Students from hometowns big and small alike come to call Columbia's Morningside Heights campus, and the broader New York City community, home. Columbia is made stronger by the varied perspectives of each of our students, and each Columbia Lion is drawn to Morningside Heights and New York City by the virtue of their passions and their overflowing curiosity for the world around them. No matter where you come from, the voices of rural and small town students are an important part of Columbia's community.
The STARS College Network
Columbia is proud to be an inaugural member of the STARS (Small-Town And Rural Students) College Network, a select group of colleges and universities working together to increase access, affordability and college advising for students from rural and small-town communities. STARS College Network member institutions are dedicated to bringing the nation’s best and brightest, no matter where they live, to a school that is the best fit for them.
The STARS College Network provides students with access to a wide variety of pre-college programming at member institutions, ongoing support in their college search process and a streamlined application process that breaks down many of the barriers these students face in accessing opportunities to higher education. Students can learn more and participate in STARS programs on the network's website.
With support from the STARS College Network, Columbia engages in specific initiatives for rural and small-town students in recognition of the valuable experiences and viewpoints they bring to college communities:
- The STARS Fly-In at Columbia, a fully funded program for rural and small-town seniors in high school to learn more about Columbia, higher education and college in NYC
- The Rural Recruitment Committee, a community of current Columbia students from rural areas and small towns who assist in Undergraduate Admissions outreach and programs
- Take Columbia Home, a peer-to-peer program that allows Columbia students to visit rural and small-town high schools in their local region during academic breaks
- Expanded travel to rural areas and small towns throughout the country with other STARS College Network members
Meet Our Rural Community
student:
Jamie
W.
West End, NC
Biology, Special Concentration in Public Health
Transition to Columbia: "First-year students arrive on campus pretty early before classes each fall for New Student Orientation Program (NSOP). A lot of the program is focused on getting you off campus and into the city. During my NSOP, we had tickets to a Mets game, took a food tour through the East Village and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. As I look back on it, the comfort this experience gave me with the subway system was the biggest aid to feeling comfortable in New York City. Once I knew that I could find my way home to Columbia, no matter where I was, New York felt much smaller and more comfortable."
student:
Zoie
G.
Kingsford, MI
African American and African Diaspora Studies, Computer Science
Campus community: "As an intern for Columbia's Rural Recruitment Committee, I've been able to foster a community of rural students on campus and help connect rural high school students to Columbia. I pursued this opportunity because I wanted to be a part of a community that is so important to who I am. Going from a rural community to New York City is a monumental transition, so doing it with a group of people who understand what I'm going through has been incredible."
student:
Hope
H.
Bergen, NY
Mechanical Engineering
"Transitioning from my small rural town to a large urban school like Columbia was different than I expected. I was worried about making friends, fitting in and, honestly, affording city life. However, I was welcomed with open arms into the community. I met so many amazing people within my first weeks here and then settled into the groups and clubs that I felt the most at home in."
student:
Heather
H.
Wenatchee, WA
Creative Writing, Political Science
A Columbia education: "Within an academic context, my time at Columbia has completely revolutionized how I view the world and my place within it. After taking classes in the Core Curriculum, I feel like I have a much better understanding of everything happening around me. For instance, when I go to museums, I better understand the context behind exhibitions and can better interpret the meaning of art. When I listen to music, I can analyze the instrumental choices of musicians and think about the history of the genre of music. When I read texts, I can closely read passages and consider how the ideas fit into a broader context of thought."
student:
Eric
A.
Lompoc, CA
Political Science, Sociology
Living in New York City: "Going to school in New York City has been such an eye-opening experience in all honesty. During my application process, I tended to veer away from college towns as I felt like they were too secluded, in a kind of bubble, away from genuine people and cultures, whereas New York is the premiere melting pot of the United States. I have loved having access to some of the country’s most acclaimed museums and collections as well as the experience of living in the only truly walkable city in the nation, which opens itself up to a lot of fun with friends out in the city without needing a car or taxi."
STARS Fly-In at Columbia
The STARS Fly-In at Columbia is an all-expenses-paid, selective program designed for high school seniors from rural areas and small towns to learn more about Columbia, higher education opportunities and the college experience in NYC. The STARS Fly-In takes place each fall, with applications available in August.
fact:
24
maximum students in a Core Curriculum seminar
fact:
6:1
undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio
fact:
90%
of undergraduates live on campus
fact:
5,800+
one-on-one career counseling sessions last year
Quick Links
Watch current rural and small-town Columbians share their experiences as ambassadors in our Take Columbia Home peer-to-peer rural high school visit program.
Will I have housing on campus for all four years?
Columbia undergraduate students are guaranteed housing for all four years. In fact, nearly all undergraduates live on campus, and first-year students are required to live on campus. Housing at Columbia offers a wide variety of living opportunities—from corridor-style to apartment-style living, from residence halls in the middle of the main quad to those on quiet side streets only a five-minute walk to the center of campus.
What is Morningside Heights like?
Morningside Heights is a dynamic residential neighborhood filled with restaurants, cafes, shops and hangout spots. It is steps from the Hudson River and bordered by Central Park, Morningside Park and Riverside Park; all the resources of New York City are a short bike, bus or subway ride away.
How can I take advantage of everything I want to do in New York City on a student budget?
New York City has something for everyone, which is why it is so often rated as one of the best college towns in the nation. It is full of hidden treasures that offer an inexpensive, yet unique array of food, shopping and entertainment. Some of the most creative culinary experiences are intimate restaurants within a few blocks from campus. Websites such as NYC Visit's Go Local operate as a service for New Yorkers to get the most out of their city.
There are also a variety of email lists that help students gain free access to opportunities such as going to a major motion picture premiere. There are yearly bargains such as New York Restaurant Week, which gives students a budget-friendly taste of some of the finest establishments in the city. Columbia helps students explore the opportunities in New York by providing discounted and free tickets to many events around the city through the Columbia Arts Initiative.
Does Columbia have programs to help me make the most of my time in NYC?
From the Columbia Arts Initiative (think free museum access and tickets to Broadway shows) to the Center for Career Education (careers fairs, thousands of internship listings and more), Columbia provides countless ways for you to connect with the incredible city that we call home. Hear directly from Columbia students to learn how they've made New York City their own.
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