Columbia Housing

[Anonymous]

Columbiia Univ (NY) sems to have residential college housing for freshman -- maybe sophmores -- on their small campus in NYC. It guarentees university housing for all 4 years, but as best I can tell that includes various types of apartment buildings called dorms within about a 5 block walk. Has anyone here attended or does anyone have a child attending Columbia? I am wondering how this really works out. Seems like it if kids are off campus in apartments with kitchens it is much less of the traditional college experience with lots of socializing during meals after 1st or 2d year compared to schools where most students live on a traditional campus in dorms for 4 years. Or do the kids just hang out and eat on campus anyway then study library until walk home at night to their "dorms." Thoughts from anyone with experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Columbiia Univ (NY) sems to have residential college housing for freshman -- maybe sophmores -- on their small campus in NYC. It guarentees university housing for all 4 years, but as best I can tell that includes various types of apartment buildings called dorms within about a 5 block walk. Has anyone here attended or does anyone have a child attending Columbia? I am wondering how this really works out. Seems like it if kids are off campus in apartments with kitchens it is much less of the traditional college experience with lots of socializing during meals after 1st or 2d year compared to schools where most students live on a traditional campus in dorms for 4 years. Or do the kids just hang out and eat on campus anyway then study library until walk home at night to their "dorms." Thoughts from anyone with experience?

Columbia has more of a campus than NYU or, for that matter, GW, and Morningside Heights is very much a college neighborhood. I went there for grad school, but my sense was that freshmen mostly lived in traditional dorms and upper classmen lived in dorms and apartments. It's definitely different than attending a college in the middle of nowhere, where everything revolves around the school, but for kids who are mature and city-savvy I think it's a good place for undergrad as well.

[Anonymous]

My kid is a freshman at Columbia. PP is right, most kids live in dorms. Upper classmen can choose off-campus apartments if they want, although I feel like this would be pretty expensive, unless DC commutes in from Queens or something, and we're not willing to fund it. In any case I believe plenty of dorm housing is available to upper classmen as well. About 60% of freshmen get singles in dorms (my DC has a single), although the suites in Carman (sp?) are also popular with freshmen. Room allocation is done by lottery.

All freshmen are required to be on the meal plan, which has various levels, like 2 vs. 3 meals per day. Upper classmen often drop out of the meal plan which is supposed to be fairly expensive on a per-meal basis. Some of the freshmen dorms don't have much in the way of cooking facilities anyway. For example, John Jay has a microwave on most floors, but no stoves.

Hope this helps! DC is loving Columbia so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a freshman at Columbia. PP is right, most kids live in dorms. Upper classmen can choose off-campus apartments if they want, although I feel like this would be pretty expensive, unless DC commutes in from Queens or something, and we're not willing to fund it. In any case I believe plenty of dorm housing is available to upper classmen as well. About 60% of freshmen get singles in dorms (my DC has a single), although the suites in Carman (sp?) are also popular with freshmen. Room allocation is done by lottery.

All freshmen are required to be on the meal plan, which has various levels, like 2 vs. 3 meals per day. Upper classmen often drop out of the meal plan which is supposed to be fairly expensive on a per-meal basis. Some of the freshmen dorms don't have much in the way of cooking facilities anyway. For example, John Jay has a microwave on most floors, but no stoves.

Hope this helps! DC is loving Columbia so far.

Great to hear. Morningside Heights was OK when I went there, but it's much nicer now. It makes me want to be a student again!

[Anonymous]

Yes, Morningside Heights used to have an awful reputation! Now on the campus tour they tell you several times how it's the 1st or 2nd safest precinct in Manhattan. There are some great student hangouts and cheap restaurants in the area.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a senior and lives in a Barnard dorm/apartment within walking distance of campus. She maintains a meal plan (she eats in the Columbia cafeteria) to eat and socialize during the week. Not surprising, the girls will eat at Columbia and the boys like Barnard's cafeteria.