What's with all the bad reviews about the campus, administration, etc.?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>I was browsing the Student Reviews website, and I found some of the things I read on the CU page to be a little strange. I'd really like some feedback from some of the informed people on here. Here are some of the quotes from one poster:</p>

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There is a striking lack of commitment and communication between the Columbia's administration and students. In short, administrators are unresponsive and antithetical to student concerns. This is because they are patently unethical and disingenuous. The administration is intent on protecting and perpetuating the corrupt conditions and lack of adherence to university policy by assuring that the status quo remains unchallenged. From the Office of the President, Chief of Staff, Ombuds Office, and Deans of the individual colleges (especially Chris Columbo of Columbia College), they are truly a disgusting lot who are adroit, if at nothing else, in engaging with gutter tactics.

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The tiny aesthetically unpleasing campus is comparatively unsafe, even by New York's low standards. The ineffective campus security is far more intent in fictionalizing crime statistics rather than investigating violations of school policy and state law. Mirroring the administration, security fails to take student concerns seriously, or in some instances, into account at all. Moreover, security works in conjunction with the NYPD to veil crime statistics, giving an illusory perception of a secure campus.

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Furthermore, the exorbitantly expensive tuition is in direct opposite correlation to the quality of education. In short, a pervasive could-care-less attitude permeates the campus in regards to academic standards. This is primarily due to abject subjectivity. T.A's exceed acceptable limits in terms of grading, especially when considering their lack of experience and expertise...More often than not, classes are directed self anointed graduate students, whose on the job training is funded at the expense of exploited students. </p>

<p>Not surprisingly, students tend to be isolated, depressed, and defeated, and mask insecurities by becoming snobbish and form cliques. Those left out are understandably dependant and doleful. With nowhere to turn for support or empathy, the rejected become as harsh as New York City itself. On any given day, College Walk is replete with the living dead.

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Therefore, I provide a stern warning for prospective students, and friendly advice for current students contemplating a change. If you are a considerate, gregarious individual, passionate about education, and have a low tolerance for corruption, Columbia is not for you. Such individuals will leave Columbia rather cold, uncaring, and disillusioned, far worse than when they arrived at Columbia’s gated community. Moreover, your newly acquired attributes will have also cost you nearly $150,000 to acquire, a very bad investment indeed.

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2

<p>^i don't know what to think about those comments, but it's not encouraging!! i need to hear about actual students ... who can valid those negative comments???</p>

3

<p>Well, it's pretty obvious that someone was deeply unhappy at the school and has a real bone to pick.</p>

<p>These opinions--both good and bad--should be taken with a grain of salt. One person's delight is another's nightmare. If you want to get a realistic idea of a place read from MANY sources, talk to students, visit (beyond the campus tour) and look at past threads on these boards. It's not perfect, but it'll add up to something informative.</p>

<p>And for the record--these comments are ridiculous. But I think you already knew this.</p>

4

<p>I'm a current undergrad at Columbia, been here a few years. Columbia is a flawed institution like any other, we have our disadvantages, our campus is not massive and sprawling, our athletics are nothing spectacular and our bureaucracy takes time to learn how to navigate (this is getting better slowly). If our flaws were so deep and so widespread we simply would not be a top 10 institution now would we?</p>

<p>We're one of best research universities in the world we have one of finest liberal arts colleges anywhere, we have improved considerably as a school in the last decade. We are one of the toughest schools to get into and we attract top professors. We wouldn't be able to this without a beautiful campus and an administration that works for student and professor interests. We wouldn't be able to be where we are if campus and surrounding areas was crime ridden. I've had perhaps 1 phd student run my university writing class of 15, she has been one of my best and most inspirational teachers, all other classes of mine, whether big or small, have been by professors.</p>

<p>On wall street if something is too good to be true, then it probably is, and at an institution that is widely recognized as one of best in the world. If it's too bad to be true, then it probably is. Why you would pay attention to one poster's vendetta against us is beyond me. Every school will have some lunatic who hates it, or someone who is trying to sabotage it and undermine its reputation. Columbia has disadvantages, but it isn't an evil or incompetently run organization, if it were, you wouldn't see us near the top and improving over the last decade.</p>

5

<p>Kids are going to whine, groan, and tug at their hair anywhere they go to college.</p>

<p>We all have our grievances with our undergrad institutions, and these student review mediums seem to be a great way to vent them.</p>

<p>That being said, the Columbia administration is going to be very bureaucratic, because it's a large university, and there are many students and demands to be dealt with.</p>

<p>Columbia has a respectably generous FA program now, so that criticism might no longer hold. The middle class will always be shafted, regardless.</p>

<p>Again, TAs are a problem at universities, and students are always going to gripe about grading and teaching quality.</p>

<p>"...students tend to be isolated, depressed, and defeated, and mask insecurities by becoming snobbish and form cliques. Those left out are understandably dependant and doleful."</p>

<p>This observation holds true at a vast majority of the elite unis and LACs out there. Naive and optimistic high school seniors won't know it til it hits them hard and leaves them cold.</p>

