Columbia University in the City of New York Top Questions

The student body is really diverse, which was surprising to me at first going to an ivy. I thought it would be all upper class white kids. But thats not the case. On a single floor, theres probably an equal distribution of white, black, hispanic, asian, and indian kids. You make friends with all sorts of people from all over the country. in my close group of friends, one girl is from turkey, one from brazil, another went to boarding school in rome, and I am from texas. Political action is not really shown on campus. If you're into it I guess there are clubs for it, but otherwise you don't really see it. Noone talks about politics or about the race that much.

Noone feels out of place in this city unless they are completely closed minded.

Honestly, Columbia's student body is as diverse as a student body can be. It is probably the exciting diversity of New York City itself that draws such an eclectic, interesting group of students together. Students are of all different cultural and financial backgrounds, with interests ranging from African Studies to Metaphysics. Every student is so different and so intelligent in one way or another also: my group of best friends here includes a girl who can fluently speak three languages and is learning a fourth, a girl who starts on Columbia's fencing team and was on the U.S. National fencing team, a girl who is President of the sophomore class at Barnard College and is involved in about half of the clubs on campus, and a coxen on the crew team who is also a whiz in math.

It's a diverse campus, and it's awesome. When I first got here I hate to admit this, but, it was a culture shock to me. The only thing that annoys me is that everyone is so concerned with being politically correct. I think people get offended way to easily sometimes...but maybe that's just me.

Very diverse. All sides represented.

There is no way to describe the typical Columbia student because there is no typical Columbia student. That being said I really don't feel that anyone would feel out of place at Columbia. I have, however, been disappointed recently by the amount of racism and biased opinions that have surfaced from the student body.

While the students here are diverse, they tend to only hang out with other students that are of the same race/religion. For example. black students are only friends with black students, indian students are only friends with other indians, making the different ethnic groups on campus very exclusive. I don't think that most students would feel out of place, since there is diversity among students. Most columbia students are from the tri-state area, there are also a lot from california, florida, and texas. Most students here are upper/middle class. Students are very politically aware and active and are predominantly left. Many students take about future jobs, especially those who wish to work in finance/wall street.

sucks. students are awkward and unfriendly.

I thought I was at a school with a student body which was very diverse and accepting, then comes Juicy Campus and I am embarassed and disgusted by those who took that site as an opportunity to unleash their racist banter.

Social people feel out of place here because so much is being done to prevent people from having fun.

The student body here is vicious. As seen from a recent website JuicyCampus.com our student body can be seen as incredibly hateful. Of all the ivy league schools Columbia names the most full names and says the nastiest things. While the student body is obviously driven, as a whole they are very out for themselves and pretty unwilling to help. While there are some great kids, they get bad reputations because they know how to balance school and enjoying themselves. The school as a whole is incredibly judgemental and for being so diverse it is incredibly racist as well. Overall I would say the majority of people here are mean spirited, jealous, and malicious, while thinking way too highly of themselves.

"Diverse" but segregated a bit - the LGBT community throws a dance the first Friday of every month - that's neat.

You can be as involved as you want, in what you want. There are hundreds of organizations at COlumbia as well as the opportunity to create your own group of you cannot find one to suit your needs. People tend to do as they like, and wear what they like - from sweatpants to designer clothes. It is the most diverse campus I have been too, with students from all over the world.

Different groups on campus can be oppressive in their views. Thats the only real negative I see to this school. Sometimes people should learn when to keep an opinion to themselves, or at least when to not cross the line. It turns people off when you push your viewpoint on them.

Diverse and overall accepting.

Be aware that all the professors on this campus are extremely left-leaning. No one is kidding about that. The administration also has a lot of left-leaning policies. Conservatives (like me) will not be stifled if they want to give their opinions, but the question is whether you will even want to give them in the first place once you realize that you are risking judgments of professors and fellow students alike. I have never felt personally-attacked, and there are conservative columnists for the Spectator, for instance, but at the same time there is definitely a huge "us and them" mentality that pervades the campus. Then again, you should expect as much from a school that pretty much stands as a bastion of liberal thinking. As long as you avoid the political science department, you should avoid the feeling that you're being completely stifled.

Some students dress nicely for class while others wear sweats--there's a whole range. There's a lot of diversity at Columbia so it is inevitable that didfferent types of students interact. A lot of students are from NY or the area surrounding NY, though.

Columbia has a diverse student mix. Most are very involved on campus or around NYC; it's great to see so many people with so many varied passions. People are generally conscious about their future, but it's a nice feeling to know that everyone is ambitious .

There are lots of groups on campus. I think anyone could get involved with pretty much anything they wanted to.

Hillel is geared mostly toward orthodox students, with a HUGE orthodox population. Nice sized Hillel though; lots of kosher food options! Greek life is growing rapidly and provides an amazing social outlet for many people. Most of the fun people on campus are either in Greek life or are athletes. Lots of great political groups on campus too. So many options for student groups!

