Columbia University Student Reviews

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Allie

  • Class: Sophomore
  • Major: Spanish
  • Gender: F
  • High School: Westfield High School
  • Transfer Student: N
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Big Picture

The best thing about Columbia is New York. And the prestige of the name. And New York. We're more college than NYU but it's no Princeton; there's stuff to do on the weekends for EVERYONE. Walking through the beautiful campus, you hear five different languages, you see a frisbee thrown over the head of a guitar-player smoking a cigarette. People are weird, and they're different, but that's the beauty of the school.

Academic Life

Because of the Core Curriculum, it is a classical education rooted in the classics and philosophy. Kids and professors often complain about the "dead-white man curriculum." But the topics in classes get kids going, and because we're all taking some of the same classes, yes, we debate about religion when we're sitting around hanging out. But only sometimes. More often than not, students have to take the initiative themselves to get to know their professors. No one here is babying you. Well, maybe a little babying; there is a nice Ivy League curve...

Student Body

So diverse. A group for everyone. Jocks, hipsters, NERDS, music kids, classical music kids, you name it, they're here. Yet students do fall into the cracks. It can be hard to meet people, especially if you don't join an organization. And most kids aren't ALWAYS on campus, so if you don't have a group by the end of your freshman year, it can be especially hard.

The Best Things

New York

The Worst Things

no community

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