How to Get Into Columbia University

Applying as an Undergraduate

Choose the appropriate program. Potential undergraduates at Columbia can apply to either Columbia College or Columbia School of Engineering. If you are unsure about your area of interest, or know that it will not involve engineering or computer science, you will want to apply to Columbia College.

Speak to past graduates of Columbia University. Contact the school or program of your choice at Columbia to ask if they have a list of alumni you can speak to about the nature of their academic experience and how they prepared for the program.

Visit the campus. Columbia offers information sessions and campus tours for prospective students. You should sign up in advance to make sure you get a time that coincides with your ability to be on campus. While on campus, take the opportunity to speak to current students about their experiences and what they did to prepare for Columbia. If you cannot get to New York City, the school offers off-campus information sessions. See if one is close to you.

Develop your academic strengths. Take the most advanced or accelerated academic courses available to you in your high school, and do well in them. Columbia's admissions office looks for students who challenge themselves academically whenever possible. Over 95% of the graduates are in the top 10 percent of their high school class.

Develop extracurricular interests. Columbia's admissions committee uses a "holistic" review process, meaning they take into account not only a person's academic marks, but also extracurricular activities. Columbia wants undergraduate students who can make an impact outside the classroom, and contribute to social and cultural life at the school. The Columbia Writing Supplement asks about books, newspapers, and magazines you have read, or films, concerts, exhibitions, and other performances you have seen over the prior year. Use this as an opportunity to expand your own horizons, and take in as many of these extracurricular opportunities as possible.

Score high on the required standardized tests. You can apply to Columbia by taking the SAT and two SAT subject tests, or the ACT. If you are applying Early Decision, you can take the tests as late as November, and as late as January for Regular Decision. You may take the tests multiple times, as Columbia will only review the highest score. Be advised, Columbia will only look a scores from a single sitting of the test, so you can't mix and match. For the SAT, Columbia does not require the Writing Section, only Math and Critical Reading. The middle 50% of admitted students in the class of 2018 scored between 2160 and 2330 on all three sections. For the SAT subject tests, Columbia recommends choosing subjects in your strengths. If you are applying to the School of Engineering, you should take Math and one of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Columbia advises that you should not take Foreign Language subject test if you are a native speaker. For the ACT, the writing component will no longer be required for Fall 2017 admissions. If you are applying for Fall 2016, you will still need to take it. If you have a particular subject of interest, you can also take the SAT subject test in that area and submit with the ACT. 79% of the admitted class of 2018 who took the ACT scored between 32 and 36.

Write a strong personal statement. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully, and pay close attention to the length, topic matter, and format required. Ask others, such as trusted teachers, friends, and relatives, to review your essay before submission to comment on its clarity and effectiveness.

Provide good letters of recommendation. Columbia requires letters from your high school guidance counselor and two teachers from academic disciplines. If you are applying to the engineering school, one must be a math or science teacher. These letters should come from teachers who are closely familiar with your work ethic, communication skills, character, and capabilities. If they are willing, take the opportunity to talk with your letter writers about why you wish to attend Columbia, which can help provide a more personalized letter that really emphasizes your strengths as an applicant.

Fill out the application as completely as possible. Make sure you have all of your materials ready when you submit the Common Application. Review the Columbia-specific questions for the Writing Supplement, and prepare your answers within the guidelines provided.

Provide supplementary materials. There is space on the Common Application to provide supplementary materials for work in science or the arts. If you have experience in these fields, include materials to help give depth to your application. Make sure to carefully review the correct types of materials, including formatting and file type.

Applying as a Transfer Student

Choose the appropriate program. Potential undergraduates at Columbia can apply to either Columbia College or Columbia School of Engineering. If you are unsure about your area of interest, or know that it will not involve engineering or computer science, you will want to apply to Columbia College.

Do well in your first semester. Columbia's admissions office will generally be unable to look at grades from the second semester, so grades from the first will weigh heavily on your application. You will need a minimum GPA of 3.5 to be considered, and the school strongly encourages a minimum of 3.5 in science and engineering courses for the School of Engineering.

Take enough appropriate classes. To transfer to Columbia, you must have completed, or be scheduled for, 24 credit points. Make sure you are taking, and have taken, transferrable credits. Columbia does not accept transfer credits from departments such as business, communications, and education, as the school does not have those departments. Colleges may count class credits differently. Review Columbia's requirements to make sure you are on the right track

Develop extracurricular interests. Columbia's admissions committee uses a "holistic" review process, meaning they take into account not only a person's academic marks, but also extracurricular activities. Columbia wants undergraduate students who can make an impact outside the classroom, and contribute to social and cultural life at the school. The Columbia Writing Supplement asks about books, newspapers, and magazines you have read, or films, concerts, exhibitions, and other performances you have seen over the prior year. If you are already attending a college, there will undoubtedly be a variety of opportunities to attend interesting and worthwhile events.

Make sure your materials are up to date. If you have previously applied to Columbia, past materials such as test scores and essays will not roll over. Before resubmitting materials, such as your personal essay, try to review review and improve upon them, using on your own personal growth and input from others at your current institution.

Provide two good letters of recommendation. Columbia requires letters from college instructors. Letters should come from professors who are closely familiar with your work ethic, communication skills, character, and capabilities. If they are willing, take the opportunity to talk with your letter writers about why you wish to attend Columbia, which can help provide a more personalized letter that more strongly emphasizes your strengths as an applicant.

Fill out the application as completely as possible. Make sure you have all of your materials ready when you submit the Common Application. Review the Columbia-specific questions for the Writing Supplement, and prepare your answers within the guidelines provided.

Provide supplementary materials. There is space on the Common Application to provide supplementary materials for work in science or the arts. If you have experience in these fields, include materials to help give depth to your application. Make sure to carefully review the correct types of materials, including formatting and file type.

Applying as a Graduate Student

Decide which school you should apply to. Columbia has 17 graduate schools, providing masters, doctorates, and other advanced degrees in a wide variety of fields. Each school has different processes and requirements for application, so you will need to review them carefully.

Contact potential advisors. You will want to work with faculty who are accomplished in your chosen field, and will likely stay on for the duration of your time in the program. If possible, visit the campus and schedule an in-person meeting with your potential instructors. Some schools will provide information sessions, or help arrange these meetings.

Get good grades. Columbia's graduate programs are some of the best in the country, and will need to see strong collegiate performance for admittance. Pay close attention to see if your chosen program has required courses, and make sure to focus your academic energies on earning high marks in those classes. Each program will likely provide a range of GPAs accepted each year. If this information is not easily accessible through the school's website, contact the program directly to see what information they can provide.

Score highly on the appropriate standardized tests. Each graduate program has its own test requirements, and acceptable ranges for admission. Contact the program directly if that information is not readily available. Make sure to take all required exams, and arrange for proper submission of scores.

Write a strong personal statement. Make sure you can clearly articulate why you wish to study at Columbia, and how the program will help you achieve your professional goals. Ask others, particularly trusted professors, to review your essay before submission to comment on its clarity and effectiveness. If you are finishing an undergraduate degree, your current school may offer additional help through a career services office.

Get strong recommendations. You will want letters from college instructors who are closely familiar with your work ethic, communication skills, character, and capabilities. Instructors who have ties to Columbia, either having attended the school or knowing Columbia faculty personally, can also provide good information, if not good letters. If they are willing, take the opportunity to talk with your letter writers about why you wish to attend Columbia, which can help provide a more personalized letter that really emphasizes your strengths as an applicant.

Fill out the application as completely as possible. Make sure you have all required materials ready when you submit the application, and provide as many supplementary materials as the program suggests.