An overlooked selection factor

There is a LOT of online chatter about ‘finding the right college’ and what factors to consider. One factor that we do not hear a lot about: core curriculum requirements.

The different approaches adopted by two elite colleges illustrate how wide the divergence is. Columbia University has the strictest core curriculum requirements that we know of, requiring STEM and non-STEM majors to take the same set of mandatory classes. On the other extreme, Brown University is known for its Open Curriculum (a Brown admissions officer actually said “No, you cannot major in Frisbee.”). Other peer colleges fall somewhere these two. Given how difficult it can be to gain admission into such institutions, we believe it is critical to know what is expected of students once classes start, to avoid a very serious case of buyer’s remorse.

All elite colleges explain their academic requirements on their websites but if you feel the need to ask a live person, attend information sessions, online or in-person. Individual schools host online sessions frequently, whereas it is more common for in-person sessions to feature multiple colleges (e.g. Exploring College Options).