What type of candidates is Columbia interested in admitting to this program?

I've already taken Calculus I. Is it recommended that I still take the GRE?

Are bridge applications reviewed on a rolling basis, or will your team only respond to applications after the March deadline?

Will you be focusing more on quant part or the verbal part of the GRE?

Can we indicate on the application that we are interested in either the summer or fall term?

For students with non-STEM undergrad degrees, what makes for a strong academic LOR from faulty members in the humanities?

Is this all in person?

I know you said you don't sponsor F-1 visas, but I'm currently on OPT on an F-1 visa. Can I join the program with an I-20 transfer?

Will summer session courses be scheduled in a way where students will be able to do that while also working a full-time internship?

What are some examples of Non-CS courses MS students have counted toward their degree in the past?

How are courses waived? Based off of past courses taken during undergrad, experiences, certificates?

Will there be financial aid for this program?

What are the exact caveats for international students in terms of visa requirements?

I saw that 2.5% of students move onto a PhD. My goal is to eventually work in AI safety at places such as MIRI, CHAI, and Open AI. Would this program still be a good fit for my plan since I would likely need a PhD for this field.

Is a CS-minor too much of a background?

What types of references do you recommend (especially if we’ve been out of college for a while? Can we use professional references in our current field)

Hello, I am majoring in a BBA in Computer Information Systems and have taken courses such as Calculus 1 and 2, Linear Algebra and some object oriented programming classes with some experience in Programming. Would I be eligible to participate in the program. I am an international student as well

To Jinhee: What are some advice to applicants who currently work in the financial services industry? What made you want to switch from accounting to CS? Thank you!

Hi there, thank you for holding this session. 1) What is the total tuition for this program? 2) How many years does the program total? Is that flexible?

What is the average time to completion for the MSCS degree upon enrollment in Bridge?

Is a degree in Information Technology and Informatics considered too much of a background in CS?

Three ?s!* Please talk about faculty (who are you, please?) and ratio and connection / involvement w/ students* Are there examples of other “personalized” tracks so far?* Could you talk about what the Masters then looks like — will it feel like more of the same or something else? Thanks!

Before we officially choose a master’s track, do we have the opportunity to explore the classes in the tracks?

Do students typically work part time during the bridge, given the coursework is part time?

I found online that tuition for graduate courses is $2,104 per credit point. Does this same cost apply to bridge courses?

Also, please, what’s the average age of students, and what’s the cost by the time you finish the Master’s? Thank you.

Does acceptance into the bridge program also count as acceptance into MS program or will you need to apply to both?

Hey Jinhee, finance undergraduate here and I'm curious about your experience at Columbia. How have you found the transition into CS? Also, Randolph, do bridge students normally pursue internships in the summer after their first year of bridge coursework? Are there any resources to support this process? Thanks in advance :-)

My other school applications are for Spring 2021 and I will need to make a decision on them long before my CS@CU application would even be reviewed, if they aren't reviewed until March. Is there some exception that can be made for people in my case?

If we're working in the software industry now but have a non-CS background, would we still be good candidates for this program?

I see many good questions here :). I see one or two questions that are addressed to me. Please let me know if there are any questions you want me to answer from current student’s point of view.

Due to the visa requirements, can international students take the bridge portion of the program as full-time students or complete the bridge as part-time students online?

I know you said that this program is designed for people with non-tech backgrounds. I am a former economics major, currently working in tech as an engineer, but I am self taught and eager to study CS an academic setting, particularly in the field of machine learning. Is there a place in the program for people in my situation?

What is the recommended timing for taking the GRE?

Are applications reviewed on a rolling basis?

I have a minor in CS and have completed most of the courses in the bridge program but have not worked in CS related field since graduation. I will benefit from taking some of the courses in the bridge portion since I graduated 7 years ago. My question is, will I be eligible for the bridge program since I have taken most of the courses as part of my CS Minor.

