<p>Kids are going to whine, groan, and tug at their hair anywhere they go to college.</p>
<p>We all have our grievances with our undergrad institutions, and these student review mediums seem to be a great way to vent them.</p>
<p>That being said, the Columbia administration is going to be very bureaucratic, because it’s a large university, and there are many students and demands to be dealt with.</p>
<p>Columbia has a respectably generous FA program now, so that criticism might no longer hold. The middle class will always be shafted, regardless.</p>
<p>Again, TAs are a problem at universities, and students are always going to gripe about grading and teaching quality.</p>
<p>“…students tend to be isolated, depressed, and defeated, and mask insecurities by becoming snobbish and form cliques. Those left out are understandably dependant and doleful.”</p>
<p>This observation holds true at a vast majority of the elite unis and LACs out there. Naive and optimistic high school seniors won’t know it til it hits them hard and leaves them cold.</p>
<p>NYC is a lonely, indifferent, big city, and people branch out. There’s little solidarity. But, the mystique and the aura will continue to draw dreamers.</p>
<p>All things considered, Columbia is a fine place to get an undergrad education, relative to many of its peers.
And, New York City is a great place to get life experience, no matter how harsh.
There’s no need to fool yourself into thinking that college is going to be a happy-sunshine time of your life.</p>