Start Right Away
Planning your future is one of the first steps that you should take as a Columbia student. It is important to ask yourself right away if after graduation you plan to continue the career you have already been cultivating, start a new career, attend graduate or professional school, engage in research opportunities or fellowships, enter the military, or seek a volunteer opportunity such as the Peace Corps or Teach for America.
Resources
Planning your future can be daunting. The good news is that you will be supported along the way. Your Columbia education will open many doors for you, and there are many resources on campus and off campus to help you get started.
Your GS Advisor
The GS Dean of Students Office is an excellent resource for learning about what programs and events are being offered to help you explore career paths or prepare for graduate or professional school.
Your advisor will help you navigate the University's many offices such as the Center for Career Education and Graduate School Coaching. It's also important to read the twice-weekly News and Announcements email for news about upcoming deadlines and information sessions. These announcements are also listed on the Undergraduate News and Announcements page.
The Columbia Alumni Association
As a Columbia University School of General Studies student, you have access to a network of intelligent, sophisticated individuals that spans the globe and has the strong bond of a Columbia education in common. The Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) has chapters all around the world, and the Online Alumni Community allows graduates from all of Columbia's schools to maintain existing relationships and make new contacts anywhere in the world.
In addition to the CAA, you are a member of the General Studies Alumni Association (GSAA), which collectively strives to enhance the GS experience for alumni from the beginning of their Columbia journey as students throughout their lives as members of the worldwide Columbia University community.
There are also great networking opportunities here in New York City. With many of the world's industries, including publishing, fashion, and finance centered here, Columbia students have unique access to countless internships at some of the world's most interesting and innovative companies, as well as the chance to mingle with alumni in professions like law or medicine at monthly dinners sponsored by the GSAA.
Your Professors
As a GS student you will be studying with some of the most respected academics in the world. If you are interested in graduate or professional school, be sure to approach your professor during their office hours and express your interest in pursuing a subject further.
Your professor may be your best resource for learning about which graduate schools specialize in the area that you are most interested in and what steps you should be taking to prepare for graduate study such as research opportunities, independent studies, fellowships, or teaching assistantships. If you have questions about how to approach your professors, please reach out to your advisor.