<p>and what other schools have a similar culture? Thank you.</p>
<p>we eat Christians for breakfast.</p>
<p>nice... :)</p>
<p>I would say that's unhealthy.</p>
<p>It's sort of the New Yorker feel actually. Miserable on the outside but you know you wouldn't be happy anywhere else and you miss it like damn cocaine when you're gone.</p>
<p>there's a bunch of good threads on this subject in the Helpful Columbia Threads thread. If you go through those and any points stick out as things you have questions about, feel free to post here on more narrow terms and i'm sure we'll all pitch in with our thoughts.</p>
<p>Thanks, I've looked into those threads and think Columbia is an excellent fit for me (as is Stanford... you might think is contradictory but people who know me wouldn't). </p>
<p>Do the guys proudly display their animalistic wanna-be alpha-male mentality? We all have it in some form but I prefer to be around those who refashion this tendency into other creative, socially useful ways.</p>
<p>Also, how socially conscious are the students? not necessarily as judged based on their community service involvement but everyday mundane actions like how they carry themselves. I believe that if people's psyche is truly devoid of a privileged mentality, it would show in every aspect of their lives (I believe the humanities/social sciences Core would do much to influence it).</p>
<p>At my present school, there are a lot of cocky students who pretend they're nonchalant about their status (socioeconomic or otherwise) but reek of privilege, and it's off-putting.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Do the guys proudly display their animalistic wanna-be alpha-male mentality? We all have it in some form but I prefer to be around those who refashion this tendency into other creative, socially useful ways.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>of course many guys do, but Columbia has it less than elsewhere. We are very diverse, partly including barnard there are more undergrad girls than guys, the school is not athlete centric and the frats scene is pretty small. So yes of course, but no not as much.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, how socially conscious are the students? not necessarily as judged based on their community service involvement but everyday mundane actions like how they carry themselves. I believe that if people's psyche is truly devoid of a privileged mentality, it would show in every aspect of their lives (I believe the humanities/social sciences Core would do much to influence it).</p>
<p>At my present school, there are a lot of cocky students who pretend they're nonchalant about their status (socioeconomic or otherwise) but reek of privilege, and it's off-putting
[/quote]
</p>
<p>People are very socially conscious, and if they aren't they change substantially over the 4 years. It's a function of being around a diverse group of people (religions, socio-economic, race, sexual orientation and even appearance). You become more aware of your status in a larger society. There's little room for cocky-ness on campus (unless you're making fun of yourself), cocky freshman tend to be ridiculed because there are too many smart, blunt people around.</p>
<p>"Do the guys proudly display their animalistic wanna-be alpha-male mentality? We all have it in some form but I prefer to be around those who refashion this tendency into other creative, socially useful ways."</p>
<p>Columbia girls eat guys like this for breakfast.</p>
<p>All kidding aside, although lots of columbia students are extremely privileged, rarely is it ostentatiously displayed--that might be a product of their intelligence, a maturity thing, or it might just be a by-product of the fact that the student body is so diverse that there's really no reason to display wealth--so if you're worried that your current HS mentality echoes that at Columbia, have no fear. It doesn't</p>
<p>Students are socially conscious, politically active, intellectually engaging and at the end of 4 years certainly become more street-smart, and like LionHeaded said, love NYC like Lindsay Lohan loves cocaine.</p>
<p>so is the skewed male/female ratio as a result of barnard really noticeable? or is it not really an issue...</p>
<p>^^I didn't have a problem, most of my friends were guys. Basically, I didn't really notice it. What I did notice, however, was that a lot of the men in my class were gay--so that fact, along with barnard, reduced the dateable population of Columbia. That and the fact that there was no way I would bone any of my guy friends :P
It's not as bad as it sounds in theory, though. really.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also, how socially conscious are the students? not necessarily as judged based on their community service involvement but everyday mundane actions like how they carry themselves. I believe that if people's psyche is truly devoid of a privileged mentality, it would show in every aspect of their lives (I believe the humanities/social sciences Core would do much to influence it).</p>
<p>At my present school, there are a lot of cocky students who pretend they're nonchalant about their status (socioeconomic or otherwise) but reek of privilege, and it's off-putting.
[/quote]
it's a snarky oversimplification, but when you have literal poverty a half-mile away, slums literally</a> burning down two blocks over, and hobos asking you for change every 2 minutes on the street, it's difficult to maintain an air of entitlement. Most of the arrogance some students arrive with dissipates as they come into contact with (A) the often-tough Real World (tm), (B) their own maturity, and (C) the fact that they're no longer a big fish in a small pond, so quit yer braggin'.</p>
<p>Most... not all.</p>
<p>edit: ...and that doesn't mean it's unsafe in morningside heights, just that it's not insulated into its own little bubble.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I didn't have a problem, most of my friends were guys. Basically, I didn't really notice it. What I did notice, however, was that a lot of the men in my class were gay--so that fact, along with barnard, reduced the dateable population of Columbia. That and the fact that there was no way I would bone any of my guy friends :P
[/quote]
But your girlfriends' exes may or may not be fair game, from what I hear. :) And that Rahul is so cuuuute. (I actually ran into him at a CU Alumni event last week - learned some interesting things about you)</p>
<p>More seriously, I think a lot of girls arrive at Columbia with total confidence in their intellectual skills, but a lack of awareness of the fact that most of them actually have social charm, wit, and good looks. Few were the "popular cheerleader" type in high school, and learning that that doesn't matter anymore can take some time. (during that time, mind you, upperclassmen get them drunk, play on their insecurities, and get some cheap hookups - watch out for Pike)</p>
<p>In my experience, however, once CU/BC girls adjust to their new lives and environment a little bit, they have absolutely no problem finding dates. They may have higher priorities in life, of course, but the ones who want to find interesting and interested men don't have to go far. Any public gathering place, be it a museum, a concert or a bar, will be filled with guys who'll find you far more interesting than the average floozy who works in "fashion" or "theater" but is actually a paralegal working a 9-to-5. So it's far from a bad scenario, and beats the hell out of being at a school in the middle of nowhere, where the school is all you have to work with.</p>
<p>This advice comes straight from my extensive experience picking up men, naturally :)</p>
<p>In a related story, this wine is really good.</p>
<p>Denzera, that post is so wrong. :)</p>
<p>I know, not one but TWO smileys in the same post? My street cred is shot all to hell.</p>
<p>"But your girlfriends' exes may or may not be fair game, from what I hear."</p>
<p>Of course you're different!</p>
<p>"And that Rahul is so cuuuute"</p>
<p>Then you bone him!</p>
<p>"I actually ran into him at a CU Alumni event last week - learned some interesting things about you"</p>
<p>I want this explained in an email. Now.</p>
<p><a href="I%20actually%20ran%20into%20him%20at%20a%20CU%20Alumni%20event%20last%20week%20-%20learned%20some%20interesting%20things%20about%20you">quote</a>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Was this the thing at some club in Midtown West? 3 free drink tix looked appealing; how was it?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Was this the thing at some club in Midtown West? 3 free drink tix looked appealing; how was it?
[/quote]
yeah, it was actually fantastic. The club was a really trendy place, it only had Columbia people in it until like midnight, the 3 drinks were for a full open bar (like Patron and everything)...</p>
<p>basically columbia alumni events break neatly into two categories: the ones where they give you free admission and free drinks, and the ones where they don't. The first category are almost always a great time, and the latter category stink.</p>
<p>what % are Greek? how do they fit in with the rest of the student body?</p>
<p>2.73946891% of the student population claims Greek heritage.</p>