<p>Columbia_________________________
Outside of a couple bars during some weekends- the campus is pretty quiet. There are Friday nights you might think the whole place has left. Granted some Thursdays can be pretty fun at some bars like the Heights, but its not a huge going out scene. The frats keep to themselves, there are few apartment or dorm parties (even the big ones are OKAY at best), and many people hang out in groups in the city. People go out for sure, but they more or less do things like "Club Zamana night at Club Kush," etc. Going out, but not in a traditional collegiate sense. </p>
<p>Harvard__________________________
Harvard is different. The residential houses have parties but these aren't universally attended and for some reason just feel a little too managed by the college. Many people stick to their own groups - sports teams, finals clubs, the lampoon, hasty pudding - whatever. Its much more run by clubs than anything else it seems. You will find people at bars like Hong Kong, but it feels much less cohesive than the schools cited at the top of the social list.</p>
<p>^ I think slipper put his finger on it for Columbia. Students there have all of New York City at their doorstep, and most of them use it, but it's things like club-hopping with a group of their friends, a party hosted by a friend of a friend somewhere downtown, dinner and a movie or theater performance, not the "traditional collegiate" campus social scene. A lot of Columbians--and a lot of applicants--view that kind of access to Manhattan as your "college town" as a positive, not a negative. But slipper's right, it's not a traditional collegiate on-campus scene. I used to live in Morningside Heights, the neighborhood Columbia's in. It's basically a quiet family neighborhood, including on weekends. All the students are off partying downtown.</p>
<p>Exactly bclintok. And I think you're totally right that many Columbia students love that type of social life. Its different though, and not campus oriented like most of the other Ivies. At Dartmouth, Princeton, and Penn every weekend there will be at least a few big dance parties everyone goes to plus a bunch of smaller house parties and frats with open doors and people just hanging out. Everyone is invited everywhere. You don't find this at Harvard and Columbia.</p>
<p>Columbia seems more appropriate for grad school, at least for me. I definitely wanted more of a traditional collegiate experience with 4-7 years of consequence-free reveling in my own youth and stupidity.</p>
<p>And boy did I get it. Woooo Penn!</p>
<p>Hilarious, totally agree. Its why I transferred out of Columbia and went back there for grad school. Why not act like you're 25; when you're actually 25.</p>
<p>
[quote]
VERY SOCIAL:
Cornell University
Darmouth College</p>
<p>NOT AS SOCIAL:
Columbia University
Harvard University
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Seems there are two differences here. One is social aspects on campus - which seem more prevalent at the colleges in a rural setting vs. social aspects for a college in a more urban setting. There is more to do off-campus in a urban environment...hence, it makes it seem like its not as social compared to lots of on-campus activity.</p>
<p>Take your pick...</p>
<p>Personally I never understand why anyone would want to so quickly exit an intelligent and inspired 18-20something year old powered community. These are friendships and experiences of a lifetime, why lose yourself to a city and the "real world." College in my opinion is a time to learn, travel the world, explore, and build the intellectual and personal foundations for a lifetime. And, yes, this includes drinking with your classmates, dancing to madonna, and sliding down the occasional slip and slide. In my opinion there's no coincidence why Dartmouth and Princeton, the two most social Ivies have the highest alumni giving rates among the Ivies, while Columbia is among the lowest.</p>
<p>direct quote from a friend:'brown is a great school to go to to STUDY & ONLY STUDY' haha, she's a bit of a party animal :P
...if that helps at all :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
You will find people at bars like Hong Kong
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Since when was Hong Kong ever a bar.... its a Chinese food place...where Harvard ppl go at 3am in the morning when they are drunk out of their mind and craving ****ty Chinese food.</p>
<p>I've been to a couple Harvard parties....meh....nothing special. Now MIT parties...those are fun.</p>
<p>LAN PARTIES!!!!!!!!1111one</p>
<p>Just kidding. Probably. </p>
<p>Slipper what grad school are/were you at Columbia? I myself was thinking about SIPA and/or CBS...</p>
<p>Hong</a> Kong Restaurant | Harvard Square</p>
<p>Phead128, have you ever been to Hong Kong at Harvard? I've partied there like 6 times (scorpion bowls anyone). You have to go upstairs to the bar...dancing on the top level.</p>
<p>The Scorpion Bowls are about the weakest thing I have ever drank in my life. What an overrated pot of sugar water.</p>
<p>OMG. I thought the nightclub on top was separately owned... I never knew Hong Kong owned the top floor....so not like the Chinese....weird.</p>
<p>Scorpion Bowls...Apparently, Hong Kong (fanueil hall) makes the best Scorpion Bowl in Boston! Its website says its the Home of the Scorpion Bowl....lol</p>