I remember being in your shoes just a few years ago, stuck without any idea of whether I could get into a school like Columbia. Some years later though, I have evolved into the proud Lion that I am today and would like to be able to give back some valuable advice to any nervous HS juniors and seniors who want to know more about the school.
I won’t be chancing anyone (you guys can do that on your own time - sorry), but I would love to answer any questions you have about the workload, the social life, the rigor of the curriculum, postgrad opportunities, etc. Also, if you need help finding out if Columbia (or somewhere else) would be a good fit for you, feel free to post as well.
I hope that you guys can find this useful and maybe I can convince a few of you to apply (and get in as well!)
Roar lion roar!
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Any student/alumnus/parent/friend is free to answer any questions posed. As the OP stated, this is not a chance thread, so don’t ask for chances.
I was an ED applicant and got in during the ED period. I think that committing ED to a school should be about whether you really love it or not, as opposed to trying to game your chances. Ultimately, my ED acceptance to Columbia was one of the best days of my life.
Columbia was a school that wasn’t originally on my radar. As an econ major in CC, I considered applying to business schools for the longest time, and was completely convinced that a liberal arts education was too “flimsy” and “purposeless” for a student like me. I think everything changed once I went to Columbia for the first time the summer after my junior year. My parents were genuinely surprised that I even liked the place, given the rigid core requirements. I ultimately believe that Columbia was my top choice for three reasons: the Core, NYC, and the people.
Core: Where else do you have the opportunity to study some of the greatest works of all time in so much depth? The classes that I have taken for the Core so far here are extremely engaging and have really changed the way I think about things. Even Frontiers of Science, a class I came in dreading, turned out to be a great, insightful class that really challenged the way that one thinks. I am not lying when I say courses like Literature Humanities are life-changing (at least for me).
NYC: On top of the Core, you have the opportunity to explore some of the world's greatest museums, galleries, libraries, and other educational (and non-educational) experiences around you. Being able not only to learn, but to EXPERIENCE was a huge factor for me. The dual relationship that you have with the city and with Columbia is something that you will, for a fact, not get anywhere else. I've been on almost 30 college visits, mostly at urban campuses, and did not find the perfect balance between campus and surroundings until I visited Columbia.
People: I cannot stress this enough. I saw a video the other day that another school put out about how the people make the experience at that college. The biggest reason why I chose Columbia instead of that school was the people here. Unlike at many other top-tier schools, Columbia attracts an extremely diverse, well-rounded, and active group of individuals. Sure, many colleges have kids from all over the country or the world, but when you're able to go to the Ethiopian restaurant down the street with your friends from Ethiopia and learn more about their culture, or be able to take part in an on-campus protest with fellow classmates who open up to you about their experiences of discrimination, you realize that Columbia's undergraduates are like no other. We are driven, motivated, and intelligent, yes, but we are also passionate, open-minded, and engaged. The university has an unparalleled relationship with Harlem (see: Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, etc.) and is at the forefront of progressive politics. As many people state, the students define the campus, and that is true here at Columbia. The school would not be where it is today without the contributions of its students.
Overall, Columbia is a great school, but it’s not for everybody. If you are an individualist who looks to take initiative in life and change the world for the better, Columbia is for you. If you’re scared of being in such a bustling environment, or if you’re simply not ready to come out of the nest yet, that’s completely fine too. Columbia will challenge your mind to places you didn’t think it could go, and while there are days when I may be bitter that my friends at other colleges finish their work at 10pm and are always free on the weekends, I realize that I have been offered the chance to be intellectually stimulated and engaged to the fullest, and that’s something that Columbia offers more uniquely than any other university I’ve been to does.
Thanks for doing this. I’m an ED acceptee too, it’s great to meet you, fellow Lion. So let’s get right down to it.
What’s the social scene like? I’m potentially looking to get in on parties, so just find the right people or what?
And one more: I know you said Columbia is at the front of progressive thinking, but can someone actually become affiliated with the Democratic party or other politically connected organizations?
Thanks so much! Uhh you can PM me the answers if you want, not sure what to expect tbh
What other colleges did you apply to? Is NYU similar to Columbia since they’re both in NYC? Is the Anthropology and Psychology majors strong, and is it a good college for someone going into med. school?
