Ukrainian told about the difference between studying at Columbia University from studying in Ukraine

Co-founder of one of the most popular platforms in the US for monetization of video advertising Vertamedia Video SSP, from Odessa Alexander Bornyakov decided to sit down at the desk again in 35 years. In late August, he entered Columbia University in New York. Bornyakov told MC Todaywhy does he need a third higher education and how does studying in the USA differ from studying in Ukraine.

Alexander Bornyakov. Photo: ain.ua

Not so long ago I read a phrase that I remember. It sounds like this: “Those who want to be rich understand that they don’t know much. Poor people think they know everything. ”

I believe that a person cannot use all his life the knowledge that he gained in 20 years. They are forgotten and become obsolete, they need to be constantly updated. I graduated from university after school, I got an MBA degree in 2009. Now almost ten years have passed, and I considered it necessary for myself to go through this path again and get new knowledge. This will help me not to make dozens of mistakes in business, and from the first time make my plans. Education is what reduces the likelihood of failure.

How to enter Columbia University

I chose Columbia University for several reasons. Firstly, it is the only one in the state of New York that is included in the Ivy League (an association of eight American universities, which is considered the standard of prestige for higher education in the United States. - Ed.) and its business school is one of the strongest in the world, and secondly , it is located next to my work.

He entered the evening department of the faculty of International and Public Affairs [International Relations], the specialization of International Economic Policy and Management [International Economic Policy and Management]. I will study how the mechanisms of interrelations between states are arranged at the economic level, how banks, state funds, the chamber of commerce, and international trade work at the macro level. Study will last at least two years (it depends on the number of subjects that I take in the semester), and I will combine it with work.

For admission, I passed the GMAT test. It is used for admission to business schools. For three and a half hours it was necessary to answer 90 questions. Solve equations, draw graphics. Of course, I had to get ready, to re-remember the rules in mathematics.

It was also necessary to pass an English test (TOEFL or IELTS), submit three recommendations from people who know me well and overlap with me at work, and write a motivational essay.

When I later spoke with my coordinator, he said that they took me mainly because of the essay

I wrote there that I have my own business and experience in social and political activities, but now I am a little stuck, that I have already tried all the things that I have reached with my mind, and I need experience from outside and new knowledge. I want to get this knowledge to help my country and, of course, myself.

I study for my money, but I can get a grant. Studying costs about 50 thousand dollars

Immediately you need to pay about two and continue to pay separately each semester. By the way, all administrative issues, including tuition fees, are resolved through the university’s internal electronic system. You go there and see what documents you need to submit, what to read, choose the disciplines there and see your grades.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Bornyakov

Like in American films

The university has such a thing - Orientation day. This is an introductory day when you are introduced to classmates and teachers, conduct an excursion, issue a student card.

At first we communicated with the management of the faculty, and then the guys from the student fraternity came. They looked like in American films.

Their chief was in a suit with a jacket, another guy is unshaven, wearing shorts and looks like an alcoholic who is the ringleader, the girl is active and cute, like a cheerleader.

They told which professors it is better to take, what not to take, what kind of drinking and events there are, what textbooks you can not buy.

Then there was an acquaintance with classmates. It was necessary to go to the plate with the inscription of your native part of the world and tell where you were from, then go to the plate with the name of your dream place and tell why you want to go there. For example, I have never been to South America, so I went to her.

After that, we were told about the group - how many women and men we have (it turned out that approximately 50 on 50), how many Americans and from which countries other people, what is the average age and which sectors students represent.

There are people in my 50 group, but on each item I intersect about 15. 40% of students are from business, 60 is from the public sector. There are people who work as assistants to senators, in the UN, in the government, in the FBI, those who have their own business, vice-presidents and senior analysts in the largest banks in the world. The average age of classmates is 35 years, but there are a few very young guys, about 19 years. Percent 60 people from America, the rest - from Japan, Canada, China, Italy, Spain, India, Russia, Kazakhstan. While I do not know them very well, we are still getting acquainted.

In general, many activities are held for students at Columbia University. For example, recently there was a big open-air event. Something like our September 1.

Photo: Facebook page of Columbia University

How study is arranged

In the year - three semesters. For all my studies, I need to complete the 15 disciplines, eight of which I choose myself.

In the first semester, I have a compulsory subject - microeconomics, I chose two more. These are International trade and Development [International Trade and Development] and Public Management Innovation.

The third subject is about public-private partnerships. We study them with examples - how the metro system is organized in Brazil, in China, Japan and California - the system of high-speed rail service, how Central Park and other parks developed in the USA. We are taught how to raise private money, if you work for the state, and how to work with the state, if you are a private trader.

I attend lectures three times a week - on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. I take a laptop with me, I go into the internal system and see an exemplary text of the lecture.

I can make notes, I can write for the teacher. Each item is different. I write down on microeconomics, because there are a lot of tasks there, on Public Management Innovation - I make notes, and on International trade and Development I draw the graphs that the teacher does on the blackboard.

I also attend additional lessons on microeconomics on Saturdays, because the material is very complex, and I don’t understand everything the first time. You need to read a lot yourself to do the job. The fraternity guys said they would have to read about 1500 pages per week. So, I think I won't even have time to work.

Legendary, Easy, Casual

Distance with teachers is not felt at all. You write a letter to them, and they respond, communicate very simply. Most of them are young - plus minus 45 years, and they are not all theorists, but practitioners. There is a person who worked in the Obama government and dealt with privatization issues in the United States; there is a vice president of Chase Bank.

Recently one lesson was held by the grandson of Warren Buffett. They are people who are already 80 years old, and they give 40 of them the same lecture to students.

Students also communicate simply and look normal. Someone comes in pairs in shorts, someone - in ties and suits. I wear jeans and T-shirts. Basically, everyone dresses in casual style.

The legend of Columbia University is felt as soon as you get there. It looks very fundamental and, I would say, epic. On the walls in the corridors hang portraits and photographs of people who once studied there, pictures from events of different years. Many are very old, black and white. In honor of the outstanding graduates are called corps and other places.

I rent an apartment somewhere in 60-ti blocks from the university. By the standards of New York, it is not far. Near the house there is a bicycle parking, and I often go to classes on a bike. If it rains, I use the subway or taxi.

Photo: Facebook page of Columbia University

Why study better than not study

Sometimes I sit on some task, I do not understand anything and I think: what have I gotten involved in? And then I understand how cool to learn. For example, in one lesson we discussed the theory of supply and demand. As an example of its practical implementation, the teacher cited the mechanism for calculating the price of a trip to Uber. I was very interested to find out.

I understand that there is a direct relationship between academic things that people teach at universities and everyday everyday problems. Just for most ordinary people this connection is not obvious. When I understand this, it becomes interesting to me. It is doubly interesting that teachers tie academic knowledge to practice. They give us a link to the text in the New York Times, we see a specific situation there and we analyze it. The university in Ukraine was not like this.

Studying here is a challenge for me. I want to understand whether I can learn new things, be aware of some things. When we grow up, the ability to learn is lost, and just because of this, older people look so boring. I want to rebuild my brains from the state of an adult to the state of a child, to regain the ability to learn.

Previously ForumDaily wrote about how Bornyakov founded the companywhich is estimated at $ 30-50 million, combines this with the post of deputy of the Odessa City Council and managing partner of the WannaBiz foundation. In 2007, he founded a company that specialized in the purchase and subsequent resale of previously purchased traffic from websites on more favorable terms. The company began to earn from the first days, and a few months later, Alexander decided that it was time to enter the American market.

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