Columbia University 2013

[ak48]

Hi guys, couldn't find a 2013 version of the Columbia Meet and Greet.

 

I got into the Electrical Engineering PhD a few weeks ago, just saw a EE PhD new posting today!

 

Visiting on March 1 to see the labs/orientation. Should be fun!

[lmt007]

Hi there, I just got accepted to Teachers College - financial aid will play a big role in deciding if I actually go, but it's still a great feeling.

[iith1992]

Hi guys, couldn't find a 2013 version of the Columbia Meet and Greet.

 

I got into the Electrical Engineering PhD a few weeks ago, just saw a EE PhD new posting today!

 

Visiting on March 1 to see the labs/orientation. Should be fun!

 

Hey I got into PhD Electrical Engg for Fall 2013. Still not clear on funding. Professor says, you are on wait list for the funding. What is your situation?

 

[ak48]

Hey I got into PhD Electrical Engg for Fall 2013. Still not clear on funding. Professor says, you are on wait list for the funding. What is your situation?

 

 

Hey Ith, I got  a "Distinguished Graduate Assistantship" which comes with a stipend, and "may still be considered" for some fellowships (although that seemed more like a disclaimer than good news).

 

Not sure if this means TA'ing or not.

[vektor]

Hey all, I will be coming to NYC for the Columbia SEAS recruitment weekend. Anyone know how its like? Also how do you like Columbia grad school?

[musicmage09]

Hi all! I got accepted to Columbia over the weekend. Still making my decision, but would love to hear what people think of Columbia. Cheers!

[ak48]

I'm pretty sure New York City will be a big selling point, especially if the department isn't the top in the nation.

[Arcanen]

Visiting this weekend. Fortunately my department does seem to be the "top in the nation" for my particular discipline, so I'm mainly interested in getting a feel for the housing and the campus. I really like New York, but I want to make sure that being in a big city doesn't mean that there isn't a sense of community. I'd rather avoid moving into a nameless apartment block where everyone locks themselves in their rooms and doesn't really interact with the wider grad community.

[lmt007]

Visiting this weekend. Fortunately my department does seem to be the "top in the nation" for my particular discipline, so I'm mainly interested in getting a feel for the housing and the campus. I really like New York, but I want to make sure that being in a big city doesn't mean that there isn't a sense of community. I'd rather avoid moving into a nameless apartment block where everyone locks themselves in their rooms and doesn't really interact with the wider grad community.

 

This is also a bit of a concern of mine. I am also a bit iffy because I have a small dog, and while pets are allowed in family housing, from what I can gather they are not allowed in single student housing. My other choices are in cities where I wouldn't need to live on campus, but given the price of living in NYC, living on campus for me would almost definitely be a necessity.

[Kadisha]

Thought I'd bump this thread to see who is planning to attending the open house on the 9th of April. 

 

It's funny a few days ago GU was a definite for me, but after being accepted by SIPA and seeing their generous YRP funding along with my a dream of mine to live in NYC I could not turn it down. 

[soaps]

Hey there, I'm also an accepted/potential SIPA student. I actually already live a block away from Columbia in Morningside Heights and have been in NYC the last few years. Glad to answer any non-university apartment/living related questions.

Edited March 20, 2013 by soapwater

[Kadisha]

Hey there, I'm also an accepted/potential SIPA student. I actually already live a block away from Columbia in Morningside Heights and have been in NYC the last few years. Glad to answer any non-university apartment/living related questions.

 

Sup soapie,

 

Still waiting for Revolution to come crash our party. Anyway how much do you pay in rent and utilities if you don't mind me asking. was wondering what I'm looking at. Rent is real cheap here in TN comparatively. 

 

Oh and for general recreational purposes, where are the best bars located? 

[soaps]

Sup soapie,

 

Still waiting for Revolution to come crash our party. Anyway how much do you pay in rent and utilities if you don't mind me asking. was wondering what I'm looking at. Rent is real cheap here in TN comparatively. 

 

Oh and for general recreational purposes, where are the best bars located? 

 

Discussing rent in NYC is like discussing the weather, so of course I don't mind.  Right now I'm on the cheaper end of things for Morningside Heights: $900 a month and $45 for all utilities, and my room is tiny. That said, I'm ideally located so the price is a bit distorted. The area is much more yuppy-ish compared to (true) Harlem and Manhattan Valley to the south and prices reflect that. Generally rooms in close proximity to Columbia start around $1100 here unsubsidized, but I'd say the average might be more around $1200. You probably won't be living in the immediate vicinity of Columbia unless you get subsidized housing, though.

 

People in Manhattan will say you live in Harlem if you're north of 96th no matter which side of the city you live on because of Spanish Harlem on the Upper East. Harlem on the west side is different, and neither side is particularly scary (it's the north-central area of Harlem that's the sketchiest).

 

North of Columbia starting around the 130s in Manhattanville you'll get equally expensive but probably larger accommodations ranging between $900-$1100 a month, or cheaper/sketchier accommodations ranging from $750-900. I'd be really skeptical of anything below $800, actually, but it's possible (and probably ill-advised). It's generally advisable to remain west of Morningside Park or Frederick Douglas/8th Ave on the west side but that area is amorphous and there are some awesome bars and cultural things there.

 

Below Columbia between 96th and 110th you can find good housing in the same price ranges, but between 94th and 106th east of Amsterdam (and west of CPW) are the projects and can be pretty (but not absurdly) sketchy. It's also a deadzone for bars and nearby things to do, although there's a new shopping development (including Whole Foods) around 97th on Columbus. 