Students are super diverse: from what they wear, from whether they like John jay food or not, from what they do on a Friday night, to where they're from, everybody is just so different. But at the same time they are really passionate about their work. I grew up poor and have tons of rich friends so concern over socioeconomic status is not too much of a concern here.

In terms of dress, Columbia is very mixed. You have your preppy polo popped collar kids but then you also have those who wear ripped jeans and old band t-shirts. Everyone is relatively diverse because Columbia is not your typical Ivy League school. You have students who want to be at Columbia for the Ivy education but you also have students who are at Columbia merely to be in New York City. I personally am friends with a diverse crowd as well. Between my friends on the Fed, which is Columbia's alternative paper and is mostly comprised of people who are also in Columbia's theater life; my sorority, which is filled with lovely, and also a diverse mix of girls from different backgrounds; and then my involvement in Columbia's Jewish community, I really see many different aspects of campus life.

The kind of studen who would feel out of place at columbia is one who has not travelled or seen very much of the world they live in. Columbia is such a patchwork of countries, languages, religions and customs, if you're not used to it, and if you're not openminded enough to appreciate all the beauty there is in difference, you shouldn't be at columbia. Al students are very politically aware, and if not of US politics then of their homeland and places of origin. Generally though, you find very leftist students at COlumbia. We're known to be extremely left wing and liberal. But that's what I like.

Very diverse; I love it!

I don't think any student would feel out of place at Columbia. Being in NYC we have possibly the most diverse student body of any college I've visited. I spend time with people of all racial, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds. That being said, there are many cultural organizations on campus-and even some cultural Greek organizations-that offer a base for students looking to spend time with other students with similar experiences to their own. This can sometimes isolate students into specific racial or ethnic groups, but many students both participate in these organizations and spend time with other friends. Students on campus are very politically aware and active. The college democrats and college republicans as well as other organizations are a huge presence on campus.

So diverse. A group for everyone. Jocks, hipsters, NERDS, music kids, classical music kids, you name it, they're here. Yet students do fall into the cracks. It can be hard to meet people, especially if you don't join an organization. And most kids aren't ALWAYS on campus, so if you don't have a group by the end of your freshman year, it can be especially hard.

Columbia's student body is incredably divese. I am actually 1 of 5 people on my floor of 30 that was born in the USA. Generally though, everyone is very smart, but because of the strong emphasis on sucess in acedemics, many do not enjoy group involvement I feel like.

columbia is one of the most diverse schools in the country. i've met so many people from differetn classes, races, backgrouds, cultures and religions that i have ever in traveling

No student would feel out of place at Columbia, because there are people from all different backgrounds. Most students are from New Jersey, New York, California, or the DC area. A larger percentage come from New Jersey. I would say the upper-middle class is more prevalent at Columbia.

Columbia's student body is rich in diversity. The students here are more aware and more active than any I've met at other campuses. I am continually impressed with their ambition, creativity and motivation to do great things both on campus and off. They come from a variety of backgrounds, high school experiences, states, and countries to a city with an historic reputation as a global melting pot. It's pretty amazing to be part of.

I think most people envision Columbia University as a place where only rich white kids are accepted. This is not the case at all. I am Hispanic from a middle-class family. I have not felt racially, economically, or socially insecure during my 3 years at this school. On the contrary, I find that Columbia is surprisingly diverse in its student body. I remember my first year dorm floor at Columbia. My suite alone consisted of me (a Hispanic), an Indian girl, a Russian immigrant and an African-American. We became best friends within two weeks and still are years later. The rest of my floor consisted primarily of minorities. It was completely unexpected. However, everyone on my floor got along, including that stereotypical white preppy guy.

While racial issues have been in the news alot, it's not as noticeable as you may think. There are a lot of students who are really open. It's just who you associate yourself with. You can easily find people who understand you, you just have to get involved in activities and whatnot to do so.

Columbia's student body is very diverse: different ethnicities and nationalities combine. There are typically two types of groups-- ones that are completely ethnically diverse, andones that are completely of one background. I think such formations are completely natural.

The students are amazing and can talk about everything from current TV shows, celebrities, and pop music to the most philosophical, theoretical, analytical, and abstract topics in any academic subject. They can even theorize and analyze TV shows and pop music. Columbia students are from all over the U.S. and all over the world. Name any hobby or interest under the sun and I'll guarantee you that you can find a Columbia student who knows a lot about it and engages in it.

super diverse, really liberal

columbia groups on campus are very many and they range from very vocal and active, to peaceful and "under-the-radar". i have noticed that students of all groups at colubmia and social groups interact with each other. student tend to dress up more for classes than at other colleges, for instance it would be highly unlikely to find a columbia student at class, even early in the morning, wearing pajama bottoms, whereas this is often commonplace at other schools.