<p>NYC is a lonely, indifferent, big city, and people branch out. There's little solidarity. But, the mystique and the aura will continue to draw dreamers.</p>

<p>All things considered, Columbia is a fine place to get an undergrad education, relative to many of its peers.
And, New York City is a great place to get life experience, no matter how harsh.
There's no need to fool yourself into thinking that college is going to be a happy-sunshine time of your life.</p>

6

<p>um, is it just me, or does that sound really tongue-in-cheek? either that, or it was just one specific person who had a terrible experience, one viewpoint only.</p>

7

<p><strong>they are patently unethical and disingenuous. The administration is intent on protecting and perpetuating the corrupt conditions and lack of adherence to ...policy by assuring that the status quo remains unchallenged.</strong></p>

<p>Sounds more like an excerpt from a list of demands written by some prisoners that just rioted and took control of a cell block.</p>

<p>"Attica! Attica!"</p>

8

<p>I met hundreds of fellow students during my 4 years there, and many more in the almost 3 years since graduating. Among all those students, I have met exactly one who was deeply unhappy with their experience at Columbia (he really was much more cut out for a small, brainy LAC).</p>

<p>If you really want more details on a particular part of that poster's rant, Rachael, by all means ask and the dozen or so current/former students will hold forth. As for my own contributions, I invite you to read the posts here, some of which I'm rather proud of:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/237231-columbia-vs-princeton-ed.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/237231-columbia-vs-princeton-ed.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Understanding Columbia as an institution and a culture is a complicated endeavor. Many rural LACs or state research universities are very much alike, but Columbia is almost completely unique in the world, for a variety of reasons, and draws a unique blend of talent to its student body.</p>

9

<p>If the review above rang true for most students at Columbia, would 99% return for their sophomore year and 95% graduate from the institution?</p>

<p>Given how academically strong Columbia students are judging just by the incoming class profile, I think they would have options to transfer if the undergraduate experience was that unsatisfying (eg Slipper, a poster who transferred from CU to Dartmouth a decade ago).</p>

<p>*Chris Colombo is now the Dean of Student Life at MIT. </p>

<p>**NYC is the safest large city in the country according to the FBI:
APPLE</a> IS SAFEST BIG CITY IN NATION: FBI - New York Post.</p>

10

<p>I have to agree with the original posts. Columbia's administration really could care less about anything other than them. I’ll never forget my freshman year when there was a guy who live in my dorm, Carmen, and he harassed this girl to the point where she was forced to move out of room. Later, the same guy harassed another student in another college at Columbia. When the victim complained, the administration appointed an attorney, Morgan Levy, to protect the harasser. One of the victims wanted to file a complaint, but because the jerk's father was a prominent alum of the school, the administration ended up harassing the victim. Everyone from the chief of staff to the deans of the colleges treated him like dirt, and they were all in on it. One of the deans, Mary McGee, re-wrote school policy to the point where it was unrecognizable. Anyway, the victim was forced to transfer, and re-started at another school, but lost forty credits in the process. Fortunately, he filed a law suit, which was one of the things that precipitated McGee's departure from Columbia. The point is, Columbia’s administration all know each other, and when things like this happen, they all get together and create road blocks against any student with a valid complaint or concern that might disturb their precious status quo. I’ve seen it happen more than once. There are complete slime balls. </p>

<p>Campus Security did nothing to help the victim mentioned above, or other students in similar situations. They were just a mouthpiece for the administration. Regardless, there is crime on campus ranging from typical things like stolen computers to harassment and rape. Even if a report is taken, Campus security rarely includes it in their final yearly safety report in order to give the illusion that Columbia is safe. Also, the north and east sides of campus adjoin some of the worst neighborhoods in New York City. I won’t even walk to the A train because you have to pass through several crime ridden blocks, and a housing project. Last year, a student was killed on the north side of campus, as a result of a botched robbery. Moreover, NYC is definitely NOT the safest place. Politicians will say and do anything, including skew police reports, or re-write the definition of a crime, to spin numbers and give false impressions. Of note, the 26 precinct works in conjunction with Columbia not in terms of effectively combating crime, but covering up crime. Students who filed harassment reports with the NYPD were ignored, and their valid reports were not included in the 26 Precinct’s yearly report. So much for ethics. </p>

<p>Overall, if you are considering an Ivy League school, and are concerned about safety you may want to look at another university. This is because if something happens to you, you are harassed, mugged, raped, or personal property is stolen; don’t expect Columbia’s administration or the NYPD to help. They work together to protect themselves by giving false senses of security. As mentioned by numerous commentators, the whole place is corrupt.</p>

11

<p>
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aesthetically unpleasing

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pervasive could-care-less attitude permeates the campus in regards to academic standards.