 

Keep in mind, all these prices reflect having one or more roommates (probably at least 2). Studios even in Harlem start at $14-1600/mo for the least space/least desirable areas. Also, even though it's super pricey by any standard, you at least aren't paying the same transportation costs as you do elsewhere. Do not bring a car to NYC.

 

Overall, Manhattan is very safe and so is any area around Columbia. You can also choose to live in parts of Brooklyn on the periphery of Williamsburg, Astoria (Queens), or Sunnyside (also Queens) for even cheaper accommodations and plenty of culture.

 

From my initial research, subsidized/owned/affiliated housing by Columbia is a great price for the area, but still way more expensive than what you can find elsewhere.

 

Hope that's helpful!

Edited March 20, 2013 by soapwater

[newdisplayname]

Hey Soapwater, Kadisha, I´ll be also attending the open house on April, lets hang out MPA-DP here- How about you?

[soaps]

Whoops, I forgot the most important question re: the bars! Avoid anything on Broadway around Columbia, but there are some great dives in/around Morningside Heights. Probably the most well-known is 1020 bar on Amsterdam, although on weekends you'll get an inordinate number of undergrads. For regular/weekday drunks like myself, there's a good amount of local color and grad students there. There are some other good bars in the area including some surprisingly good jazz joints (Showman's cafe), but overall I think you'll be spending your social/drinking life south of 59th. It's the best city in the world for functioning alcoholics, and you'll find bars everywhere suiting every possible taste and price range. 

[soaps]

Hey Soapwater, Kadisha, I´ll be also attending the open house on April, lets hang out MPA-DP here- How about you?

 

Hey there! We should all definitely hang. I'm not sure I'll be at the open house since I might be headed back to India for a few months, but I may decide to delay my trip depending on what exactly that day entails. In any case, I'll be back in August for anyone who's moving here around that time.

Edited March 20, 2013 by soapwater

[Kadisha]

Thanks for the all the help soapwater. That's definitely going to help me bracket myself in the right housing if my current plans fall through. On another note I'm really looking forward to checking out the bar scene there. I'm more of a weekend drinker since I'm a meathead and go to the gym during the week, but nevertheless it sounds like it's going to be fun.

 

newdisplayname, absolutely. When's your orientation because mine is on the 9th and I'm an MIA. I'm going to be there for most of the week though. The benefits of having a cousin that lives in the upper east side haha

[lmt007]

Wow, excellent advice soapwater! I am leaning more and more towards TC... I don't think I'll be able to make it for the admitted student days, but if I end up there in August it'd be cool to meet up with some of you! I like beer any day of the week.

[Kadisha]

Wow, excellent advice soapwater! I am leaning more and more towards TC... I don't think I'll be able to make it for the admitted student days, but if I end up there in August it'd be cool to meet up with some of you! I like beer any day of the week.

 

I don't know if there's a purpose behind this ridiculous coincidence but my post-surgery (nothing serious) appointment is on the 9th. Can't be before or after so I'm not going to make it on the 9th. I'm still thinking of hitting up SIPA regardless. 

 

Either way I hear that a cold beer during the August heat in NYC is a godsend. Looks like we'll get along just fine at SIPA haha.

[lobsterphone]

If I choose SIPA, I'm planning to stay in Brooklyn.  The L train seems like a doable commute (probably 35-45 minutes) and I've never lived (read: unwilling to live in) any other borough.  My rent has also never topped $1000/month, which seems ridiculously high, but in NYC is actually on the affordable end.

 

As for bars, I'll probably have to find some new digs above 14th St!  Thanks @soap for the tips on proper dive bars.  Looks like I might survive on the Upper West  Side

Edited April 3, 2013 by lobsterphone

[na3eem]

has anyone heard back from Columbia GSAS... MA in Poli Sci?? 

[aly0505]

Hey,

 

incoming MA Human Rights Studies with a focus in International Security here. Is anyone else in the program?

I'm an international student so I really hope I'll get university accomodation. Has anyone heard back from UAH so far? According to the portal, my application isn't even under consideration by GSAS yet...

 

I can't wait to meet the grad community in late August!

[Arcanen]

Yeah, I heard about a week ago that I'd get UAH if I indicated I'd still accept it (because a department loses the ability to give a spot to others in the department if it's offered to a student who then refuses). Three days ago (after indicating that I would accept it), I got official confirmation via email that my application for UAH housing had been granted and that they are in the process of assigning me a room. My online application has been updated to reflect this.

 

When I was at Columbia in March for my visitation weekend, I was given the impression that UAH is essentially for doctoral students, and that masters students being given UAH housing is rare (though being an incoming international student would give you priority over local and continuing masters students at least). I think you should put in motion a contingency plan, because it's unlikely you'll get UAH.

[Arcanen]

I've now had confirmation that others in my program have been giving their UAH offers in full. Wait until you have official confirmation that you've been rejected for UAH (because it would be a messy situation to arrange something outside of UAH and then have to cancel one of the arrangements) to do anything binding, but you should definitely be looking at how you would approach other options.

[aly0505]

I've now had confirmation that others in my program have been giving their UAH offers in full. Wait until you have official confirmation that you've been rejected for UAH (because it would be a messy situation to arrange something outside of UAH and then have to cancel one of the arrangements) to do anything binding, but you should definitely be looking at how you would approach other options.

 Thanks for the info.. if you don't mind me asking, are you in the GSAS or in another school?

I also applied to the I-House, let's hope they'll have a spot for me there. I heard renting for non-US citizens is a nightmare in NYC and since I can't go back before August, the housing situation is really starting to freak me out.