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Columbia Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Prompts and Advice

August 26, 2023

Among Ivy League universities, Columbia received the third-highest number of applications for a spot in their Class of 2027. Of the 57,129 applications received, just 3.9% were accepted, the second lowest mark in the Ivy League (Harvard was the lowest). At a school where 96 of every 100 applicants are rejected, and the vast majority of those applying have near-perfect/perfect grades and test scores, you may be asking yourself, “How do I separate myself from the pack?” This brings us to the topic of this article: the Columbia supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Columbia? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Columbia: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Fortunately, Columbia’s extensive supplemental section affords applicants an opportunity to forge a personal connection with an admissions officer and also demonstrate what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Columbia requires answers to one “List” question as well as four short answer questions.

Below are Columbia’s supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one:

2023-2024 Columbia Supplemental Essays

Columbia supplemental essays: list question.

1) For the list question that follows, there is a 100-word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:

– 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 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)

In previous years, Columbia has required several different types of lists, but this year, they’re only asking for one. Note that they specifically ask for selections that have contributed to your intellectual development.

The goal is not to appear as well-rounded as possible. If you happen to be a person with wide-ranging interests, that’s cool—feel free to share your eclectic tastes. However, if you tend to favor learning about World War II, for one example, it can be great to communicate this primary passion by unleashing a list of a dozen books, podcasts, videos, and museums on that lone topic.

Columbia Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Moreover, the media we consume and the live events we attend can be incredibly connective. Entire communities pop up around a given podcast, musical artist, or social media personality. Share the resources/outlets that you are genuinely obsessed with the aim of painting a fuller portrait of who you are as an individual. Ideally, an admissions officer will come away from this section thinking, “This sounds like a really interesting person that I’d like to know more about.” Of course, you might get lucky and happen to adore the same obscure film, podcast, artist, etc. as the admissions reader which certainly can’t  hurt  your admissions odds.

Finally, per the school’s own directives, you don’t need to worry about formatting here. Thus, it is not necessary to italicize or underline titles. You can also skip subtitles and author names, if you wish (although most applicants do include the latter).

Columbia Supplemental Essays: Short Answer Questions

1) 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).

Of course, some teens have lived more challenging lives than others—some applicants come from affluence, others from low-income households. Some have two supportive parents; some have more difficult family relationships. Some have dealt with mental/physical or learning/attentional challenges while others have enjoyed smooth sailing in all of those areas. The important thing to keep in mind is that the challenge/story itself is less important than what it reveals about your character and personality.

Even if you end up writing about a common topic like getting cut from a sports team or struggling in a particular advanced course—that’s perfectly fine! Any story told in an emotionally compelling, honest, and connective manner can resonate with an admissions reader. The bottom line here is that there are no trite topics, only trite answers.

Given the 150-word limit, your essay needs to be extremely tight and polished. In all likelihood, getting this one precisely right will involve a round or two of revision, ideally with some insight/feedback from a trusted adult or peer in the process.

Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Firstly, make sure you share what you were feeling and experiencing. This piece should demonstrate openness and vulnerability.
• Additionally, you don’t need to be a superhero in the story. You can just be an ordinary human trying their best to learn how to navigate a challenging world.
• Don’t feel boxed into one particular structure for this essay. The most common (which there is nothing wrong with), is 1) introducing the problem 2) explaining your internal and external decision-making in response to the problem 3) Revealing the resolution to the problem and what you learned along the way.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid that your “problem” might sound “trite” in comparison to those of others. This essay is about  you. Y our job is to make sure that your response to the problem shows your maturity and resilience in an authentic way. That matters far more than the original challenge itself.

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)

Essentially, Columbia is trying to uncover how your personal experiences will impact what kind of academic and social community member you might be. As such, this prompt wants you to discuss: 1) a specific aspect of your lived experience 2) what you learned and how you might engage with others as a result of that lived experience. “Lived experience” is broad and could include:

• Your role in your family.
• Your role in your social group.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Once you’ve chosen a particular direction, think about what you’ve learned from the experience and what you think others could learn from you. This is a chance to show that you are an open-minded, curious, and humble young person who is willing to learn and grow from their experiences.

For example, perhaps growing up on military bases with a parent who was frequently deployed taught you about the importance of putting yourself out there to find a supportive community. Perhaps you also learned that you have to be intentional about creating said community, which can be a difficult proposition in an increasingly technological and social-media-centric world. It’s also taught you not to take the relationships in your life for granted. As a result, you hope to model the importance of in-person connections and friendships—and the importance of putting a significant amount of effort into those friendships—even when it may feel easier to connect virtually.

Space is at a premium here, so you’ll want to be very specific and intentional about what details and lessons you share.

3)  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)

Last year, Columbia allowed up to 200 words for this response, and this year, they’ve chopped it down to 150. This should communicate to you, the applicant, that they would like you to be as specific and focused as possible. What is it about Columbia as a whole that attracts you? What does Columbia offer that you won’t be able to find anywhere else? For example, let’s say you’re interested in undergraduate research. Lots of colleges offer the opportunity for undergraduate research—why do you feel Columbia’s resources will be the best fit? (This often requires some serious digging.) Remember, you’ll have the opportunity to provide more specifics about the College you’re applying to in a different essay (see below). As such, great things to highlight here include:

• Undergraduate research opportunities in the summer or during the school year as well as independent research you would like to conduct under faculty supervision.
• Columbia’s unique curriculum.
• Columbia’s core values or mission statement.
• Columbia professors whose work/research/writings you find fascinating and how you might want to connect with them as an undergraduate.

This prompt opens the door to discussing opportunities outside of the classroom as well. You could include  study abroad programs , student organizations  at Columbia, or NYC-specific opportunities for internships, culture, and connection.

One important note: the Core Curriculum is a popular topic for this essay. If that is one of the main aspects of Columbia that attracts you, feel free to write about it, but try to do so in a highly specific way that will set you apart from the hordes of other applicants discussing the same thing. Same rule for any mention of NYC’s “plethora of opportunities.”

Columbia Supplemental Essays: College/School/Program-Specific Questions

In addition to the prompts outlined above, you’ll also need to respond to an additional essay that depends on the College, School, or program you are applying to. Here are the two most popular:

Columbia College

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

Columbia Engineering

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

We all have a story of what drives us to pursue a certain academic pathway and career. How did your interest initially develop? What was the spark? How have you nurtured this passion and how has it evolved over time? For example, if you desire to go into engineering, this could be your chance to talk about your participation in an award-winning robotics program at your high school. Share a compelling narrative about how your love of your future area of study has blossomed to its present levels.

Additionally, connect your interests and passions to at least one or two school-specific resources or offerings. You want to not only share what attracts you to your preferred area of study but also what attracts you to your preferred area of study at Columbia in particular. As such, you could mention academic departments , professors ,  research opportunities , internship programs ,  courses , degree structure/curriculum , etc. Be sure to note how you plan to take advantage of your chosen resource(s), and avoid repeating any information already shared in the “Why Columbia” question.

How important are the Columbia supplemental essays?

There are a whopping 8 factors that Columbia considers to be “very important” to the evaluation process. These are: rigor of secondary school record, test scores, character/personal qualities, class rank, GPA, recommendations, and extracurricular activities. However, the most relevant to this blog is, of course, the application essays. The essays undoubtedly play a significant role in the admissions process at Columbia University. They can help the committee decide who to admit when choosing between similarly credentialed (GPA, test scores, etc.) applicants.

Want personalized assistance with your Columbia supplemental essays?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Columbia supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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A Guide to the Columbia Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

October 3, 2023

Situated in the vibrant heart of New York City, Columbia University has long been renowned as one of the most fiercely competitive institutions in the world. With a consistent top-five ranking among colleges in the U.S., Columbia attracts a diverse array of exceptional students from across the globe. As you embark on the challenging task of distinguishing yourself from this impressive pool of applicants, it is crucial to consider how the Columbia supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 application cycle can greatly enhance your candidacy.

The purpose of the Columbia supplemental essays is to provide the admissions committee with deeper insights into your intellectual passions, extracurricular interests, and the genuine motivations behind your desire to join Columbia's prestigious community. By thoughtfully addressing the prompts below, you can help the admissions officers understand why you are an ideal fit for Columbia. To facilitate a seamless writing process, I have meticulously outlined each prompt, offered invaluable tips and tricks for crafting compelling responses, and provided additional advice to ensure your Columbia supplemental essays for 2023-2024 truly shine.

Columbia Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Question 1 (100 words or fewer), 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..

The instructions make it very clear that there’s no minimum number of titles you must include. That being said, don’t just insert one answer for each topic. From your answers to the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 , the university wants to know what kind of topics and genres you enjoy outside academics. All of these could follow a particular theme - your answer to the latter three bullets could be a great way to show that you’ve pursued your academic interests through more than just schoolwork. Or, you could highlight a passion outside your intended major, such as sports or cooking, by mentioning relevant books or magazines.

Don’t list big-name publications such as The New York Times just because you think it sounds impressive. It will probably be one of the more common answers anyway. Go through your subscriptions, browser history, and think about which publications you’re always drawn to when at a newsstand or library.

Question 2 (150 words or fewer)

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..

Because so many academically qualified students apply to Columbia, admissions officers want to pinpoint the candidates who will meaningfully contribute to their community. Through this supplemental prompt, Columbia is interested in knowing exactly what you’ll bring from your current life as a high schooler to the Morningside Heights campus in Manhattan. If we break this prompt down further, you’ll notice that the word “community” is broad here — the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 has given you flexibility by listing some possible examples of the type of community you might write about — as well as saying “another community” if it’s more applicable.

