I think Columbia has an excellent reputation. The school is wonderful at helping students find internships and even jobs after graduation. They also have some very successful alumni. I feel that by going to Columbia, I have a great chance of finding a stable career in photography.
Course Curriculum
I enjoy the course curriculum. I love how students are able to take classes related to their major freshman year and be engaged in the program. I would disagree with some of the requirements for classes because general education courses usually have nothing to do with photography, however, it is a liberal arts school so I understand it is a requirement.
Exams
I took the ACT in high school and scored a 28. I also took multiple AP exams for AP Language, AP Government, AP Economics, and AP statistics.
Internship
Yes, however, I do not have an internship yet. I get emails promoting internships and there are already some available to me as a freshman, but I would rather wait to get an internship so I am able to save money.
Fees
There are different payment plans depending on what is affordable and what kind of loans you have. I pay monthly for my tuition. There are a lot of other expenses like books, and also supplies for classes. For example, I took a foundation art class where I had to buy new material almost every week, which was very expensive. I also have to buy photo paper to print my photo assignments every week.
Examination Structure
We have midterms in the middle of the semester and finals at the end like most other colleges. For some classes, we have final projects instead of a written test. For my photography class, I had to turn in a collection of photos.
Faculty
Overall I love the faculty. Everyone is friendly and I feel I receive a good education from them. It is also great how most of the faculty have experience in the field so they are very knowledgeable.
Hostel
I live at home and commute. This helps me save money. It is also less stressful for me personally because I am at home in a familiar environment where I am comfortable. Living on campus is too expensive and my job is also close to home.
