<p>What did you guys write regarding the essay prompt: Why do you want to come to Columbia?</p>
<p>This is completely and utterly individual. It is why do YOU want to go to Columbia. If you can't answer that question, the school is not right for you. Go to the website and look atound. Take a campus tour and info session. Get to know Columbia.</p>
<p>I mentioned the city, the campus, but most importantly, the core. I won't get any more specific than that because people should be able to form their own answers to that prompt without reading a thread like this one. </p>
<p>The only advice I can give you is that you should mention the core somewhere in that answer as that is one of the main things that defines a Columbia undergrad education.</p>
<p>(also, what Jaug just said!)</p>
<p>I mentioned the opportunities of a city, and how my IB experience had been and how the core reminded me of a continuation of the IB Program, its location, choices, etc.</p>
<p>hahaha i realize that i may have come off as a person who does not do his own work. but trust me, i really did my homework in terms of researching columbia. i thought that talking about the core and talking about the benefits of the city would be trite - at least for the columbia college admissions office. thanks, anyway for your help guys.</p>
<p>well it is, but if that is your actual motivation then write about it</p>
<p>they're looking for sincerity and also trying to gain insight on how you think, and if you would fit into the school</p>
<p>if you do write about those things, be creative, and make it stand out from the thousands of "I <3 NY" essays</p>
<p>whatever you do, do not just summarize your research, although indicating a serious and educated interest is important</p>
<p>I didn't even write the word Core anywhere on my application</p>
<p>i wrote my essay about jet skiing and meeting girls at my favorite icecream shop in town (no joke).</p>
<p>I didn't mention the Core either...it's OK to be (rather) generic on your "Why Columbia?" essay, as the online application gives you room for just about 60 words.</p>
<p>My essay just put "New York City" where "Chicago" was, and "Columbia" in place of whatever college it was I applied to in Chicago. It's really impossible for the "Why Columbia?" essay to make or break you unless you write about how you DON'T want to go to Columbia, use uneducated language ("OMG NYC iz lyk da kewlest place ev3r n stuff ~<em>-LOL-</em>~!! :P"), write something that isn't true ("I want go to Columbia because it doesn't have a Core Curriculum like Brown does"), forget to change back your metaphorical "Chicagos," or give a pretty bad reason ("My parents told me to apply," or "[shrug] it has four syllables," or "The butter is... the republican party," etc.).</p>