As you brainstorm, start thinking about all of the communities you interact with on a daily basis—school, student group, sports team, neighborhood organization, family, etc. From there, think about what—from any of these communities—you’ve had the most impact on and why. The list could go on, but may include things like helping your parents with your siblings, or stepping up as a leader to initiate a new community center in your neighborhood. From there, you want to think about how your skills can benefit others, specifically at Columbia University.  When approaching this essay, try to be as specific as possible. 200 words is a short essay, so make sure you get straight to the point and explain the unique contributions you would bring from your current life to Columbia.

Question 3 (150 words or fewer)

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..

In this prompt, you have the chance to share a personal story of a barrier or obstacle you have faced and delve into the personal qualities, skills, or insights you have developed as a result. It could be a difficult academic journey, a setback in your extracurricular activities, or a personal struggle you have overcome.

By sharing your experience, you can demonstrate to the admissions officers your ability to navigate through challenges and your willingness to learn and grow from them. Remember to also highlight the specific lessons you have learned, such as perseverance, adaptability, problem-solving, or the importance of seeking support.

Ultimately, this essay is an opportunity to showcase your resilience, determination, and personal growth. Emphasize how overcoming obstacles has shaped you into a stronger individual, capable of navigating the unpredictable challenges of college life and beyond.

Question 4 (150 words or fewer)

Why are you interested in attending columbia university we encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about columbia..

Now we come to the “why this school” portion of the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 . Remember that this essay isn’t about what makes Columbia a good school - admissions officers already know that it is! What do you find the most appealing about the university? How do these great features relate to your learning and your future plans? The points you should try to get across are why the college’s resources are a good fit for you, how you will benefit from all that it offers, and the aspects of campus life where you believe you can contribute the most. 

The best strategy in answering this question is conducting research specific to your interests and goals, as Columbia wants to see an emphasis on what you “value.” Since you have a good number of words, you can mention both academic and extracurricular offerings that call out to you. At the same time don’t go all over the place - stay within describing two to three of the most appealing factors, and then elaborate on them. What classes and activities do you currently enjoy that you hope to continue at Columbia? Which particular Columbia courses align with your ideal career? Is there a unique student organization that you want to join, such as Columbia Undergraduate Film Productions or the Columbia University Glee Club?

Don’t just think about the internal resources - but the external aspects of Columbia that make it great as well. You can mention the New York City environment - but don’t dwell on this as this essay should be about Columbia and not how much you love Manhattan! Are there ways in which this particular urban academic setting works better for you than a suburban or rural one? Use your response to the first prompt for clues about what you’re looking for from your college experience (but don’t be repetitive!) and articulate how Columbia is the perfect place to explore your aspirations.

Columbia College (150 words or fewer)

What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at columbia college.

Continuing from the “why Columbia” question, this prompt among the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 asks you to delve deeper into the academic aspect of your interest in Columbia. A memorable answer to this prompt should successfully tie in where your passion for your academic interest stems from, as well as how Columbia can help you explore it further. 

If you’ve chosen creative writing, for example, think about when this interest started, how your love for the topic grew, and how you’ve honed your writing skills.  Perhaps you participated in competitions or creative writing clubs. Anecdotes outlining these activities and accomplishments should dominate your essay. If you have space remaining, talk about how Columbia’s creative writing program is the perfect place to help you as a budding writer. Is there a professor whose writing you’ve followed? Are there any specific courses that perfectly suit the genre you dream of mastering someday such as WRIT UN2110 Seminar Approaches to the Short Story?

No matter which field of study you’ve chosen, admissions officers should leave with no doubts regarding your dedication and commitment to the discipline. Columbia appreciates individuals who avidly pursue intellectual growth . Use your answer to demonstrate that your interest in the topic is deep and sustained. 

Columbia Engineering (150 words or fewer)

What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at columbia engineering.

This prompt is the same as the previous one - but only for engineering applicants. Just like applicants to Columbia College, your answer to this question should focus on tying in your previous engineering experiences to the opportunities available to you at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering at Columbia. Don’t just write about engineering as a broad discipline. Think about the area you’ve chosen - such as Electrical Engineering or Earth & Environmental Engineering - and express how your curiosity about that specific field arose. 

Detail any specific instances of you working with topics that fall under your chosen concentration. If you want to study computer science, for example, what specific experiences do you have with programming or app-building? Was there a particular incident where you decided that this was the field for you? Then, connect your answer to the Fu Foundation School. Which courses under Columbia Engineering’s Computer Science curriculum fit with your plans the most? Is there a particular research program that perfectly augments your interest within computer science?

Your experiences and active persuasion of your choice of concentration should leave admissions officers with the confidence that you’re not just a good fit for Columbia, but for Columbia Engineering specifically.

Additional Tips for Writing the Columbia Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the Columbia supplemental essays , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process: 

• Let your personality shine: The purpose of the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 is to get to know you . You can’t be a memorable candidate if admissions officers are unable to gauge who you are, sense what you’re passionate about, and identify your goals. Don’t just repeat your personal statement. Instead, exemplify each point as concretely as possible. Whether reading about your favorite books or learning about your interest in biology or history, the reader must be able to get a clear picture and learn new information from every essay.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of Columbia: The Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 strike a balance between asking questions specific to your experiences and asking about what appeals to you regarding the university. A lot of students apply to Columbia only because it’s an Ivy League school or because it’s located in Manhattan. Assure them that you’re not one of those students by showcasing a comprehensive knowledge of the school’s curriculum and resources, and demonstrating that you’ve done the research to understand how those opportunities specifically pertain to your aspirations. Your essays should convince the admissions officers that you and Columbia are a perfect fit.
• Think about your Application Persona: A lot of the questions asked by Columbia want you to reflect on your chosen disciplines, so you need to stay true to your application persona in your responses. Your application persona is the overall theme of your application. You could be a student who’s worked with environmental issues throughout your time in high school. Or, you could be a budding director who has taken charge of all the school plays. Think about how your approach to the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 can convincingly harmonize with your application persona and portray authentic interest in your field of choice.

Your responses to the Columbia supplemental essays 2023-2024 should serve as a window into your true self, showcasing your interests and how you plan to continue pursuing them during your college years. The admissions officers should gain a clear understanding of your goals and recognize how Columbia can play a pivotal role in helping you achieve them. By skillfully intertwining your passions with what intrigues you about Columbia, you have the opportunity to craft exceptional essays that set you apart from the impressive pool of applicants. I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor!

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

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How To Answer Columbia's 2023/24 Supplemental Essays: Tips & Insights

What's New

What Are Columbia's Essay Prompts?

How to Answer Columbia's Essay Prompts?

General Guidelines

Columbia's supplemental essays are a crucial part of the application, offering a deeper insight into your fit with the university. This guide provides detailed prompts, tips, and insights to craft compelling responses that resonate with Columbia's ethos. Approach with authenticity, align with Columbia's offerings and showcase your unique perspective to stand out.

The Essay That Got Me Into Columbia

Columbia's 2023/24 Supplemental Essay Updates: What's Changed?

Securing a spot at Columbia University , with its acceptance rate of around 4% , is a monumental achievement. In the intricate dance of college admissions, your supplemental essays are instrumental in portraying your distinctive narrative and alignment with Columbia's ethos.

Elite institutions like Columbia refine their application criteria each academic year to ensure they gain a holistic perspective of their prospective students.

For the 2023/24 admissions cycle, Columbia has made several pivotal changes to its supplemental essay questions:

• Consolidation of Prompts : The initial list-based questions about favorite readings from high school courses and beyond and resources and outlets of interest have been merged into a single comprehensive prompt. This new question seeks to understand the texts, resources, and outlets influencing the applicant's intellectual journey outside formal education.
• Word Limit Reduction : Several questions now have reduced word limits, emphasizing the need for applicants to provide concise and focused responses.
• Emphasis on Inclusivity : The question about learning from diverse communities has been refined to underscore the importance of an "equitable and inclusive community." This change prompts applicants to reflect more deeply on their perspectives and experiences.
• Introduction of a Resilience Question : A new question has been added to gauge the applicant's resilience. It asks them to describe an obstacle they've faced and the steps they took to overcome it.
• Minor Adjustments : While the question about the applicant's interest in Columbia remains, its word limit has been shortened. The prompt about attraction to specific areas of study at Columbia has been slightly rephrased but retains its essence.

These modifications highlight Columbia's evolving admissions approach, emphasizing a deeper understanding of the diverse life experiences and intrinsic values that applicants would bring to its dynamic undergraduate community.

What Are Columbia's Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023/24?

For the 2023/24 application cycle, Columbia University has meticulously crafted supplemental essay prompts to delve deeper into the profiles of its applicants. These prompts aim to uncover your intellectual influences, personal perspectives, resilience, and your vision for your journey at Columbia.

List-Based Question

Columbia's list-based question offers a glimpse into your intellectual influences outside the classroom.

• Intellectual Influences : 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)

Short Answer Questions

These questions provide deeper insights into your perspectives, experiences, and values.

• Equitable and Inclusive Community : 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)
• Navigating Adversity : In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not predict or anticipate. 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)
• Interest in Columbia : 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)
• Areas of Study : What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words)

Requirements

For the list question, adhere to a 100-word maximum. Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons without the need for numbering, italicizing, or underlining titles. No author names, subtitles, or explanatory remarks are required. Responses should be limited to 150 words or fewer for the four short answer questions.

Columbia's application process is undeniably competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 4%. These prompts offer applicants a unique opportunity to showcase their intellectual influences, personal growth, and the distinct perspectives they'll bring to the Columbia community.

Looking for inspiration? Dive into these  Columbia essay examples  to see what successful applications look like!

How to Answer Columbia’s Supplemental Essay Questions?

Prompt 1 (list-based question), 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.

This prompt is an invitation to showcase the diverse range of materials that have shaped your intellectual journey outside the confines of a classroom. It's a chance to provide a snapshot of your intellectual curiosity, interests, and the resources instrumental in your growth .

