Undergraduate / "Emphasis on physical and mental preparation" - Why Columbia Supplement [8]

Hey guys I am new to this and was wondering if anyone could read over my essay and give me some feedback on the content of the essay as well as any grammatical mistakes. This prompt is for Columbia University.

Please tell us what you find most appealing about Columbia and why (1500 characters):

Columbia University, a name I have heard so much from others yet I know very little personally until I started searching for the college of my dreams. Among many things I found about Columbia, what impresses me the most is its core curriculum. Columbia's core curriculum in my opinion is very crucial for my college career because of its emphasis not only on academic preparation but also on physical and mental preparation. Columbia's core curriculum allows me to be fully developed academically, physically, and psychologically. In high school, I found that all these different electives in music and athletics were very important. I felt like I was going to lose many of these daily activities when I go to college. But at Columbia this isn't true. With the Core Curriculum Requirements, I am not only required to take the block classes of math and science and literature, but also music and physical education. In my opinion, physical and mental well being is important for a good college education and experience and the fact that Columbia still cares about physical education and music/art shows how much it cares about the well-balanced development of their students. In addition, the sports courses offered are diverse, including both traditional sports and the non-traditional but increasingly important sports such as Tia Chi Chuan and Scuba diving. They provide me with a chance to explore different physical activities. Columbia's core curriculum's emphasis not only on the academic excellence but also on the physical and mental education as well as its diverse sports curriculum is what attracts me most to Columbia. It better prepares for my future endeavors beyond college.

Currently 1706 characters (with spaces) so i need to cut down a bit.

Thanks!!