Below is the email my son received a day ago from Columbia. Seems like a very clear and fairly aggressive attempt to entice potential applicants who might suddenly have second thoughts about Yale. Interesting marketing tactic.
What Defines a Columbian?
thought∙ful dis∙course
n. intentional discussions that respect the identities and beliefs of oneself and one’s peers
All Columbians pledge to uphold an honor code in a student-initiated commitment to academic integrity and the intellectual community.
Students can also participate in Sundaes on Mondays, which are weekly gatherings that explore participants' similarities and differences. The ice cream-fueled series is hosted by ROOTEd, a group devoted to facilitating discussions on diversity and privilege.
From Pan-African House to Casa Latin@ to Jazz House, Columbia’s 15 Special Interest Communities provide dedicated residential spaces for students to plan events—or just have spontaneous conversations—about a shared passion or identity.
We encourage you to explore more about what defines Columbians’ experiences by visiting our website.
And I encourage any applicant that wants to go to school in New York to apply to Columbia. I don’t the events of the last few days are going to sway many people. If it does, it can only help those who decide to apply because it reduces the pool (said somewhat tongue in cheek).
^ My son applied to (and was accepted at) Swarthmore after a “difficult year with much negative publicity” there. He’s very happy there!
I asked my son if Swat had any protests yesterday. He said no. They did (as a picture in my news feed showed). He was busy with his double major in computer science and engineering I guess
@Saona63 Dont take metro north for starters… you have to take Amtrak to Penn station. Then there is also another shuttle that will take you straight from there to the airport. Although Grand Central in NYC is not too far from Penn, to have luggage in tow will really be stressful to say the least. You can get to JFK from Penn that way. It takes 2 hours to get to NYC from Yale and then count on at least an hour travel to the airport barring lots of others doing the same, delayed trains and getting lost in the station. I would plan on 5 hours just to get to the gate if you were going that route- it might be better to just hire a shuttle like CT Limo direct to JFK. Just my opinion.
@Memmsmom thank you. The time to get there was my concern, so I decided to bother my sister in New Rochelle and she is goiing to take him to airport. I don’t like to bother anybody but she gracefully said anytime he’ll commute to/from NY she’ll take care of it. He’ll take MN to New Rochelle and ride with my sister from there. What a relief!
A friend of ours who has a 1st year Yalie said her son was staying on campus for Thanksgiving break. I didn’t even know that was an option. Don’t things close up?
Happy to report my freshman’s been invited to a new friend’s house for the break. As an international student it will be her first Thanksgiving. Hope it lives up to expectations! It’s lovely to think a family has been kind enough to share this time with her!
@fro123, that’s why Thanksgiving is possibly the only holiday I like. There are no Thanksgiving cards (that I’ve allowed myself to see), it’s relatively uncommercialized, there are no religious connections; it’s all about the F words: friends, family, food, and, begrudgingly, football.
My son invited his two international suite mates and one is coming. So happy to have my son coming home for the first time on Monday!! I think we will be driving him back on Sunday since the Amtrak prices were insane.
@IxnayBob It sounds amazing! I’m really looking forward to hearing all about it - though I guess it will probably need to wait until she returns home on Christmas Eve to hear the full story!
@tonymom - The school will certainly shovel/plow the walks. But, as one who has spent a lifetime Living With the Snow, I can tell you that it doesn’t mean that the walks will always be clear. Particularly when the snow is coming down quickly, it will be common for there to be at least a coating before the shovels get to it. Slushy/slick/wet pathways are likely.
Mine likes heavy duty leather boots-- google Red Wing Iron Ranger 6 inch boot to see what I mean, though I don’t think that’s the brand. He comes from the land of snow, and grew up wearing Sorels, but scoffs at the idea that they’d be needed in a CT winter–but did want something to keep his feet dry from spilled beer at fraternity parties as well as slushy sidewalks. He does have a pair of bean boots as well, but I don’t know if he wears them.
My vote is good wool socks–Smartwool/Point 6-- to wear with Bean or leather boots, rather than heavy boots that get hot quickly indoors.
Oh well…