<p>@TNT I was just accepted ED to CC, and my subject test scores were 800 for Math II, 790 for Chemistry, and 750 for US History. I agree that your scores are low but that’s no reason to refrain from applying to SEAS. Retake them if you can. Use the practice subject tests on sparknotes. They’re harder and you’ll get low scores (I got consistent 690s on math) but they help so much</p>
<p>To the recently admitted students, it’s perfectly natural to have reflexive “buyer’s remorse” now that you know where you’re going to be going to college. A week ago, you were just (very) nervous about whether or not you’d get in. Now that you no longer have that anxiety, it’s only natural to start worrying that maybe you made the wrong decision and maybe Columbia really isn’t that great a school. You start worrying about all the criticism of the school and fearing that you’re going to have a terrible time. Columbia is definitely not perfect, and it’s good to recognize an acknowledge that, but it’s not helpful to obsess over it.</p>
<p>When you worry about whether you’ll be happy at Columbia, try to think of how you’d feel if you were deferred or rejected. Columbia’s not the utopian place that it seems when you’re applying, but it’s also not the dystopian place that it seems when you start reading comments from jaded seniors and struggling underclassmen. </p>
<p>Your experience at Columbia will be what you make it, and you’ll have amazing opportunities here. You’ll make friends with people and pursue academic and extracurricular interests, explore the city, go to your friends’ performances, sit in on lectures from world leaders, and a lot more. You won’t do those things all the time, but you will do them. Day-to-day, you’ll probably be studying, doing homework, going to student group meetings, eating, and hanging out with friends. There are times when Columbia will suck, but overall you’ll love it.</p>
<p>Definitely take into account what beardtax says, especially once NSOP is over and you find it tougher to make new friends. But don’t let that keep you from loving the fact that you were accepted to Columbia.</p>
<p>Thanks, Caelestor, on the feedback on the Columbia/Barnard relationship. I guess you are saying ignore the online trolls, and aside from that, each individual will have his/her own experience, which makes it “very complex” to characterize?</p>
<p>hey, guys! sorry i haven’t answered any of these-- i’ve been absolutely swamped with finals 
i won’t be able to get back to these questions until the 22nd-- when my break officially begins 
so i’ll be around in a week or so. just can’t spend that much time answering. so. much. studying. just got back from an 8 hour trip to the library. woohoo!</p>
<p>EDIT: actually, screw that. i am way too tired to absorb any more information at all. but i just chugged a redbull. i’ll answer a few questions now and then get to sleep. :)</p>
<h2>But really, why do you think there is a lack of community? Even if everyone is so involved in college work and ECs, don’t they have time to hang out and make friends? Isabel and Caelestor, are you guys only friends with people near your dorm? How do people normally socialize at Columbia - is there a popular hangout?</h2>
<p>I think my answer may have been misinterpreted. There is a very large community, all summed up. But there is no huge ONE community. This probably makes no sense. Excuse my fatigue. And all of my examples will have to do with physics/astronomy because I have been studying that for hours.</p>
<p>Okay, so think of it this way. I give you a cloud, composed of some sort of gas. The kinetic energy of that entire cloud is the summation of the individual particle’s kinetic energy. The cloud’s overall kinetic energy is quite large. There, however, is not one particle with an obscenely large amount of kinetic energy-- there is no uber particle.</p>
<p>Connect that back to the community on campus. Think of the “community feel” as the kinetic energy in particles. At most schools, there is one freakishly large atom providing all the kinetic energy-- or a very large, central community feel with everyone around. At Columbia, the kinetic energy is just as large, but distributed among different particles, or in parallel clubs and organizations. </p>
<p>So, no, I do not feel a huge connection to everyone at this school. But I do feel a large connection to the people in my Peer Health Exchange group, the people in my community service group, the people on my floor. </p>
<p>Columbia just functions differently than most schools. It is actually much harder to form a community feel than you’d think-- it does not occur naturally. Columbia does not try nearly as hard as other schools to form that community feel, because that community feel is not on par with reality. Columbia shoves you into reality. </p>
<p>There are definitely popular hang out spots-- outside Butler is one. For some reason people tend to congregate there. All freshman are forced to buy dining plans their first year, so John Jay Dining Hall is another place. </p>
<p>Most of my friends are on my floor. It is just more convenient to be friends with them. But a lot of my other friends were made through being admitted Early Decision and separately meeting people, through Days on Campus, and through classes/extra curriculars. </p>
<p>I hope that answers the question?</p>
<h2>So my question to you guys is whether there is any truth to these claims? Is Columbia really so stressful and require so much work that the average student struggles so have a social life? Is it reasonable to hope to be able to go out on both Friday and Saturday nights and maybe even a Thursday every now and then (like some less prestigious more party oriented schools) while still maintaining a good (>3.4) GPA?</h2>
<p>There’s a really great saying that I like about college:
College is a triangle-- it has three sides. Sleep, academics, and social life. Pick two sides. That is your life at college.</p>
<p>This is completely true, and true at ANY college. If you decide you want a social life and a good GPA, you will not be sleeping. This is possible, and I know people who have done it and are doing it. But it is a choice, and you have to sacrifice one side. </p>
