How to Get Into Columbia University? College Admission & Study Abroad Tips

Are you dreaming of attending one of the most prestigious Ivy League universities in the United States? Look no further than Columbia University in New York City. With its world-class faculty, diverse student body, and prime location, Columbia offers an unparalleled academic and cultural experience. 

If you are looking to get admission to Columbia University, check out our Most Comprehensive Program The Successful Applicant or if you need help with your SOP, check out SOP in a Day course. We also provide highly personalized application guidance to limited students and you can know more about it here.

However, getting accepted into Columbia is no easy feat, with a highly competitive admissions process and rigorous academic standards. But fear not, with the right strategy and preparation, you can increase your chances of securing a spot at this renowned institution. 

In this blog, we will guide you through the key steps to take in order to successfully navigate the admissions process and increase your chances of acceptance into Columbia University. Whether you are an international student looking to Study Abroad, or you are a US Citizen, this blog is all you need.

We will discuss the following points:

1. About Columbia University

   1. Location & Campus

   2. Popular Majors

   3. Rankings

2. Academic Fit 

   1. Rigor 

   2. Faculty 

   3. Class Size

3. Social Fit

   1. Student Life

   2. Housing

   3. Food and Meals

   4. Sports 

4. Financial Fit & Scholarships 

5. Ultimate Admission Tips to Get into the University 

6. Application Deadlines

About Columbia University

Columbia University is located in The City - New York City, close to Central Park on Manhattan Island. Columbia lets its students experience life in the Big Apple but serves as a refuge when it becomes necessary to escape from New York, allowing students to immerse themselves in the best academics, starting with the Core Curriculum.

Columbia's campus has a large central quadrangle in front of Butler Library. The buildings are settled around each other and are "stunning," The layout is well thought out and provides a beautiful setting with an economy of space. 

Popular Majors at Columbia University

Columbia offers many degree programs but the most popular majors at Columbia include English, History, Political Science, Economics, Neuroscience, Computer Science, and Biology Engineering.

Ranking of Columbia University

Columbia is still comfortably in the top 10 percent of colleges in the US and worldwide, all across major ranking service providers like US News and QS News (QS World University Rankings), especially when we look for technology-driven courses.

Let's look at the College Fit:

A good college fit is when a college meets your needs and wants academically, socially, and financially.

Academic Fit 

Columbia is known for its liberal arts culture. Regardless of the major one takes, students always have a common interest in the core curriculum. Expect the rigorous academic program you'll encounter at this Ivy League school, for both undergraduate programs and postgraduate programs. It would help if you also were streetwise, sophisticated, and together enough to handle one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Ideally, Columbians can easily be part of the "real world" while simultaneously immersing themselves in the best academia. The Class sizes for Columbia are small.

Columbia is an intellectual school, not a preprofessional one. Faculty members are great and exciting. Some professors are leaders in their fields, but graduate students teach Many-Core classes for undergraduate students.

Columbia is rugged; the workload is often stressful, and since most students are used to being top achievers, classmates can be competitive. Research is an integral part of the education at Columbia. 

Student/faculty interaction is supported by one of the smallest student-to-faculty ratios in the country, and 83 percent of classes have fewer than 20 students, so it's primarily tiny class sizes.

Under the Core College Curriculum, first- and second-year students must take courses, including History and foreign language. Two of the most demanding introductory studies in the Ivy League— Contemporary Civilization (CC) and Literature Humanities (LitHum)—form the basis of the Core.

Columbia's undergraduates are divided into the flagship Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. For graduates, there are 21 schools to choose from your academic major ranging from Architecture to engineering, Dental school, law school, and many more.

 So keeping the nature of the academic rigor, we will rate Columbia with 5 Stars on the Academic Difficulty level, where five is the highest. 

Social Fit

The social scene starts on the Columbia campus and spills over into the bustling streets of New York City. "There is so much going on on campus that sometimes you end up not leaving as planned," says one student. Rarely are there big all-inclusive bashes, except for fall's '60s throwback, Realityfest, and spring's Columbia-fest.

Housing at Columbia is guaranteed for four years. Since it's New York and is super expensive, 93 percent of Columbia students live in university housing. Most of the rooms are singles. Carman Hall, one of three exclusively first-year dorms, is a popular choice for its private bathrooms. And some of them also have a great view of the empire state building. 

The first-year students get a 19-meal-a-week plan by default. Some people complain about the meals, but it's mostly buffet style, so many options exist. Otherwise, dorms also have kitchens that allow you to cook what you want to eat. And many scales down their meal plans or convert to a buy-what-you-want point system.

