The Science Honors Program at Columbia University represents a prestigious extracurricular opportunity in scientific pursuits. This program has a notable track record, with participants frequently gaining admission to elite institutions like Harvard and MIT.
Columbia University's Science Honors Program (SHP) Overview
Program Structure and Benefits
- Students participate in Columbia University's academic community
- Attend classes and conduct experiments under researcher guidance
- Cost: $600 per year
- Schedule: September to May, Saturdays 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
- Classes available for grades 10-12
Eligibility Requirements
- Must reside within 75-mile radius of Columbia University
- Primary participants from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
- Must be at least in 9th grade to apply
- Program begins in 10th grade
- Application deadline: April 15, 2023
Application Components
- High School Transcript
- Essay
- Recommendation Letter
- Entrance Examination
Entrance Examination Details
Previous Format (3 hours)
- Section 1: Math (Easy) - 50 MCQ
- Section 2: Science - 75 MCQ
- Section 3: Math (Challenge) - 15 MCQ
Current Format (as of October 2022)
- Duration: 2 hours
- Online format
- Flexible login time
- Single section combining Easy Math, Science, and Hard Math
- Possibility of returning to offline format
Science Section Breakdown
- Biology: 40-50% of questions
- Chemistry: 20-30%
- Physics: 10%
- Earth Science: Less than 5%
Math Section Components
- Easy Math:
- Algebra 1
- Geometry
- Algebra 2 (including Trigonometry)
- Honor class level
- Hard Math: Below AMC 10 difficulty level
Important Notes
- Difficulty level comparable to discontinued SAT Subject Test 2
- Only pass/fail results provided
- Questions not publicly disclosed
- No feedback on specific correct/incorrect answers
- A-One Institute maintains question bank from past applicants' experiences
Strategic Preparation Tips
- Focus primarily on Biology and Chemistry for science section
- Math preparation through Algebra 2/Trigonometry sufficient
- Honor's class math background helpful for challenging sections
- Despite rigor, exam is manageable with proper preparation
Now, let me share one of the Hard Math questions from the SHP exam that we have learned about over the years:
Q) Calculate the probability that when placing three dots to form a triangle, two of the dots will be adjacent.
This probability question, while appearing in the Hard Math section, should be manageable for students with high school probability knowledge.
Encouragement for Eligible Students
Given the reasonable difficulty level of such questions, we strongly encourage students who meet the geographic and grade requirements to consider applying to the program.
Program Availability Note
While the Science Honors Program at Columbia University primarily serves the Eastern region (within 75 miles of campus), we plan to share information about similar valuable opportunities in other regions in future updates.
The straightforward presentation of the program's requirements and sample question helps demonstrate that while selective, the program remains accessible to well-prepared high school students.
MIT
Harvard
EC
strategy
