Columbia University in the City of New York Top Questions

Columbia is best when you are not there and not dealing with it. It is best when you are interviewing for a job, networking with someone, hitting on someone at a bar, talking to someone at a party; etc. It is all name and little else. It lacks the resources and money of other schools, and the result shows it. The Ivy sterotype of accomplished professors who can't teach holds true here to a greater extent than most other schools. But oh how that name can work wonders when trying to impress/get a job/get into grad school.

Columbia's best feature is its beautiful Beaux-Arts campus. For those who want a more campus-y college experience, it's there for them, and for those who want a more independent, city-driven experience, the rest of Manhattan is only a short subway ride away. Despite being a huge university with thousands of grad students, I'd say that the size of Columbia College and Engineering is about the right size and we are certainly the focus of the Columbia administration. The administration as a whole is a notorious bundle of red-tape, and it takes a long time for things to get done, but when they do, Columbia usually does them pretty well (off-campus Flex, housing renovations, etc.). Columbia is known for its controversial speakers (Minutemen, Ahmadinejad, etc.) and so Fox News, especially Bill O'Reilly, has staged a personal vendetta against us for it, which has its pros and cons. So we are known either as a powerhouse of intellectual superiority by our friends, or a center of fascist liberal indoctrination by our enemies. It's an interesting dichotomy.

midsized school in a more suburban part of nyc. overall students do not appreciate teh admin but i think that overall they want to work in our favor. i love columbia including the student body. i would want to make students be more relaxed.

I like that Columbia has a great, small campus but then is in new york city so you have the best of both worlds. Columbia has a little bubble with local stores, restaurants, and bars but we also have the luxury of being able to "go downtown" and get away from campus really easily. Columbia is really passionate and really liberal so it can be overwhelming--there are always protests and rallies and sometimes tempers flare. (Having Ahmadinejad come and speak took over the campus for the entire semester, which after awhile, was pretty annoying...) Columbia's administration is very out of touch with the students' needs and there's a lot of frustration with the curriculum, housing, financial aid, etc. It's nice that because Columbia is so old (over 250 years and still strong), we have a lot of fun traditions, stories, and superstitions.

It's a perfect size school, gives you the feeling of a big city but also a small college campus, makes you feel very intellectual and that you are a part of a long history, has a wonderful library, the sports aren't great but the academics are top noch, great parties, great being in the city

the best thing about columbia is that it's in new york city. the size is just right. people react positively when I tell them I go to Columbia. My professors are fantastic.

The best thing about Columbia is the campus. the literal aesthetic value of Columbia's campus was enough to make me decide to come here over any other (definitely cheaper, and probably more relaxed) schools. I feel like I'm in a college when I wake up in the morning and some days here when the weather is nice are just gorgeous. Also the benefits of being located in Manhattan, but not exactly in the center, are really numerous. I'd change the administration's attitudes towards students. There's this idea at Columbia that students who come here are independent and don't need help with anything. Therefore, the administration likes to emphasize how they don't "hand hold." However, that's just code for they make a lot of really good services that Columbia offers for its students difficult to access because students don't want to ask for help and don't know how to get help when they need it.

I love Columbia- I've had unbelievable opportunities to travel, to meet famous professors and scholars, to see important political figures... the resources are extensive, and are some of the best in the world. The only thing I would change would be the connection between the administration and the students- it always seems to be overly intense, but I think this is half the reason why students choose to come here in the first place. It's tough to find the time to leave campus on occasion, because many of the things that NYC is known for are at least 30 minutes away by subway, but it is doable. The courses can be difficult, but many of the professors are very willing to help students, and as much as the environment is competitive, everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. I'll always remember the main quad in spring- the steps are always covered in students, the fields are full of people playing frizbee, some play guitar and dance troupes are outside practicing.

Columbia is great because there are so many different kinds of people here. i wish that there was more of a campus wide community, but this is new york city, so it will never be like a state school. the school is perfect size for me, just big enough that i can walk on campus and still see someone i know. the hunger strike on campus last semester was interesting, because i saw columbia allowing its students freedom of speech and treating them with respect.

