Columbia post bacc

[premedical18]

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Has anyone started Columbia in the spring semester? Does anybody have a sample schedule of classes that worked for them? ANY OTHER COMMENTS about columbia pb would be much appreciated!

 

[njbmd]

Moving to Post Bacc Forum for better replies.

 

[oneandonlylo]

I have posted a great deal about the Columbia postbacc program around the forums... you should be able to find it if you do a search. beyond that, PM me if you have any specific questions...

I started in the fall, but I know people who have successfully started in the spring. I don't know which courses you are looking to take, but I know that Physics I and Calc I are offered in the spring, although you would have to wait until the fall to take Chem I.

 

[nellenellenelle]

🙂 Hi there! I am entering in the spring too and am having the same concerns regarding classes that I am allowed to take. I certainly hope calc 1 and physics 1 are not my only option because being an engineering major myself, retaking those two classes would not be helpful 🙁

On the other hand, I am hoping that some Columbia postbaccs would make some posts about their Columbia experience. I myself have read through pretty much most of the forum threads that mentions Columbia postbaccs and it appears to me that the general comments regarding the program are quite divide: people either really like the program OR they just hate it.

So I really wonder what I am getting myself into starting in January 🙂

 

[Scarlett D]

I just received my acceptance today, I can't believe we're supposed to be there for a post-bac planning session in early December?? Has anyone been to one of these or signed up for an upcoming one? Flying across the country for a quick meeting seems...expensive? I'm actually really excited, just very stressed at the moment.

 

[nellenellenelle]

I just received my acceptance today, I can't believe we're supposed to be there for a post-bac planning session in early December?? Has anyone been to one of these or signed up for an upcoming one? Flying across the country for a quick meeting seems...expensive? I'm actually really excited, just very stressed at the moment.

Hey Scarlett, CONGRATS! I myself am very excited about relocating to NY too! But I'm also having the same dilemma regarding which PPS to attend. I know there's one tomorrow, but since I've been quite overwhelmed with work right now, I double I can make tomorrow's session. However, I know my schedule will be even worse in early December....Meanwhile, I also worry about not being able to get into the class schedule that I prefer if seats run out.

To Columbia postbaccs: does class seat fill up as easily as it is claimed?

 

[transplant]

i just spoke to the dean of the columbia program and basically he told me to defer until the fall. if i start in the spring, my next 2.5 years would look as follows:

sp07: physics 1
su07: physics 2
fa07: general chem 1
sp08: general chem 2
fa08: orgo 1 and bio 1
sp09: orgo 2 and bio 2

though i'll have A LOT of time to do extra-curriculars the first year and half, i'm a bit hesitant.

does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[nellenellenelle]

That is excactly my main concern when it comes to scheduling. Having been an engineering major as an undergrad, I would say I had a pretty solid foundation in physics. So if I enter in the spring and the only option is to take physics 1 because all other classes are not offered off-sequence...that would not be funny.

Preferably, I would love to start off my spring semester with something like: gen chem 2 + bio. But I am not sure if that is allowed.

Does anyone know how flexible the admins are when it comes to getting by this constraint?

i just spoke to the dean of the columbia program and basically he told me to defer until the fall. if i start in the spring, my next 2.5 years would look as follows:

sp07: physics 1
su07: physics 2
fa07: general chem 1
sp08: general chem 2
fa08: orgo 1 and bio 1
sp09: orgo 2 and bio 2

though i'll have A LOT of time to do extra-curriculars the first year and half, i'm a bit hesitant.

does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Scarlett D]

I'm struggling with the classes issue too. It looks like physics and....yeah I'm not sure what else for me. Wanted to add in though that in the info packets I got from Georgetown and Harvard, the same issues were mentioned, so I don't think this is unique to Columbia. 😕

 

[oneandonlylo]

To Columbia postbaccs: does class seat fill up as easily as it is claimed?

Yes, and no. If you're considering registering for the spring, realize that the rest of the university has already registered for classes, and some things may already be full. That said, there's a ton of switching that goes on at the beginning of January when registration reopens. So while things may be full now, things will open up. Plus, persistence often pays off, and really pushing to get in a course (continually attending, always with an add/drop form) will usually work. It's stressful, but it works.

That said, for those of you considering attending PPS, first of congrats 🙂 Second off, definitely, if you can, try to come sooner. You can't register without attending one, and you may regret delaying this if it limits the sections that are open by the time you can register.

Finally, nelle, I can't vouch for this for certain, but I'm pretty sure that Columbia is pretty strict with taking Orgo and Bio concurrently, because they feel that it proves something to med schools (don't ask me what). Not to say it isn't worth a shot, but I can't say that I've ever heard of anyone being allowed to do this. If you've taken Gen Chem I already, I don't see why they wouldn't let you start straight away with Gen Chem II. Also don't forget that you are looking at taking Chem Lab as well, which is a full 3 credit course totally separate from the lecture courses.

To those of you trying to figure out scheduling issues, I am definitely with you on being put off by the idea of spreading the coursework out so far... I'm sure I wouldn't have wanted to do it. On the other hand, juggling Calculus, Physics, Physics Lab and Chem I has proven to be nearly too much, and I know that those people taking Chem Lab on top of it are having a really hard time. It's possible that taking less classes would definitely allow us to perform better, so it's definitely something to consider.

Hope this helps.

 

[nellenellenelle]

Hi oneandonlylo.

Thanks a lot for being so helpful! I am so looking forward to my fresh start at columbia.

any way, right now I am still trying to figure out what are my available options when it comes to picking classes. you know...planning ahead and coming up with the best schedule is very critical, but it can be hard especially for new comers like us. because there are so many options available and we, being new to this system, are just simply overwhelmed.

so i'm just woderig if there exists some sort of website that evaluates the different classes at columbia. I am talking about sites where students make evaluations about professors, course load, course organization, etc. doesn't have to be officia. It will help a lot in selecting classes and estimatig course load.

 

[Haqiqa]

hey -

just a question re: starting Chem II at Columbia in the spring - does Chem II build on Chem I? Is it important to have taken Chem I recently in order to do Chem II, or does the material stand on its own?

If they allow you to jump into Chem II, please let me know!

 

[oneandonlylo]

Hi oneandonlylo.

so i'm just woderig if there exists some sort of website that evaluates the different classes at columbia. I am talking about sites where students make evaluations about professors, course load, course organization, etc. doesn't have to be officia. It will help a lot in selecting classes and estimatig course load.

Check out http://culpa.info/

it has most of the professors with student written evaluations, and it's very thorough

re: Gen Chem II, to be honest I'm not really sure what it deals with, and likely won't know until I get there in the spring. I'd assume it builds on things somewhat, but your guess is probably as good as mine. Sorry!