<p>Here is my problem with college visits: I visit one school and love it, then visit another and think I love it even more, and so it continues. I loved Harvard, then loved Columbia more.</p>
<p>But as I've visited other schools since that Columbia visit, I'm wondering about the atmosphere of the school. How would you, as current Columbia students, describe the atmosphere of the school?</p>
<p>Example: it's cold and clinical, or it's close-knit and comfortable
(not that either applies :) )</p>
<p>liberal but diverse
less athletics centered than many other schools
good mix of philosophical and practical people
good mix of science/math, social science and humanities
lots of debate, esp political debate
not as close-knit or comfortable as an LAC
it's a mature/adult-like campus, less wild and boisterous behavior
opportunities and entertainment everywhere
there's little anti-intellectualism
people always reading
you feel like your in an institution of higher learning and it motivates you to learn</p>
<p>2002 -I don't know why you're so intent on giving me completely useless answers. This thread and the last. Get off the website or don't RESPOND to my threads if you've got an issue.</p>
<p>I'm with C2002 on this one, I don't mean it in a rude way, but the best way is to ask anyone you know on the campus how they like it. A lot of the people on this board are high school student's and will reply based on what they have read, as opposed to what people that that attend the university think.
Not that thats everyone on the board. Some people will offer great advice, but it won't seem as strong of an answer once it's mixed in with the others.
Columbia is great, I agree with the person above, it is a very mature campus, the environment makes you keep up on your reading and politics. Great discussions/debates can be made with the students of surrounding schools. </p>
<p>Best part is - due to Columbia's reputation the neighborhood is very respective of the students. Meaning locals won't brush you off as useless college students looking for nothing but Liquor and sex, as they would as say a state school.</p>
<p>Visit the school you like most last. Wait, the school you visited last is the one you like most. Oh, the profound metaphysical bind. That was dumb, let's awkwardly segue:</p>
<p>If you didn't like C2002's answer, you <em>might</em> not like Columbia. Just a hint. That is, you don't have a lot of conformists on campus. The spirit, it seems to me, is that of challenge: challenges by teachers, other students, administrators and such. I happen to like it. It appears that you might not.</p>
<p>right. I would add that C02's statement was also fueled by a healthy dose of New York (Jewish-influenced?) snarkyness. You have a free license to dole out such snarkyness while living in the five boroughs, though with the caveat that you have to be able to take it too.</p>