I love Columbia's campus. It is absolutely gorgeous. The dating scene isn't the best but in general I've met a lot of nice boys and girls. Most of them smart, though some are just book smart. Columbia is not a great party school but sometimes the few parties that do happen are fun. Thank God we have bars and places to go out just down the street. Also, the RAs are sometimes way too strict and not very nice (not always of course). And we are in NYC which is awesome! I'm really loving Columbia!

Columbia has the best of both worlds. Morningside Heights is like a small college town but if you ever get bored exploring things in the immediate vicinity of the campus you have ALL of New York city at your fingertips. A lot of people don't realize how important it is to be in an urban environment and have options open to you. With all the museums, concerts and restaurants- you'll never get bored in the city.

One of the best things about Columbia is its location. Being in New York City, especially coming from Arkansas, has opened up so many new doors. Being a student here has allowed me to have so many more experiences than I would have in Arkansas. In addition, the multi-cultural aspect of Columbia's campus. Everyone has a different life story and come from all around the world. Only at Columbia, I believe that all four of my suite mates were born in different countries.

The people here are awesome. Because you have such intelligent people living around you, conversations are always interesting! I spend my time with friends in the freshman dorms, I spend my time in Butler library, which is gorgeous. There are many options for places to eat and the foods way better than at any other college I have eaten at. Obviously NYC isn't a college town. The neighborhood is really safe. I walk home by myself from a bar at 3 a.m from 104 to 116th and have no problem.

If I could I would eliminate the ideology of race on our campus.

Columbia is amazing - it is small enough to feel like a home and a familiar campus, but large enough so that it doesn't get boring. Also, the fact that we are located in a quieter part of the city is amazing; it is so easy to get downtown to experience the exciting clubs and restaurants, but equally fun to stay uptown and enjoy campus life and our own bars filled with Columbia students.

You'll get sucked into the competitive, I need to study all night in Butler on a FRIDAY mode because everyone around you is a neurotic freak. You think there is something wrong with you if you don't feel like doing your reading and going to the Heights instead...on a Wednesday. I wish the bar/party scene was better, because going to the same 3 places every night of the weekend can get really old, really fast. Columbia seems to have some sort of "war on fun" going on, if you will. The nice thing is that we are in the city, so you can go downtown and to other areas to party, but that can get expensive. Also, unless you make a VERY conscious effort, it is really easy to get stuck in the "Columbia bubble" and never go below 110th, even on the weekends...it's that whole "I need to study constantly and make myself crazy to get an A" mentality. There is very little school pride, and it is depressing when it is hard to convince people to go to a football or basketball game with you. Yes, I agree that our teams aren't the best, but the games can still be fun, especially if you bring your own flask :). But also, because people are so anti-establishment here or hate athletes for some reason (probably because they were that loser in high school who secretly wished he/she was an athlete or at least good at something that didn't involve a book), they don't want to have anything to do with the sports teams, let alone go to their games. It's usually other athletes or ex-athletes that go to the sporting events. Joining a sorority was the best thing I ever did, because the only normal people are in them, or on a sports team.

Its a very small school, people for the most part know of each other or can recognize most of their class. Its a unique experience because of its location as a real campus but in the middle of NYC. There is alot of school pride, but not so much school spirit. Sports are almost non existent unless you are on a team.

The best thing about Columbia is population that hangs out, outside, specifically on the lawns and the Low steps when it's warm out. You can find people playing frisbee, football, smoking hookah, tanning, reading a book, enjoying a meal, or just simply hanging out and it's simply a fabulous environment to surround yourself in.

While there is a lot of controversy about Columbia in the media, you don't feel it as much on campus. Most of my time is spent around Columbia's campus on the Upper West Side.

there is no campus life. no social scene. there are no parties. people do not talk to each other in class. people do not make friends in classes. people are unfriendly.