Columbia University in the City of New York Reviews

"The quality of network and career support are SUPERB. However, the cost of living in Manhattan is very expensive and there is not much financial aid available for graduate students except for unsubsidized student loans. Nonetheless, it should be considered as an investment."

"Excellent. Advantages are networking, wide range of course selection and advanced degrees. Drawback was really only cost."

"Columbia Law School is a top notch institution."

"Pros: excellent network, amazing resources. Cons: extremely expensive tuition and rate of living."

"The CUSSW graduate program is competitive and provides an excellent education as well as access to professional networks. However, the tuition rate, cost of living and availability of scholarships makes this program very difficult to fund without outside assistance. The limitations on loans for graduate programs lead to significant accrued interest."

"I think the pros of the Columbia School of International and Public Affair's MPA is the breadth and depth of the core courses, concentrations, specializations, and electives. The international scope offers a unique MPA for those students seeking to focus on international development, economics, management, or other global issues. The capstone project offers the chance for some hands on consulting work in public affairs (usually international) with great networking opportunities. The NYC location also offers great networking opportunities. Though I am beginning the program in September, I think the con is the financial aid available to first year students. Most receive no aid, leaving them to take out an extreme amount of loans to cover the 60,000+ tuition, fees, and living expenses.Read Less"

"Pros: Anyway it is Columbia University. Attending this program offer me the title of "Ivy degree award", which makes me proud of my self. Besides, the surrounding area is very cool. It locates at Manhattan and offers me a lot of job opportunities in finance, computer science, and social work. Cons: The tuition and fees are very high, there will be a lot of financial pressure if you attend Columbia. Besides, since its location, the living expense is much higher than that in other places. In addition, Chemical Engineering in Columbia is not a very competitive major. Our department does not have many industrial partnership to help her students find a job in chemical industry. Besides, there are only 13 faculties in our department and offers students with limited research opportunities.Read Less"

"Overall I am very satisfied with the nursing education I am receiving at Columbia."

" Columbia Business School provides a world class education, network, and foundation. It is a breeding ground for some of the worlds most successful business professionals, such as Warren Buffett and Henry Kravis. The New York network is second to none and the diversity of the school is unmatched.  New York City is very expensive, so one must make sure to budget accordingly."

"Columbia School of Social Work gives students both the theoretical and practical knowledge to be a modern-day social worker. The experience gained both in the classroom and field education gives students a grasp of what is required in the realm of social work and professional advocacy, allowing graduates to leave the program prepared for the workforce."

"I was a Hertog Fellow at Columbia University, an excellent program!"

"The MFA program at Columbia is phenomenal in terms of class selection. I'm so proud of my classmates and the intellectual diversity."

"The Pros are the faculity, the community, and the quality of education. This program has Anne B, Kristin L, Andre S, Niki and Olga. I have been taught Linklater breath work years before I ever thought I had a chance of getting into grad school here. The same goes for Anne B. The cons are that it is very expensive, both the university and living expenses. But those are really the only cons."

"Its great! You really feel like you are learning things that will help you in your career!"

"The American Studies Masters of Liberal Arts Program, while academically well-rounded and rigorous, is not established within an academic department of the university. As a result of this, the program and its students are under-resourced and suffer from a lack of support from the university as well as from other organizations within the university intended to aid graduate students in their broader academic and career efforts."

"pros: -Highly competitive graduate program at one of the best University in the world, Columbia Univesrity, NY. - Great location and a good access to Wall Street - Excellent faculty and career service cons: - High tuition - high living expenses"

"The only downfall of my program is the cost. Since it is a private institution, it is very expensive and there is not enough financial aid."

"Excellent network, good education, and Columbia offers a lot of student services. There is a tremendous workload, which is good because it gives you experience in many different areas but bad because it is obviously very stressful (especially when trying to blend this with a social life)."

"The program is diverse in its curriculum and difficult. The program itself however lacks ethnic diversity that can benefit a social work program. Overall I am happy with my choice to attend CUSSW and feel supported by the staff and faculty. Tuition is rather high with minimal financial aid offered."

"Alot of what you are paying for at Columbia is the name. Having said that the name opens alot of doors! I graduated with an undergrad degree from UC Berkeley and witnessed first hand that people take you much more seriously as soon as you tell them you have a degree from a 'top tier' university. While I hate the branding and commercialization of education, this is the reality we face now. Having a degree from an Ivy League automatically qualifies for respect that many people have to work much harder to earn.Read Less"