Columbia University
Reviews

Weather

It's usually kind of crappy weather, but with a bit of luck global warming will help us out and it will slowly get warmer. This year we barely had a winter.

Useful

The computers in the schools are constantly being updated. The only problem is what has already been said: that it is often hard to find a work station during midterm/final week. The key, however, is that people don't utilize all of the computer labs in the school, so all you have to do is find a few that nobody uses. Printing is restricted to 100 sheets but you almost never end up using that much and network reliability on the campus is good most of the time.

The Accessibility of Cafeterias and Libraries

The cafeterias are all within a 5 minute walking distance from on-campus housing so it is really convenient. There is an abundance of beautiful and quiet libraries to study in, but during finals it may be a hassle finding a spot. However, if one goes early one can enjoy the tranquility of studying in one of our majestic libraries.

Carman

Suite mates smoke weed every other day, someone is always sleeping in the hallway, and my floor's lounge furniture is always gone. What is life?

Not Great

Columbia's dining halls aren't that great. Ferris always has the same things with the exception of a few things changing daily. I like to think of going to John Jay Dining hall as a gamble because you never know what to expect. I always play it safe and just get pasta at Ferris. On the weekend, it's best to just go out and explore the restaurants in the city.

Just Right

There is a decent amount of good-looking people at Columbia... some very good-looking people. Lots of these types of people are pretty social and easy to meet, starting freshman year, at bars, frats, special event parties, and more casually, in class, around your dorm, at the library, or at the gym. If you want to be social, it is really easy to be social and meet lots of fun people who actually have both great looks and good personalities. There isn't a lot of dating here, mostly hooking up, but maybe dating comes a bit later. I love the social life here in comparison to other fratty, huge schools. I feel like I know so many of the people, have plenty more to meet, and I honestly love how adult it feels to go out to bars and nice parties almost every night of every weekend.

Be Smart and You'll Be Just Fine

For what Columbia has to deal with, being next to Harlem and in an incredibly populous city, Columbia does an excellent job of keeping its students safe. There is very little crime within the gates of the campus, but on the streets around campus, there are different sorts of robberies at night. Security is always, always on patrol and is easy to reach. Just always make sure to be with other people; simple good judgement is all you really need to protect yourself here, and being in New York helps to teach you to be careful about these things. Columbia provides very helpful safety talks at the beginning of each year, as well as personal safety talks in relation to violence and sexual violence, which I have never actually encountered.

Awesome

Nightlife is great; we're in NYC! Parties are everywhere depending on who you know, and there are bars around here that don't card.

A Must.

Living on campus is a given, especially considering the school's locale in Manhattan. The dorms are fine, maybe a little small, but liveable. I had a very enjoyable experience here. Freshmen shouldn't be worried about housing because in all reality, they get some of the best halls on campus assigned to them. The lottery system can be a pain, but the LLC or other suite options are the best for upperclassmen. The social atmosphere of the school is amazing thanks to this on-campus housing rule: we're guaranteed all four years of housing here. Financial aid will also help you with housing if you need more help. The halls are the best and are conveniently located.

Subway System and Cabs Rock

What's more convenient than the NYC subway system or hailing a cab? I wouldn't even laugh at someone who brings a car here; I would personally check them in to a mental hospital. No parking ever. You have everything you need just a subway swipe away.

Passionate Students and Lots of Clubs

You'll find all sorts of people here. Also, many students turn to clubs in order to fill any gaps in their social life, so Columbia students are generally very passionate about things. Basically, students are very diverse, so it's not like the population is homogenous. As far as fashion goes: this is not an Uggs and sweatpants college. We are laid-back but still, we wear real clothes.

The guy scene is tough from a woman's point of view; easily a large percentage of men are gay, while the straight ones are shared with Barnard women across the street. The girls are not bad either, and they are abundant.

Not for Everyone, but Perfect for Many!

