Columbia University is an old-school Ivy, founded in 1754. It’s the oldest higher ed institution in New York and the 5th oldest in the country. It’s medium-ish, with about 7,000 undergrads. Even though it’s in New York City, it has a beautiful campus nestled away in Morningside Heights. Their history and exclusive campus makes their uber-selective 5.1% acceptance rate make a lot of sense.
Columbia hasn’t changed their supplement from last year (or the year before) except for the addition of one 35-word limit question. Let’s look at their questions and explore some strategies for writing the best supplement possible.
For the two list questions that follow, there is a 75 or 125 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering these questions:
- Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons.
- Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order.
- It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications.
- No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.
List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)*
Don’t get too tripped up with this one – it really is just a list. However, note the outside of academic courses part, they don’t want to see cliche books that get assigned in most high school English classes. If you’re not a big reader outside of school, then this might be a sign that Columbia isn’t for you.
We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications, journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (125 words or fewer)*
So, same thing as before but also WAAAAY broader. We find that kids who apply (and get into) Columbia are generally pretty savvy and cultured, so if you’re someone who loves the idea of answering this question, go for it. Don’t just add things that you think sound impressive. Really think about what you consume, and it’s okay if it’s not “serious enough.” You are a teenager, anyways.
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. (200 words or fewer)*
Okay, there are a few ways to tackle this one. One way is by thinking about this as a standard community essay and writing about a group of people you’ve learned a lot from – and the other way is by thinking of a story that answers the question, “when did you learn something from someone different from you.” You could also use this question to highlight a value you have that you can’t quantify on your Common App. The biggest thing you need to do with this essay though, is to tell a story. A story will be the most compelling vehicle to showcase a value or trait or lesson learned, plus it’s way more interesting to write.
Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (200 words or fewer)*
It’s the Why essay, with a twist! Your next essay prompt is about academics specifically, but this one is going to be about the ~vibe~ at Columbia and why you want to be there.
Columbia loves the Columbia Core. You should talk about how excited you are for the Core. The Columbia Core will take up half of your undergraduate career, and if it’s not something you’re jazzed for, don’t apply. Pick a Core class you’re excited for – especially one that isn’t exactly your niche but that you’re excited to learn more about. After this, identify a few extracurriculars you like. These should fit into the story you’re trying to tell them and what you did in high school. If you wrote for the newspaper in high school, you could be on the literary magazine at Columbia. Wrap it up with a conclusion, you could even use that space to talk a little about being in NYC, too.
For applicants to Columbia College/Columbia Engineering, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)*
This builds off the last essay, but with a more academic focus. Start with your origin story. This should be something short that captures why you are studying what you want to study. If you’re a history person, maybe there was a particular trip to a history museum that ignited a passion in a certain topic. End with declaring your major. Next, you’ll pick 1-2 upper-level classes from the course catalog and explain how they will help you meet your goals. Same with a professor. Find a professor conducting research in your interest area and explain why you want to work with them. If there are labs or symposiums or lecture series offered in the department you want to be in, feel free to talk about that here too.
In Columbia’s admissions process, we value who you are as a unique individual, distinct from your goals and achievements. In the last words of this writing supplement, we would like you to reflect on a source of happiness. Help us get to know you further by describing the first thing that comes to mind when you consider what simply brings you joy. (35 words or fewer)*
This is an interesting new question! We say - don’t overthink it. Don’t say anything like, controversial or raunchy, but you could mention a family tradition, or your go-to Taco Bell order, or how excited your dogs get when you come home. Can be big or small!
That’s the Columbia supplement. It’s a little long, a little basic, but all-in-all a good indicator of what Columbia values. If you’re not a big consumer of media and information on your own or not into interdisciplinary learning, you might not love Columbia. But if these questions seem fun to write, you’re probably in the right place.
If you need help with your Columbia application, reach out to us today.