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<p>those two quotes invalidate any credibility the poster might have had :)</p>

12

<p>Jan185, I've never heard more bs in my life, if you're going to lie at least make it believable, where are your sources substantiating mass under-acknowledged crime? who was this kid who filed a law suit or who was the perpetraitor? show me any evidence of any of this. Anyone can come onto a forum and mouth off, you could be a yale student for all we know. no-one on here agrees with your claims. You're probably someone who used to post on this forum and got the cold shoulder and now has created a new account to continue slandering Columbia.</p>

13

<p>confidentialcoll,</p>

<p>Everyone's comments on this forum should be taken with a grain of salt, including yours. I see no reason to attack a poster just for presenting information that is disparaging to Columbia University. You have no way of knowing whether the poster's story is true or not and you're sounding like a fanboy. No offense.</p>

14

<p>I don't understand what's so suspicious about an enrolled student or an alumna criticizing her college.</p>

<p>Although the provided anecdote relates an isolated incident of heinous crime and bureaucratic corruption, it provides helpful insight into how Columbia as an institution might react to such a rare tragedy.</p>

<p>As a permanent resident of NYC, however, I would say the grim picture painted of the city is an overly-exaggerated one.</p>

15

<p>^
kwu,</p>

<p>I agree. I've been a resident of Boston myself and have frequently made trips to NYC. Wonderful place and I can see myself having a career there someday. However, I can see how someone not used to the fast-paced lifestyle could see NYC as a "grim" place to live.</p>

16

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I see no reason to attack a poster just for presenting information that is disparaging to Columbia University

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<p>if you make ludicrous claims, you get harsh criticism that's deal with free speech, and it's here to stay. The claims are both unfounded and pretty ridiculous, any form of slander needs substantiation.</p>

<p>Jan185 has a grand total of 1 post, lots of credibility there.</p>

17

<p>What if the poster's claim is true, though? I'm not saying that I think it is, but I just don't see how you can trounce someone just for presenting information. Honestly, the story doesn't sound THAT far fetched. You're being hyper-defensive.</p>

18

<p>So as for that shaggy dog story...</p>

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One of the deans, Mary McGee, re-wrote school policy to the point where it was unrecognizable. Anyway, the victim was forced to transfer, and re-started at another school, but lost forty credits in the process. Fortunately, he filed a law suit, which was one of the things that precipitated McGee's departure from Columbia.

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I happen to know Ms. McGee, as her daughter is one of my good friends. As I recall, she was not a dean of CC or of SEAS. I was pretty sure she was a graduate school student services dean. I don't see how any of this conspiracy-theory - even if all true - reflects on anyone's undergraduate experiences for prospectives.</p>

<p>you gotta be pretty low to be slinging mud anonymously on the internet. most of the rest of us are prepared to stand behind our opinions if we have to - I certainly am.</p>

19

<p>Having lived near the campus most of my life, and having parents that went to Columbia as undergrads, I can give you some feedback on these comments:</p>

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"The tiny aesthetically unpleasing campus is comparatively unsafe, even by New York's low standards. The ineffective campus security is far more intent in fictionalizing crime statistics rather than investigating violations of school policy and state law. Mirroring the administration, security fails to take student concerns seriously, or in some instances, into account at all. Moreover, security works in conjunction with the NYPD to veil crime statistics, giving an illusory perception of a secure campus."

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<p>-> The campus IS pretty small but it is definitely beautiful and full of life (except the dorms which are really ugly). Columbia's neighborhood is REALLY safe, and I've never seen or heard of ANY crimes happening in Morningside Heights my whole life. The only problem I have with this neighborhood is that it is REALLY REALLY expensive for college students. Want ice cream? Go to Pinkberries ($5-7 for a cup). Want pizza? It'll cost you $3 a slice. Want to eat out? There are no reasonably cheap restaurant (they are fancy with prices at $10-15 per plate). Yeah, that sucks. </p>

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Not surprisingly, students tend to be isolated, depressed, and defeated, and mask insecurities by becoming snobbish and form cliques. Those left out are understandably dependant and doleful. With nowhere to turn for support or empathy, the rejected become as harsh as New York City itself. On any given day, College Walk is replete with the living dead.

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<p>-> As far as I've heard this is most likely true -- especially that there is little support or empathy for many students. It's a harsh population -- most people are left on their own. The administration is also distant from the students for the most part.</p>

20

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Want ice cream? Go to Pinkberries ($5-7 for a cup). Want pizza? It'll cost you $3 a slice. Want to eat out? There are no reasonably cheap restaurant (they are fancy with prices at $10-15 per plate). Yeah, that sucks.

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<p>there are expensive places near campus but there are douzens of cheeep places also.</p>

<p>pink berry is the most expensive ice-cream in the area. Tasti-D on campus sells frozen yogurt for reasonable prices. most of the chinese restaurants have lunch specials for $5-6, usually with soup. A $3-4 slice at Koronet's wouldn't fit in my suitcase, it serves a family :p (~2.5 equiv slices at a normal place). Saji's has an early evening meal for $4-5, Taqueria on Amsterdam and 108 has a burrito the size of a baby for $7, 2 serves 3. M2M has big burgers for $5. I'm a cheap bastard so I know most of the cheap ways to eat. There are ~50 restaurants within a 10 minute walk from main campus. 15-20 of these are cheap by any US metric. They have employees protesting wages frequently, that's how cheap they are. I rarely need to spend over $10 for a hearty meal.</p>