My Columbia University Campus Tour

A beautiful place and an amazing experience. And most importantly — the way to change the routine and ordinary.

My curiosity led me again. I have heard a lot about the University, and ultimately, I had the opportunity to visit the Campus in New York City. It is an experience worth sharing.

Getting There & Check-In

My campus tour was confirmed by the administration and scheduled for 4:00 PM. The day before, I received an email reminder with a QR code, which I needed to show at the entrance. The instructions also advised arriving 20 minutes early due to the large number of participants — yes, it was a group tour, and everyone had to be registered upon arrival.

I arrived at the entrance at around 3:30 PM. Ahead of me in line was an Asian family who seemed to be having trouble checking in. I overheard a security staff member telling them something about registration issues. The mother rushed to someone who appeared to be in charge, but the security officer scanning the QR codes warned, ‘She’s going to get you in trouble with this kind of behavior.’ I don’t know how things turned out for them because it was my turn to check in. I am mentioning that in order to let you know that if you are going to visit, make sure you follow the instructions during your registration accordingly. Since I did everything right and got my QR-code and ID ready, the process was smooth.

After passing security, I asked the same staff member for directions to the Visitors Center. He politely explained the way, and I continued on. There were also two additional staff members stationed at a tent near the entrance after the initial check. I asked if I needed to show my ID again, but just as one of the ladies started answering, a bee flew near her face, and she got distracted trying to shoo it away. Not wanting to add to her struggle, I simply nodded and moved along.

First Impressions of the Campus

As I walked through the entrance, the first thing that struck me was the beautiful weather combined with a beautiful view of the campus — sunny, warm, and almost no wind. To my left, I noticed posters on a building wall advertising university events. I continued walking and soon reached the campus fountain.

Looking up at the iconic library up on the hill after the fountain, I saw students scattered across the steps like birds. Some were studying, others chatting, laughing, or even napping. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie. Climbing the steps, I turned around to take in the view — it was breathtaking. Naturally, I took a picture.

Finding the Visitors Center

It was around 3:40 PM when I decided to make my way to the Visitors Center. The email reminder had included a helpful Instagram link with a video showing the route, so I followed along.

Inside, I checked in at the front desk. The staff member asked for my name to check me in and handed me a blue ‘Visitor’ sticker and a large brochure.

The Campus Tour Begins

At exactly 4:00 PM, a student guide gathered everyone outside on the steps near the building. There were around 50 to 70 visitors — to my eye at least — and we were split into five smaller groups. My guide was a student named Roree (I might have spelled that wrong, but that’s how it sounded). Our group had about 15 people, and our first stop was the Butler Library.

Before entering, Roree stood on a bench near the South Lawn and shared stories about studying at Columbia. He joked about how quiet the library is — so much so that if you drop a pencil, everyone will turn and stare at you. Inside, we walked through the halls, took in the atmosphere, and then headed back out.

Next, we stopped in front of Wallach Hall, near the dining area. The guide explained how students eat on campus, the different meal plans, and how food cards work. From there, we moved to the campus bridge, which connects two sections of Columbia. As our guide spoke about the bridge’s history, he pointed out the incredible view—you could see almost all the way downtown. The view was quite good, so I took a photo.

After taking in the scenery, we continued to a sculpture near the Columbia Video Network, where Roree talked about engineering programs and answered some questions. We made our way back toward the Scholar’s Lion, where our guide discussed Columbia’s sports culture and shared stories about student-athletes. Our final stop was near Furnald Hall, where we learned about student housing. We even got to step inside a dorm room on the first floor to see what living on campus is like.

Wrapping Up the Tour

The last part of the tour took us to Alfred Lerner Hall, where Roree talked about the diversity of student organizations and the cultural mix within the university and the surrounding neighborhood. After his closing remarks, the tour officially ended. Some visitors stayed to take pictures, while others spoke with the guides about academic opportunities.

Underneath a massive cherry tree — likely to bloom in April — I took a final look around and asked the guide about opportunities for graduates before leaving. It was an incredible experience, and I highly recommend visiting, even if you’re not planning to study at Columbia. The campus is beautiful, the atmosphere is inspiring, and the tour is well worth it.

Sign up for the tour here: Campus Visits | Columbia Undergraduate Admissions

To wrap things up, I’d like to borrow the words of the renowned astronomy professor, David Kipping from Columbia University, who always ends his fantastic YouTube videos with:

Link to his YouTube channel: Cool Worlds

Some images I borrowed from CU site