Also, I’m looking for a college that is diverse and down-to-earth and don’t stress partying or Greek life. Is Columbia a right fit? Thank you!!
“Also, I’m looking for a college that is diverse and down-to-earth and don’t stress partying or Greek life. Is Columbia a right fit?”
Yeah.
That also means there isn’t much school spirit (not none, just not a lot). And ppl are kind of on their own individually, if you want to go under the radar and never communicate with anyone, that’ll happen without a hitch. If you don’t want that, it may still partially happen. Depends on your personality.
The academics are stellar. The people are extremely smart and, at least from my experience, good-willed and friendly. Though you will have to put some effort into a lively social life if that’s what you’re looking for. It won’t come to you.
From what you said it sounds like a match, just trying to give you the pros and cons. Lot of ppl love it, lot of ppl hate it.
Can you comment on athletics, whether intramurals or competitive. I have read that the facilities are “adequate” and are 100 blocks north of the main campus. What does that feel like? Is it a major 45 minute effort to get there, or is it integrated into most peoples’ daily routines?
Secondly, with 25,000 students and 6,200 undergraduates, does it feel anonymous and faceless; or are there ways that communities find cohesiveness throughout the undergraduate experience?
Does it feel like there is an emphasis on undergraduate education?
I don’t think it feels anonymous and faceless at all - I think there are a lot of communities that you can identify with. This depends much more on the person than the school - whether you decide to take the time to find new things and people you identify with is on your shoulders, not the school’s.
So I’m applying to Columbia (RegDecision), and I want to do a business undergrad then aim for medical school.
Is that feasible? Or would that look bad for the med school application committee since I didn’t do a science undergrad?
Thank you so much for doing this! I had a few questions:
Regarding the social scene and parties at Columbia, is it mostly revolved around the NYC nightlife or are most parties in Columbia dorms for Columbia students?
What is the school spirit like?
What are common complaints about Columbia?
Are there certain subjects for which, in your personal experience, the departments are particularly strong?
@InfiniteZephyr Columbia does not have a business undergrad. It has economics. You can major in anything and also do premed. Econ has fairly light requirements and I know people who’ve double majored in Econ/Bio easily. Whether it will look bad or not…that I can’t say, but I think you should show commitment beyond academics to premed.
@sansculottes There are many parties in Columbia dorms for Columbia students. People party at frats, dorms (EC) etc. That being said, many people go to bars near the Columbia area, and others go further down (more true for Barnard). You can have plenty of fun without NYC nightlife.
There is a bit of school spirit. I think people are proud of being Columbians and feel strongly (either way) about their experiences there - the CORE, protesting etc. but we’re not too big on celebrating the idea of Columbia itself. Not very rah rah.
Complaints - it’s cold, very academically intense, CC has a lot of requirements, infrastructure, clubs are competitive, people can be jerks.
I don’t feel comfortable generalizing because experiences are distinct.
Hi, could you give me a sense of the amount of hours you work during the week? I enjoy rigor and intensity, but I’d like to know if there is time for other activities to find balance. thanks,
@CCInsider Hi, I just now posted a discussion on the student life at columbia but I have all my questions answered here
I do have a very specific question for you. I want to major in either political science or international affairs/relations. From what I saw at Columbia website, they have international relations under political science which sort of confused me a bit. I really love politics but I do want to explore both the majors and then decide. So do I have to take Political science to study International relations? do you have a friend or someone who is currently studying political science and can tell me his experiences at CC and just what the major has to offer?
Hi I know there is no business major at Columbia University, but I know there is a special concentration for business at Columbia that you can apply into later. Is this concentration common for CU students and is it difficult to do?
I’m not sure if this varies more by school or by individual. I’ll say that I feel like I’ve made close friends, that I’ve seen an entire lounge-full of people support a person who was feeling bad, that I and a group of my friends went to wake someone up in the middle of the night (on the first week of school, when we hardly knew each other) to wish him a happy birthday.
In terms of a general “undergrad community,” I don’t think there is much of one so much as there’s a huge composite of various smaller communities. It’s truly diverse - you won’t be able to get along with everyone, but you will almost certainly find a few people that you relate to well. I think that’s the ideal type of community. Others might disagree.
