<p>so one of the short answers on the CU app asks "Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why."</p>
<p>does this mean explicitly ONE thing?</p>
<p>what do you guys think?</p>
<p>I interpreted it as one "general" thing.</p>
<p>For me it was the computer science department (the one thing)
but very many different aspects of it such as courses offered, faculty, and research projects.</p>
<p>So yeah it should be focused on one "general" thing (considering the amount of space you have), but that one thing may be about many. haha?</p>
<p>I said the Core. Some of my friends are so happy they get to choose their own classes, but I think a more worldly knowledge comes from the Core.</p>
<p>I tried to squeeze in far too much, and thus feel like I shortchanged my abilities to discuss why, but essentially it is the Core.</p>
<p>You want to avoid talking about things that everyone will say, i.e. The Core or New York City.</p>
<p>I think mentioning the Core is fine in the response to that question. While I didn't actually do that, it is certainly a major part of why you would want to attend. Don't feel pressured to say something that does not come naturally. While you do want intelligent responses, be careful not to overthink anything.</p>
<p>Personally, I took the approach of explaining what I think Columbia represents. Then I referenced a few campus locations where I want to be and where I believe that I would fit in.</p>
<p>..... what if the core + nyc are the reasons i wanna go to CU.
it's so annoying; the columbia people always stress that "what really sets columbia apart from other schools is its Core Curriculum"; and what they always boast about in their presentations is "having nyc at ur fingertips";</p>
<p>must we be obligated to find a 'unique' answer?</p>
<p>oh boy; why must apps be like this.</p>
<p>I thought they were looking for something besides acadenics, but I could be wrong.</p>
<p>"Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why"</p>
<p>What part of the question states that the reason must exclude academics?</p>
<p>I don't think that there is a need to over think this question. I just thought about what I want from an education and the environment I want to be in for the next four years. Then I looked up what Columbia has to offer and found out about how it satisfies my preferences. Whether it be academics, the core, the city, as long as the answer is something sincere and something "you" then there shouldn't be a problem.</p>