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New York, New York

Columbia Admission Requirements

Chances of getting into Columbia University in the City of New York

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance Rate
6.6%
Admission Difficulty for Columbia University in the City of New York
Measure Difficulty
Admission StandardsElite
Applicant CompetitionExtreme

How hard is it to get into Columbia and can I get accepted? The school has a 7% acceptance rate ranking it #2 in New York for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 2,519 out of 38,118 applicants were admitted making Columbia an extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades.  Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 4 percent. Of those applicants who were admitted, 61% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Columbia University in the City of New York is a prized outcome for many students.

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Columbia SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range
1460-1580
Applicants Submitting SAT
59%
SAT Scores for Columbia University in the City of New York
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 720
SAT Math 25th 740
SAT Composite 25th 1460
SAT Scores for Columbia University in the City of New York
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 780
SAT Math 75th 800
SAT Composite 75th 1580
Average SAT Score 1520

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Columbia University in the City of New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York typically requires applicants to be in the top 2 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1460 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1400. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1520 out of 1600. The school ranks #1 in New York for highest average SAT composite score. 59 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2017 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Columbia University in the City of New York admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness Admission Chances
1580 and Above Good >11%
1520 to 1580 Avg + 7%-11%
1460 to 1520 Avg - 4%-7%
1400 to 1460 Reach 3%-4%
Less than 1400 Low <3%
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Columbia ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range
31-34 
Applicants Submitting ACT
57%
ACT Scores for Columbia University in the City of New York
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 33
ACT Math 25th 29
ACT Composite 25th 31
ACT Scores for Columbia University in the City of New York
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 35
ACT Math 75th 35
ACT Composite 75th 34
Average ACT Score 32

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Columbia?

Admission data indicates that Columbia regularly accepts students with ACT's of 31 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 5 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 32 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 34 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #2 in New York for highest average ACT composite score. 57 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Columbia University in the City of New York.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2017 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Columbia University in the City of New York admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness Admission Chances
34 and Above Good >13%
32 to 34 Avg + 7%-13%
31 to 32 Avg - 5%-7%
30 to 31 Reach 4%-5%
Less than 30 Low <4%
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Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Columbia University in the City of New York has not reported high school GPA data for its accepted students.

Data Sources, Wintergreen Orchard House

Admission Statistics

Columbia University in the City of New York admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 20,859 17,259 38,118
Accepted 1,280 1,239 2,519
Acceptance Rate 6% 7% 7%
Enrolled 783 764 1,547
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 61% 62% 61%

Fall 2019 Application Deadline

Applications were Due
Jan 1, 2019
Days left to Apply
None

The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2019.

Admission Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Columbia University in the City of New York and what considerations affect admission decisions?

Columbia University in the City of New York Admission Requirements
Test Scores Required
High School GPA Recommended
High School Class Rank Recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Columbia University in the City of New York
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit No
Credit for Life Experiences No

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=190150 IPEDS survey data for Columbia University in the City of New York.