Columbia vs. Yale (Again)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
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<p>I see there is another thread going on C v. Y, but my inquiry is a little different.</p>

<p>Over the two weeks I was able to visit a number of top schools in the Northeast (I am from the midwest), including Columbia. For the last year or so I had pencilled in Columbia as my top "reach" school, sight unseen, mostly for the following reasons: 1) I love NYC; 2) its reputation for top-knotch academics and urban intellectual vibe; and (3) The Core -- I love that stuff. My visit did not disappoint. I was able to stay overnight with a family acquaintance and visit two classes. I liked the campus, people seemed great overall, and NYC dazzled me again.</p>

<p>Problem is, I had put Yale further down on my list based on the New Haven vs. New York issue, but in visiting, I really fell in love with Yale. I liked Yale's actual campus (architecture, space and vibe) better than I did Columbia's, and found I liked New Haven much more than I anticipated (though it is obviously not to be remotely compared to New York). The general vibe is what really got me, though. Yale, with its college system, is very homey and warm, while the atmosphere at Columbia seemed a little more anonymous and indifferent. Students seemed very relaxed and happier at Yale in general -- I sensed more stress and complaining at Columbia. I visited a History and English course at Yale, both lectures which were incredibly engaging; the English and Psych courses I sat in on were "OK" at Columbia. I assume that was just luck of the draw.</p>

<p>Question: Those of you now at Columbia, who also looked hard at Yale during the admissions process, perhaps even turned down a spot at Yale, what factors went into your decision? Outside of the NYC vs. NH issue, what swayed your decision? Would your conclusions be any different today given what you have learned from actually being a student at Columbia?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help! I don't have much time to make the Columbia ED vs Yale SCEA decision.</p>

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<p>One of the reasons you had planned to apply to Columbia was its location in New York. But I think you have to consider whether or not you actually want to go to school in New York. Columbia isn’t decentralized and in the middle of the city, like NYU; it’s got a fairly strong community and campus culture. If you never want to leave Morningside Heights, you can easily do that, and if you want to find close friends and community on campus, you can do that as well. But Columbia is still very much permeated by the culture of New York, and students tend to be self-motivated and independent.</p>

<p>If you really want the kind of community that you get from Yale (and they really do pride themselves on their college system), then you might like Yale better. I love the Columbia/New York culture, the city itself, and the Core, plus I hate New Haven, so Columbia was the obvious choice for me. But if you’re not sure that you like the city/campus culture here, you may not want to apply ED. You will still have access to the city if you go to Yale; you just won’t be within it. And you can always apply RD if you think you might like Columbia.</p>

<p>The best advice I can give you is probably to visit the campuses another time and see what you think.</p>