48 Columbia Essay Examples
Updated for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
About Columbia
Located in the Big Apple, Columbia University is one of the eight Ivy League institutions. Its access to New York City affords Columbia students (affectionately called Lions) outstanding academic and research possibilities, as well as a unique and lively environment to explore and grow. With over 20 undergraduate schools, several graduate and professional programs, and a flourishing alumni network, Columbia’s web of connections runs deep; students have access to world-class teachers and cutting-edge facilities. The school is also known for its emphasis on its unique core curriculum, which stresses an exploration of the humanities and great works of literature and philosophy. Overall, Columbia University is a great location for students looking to develop into well-rounded, enthusiastic professionals capable of making a positive difference in the world.
At a glance…
Acceptance Rate
5%
Tuition
$61,671
Average Cost
$22,823
Average SAT
1517
Average ACT
34
Location
New York, NY
Real Essays from Columbia Admits
Prompt: 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.
In early 2023, my dream came true: after a months-long application process, I became a youth partner of [Company]. I was determined to advance equity in the arts for marginalized students.
At my [Organization], [Art] was a moving art piece about a young African-American woman recovering from trauma-induced memory loss. But [Student], a student just a little older than me, was crucially missing a platform for her art. To elevate [Student]’s voice, I took the initiative to become her ally; through my collaboration with [Company], [Art] was published in 6 continents by [Company]!
By globally distributing [Art], I have come to appreciate the intersectionality of allyship and the arts—a value I would bring to Columbia. On campus, I would mobilize students to ensure that Columbia continues to be a place where the arts serve as a powerful tool for allyship.
Essay by Stanford Student
Stanford '28 | Coca-Cola Scholar | $1M+ in Scholarships
Prompt: Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.
Through personal, academic, and professional ventures, I have synthesized a vision for my future: implementing Artificial Intelligence in assistive devices for the disabled. Such aspirations are not possible without a strong foundation, however.
The diverse intellectual communities at Columbia will foster my programming skills, vision for Artificial Intelligence, inclination to problem-solving, and innovative engineering. The robust research opportunities at the recently launched Center of AI Technology, for example, will allow me to collaborate with peers from SEAS and professionals from Amazon to perform interdisciplinary research that contributes to the vibrant AI tech ecosystem in [Place Redacted]. In Columbia’s Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab, I will regurgitate knowledge from courses like “Software Engineering for AI Systems” or “Human-Computer Interaction,” engaging in enlightening projects while surrounding myself with like-minded peers that will continuously inspire me to perform with excellence. By nurturing myself in these communities, and with the support of the Columbia Startup Program (CSF), I will traverse the path of founding a firm for A.I. developed disability aids, universalizing the technology that I birth in their labs and giving the underprivileged access to personalized assistive devices.
Essay by Rose
Programmer and performer @ Yale!
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.
Environmental Books: “Silent Spring”, Rachel Carson “The End of Nature”, Bill McKibben “The Sixth Extinction, An Unnatural History”, Elizabeth Kolbert “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate”, Naomi Klein “An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It”, Al Gore
Youtuber Books: “In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World”, Joey Graceffa “A Work in Progress”, Connor Franta “Selp-Helf”, Miranda Sings “Rhett & Link’s Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery”, Jake Greene, Link Neal, and Rhett James McLaughlin “How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life”, Lilly Singh
Essay by Erick Angelo Ramirez
CS Major, Bio Minor, FGSS Honors Thesis, FLI @ Stanford
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.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, VNExpress, Council on Foreign Relations, St. Louis Fed Data,
TLDR News, Voice of North Korea by Yeonmi Park, Economics Explained, 12Tone, VSauce, NileRed, Entiende Tu Mente podcast, Counter Arguments, Philosophy Tube, Ana Psychology, Lessons from the Screenplay
Hamilton: An American Musical, Legally Blonde, La La Land, El laberinto del fauno, 1917, Blackfish,
The Dying Poet (jota aragonesa), Impromptu Op.90 No.2 in E-flat, I Lived, It’s On Us,
Women Deliver webinars, Girl Up’s Girl Talks, OutRight Action International, World Wide Life, DECA, Debate Drills, Project Gutenberg, Mythcreants, TV Tropes, Rhyme Zone, Genius, Poetry Foundation, Art of Composing, Science Direct, Brilliant, CyberStart America, Crypto Zombies, Soundation, Photofocus, Fitness Blender, Goodreads, 18 Under 18 Vietnam
Essay by Rosie
Statistics & Data Science + Ethics, Politics & Economics (and Musician?) @ Yale :D
Find an essay from your twin at Columbia
Someone with the same interests, stats, and background as you