'creating a welcoming, diverse community' - Why Columbia?

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

After 5 years of dreading my silent, parent-driven, carpool, I now look forward to the 30 minute commute to and from school with my friend, Chris. I always try to engage my peers in discussions about our classes and these car rides have become the perfect vehicle for doing so. We spend our time discussing anything from differences between the special and general relativity to The Sun Also Rises. So when my tour guide at Columbia talked about how the Core Curriculum creates these discussions, I was immediately attracted to Columbia. He said that because students all read the same material, they avidly discussed it outside of class, citing his freshman year discussions of Plato in the cafeteria. Just as my car has become an extension of the classroom, I cannot wait to join a community in which the classroom boundaries are almost nonexistent.

Ever since I joined my school's diversity club, I become fascinating with learning and exploring issues of diversity, engaging in dialogues in and out of school; despite discussing these topics, I recognize that the best way to truly learn about diversity is to learn in a diverse community. Columbia is unique from so many liberal arts institutions in that it fosters an aggregate of diverse perspectives, supporting racial, ethnic, geographic and fin ancial diversity. I like that Columbia's administration actively promotes inclusiveness of all students, engaging in progressive programs such as New York's Love Love, Hate Hate campaign which "promotes inclusion, unity, respect, and dialogue among all members of the campus community." Columbia's commitment to creating a welcoming, diverse community is something that I admire and want to join.

So this is about 200 characters over, so please give me advice on what I can cut out as well as what I can build upon to improve this.

Thanks!

Hi, I really enjoyed this essay! you show that you are very well informed about Columbia and related that to you everyday experience of your conversations with your friends in the car.

you should write out the numbers though, (change 5 to five, 30 to thirty)

Also, could you please read my letter to roomate essay? thanks!

Your first paragraph is better than your second paragraph. Cut out the second paragraph, and expand more on the Columbia's nonexistent classroom boundaries. The first paragraph catches me and shows something that Columbia appeals to you that many other students wouldn't write about. It's bold and unique. It's strong essay. I'd be happy to read it again if you want to rewrite it.

Care to give my Cornell Human Ecology essay a read?

I understand that you are telling the adcom why you want to attend Columbia but I think It would be better for you to explain how a Columbia education will change you or how you will take advantage of a columbia education. I feel like your telling Meryl Streep she's an Oscar winning actress, don't you think she knows. Do you get my analogy. Don't spit back stuff Columbia already knows about themselves. The topic seems generic but you can make it unique to you. I enjoyed your response but really think.

Hey, I had some experience applying to Columbia (I was ED and I got rejected D:) Anyway, I'd say this short answer is far from being complete. I know this will come as a shock and disappointment, but you might need to restart this entire essay. If you're really looking for diversity, why not NYU? Or why not Harvard? Find something that is unique to Columbia only, and remember, let your personality and aspirations through. I hope this helps, and I hope I'm not too mean. After being rejected by CU, I really do hope no one else will suffer the same fate.

The idea of a decent standard of living without economic growth runs counter to much of what we've been taught about economics, development and even human nature. Yet as Leonora's review of Professor Tim Jackson's book Prosperity Without Growth showed, there are plenty of convincing arguments for why we should rethink our relationship to GDP for the good of both the natural environment and our collective well-being. Today readers with an interest in zero growth economics will get a chance to pose their own questions to Professor Jackson as The Guardian hosts a Q&A; on whether consumerism is ruining our lives: