I find that the only people who really cared were first-years, and after that, people started to realize that we are so mixed together that it doesn't even matter. I think I responded to your post two years ago and this is getting a lot of views, so I'll post my response from then again. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the ApplyingToCollege community. the fact is that CC is harder to get into but there's much better financial aid from the school for those kids. Obviously students are going to experience stress at top colleges with rigorous academics, but the stress levels at Columbia are just absolutely insane, and the Core Curriculum adds to it. Definitely gonna have to look at my college list and ponder a bit. GS is easier to get into but there's a huuuuge drop out rate: it costs more and the unqualified students drop out (as well as many qualified but broke students). This is because Teachers College is a respected normal school. Columbia has one of the most unique core curriculum that brings over 30,000 applicants every year.Columbia’s application requires 4 short answer questions and 2 supplemental essays on why you want to attend. It is mad overpriced. This is not about dating life, it is about the blurred sense of female identity on this campus. Well, that's an interesting view, and also a valid one. If she goes to Barnard, that's great too. Which school you associate yourself does not make you any better. Posted by. Thank you for your candor OP. The stress really gets to almost all of the students here and depression is typical. This subreddit is for anyone looking for advice about undergraduate college admissions, including college essays, scholarships, SAT/ACT test prep, and anything related to college applications. Once I get in, I can tell everyone I meet that I attend an Ivy League school, and they will gawk at its prestige. Thank you. Of course, it’s not exactly easy to say “I want to go to Columbia” (or any Ivy League) and just simply go. Yes, I am reposting this to share my experience again. Barnard claims to be one of the undergraduate colleges of Columbia University. Columbia is easily identifiable, so sometimes it's just easier to say you go there - since we're all under the same umbrella anyway. I’ve cried from time to time when it’s 4am, and when I’m cold and alone trying to finish up a million papers and studying for midterms or finals. For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. I didn't go to Barnard but my sister did and I spent a lot of time there. So many people are falling into depression because of the school and the academics, and when I see people walking around campus I don’t see much happiness or enthusiasm. Don't we all take the same classes, utilize the same facilities, intermingle? seas is whatever because it's engineering. Thank you for your candor and insight! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Expect to pay 1k a month on rent, at least (with roommates), as well as 100-something for transportation, then utilities, and the cost of everything, from food to clothing to basic goods, is higher than in most other places. Admissions at Columbia University are extremely selective. As a student who was majoring in Business, I only took 1 class in Psychology. I think a large part of this is again traced back to the fact how New York basically becomes a part of the students’ social life here, so students and graduates don’t feel much of a connection to the school itself to really have much school spirit or school love for Columbia. I would not have gone to Columbia if I had to pay. Apparently it brings shame upon all of Columbia to be associated with such rabble. The people are mostly nice but there are your typical assholes - I'm openly gay and have been physically and verbally harassed by strangers or peers due to it but the on-campus police do fuck all to keep that in check. Barnard is much easier to get into and thus the quality of students in generally lower to a certain extent. Bryan . Don't try to hide it. 11.7k. This is probably true at a lot of prestigious universities, but since Columbia’s in New York it sort of adds to the superficial mindset of a lot of people here. They should make one of these for all the ivies. Here are some more links for more insights into life at Columbia. Going forward I’m going to be taking my health into my own hands - fixing my gut, diet, herbs (or medicine if I ever get it), detoxing via sauna etc - and when/if I get better, I’m planning on launching a class action lawsuit against the Public Health/ Ontario College of physicians - no one should have to … I’ve cried from time to time when it’s 4am, and when I’m cold and alone trying to finish up a million papers and studying for midterms or finals. I think this is a very accurate depiction of typical student life. All the schools of Columbia (GS, SEAS, CC, etc...) have different admissions criteria, and people that go to CC tend to think that they have the hardest requirements for getting in, which in pure numbers is probably true. Nope, does not bother me. 46 comments. 206. Very few of the Barnard dorms have usable common spaces, whereas many of the Columbia dorms do, which leads to a lot of students feeling intensely isolated and by extension depressed and anxious. I only got a 1960 we have nothing in common." Columbia is good for the brand name and for the humanities, not as much for its STEM programs. https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/63mj5v/columbia_university_a_student_perspective/dfwecwx/. Considering applying to Columbia University? TL;DL: If you go to Barnard, don't tell me you go to Columbia. A day or two later, I'm eating lunch with my parents and she sits a few tables away and doesn't see me. If you are still tripped up over the low admission rate, get over yourself, obviously you haven't noticed that you are a very small fish in a big pond. The few who pretend to go to "Columbia" are, for some reason, embarrassed that they attend Barnard. You going to Columbia would be beyond irrational and strictly for the novelty of having gone to Columbia. On campus housing at both Columbia and Barnard suck a lot, but Columbia on campus housing is slightly better than Barnard on campus housing. Yea, Columbia is awesome and we share a lot of things, but there are also big differences (coughadmissions statisticscough). pat, GS is awesome. The same pressure does not exist at Barnard (although many people do take that many courses), so there is slightly less stress at Barnard. It's a big university containing many colleges. I've personally had a very positive experience here, and am hoping to return for another year to earn my masters. For those who are super scared because of this review, every college will have students that end up not being a good fit and, unfortunately, mental health problems when it comes to its students. Whether they intend to or not, Barnard students are misleading people when they say they attend Columbia because people not familiar with the institution will assume cc. A 1981 Columbia University card identifying Barack Obama as a foreign student named Barry Soetoro is a fake. I am a Columbia grad student who also did my undergrad here, so please listen to what I'm going to say: Get the fuck over it. A one-of-a-kind core curriculum. Thanks!! 