Diversify Your List

While focusing solely on academic or highbrow materials might be tempting, remember that intellectual growth can come from various sources. A podcast episode might have changed your perspective on a social issue, or a museum visit might have deepened your appreciation for art or history.

Be Authentic

It's essential to be genuine in your selections. Don't list items you think might impress the admissions committee but don't resonate with you. Your list should reflect your true intellectual diet.

Consider the Impact

While the prompt doesn't ask for explanations, the items you choose should have clearly impacted your intellectual development. Whether it's a book that introduced you to a new field of interest or a documentary that deepened your understanding of a global issue, each item should have contributed to your growth.

Format and Presentation

Given the word limit, you'll need to be concise. List items in a clear, organized manner, using commas or semicolons to separate them. While you don't need to provide detailed explanations, the order and grouping can subtly indicate connections or themes.

• "1984" by George Orwell; "The Daily" podcast; TED Talks; The Louvre; "The Social Dilemma" documentary; National Geographic website; "The Future of Humanity" by Michio Kaku; Shakespeare's "Hamlet"; The Economist.
• "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho; MoMA; "How I Built This" podcast; "The World in a Grain" by Vince Beiser; TED-Ed videos; "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Díaz; The Smithsonian Magazine.

Columbia's first list question is a window into your intellectual world outside school. It's an opportunity to showcase the breadth and depth of your interests and the resources that have been pivotal in your academic journey. Approach this list with authenticity, diversity, and a clear sense of how each item has contributed to your growth .

Prompt 2 (Short Essay)

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.

This prompt delves into your personal experiences and how they've shaped your perspective. Columbia is seeking students who will not only benefit from its diverse community but also actively contribute to it .

Reflect on Your Unique Perspective

Start by identifying a specific experience, background, or aspect of your identity that has profoundly influenced your perspective. This could be related to your cultural background, personal challenges, unique experiences, or any other facet of your life that has shaped your worldview.

Show, Don't Just Tell

Instead of merely stating your perspective, narrate a brief anecdote or experience that encapsulates it. This makes your essay more engaging and provides a clearer insight into your viewpoint.

Connect to Columbia's Community

Reflect on how your unique perspective will enrich Columbia's community. How will you engage with others, participate in discussions, or contribute to campus activities? Consider how your viewpoint can foster understanding, spark meaningful conversations, or inspire collaborative projects.

Embrace the NYC Advantage

Given Columbia's unique location in New York City, consider how your perspective aligns with NYC's dynamic, diverse, and cosmopolitan environment. How might the city's cultural resources amplify your learning and contributions?

• "Growing up in a multicultural household, I've learned to navigate and appreciate multiple cultures simultaneously. This has taught me the value of open-mindedness and adaptability. At Columbia, I aim to bridge cultural gaps, fostering understanding and collaboration in this diverse community, while also immersing myself in NYC's rich tapestry of cultures."
• "Facing economic hardships, I've developed resilience and a deep appreciation for education as a tool for change. My experiences have instilled in me a drive to advocate for equitable opportunities. At Columbia, I'd champion initiatives that support underprivileged students, leveraging the resources and platforms that NYC offers."

Columbia's second short essay question invites you to share how your unique experiences and perspectives will enrich its vibrant community. By weaving a narrative that connects your journey to Columbia's ethos and the broader NYC environment , you can effectively convey the value you'll bring to the university's diverse and collaborative landscape.

Prompt 3 (Short Essay)

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..

This prompt seeks to understand your resilience, adaptability, and growth in facing challenges . Columbia wants students who persevere, learn from adversity, and contribute positively to the community despite unexpected obstacles.

Identify a Genuine Challenge

Begin by pinpointing a specific challenge or obstacle you've encountered. This could be academic, personal, social, or even professional. Ensure it's a situation where you faced genuine difficulty, uncertainty, or setback.

Narrate the Journey, Not Just the Outcome

While it's essential to discuss how you overcame the challenge, also delve into the emotions, thoughts, and processes you went through. This provides depth to your narrative and showcases your problem-solving and coping mechanisms.

Highlight Personal Growth

Discuss the qualities or skills you developed from facing this challenge. Did it make you more empathetic? Did you develop better communication or analytical skills? Maybe it gave you a fresh perspective or a renewed sense of purpose.

Connect to the College Experience

Reflect on how this growth prepares you for the unpredictable challenges of college life. How will these qualities or skills help you navigate Columbia's academic and social intricacies?

• "When a close family member fell ill, I had to balance school with significant home responsibilities. This period taught me time management and the value of support networks. I've learned that seeking help isn't a sign of weakness but of strength. At Columbia, I'll proactively join study groups and access available resources."
• "Facing academic challenges in my calculus class, I initially felt defeated. However, I sought tutoring, collaborated with peers, and spent extra hours practicing. This experience honed my perseverance and collaborative spirit, qualities I'll carry into challenging coursework at Columbia."

Columbia's third short essay question provides a window into your character, resilience, and growth mindset. By detailing a genuine challenge and the subsequent personal development , you can effectively convey to Columbia how you'll handle the unpredictable challenges of college life and contribute positively to the community.

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Prompt 4 (Short Essay)

Why are you interested in attending columbia university we encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about columbia..

This is a classic " Why This School " essay, a staple in the college application process. Columbia wants to understand not just why you want to attend an Ivy League institution but why you're specifically drawn to Columbia over other prestigious schools .

Research, Research, Research

Before you start writing, research Columbia's programs, culture, and opportunities. Go beyond the obvious and look for unique offerings or traditions that resonate with your interests and aspirations.

Connect to Your Goals and Interests

Discuss specific Columbia programs, courses, or opportunities that align with your academic and extracurricular interests. Maybe there's a particular professor you're excited to work with or a unique program that aligns with your career goals.

Beyond Academics

Columbia is more than just its academic programs. Maybe you're drawn to its location in New York City, diverse student body, or its commitment to community engagement. Highlight aspects of Columbia's culture or values that resonate with you.

The Core Curriculum

While many applicants will mention the famed Columbia Core Curriculum, make your mention stand out. Dive deep into specific courses or texts within the Core that excite you. How do you see the Core enriching your academic journey?

• "Columbia's interdisciplinary Science and Society program perfectly aligns with my passion for bioethics. The blend of rigorous scientific study with philosophical inquiry offers a holistic education I'm eager to dive into."
• "Being in the heart of NYC, Columbia offers unparalleled opportunities for real-world learning. I'm excited to engage with the city's diverse communities and bring those experiences back to the classroom."

Columbia's fourth short essay question is your chance to showcase your genuine interest in the university and how it aligns with your goals. By connecting specific Columbia offerings to your aspirations, you demonstrate a clear vision of your future at the university .

Prompt 5 (Short Essay)

What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at columbia college or columbia engineering.

Columbia wants to understand the driving force behind your academic choices . This question delves into your intellectual passions and how they align with what Columbia offers in your preferred study area.

Reflect on Your Journey

Begin by considering the experiences, both academic and personal, that have shaped your interest in your chosen field. Was it a particular class, a personal project, or maybe an internship or mentorship?

Specificity is Key

Avoid generic statements about the value of education or the prestige of Columbia. Instead, delve into specific programs, courses, or opportunities within Columbia College or Columbia Engineering that resonate with your interests.

Connect Past, Present, and Future

Discuss how your past experiences have prepared you for your intended major. Then, bridge this with how Columbia's offerings will further your academic and career goals.

• "My internship at a local tech firm ignited my passion for computer engineering. Columbia Engineering's renowned Data Science Institute offers the perfect platform for me to delve deeper into machine learning applications."
• "After spearheading a community art project, I realized the power of visual storytelling. Columbia College's interdisciplinary approach to art and media studies will allow me to explore the intersection of art, culture, and social impact."

Columbia's fifth short essay question seeks to understand the depth of your commitment to your chosen field and how Columbia's specific offerings align with your academic journey. Connecting your past experiences with Columbia's resources demonstrates a clear vision of your academic future at the university . Remember to be genuine and specific, and show how your background and Columbia's offerings align with your educational aspirations.

How Anuar Got Into Columbia

General Guidelines for Answering Columbia's Supplemental Essay Questions

• Deep Dive into Columbia's Offerings : Columbia's prompts are tailored to understand your fit within its academically rigorous and culturally diverse environment. Highlight specific programs, courses, or professors that align with your interests. Demonstrating this level of specificity indicates genuine interest and thorough research.
• Reflect on Personal Growth : Columbia values introspective students. When discussing challenges or personal perspectives, always circle back to what these experiences have taught you and how they've shaped your worldview.
• Celebrate Your Unique Perspective : Columbia thrives on various voices and backgrounds. Emphasize how your unique experiences or viewpoints will enrich classroom discussions and the broader Columbia community.
• Authenticity Above All : Be genuine in your responses. Rather than trying to fit a mold, showcase your true self, interests, and aspirations. Authentic narratives resonate more deeply.
• Conciseness is Key : With tight word limits, it's essential to be concise yet impactful. Prioritize depth over breadth, giving a comprehensive view of selected experiences or thoughts.
• Engaging Narratives : Engaging storytelling can elevate your essay. Whether you're listing resources that have shaped your intellectual journey or explaining why you're drawn to Columbia, a narrative touch can make your response memorable.
• Meticulous Proofreading : Ensure your essays are polished and free from errors. Beyond grammar, ensure clarity and coherence in your narrative. Seek feedback from trusted individuals for fresh perspectives.
• Connect to the Columbia Experience : Relate your answers to how you'll engage with and contribute to the Columbia community. This showcases a long-term vision of your time at Columbia beyond just securing admission.
• Embrace the Opportunity : These essays are more than just a formality; they're your platform to present a holistic picture of who you are. Use them to articulate why the synergy between you and Columbia would benefit both.
• Stay Updated : Columbia, situated in the heart of New York City, is ever-evolving. Stay updated with recent developments, courses, or initiatives that might align with your interests.

