jharper Posted March 19, 2015 Posted March 19, 2015 @jillchristine how many people are typically in each class? MSWHopeful000 1
RiemannForBeginners Posted March 20, 2015 Posted March 20, 2015 I'm in! No letter or email, but it updated on the website "allllllll the way in the application"
socialworkette Posted March 21, 2015 Author Posted March 21, 2015 Ok let's chat. Who went to the Admitted Students Day on campus today? Thoughts? It seemed to be quite a good turnout but was definitely a long day. I'd already accepted their offer for admission so I didn't need to be "sold" on anything but I did come away with good information and being able to get the current students' input on classes, housing, method areas, etc was helpful.
chilly8 Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 I went and hated it. I felt like everyone was too pretentious, and not realistic. They made it seem like Columbia was so amazing and you were gonna get a stellar job meanwhile when I asked about the salary of grads they said 45k. I went to NYU right after and it was a much better fit. The area is much more lively than the Columbia campus.
RiemannForBeginners Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 chilly, I didn't go today but watched the live stream. I had the same feeling as you when I went there a few months ago for an information session: great on paper but kind of obnoxious in person. I'm curious (since the livestream did not work until 3pm): were there any faculty members running or answering questions during the morning sessions or was it all administrative staff?
chilly8 Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 Riemann, I am so glad you felt the same way. I thought I was the only one who was annoyed by their viewpoint. I am graduating from a state school where people are much more down to earth and I honestly am praying I get into Hunter because the people are much more realistic than the ivy league. It is a huge switch from public to ivy league. There were faculty members there who did a panel, there were four who ran each "concentration". When one was asked a question she replied "you don't have to worry about anything you have Columbia on your resume". I really didn't like the feel at all and couldn't justify taking out 90k in loans for the school that I already didn't like. I like NYU much much better, the students are much nicer, Greenwich village is an amazing location and it's a clinical only program. Def will be declining Columbia based on the vibe I got today.
RiemannForBeginners Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 chilly, Thanks for the details! Wow, I can't believe they said that. I did part of my undergrad at Columbia and they were actually great so I was surprised to see how different CSSW was, especially since we are talking about social work and there's some expectation for some humility and self-awareness. BTW, I do not want to disparage anyone who is going to Columbia because obviously they are a good school - just not a cultural fit for me. Hope you get into Hunter! Best of luck! I've heard only great things about Hunter. Riemann, I am so glad you felt the same way. I thought I was the only one who was annoyed by their viewpoint. I am graduating from a state school where people are much more down to earth and I honestly am praying I get into Hunter because the people are much more realistic than the ivy league. It is a huge switch from public to ivy league. There were faculty members there who did a panel, there were four who ran each "concentration". When one was asked a question she replied "you don't have to worry about anything you have Columbia on your resume". I really didn't like the feel at all and couldn't justify taking out 90k in loans for the school that I already didn't like. I like NYU much much better, the students are much nicer, Greenwich village is an amazing location and it's a clinical only program. Def will be declining Columbia based on the vibe I got today.
jharper Posted March 22, 2015 Posted March 22, 2015 I also walked away with a similar impression, Chilly8. I went to NYU on Friday and loved it. An advisor met with me for over an hour and offered really realistic advice as well as her experiences. She didn't give me "the sales pitch" and even said that she wasn't going to do that. Instead we just had a really great conversation followed by a tour. Today at Columbia, I felt like they didn't provide any more info than what is already on their website and instead just relied so much on their name. My two cents is that you might want to use the Columbia name to get ahead if you are a policy person working in government or something but as a future clinician my clients aren't going to care that I went to an Ivy or not- they just want the best service possible and I feel like I will get a stronger clinical education at NYU because that is what they specialize in. I had been hearing from professors in my current BSW program that they don't hold Columbia in any special high regard and that in fact they know it is not as rigorous or amazing as you think it would be. Also, Columbia SSW is a huge research program so that is what their focus and effort is in- publications (not all professors, but most). Some schools like Smith College is just a teaching school so you'd be learning from professors who are there because they want to shape the next generation of social workers and teach, not work on research or other things. I just really liked NYU and have always heard very positive things so I feel really good in my decision because I know I've done everything (talk to students, professors, advisors, etc.) to make an informed decision. For those who choose Columbia, I totally respect your decision and know you will also get a good education and be successful! Good luck to all!
MissyTee Posted March 23, 2015 Posted March 23, 2015 Those who went to the Admitted Students Day- thanks for your input. I was wondering what they could possibly fit into 7 hours. I was supposed to go to UPenn Admitted Students Day on that same day but weather made it impossible for me to travel to both New York and Philly. So I'm off to New York today and I'll be attending a short admitted students info session on Wednesday at Columbia and might possibly go tomorrow as well to tour since I'll be staying right near the campus. I'll let you know my thoughts. I've found Columbia's website lacking in terms of information and have gotten a much more warmer vibe from UPenn so it's interesting to hear people's thoughts. Good luck to you all!
jillchristine Posted March 23, 2015 Posted March 23, 2015 @jillchristine how many people are typically in each class? Totally depends on the class, but your practice classes may have 15 and HBSE or research courses anywhere from 20-35. I have found the class sizes pretty manageable, I only had one class towards 30 students, most have been pretty small. jillchristine 1
jharper Posted March 25, 2015 Posted March 25, 2015 Hey friends from this thread who end up choosing NYU for advanced standing- I made a Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/758610267579778/
brooke24 Posted March 31, 2015 Posted March 31, 2015 Ok this is going to sound really odd, but awhile back I started filling out the application for columbia. I ended up filling out the basic information and getting my letters of recommendation in, but then decided not to submit my application. All of the sudden today I get an email saying congratulations on my admission. I'm very confused... did this happen to anyone else?
MSWHopeful000 Posted April 6, 2015 Posted April 6, 2015 That is odd...well, congratulations! hopefully they offer you some good money.
SrirachaC Posted May 16, 2015 Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) So........I went to a admitted students info session today and I really enjoyed it. The faculty was really nice and down to earth. The current students were also very helpful. I didn't know what to expect since I heard mixed reviews about the program but I must admit, I’m in love. I also like that we can take up to 19.5 credits hrs. at a flat rate. So if I wanted to take extra classes from other departments I can. Definitely using this opportunity to work on my Spanish which is becoming a must in our field! I didn't get the uppity air that some people have felt. But I guess everybody’s experience is different. Edited May 16, 2015 by ciara54
hiclub2 Posted June 3, 2015 Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) who is attending Columbia as a transfer student or advanced student? If yes, PM me. I am heading! Edited June 3, 2015 by hiclub2
v_saro Posted June 30, 2015 Posted June 30, 2015 Has anyone on here made the decision between Columbia and USC? If so, why did you choose what you chose?! SO TORN -____-
MSWHopeful000 Posted June 30, 2015 Posted June 30, 2015 Has anyone on here made the decision between Columbia and USC? If so, why did you choose what you chose?! SO TORN -____- I chose Columbia for two reasons: 1) They offered me much more in scholarship money. As an advanced standing student, USC only offered me a max of $9,000. They didn't have anything else I could apply for through the school. Their office explicitly stated that there was no way to get more than $9k in scholarship (through the school) as an advanced standing student. 2) Columbia would always respond to my questions in a timely and professional manner. Working with the USC admissions office was a bit of a run-around game.
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