<p>is the definition of a typical columbian.. someone that is highly self-motivated, totally independent, a high achiever, a go-getter.... someone that is confident and knows what they want, balances work and partying well??</p>
<p>So who thinks they are a true Columbian?</p>
<p>That's not a very specific definition. That could be any type A personality.</p>
<p>I think that's a typical Singaporean :) I have Singaporean relatives, and they are basically that way, it's their culture.</p>
<p>I think the personality you've described is more of Columbia's "dream student," not of Columbia's "typical student." LoL...</p>
<p>Ok but the definition of type A personlities can be quite negative....</p>
<p>haha i think that is the typical good quality college student. i'm sure most columbians are like that but the same for harvard and princeton. so it's not really a differentiating factor...</p>
<p>Yeah, the definition of type A <em>can</em> be pretty negative. And I think some of the traits you list above are not all good. I've known quite a few people with that personality profile, and none of them I particularly respect or value on a deep level. They tend to be overachievers and very competitive; I've also noticed that they tend to be pretty superficial when it comes to self-reflection or the question "why?". I hate competition. I'd prefer, 10 times out of 10, to be in a community of intellectual equals where the success of one or most does not equal the failure of others. Likewise, I resent achievement for its own sake: most of the people I know who have 4.0 GPAs I can't even have a meaningful conversation with--school does not encourage personal philosophical development (on the flipside, most of my friends have never seen the front side of a 3.2, and my best friend, an amazing musician and writer, dropped out of high school). It's not like I can't compete: I can, and often do, but it's not something I enjoy doing, nor do I care much for 'winning.'</p>
<p>If you feel offended by what I just wrote, please don't be. I'm not judging you personally: I can't do that until I've met you.</p>
<p>No I totally agree with you. No offense taken what so ever.. But it got me thinking, cus i had my interview last week and my interviewer talked about the type A personality.. and described it the way i did in my first post, and he said how Columbians are usually like that.. (that they knew what they want and they were go getters etc..)</p>
<p>I'm sure that a "typical" Columbian cannot be described.... and since it's sucha diverse community of different individuals everyone will be unique in their own way.
It's just that one of my good friends told me that she pictures this "Columbia student" and she thinks that I fit the picture lol.... she was tryin to encourage me on one of my very loooowwww looowww days...</p>
<p>Well I really hope to see all of you there!!</p>
<p>wow, antisthenes, I can't agree with you more on that topic, so many students focus too much on schoool work and GPA that they miss the overall direction of their life. Many try to get into good colleges for the sole purpose of getting in, I have known quite a few people that just completely collapsed in college because they really don't have the high school curriculum to push them anymore.</p>
<p>I somehow doubt that there is a "typical" Columbian in terms of personality, but I agree that many might be self-driven/motivated...not necessarily overachievers in a bad way.</p>
<p>Our school just had a huge debate about this. We had so many kids joining clubs just for the sake of putting it on their college resume. Think about it. That is what everyone told us when we got to high school. It will never end for people like that. Once they are in college they will be so fixated on grad/med/biz/law school that they will not enjoy their college years. What's after that....jobs and promotions.</p>
<p>And that's how children who hate their parents come about.</p>
<p>well, in any body of people that get along (and its important when columbia decides who gets in), there have to be type A and type B. There have to be leaders, and followers.</p>
<p>Rhamster, should we blame the colleges for all those "clubbers", or should we blame the kids themselves for not having a direction in life?</p>
<hr>
<p>"And that's how children who hate their parents come about"</p>
<p>LMAO...antisthenes, funny but so very true.</p>
<p>I agree that there have to be leaders and followers, but isn't that what ivy-league is taking part off? To produce leaders so they call lead followers? I'm not quite sure if these top-notch schools have to many "followers"...</p>
<p>Delfire...thats a tough question. Personally, I think that "clubbers" should realize that if you find your passion you will actually enjoy what your doing...I think the colleges are part of the problem for the constant "You need to be well-rounded" mystique but I think "clubbers" take it the wrong way.</p>
<p>I personally think that the whole College admission process is one whipped up frenzy ... I mean, who here can honestly say that they've not done ANYTHING "extra" (ie. join this club, or do some activity) that will make you look "good" for some great college.</p>
<p>I know I have... I can think of 2 things that I consciously did for the sake of my application for college, but in the end I actually really enjoyed it. Having said that, I don't think my high school years have gone to waste or anything like that. I've luckily found my strengths/weaknesses and passion in subjects as well as hobbies, and high school's allowed to be develop and nurture those interests.. </p>
<p>So.. I think it is partly the whole college admission process... It's inevitable because to get into top schools it's so insanely competetive!
But, those who get whipped up in that frenzy and completely "lose" themselves are definitely taking it the wrong way.. And they'll probably be lost in college.
And of course there will be "leaders" and those that follow, even if it is an ivy league.. After all, it's JUST a football league.
I'm not interested in Columbia because of its "ivy" label...</p>
<p>The moral of the story is when we all frolick to Columbia and find that horror of horrors, while everyone is certainly cerebral, there's more than the occasional B-type space case, whose self-actualization may involve much more dawldling and eating of cheetos, and less studying and running from one accapella singing group to another. </p>
<p>The real moral is that you are both a doodler and a frenzy-feeder. It's okay. We love you anyhow.</p>
<p>lol, who.. me?</p>
<p>I think it's me. (Yes, cheetos. And Cheech & Chong. Big ups for the humanities.)</p>
<p>both of you...who saw type A as slightly negative.</p>