Columbia vs. Northwestern - Campus Life

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>Hey, I'm an Illinois student trying to figure out whether to ED to Columbia or Northwestern (if I ED to Northwestern, I won't apply to Columbia at all). So far I like Columbia better overall, except for one aspect which I'm a little shakey on--campus life.</p>

<p>I know that Northwestern has a very active campus with 8000 undergrad students, which I think is a good size--small enough to be suitable academically, but big enough to provide the student body necessary for a lively and exciting campus. They also have great sports teams, like they are a part of the Big 10 Conference and all that good stuff. Northwestern Wildcats--lots of school pride there, lots to get excited about.</p>

<p>Columbia, on the other hand, is a much smaller school... with only 4000 undergrad students--that's about HALF of Northwestern. I'm scared that this will be too small for a really diverse group of people and an exciting social life. The campus itself is much smaller too, with only four dorms whereas Northwestern has a lot more. Plus, Columbia is known to have a very intellectual environment--much like University of Chicago. This is great and all, but UoC has a horrible reputation for being anti-social, and I really, really don't want to go to a school that is all work and no play. And, if I'm not mistaken, Columbia sports teams are not very well-regarded, are they? It would be nice to go to a school with an emphasis on the sports teams because it makes the students have a lot of school pride and allows the socializing and campus liveliness that one would find at a state school. Northwestern has that with their beloved Wildcats--does Columbia? Doesn't seem like it.</p>

<p>I'd appreciate anyones input on this matter--am I being unfair to Columbia, or am I correct in my judgement? It's just that I'm a very social person and want to have a lot of fun in college and don't want to go to a school that will inhibit that desire in any way. If I get rejected from Northwestern or Columbia and have to go to my safety--University of Illinois-Champaign, I'd be a little disappointed but at least I will know that I'll be going to a hell of a party school with tons of people and have a really enjoyable college experience.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>Columbia is great. I'm a first-year here, and I've been to Northwestern many times. I can't imagine being there after being here for three weeks. If you think Northwestern's student body will be more exciting and diverse than Columbia's, you're greatly mistaken. NU is great, but Columbia is incredible. Yeah, we're not the most "RA-RA" school in the country, but it's there. You can make it whatever you want. We just had our first football game of the season, we won, and it was a pretty big deal. People got excited, surprisingly. So, yeah. I never thought Columbia was a party school, but as I write this, I can hear partying going on in frat row on 114 st, and I hear it almost every night. Orientation week was WILD. I saw some of the most scandalous stuff you’d ever believe. We party. Hard. Columbia's very exciting, tons of fun, and I can't imagine being anywhere else. Forget Northwestern, although I’m sure that it would be fun too. Just not AS fun.</p>

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<p>Unfortunately the Columbia partying dies down after September, its still fun but not as fun. Its to bad, I wish it were like this all year.</p>