Upperclassman housing

<p>Hi, I'm going to be a freshman next year at Columbia College, and am going to live on campus my first year.
However, I'm planning to live off campus from my sophomore year or my junior year.
I know that it is very uncommon for Columbia undergrads to live off campus, but does anyone know someone who does live off campus?
If so, how is the experience for them?
Do they ever feel like they're missing out on the college experience?
I'd appreciate anyone's input!</p>

<p>In your "planning to live off campus," have you looked into Manhattan housing prices? If you plan to live near Columbia, you'll be paying 1.5 to 2 times as much as you'd pay in the dorms for accomodations that are significantly worse than the Columbia dorms. If you actually want to live in a nice/fun part of Manhattan, you'll pay even more.</p>

<p>Nobody lives off campus, unless they're living with parents or something. The concept is absurd.</p>

<p>Why are you planning on living off campus before you've even gotten there?</p>

<p>I'm from the city, and my sister has an apartment on the west side, which she doesn't mind sharing with me.
I wanted to live on campus freshman year to get to know people better, but I was thinking about living with my sister since she has an extra bed room at her place.
Do you still think it's a bad idea?</p>

<p>Bad idea. The same social/friends/experience/convenience benefits to living in the dorms freshman year will apply in subsequent years.</p>

<p>My daughter has a good friend at Columbia College and one at Barnard that live off campus. It has not been a big deal. They had developed their network of friends during their first and second years at school - before they moved to apartments. They both live on the UWS and not too far from campus.</p>

<p>man i slept at ruggles and man ABSOLUTELY the worst place every. Cracked walls + fire hazardous building. They're renovating it next year right? So by teh time i'm a sophomore it's new right?</p>

<p>I know somebody whose parents live on 122nd and Amsterdam and she still lives on Campus. Some of the Columbia dorms are great and I would hate having to walk from the UWS 10+ blocks to Columbia every day, or take the subway. Especially when you have tests in the AM or early class, it's so much better to just be a block away.</p>

<p>i wouldnt recomend living off campus....much of the interaction u have with people is in your dorm and its also a pain in the ass for ppl to have to sign you in when you go and visit friends. It does seem that in your case it would be cheaper to live off campus but in most cases it is a whole lot more expensive. Also columbia is a small campus and new york is a huge city...finding something nearby is quite hard and even if you are 10 blocks away from campus...which seems like very little...it still becomes a hassle to have to walk....also remember that public transport is $2 each way....you do the math if say you go to campus every week day and one day of the wkend to hang out then thats 6 days x $2 x 2 way x 4 weeks/month = $96 a month.....clearly that wont add up to the six grand that housing costs for 9 months but its also about the hassle. </p>

<p>Also, it depends on where your sister lives because it is alot harder to get from say midtown east side to columbia than it is to get from midtown west side to columbia.....oh and dont forget about weather when it comes to the commute.</p>

<p>
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also remember that public transport is $2 each way....you do the math if say you go to campus every week day and one day of the wkend to hang out then thats 6 days x $2 x 2 way x 4 weeks/month = $96 a month

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<p>An unlimited ride monthly metrocard is $70 or so. A ride costs $1.67 if you buy them in bulk, anyway.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, it depends on where your sister lives because it is alot harder to get from say midtown east side to columbia than it is to get from midtown west side to columbia

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<p>OP says west side.</p>

<p>unlimited ride monthly is $76 ...i was ignoring it to make a point</p>

<p>hmm i see..
I never knew that you had to sign in to dorms to visit people even with your Columbia ID.
Initially I thought that it wouldn't be so much of a hassle since some upperclassmen Columbia dorms are apartment style and outside of the main campus.
My sister's apartment is only 6 blocks from Columbia too.
What do you guys think about junior/senior year?
Will the situation still be the same as freshman/sophomore year or will it be more flexible?</p>

<p>Well if your sister's apartment is so close to Campus, that might work out nicely. Regardless, I think it's an important part of the college experience to live on campus at least initially. Columbia is special in that the vast majority of all undergraduates live on campus for all four years. You'd be missing out on the opportunity to live in EC or Hogan with all your friends.</p>

<p>you seem to have slightly misunderstood the sign in policy.....</p>

<p>only people who live in on campus housing get swipe access to all the dorms...if you live off campus, even though u have a CU ID u need to be signed in. You can request swipe access but i dont think they just hand it out.....the downside to this is that you arent as free to come and go and since ur a girl some guys might think ur a barnard girl and that just aint nice.</p>

<p>Shraf's right. My boyfriend's younger brother at Columbia said this:</p>

<p>"If you're signing in a Barnard girl, everyone knows you're getting laid."</p>

<p>This discussion is going in circles, and the person who said</p>

<p>
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Why are you planning on living off campus before you've even gotten there?

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<p>seems to have put it best. Do you have to make a decision anytime soon on where to live your junior year? No. Why don't you wait until you get to Columbia and see if you like the dorms, what activities you get involved in, what types of friends you make and whether you'd want to live with them, whether you like being in the center of things, etc.?</p>

<p>
[quote]
"If you're signing in a Barnard girl, everyone knows you're getting laid."

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</p>

<p>sometimes i see barnard girls signing out on my way to class in the morning and u just know why they were there it isnt nice to be labeled that way and have everyone in ur business like that.</p>