<p>If you’ve never been to the east coast, and especially if you have never been to NYC, I highly doubt the Columbia is the right choice for you. I live in New York and went to Columbia for a summer program. It is NOT the undergraduate experience you may be expecting. The City itself is enough to wear someone down, especially people from the West coast. You’ll be much better off at Stanford, and its a MUCH better school/education anyway. Not that Columbia isn’t awesome, but but think, “O Man I really wanna see what big city life is like!” If you have to think it, you aren’t ready for it, I promise.</p>