The School of General Studies welcomed more than 400 new students at New Student Orientation on August 27, 2012 in Alfred Lerner Hall. Both GS Dean Peter J. Awn and President Lee C. Bollinger provided welcome remarks to new GS students who will be a part of the undergraduate program, as well as students in joint- and dual-degree programs with City University of Hong Kong, List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and the French university Sciences Po.
New students were also introduced to the School of General Studies new Dean of Students, who will assume this role on Sept. 15.
Following Orientation Day, students participated in New Student Orientation week, which included everything from GS-only events like the Speed Meeting event to a trip to the Bronx Zoo and Open Mic night, a part of the New Student Orientation Program open to all three Columbia undergraduate colleges, as well as Barnard College.
An Overview of the Fall 2012 Entering Class
Enrollment
• 413 total new undergraduate students
• 3 new students will be enlisted in Columbia’s new NROTC Program
• 33 GS-JTS Joint Program students
• 47 new students are enrolling in the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po (9 who are starting their third year of the Program here at Columbia today, and 38 first-years who are matriculating at their assigned campuses in France)
• 4 students are entering as part of the Dual Degree Pilot Program Between City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University.
Demographics
• Age range: 17 to 69 years old
• Women: 42%
• Men: 58%
• Marital status: 8% of new students are married
• Dependents: 4% of new students have children
• US residents hail from 29 states.
Citizenship
• 27% of the incoming students are international students
• 42 foreign countries are represented
• New international students come from as close as Canada and as far away as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kenya
Educational Paths
• Enrolling at GS to earn a second BA degree: 4%
• First-generation college students: 23%
• Educational Break: At least one person has a 37-year break in their educational path.
• 81% are enrolling with transfer credits
Occupations
This year’s class includes professional actors, dancers and musicians, marketing professionals, IT professionals, writers, small business owners, chefs, an Olympian, and a gemologist, to name a few.
Military Service
84 have served in the Armed Forces in either the US or their own country
• US Military: 69 (29–Marine Corps, 15–Army, 15–Navy, 10–Air Force ); 59 new students are expected to be supported by the Yellow Ribbon Program
• Foreign Armed Forces: 15 (8–Israeli Defense Forces, 4–Republic of Korea Armed Forces, 3–Singapore Armed Forces)