Columbia's supplemental essays are your gateway to showcase your fit, passion, and potential contributions to its esteemed community. By thoughtfully crafting your responses and intertwining them with Columbia's ethos and offerings, you can compellingly convey why you're a perfect match for Columbia University.

For more inspiration, you might want to explore these  Columbia essay examples  to understand what makes an application truly stand out.

Final Thoughts

Embarking on the journey to Columbia is not just about showcasing academic prowess but weaving a narrative that aligns with Columbia's esteemed legacy and the admissions committee's expectations. Your supplemental essays are a window into your character, aspirations, and the unique contributions you'll bring to the Columbia community.

Every Columbia aspirant has a distinct story to share. This is your moment to articulate yours. Approach your essays with authenticity, depth, and a genuine passion for your narrative.

If you're unsure whether your essay truly captures your essence or stands out amidst many applications, our essay review service is here to guide you. Our experienced experts will provide a thorough review and feedback, ensuring your essay resonates with Columbia's admissions officers. For further inspiration, dive into our ebook , which showcases essays from students who clinched spots at top-tier institutions. And for those targeting Columbia, our compilation of successful Columbia essay examples will be invaluable.

For those just beginning their college application journey, consider scheduling a free consultation with our seasoned college counselors. We're dedicated to assisting you in crafting an application that enhances your chances of joining the ranks of Columbia's Lions. Your dream of becoming a part of Columbia's legacy is within reach, and we're here to support you at every juncture.

What Makes Crimson Different

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Everything you need to know about US Application Supplemental Essays
• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Columbia Supplemental Essay Prompts

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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Columbia University is one of the most superior schools in the country. As an Ivy League , it is also incredibly difficult to get into. Strong supplemental essay responses help you stand out among so many first-class applicants. Let’s go over each of the Columbia supplemental essays and help you cook up a great answer to each one:

The Columbia list question first

Columbia’s first few supplemental prompts ask for short list responses. In previous years, many students have attempted to write in complete sentences or elaborate on their choices. Columbia has spelled out exact requirements to combat these mistakes. Simply follow the guidelines, as they are not trying to trick you! Remember, this question has a 100 word limit!

• Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons
• No need to number items or put them 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 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)

Avoid overthinking these questions and writing what you imagine admissions will find impressive. Be sincere in your answers. These titles should reveal what you like learning and what entertains you. If that’s listening to true crime podcasts in your free time and not reading War and Peace , that’s perfectly okay. You should aim to either showcase your versatility in topics that interest you or keep a common theme consistent. 

Questions to consider:

• What is your “go to” TV show, book series, podcast, or website? 
• Are you more of a be in the action person who enjoys perusing museums?
• How about your local library? Do you find the world at your fingertips there, and what do you borrow?

Columbia short answer questions (#2 through #5)

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (150 words or fewer)

Columbia believes that interactions with diverse peers and faculty enrich students’ college experience. This prompt gets at how you engage with those who share different outlooks. A solid approach is to start with a story of a diverse community that you have collaborated with. Any group composed of people with differing identifiers, beliefs, socioeconomic statuses, etc. is fair game. 

For example, you could talk about a sports team you were a part of with players of varying backgrounds. Describe how you interacted with your teammates and what you learned. Did you gain greater empathy for your own family situation? Were your political views challenged? How did you manage conflicts that arose? Communicate your contributions and takeaways from this exposure. To tie things together, how will you apply these insights at Columbia? 

• Have you had a particularly eye-opening volunteer experience? 
• What is the benefit of working in groups with diverse viewpoints?
• How might expressions of your cultural identity enhance Columbia communities? 

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)

This question requires you to think about a challenging time in your life that formed you into a better person. Answering this question might be painful for some students as they reflect on past experiences, but honesty is important. This is another prompt that might require you to free-write and then cut back after you get your thoughts out (150 words is not a lot for this type of prompt!). Try and narrow down to one barrier or obstacle, and make a bullet point list of the insight and growth that came out of it. Don’t be afraid to share what you feel comfortable with, as it is part of what makes you who you are today. 

• What was the most difficult period in your life?
• Did you learn something that profoundly changed your viewpoint?
• When reflecting, how have you grown from facing adversity?

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)

Obviously, Columbia is a highly regarded university.  But why do you personally find it so appealing? What traits make it your ideal school above all others? To answer this prompt successfully, you need to thoroughly explore Columbia’s offerings. Dig into Columbia’s website, informational materials, and social media. 

Write a list of your priorities for your college experience, in terms of both intellectual and personal growth. Take note of Columbia programs that fulfill these.  Do the school’s values really speak to you? Are there esteemed professors you’d like to learn from? What about cutting-edge research that you hope to participate in? Narrow your list by focusing on aspects uniquely offered by Columbia. The more specific you can get with your examples, the better!

• Does Columbia offer a niche major or minor that other schools lack? Or a special study abroad program?
• What is distinctive about Columbia in comparison to other Ivies?
• What about the Columbia student experience outside of the classroom attracts you?

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

This is your chance to show what your engineering passion is and why Columbia is the place to see that passion become a reality. With a limit of 150 words for such a robust topic, you will need to be concise yet engaging. To start, do your research about the Colombia Engineering Program–what does it offer and why is it so revered? Then, free-write as though you have a hefty word count while thinking about your preferred area of study and how Columbia and you are meant to be!

• Are you working on a project that you would like to continue on with at Columbia?
• Are there specific classes or resources that excite you?
• Is there a certain professor that you want to study under?

Also see: College essay primer: Show, don’t tell

Summing it all up

Although the Columbia supplemental essays may seem daunting, they are not so bad. The list questions are a low-pressure way of sharing more of your interests. The short answer essays are more about getting to know you. Planning out your answers beforehand ensures that your responses are clear and differentiated. With our tips, your essays are sure to shine! 

Additional resources for students completing Columbia supplemental essays

We know that supplemental essays are just one part of the college application process. Check out our other resources, such as how many colleges to apply to or how to find safety, reach, and match schools . Columbia University, as a private school, also comes with a hefty price tag. Our site also provides information on helping fund your education; for example, How to write a financial aid appeal lette r and Navigating different types of student loans . Remember to apply for all the scholarships that you qualify for  while you are eligible! 

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August 3, 2023

2023-2024 Columbia University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Columbia University has released its supplemental essay prompts for the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle. There are five essays in this year’s Columbia supplement. These essays are required of Columbia’s applicants in addition to The Common Application ’s Personal Statement. So what are this year’s Columbia supplemental essays? Let’s dive in!

2023-2024 Columbia Essay Topics and Questions

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)  

Columbia’s admissions office truly wants a list of items separated by commas or semicolons. Year after year, many students submit prose in response to this prompt, which is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea. Columbia has given clear instructions, and thus students would be wise to adhere to the instruction.

In short, Columbia wants to know that an applicant will appreciate New York’s culture within which Columbia lives and breathes if admitted to their institution. Including books that appear on required reading lists in classrooms across America, like  The Great Gatsby , is as solid an indicator as anything that a student doesn’t read for pleasure. And if a student doesn’t read for pleasure, how intellectually curious could they be? In every Columbia essay prompt, it’s vital to showcase intellectual curiosity.

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)

This essay prompt is Columbia’s retort to the Supreme Court’s outlawing of Affirmative Action . While colleges are now outlawed from explicitly considering a student’s race in the admissions process, Chief Justice Roberts wrote in his majority opinion, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” Herein lies that opening.

But even if a student is not an underrepresented minority, it’s a chance to convey their story and what interesting viewpoints and perspectives they can offer the Ivy League institution. Students should thus not shy away from voicing a view that some may deem unpopular.

If a student is passionate about environmental science, for instance, and, in an essay, eloquently substantiates the economic benefits of fracking — from their own lived experience growing up in North Dakota — they’ve accomplished the task. Of course, it would also behoove them to write about some of the environmental harm from the practice — and what can be done about it.

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)

Applicants need not have survived cancer to answer this prompt powerfully. They need not have grown up in an underprivileged community. But they need to pick a genuine obstacle and showcase how they overcame it. Maybe there were few research opportunities for astrophysicists in a student’s area. Maybe their school curriculum didn’t reach AP Physics 1 , much less AP Physics C . Whatever the story, this is an applicant’s chance to tell it.

That being said, applicants should avoid writing about issues that may lead them to face discrimination in the admissions process, such as learning disabilities. Because while no college will tell you that they discriminate against students with learning disabilities, it has long been our belief at Ivy Coach that these schools don’t want to deal with special accommodations if they can avoid it.

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)

Every college includes language here that’s slightly different, but — make no mistake — this is a Why College essay prompt . This essay needs to be filled with specific after specific of how a student will contribute their singular hook — rather than well-roundedness — to the school’s community. And, no, name-dropping professors and class names do not count as specifics. Students should instead endeavor to capture specifics about a school that are enduring and paint a detailed portrait of their life at Columbia .

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

This prompt, which only pops up once an applicant clicks an intended major, asks, in short, Why Major? Columbia’s admissions committee wants to know why a student has chosen a given field and how they hope to contribute to that field over the next four years. Columbia seeks to admit students who will change the world in one super specific, often small way. So if students aren’t clear on what they want to study — at least in their application — it fails to inspire readers. Of course, once at Columbia College or the School of Engineering and Applied Science , students can change their intended major every Tuesday. But on the application, it’s another story entirely.

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Columbia Supplemental Essays 2023-24

Columbia University is a highly ranked private institution located in New York City. It is not only one of the most sought after colleges in New York , but also in the nation and world. As such, Columbia Admissions receives thousands of impressive applications each admissions cycle. Successful applications have more than stellar academic records and varied extracurriculars. They have strong Columbia supplemental essays and a compelling why Columbia essay.

