Columbia University in the City of New York Top Questions

Columbia students do have intellectual conversations outside of class. There is even a facebook group which I am a part of that is called: "Yes, I just referenced the Core in casual conversation...DEAL WITH IT!" Personally, it is refreshing to find people that are passionate on such an array of subjects. This is beneficial when it comes to class participation since most people talk, especially in small classroom settings. Personally, about 85{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my classes at this school have had 25 students or less, which is incredibly rare in higher education. It's nice to know that the teacher knows who you are and doesn't call you "that girl with the red hair" or something equally arbitrary. Most teachers are also very accommodating when it comes to office hours and encourage students to meet with them outside of class. The professors in both of my majors, Art History and Hispanic Studies, have been supportive and accessible.

The academics are of course great. Some professors aren't as good as you would expect, but overall they are pretty good. Just read culpa and feel out your professors. It's the best way to figure out who is good and who isn't. In the bigger classes it's hard to get noticed so go to office hours. If you try at the class and to make yourself known the professor will know you and respect you.

We are taught by world-class professors, and the competitiveness among students creates a whole new standard. Students defintiely have intellectual conversations all the time outside of class, and are very competitive about the school work.

Some of my classes have changed my life. They have challenged my assumptions, given me new lenses through which to view the world, affirmed and/or questioned my values and beliefs, and turned me into a more thoughtful and worldly person.

favorite class--art hum least favorite--general chemistry students aren't competitive, unless they're younger pre-meds

Professors know my name. My department has 1.3 professors to every student which is really nice. I'm an engineer and I feel I really missed out with the liberal arts education and famous core curriculum. I feel the SEAS school needs to integrate liberal arts into our classes more and make them slightly more interdisciplinary.

most of my classes are large and i hardly, if ever, have one on one time with a teacher other than my chem lab and university writing teachers. i feel though as if for some subjects the professors are less into making sure you are learning, and more into making sure they present the entirety of the class material.

I am in a lecture with 110 students and I've never been to office hours with my professor (which it wouldn't be a bad idea to do), but my professor ran into me a few blocks away from campus and actually recognized me and said hi. I was shocked because I've never said a word to him. That shows you what professors are like here. They really care about their students. Students do study almost every day here. I have been in the library on a Saturday night at times, and it's definitely not fun, but it means you do have someone to study with because everyone is in the same boat, and you still can have one or two nights off if you want. Class participation is very common because a lot of classes here are seminar classes, and therefore, there are only 12-20 people in your class and everyone can participate. A lot of really good conversations come out of this and are continued outside of the classroom as well. It is especially helpful when everyone has to take some of the same classes (that are part of the Core curriculum) so you all have a common basis for the classes you take.

My professors have always taken the time to get to know my name--unless I am in a huge lecture class, which is a more common phenomenon at Columbia College than at Barnard. Classes at Barnard are not geared towards the classes the way most Columbia classes are. I like the old-fashioned approach of the core even though it's been controversial lately--because that is the kind of school CU is. If people want a progressive and innovative administration and teaching method, they should not apply to Columbia. Student competitiveness and involvement with their studies varies widely. Some students are capable of never opening a book and graduating with a respectable average. The vast majority, though, will spend a good hour or two each day holed up with their books and laptops in one of the following: the libraries, the coffeeshops, Lerner, the lounges, their dorms.

In all of my smaller classes (about 15-20 people), the Professor definetely knows my name. Even in the larger intro classes of 150+ students, the Professors really try to learn everyones' names and to meet people. It is also extremely easy to meet with Professors outside of class during office hours and develop a relationship with them. You always hear intellectual conversations outside of the classroom. During brunch and dinner times in the cafeteria or on dorm floors, there are always students discussing the latest current events, making jokes or debating about politics or talking about books they are reading for class or for pleasure. Columbia has a Core Curriculum which expects students to not only fulfill certain language, science and major cultures requirements but to also take certain specific classes that everyone in the grade must take. Honestly, the requirements are not tedious and actually, one of my favorite classes is Literature Humanities, a Core class.

Professors know my name because I make it a point to make sure they do, and it's rather easy to do so. Columbia is rather rigorous academically (i.e. the never ending cycle of problem sets--once you finish one another one pops up) but it all works out in the end (i.e. summer vacation/winter holidays).

