Before I start, I would like to say that I would prefer that recent Columbia alumni answer this question.
I recently visited Columbia and loved everything about it, except for the Core Curriculum. My tour guide said there were ten classes that all undergraduates were required to take. She also made it sound like the Core, plus your major and electives, made it somewhat of a hassle to study abroad (which is kind of a huge deal for me!), compared to a school like NYU where it is encouraged.
Any thoughts on the Core? Did it restrict your freedom to do what interested you during your time at Columbia? How much did you love/hate it? I need to know this because it is a crucial part of the extent to which I prioritize Columbia over my other favorite schools.
Thanks!
If you don’t like the idea of reading and experiencing core works and sharing that with the entire Columbia community, it’s not the place for you. That was a draw for my DS and one thing he really likes about it. Also, it won’t affect his study abroad plans, but it could be tough for some majors.
Agree with @momfromme. I am a Columbia grad and if you are not interested in the core, Columbia is not the place for you. It is an essential part of the Columbia education, and Columbia has kept the core for decades, even as other schools moved to fewer GE requirements. Yes, it takes up a lot of your freshman and sophomore years, but plenty of Columbia kids study abroad. If you want an Ivy with no required courses, apply to Brown.
I absolutely loved the core, as did most of my classmates. And it ties together Columbia grads through the years.