2 days ago. The cost is 152% more expensive than the average New York tuition of $23,406 for 4 year colleges. As I’m sure you’ve been told it is still extremely hard and you will encounter some of the same stress as you would at Columbia. Do you know if things are different at Barnard? This increases the university's yield rate and ensures that the freshman class will be full. Columbia is a very selective school that attracts top applicants. uhhhhh shit I just committed to UW Seattle. At times I wonder why we pretend with high stress lifestyles that it's all worth it and that 90 percent or more of the people who perpetuate these pursuits are happy doing it. Iono man, I worked hard to get into Columbia. Have you ever wondered what it's like to study at an Ivy League University? It doesn't affect you in any way, does it? My dad works there, and I made it my mission to go there. She laughed and walked away. Columbia is an amazing university, and it still holds down the title because of the quality graduates it produces every year. Then things got awkward and she was like "I actually go to Barnard..." That kind of killed the conversation, since she sat there looking ashamed for a few minutes while I politely chatted with her father. http://nypost.com/2017/02/02/suicide-wave-grips-columbia/. Some people may find this scattered social life appealing, but I wish I had a tight-knit on campus community during my college years. I feel that this is similar with other ivies as well and this will always happen no matter what school you’re at in a big city such as New York or LA. I get fairly "good" grades (barely enough to make the Dean's List) but I feel very inferior to some of my friends and peers of my same age due to them always talking about their achievements while I'm still trying to navigate what exactly I want to do, which is what college is for. What you find most appealing about Columbia: "The first reason I selected Columbia University as my safety school is because it is an Ivy League school which will open many doors to me in the future. Don't even think about comparing those two schools for CS. I heard her talking to another girl and she was like, "Oh and I visited Oxford. For more information, check out How to Write the Columbia University Supplemental Essays 2017-2018. coming right up! From their perspective, students who really want to go to Columbia are more likely to enroll when they're accepted. This affects campus morale more than you’d expect. Thanks for offsetting OP’s post because I agree that only talking about cons is highly misrepresentative of anything. The unofficial subreddit of Columbia University and the Morningside Heights community in New York, NY. share. They didn't accept me, but I got into Columbia, so I showed them."...Really??? How do you have time to reddit? The official 2020-21 Heavyweight Rowing Roster for the Columbia University Lions I’ll focus on the cons of Columbia from a student standpoint because I assume that you hear all about the wonderful pros of Columbia all the time through the college’s own marketing, and that the pros of Columbia can be easily found on their website. Also, students just don’t seem to be that happy at Columbia, if I’m being very honest, so they may have just not really enjoyed their Columbia experience to give back. There have been classmates of mine who fell into depression and simply dropped out or transferred out of Columbia. Barnard and GS aren't the same thing. 12. Obviously students are going to experience stress at top colleges with rigorous academics, but the stress levels at Columbia are just absolutely insane, and the Core Curriculum adds to it. And yes, this is only ONE perspective. This also makes the Columbia social scene especially cliquey, where groups are split by race and wealth. I go to Teachers College and I usually say I go to Columbia or Teachers College at Columbia because a lot of my friends/family don't know what Teachers College is or why it's such a great school. You got into Barnard. The process of admitting students to Columbia is an arduous and exhaustive one in which your classroom achievement is carefully evaluated. I graduated from Columbia debt free (military). Hi! Choosing between Columbia and CMU completely depends on what you want - FinTech? in education. Parties are superficial and everyone trying to make 'connection' with the class above. Columbia advertises its male: female ratio as 50:50. Even the relatively "easy" classes have heavy reading workloads. I continue to be surprised by all of the different perspectives from students at this school. But this also means that a lot of the students here like going off-campus with their own friends and doing their own activities, instead of participating in events on campus. cc and barnard are both undergraduate colleges offering bachelors degrees in liberal arts and sciences. UW issues thoughts and prayers as the entire direct to college engineering students (me included) struggle with classes where it's expected to spend at least four hours a day studying for an average of three classes a quarter (a typical day is to go to class, study, and then sleep, no rest even on weekends for a 2.7 GPA). IAMA GS student. Most students (97%) are in the top 10% of their class. Let that be good enough for you. if you can hang, you've earned it. New York is an amazing city because there’s so much to do and it’s one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Columbia