Before we jump into how to write your own Columbia supplemental essays, let’s learn a bit more about the university. Columbia is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. As one of eight Ivy League colleges in the United States, it’s no surprise Columbia is highly competitive . The university is ranked #18 in National Universities and reports a selective 6% acceptance rate. 

Are you wondering how to get into Columbia University?

Don’t let Columbia’s prestigious reputation dissuade you from applying. Columbia takes a holistic approach to how they review applications. Admissions is interested in your academic record, letters of recommendation, your background and unique attributes, and your essays.

While there’s no singular approach for how to get into Columbia, supplemental essays play a significant role in admissions decisions. Writing application essays can be challenging, which is why we’ve put together our guide to the Columbia Supplemental Essays. In this guide, we will cover Columbia University requirements and how to approach the Columbia essay prompts, including the why Columbia essay. And, we’ll give you plenty of tips for writing your own essays.

Columbia Essay: Quick Facts

Columbia university essay quick facts.

• Columbia University acceptance rate: 6% – U.S. News ranks Columbia as a highly selective school.
• Early Decision: November 1 st  
• Questbridge: November 1 st   
• Regular Decision: February 15 th  
• 1 personal essay 
• 5 short answer essays 
• Coalition App
• Questbridge
• Columbia Essay Tip: Don’t be intimidated by the number of Columbia supplemental essays. The short answer essays are only 100-150 words and can be tackled in just a few well-constructed sentences. 

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does Columbia require essays?

Yes, the Columbia University requirements include a personal statement and several school-specific Columbia supplemental essays. Let’s discuss the longest Columbia essay first. Depending on your application method, you will need to submit a Personal Statement (Coalition App) or a Personal Essay (Common App). While the essay prompts are different for each application platform, the goals of each are very similar. 

Coalition Application

The Coalition application provides the following Personal Statement prompts for students to choose from: 

Coalition Application Personal Statement Prompts

1. tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it., 2. what interests or excites you how does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future, 3. describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. what were the challenges what were the rewards, 4. has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned how did you respond what did you learn, 5. what success have you achieved, or obstacle have you faced what advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience, 6. submit an essay on a topic of your choice., common application.

The Common App provides the following Personal Essay prompts for students to choose from:

Common Application Personal Statement Prompts

1. some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. if this sounds like you, then please share your story., 2. the lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. how did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience, 3. reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. what prompted your thinking what was the outcome, 4. reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. how has this gratitude affected or motivated you, 5. discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others., 6. describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. why does it captivate you what or who do you turn to when you want to learn more, 7. share an essay on any topic of your choice. it can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design., choosing a prompt for your personal statement.

Reading through each of the Columbia essay prompts above, you might be overwhelmed trying to pick just one to respond to. While deciding on a prompt is an important decision, all of these prompts have something in common. They are all designed to give students the opportunity to discuss a broad range of interests, identities, and experiences. Remember, the goal of this Columbia essay is to give the admissions committee insight into who you are and what you care about.

Your personal statement is a core component of your application and often has the longest word count. In general, you should aim for your personal essay to be between 500 to 650 words. However, having a specific number of words is far less important than your ability to make every word count. That means not including superfluous details and being sure you don’t leave your reader with more questions than answers. For more resources on writing a stellar personal statement, check out our “Writing About You: Personal Statement” webinar . 

In addition to the Columbia personal statement or personal essay, the Columbia University requirements include several short answer essays . These short answer essays are also known as the Columbia supplemental essays. Later on, we’ll take an in-depth look at each of these Columbia supplemental essays and how to approach each prompt. 

How many essays does Columbia have?

Columbia University requires applicants to submit a total of 6 essays (1 personal statement essay and 5 Columbia supplemental essays). This may seem like a lot of writing, but it is not as intimidating as it sounds. The personal statement is an essay that you will likely use for all of the colleges you apply to. So, there is no need to write a separate personal statement for Columbia. However, you should think about your college list and what personal essay topic might be the most fitting for the schools you are applying to. 

The other 5 Columbia essay prompts are all short answers, meaning they only require a few sentences to respond to. Each of the short answer Columbia essay prompts is designed to address Columbia University’s values , mission, and academic features. The goal of these essays is to show the admissions committee why you would be a good fit for Columbia University. We’ll cover the specific details and lengths of each of the Columbia essay prompts later in this guide. 

Supplementary Materials

Separate from the Columbia supplemental essays, Columbia gives students the opportunity to discuss a research project that they conducted. This question asks the applicant to provide an abstract, essentially a short written summary detailing the nature of their research. Additionally, students can submit creative portfolios in areas such as architecture, creative writing, dance, and drama. While the Columbia supplemental essays are required, remember these are both considered supplementary materials and are completely optional!

Columbia Short Answer Essays

The Columbia Office of Admissions refers to the short answer Columbia essay prompts as Columbia-Specific Application Questions . There are 5 Columbia essay prompts for students to respond to. Unlike the personal statement, where students can pick from a selection of prompts, students are required to answer all 5 of the Columbia essay prompts. 

Columbia University Short Answer Essay Prompts

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).

Admissions gives specific guidelines for students to follow when answering the first prompt:

“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, and no author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.”

For more insight into the Columbia admissions process and how to make your Columbia supplemental essays stand out check out the video below from a Columbia admissions officer:

Remember, when writing your Columbia supplemental essays, be sure your first essay is formatted according to the conditions above. And, be sure to note the word limits provided for each of the Columbia essay prompts. (Prompt #1 is 100 words or fewer, whereas prompts #2-#5 are 150 words or fewer!)

Tips for approaching Columbia Short Answer Essays

Now, let’s discuss how to approach each of the Columbia supplemental essays. Each essay has a particular topic and focus. When discussing the short answer Columbia supplemental essays, we’ll refer to them as:

• The list essay
• The inclusion essay
• The adversity essay
• The why school essay
• The why major essay

Let’s start with the first of the Columbia essay prompts: the list essay!

The list essay is the one short answer Columbia supplemental essay that does not require you to write in complete sentences. Instead, this Columbia essay prompt instructs you to compose a list. However, don’t underestimate this question because it is structured differently than other Columbia supplemental essays. Through your list, admissions will get a sense of what type of literature and media you consume and consider impactful.

The first step to conquering the list essay is a brainstorming session. Write down all the content you find meaningful or that has a positive, recurring presence in your life. Then you can begin reducing that list to the content you would most like to include. Your final list should include a diverse set of content that has had a varied impact on your development. For example, one of your artifacts might be something that influenced you spiritually. Another may have influenced you intellectually or even socially. This Columbia essay is a great way to show how dynamic you are and where your interests lie. 

Inclusion Essay

The cultural diversity essay is another common supplemental essay for many colleges. This Columbia essay prompt begins by stating Columbia’s commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion . Diversity on a college campus leads to a rich academic and social experience that reflects varied perspectives and identities.

When considering the identities you hold, don’t be afraid to think outside the box when discussing your background and lived experiences. Your gender, region of origin, ethnicity, culture, and religion are all examples of identities that might have shaped you. Beyond simply stating an aspect of your identity, you’ll want to share how that translates to the way in which you see the world. You’ll also want to touch on how your experiences impact the way in which you learn from and share with others. 

Adversity Essay

The adversity essay prompt seeks to understand how the applicant has navigated adversity in their life. Students can sometimes struggle when asked to write about challenges as they often feel like they are sharing their weaknesses. However, if you are able to look at those challenges through a lens of learning and growth, so will your reader.

Understanding how an applicant overcomes a challenge is one of the best ways to envision their success on Columbia’s campus. After all, college is challenging. Admissions officers want to see that you have experience facing challenges head-on and growing from those experiences.

Why School Essay

Next, let’s discuss the why Columbia essay. The why Columbia essay is like your standard why school essay. The why Columbia essay may be worded slightly differently than other why school prompts, but they’re asking the same questions. Why are you interested in this college? What do you intend to do here? How can you contribute to the campus community?

Your job in this essay is to paint a picture of why you are a great fit for Columbia’s campus. You should articulate how you would benefit from attending Columbia and how Columbia might benefit from having you on campus. In college admissions, this connection is often referred to as “fit”. Your why Columbia essay should make the case that Columbia is the best fit for your college experience. 

Why Major Essay

The why major essay is similar to the why Columbia essay. However, this Columbia essay is asking you to reflect on your specific major of interest. Similar to the why Columbia essay, you’ll want to do your research before attempting to answer this Columbia essay. Topics you might explore are research opportunities and unique academic features of your major as well as related clubs and organizations.

When writing your why major essay, don’t make the mistake of just listing facts about your major at Columbia. Make sure you are articulating why these features are important to you and how they’ll help you thrive in your studies.

Next, let’s discuss how the Admissions team uses your responses to the Columbia essay prompts in their holistic admissions review. 

Columbia Supplemental Essays

Columbia supplemental essays are designed to gather very specific information from each applicant. As we discussed earlier in the article, Columbia uses a holistic admissions approach . This means, Columbia is interested in more than just your GPA and the number of advanced courses you’ve taken. They are equally interested in your values and unique interests.

Columbia University is no longer able to offer interviews as part of the application process. This makes the Columbia supplemental essays your best opportunity to make a personal connection with the admissions committee. To learn more about how your Columbia supplemental essays are evaluated, check out this video about Columbia supplemental essays.

How to write the Columbia supplemental essays

Writing strong Columbia supplemental essays is crucial to crafting a strong overall application. There are some technical aspects that are critical to the success of your Columbia supplemental essays. Your spelling, grammar, and essay structure should be exemplary of a strong high school or even college level essay. To help you catch any careless writing errors, you can ask someone else to read over your Columbia supplemental essays. However, having a proofread essay is just the baseline. 

Effective Columbia supplemental essays have a strong narrative, are easy to follow, and address the Columbia essay prompts in their entirety. A strong narrative means you have chosen effective stories and examples to best answer the Columbia essay prompts. Details to support your perspective or argument are critical for the admissions committee to easily follow your essay. And of course, it is important to answer the Columbia essay prompts completely. 

