anything to harm the quality of education of its undergraduates coming from a traditional high school background. Its number one priority at the College, just as the website says is to maximize the best educational training and opportunities possible for its undergraduates.

The deans are world-class leaders in education at the College and there is no way that they permit even for a second a watering down of the education of thier undergraduates. The College program prides itself in being the best in studructured undergraduate education and invests mega-millions in its core requirements. No one and no leading academic would let his/her integrity and the institution's integrity be compromised by a dilution iin the educational experience. why are you selling them short ?

The College is the fifth oldest undergaduate institution in the nation. No committed academic leader or university president would tamper with that status or compromise the enormous resources iinvested in the College's undergraduate programs, incluing its vaunted core.

After Columbia College, I studied on a scholarship at University of Oxford. Both were absolutely stunning educational experiences with wonderful training and sharp -diamond-like minds. However, Columbia was the better of the two with more resources invested in the undergraduates, greater access to intellectual and cultural opportunities. The Bodlian Library at Oxford is a world leader, and Columbia's libraries are similar. The vibes of earnest scholarship felt and seen in the two library systems were no different. Who cares if a GS student is studying in the library.

I have no idea what your resentment is about, but the GS program is fine and no College student I have ever known has ever complained about GS students on campus; nor have I ever seen any literature anywhere about GS on the Columbia campus other than excellent reviews.

As an undergraduate I met veterans who opened my eyes about conflict in little-known parts of the world, a journalist, and a retired artist. Fantastic supplementary experiences which made m appreciate as a 21 year old College junior what the world is like after college, and made me work even harder at the things in life which are important. They are a blessing to developing any undergraduate's world-view.