Visit Report by seempand (Member since June 27 2006 with 197 posts) Visit Date - June 2007
Visit to Columbia University in June 2007 by seempand (Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Information Session:
Yes - It wasn't anything I hadn't hear before but may have been useful for those who haven't already done research on the University. Campus Tour:
Yes - Tha campus was beautiful and the tour guide was very cute and friendly and really knew her stuff. We didn't see dorm rooms, which may have been helpful, but it was interesting. Classroom Visit:
Yes - I sat in on a Sociology lecture and found it fascinating.
Columbia University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good -
Hard to judge since its during the summer, but they were friendly enough with several saying hello.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
I don't think I saw too many professors but no one was rude that I did come in contact with.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
I loved the campus. The buildings were beautiful (just like the pictures) and it has a very good atmosphere.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
There wasn't trash littering the grounds and the bathrooms were clean enough.
Dormitories: -
Unfortunately, I didn't see the dorms, but they look nice from the outside.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
I always felt safe on campus. I saw several security guards walking around and didn't come across any sketchy looking people aimlessly wandering around.
Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good -
It was beautiful, safe, friendly. I could definitely spend four years there.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent -
Morning Side Heights is a safe area of New York City with wonderful restaurants.
City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent -
New York City is simply amazing. It has the best food and shopping in the country and just a breathtaking feel about it.
Campus Visit Notes for Columbia University:
Visit Description:
We arrived in New York on a Monday, looked around the city, and visited Columbia Tuesday. In the morning I first attended an information session that gave very general information about the University and the admissions process. Then I went on a campus tour. The tour guide was a Film Studies major in her Junior year. She gave useful information about the campus as well as historical information on the buildings and was able to stay funny and engaging through out the tour. In the afternoon I attended a Sociology lecture. The professor was very interesting and I believe he has actually written a book. I would definitely recommend any visitor to attend a class or lecture.
During the day I was able to speak breifly with several Columbia students. They were all quite enthusiastic about their college (despite what some say about Columbia students having no school spirit). One of the girls I talked to was from Vancouver but born in Ghana and another was from Florida while the boy was from Pakistan. So there is definitely a lot of diversity within the student body. I'm definitely applying to Columbia since I fell in love with both the campus and the city it is located in.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
We were actually lucky enough to stay with friends while in NYC but there are so many hotels in the city and some around Columbia.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
We ate at this amazing Indian restaurant not too far from campus. It was tough deciding where to go because their was a wide selection.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
We rode the subway while in the city, which was easy enough to navigate and which probably every Columbia student will want to use if they ever want to get downtown.
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Hard to judge since its during the summer, but they were friendly enough with several saying hello.
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I loved the campus. The buildings were beautiful (just like the pictures) and it has a very good atmosphere.
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Unfortunately, I didn't see the dorms, but they look nice from the outside.