<p>What are your thoughts on Columbia? Location, culture, professors, grading (inflation/deflation), reputation, people, dorms, etc.</p>
<p>I'm considering it.</p>
<p>My daughter and I visited Columbia and were impressed. </p>
<p>The campus is very attractive, located in a nice part of Manhattan, and convenient to public transportation. </p>
<p>The most important thing about the dorms is that you can stay in them for all four years (and practically everybody does). This is a big benefit because other types of housing in New York City are extremely expensive. Also, there are more singles available in the Columbia dorms than at many other colleges. Even freshmen can get singles.</p>
<p>One almost-unique feature of Columbia is its Core curriculum. I would suggest that you check this out in detail. Some people love the Core; others have a very different view. The Core is often an important factor in students' decisions about whether to apply to Columbia. In fact, after much thought, my daughter decided not to apply to Columbia because she does not want to do the Core. But we still think it's a great place for the right kind of student.</p>
<p>I recommend that you visit Columbia. When I visited, I hated the campus! Marian seems to have loved it. So clearly this is something you should decide for yourself :)</p>
<p>nice part of manhattan? columbia district i believe is the most dangerous part of manhattan. however, columbia university is a closed campus with a big fence around it.</p>
<p>Columbia's immediate neighborhood, Morningside Heights, is quite nice. The Harlem district just to the north is less so but improving. </p>
<p>Of course, everything is relative. Certainly, students at Columbia have to watch their backs far more than students at suburban or rural schools do. But on the other hand, as a parent, I would MUCH rather have my kid at Columbia than Penn -- another urban campus but in a much more "sketchy" area.</p>
<p>jimbob has a good point. Visiting is particularly crucial for Columbia. It's not your standard-issue campus. Your impression of the place might be as negative as jimbob's or as positive as my daughter's. But you won't know until you get there.</p>
<p>How is the financial aid?</p>
<p>The only thing I'm really worried about is the safety and location. I don't know if I can handle being in/really close to such a big city. I live in San Antonio, which has like a million plus people, but I live on the outskirts, so it isn't that bad.</p>
<p>I went to Columbia for a year and transferred. I also went there for grad school. The lack of a true campus community was honestly the reason I left the first time. If you LOVE NYC Columbia is the place and its a great urban school, but its far from a traditional college experience.</p>
<p>slipper, what did you go to grad school for? I'm surprised that they let you in after you had already left them once. Why did you want to go back?</p>
<p>Because grad students don't care about a campus at their school. They're more interested in their careers and networking.</p>
<p>I visited Columbia too, and hated it. I hate the fact that the campus is elevated a few feet higher than the area around it, and that it's gated off. It's so elitist.</p>
<p>It's gated to try to separate itself from the rest of the neighborhood and prevent its students from getting shot/stabbed/mugged.</p>
<p>I just spent 2 weeks in a Columbia-owned apartment a block from campus. I often went to and fro on my own, including at night. To get to the subway and bus, which are right in front of the campus, I had to walk through the campus.</p>
<p>It was a very safe area. I loved the fact that the campus is in the city (I LOVE cities) and was near excellent public transportation, an easy walk frmo bookstores, eateries, etc. The campus is gated with an open area that you can walk through. Security guards are at the gate day and night. </p>
<p>I would be delighted if I had a kid who wanted to go there. My suggestion is to visit it and see for yourself.</p>
<p>I got an MBA. The truth is grad school social life is great, in fact potentially more cohesive than the undergrad life is at Columbia. </p>
<p>Lol, the truth is the neighborhood is totally safe. Don't miss out on columbia because you fear for your safety. The biggest reason to cross it off is the lack of community (I'm not talking football games, more about general "columbia love") and the off-campus as opposed to campus based social life.</p>
<p>Columbia is an intense place and for many its the best fit among the Ivies, but be aware that NYC isn't LA or DC and that its a very unique, intense college experience. </p>
<p>An example that might help explain: at the 5th year reunion at my school (Dartmouth) over 2/3 of the class returned and it was casual with hanging out till 4am, swimming in the river at night, barbeques with my friends, etc. Every frat and house was open, and alums staying in the dorms, etc. Honestly it was felt just like college.</p>
<p>The columbia reunion had 200/1200 people attend and consisted of a couple of nights of people in suits drinking wine and listening to jazz. Totally a different experience.</p>
<p>If you want Columbia it might be the perfect place, but explore it fully before jumping in head first.</p>
<p>glucose101, then I'm just wondering what is drawing your interest to a boxed in compact campus that is tightly-packed into America's largest skyline.</p>
<p>I mean, if your grades are Columbia level and you want Columbia's campus cityside but not in the city then you should look closer at Brown and Harvard.</p>
<p>You picked this: <a href="http://teslasociety.com/columbiauni2.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://teslasociety.com/columbiauni2.jpg</a> (Columbia University)</p>
<p>When it sounds like you want this (Brown University):
<a href="http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Photos/2-big.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Photos/2-big.jpg</a>
<a href="http://bms.brown.edu/nutrition/images/Brownsummer.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://bms.brown.edu/nutrition/images/Brownsummer.jpg</a></p>
<p>Or this (Harvard University):
<a href="http://www.marcovolpe.med.br/Albuns/images/harvard6_jpg.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.marcovolpe.med.br/Albuns/images/harvard6_jpg.jpg</a>
<a href="http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/%7Erejs/photos/A40/medium/115canon/img_1596.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://hex.oucs.ox.ac.uk/~rejs/photos/A40/medium/115canon/img_1596.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.skypic.com/colleges/7-4557.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://www.skypic.com/colleges/7-4557.jpg</a></p>
<p>I like Brown and Harvard already though.</p>
<p>Harvard is a strech, I think, unless I get lucky.</p>
<p>I just wanted more options that match me.</p>
<p>what are you looking for exactly?</p>
<p>If you like Brown and Harvard's campuses, why not try Johns Hopkins University, much of the same, and all-around great.</p>
<p>Um...NOPE!! Campuses are the MAYBE similar in architecture but that's where it ends. </p>
<p>Brown is: open-minded, liberal artsy, parties, friendly/ non-competitive students
Harvard: Great area (cambridge), INTENSE students, elite, not community driven, liberal-artsy
JHU: Competitive, intense, sciency, bad area, not fun (only scene is a couple bars and a weak frat scene)</p>
<p>MAN! JHU is in Baltimore - Home of Ripken :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Ya...I've heard some pretty unappetizing things about JHU (cutthroat, etc.).</p>