Everyone knows it’s hard to get into Columbia. With about a 3.9% acceptance rate, Columbia is looking for applicants who are the ~full package~. You’ll need amazing grades and scores, but you will need more to get into Columbia. A big part of that is extracurriculars.
What is Columbia looking for?
Columbia uses a holistic review process. This means they look at everything. Yes, this includes grades and scores, but also essays, supplemental materials, and especially extracurriculars. They say of this process:
“Your application is our instrument of evaluation, and beyond the opportunity to list your academic credentials, we believe your application allows you to express yourself: your passions, interests, background, and, most important, what you might add to the Columbia community… your admissions officer will consider your responses carefully, looking for the intellect, curiosity, and dynamism.”
That’s a lot, but we are here to tell you, the easiest way to show off your passions and curiosity is through your extracurriculars.
So what does this look like in practice?
Let’s illustrate this with a case study. We work with a lot of students who end up at Columbia. So many of our students love Columbia that it was hard to choose just one student to use as an example. All of our students who have gotten into Columbia have shown leadership skills and intellectual curiosity. And many of them have had a deep appreciation for the arts. One of our past students was a great example of all of this. Let’s take a look at their extracurriculars.
Follow your academic passions
This student wanted to study Comparative Literature and Society at Columbia. While they took as many literature courses as they could in school, they showed their interest in English and writing outside of class as well. They worked for their school’s newspaper and during their junior and senior year, they were also the poetry editor of their school’s literary magazine. This student also wanted to minor in French and had been leading an intensive French language group. Outside of demonstrating a passion for French and working on their fluency, as the head of the group, they also showed their planning and leadership skills.
Columbia is looking for students who follow their academic passions outside of class. This can be through classes, research, or clubs, but it is something that Columbia will be looking for in every candidate. If you can also show leadership, in this case being a group leader and editor, Columbia will be impressed.
Leadership, Leadership, Leadership
You are probably sick of us saying leadership by now. But it really is that essential. Columbia wants students who rise to the challenge and demonstrate strong leadership skills.
Our case study student was a leader in almost all of their extracurricular pursuits. We have already mentioned some, but there are more. For example, they were the president of their school’s a capella group. No matter what your passions are, showing commitment and striving to take on responsibility is what Columbia is going to be looking for.
Get involved in YOUR community
A lot of students think that they have to “do community service” or “volunteer” to get into college. This is a simplification of what colleges like Columbia are actually looking for. Columbia is looking for students who are involved in their community and care about the issues that affect the people around them.
“Community” can mean anything. A community can be a religious or ethnic group, but it can also be your neighborhood, your school, a club, a group that shares a common interest, etc. For our case study student, a community they cared deeply about was the LGBTQ community. They were the leader of a group that helped LGBTQ middle schoolers. Through this program, they lead presentations and mentored younger students. They also were a co-chair of a leadership and diversity conference at their school. At the conference, they represented LGBTQ students and worked with other minority groups to work towards common goals.
Do what you love
Colleges can tell when students are passionate about their extracurriculars and when students are just trying to pad a resume. Columbia needs to see a commitment to our passions, no matter what they are. This student loved theater. They wrote and performed in plays at their school for all four years of high school. Following that passion was important for them and something that they would continue at Columbia.
You might be thinking to yourself, “Wow, this student did a lot.” And yes, they did. Columbia is looking for students that are involved. They want students who display leadership and feel passionately about their interests… as well as have great grades and transcripts. It is a lot, but we can help if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Need help applying to Columbia? We can help! Reach out here.