For those of you who want to transition into living in New York, especially if you're from far away and can't look for apartments easily, I'd highly recommend applying to International House of New York for at least your first year. It's a 10-minute walk from Columbia, but they house graduate students (including NYU, CUNY, Manhattan School of Music, etc.) or interns from all over the world. It's a good way to make friends outside of your program and also learn the ropes of how to look for quality apartments after your stay (you can stay for up to 3 years).
