[x]

I'm definitely not trying to defend Barry, but there is another possible explanation. The article also said that he went to Columbia for two years. Is there a minimum number of hours necessary to receive honors, regardless of GPA? You can graduate from some schools with an honors level GPA, and not graduate 'with honors' because you did not take your last x number of hours at that school. I know from personal experience.

I notice at some schools if you've taken under 18 courses there (or so) you won't be eligible to graduate with honors. So a transfer student who took the miniumum 4 courses a term for four terms, wouldn't be eligible.

More ambitious students try five a term and would be. Other schools it looks like the limit is 14 or 15 and that less ambitious transfer student would be eligible.

I guess Obama's record at Columbia might have been stronger than some people think, but, still, he definitely wasn't an academic star there -- he wasn't pushing any boundaries or exceeding any limits in a positive way.

[bjorn14]

Apparently at Columbia no transfer student can be an honors student, tranfers aren’t allowed to live in University housing.

I am sure these have been posted but interesting none the less

http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jan_feb09/alumni_corner

http://www.wikicu.com/Barack_Obama