<p>I know PLENTY of people who go out twice a week. Plenty. It is the type of person that they are. I know PLENTY of people who cannot do that, and maybe go out once or twice a month, if that. It depends completely on the person, honestly, and surprisingly has very little to do with the school. You will find yourself in that situation at any credible school.</p>
<p>I will admit that the stress level at Columbia is very detrimental to a student’s mental health. There are a lot of issues here on campus with that. However, I would be shocked to hear that this problem isn’t also rampant on other ivy league campuses. The students who attend these schools are not your average, everyday people-- we work hard, so freaking hard, and we strive to be the best that we can be. But we expect the best that we can be to be a 4.0 GPA. That is not true when you enter the big leagues. And that is hard for a lot of people. </p>
<p>I don’t think this has anything to do with Columbia directly, other than the fact that they do not hold your hand and do not pat you on the back. I am very susceptible to depression and have an anxiety disorder, and I need that kind of affirmation. I joke a lot that if I didn’t have my mother to constantly tell me that I am the second coming of Jesus Christ I don’t know what I would do. But, honestly, I’m not joking. I do need that support system. Not everyone does, but some people do. Columbia, unlike somewhere like Brown, will not give you that kind of system, and you have to find it yourself.</p>
<p>But we offer free counseling services, have a TON of peer run mental health services on campus, and everything is there for you if you decide to reach out. I’ve met wonderful people here who are very accepting to the way I am and are more than willing to help me if I need it. I am not alone because I have chosen not to be.</p>
<p>So I guess to bring this all back, is this place stressful? Hell yes. Is it that much different than any other demanding school? Meh, I don’t really think so. Time management is key-- with that, you can honestly do anything you want on campus. But you will make sacrifices. </p>
<p>Hope that helped :)</p>
<h2>Are there parties going on that a lot of people go to? Do a lot of students hang around campus or go out into the city? If one is very social, will they be able to have a good social life?</h2>
<p>Yes to all of your questions Honestly, anything you could want is available at Columbia, you just have to put in the effort to find it. If you so choose, you can have the most erratic, interesting, and intense social life out of all your friends from home. You live in NYC, for goodness sake. The possibilities are endless. It is just up to you to CHOOSE to do that. </p>
<p>There are absolutely frat parties on campus, though, and a handful of dorm parties each night. If and when you find the right people, you will know when they are happening and have multiple options each night.</p>
<h2>thank you, that dispels much of my fears. One more thing: do you think you can still have as good a time as you have without partying/drinking? I’m very social, but I hate parties because everyone is drunk (I don’t drink and I don’t ever plan to). I’ve been to college parties (at a state school too), and they weren’t for me.</h2>
<p>You can ABSOLUTELY have a good time without partying/drinking. I don’t “go out” that often because it’s too much for me (personally) but I still have a lot of fun. I have gone to the NYPhil 5+ times this semester (student tickets for 12.50 woo!), Carnegie hall two or three times, been to the MetOpera, seen shows on campus. I go out to explore the city, I do events on campus. I do things that I love, or I hang out with people that I love, and it’s wonderful-- drunk or not.</p>
<p>You do not need to be drunk to have fun here. Don’t worry. There are an infinite amount of activities to do both on campus and in the city. If you couldn’t find something fun to do here… well… I would look into getting help from a medical professional :P</p>
<h2>Thanks for the replies, current students! You’re making me feel better. Another question: how much room is there in your freshman and sophomore years to “mess around” and take courses that may or may not apply to your eventual major? I’m looking at a variety of related majors right now, but I’m wondering if I should come in mostly committed or with more of an open mind.</h2>
<p>It depends on the school you attend. At CC, I know it’s very flexible. You can mess around a lot in your first two years. At SEAS, you really have no room. It’s actually been a problem, and SEAS devised the “professional level course” to help people get more in ch with their intended major.</p>
<h2>About Barnard relationship</h2>
<p>Okay, admittedly, we hate Barnard-ers. But, also admittedly, we don’t ACTUALLY hate them. It’s really just a joke and something to poke fun at. I have quite a few Barnard friends that I love to hang out with, but I still jokingly insult people by asking them if they go to Barnard, or making Barnard girl jokes. Everyone does it. It’s a playful hatred, and I think it’s blown way out of proportion by people who are “outside the circle”. Seriously, it’s not a big deal. It’s just for fun. </p>
<p>But if you go to Barnard don’t expect me to respect you…</p>
<p>Ooh, and the red bull actually just kicked in!! More studying!! I will master astronomy in two hours 
I just learned Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity @__@ At 5 in the morning. </p>
<p>BTW, everyone, don’t be freaked out about how much I’m studying. Last time I was answering questions was right before a midterm. This is reading week and is the most stressful part of college-- for ANY college. Reading week is the week before finals that you have off, and you just don’t function. All you basically do is eat, sleep, and study for a week, take finals, and then die on the airplane ride home. Or, in my case, the car ride.</p>
<p>^^ Thanks, and best of luck in your exams!</p>
