Early Decision (ED) 

November 1 

Regular Decision (RD)

January 1 

Applicants are asked to respond to Columbia-specific questions to tell the Admissions Committee more about their academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. These questions provide insight to your intellectual curiosity, habits of mind, love of learning and sense of self. They also allow the Admissions Committee to learn more about you in your current community and why you feel Columbia’s distinctive experiences in and out of the classroom would be a good fit for your undergraduate education. We review your responses to these questions as an essential part of our holistic and contextual review, in order to get a fuller sense of you as a unique individual beyond the standard parts of the application.

1) List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy. (100 words or fewer)

2) A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer)

3) In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not predict or anticipate. It is important to us, therefore, to understand an applicant's ability to navigate through adversity. Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have faced and discuss the personal qualities, skills or insights you have developed as a result. (150 words or fewer)

4) Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)

5) What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer) 

Academic research

If you have completed research with a faculty member or mentor in science, engineering or other academic disciplines (e.g., humanities, social sciences or languages), you are welcome to provide a one or two page abstract as a supplement to your application. You may upload your abstract in the Columbia-specific questions to the Common Application or in the Uploads page of the Coalition Application. Links provided in any other section of the application (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, websites, etc.) will not be reviewed.

If you are submitting an abstract, you will also be asked to answer a few short questions on the circumstances of your research experience, the duration of your involvement, your specific role in and contributions to the project, and contact information of your research mentor. This will help us better understand your specific research experience beyond what you may have already included in your other application materials.

Creative Writing Portfolios

Please submit a document (in pdf format) of your sample creative writing in any of the following areas: poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction. Do not submit journalism samples or full books. Submissions should not exceed 5 pages. Applicants are required to include a résumé (in pdf format) listing their creative writing experience and recognition.

About Columbia

 • New York, NY
 • Founded in 1754
 • Private institution
 • Total undergraduate enrollment in 2024: 9,111
 • 4% acceptance rate

School Is Known For 

 • Three undergraduate schools – Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of General Studies
 • Business School
 • Law School
 • College of Physicians and Surgeons
 • College of Dental Medicine
 • Graduate Journalism School 

Culture 

 • Located in New York City 

     • Main campus is located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan 

     • The Columbia University Medical Center (home to the medical, nursing, dental and public health faculties) is located in northern Manhattan 

 • Offers a range of student activities, including 28 Greek chapters 

 • More than 90% of students live on campus 

 • Columbia is affiliated with Barnard College for women, the Union Theological Seminary and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America 

 • Distinguished alumni include John Jay, founding father and first Supreme Court chief justice, and former President Barack Obama   • Administers the Pulitzer Prizes