Columbia University

The fifth oldest school in the United States, and a member of the prestigious Ivy League. Columbia University was founded in 1754 as King's College, and the university has switched locations three times within the island of Manhattan. Although Columbia was founded as a loyalist university, Alexander Hamilton, a Columbia alum, helped keep the university going after the Revolution, alongside his fellow Columbian, John Jay. Columbia is currently located in the Morningside Heights Neighborhood of Manhattan, near Harlem. However, the school has completely gentrified the area, and the neighborhood has become as overpriced as the rest of New York. The University is also the largest private landowner in New York City, along with the Catholic Church, and the endowment is one of the largest in the nation. Tuition for undergrads averages to about $50,000 per year, and graduate tuition tends to be even higher. The University's journalism school issues the Pulitzer Prize every year, and Columbia University professors and alums lay claim to the invention of FM radio, the early stages of the Manhattan Project, and a number of other advances. Furthermore, Columbia lays claim to more Nobel Prize winning affiliates than any other university in the world. Undergraduate colleges include Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Columbia is also affiliated with the Seven Sisters school, Barnard College; however, most Columbia students do not refer to Barnard girls as Columbians, and undergrads from the two schools often hate that Barnard girls think they go to Columbia. Barnard degrees are certified by Columbia, and the schools' respective students often argue and complain about Barnard's relationship. Columbia College's acceptance rate usually hovers below 9%, making the school one of the most exclusive universities in the world. Columbia students are usually left in the political arena, and the school is regarded as one of the most liberal ivies; however, most students at Columbia are usually spoiled rich kids. In contrast to other ivies, many Columbia students solely apply to Columbia, instead of applying to all of the ivies. Many students are lured to the school by the appeal of living in New York City. Columbia's other schools include the prestigious Columbia law school, Teacher's College, and the School of Physicians and Surgeons. All Columbia graduate programs are ranked within the top 10 in the country, and the schools are incredibly difficult to get into. Columbia alums include Barack Obama, Alexander Hamilton, Robert Livingston, Jack Kerouac, Theodore Roosevelt, Lou Gherig, Madeleine Albright, Eric Holder, Warren Buffett, Spiderman and many other world leaders in business, politics, medicine, and all other disciplines.