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Comparable Schools'
Computers Grades:
Quick Stats24-Hour Labs?
Yes - Broadway, Butler Library, Carman, East Campus, Furnald, Hartley, Lerner Hall, McBain, River, Schapiro, and Wien
College Prowler Take
While it is possible to survive at Columbia without a computer, it is not recommended. There are plenty of computer rooms around campus and terminals for a quick look at your e-mail, but they are usually packed during the day and the waits are incredibly long at crunch times. The Barnard Library is one of the less populated options, and there are other rooms in the departments or other libraries that tend to be less crowded. The printers are not always reliable, and it often becomes necessary to send a document to multiple locations, just hoping that one machine is working properly. Procrastinators should definitely bring their own computer to school, even if it’s just a dinosaur with a word processing unit. Many students wait until the last minute to finish (or start) a paper, only to discover that this was not an original idea. Furthermore, as more professors learn how to incorporate the Internet into their courses, it’s much more pleasant to read lectures notes or download the next problem set in your room while wearing pajamas than it is to scout around for an open computer and a functioning printer. Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
Anonymous says:  |
The computer labs are great,...
The computer labs are great, though at times, overcrowded. But most people respect the quiet rule (take all of your cell phone conversations outside), which they do not respect in the library. You definitely need your own computer in order to survive here. |
Anonymous says: |
Having not owned a computer for my...
Having not owned a computer for my first year at Columbia, I can say with some authority, bring or buy a computer, even if it’s old. The worst thing is having to run to campus at 4 a.m. to finish a paper in a lab, then realizing that others procrastinated as much as you did, and the room is packed. |
Anonymous says: |
Here, I would say that it depends...
Here, I would say that it depends on your major. The labs are big, and there is usually space, but if you are going to do English or political science where you will have to write a lot of papers, you should bring your own. |
Anonymous says: |
You definitely don’t need your own...
You definitely don’t need your own computer, but if you do decide to get one, get a laptop. I learned the hard way this year that laptops are so much better than desktops. You really don’t need them because the school is well equipped with computer labs. However, if you don’t have one, you’ll miss out on the best part of college—AIM and downloading from Morpheus or KaZaa. |
Anonymous says: |
The computer network is great....
The computer network is great. It’s fast and convenient. The labs are sometimes crowded. The printers are out of paper sometimes. You could get by without your own computer. People do that. But it’s more convenient to have your own, especially during those last minutes before a paper is due. It’s bad when you just need to print something out, and the printer is either crowded, broken, or out of paper! Personally, I would rather have my own. |
FactsDiscounted Software
ArcView, Mathematica, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio, Windows XP
Free Software
Aladdin Expander, EndNote, Fugu, PC PhoneHome, ProCite, PuTTY, QWS3270, Reference Manager, Symantec AntiVirus, Windows Vista, Windows XP, WinSCP
Charged to Print?
Yes - Undergraduates receive 100 free printed pages each week, so you're only charged after that.
Did You Know?You can escape the print quota by pressing the Esc and Enter button simultaneously when authorizing your print job.
Most Recent Contributing Author
Name: Alexandre Millet
Hometown: Washington D.C., Geneva
Major: Economics and Computer Science Alexandre has been to Antarctica! Contributing Author Internship
College Prowler is actively seeking talented students to be "Contributing Authors," and assist with updating
the College Prowler guide to their school. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain internship experience, be a part of a nationally
recognized company, gain tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is
really like at your college. Read more about the internship.
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