<p>There are claims that Columbia has a poor community and it is true but only for those who don’t make an effort. I agree its not as open and friendly and bubbly as a state school in Bumhill, Oklahoma but that shouldn’t stop you. Frankly, Columbia is one of the best schools period because it one of few that offers a campus when you want to feel more at home or “rural” as the campus itself is pretty nice and not too hustling and bustling. You have NYC for when you want to have fun. You can never get bored in NYC and there should no excuse for not finding anything to do on a given night. If you prefer the more traditional college scene like frats/sororities we have that as well. So your experience is really what you make of it. To guarantee yourself a good time, you should try to make friends early on and stick to them or join a club sport or some activity with a lot of time commitment.</p>
<p>So in that regard, Columbia is better than UPenn both academically and because NYC >> Philly.</p>