Columbia Programs for High School Students

Indian students represent the second largest international student body in the United States. With more and more students looking to go abroad for higher education, the admissions process can be complex and competitive. Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai hosted two virtual programs with Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies designed for high school students looking to navigate the undergraduate admissions arena on February 18 and March 22, 2022.

With a faculty of over 4,000 professors across 20 schools, Columbia University offers one of the world’s most rigorous and sought-after academic experiences.  The first program, an interactive information session, was conducted by Anita Weiss and Michelle Gauman, both admissions officers for pre-college programs at the university. It gave high school students, parents and educators a chance to learn more about the university’s Summer Immersion Program. This immersion program gives students in grades 8-12 the exciting opportunity to join the university for a summer and operates in both in-person and online modalities. Students get to become part of a rich community and create meaningful friendships and experiences through its cohort and alumni networks.  Over 40% of those enrolled in the program from previous batches are international students. Apart from being part of an accomplished peer group, one of the main draws to join the program is the opportunity for students to challenge themselves with Ivy League level academics.  With more than 70 courses offered, from engineering to creative writing, students can delve into a plethora of options, depending on their unique interests and goals, along with a host of co-curricular activities that better prepare them for college life, including talks on career skills and admissions.  The program also offers co-curricular courses, such as leadership in a diverse world and cross-cultural community building, giving equal importance to their holistic development. One of the hallmarks of studying at Columbia is getting a chance to experience the rich culture and arts of New York City.  The program includes activities such as supervised excursions and visits to world-class museums, musicals and plays, and other sites of cultural and historic significance to expand learnings outside the classroom.  After experiencing a fulfilling summer of study and beyond, students receive a certificate of participation from Columbia as well as a personalized letter of evaluation from an instructor. 

The second session, a college essay writing workshop, gave a glimpse into one of the many skilling modules offered as part of the Summer Immersion Program.  It was conducted by Anita Weiss, currently the Assistant Director of Recruitment for Pre-College Programs at the university, who was an appellate attorney and ran a private college consultation service specializing in teaching students how to write college application essays for over a decade. Comparing the process to writing poetry where every word counted, Ms. Weiss detailed the many nuances and considerations that went into crafting a stellar college application essay.  Her presentation included guidelines on molding a first draft, revising, editing and finalizing an essay that would help students put their best foot forward and stand apart from the bevy of applications that admissions officers examined in their quest to find the most suitable applicants to their institution.

The sessions included interactive question and answer segments where participants shared more about their specific concerns and received detailed replies.  Following the warm response, the Center will continue to partner with Columbia University’s various schools to host more such programs for students.