Obviously, this school is in the best city on Earth. If I could do it over again, I would pick to go to Columbia over and over, no lie. It has a great location; nestled between two parks in upper Manhattan. The students here are diverse, and don't fit that stereotype of the "Ivy-Leaguer". The financial aid here is amazing, as well. Columbia also has something for everyone; whatever you want to study, work, or play, they have it. Promise. It's also pretty small compared to the other ivies, and that contributes to the community feel and close-knittedness of the campus. I love it here, and while it's not for everybody, Columbia is a great choice for the independent student who loves the bustle of city life.

The Scene Is There but There's No Pressure :)

I am a firm believer that it is COMPLETELY possible on this campus to have a fantastic social life without partaking if that's not your thing. Also, before I came here I was worried about there being a lack of a party scene, but that's untrue. These substances are totally available if you seek them out. All the freshman dorms are dry, but that is entirely unenforced. There is no peer pressure here though, because many students are pretty straight-edge, but they still have fun! I'd say a large percentage of students do drink however. Also, there is a campus ambulance that will pick you up free of charge as many times as you need if you are sick from whatever, including alcohol. Lastly, the campus is pretty good about not ratting the students out if they are underage.

This Is Columbia. If You Don't Know Already, You Should.

Basically, the teams suck, but the school keeps hope alive. To an embarrassing degree. If you were never a huge school-sports person, you won't mind, but if you crave that culture, Columbia is a land of die-hard fans who really spend all their time dying. Very hard.

Um...What Health?

Safety is good--Public Safety can be jerks from time to time (yelling at drunken students, refusing to escort you if you're half a block out of range at 3 a.m.) but for the most part they really come through. Health Services...well, put it this way, St. Luke's is right next door. Give them a try.

It's New York

What else is there to say? Places to eat, places to drink, places to do everything you could imagine and then some. Around Morningside Heights, there's fancy food (Community, Il Cibreo), good old standards (Koronet's, Absolut Bagels), parks (Central Park, Morningside Park, and Riverside Park) and amazing neighborhoods like Harlem and the Upper West Side. New York is a fabulous place to go to college--except whatever you do, draw up a budget before you go, because having a good time is EXPENSIVE.

Great Transportation

All buildings are within walking distance. The furthest dorm is about half a mile away from campus, but very few people elect to live there. You will be able to get to your classes in 10 minutes or less. If there is a sporting event at the off-campus athletic complex (Baker), there are free coach buses, and the subway is a great option as well.

GYM

Dodge has excellent resources for athletes, while it is mediocre for non-athletes. The cardio machines are often full. I have not been to the general use weight room, but the dance room is beautiful.

Accepting & Diverse

Lots of different ethnicities. The most represented ethnic groups are white and Asian but these do not make up a heavy majority. Everyone seems to mix well.

Seriously... It's NYC

No one in their sane minds buys or uses a car here. NYC has over 20 train lines, ever-expanding into letters of the alphabet we barely use. In addition to this, there are extensive bus routes and taxis at every corner. Well to answer the question, I imagine parking would be a hassle if one hypothetically drove a car here. If.

All We Do Is Lose...

Columbia's Marching Band is more notorious than Columbia's sport teams and that's for mocking Columbia's football team with taunting renditions of our school's fight song. Honestly, Columbia isn't known in the Ivy League or any league for that matter for being great at football, basketball, or any major sport. As a result, school spirit is lower than average when it comes to sports. However, little known, is that we have the #1 fencing team in the nation. And our swim team is pretty stellar. Other than that, nothing to write home about.

It's Nothing Like You've Ever Experienced

This place is a surge of energy. You will be exposed to more things here in a week than you have in your entire life. You will meet incredible people and do incredible things and have an incredible time. You will find yourself here. Your life will never be the same.

Come on-- It's NYC

Remember you are not living in the Midwest. Everything here is more expensive-- especially housing. There are quite a lot of rentals available, but they are not cheap. Easily 1800 a month. Easily. Try to stay on campus.

Tons of Places for College Students

Although you're in NYC, you are in a part of the city that is dominated by Columbia University. Therefore, there are a TON of local restaurants with fairly cheap prices within ten blocks of campus-- and I mean a TON. And there isn't only quantity: there's also quality. The food is delicious and is from tons of different cultural backgrounds.

Financial Aid

Columbia has a pretty big endowment and is very generous for financial aid; only a few schools give more in terms of monetary aid.