Columbia University in the City of New York

What a difference between NY and Columbia. NY is great but you rarely get to use it. When you do, it is SO EXPENSIVE. The university has a lot of smart kids who compete for everything. Few students help each other for fear others doing better. But hey...this is NY....you are on your own. Columbia is just a huge disappointment. The area around the school is really bad. I am a big guy but do not feel safe at night unless I am in the center of campus. Social life is miserable, teachers are arrogant and don't care about teaching undergraduates. The administration is filled with red tape and students rarely come together as a school. Other than NY, the social life is really bad. I really wish I had gone to (any) other top university. I can see how Columbia could be better as a graduate school where you are less reliant on making friends and being part of a social community.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2013

Surrounding City: A, Individual Value: D

You will be miserable here. Its nice to have access to the city, but you will feel so bogged down with school work and the expensiveness of the city you will live in the Columbia bubble and rarely see New York as much* as you thought you would. All of your friends will always be "too busy" to do any fun stuff with you. Everybody is in therapy because they're so depressed. It's #1 on the list of most stressful schools and rightfully so. The whole atmosphere will brign you down.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2013

Surrounding City: A+, Education Quality: F