<p>crap. so i was reading one of those chances threads.
and realized people were referring to the why columbia response as an "essay."
i remember it had a pretty short word limit when i filled in the app online.</p>
<p>was that supposed to be a 500-word one?</p>
<p>500-word essay is about any topic.
i think they mean that short answer.</p>
<p>there's something like a 200 char limit to the why columbia essay, i don't remember the exact number of char's but mine almost completely filled it up with only three sentences</p>
<p>its just a short blurb about exactly what it asks: why you want to go there.</p>
<p>(speaking as a student) some people i've talked to in the class of 2010 feel that mentioning the core was something good in that little short answer but some also feel it doesnt matter, best advice is just to be honest with them.</p>
<p>it was a 350 char. limit, i think
'</p>
<p>which is virtually nothing!</p>
<p>Well, my true-hearted response to the "Why Columbia" was very generic, though it covered every reason I wanted to go there. Personally, I didn't mention anything about the core curriculum, though now that I think back it is probably a good idea. My essay was honestly terrible, but I got deferred in any case. =(. I know someone who attends SEAS and he tells me that for the most part Columbia College students are better writers and Fu foundation students are better at math and sciences (which I guess is implied in itself). I'm a math/science kid with fairly weak writing skills, but I suppose my ECs and other parts of my app were strong enough to at least get me deferred.</p>