Columbia University in the City of New York

There's little I can say about Columbia that hasn't been said before, but here goes! PROS: 1. Excellent quality of academic instruction. The faculty here really are at the top of their fields, as one would expect of an Ivy League school. There's never been a moment where the academic material failed to be relevant, well-articulated, or innovative. Faculty here make great efforts to push their students to work outside their comfort zone, so you never feel like you're not being challenged. 2. Excellent... Read More variety of courses available. Within my school, the GSAPP, I can choose from over 30 substantive urban planning courses any given semester, as well as those in architecture, urban design, real estate, business, law, or the sciences. The depth and breadth of knowledge here is incredible. 3. Studio experience. Having professional experience to add to one's portfolio is important in the planning profession, and the studio is tremendously helpful to this end. During the studio, you're working on real, high-profile projects with talented professionals from interdisciplinary fields - everything from planners to architects to engineers and financial analysts. A great and thorough professional immersion experience that carries a huge benefit to your career. CONS: 1. Cost of living in NYC. Be prepared to make the adjustment to living in the most expensive city in the US. With solid planning and networking, however, you can find a room/share situation for less than $1,000 per month. Temptation to spend money on the myriad New York attractions (museums, restaurants, bars, clubs, etc.) is strong, so it's important to be financially disciplined. 2. Administrative communication from GSAPP. The administrative office of the GSAPP does not generally go out of its way to assist students in basic matters such as career services, registration, housing, and the like. Rule of thumb: you must be very persistent and proactive to get what you need, they will not make as much of an effort to communicate with you as other schools. Columbia is a place where you must approach your education like an empowered consumer and demand to be heard. 3. General lack of scholarship help. If you are not offering grants from Columbia, they do not generally offer merit aid and make little effort to point students to outside resources.