University in the City of New York Top Questions ... Only independent students should go to Columbia. I was valedictorian of my high school and had a 2360 SAT score. ... help Reddit App Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. war on fun; r/columbia Rules. The stress levels of the students here seem to always be at an all-time high. on a side note, I've seen this bitterness about acceptance rates a lot at many different universities. Regardless, you are right to be bothered by that Oxford comment. Some people like bragging about how much money they have and what they spent it on, like casually telling everyone that they spent $3000 on a jacket or bag. I’m going to visit, but can you give any insight about the engineering students? Press J to jump to the feed. Maybe $50k. The city fuels this stress too. Filter by flair. Reddit is a network of communities based on people's interests. First off, I usually get bothered when people ask me what college(CC, btw) Because I typically feel the people who asked are still somewhat bitter they didn't get into Harvard. Thank you - I heard this for other IVYs/Private schools as well + more. Hi! College as a whole just puts a lot of unwanted pressure on me, and I'm just glad that I've got a great community of friends on and off campus to help me get through life. The university has a history of high achievers including 34 presidents and prime ministers, 45 Olympians, 84 Nobel prize winners, … Academia? I am going to be candid and open, and will honestly tell you guys what I think are the cons of the school, so forgive me if this is a little blunt. Hi, Columbia SEAS CS '19 here. Also, re:alumni, Barnards alumni seem to be very passionate about the school/attend reunions. CMU is probably your better bet. The Columbia University study showed 36,000 fewer people would have died if the U.S. had acted just one week earlier. Gunshots heard near the frats every week, two people killing themselves by jumping out of the windows into the streets, and just general helplessness as UW crunches through students, both academically and physically. ! I've never met a teacher who says they graduated from "Columbia" rather than Teachers specifically. I too am starting at GS this semester, and I will be telling whoever asks that I go to Columbia. By Jack Brewster Forbes Staff Mar 31, 2020 The Columbia University in the City of New York Academic calendar runs on a semester basis. I'm in University of Washington in Seattle, and shit's been hitting the fan these weeks. What the Columbia admissions committee wants to learn is why you specifically want to go to Columbia rather than another amazing university. I won't publicly declare any distaste, but I can't help but feel it. … i.e. I don't dislike Barnard girls, but don't be ashamed of where you go to school. 1. But hey, if you can survive this shitshow and then get into a major, then things start looking really good for the rest of your college life (I hope). I’m basing these percentages on https://www.forbes.com/sites/schifrin/2014/03/27/the-50-top-roi-colleges-2014-the-grateful-grads-index/#753dc6b140d2 which is a few years back but the numbers remain relatively the same today) The Columbia alumni reunions are barely attended compared to a lot of other schools too. I'm only here thanks to need-based financial aid, and I personally haven't felt the same pressure that you've experienced. SWE? You will have this discussion for the rest of your life. I'm sorry to hear that you've felt such pressure on your social life. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/going-to-an-ivy-league-school-sucks-400, http://features.columbiaspectator.com/eye/2015/10/22/a-shout-in-the-darkness/, I feel better about getting rejected now :'), " some snobs who refuse to talk to anyone other than people of their own race and socioeconomic background ". 48. on Low Steps. For years I wanted to go to Columbia. Then again I'm just starting this semester and don't really understand why this would be an issue. I'd say the pressure there is less and people are more open. The cornerstone of the Columbia undergraduate experience is the core curriculum. ... help Reddit App Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. My undergraduate GPA is in the range of 3.3-3.5. Hope I have a better experience because that sounds really tough. Barnard is an awesome school-I probably like more than the school I went to haha. IAMA CC who has a Barnard shirt. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. For many, Barnard is just as respected as a women's liberal arts college. Columbia really sounds like an extension of NYC itself. I’m a Hispanic female and right now I’m a senior at Columbia. There is barely any campus life because of the proximity of all the different ventures in the city, and because a lot of people simply do not feel connected to Columbia to participate in campus events/are too busy studying to care. It's understandable that Barnard'ers would claim to be from Columbia since they essentially are and Columbia has a greater name value. However, factoring in Barnard that becomes 1:2. A huge draw for a lot of people who choose to apply to or attend Columbia is obviously New York City. This is combined with rising dorm housing rates and the alt-right who have been harassing students on campus for literally no reason. You can always see girls holding their designer bags to class, and there are some snobs who refuse to talk to anyone other than people of their own race and socioeconomic background. 11. Don't our diplomas SAY Columbia University? ... Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email. Columbia shares so much with Bernard if you wanted to sit and reminisce about your time at Columbia with that person, you'll have more than enough in common. Football games aren’t a big thing here at all and many people just don’t care enough to go to them (which is kinda sad tbh). 213 Low Library 515 W. 116th Street New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-4900. visitorscenter@columbia.edu I still live at home in Seattle (domestic low-income student with divorced parents) and have lots of time off during the weekends where I can really buckle down and study everything I need, but I don't feel 100% satisfied academically. You didn't get into Columbia. People literally hope that other students fail in the class just so they can get a leg up.