Review of Columbia University in the City of New York
from Fullerton, CA
Describe your college in three sentences.
It can be the best four years of your life and make all your dreams come true. However, there are MANY obstacles that will try and stop you from achieving this. In this end, it all depends on how forward-thinking, mature, in-the-moment you are and your general outlook of life.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
You are no longer in the top 5%, you are no longer the class president, you are no longer the "nerd" with a super high GPA, in fact, you are no longer smart. Everyone there has 9.00 GPAs, knows how to play at least two musical instruments, is good at least at one sport, and is richer than you and probably hotter. If you haven't grasped the concept of humility yet, get cracking. (Which I hadn't and it hit my right in the face so hard it knocked me out for a year.)
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
You assigned so much to read that a lot of people don't even try to read some of it. Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, research papers, reviews, and academic journals can be your best friend. Or you can take a rice cooker to the library, a bag of rice, toiletries, change of clothes, and half of the books on reserve and live 4 years in Manhattan without ever having been to Times Square... up to you.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
The first year is the best. It's when you will meet most of your friends that you will be with until graduation, and it's just one giant party. Senior year is pretty good because you get to pick housing first and live in awesome suites or townhouses with all your friends. Sophomore and Junior year suck for housing because you get last pick and the worst dorm.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
Only freshman year and only if you live in John Jay will you have an incredible dining experience that first year. The dining hall is just downstairs and JJ's is in the basement open until 4 am with the greatest junk food ever for those Freshman 15. After that, it sucks and you're far from the dining area so you probably won't get a dining plan, and a tiny sandwich is $10 and the grocery store is far and expensive and you have to actually do stuff and make it yourself... meh.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Ok, it's MANHATTAN. An Ivy League school with a gorgeous campus with it's own subway stop in the capital of the world. Everything and anything you want is right outside the front door. No Harvard, Princeton, or Yale will EVER.... E-V-E-R.... be able to give you such a life-changing experience.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
All types. Nerds. Geeks. Bums. Sluts. Alcoholics. Evangelical Born-Again Christians. Leaders. Losers. Overachievers. Underachievers. If you're not rich, try to not be in a circle of friends where they're all millionaires (I know you can't help that) cuz that's probably the one thing that will make you feel like crap.
If you want it, it's there. However, Columbia is known for not having a big Greek population. (Mostly because of space issues.) You'll never really get what all the other college kids are talking about when they go on about their sororities or frats... but hey, whatever. I didn't miss it one bit. Not then, not now. What's a frat?
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Campus has it's own safety. This is good in two ways. First, there are always guards patrolling the grounds all the time and in any emergency will respond with a team of officers in 5 seconds. Also, if you get in trouble, it won't be with NYPD... but with Columbia safety... which means instead of going to jail for getting caught doing or smoking something you shouldn't be... you'll get probation instead.
It can be the best four years of your life and make all your dreams come true. However, there are MANY obstacles that will try and stop you from achieving this. In this end, it all depends on how forward-thinking, mature, in-the-moment you are and your general outlook of life.
You are no longer in the top 5%, you are no longer the class president, you are no longer the "nerd" with a super high GPA, in fact, you are no longer smart. Everyone there has 9.00 GPAs, knows how to play at least two musical instruments, is good at least at one sport, and is richer than you and probably hotter. If you haven't grasped the concept of humility yet, get cracking. (Which I hadn't and it hit my right in the face so hard it knocked me out for a year.)
You assigned so much to read that a lot of people don't even try to read some of it. Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, research papers, reviews, and academic journals can be your best friend. Or you can take a rice cooker to the library, a bag of rice, toiletries, change of clothes, and half of the books on reserve and live 4 years in Manhattan without ever having been to Times Square... up to you.
The first year is the best. It's when you will meet most of your friends that you will be with until graduation, and it's just one giant party. Senior year is pretty good because you get to pick housing first and live in awesome suites or townhouses with all your friends. Sophomore and Junior year suck for housing because you get last pick and the worst dorm.
Only freshman year and only if you live in John Jay will you have an incredible dining experience that first year. The dining hall is just downstairs and JJ's is in the basement open until 4 am with the greatest junk food ever for those Freshman 15. After that, it sucks and you're far from the dining area so you probably won't get a dining plan, and a tiny sandwich is $10 and the grocery store is far and expensive and you have to actually do stuff and make it yourself... meh.
Ok, it's MANHATTAN. An Ivy League school with a gorgeous campus with it's own subway stop in the capital of the world. Everything and anything you want is right outside the front door. No Harvard, Princeton, or Yale will EVER.... E-V-E-R.... be able to give you such a life-changing experience.
All types. Nerds. Geeks. Bums. Sluts. Alcoholics. Evangelical Born-Again Christians. Leaders. Losers. Overachievers. Underachievers. If you're not rich, try to not be in a circle of friends where they're all millionaires (I know you can't help that) cuz that's probably the one thing that will make you feel like crap.
EVERYTHING. SO. MANY. CLUBS. TOO. MANY. IT'S GROSS.
If you want it, it's there. However, Columbia is known for not having a big Greek population. (Mostly because of space issues.) You'll never really get what all the other college kids are talking about when they go on about their sororities or frats... but hey, whatever. I didn't miss it one bit. Not then, not now. What's a frat?
Campus has it's own safety. This is good in two ways. First, there are always guards patrolling the grounds all the time and in any emergency will respond with a team of officers in 5 seconds. Also, if you get in trouble, it won't be with NYPD... but with Columbia safety... which means instead of going to jail for getting caught doing or smoking something you shouldn't be... you'll get probation instead.