<p>I narrowed my choices down to Columbia, Stanford and Boston University. BUT Columbia is about to go off my list. I did a Pro/Con list for the three schools and Columbia has no pros for me. The cons include expensive city, inflexible core, and the gym requirement (I enjoy physical activity, but mandatory gym is a waste of a class slot).</p>
<p>Anyone have any positives on Columbia in terms of...
1) Biochemistry program
2) Instrumental music (orchestra, private lessons, costs)
3) Gay environment (I assume NYC speaks for itself)</p>
<p>I feel that to ask total strangers who do not know you at all to give u these arbitrary pros and cons is silly. Only YOU can make this decision. If you feel that Columbia isnt the best fit for you then dont go. Us giving you some positives wont really help in the long run.</p>
<p>I have to agree. You sound as if you would be happier somewhere else. If you see the city more as an expense and less as an element full of opportunities then this probably is not the school for you. If you are that homophobic you should probably stray away too.</p>
<p>I think he was saying that he IS gay and is not homophobic, but homophilic.</p>
<p>But I can't believe Columbia has no pros! I like Columbia so much better than BU. Oh well, I guess that makes me unlike you.</p>
<p>As a musician, though, and a serious one, I can say that NYC is hard to beat (I'd rephrase that to say impossible to beat), and music in NYC is one of my biggest reasons for going to Columbia, and music was the main thing that narrowed down my own college list.</p>
<p>Same opinion with Jono. I play 4 woodwinds and found the Columbia music scene, as well as NYC, to be far greater than any other college town I would have picked.</p>
<p>I think you've got your mind made up already, which is fine. You can't go everywhere! I would, however, like to correct your impression of the PE requirement. It doesn't take up another class slot -- it's one unit, pass not pass -- and people take it in addition to a full academic load. There are lots of options -- fencing, squash, strength training, etc. etc. That certainly should not be an element in deciding where to go to college. The core, however, should be.</p>