<p>But really, why do you think there is a lack of community? Even if everyone is so involved in college work and ECs, don’t they have time to hang out and make friends? Isabel and Caelestor, are you guys only friends with people near your dorm? How do people normally socialize at Columbia - is there a popular hangout?</p>
<p>1) Lack of space. There isn’t much room to do much on campus, play ping pong occasionally and eat in John Jay. Most socializing takes place in dormitories, and each floor or room is segregated from the wider campus.</p>
<p>2) Competitive academic environment. Other schools that I’ve visited tend to have a more relaxed atmosphere regarding academics. Columbia has many driven students, and it becomes difficult to plan social outings when everyone’s schedule is so diverse.</p>
<p>3) New York City segments the population. Along the lines of 1), most people go off campus so you’re really not meeting Columbia people downtown. It quickly becomes about students groups, sports teams, Greek life, residential floors, and sometimes study groups during first semester. Random interactions with students who you might run into and strike a conversation are fairly non-existent. </p>
<p>For ED students reading this, please just be prepared. You can have a great social life at Columbia, I just think that the proportion of students who have one is significantly lower than at comparable institution. However, it’s not impossible. </p>
<p>Every college freshman needs to have an open mind and a modicum of social ability to garner friends. Make sure to reach out to many groups and don’t stay on your floor if it sucks!! Have a friend on another floor who will introduce you to other people and make an effort to go there and hang out. It’s not nearly as easy as staying on your floor in PJ’s, but it will open so many more opportunities to socialize.</p>
<p>ummm, as someone who was accepted to barnard, that post kinda freaked me out…about not respecting barnard girls…from what I understand, a lot of the major student groups are columbia ones…does this mean barnard girls are looked down on in these groups? can they still get leadership positions?</p>
<p>^^^ I think isabelwhatx is suggesting that the ribbing is friendly. Maybe like between Harvard and Yale students.</p>
<p>@TreeHugga: Being a barnard girl would never exclude you from doing anything In fact, most of the people in the groups I’m a part of are Barnard. Not even making that up. There is nothing stopping a Barnard girl from getting a leadership position. I know a Barnard sophomore who is in a leadership position in Columbia Democrats. </p>
<p>Seriously, the Barnard hatred is just a joke. No one will actually judge you for going to Barnard-- and if they do they’re not worth your time anyway. It really doesn’t matter if you go to Barnard.</p>
<h1>1 was very reassuring. I never wanted to apply to Columbia because I know I am not an utter genius with straight A’s in all AP courses and a ton of EC’s. I take AP courses I want to take and I think will benefit me, and I join EC’s if I am genuinely interested in them. My grades are fine for any top school, and my test scores are decent, and I now have the courage to apply early decision to Columbia next year. I am visiting in April and can’t wait. My friends have told me that I am very different from everybody else and that I am one of the most unique people they have met. I really think my essays and personal statements will be the strength of my application. It’s nice to know that those common myths are actually myths.</h1>
<p>Can’t wait to apply! Thank you for this thread.</p>
<p>On a study break after a long week. Seems like everyone’s questions are answered, so here’s some advice on how to make long-lasting friendships, because it can be admittedly hard here considering the fragmentation:</p>
<p>1) do COOP
2) talk to a lot of people during NSOP and go off campus with some of them
3) take challenging courses with few people in them (misery is such a great bonding experience): uwriting is automatically one, the harder intro to science courses are too. if you’re the type who really wants a nice GPA or to outdo everyone, this option may not be reasonable.
4) frequently go to a club that meets every week, you’ll have an instant group of cohorts
5) hang out on your floor lounge. if your floor is antisocial, go to another floor and make friends with them
6) don’t hang out with the same people and alternate your time with different groups</p>
<p>Also to RD applicants, Good luck! The admissions process is completely random, so don’t expect anything or you may suffer in March. Just be yourself and make a compelling case on what you would add to the school.</p>
<p>The one caveat to Caelestor’s advice is that you don’t want to overdo 6). If you spend all your time trying to hang out with different groups of people, then you could easily fail to really connect and hang out with any of them. You definitely don’t only want to have one small group of friends, but that’s probably better than just having a lot of acquaintances. As beardtax says, the key is to just be smart and confident about socializing.</p>
<p>Hi! I was just wondering about the Carman dorm. I really wanna live there when I go to Columbia cuz it seems like the nicest freshmen dorm (air conditioning, private bath, social, etc.). BUT, it seems like studying and stuff would be hard living in Carman, considering its the “party dorm”. I wanna be social, but I also wanna do well academically. Plus, I don’t wanna drink either. So could some of you current (or past) Columbians please explain to me how it is living in Carman? That would be much appreciated!
Also, how is it trying to make friends with your floormates? Is it awkward or does the whole floor just congregate and make friends easily? Where do you even start in making friends with them? And finally, how is it living with a roommate?
Sorry for the barrage of questions! I’m just kinda worried about how I’ll fit into the social scene at CC…but if you could answer my questions, I would appreciate it very much! Thank you!</p>