Columbia Offers about 31 Division 1 Sports. Baseball and Tennis are the most popular ones. On campus, the Dodge Gymnasium, an underground facility, houses four levels of basketball courts, swimming pools, weight rooms, and exercise equipment. More than 80 intramural and club sports are available. Men's and women's ultimate Frisbee are both nationally competitive.

Columbia offers a balance between academics and social activities. We would give a 3 star out of 5 on the Quality of Life at Columbia. 

Financial Fit

Given the location, Columbia sure is an expensive university. Education and living will naturally be expensive here. The tuition cost is about $60,000 to $70,000 and living with room and board is about $20,000. So, the total fee is about $80,000 per Year. It undoubtedly lies in an expensive school category.  

Scholarships

When it comes to Scholarships and Financial aid, they are available for students. Although mostly need-based, merit scholarships up to $10,000 can also be availed. But considering its 10% in the world, as an international student, you will have to work harder than usual to get it.

Overall we will rate 1 star for affordability which means it is an expensive school. 

How to get into Columbia University

At Columbia, undergraduate students are just 6000, but graduate schools include close to 18 thousand students. Yes, So you guessed it right. It's easier to get into Graduate school here than under graduation. Last Year's overall Acceptance rate was 5%.

With this level of competitiveness, Columbia will expect all the students to stay at the top of their fields. More like the top 10% of the application pool. The Academics and the rest of the academic profile will be of significant importance too. 

So if you feel you fit a Columbia student's academic, financial, and social profile, This might be the perfect school for you.

Columbia is one of the world's most important research centers. At the same level, the University prides itself on an advanced synchronized learning environment. Students who are serious about research and are interested in discovering something new are always welcome here.

The University also understands the importance of its location and helps every student take full advantage of it. The resources and links of the metropolis are at your disposal once you get here.

Columbia is a diverse university with about 16% International students in their classes. So it's a good chance you will make it there with optimal effort.

Now let's talk about our Admission Advice to get admission to Columbia.

These ideas are not available anywhere, and it comes from our decade-long experience working with students for Career and college admission. 

To get into Columbia, remember the word diversity. Yes, that's the word. Columbia prefers students with diverse interests and participation. They want students to develop a comprehensive and transformational understanding of modern civilization through the knowledge of philosophy, History, politics, literature, art, music, science, and writing, as all of these form an excellent Core curriculum at Columbia. So you would have more chances of admission if you could talk about diversity and varied interests in philosophy, History, politics, or other liberal arts subjects. 

Another thing that Columbia looks for is Critical Thinking skills, so make sure to talk about that in your applications. This will help you a ton. 

For admission to Columbia, in general, target the Graduate college for studies. But let's say you are highly interested in Under-graduation. So the goal here would be to remember the two words, diversity, and critical thinking, and Start Early, Prepare Early, and Apply Early. The Earlier is better.

We always try to emphasize the word early. Well, Yes, It's true. Like anything else, time makes everything perfect. So the more time you give yourself to work on your profile, the better results you can yield.

When applying, the Deadlines here are Early Decision and Regular Decision, And specific ones for Post Graduates.

Applying Early here would be better, but only if this is your first choice college because the early decision is binding.

To conclude, If you're looking for an intellectual school with a 'non-pre-professional' [job-market-oriented] study environment with interdisciplinary knowledge and diversity. If you love to explore beyond your chosen major & are an overachiever, Columbia is for you.

Columbia University, one of the world's premier private universities, offers a plethora of opportunities for Indian students (and other international students) aspiring to be part of its prestigious education system. With a strong emphasis on technical courses, health sciences, and a diverse range of undergraduate schools and postgraduate schools, Columbia provides an unparalleled academic experience for those passionate about studying abroad. The university's dozen undergraduate dormitories foster a vibrant and inclusive community where students from different backgrounds can learn and grow together. Students aiming to join this illustrious institution should focus on building a well-rounded profile, excelling in academics, and showcasing their commitment to making a difference in the world. By pursuing a combination of extracurricular activities, internships, and research opportunities, Indian students can set themselves apart and make their dreams of studying at Columbia University a reality.

Author: Shirish Gupta

Shirish is a TEDx Speaker, Entrepreneur & Youth Mentor. Shirish runs a highly successful Youtube Channel (shirishgee). He has been featured on National television multiple times and has won the prestigious Philip Kotler Award. Shirish is on a mission to mentor today’s Youth and create a ripple effect of positive impact across the planet. He believes that the Youth have a unique opportunity to Build an 'Xtraordinary Life' for themselves and make a positive global change. 

We are the new school of change-makers looking to build a great life and great a positive impact through our work and life. Join the tribe and build your Best Life today! Shirish calls it your Xtraordinary Life :)