May 022009
Page Six has little love for Kelly:
Kelly Bensimon continues to push buttons. In addition to squabbling with Bethenny and talking about her modeling career, Bensimon is often heard touting her Ivy League education, from Columbia University.
But a source who attended Columbia snarked, “Kelly went to the Columbia extension college. Anyone can go there.”
Bensimon’s rep said, “Kelly went to Columbia University School of General Studies and graduated in 1998.”
The General Studies program, according to its Web site, is “created specifically for returning and nontraditional students.”
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This is a comment I posted on another site, but it is still relevant to comments made above:
I’m a student attending Columbia University’s School of General Studies. And after reading the comment posted by the supposed “Columbia University Grad” I feel the need to set the record straight. The School of General Studies, or GS as it is commonly referred to at Columbia, is one of three undergraduate degree-granting institutions at Columbia University. Those admitted to the School of General Studies are in every way apart of the traditional undergraduate experience at Columbia. They take the same courses and fulfill the same degree requirements as the traditional college students. They are able to participate in varsity sports, pledge for the various fraternities, and participate in any of the various clubs. The School of General Studies is not an extention school, nor does it offer watered down evening courses.
The admission standards for GS differ from that of Columbia College. And they differ for good reason. Columbia College is seeking traditional students – i.e. students recently graduating from high school. Whereas, GS is seeking students of non-traditional age and background. Those applying to GS have to submit the following:
1. High School Transcripts
2. College Transcripts
3. SAT results – or they can take the GS exam, which is similar to the verbal portion of the SAT.
4. Two recommendations are required.
5. An autobiographical essay.
6. A resume.
The admissions committee at GS seeks students that are well prepared for the rigorous course work they will encounter at Columbia. They seek interesting and talented adults that will add to the discussion in the classroom. The admissions committee “takes into account traditional measures of academic success such as test scores and high school grade point averages. The Admissions Committee will also make a determined effort to engage applicants in a dialogue designed to gauge their academic and intellectual capabilities. This dialogue, while not discounting traditional admissions criteria, encompasses a profile of work experiences, past academic accomplishments, personal achievements, and depth of commitment to a demanding program of study and the pursuit of excellence.” I didn’t find a minimum GPA requirement to apply to GS on their website, but it may be there. However, anyone applying with a 2.5 has little hope in getting an admission offer from GS. Now let’s discuss the degree.
The degree they receive is, in fact, a degree from the Trustees of Columbia University, it is signed by the president of the University and the Dean of the School of General Studies.
The “Columbia University Grad” is obvious misinformed, especially when he/she suggests that Kelly didn’t graduate from the UNIVERSITY that granted her the degree. Columbia granted her the degree. When Kelly argues she graduated from Columbia she is correct. She has every right to be proud of her IVY LEAGUE education. There are few institutions that are as humanistic as Columbia. And those that were admitted to Columbia by way of GS shouldn’t, in any way, be made to feel inferior to those that were admitted by way of the College.
I understand people may not like Kelly. That’s fine, but stop trying to tear her down. And for the Columbia University Grad, are you for real?