Overview of Columbia University

Situated in New York City, Columbia University is an Ivy League Institution with an acceptance rate of 6%. The institution has a student to faculty ratio of 6 to 1, and it consistently ranks as one of the top national universities. Academic strengths include the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. The institution has a large selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students to choose from. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations.

Enrollment

• Total Enrollment: 26,338 (6,202 undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 53 percent male/47 percent female
• 93 percent full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

• Tuition and Fees: $61,850
• Books: $1,294
• Room and Board: $14,490
• Other Expenses: $2,180
• Total Cost: $79,814

Financial Aid Information

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 58 percent
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 52 percent
  • Loans: 11 percent

• Average Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $41,752
  • Loans: $10,801

Academic Programs Offered

• Most Popular Majors: Social Sciences; Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; and Psychology

Retention and Graduation

• First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 98 percent
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 87 percent
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 96 percent

NCAA Athletic Programs

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling
• Women’s Sports: Basketball, Fencing, Field Hockey, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball
• The Columbia Lions play at the NCAA Division I level.

Overview of Columbia University Admissions

Students whose SAT/ACT scores and GPA are within the institution’s requirements have a good chance of being admitted. Applicants must complete an online application, and send test scores from either the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Glowing recommendation letters can bolster your application, along with being involved with student organizations and attempting a challenging course load. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside of the admissions offices mean range. After applying, students will receive a message from an admissions counselor about the next steps of the application process. Interested students should check out the university’s website, which has helpful tips and contact information for the admissions offices.

Admissions Data

For students entering Columbia University in the 2018-19 academic year, the acceptance rate was 6%.  Columbia is one of the most selective colleges in the country.

SAT Requirements and Scores

Applicants to Columbia must submit SAT or ACT scores. For individuals entering the institution in the 2018-19 academic year, 59% chose to submit SAT scores. Successful applicants need scores that are well over mean. SAT data reveals that the majority of students who attend Columbia scored in the top 7% of all test-takers.

ACT Requirements and Scores

Applicants to Columbia must submit SAT or ACT scores, and the two exams are similarly Popular. 51% of students chose to submit ACT scores. From looking at national ACT data, we find that the vast majority of Columbia students ranked in the top 5% of all ACT test-takers.

GPA

Columbia University does not publish the average GPA of admitted students, but you can be sure that all students had averages in the “A” range. 90% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class.

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Columbia University, then it should be easy for you to gain admissions to the schools below. If Columbia University is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York University, Boston University, Boston College

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for Columbia University, then you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.

Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Tufts University, Northeastern University, University of Michigan

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Columbia University. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, then you’ll be a competitive candidate for these schools.

California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University

Applying to Columbia University

Application Deadline: January 1

Undergraduate Admissions Website: https://www.columbia.edu/content/admissions

Undergraduate Application Link(s): https://www.columbia.edu/content/admissions-offices

Graduate Admissions Website: https://gradengineering.columbia.edu/admissions

Graduate Application Link(s): https://www.columbia.edu/content/admissions-offices