Finding your voice

In addition to these elements, one of the most important features of strong Columbia supplemental essays is authenticity . This is often referred to as allowing your “voice” to be heard throughout your Columbia supplemental essays. This can be achieved by writing in a tone and using words that are natural to you. Being honest and even vulnerable in your essay can also leave the admissions committee feeling like they’ve really heard you. Many of the Columbia essay prompts are perfect canvases for a personal and introspective essay. Take advantage of the breadth of Columbia essay prompts and choose topics that capture your unique perspective. 

For more guidance on how to write strong Columbia supplemental essays, check out our guide on Columbia essay examples. Some of the Columbia essay examples are from previous admissions cycles. But, they can still be helpful with approaching this year’s essay prompts!

QuestBridge Applicants to Columbia University

Students interested in Columbia University can also apply through Questbridge. Questbridge is a nonprofit organization that partners with over 50 colleges and universities across the country. Their partners include top schools including the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and of course Columbia University. Students applying to Columbia through Questbridge have a slightly different admissions process. 

Questbridge applicants should not fill out an application on the Common App or the Coalition application. Instead, students will apply to Columbia University through the QuestBridge application. Questbridge has a unique approach to enrolling students at some of the top colleges in the nation. National College Match takes the place of traditional Columbia admissions decisions. However, the Questbridge application requires the same five short answer essays as the Common App and the Coalition application. 

Check out the CollegeAdvisor guide to QuestBridge scholarships below and learn more about how to apply today!

The Questbridge Scholarship Guide

Does Columbia care about essays?

Columbia cares deeply about essays. Each year, admissions officers around the country put great thought into the supplemental essay questions. Each of the Columbia essay prompts is directly connected to what the admissions committee is looking for. For example, the why Columbia essay tells the admissions committee if you would be a good fit for Columbia University. Like the why Columbia essay, the why major essay helps the committee understand how you might succeed in the classroom.

Columbia supplemental essays, like the why Columbia essay, are used in conjunction with all your other application materials. When evaluated together, each piece allows the admissions committee to develop an understanding of who you are personally and academically. 

How do I make my Columbia essays stand out?

Many students wonder how to make their Columbia supplemental essays stand out from the larger application pool. For selective institutions like Columbia, there is no shortage of talented applicants. At this level of selectivity, it may seem impossible to differentiate yourself from the rest. But the best way to make your Columbia supplemental essays stand out is to be true to yourself!

The best essays are personal, transparent, and unique to you. Instead of trying to guess what admissions wants to hear about, lead with what you are most passionate about. There is no universal strategy for writing a stand-out essay. The strengths of each student will always be unique to the applicant. So, spend your energy on identifying and discussing the things that make you, you! 

Columbia Supplemental Essays – 5 Takeaways

Are you still wondering how to get into Columbia? Here are 5 key takeaways to help you impress the Columbia admissions officers:

Remember these things for your Columbia supplemental essays:

• Your personal essay is the longest essay required by Columbia University. Make sure you are strategic about discussing a topic that won’t feel redundant once the committee reads your supplemental essays. 
• The why Columbia essay and why major essays can be powerful prompts to help sway admissions officers. Use the why Columbia essay to articulate why Columbia University is the best fit for you overall. Then, include any additional major-specific details in your why major essay.
• The short answer essays are brief, but don’t underestimate these questions. Like the why Columbia essay, each Columbia essay highlights a question or topic that is core to the college’s values. 
• Preparation often leads to the best product. Dedicate time to brainstorming, outlining, writing, and revising your essays. You won’t want to wait until the last minute for any of these important essay-writing steps. 
• Let your authenticity shine through! Your Columbia supplemental essays are the only place in your Columbia application to address the admissions team in your own voice. Whether you are writing your why Columbia essay or your adversity essay, stay focused on who you are! (And not who you think admissions wants you to be.)

In addition to these Columbia supplemental essay takeaways, CollegeAdvisor has countless additional resources to help you through the application process . Check out our essay guides and examples and our webinar panel with Columbia University students.

This essay guide was written by Chelsea Holley. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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• September 23, 2021

How to Write the Columbia Supplemental Essays (2021-2022)

Welcome to the Columbia supplemental essay prompts for the 2021-2022 college application cycle! Here’s everything you need to know to write the best supplemental essay possible.

There’s no doubt that Columbia University is highly competitive. In last year’s college application cycle, Columbia University saw 60,548 applications for first-year students , about 33% more than the previous year, so in this year’s cycle, it will be important for applicants to write excellent supplemental essays.

Columbia says that these supplemental essays help them “better understand your intellectual curiosity, habits of mind, love of learning and sense of self, “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.” You can refer to the Columbia University website if you want to see how exactly they’re presenting their essay prompts for this year.

Columbia uses the holistic application review process to evaluate your application, which means that all the parts of your application — GPA, the rigor of your courses, standardized test scores (if submitted), essays, extracurriculars, art portfolio, and more — are considered. While academic performance is still the most crucial part of the college admissions process, the other facets of an applicant’s profile may also make a significant difference in the admissions decision.

List Questions

Most college essays ask you to explain and reflect on experiences and interests, but Columbia is just looking for you to list some resources that are interesting to you in order to get a better sense of your personality. Since you only get 75 words, it’s important to choose them wisely.

When answering these list questions, take heed of the guidelines on the Columbia website:

For the three list questions that follow, 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 required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

This seems like a straightforward question, but the way you choose to answer it will say a great deal about you. Just keep this in mind. The tricky thing here is that you don’t have much space to justify your choices. So. if you say that your favorite required readings were Hamlet and 1984 , you’re not going to stand out from the pack much, even if you had a truly unique connection with these books that everyone in the country has (hopefully) read. Your strongest choices will be books that — even though someone technically made you read them — fit in with your narrative about who you are. What classes did you excel in? What are the most fascinating things you learned in your classes? These questions will help you narrow down your choices.

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)

This question is a little more interesting and gives you more of an opportunity to show who you are. Again, it’s a straightforward question, but do your best to use this list to give admissions people a sense of your unique personality, and also show that you aren’t reading exactly what everyone else is — that you have your own individual tastes. The one thing you will definitely want to avoid here is listing titles that look like required reading, even if you were not required to read them. Again, Hamlet and 1984 won’t give you a lot of personality here.

This list should reinforce and expand on the personal narrative you are building throughout your college application. This doesn’t mean that if you’re a history buff all your favorite books have to be things like The Federalist Papers . Maybe you’re more of a Howard Zinn person, or a Walter Scott person for that matter. But if all your books are on or related to history you will risk looking a little one-dimensional. Let us know you’re also into horror fiction, feminism, old Toyota pickup maintenance, whatever. But there is no need to find a book you’ve never read just to fit an image of yourself you’ve constructed — that will become obvious.

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)

Same story: show your unique personality. More personality, more uniqueness. If the only things you read are highly predictable publications like the New York Times or the Washington Post, at least tell them which sections you read.

Don’t worry about trying to look cultured — if you have a genuine passion for opera or chamber music or lectures on Proust, that’s great, but don’t force it. Don’t worry about whether or not the admissions committee will share your interests. Maybe there’s an artist whose work has shaped your worldview or a podcast that you’re obsessed with. Perhaps you’ve watched every movie. While you should refrain from mentioning anything inappropriate, reflect on the kind of media that will keep you engaged for hours to months on end, especially if it reveals an academic curiosity you may have.

Short Answer Questions

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)

This is a textbook example of a supplemental essay that asks about community, and there’s a good chance that whatever you write here can be used in a few other supplemental essays. Given that, it’s worth spending some time thinking about your most meaningful communities. One way to ask this is who do you know and where from. You probably have some friends you know from classes, but might also have others from church on the weekends, jazz band in the morning, your dance studio, or any number of other things you do.

There are two important parts of community questions — how you have impacted the community and how it has left a mark on you. Ideally, your story will communicate both. Perhaps through making your dance studio more accessible to the differently-abled, you discovered an interest in activism. Aim for the greatest magnitude of positive impact in both directions for the most effective essay, and provide as much evidence and as many numbers as you can smoothly. It’s easy to claim you made a change, but harder to back it up. Raising five thousand dollars for a local nonprofit to purchase 1000 meals for the homeless is more impressive than just saying you ran a fundraiser.

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)

Hopefully, you read all the prompts before you started your response because you want to make sure you’re not repeating yourself, and I’d advise you always to plan out all your responses before you start writing.

This question is really two questions: What are you looking for in college? And what is it about Columbia that fits with those values? Give this one some thought and do your research into the particularities of Columbia carefully to see how the opportunities the school provides will meet your values. Try to go deep into the particularities of Columbia, beyond its Core Curriculum, for example, since you can bet almost everyone talks about this.

Please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)

I’m not a big fan of the “tell us what you’re going to major in” question since by answering it, applicants risk-reducing themselves to “prospective manager,” “prospective med school applicant” and so forth. But that’s not exactly what this question is asking. Here, you get to talk about yourself and your own experiences.

Ultimately, this question is less about your major and more about you . This is your chance to write about your experiences and how they relate directly to what you want to study. It’s a good chance for you to describe your accomplishments. Remember to be matter-of-fact and avoid hyperbole. Quantify your accomplishments when you can.

Looking for some help in writing your Columbia supplemental essays? Schedule a free consultation with one of our college application consultants today.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, the columbia supplement essays - where to even start.

Columbia’s supplements are daunting me. They’re known for being intellectual and reflective, and I'm not sure how to begin. Can anyone share how they connected their personal narrative with Columbia’s core values or academic culture in their essays?

Absolutely, the supplemental essays for schools like Columbia can indeed seem intimidating, but remember, these prompts are an opportunity for you to showcase aspects of yourself that aren't evident elsewhere in your application. Start by reflecting on the academic subjects or extracurricular activities that you're most passionate about. How have these experiences shaped your worldview?

