<p>I was at an info session at Columbia. The speaker, an admissions officer, mentioned the short (under 600 characters!) "Why Columbia?" question. She noted it's short, but VERY important. She also mentioned the top 2 answers: "because it's an Ivy" and "because it's in New York." She said that there are seven other Ivies and plenty other schools in New York, and pretty much flat out told us not to use these answers.</p>
<p>I spoke to her afterward and asked about that short essay amongst other things. I told her that being from Brooklyn originally, I do really understand the value of the city as an educational and research resource and assured her that my interest in the city isn't superficial. She told me that while that reply was far more sincere than most people's, I'd still be walking a very tight rope, since I don't want my desire to be in the city overwhelm my desire to be at Columbia. Any advice about that VERY short answer question?</p>
<p>I think you can def use the location--since you are more sincere than most applicants who simply proclaim "yay i love nyc!"
but, do not make that the focal point of your essay</p>
<p>Well, you see, it's not even an essay. It's 600 characters. That's is roughly a paragraph.</p>
<p>That's true. But, I believe this is analogous to all colleges-- some even have less, like Oberlin. I used location for Emory, but I did not elaborate on it as I would have with something more meaningful (in their eyes that is). Perhaps pursue this route?</p>
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I think you can def use the location--since you are more sincere than most applicants who simply proclaim "yay i love nyc!"
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<p>Are you talking about the "What excites you the most" question?</p>
<p>The admissions officer has clearly stated that the city is not a safe topic to write about. ABSOLUTELY heed her words (you're lucky you got that insider information from her; it would be best NOT to ignore it. Most people are not privileged with that kind of information, so consider yourself fortunate). </p>
<p>ccTransfer10: You're usually sincere in your advice, but what you're telling the OP right here is terribly misleading.</p>
<p>And honestly, if the city is what really excites you about Columbia, then you don't really deserve to go to the school anyways (I can think of NUMEROUS other reasons for why Columbia stands out in my mind). There are many schools that offer you access to the city - you have to convince the adcoms that Columbia offers something that those other schools do not.</p>
<p>Also, I thought the transfer information session is in a few days? I suppose I might be seeing some of you CCers there!</p>
<p>I'll be there :)</p>
<p>Sorry, I did not mean to intentionally mislead. I just recall Emory's essay saying something along the lines of "why Emory--location, academics, etc.." One can touch on the location issue in one clause in a sentence and leave it at that. That way it doesn't hurt at all.</p>
<p>^Right, but that's for Emory. The OP has received helpful information from the source itself, and it would be foolish to ignore it.</p>
<p>When is the transfer information session?</p>