Columbia Admissions The SAT, ACT Scores, and GPA You Need to Get In

So you want to go to Columbia. You aspire to be a part of the diverse, international student body. You hope to take advantage of the infinite resources New York City has to offer. You want an urban life, but also a classic college campus. Columbia has it all! Now the only thing standing between you, and The Big Apple That Never Sleeps, is the Columbia University Admissions Committee. So how do you get into Columbia? The Short Answer Everyone likes a short answercheck out these stats! Columbia Average SAT ScoreColumbia Average ACT ScoreColumbia Acceptance RateColumbia Average GPA 15203 Wait, where are you going Dont worrythere’s a lot more to a successful college application than just your GPA and test scores! However, almost all schools require that applicants submit either SAT or ACT results to be considered for admission. So scoring well on tests is a very good place to start. And, lucky for you, we’re here to help! Now keep reading for a whole lot of information about Columbia admissions: Columbia SAT Scores (†¦or Columbia ACT Scores, if that’s more your cup of tea), GPA, and tons of demographics and admissions data. And NowThe Long Answer With its large, international applicant pool and space for only a few thousand students per class, Columbia can afford to be selective. Last year 80, 1560] What should you take away from these numbers? Well, first of all, the data tells us that the top 25% of students admitted to Columbia this year earned a combined SAT score of over 1560 (which probably means scoring at least 760 on both parts of the SAT). The middle 50% earned between 180. This means that 75% of Columbia’s current sophomore class scored above a 1. High schools typically award grade points out of four, so to score about a % Asian/Asian America41% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 2% US Citizens Permanent Residents 89% International Citizens11% Number of Countries Represented63 Columbia Admissions FAQ Since we know theres more to the admissions process than just the numbers, we threw together some handy FAQs to help answer some other questions you may have about how to get into Columbia. Q. Can I apply to Columbia as a DACA recipient or undocumented student? A. Yes. Columbia accepts all applicants regardless of citizenship status. Q. Can I get financial aid as a DACA recipient or undocumented student? A. Yes. Columbia is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated financial need of all students (who dont already have a degree). As a DACA recipient or undocumented student, although you will not be eligible to receive federal and state financial aidColumbia is willing to privately cover your financial aid using their own funding. Q. Does Columbia admit students who have not completed high school? A. Not unless you can submit a GED or TASC credential, with a passing scorewhich is basically the equivalent of completing high school. Q. Does Columbia allow part-time study? A. You cannot study part-time at either Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. However, you are allowed to study part-time at the Columbia School of General Studies. Q. Aside from near-perfect scores and GPA and strong extracurriculars, how else can I make sure my application to Columbia stands out? A. According to Transizion expert Mike M., you want to emphasize the diversity of your passions and learning experiences: Like most Ivy League schools, Columbia University is looking for a well-rounded and diverse student body. As a result, they have built their curriculum, referred to affectionately as the Core, around promoting a diverse array of interests and knowledge in all of their students. In stark contrast with Browns independent approach, Columbia has strict class requirements, regardless of major, that include courses in science, art, music, writing, international art, history, and much more. Columbia believes that in order to excel in one field, students need to have a broad understanding of the world. The upshot of this philosophy for potential applicants is that they value diversity in education, and showing that you have a general interest in learning is a great way to illustrate that you would fit in nicely Columbia. A great tip to bolster your application to Columbia is to focus on the diversity of your learning experience. You still want to do well on standardized tests and in your normal studies, since they must be strong in order to even be considered by admissions, but variety is the key to making yourself stand out. Dont go crazy, though. No admissions officer will view being a member of 20 different clubs as anything but a naked attempt to falsely strengthen your application. However, of the clubs that you actively engage, you should try to vary the focus. If youre in chess club, then also try out for a sports team. You are a three-dimensional human being with multi-faceted interests, and the trick here is to demonstrate that fact for your admissions officer. And Lia_Columbia (19), featured on AdmitSee, has a few pointers as well: Dont write about prestige. Ever. And dont just [write] about where the school is located. If youre just applying to Columbia because its in New York, you should reevaluate why its on your list. One of the things I did was use an anecdote about my life and connect it to something I liked at Columbia. In my case, I used my experience playing charades at TASP over the summer to talk about why I love Columbias Core. I think this essay worked because it was very specific to Columbia and still showed a lot about me as a person (and writer). The Takeaway For now, challenge yourself when choosing which courses to take, but also make sure that you’ll still be able to get good grades in all of them. Dont forget those AP and IB classes. Devote the rest of your time to extracurricular activities (that you actually enjoy) so you’ll be able to demonstrate your interests and passions to the Columbia admissions committee. And finally, see to it that your standardized scores are strong enough by doing some planning. Create a study schedule, remembering to allot yourself more time than you think you’ll need just in case you run into any unexpected difficulties, and find a test prep program that works for you. I recommend checking out the Free 1-Week SAT Trial or the Free 1-Week ACT Trial from Magoosh. If you like one of them, you can sign upif not, its free! Do all of these things and you’ll know that you’ve tried your best. Hopefully, you’ll be accepted. But if not, remember that there are so many other great schools out there that would love to have you. With any luck, youll be heading to NYC in the Fall. Happy studying! 🙂