Columbia College - Chicago

Date: Sep 19 2009
Major: Video/Media (This Major's Salary over time)
Columbia is a joke. That's about all there is to it. I was a film major and the film department was adequate. There was some good equipment and knowledgeable teachers. Most teachers aren't certified as teachers, but are instead Columbia graduates that didn't make it in the industry and return to teach other students. Columbia is a money-making machine that doesn't think much about what you'll do after you graduate. In orientation they build a lot of hype about how YOU will be in charge of "creating" a job for yourself after graduation. Most of the majors that are offered from Columbia, like dance, acting, journalism, photography, and filmmaking are incredibly competitive industries and only a couple graduates will be hired in their respective majors. Not everyone will be able to create their own successful film or dance studio. Columbia almost completely ignores the post-grad part of life and focuses on having fun and discovering yourself while taking pointless classes. Students get really wrapped up in the film world of Columbia and get overly-competitive and snooty with each other, developing cult-like crewing cliques. It's entertaining, but distracts you from the real film industry. I did learn some things in my film classes, but felt that while I was paying for an Ivy League education, I was receiving one at a sub-middle school level.

The individual art departments, as delusional about the real world as they may be, are nothing compared to the Liberal Arts Classes. The Liberal Arts classes that Columbia brags about are what makes the school a joke. I took several "advanced" science, history, and political courses and was shocked at the level of the class. I learned more in fifth grade. The professors (if they even have that title) know next to nothing about the subject matter they teach. My Oceanography instructor once tried to lecture a class about how red light has the shortest wavelength. When I politely asked her if she meant violet, she went on a long lecture about how obviously red is the shortest because it can't reach the bottom of the ocean. Our final exam for this class was to bake cookies or write a song about our favorite animal in the ocean. My history teacher just plain hated women and spent most of each class on terrifying rants that didn't have a lot to do with history. Students pay close to $40,000 a year to be there. Where on earth is that money going?! Over half of my classes were cancelled throughout the semester because the teachers locked their keys in their car every week, wanted to go to a film festival, or slept in. If we had actually been learning something, then I would've been upset at not getting my money's worth. As for safety on campus, you're living in downtown Chicago. I witnessed a lot of violent crimes and some of my friends were mugged at knifepoint. It's the city. There are homeless people on literally every corner and be prepared to have interesting things shouted at you by passersby on your way to class. Use your common sense when you go places and don't wander around at night, and you should be safe for the most part.

Although clubs and activities exist, it's extremely difficult to contact them about when they meet. I emailed several people and the students running these organizations were very unorganized. Columbia puts it into students' hands and those students seemingly aren't very keen on doing a lot or getting new members. There's not really anything to do through Columbia, but plenty to partake in through the surrounding colleges.

Columbia's acceptance rate of over 95% leads to classes being full of students that can barely write their name. It disgusted me that I was paying thousands of dollars to sit and listen to the instructor explain to these students why the earth was a rock even though they may not see that through the oceans and grass. Most students are there for a "fun degree" because their parents are rich enough to support them for life. It's frustrating sitting in a classroom full of either students that shouldn't be in college when they barely passed high school, or arrogant, rich children that would rather be sleeping.

If you never need a job and are looking for a fun, easy college experience, this is a great place for you. The campus is right in the heart of Chicago and there's always something to do. However, if you'd like to learn something or want a job after graduation, avoid this school like the plague. The teachers and your classmates will know next to nothing and not really care to correct that. People are there to have fun and Columbia is there to take your money.