Professors are very accessible... they are well-known and published scholars but they always have time for their undergraduates. Classes tend to be small except like Intro calculus... obviously. I had a French class with only 6 people in it in my first semester and it was AWESOME. I haven't had many grad students as Professors for class, but when I do have them I really like it because they are easy graders and tend to be lenient. My writing Professor, who was a PhD student, would take us one by one to the Hungarian Pastry Shop to review our papers. =D And there is plenty of class participation... Professors highly encourage people to talk and discuss. IMPORTANT!!!!!!: Columbia has a huge Core Curriculum that you CANNOT test out of with AP classes!! Unless you're in engineering, you HAVE to take Frontiers of Science (an intro to modern science research), University Writing, Music Humanities, Art Humanities, 4 semesters of a language (unless you already speak another language), 2 Phys Ed classes (I took swimming!), Literature humanities (Like AP lit but older books, 2 semesters), Contemporary Civilizations (2 semesters of ancient philosophers), 2 semesters about a non-Western culture, one science class, and you have to pass a swim test. HOWEVER most people REALLY like these classes because they are small and friendly, and you learn a lot of very interesting things you never knew and you come out very well-rounded. However, if you're looking for a school where you can come and take JUST math classes or you dont want to take anything that doesn't have to do with polisci, Columbia is not for you because they want you to be well-rounded.

Don't apply to Columbia unless you love the idea of the Core Curriculum (a broad survey of the "Western Canon"). The Core was the best academic experience of my life, but it was also a lot of work. You won't finish the Core until you're a junior or a senior, so that will make college pretty miserable if you're not enthusiastic about it. A bunch of students went on a hunger strike last semester because they thought the Core was too focused on dead white men... I think they should have known what they were getting themselves into when they applied! Take your Core classes seriously - they're an amazing opportunity to bond with your classmates and learn from the best professors at the university. Find a way to switch classes if your professor sucks - it's difficult but possible. There are way too many great Core professors to justify sitting through a crappy semester. It's an unbelievable experience to sit down at the dining hall with a table full of your friends and discuss Virgil and Dante and Adam Smith and Virginia Woolf... I suggest joining a small department or program. There are a billion econ and poli sci majors, but only a handful of kids in each of the hard sciences, languages and interdisciplinary programs. As a double major in two small departments, I was able to develop relationships with professors and even get help finding a job. Oh, and if you want to get a job in finance or consulting, you'll do fine at Columbia. The career office is a finance and consulting factory.

In small classes (about 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my classes), yes professors know my name. Favorite class - Economics of Sports. Least favorite class - Intro to Accounting and Finance. Study time depends on the student and the major, but most students study multiple hours a day. Yes, class participation is common. Columbia students have incredibly intellectual conversations outside of class. Some students are competitive, but I would not say that competitiveness is a defining characteristic of the culture of Columbia at all. Most unique class - Freedom of Speech & Press, taught by the President of the University. Economics - Great faculty and course selection, but far too large and a lack of individual attention. Spanish (I'm doing a concentration) - Much more personal, incredibly friendly and helpful department. No, I don't spend time with professors outside of class. Columbia's core is a bit intensive but I still believe it's one of the greatest things about Columbia. Education at Columbia is geared almost entirely toward learning for its own sake.

In some classes, professors know my name and my favorite color, but these tend to be discussion-based. If you make the effort in large lectures, the professor will attempt to get to know you. My favorite classes have been in the core curriculum: Literature Humanities and University Writing. I also enjoyed 20th Century Comparative Literature. My least favorite class was the required Frontiers of Science and Intensive Chemistry Lab. Students study all the time and the library is always packed. Class participation is common throughout all classes, required in seminars, and even found in large lectures. Columbia students have very intellectual conversations outside of class generally encompassing policy, politics, finance, and academics that they have in common. That isn't to say that they only have serious conversations. The economics department at Columbia is one of the most renowned in the world and some of the professors are absolutely amazing. The department provides lots of resources for its students to excel and the advising is pretty good. I spend time with professors outside of class by attending office hours and some teachers conduct class trips and host dinner parties. Columbia's academic requirements are rigorous, but worth it because you come out knowing a lot more than students of other schools. The education at Columbia is definitely learning-based, I can't think of learning anything that I could practically apply to a job.