Columbia: Create...Change (Schools)

Introduction
If you're looking for a typical 4 year college with a social life, campus and acedemic community this is not the place for you. Make sure you are 100% certain that before you come to Columbia you are ready to make the pursuit of your career the #1 and in most cases only focus of your life. Your life will not be based around Columbia, but rather living on your own in the real world with vocational classes.

Campus Life and Social Life
There is no social life. Period. This is place a commuter school with no sports and very few clubs. Most students here are older than college age. As an 18 year old freshman you are in the minority. Residence life consists of isolated appartments. I don't know anyone in my building. Weekends are boring, as there is nothing to do in the south loop when you are under 21. Most people go home for the weekends. Advertisement
Academics
The accedemic major options here are unique and strong. The professors and classes in the major programs are excellent and most are part time faculty because they are still well respected professionals in their field. The film, audio, music, dance and journalism departments make up a huge portion of the school, and are some of the best programs you can find anywhere. The general education acedemics are a joke and a waste of time, but everyone is required to take them. Your 8th grade history class was more challenging than the upper level classes at Columbia.

Student Body
There are a few different kinds of people at Columbia. The majority of people, those that couldn't get in to any other school and think taking up photography or film or audio would be cool. Most of these people drop out, transfer or become prepetual students. The next largest group of people are the older students. They have started a degree or are coming back to school to learn a trade. Many of these people are very determined but are not at Columbia for the college experience. A ton of people are the more normal type, those who come and realize very quickly that Columbia isn't for them and they leave. The transfer rates are astounding. I'm planning on transfering too. There are also the more normal people who understand that in order to achieve their goal and enter a certain industry that they have to bight the bullet and suffer through the boredom and frustrations of Columbia for 4 years, and many people do this. The smallest group of people at Columbia are prodigious, driven students who are extremely gifted in their fields and breeze through with flying colors. They love it here.

In Closing...
I highly recommend applying other places, even if you know you are going to get in at Columbia. You might want to have some options down the road. Most people that go to Columbia are not very happy to be here.