Politically, Columbia is a very left school with a lot of students that are aware of politics and what is going on. However, there is a little bit of everything here, so just because you aren't in the College Democrats definitely doesn't mean you won't fit in. People here are very accepting. Columbia students are from all over the world. In my suite last year, I had a friend from Singapore, another from Germany, Washington D.C., New York, New England, China, California, and a few other places, but this is just out of 15 students I lived with. There are people from so many different backgrounds here and everyone interacts with one another. My friends are so different from each other, but at the same time, we all get along and we all have a lot of fun together while still learning from one another. It's great.

ooh, good questions! We never get to sound off on these things. Any student who defines themselves as one of the following will not fit in at Columbia: a creative learner, a do-it-yourself type, someone who hates structure, someone who works outside the box, people who don't like big cities, socialists, activists. The campus altogether is pretty cynical about even the most well-intentioned causes or the most horrifying events. We just want to get our good grades and go. Each cause (Darfur, Haiti, Burmese monks, Palestinians, you name it) will have events like lectures and screenings but they will be organized and attended by the same 50 or so people--the people from one cause or event frequently overlap with others so that you really only have a couple of hundred truly activist students. That being said, a lot of Columbia students volunteer their time to community service projects and go into sectors related to the not-for-profits. Most students come from quiet suburban upbringings, though there are both the "I'm on financial aid, bitch" groups and the "let them eat cake" groups on campus. Therefore, I think most of the students could be termed slightly left of center: they favor gay rights, they like the right to choose, don't like religion all that much...and will tell you so in complete, grammatically correct arguments with some semblance of passion. The gay community is nonexistent; while every queer girl or guy knows one or two others, they are pretty much integrated seamlessly into the fabric of the community. Queer events have consistently poor attendance, even though there are a lot (and man, do we mean A LOT) of LGBTQ people around. I have never ever heard a student talk about potential earnings. I think we all think that's just poor taste.

Again, the diversity of Columbia's student body is what makes the university a vibrant and amazing place to live and learn. No student would feel out of place at Columbia; it is inevitable that you will find someone very similar to you either in ethnicity, opinion, interests, etc...

there is a place for everyone here at columbia, whether you are homosexual or not, rich or not or in-between, international or domestic, left or right or center. it is assumed that once you graduate from columbia you will end up finding a lucrative job if you feel so inclined.

This is the most diverse, eclectic mix of students I have ever seen. I have never seen so many conservative Orthodox Jewish people in one place, alongside Muslim international students in traditional garb, alongside Africans, African-Americans, Hispanics, country folk, upper class private schooled preps, alongside just your everyday normal people, alongside students from Kenya, Peru, Bulgaria, and Singapore, alongside ex-refugees and sons/daughters of famous people. Its so mixed and eclectic and INSANE and I love it. One interesting thing is that people don't go to class in sweatpants like at most state schools. People definitely dress up. I don't feel comfortable just rolling out of bed and slouching off to class. My definition of bumming it to class is wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt with my hair tied up in a scarf so that people can't see its messy, and I feel a little self-conscious. Its really hard to categorize Columbia students because its so mixed. You can't really stereotype the students here. There IS a large population of older students though (24+). They don't typically mix with the other students because they annoy everyone else.

It's very easy to find a crowd to fit into at Columbia. Join a bunch of clubs as a freshman and then figure out which people you like the best (it's just like shopping for classes). I don't know anyone who says they couldn't find a group of friends at Columbia. There is a noticeably large LGBT community. Even within the LGBT community you'll find a diverse array of crowds - the activists, the low-key gays and everything in between.

Columbia's student body is unbelievably diverse, so I have dealt with all of the above and there is a general acceptance toward people of all races, religions, socio-economic backgrounds, etc (clearly there have been exceptional circumstances, but for the most part the student body is incredibly accepting). I think the typical high school jock or cheerleader may feel out of place at Columbia. Students wear anything to class. Yes, different types of students interact. Columbia students are from all over, although there is a high proportion from the tristate area. All financial backgrounds are prevalent. Columbia students are EXTREMELY politically aware and active, and mostly left. No, students don't typically talk about how much they'll earn one day.

Columbia is very very diverse with all kinds of groups. Unfortunately, there were a string of racist slander at Columbia last semester, though I have never felt that anyone is particularly targeted outside of these crimes. Some students get very dressed up for class, but most don't and no one really cares. Different types of students are forced to interact in discussion-style classes. The dining hall tables are always mixed, but always composed of freshmen because no one renews their meal plan unless they are an athlete. Most Columbia students are from the East Coast or California, but all 50 states are usually represented in each class, as well as a large contingent of international students. Columbia students are usually upper middle class, but all financial backgrounds are represented, and it is definitely the most diverse in the Ivy League. Students at Columbia are the most politically active/aware that I know of, and are predominantly left. Students often talk about how much they will earn, and they will probably earn a great deal of money.