If there is no doubt in your mind that you’d like to apply to one of Columbia University’s undergraduate programs, then you have a competitive road ahead of you. For admission to the recent Class of 2030, a mere 4.23% of the many thousands of applicants to Columbia earned admission, so it will take more than just a positive attitude or a stroke of luck to count yourself a Columbian. There are a ton of specific qualities that Columbia’s admissions officers look for in prospective students, but in this blog, we at Ivy Coach would like to review the basics. What goes into a Columbia University application? 

Step 1: Create a Common Application Account

While Columbia accepts both The Common Application and the Coalition Application on Scoir, the vast majority of applicants apply via the former. We at Ivy Coach would recommend the Common Application, as students who use the Coalition Application, which was specifically designed to benefit low-income and underrepresented applicants, often receive raised eyebrows if they are not part of these demographics. To get started on the Common App., register your account, add Columbia to your list of colleges with the College search tab, and then you submit the required materials, including the 650-word Common Application Personal Statement.

Step 2: Sit for Standardized Tests

We already hear your words of protest. Isn’t Columbia test-optional? Yes, indeed it is. But as with all elite colleges that claim to be test-optional, Columbia has an undeniable preference for students who submit SAT or ACT scores over those who don’t. Applicants who don’t submit scores ultimately do not instill confidence in Columbia that they have the academic chops to stay afloat on campus. So even though it might not be strictly necessary, you are better off sitting for standardized tests if you’re serious about getting into Columbia.

Step 3: Familiarize Yourself With Columbia’s Deadlines

Here is a chart drawn directly from Columbia’s website detailing the dates and deadlines for first-year admissions. Note that these dates are estimates that may vary from year to year.

Date	Deadline
November 1	Early Decision and QuestBridge National College Match application deadline
November 15	Early Decision financial aid application deadline
Mid-December	Early Decision admissions and financial aid decisions released
January 1	Regular Decision application deadline
Mid-January	Early Decision response deadline for admitted students
February 15	Regular Decision financial aid application deadline
Late March	Regular Decision admissions and financial aid decisions released
May 1	Regular Decision response deadline for admitted students
May 15	Enrollment deferral request deadline for enrolling students
Late June	Final transcript deadline for enrolling students

Even though Columbia has two admission rounds for first-years, Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD), only one of these rounds is appropriate for the applicant who doesn’t have a shadow of a doubt that they’d like to attend Columbia and only Columbia: Early Decision. Early Decision applicants to Columbia (and indeed, ED applicants to any school) are rewarded for their commitment with increased odds of admission. After all, if you’re willing to forego attending any other school and sign a contract that obligates you to Columbia admission, you make yourself a pretty enticing applicant in the eyes of the Columbia admissions office.

Step 4: Respond to the Columbia-Specific Application Questions

The Columbia-Specific Application Questions provide you with an opportunity to flex your knowledge of all of the institutional specifics that set Columbia apart from other elite colleges. When writing these essays, you should aim to jam-pack each and every sentence with details that apply to Columbia and Columbia alone. With word count at a premium, you are in no position to fill your essays with fluff that could just as easily be about Brown or Harvard as Columbia, such as “innovative academic culture,” “hands-on research opportunities,” or “like-minded community” (that last detail would also make you seem like you don’t value ideological diversity, which is a big red flag for admissions officers!).

Step 5: Request Columbia University School Forms

Columbia requires the following materials to be submitted alongside the rest of your application:

• An official high school transcript from all high schools attended
• One high school counselor’s recommendation and school profile
• The completed midyear report
• Two teacher recommendations, including a recommendation from a math or science teacher if you’re applying to Columbia’s School of Engineering 

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Apply to Columbia

The best laid plans might not pan out in the game of elite college admissions if you don’t cross all your Ts and dot all your Is. But you need not assume the stress of the process alone. Ivy Coach is here to help. To enlist Ivy Coach’s assistance with optimizing your or your child’s odds of admission to Columbia, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.