Columbia University in the City of New York Reviews

"It's quite a supportive environment, much more so than you might expect from a law school. The career support staff and the faculty are also incredibly welcoming and very dedicated to making your legal and academic career a success. It's quite a bit of a workload, though, so it's definitely a very challenging and difficult program."

"This is a wonderful program, I feel as though I have received a well-rounded education thus far. I believe there will be more career support as we get closer to that time, but I cannot yet speak to that aspect of the program. NYC in general is very expensive, and graduate students are not rewarded enough financial aid in the form of scholarships, only loans. Overall, I am very happy with my experience here."

"Pros: Excellent faculty and resources. Cons: Expensive and high tuition"

"Pros: You gain a great value of education in journalism. Cons: It is very, very expensive."

"It's a one year intensive program, and as a result, the pace is quick and the workload is heavy. There's a great variety in terms of coursework, and being able to develop your own curriculum (without the pressures of concentration) is a big plus. There's no beating Columbia's network, and that's a big draw for why people choose this school. This comes with a hefty price tag and the financial aid office is remarkably understaffed given the size of the student body."

"Columbia University's School of Public Health is a great program - one of the top in the United States. It provides a strong foundational knowledge base through the first semester and then proceeds to hone skills for each student's given field. However, it's program design is lacking somewhat considering the new CORE curriculum is only three years old. There are still a lot of kinks that need to be worked out and courses that need to be made clearer and with a better delivery. Overall, Career services seem strong with incredible statistics (but we know those could always be skewed)."

"It is amazing to finally get into the field of study that you want to pursue as a profession and begin to be equipped and prepared. Still, the program is a lot of work, though that is only to be expected, and the tuition and living expenses can be rather overwhelming."

"Costs are high in New York City, but financial aid and housing services do their best to accommodate for you when you ask. Transportation throughout the city is very accessible, but often the local trains have construction and aren't running properly on weekends. Great area on and around campus."

"The pros of the graduate programme are the networking opportunities presented to each student, as the professors are all experienced journalists and some still active in the field. There are also many great speakers who come in and several lectures a week. The cons would be how expensive it is to live around the surrounding area. There also needs to be a better study area for the journalism department."

"My program is very innovative and seeks to bridge the existing gap between Journalism and Computer Science. Columbia faculty is very good and the education is very high quality. There are additional lectures going every week to keep students up-to-date with what the profession currently demands and what to expect when we head for the industry. The main con of the program is that it is very expensive ($86,000/year) and lasts for two years. Also, because it is quite new the guidance in terms of career services is limited."

"Columbia's journalism school is incredibly rigorous. The program is among the most well-respected in the field, and the alumni network is incredible. Instructors are some of the best journalists in the world and the career services office is useful and efficient. Plus, you're in New York City! The center of the world. The only downside? Everything is very expensive: tuition, cost of living, etc. But to me, it's worth it."

"The pros are that the program is highly diversified, in that we have students from all over the world, and each of us brings our knowledge to the table. Another pro is the high level of involvement and concern of the professors and the staff here-they are superb. I guess the con would be the intense amount of work-compressed into 9 months; it feels like the program would be so much better if it was at least 2 years long, because we do so much in only 9 months"

"The short timeframe of the masters program in journalism (ten months) lends itself to a very rigorous and intensive curriculum. Columbia University has top-notch faculty whose mentorship and support are invaluable, an ever-expanding network full of successful journalists and a location in the media mecca of the U.S., making it an ideal place for an aspiring journalist to get his or her career started. Two months into the program, I already feel like I've grown both personally and professionally. I've learned about effective writing, business trends of the media industry and the basics of audio and photo editing. The journalism program really stresses producing not only quality reporters, but also media leaders who will move the industry forward. While the program has its strengths, it also has its weaknesses, especially as it pertains to communication, or lack thereof, between administration and students. It hasn't facilitated ways for students to get to know each other beyond meeting in class. I also think it can replace the multitude of speaking events it holds with more hands-on workshops for students who want to gain technical skills in a variety of mediums."

"Very comprehensive and rigorous journalism program with a tight focus on preparing students for professional work."

"The benefits of going to the Columbia Journalism School is the prestige attached to the name as well as the access to mentors and jobs in such a large media center. It is also highly ranked among graduate journalism programs. All this praise leaves too much room for sloppiness. The effort is possible, but is consistently lacking. However, the access to some of the most experienced, renown journalists is so frequently available. The opportunity to network is always present. I guess it is just like all other opportunities in life: it is what you make of it."

"Pros of the program are the network. Cons are lack of classes available, too pricey for curriculum offered."

"Columbia J-School is an excellent school, with amazing teachers and instructors. The Career Center prepares you very well, and the Alumni connection network you get is incredibly strong. Downside: Manhattan is ridiculously expensive, and Columbia is extremely demanding, especially J-School."

"I have been incredibly content with my choice to attend grad school at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. I attend part time and I feel as though I have been pushed to work at a higher level, which is one of the major reasons I wanted to attend grad school. There are incredible lectures as well as notable guest lectures as well. I wanted to take a step back and examine what is next for the field, as well as build a more solidified foundation. I feel as if I am doing both at The Journalism School."

"Amazing place to really immerse oneself in journalism. Program is only one year which is very nice, but it is quite an investment. So make sure this is really something you want to pursue before committing."

"Teachers are great, at least many of them. State-of-the-art program includes many hot topics such as Data Mining and Machine Learning. The program is very popular among international students, particularly from China. Campus is great, NYC is fabulous."