Balancing a quality education while enjoying the college experience and maintaining a social life

<p>While awaiting regular admission results, DD is working on prioritizing schools. She has been accepted several and still has several outstanding.</p>

<p>She applied to SEAS, and is planning to study CS, Engineering or both.</p>

<p>One of DD's top concerns is the ability to obtain a top quality education, while still enjoying her college years, and maintaining a social life. For example, she has the impression that Penn is an excellent place to do this based on our visit there. She thought the students were bright and hardworking, but also friendly with a bit of Penn Rah, Rah college feel and sociable friendliness thrown in, which she liked. She also likes being in or near a large city.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, when we visited Columbia, she had become ill. I walked her in the main gate and she was impressed with what she saw, but then wanted to go back to the car and go back to sleep, so she did not have the opportunity to actually meet anyone. </p>

<p>Clearly, Columbia provides a top quality education and access to a big city. However, I am less clear about the Rah, Rah college feel and sociable aspects of the Columbia campus culture. Can those with experience, please tell me a little bit about the culture at Columbia, and whether it seems like it might also be a fit with the type of experience that she is looking for?</p>

<p>Much2learn</p>