Students Speak Out On Overall Experience

“Overall, I’d have to say my experience at Columbia was very good. Especially in my first and last years there, I feel like I got to experience a lot of New York. I don’t know of any other place where the same amount of social opportunities is available. I am big on nightlife, and I found both the local bar scene, as well as the bar and club scene, in the entire city to be unparallel with any other city I’ve been to. The one thing that you should make sure about when coming to Columbia is whether you want a school where people will hold your hand or one where you’re on your own. There is very little hand-holding at Columbia, and you are more or less on your own. Your support system is primarily the friends you make. However, if you are independent and want to take advantage of all of the opportunities that New York has to offer, Columbia is definitely the right place for you. It’s extremely well recognized in terms of getting jobs.”

“Columbia is a good school. My only complaint is that they don’t really care about their students, and yet, they wonder why we had kids throw themselves out windows or off buildings. It’s a really tough and stressful school, but it’s challenging, and it’s what I want in a college experience. Socially, I suppose I didn’t get to experience as much as I should have, but there are really some great people there that I’ve had the good fortune to meet and befriend. As stressed as the school made me, I know that, academically and intellectually, it is where I belong. I had some rough experiences, but otherwise, my experience has been pretty challenging—very good and one that I will never regret.”