<p>I think the choice will be made for you as well. Bear that in mind before your family uproots.</p>
<p>Columbia is urban, but there are clear campus boundaries. You can stay within the boundaries. It would be a pretty poor use of being in NYC, but an anxious student could do that.</p>
<p>I’d be more worried about the core curriculum at Columbia vs the openness at Princeton.</p>
<p>Okay, well let’s say I convince my parents to let me move out on my own. I know freshmen are required to live on campus at both schools, but I don’t think that will stop them from moving. I’m sure they still want to be close by. Anyway, my next question is about dorm life. Is it better at Princeton or Columbia? I’ve seen video tours of Columbia’s dorms and they look kinda…gross. Are all dorms like that? And what about bathrooms and dining? Are the showers lined up side by side? I think you’re required to purchase a meal plan. Just the thought of having to eat in a dining hall with tons of other people is unnerving. I’m also a vegetarian, so I’m worried about having to live off of mediocre salads. </p>
<p>Again, you are likely not going to “choose between Princeton and Columbia.” Do you have a wider set of schools? </p>
<p>Of course I do, haha. I was just wondering between the two.</p>
<p>After thinking it through and researching some more, I’ve decided that I will apply to Princeton and not Columbia. I don’t particularly like Columbia’s core curriculum, and if my parents do choose to move with me, housing seems easier to find in NJ.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the responses! :)</p>
<p>"""@Ranza123 has a very good point. the vast majority of schools require freshman to live on campus, including Columbia and Princeton. Your parents’ wishes don’t matter; it’s school policy."""</p>
<p>the vast majority of schools do NOT require frosh to live on campus. Many of the better known schools do, but there are many, many, many, many that dont. </p>
<p>and of the ones that do require, many will waive that reqt if parents live within the close area.</p>
<p>@AmbiD77 When I talked about the prices of 1-bedroom apartments, I was doing so in response to the “even a tiny apartment could cost around $7K” line. I agree that a family of 3 could not comfortably live in a 1-bedroom. But I live in Morningside Heights. A 2-bedroom apartment that was more than $4,000 in this neighborhood would be a very expensive luxury unit. You can get a <em>nice</em> 2-bedroom apartment in the Upper West Side for $2500-4000/month. Generally speaking, 2-bedrooms aren’t twice as expensive as 1-bedrooms, which is why it’s often cheaper to share.</p>
<p>@WallFlower1166 You’re right in that housing will be both cheaper and easier to find nearby Princeton. Princeton is still relatively expensive compared to other NJ towns, but not compared to NYC. It’s a really nice town, too, btw.</p>
<p>I think your parents are being a bit bizarre in thinking they have to move the entire family to where you decide to attend college, but different strokes, I suppose. I will say, though, that Princeton’s environment is built upon a system of residential colleges that are integral to the educational and social life of students on campus. I do believe that Princeton freshman and sophomores are required to live on campus, so you might have to do something special to get exempted - write a letter or something like that. Most schools I know that do have a requirement will waive that requirement in certain circumstances. A friend of the family went to a college nearby our hometown that required freshman to live on-campus, but her parents were very religious and didn’t believe in living on campus at colleges so they got a letter from the clergy of their religion and she was exempted.</p>