Then, delve into Columbia's specific offerings - perhaps a particular class, research opportunity, or part of the Core Curriculum speaks to your interests. Draw connections between what excites you and what Columbia excels in offering. For example, if you're passionate about social justice, you might connect that to Columbia's Center for Justice and initiative like Beyond the Bars that you hope to get involved in to further your interests with the local NYC community.

Be genuine and concise. Admissions officers appreciate authenticity and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively. And lastly, remember to let your personality shine through. If you are a light-hearted person, don't be afraid to add some humor to your essay! Good luck!

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How to Write the “Why Columbia” Supplemental Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Joseph Recupero in a CollegeVine Livestream. You can watch the full Livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

• Do Your Research
• Discuss How You Will Contribute to the Columbia Community  
• Don’t Talk About Generic Features
• Speak with Current Students for Inspiration
• Don’t Answer Other Prompts  

This post will address how to write Columbia’s fourth supplemental essay about why you’re interested in attending Columbia.

This prompt encourages you to consider the aspects you find unique and compelling about Columbia. The most important word in this prompt is unique . The best essays written in response to this question give a compelling reason why you want to attend this school specifically. Below are 5 tips to follow when drafting your essay. 

1. Do Your Research

You have to do your research for this prompt. You can’t just say Columbia is an awesome school and it’s an Ivy league school and it’s in New York. These points are easy turnoffs. Don’t mention New York City. There are plenty of schools in NYC; this is not why Columbia is unique.  

Instead you want to focus on what in particular about Columbia appeals to you. Is there a specific professor whose research is related to your academic interests? Is there a unique club or activity that you are passionate about joining? Are there special programs at Columbia that align with your career goals? Things like this are much more compelling for an admissions officer to hear, and they tell the committee more about who you are as an applicant.

2. Discuss How You Will Contribute to the Columbia Community 

A great essay speaks to both individual experiences and activities you’re excited to pursue on campus. It should also demonstrate how you relate to the campus culture and why you find that attractive.

This goes back to the idea that Columbia is really looking for students who are going to be energetic members of their community. Including specific details here is always a good idea. Columbia’s admissions officers want to understand how you will fit into their student body and be active on campus. 

3. Don’t Talk About Generic Features

You want to avoid talking about generic features like location and things that are shared by many colleges. For example, every college has a gym and every college has an alumni network. You want to highlight things that are unique or different about Columbia. 

Because there are many competitive applicants to Columbia, this essay prompt can be a real danger or give you a leg up! It’s one of the real big ways you can differentiate yourself. If you highlight the fact that you have really done your research by including specifics about Columbia’s curriculum, community, or offerings, you will set yourself apart from other applicants.

4. Speak with Current Students for Inspiration

A great way to learn about unique aspects of Columbia is by talking to current students. You can get a perspective that is a little bit more textured and qualitative than what you would read about online.

One way to find current Columbia students is through your own personal network; however, if this is not an option you can reach out to your school counselor and see if they know any alumni who went to Columbia. 

You can also contact a Marketplace expert from Columbia or attend a virtual panel with current Columbia students to learn more about why Columbia is unique. 

5. Don’t Answer Other Prompts 

You could write about career aspirations and unique associated opportunities, but these topics line up better with other essay prompts. You certainly don’t want to get too deep into academics because you want to have material left over for your intended major essay.

Keep these 5 tips in mind when writing your “Why Columbia” essay to differentiate yourself from other applicants. 

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Columbia University 2019-20 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

The Requirements:  5 lists of 150 words each; 1 essay of 300 words.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Activity , Why

Columbia University  2019-2020 Application Essay Question Explanations

Your college application is full of lists, from your transcript and test scores to your resume and activity list, but that hasn’t stopped Columbia! Their supplement asks you to generate five more lists, each revealing something new. As a general mindset, try to approach each one as if you were a curator. Can you pick items that connect to a common theme in surprising new ways? Can you turn seemingly contradictory interests into a humorous juxtaposition? When the prescribed format is a list, order matters just as much as content, so use every element of the assignment to your advantage!

List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words or less)

This prompt is a trap – the Scylla and Charybdis of this supplement. To nail this list, you’ll need to navigate carefully between towering platitudes (like “diverse” and “intellectual”) and words that merely echo what you read on the Columbia website. Instead, think honestly about your preferences: Where do you do your best thinking? What qualities do your favorite teachers share? And so on. How do these preferences align with Columbia’s resources and ethos? Somewhere at the intersection of your needs and Columbia’s offerings, you’ll find your list. And remember it says words and phrases, so have fun! A unique simile (“like a bodega”) or clever sequence (“eye-opening, ear-splitting, fragrant, alive”) could really help you stand out.

(And if you don’t quite recall this Odyssey reference, you might want to review before you write anything about Columbia’s Core Curriculum .)

List the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

The key to this list is honesty. You may be tempted to rattle off the longest works or most impressive-sounding titles, but to create the most authentic and unique list, you need to answer the question. What is it that you enjoy in an academic setting? Homework may not be your favorite thing in the world, so ask yourself: What has excited or surprised you in the past year? What texts motivated you to work, read, and apply yourself to challenges? What has inspired you? Maybe it was a single Emily Dickinson poem, or maybe you couldn’t get enough of your physics problem sets. Consider the full scope of options (including textbooks!) and don’t shy away from picking texts from disparate subjects. This is your shot to reveal yourself as a well-rounded student and to demonstrate how your mind works.

List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

While the last list was about your academic mind, this list is all about your time off. How do you entertain, soothe, or rest your mind during your non-academic reading time? Similar to the preceding list, you’ll need to be careful to avoid self-aggrandizing or pandering choices. Don’t top your list with Crime and Punishment unless you genuinely picked it up of your own accord, read it from start to finish, and loved every second of it. Think not just of the most recent books you’ve read, but also of the old classics you can’t help rereading (“ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (for the fifth time)” or “My sixth grade diary”). Play with the sequencing here: how would you set these up in your library? Chronologically? Alphabetically? Thematically? According to the relationship between authors? Can you draw fun connections between your favorite works? Or maybe you can make an entertaining leap from the sublime to the ridiculous by placing a classic work of fiction alongside a graphic novel. Have fun with it! After all, this list is, at its core, about what you do for fun.

List the titles of the print, electronic publications and websites you read regularly. (150 words or less)

This list is probing for your understanding of what it means to be an informed citizen. What do you think are the most responsible ways to engage with the world? What do you consider a reliable or worthwhile source of information? Newspapers and news sites may be the first sources that spring to mind, but don’t stop there! What’s the first thing you read every morning? What’s your go-to for a specific topic of interest? Do you absolutely love the sharp satire of the Onion or the crisp writing of a style blogger? Beyond simply showcasing your engagement with the world, this list can reveal the specific political and cultural niches you care most about.

List the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

When constructing this list remember that the medium and the content both say something about you! Perhaps you’ll list an array of events and activities all related to the environment, to show how much you care about the issue. On the other hand, you could enumerate a range of plays and musicals to highlight your enthusiasm for theater. Finding a central theme that speaks to a passion or your favorite way to take in the world around you (visual, verbal, physical) will help you transform your favorite experiences into an incisive look into your recreational brain.

Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)

This brief assignment is Columbia’s version of the classic Why Essay, and the key to every good Why Essay is solid, specific research. Spend some quality time with the Columbia website or, if you can, on a campus tour. Ask questions, take notes, and dig to find specific people, programs, and experiences that excite you. In the end, you’ll need to go beyond simply listing the things that appeal to you. (For once you can write in full sentences!) You will need to make a more personal point: what do your interests reveal about YOU?

Now, revisit the question. Columbia doesn’t just want to know why you want to go there, but specifically what you “value.” Examining your research, ask yourself: what is the common thread in everything I have written down? Is it being a part of a global community? Once in a lifetime research opportunities? Something more abstract and philosophical? Imagine you’re writing a mission statement. In describing what you value about Columbia, how can you reveal what you value, period? Maybe an interest in a cappella points at an appreciation for collaborative working environments. Or perhaps your entrepreneurial aspirations will be fulfilled by Columbia’s unique Innovation and Entrepreneurship program. In some ways, this question is similar to the first required list, so be sure you don’t recycle too many of the same words and concepts. In fact, you should consider writing the essay before any of the lists since this is your primary opportunity to speak to admissions in your own voice.

If you are applying to Columbia College, tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time. (300 words)

If you are applying to the fu foundation school of engineering and applied science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the member questions section. (300 words).

These are two classic why essays. Regardless of whether you’re applying to Columbia College or The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, your essay should be personal and, if possible, unexpected. This is not the place to detail your love of New York City or the dining hall. And Columbia already knows it has an impressive alumni network. Admissions wants to know what excites you about the specific school within Columbia to which you are applying — something that is aligned with your interests and academic background. So as with all why essays, you’ll want to set aside some time for research either in the form of a campus visit or deep dive on the school website. Even if you already have a great idea, a little fact-checking never hurt anyone. Since you don’t have a ton of words at your disposal, try to narrow your focus down to one or two elements and make a bridge from Columbia’s resources to your own experiences and goals for the future. Is there is a professor in your department who has done research you admire that you hope to work with? Is there a program that combines your unique interests that is not offered at any other school?  Get specific. Let Columbia know what resources you will take advantage of that others might not think of or know about.

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5 Columbia University Supplemental Example Essays (2023)

If you want to get into Columbia University in 2023, you can make sure you have the best chances of getting accepted by writing powerful essays.

In this article I've gathered 5 of the best college essays that got accepted into Columbia University to help you improve your own essays.

You can see how real students answered Columbia's writing supplement section and Common App personal statement.

What is Columbia University's Acceptance Rate?

This past year 60,377 students applied to Columbia and of those 2,253 were admitted for the Class of 2026.