Will the cohort within this program have the same job opportunities as those in the regular MS program? I know some schools separate the job opportunities such as job fairs between part time and full time MBA students

Did I hear you say this is not an online program?

Are there any students who have left their jobs and are studying the bridge program basically full-time? Are they using private loans to fund their studies?

What percentage of students don’t pass the 3.3 GPA hurdle?

Are points the same as credits? How many total credits do we need to graduate at $2k/credit?

For non-background students with only VERY basic programming skills & projects, would you prefer a ‘technical’ resume or a normal one?

Will the classes we take for bridge shown on our transcript? Or we will get a certification?

Thanks for presentation. Aside from obtaining a masters degree can you speak to the differences between completing this program and perhaps doing something like obtaining a second bachelors degree in CS at Columbia’s school of general studies (if its possible to do so)

@Jinhee, have you calculated your cost for the Master’s? So far, I have heard and read per point. This does not help me, though. :( I figure if anyone has the answer, you must!

Is financial aid (federal student loans) offered once you’ve progressed into the MS program (after successfully completing the bridge classes)?

As CS bridge or MSCS students, do we have access to Columbia's motion capture studio and media production center? Thank you!

I know financial aid isn’t offered for bridge classes, but I didn’t hear about MS program financial aid.

Thank you for answering my question!

How competitive is admission? Is there an admit percentage?

@ Ivy, do employers ever agree to clear your debt after the program? Or is that too radical of an idea?

Does the MS program following this program involve compulsory research work?

If you consider us overqualified to the bridge program, would you be able to refer us to the MS program or would we need to apply again?

@ J._Ranpura I haven't heard that explicitly but I have heard of sign on bonuses sometimes equating to your full student loan amount depending on how large they are

if we take intro to language classes at a JC would you consider that overqualified for the program?

@Jinhee, do the teachers meet your expectations? What about the other students?

I know you said that academic LORs are preferred, but for people that are 5+ years out of undergrad, is this still the case?

Do students with some technical background take data structures in the summer or fall (there seemed to be a discrepancy between this presentation and the curriculum link on the website)

For dual/joint degree students pursuing a degree at a university outside Columbia, will comparable degree-specific courses taken at the other university count towards the Columbia MS program?

if you arent sure about which track you want to do, is this going to hurt our application?

Can international students attend the first section of Bridge without it being full time?

Is the bridge program not eligible for fellowships either?

Regarding MS applications for spring 2021, when will applications open?

Regarding bridge coursework, if we apply to the program with some CS background (1-2 intro to CS classes), and are interested in the ML track, would we be able to replace the introductory course work (Intro to Java for example) with some more advanced mathematics classes? (I.E. Multivariate calculus) I ask because I am looking to accelerate my education by taking prerequisites before enrollment, but at the same time I don't want to disqualify myself from this program. Thanks in advanced!

What is the main programming language(s) used in Columbia CS classes?

How competitive is admission? Is there an admit percentage?

Regarding Tracks: say my goal is to become a compiler engineer. Is there a track suited to this?

I think this was a question above that was skipped over but I’m also interested in knowing the answer: For non-background students with only VERY basic programming skills & projects, would you prefer a ‘technical’ resume or a normal one?

I have to go back to work, but thank you so much for answering questions!

are all the bridge courses available in all the semesters?

if you are deemed overquai

is there a weight on GPA being at a JC vs 4-year university. i didnt decided to switch my career path after i graduated from my 4-year Bachelors

if you are deemed over qualified, can you apply for the MS program for the same semester?

Got it. Thank you for answering!

since the program is part-time, have you heard of anyone working on a dual masters. for example, i am thinking of also pursuing an MBA as well

Can your Bridge coursework be done entirely online?

Thank you for answering all my questions!

thanks for clarifying so many things and giving so much helpful information!

Thank you!!

Thank you everyone!

Thank you:)

Thank you!

Thank you

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

Thank you, this was great –

Thanks!

thank you

Thank you!

thank you

Thank you!

Thank you!