Columbia University in the City of New York
Admissions

Interested in attending Columbia University in the City of New York?

On this page, you'll learn how difficult it is to get into Columbia University in the City of New York, we'll dig into high school grades and test scores, and you'll find out the factors the school considers when reviewing applications.

4
%
Acceptance rate
1524
SAT Midpoint
January 1
Regular admission deadline
Test Optional
Testing

Admission Rates

Is it difficult to get into Columbia University in the City of New York?

4%

Using the most up-to-date data on record, Columbia accepted 4% of applicants. We classify this as most selective.

In the most recent year, 55,939 people applied and 2,284 were accepted.

Applied/Accepted
Women
1142 / 32219 (4%)
Men
1087 / 23720 (5%)

Acceptance rates at colleges can change over time, with some becoming more competitive and others accepting more students. Here’s a look at the acceptance rate trend for the past 3 years at Columbia University in the City of New York:

100%
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
2022
2023
2024

Acceptance rates at schools can vary depending on if the student is in-state, out-of-state, or international.

62%
Enrollment of those accepted
Very High
Yield rate

Of those accepted, 62% ended up enrolling at Columbia University in the City of New York, making their yield rate Very High. The yield rate is the percentage of accepted students who enroll at the school. You can use the yield rate to find out how coveted a school is for the students who apply to it.

Application Factors

You can increase your chances of getting into Columbia University in the City of New York by looking at what the school considers during the application process.

Here are the things Columbia considers:

Very Important

  • Academic GPA
  • Application Essay
  • Character/Personal Qualities
  • Class Rank
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Recommendation(s)
  • Rigor of Secondary School Record

Important

  • Talent/Ability

Considered

  • Alumni/AE Relation
  • First Generation
  • Geographical Residence
  • Interview
  • Standardized Test Scores
  • Volunteer Work
  • Work Experience

Not Considered

  • Level of Applicant's Interest
  • Religious Affiliation/Commitment
  • State Residency

Grades & Testing

Do you have the grades and test scores to get into Columbia University in the City of New York?

1524
SAT Midpoint
Test Optional
Testing

Grades

95% of freshmen who attended Columbia were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class, and 99% were in the top 25% of their graduating high school class.

Columbia is Test Optional. This means scores are considered if they are submitted, but applicants do not need to submit scores.

Applicants submitting SAT Scores

40%

Applicants submitting ACT Scores

21%
SAT Math Scores
25th Percentile
760
Math Mean
775
75th Percentile
800
SAT Verb Scores
25th Percentile
730
Verbal Mean
749
75th Percentile
770
SAT Composite Scores
25th Percentile
1500
Composite Mean
1524
75th Percentile
1560

Application Deadlines

These are the deadlines for applying to Columbia University in the City of New York. Application deadlines are subject to change, so please verify all deadlines with the school.

Regular Admissions

January 1
Regular admission deadline
May 1
Application notification

Early Decision

Early Decision is a program in which students commit to attend a school if they are accepted. Some schools have a higher acceptance rate for Early Decision than regular decision. Columbia's Early Decision acceptance rate is 15%, compared to 4% overall. If you’re sure you want to attend Columbia University in the City of New York, you might consider applying Early Decision.

December 1
Applications Due
December 15
Notification Date
15%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate

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