That gives Columbia an overall admit rate of 3.73% , or in other words about 1 in 25 students are offered admission.

Columbia University Acceptance Scattergram

Admissions into Columbia is clearly highly competitive, but there's an upside:

The more selective a college is, the more your application essays matter.

What are Columbia University Supplemental Prompts for 2023?

This year, Columbia requires applying students to respond to several "list" questions, short answers, and short essay prompts.

Here are the Columbia writing supplement questions for 2023:

Columbia Writing

The questions on this page are being asked by Columbia University Applicants are asked to respond to Columbia-specific questions to tell the Admissions Committee more about their academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. These questions allow us to better understand your intellectual curiosity, habits of mind, love of learning and sense of self. These questions 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.

For the three 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.

For the three short answer questions, please respond in 200 words or fewer.

For additional guidance, visit our website.

Please note that the third short answer question will not appear until you have selected Columbia College or Columbia Engineering in the "Academics" section of Columbia's application questions.

List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

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)

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)

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)

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)

For applicants to Columbia College, 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)

For applicants to 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)

5 Columbia University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 5 of the best essays that worked for Columbia University.

Below you can read answers to the 2022-23 Columbia writing supplement, as well as past year's prompts. I've also included personal statement essays from admitted Columbia students.

Columbia University Essay Example #1

Columbia university essay example #2, columbia university essay example #3, columbia university essay example #4, columbia university essay example #5.

Prompt: List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words max)

Filled with activity around the clock. A place to come home to.

Trying to get past locked doors (literal and metaphorical).

Offering intellectual freedom and curiosity, without forcing specialization. Accommodating students who are unwilling to wait to make a difference. Willing to look critically at itself.

Socially conscious and politically active.

Never taking its eye off the national or global stage.

Buzzing with so much life it flows beyond the campus into the outside world.

So much life that sometimes it intimidates, that it yearns for more hours in the day. With too many options to choose from, Too much to do in four years.

Filled with clever eyes that see new ideas in the lessons of history.

Diverse of origin, of culture, of opinion, of religion, of personality, Diverse like an international center of thought and ideas and passions. An urban wonderland.

Supporting of extraordinary ambitions.

Prompt: List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (150 words max)

Survival of the Sickest - Sharon Moalem

What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses - Daniel Chamovitz

The blockade of immune checkpoints in cancer immunotherapy - Drew Pardoll

The Physical Universe - Arthur Beiser

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

Sexual Politics and Religious Reform in the Witch Craze - Joseph Klaits

The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers - Paul Kennedy

The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli

On World Government - Dante Alighieri

Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945 - Tony Judt

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Prompt: 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. (150 words max)

A Most Incomprehensible Thing (the mathematics of relativity) - Peter Collie

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - Hayao Miyazaki

Weapons of Math Destruction - Cathy O’Neil

Algorithms to Live By - Brian Christian

Giant of the Senate - Al Franken

The Sublime Object of Ideology - Slavoj Zizek

The Theoretical Minimum - Leonard Susskind

Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World - Tim Whitmarsh

The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller - Italo Calvino

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 1 - Richard Feynman

Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov

Justice by Lottery - Barbara Goodwin

History: A Very Short Introduction - John H. Arnold

Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II - John Dower

Prompt: 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 max)

The Economist

The New York Times

Reddit - /r/programming /r/machinelearning /r/lifeprotips /r/iwanttolearn /r/politics /r/science /r/physics /r/economics Hacker News

The Atlantic

The Washington Post

Paulgraham.com

Waitbutwhy.com

whatif.xkcd.com arXiv.org - arXiv-sanity.com

Scientific American

Flowingdata.com

StackExchange

Prompt: For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time. (300 words max)

Studying computer science gives me the opportunity to be in a field that evolves so quickly I can always be on the forefront and do cutting-edge work. This summer at an ad-tech company, I moved the data science team’s analysis programs to a novel cluster-computing engine (Kubernetes), which can manage and distribute tasks across thousands of computers at once. Kubernetes is so new that barely any information has circulated about it. Because of this novelty, I was able to publish the first existing documentation of a data science pipeline in Kubernetes.

Computer science can also automate the manual drudgery of life. For example: to manage my clubs, I’ve written a program that checks for emails from members with excuses for missing meetings and automatically logs their absences.

Since computers have become the platform for every science, coding allows me to contribute to numerous fields. When I started at Einstein College of Medicine last year, I knew nothing about computational biology. Our project showed me that basic programming was all I needed to find fascinating results in the mostly unstudied mountains of genomic data.

As a person, I’m drawn to seemingly impossible challenges, in particular, the quest to teach machines and create mechanical consciousness. When I started taking online courses in AI, I became fascinated by the gradient descent method in machine learning. The method casts complex input data (e.g. photos) as thousand-dimensional surfaces and attempts to descend to the lowest points (minima) of those surfaces. It works best on data with underlying patterns, like pictures of human faces. This indicates that, in some way, the very nature of what a ‘face’ is, what unique structure is shared by nearly all faces, is found in the minima that AI models descend towards. My dream is to do foundational artificial intelligence research.

If you're trying to get into Columbia, you'll need to stand out from the competition. These 5 Columbia essays that worked showcase successful examples of responses to the Columbia writing supplement for 2022.

What did you think of these Columbia essays?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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 Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 3 172IAP For the Party of Bolsheviks with Nikolai Sheyenko May 1942 01

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3

National origin:- Soviet Union Role:- Fighter Interceptor Manufacturer:- Mikoyan-Gurevich Designer:- First flight:- 29th October 1940 Introduction:- 1941 Status:- Retired 1945 Produced:- 1940-1941 Number built:- 3,422 Primary users:- Soviet Air Forces (VVS); Soviet Air Defence Forces (PVO); Soviet Naval Aviation Developed from:- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 Variants:- Mikoyan-Gurevich I-211 Operational history MiG-3s were delivered to frontline fighter regiments beginning in the spring of 1941 and were a handful for pilots accustomed to the lower-performance and docile Polikarpov I-152 and I-153 biplanes and the Polikarpov I-16 monoplane. It remained tricky and demanding to fly even after the extensive improvements made over the MiG-1. Many fighter regiments had not kept pace in training pilots to handle the MiG and the rapid pace of deliveries resulted in many units having more MiGs than trained pilots during the German invasion. By 1 June 1941, 1,029 MIG-3s were on strength, but there were only 494 trained pilots. In contrast to the untrained pilots of the 31st Fighter Regiment, those of the 4th Fighter Regiment were able to claim three German high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft shot down before war broke out in June 1941. However high-altitude combat of this sort was to prove to be uncommon on the Eastern Front where most air-to-air engagements were at altitudes well below 5,000 metres (16,000 ft). At these altitudes the MiG-3 was outclassed by the Bf 109 in all respects, and even by other new Soviet fighters such as the Yakovlev Yak-1. Furthermore, the shortage of ground-attack aircraft in 1941 forced it into that role as well, for which it was totally unsuited. Pilot Alexander E. Shvarev recalled: "The Mig was perfect at altitudes of 4,000 m and above. But at lower altitudes it was, as they say, 'a cow'. That was the first weakness. The second was its armament: weapons failure dogged this aircraft. The third weakness was its gunsights, which were inaccurate: that's why we closed in as much as we could and fired point blank." On 22 June 1941, most MiG-3s and MiG-1s were in the border military districts of the Soviet Union. The Leningrad Military District had 164, 135 were in the Baltic Military District, 233 in the Western Special Military District, 190 in the Kiev Military District and 195 in the Odessa Military District for a total of 917 on hand, of which only 81 were non-operational. An additional 64 MiGs were assigned to Naval Aviation, 38 in the Air Force of the Baltic Fleet and 26 in the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet. The 4th and 55th Fighter Regiments had most of the MiG-3s assigned to the Odessa Military District and their experiences on the first day of the war may be taken as typical. The 4th, an experienced unit, shot down a Romanian Bristol Blenheim reconnaissance bomber, confirmed by postwar research, and lost one aircraft which crashed into an obstacle on takeoff. The 55th was much less experienced with the MiG-3 and claimed three aircraft shot down, although recent research confirms only one German Henschel Hs 126 was 40% damaged, and suffered three pilots killed and nine aircraft lost. The most unusual case was the pair of MiG-3s dispatched from the 55th on a reconnaissance mission to PloieÅŸti that failed to properly calculate their fuel consumption and both were forced to land when they ran out of fuel. Most of the MiG-3s assigned to the interior military districts were transferred to the PVO where their lack of performance at low altitudes was not so important. On 10 July 299 were assigned to the PVO, the bulk of them belonging to the 6th PVO Corps at Moscow, while only 293 remained with the VVS, and 60 with the Naval Air Forces, a total of only 652 despite deliveries of several hundred aircraft. By 1 October, on the eve of the German offensive towards Moscow codenamed Operation Typhoon, only 257 were assigned to VVS units, 209 to the PVO, and 46 to the Navy, a total of only 512, a decrease of 140 fighters since 10 July, despite deliveries of over a thousand aircraft in the intervening period. By 5 December, the start of the Soviet counter-offensive that drove the Germans back from the gates of Moscow, the Navy had 33 MiGs on hand, the VVS 210, and the PVO 309. This was a total of 552, an increase of only 40 aircraft from 1 October. Over the winter of 1941-42 the Soviets transferred all of the remaining MiG-3s to the Navy and PVO so that on 1 May 1942 none were left on strength with the VVS. By 1 May 1942, Naval Aviation had 37 MiGs on strength, while the PVO had 323 on hand on 10 May. By 1 June 1944, the Navy had transferred all its aircraft to the PVO, which reported only 17 on its own strength, and all of those were gone by 1 January 1945. Undoubtedly more remained in training units and the like, but none were assigned to combat units by then.

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This webpage was updated 2nd August 2021