Columbia University

Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in New York City. The university was originally founded as King’s College in 1754. It is New York’s oldest institution of higher education, and it is one of nine colleges founded before the Declaration of Independence was written. Known for its excellence in academics and research, Columbia is considered one of the top universities in the world. Its programs in the social sciences, engineering, and computer science are particularly well known. Notable alumni include former President Barack Obama, investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffet, and award-winning writer Mitch Albom.

Ranked 7 in the nation, Columbia is a highly selective school. Its acceptance rate is 7%, and its graduation rate is 95%. Columbia’s tuition rate is per year, plus fees. Columbia keeps its undergraduate enrollment relatively small at just over 8,800 students; its graduate, professional, and medical school enrollment is more robust, with more than 22,000 students enrolled. It follows a quarter-based academic calendar.

Columbia is a founding member of the Association of American Universities, a group of America’s leading research universities. Columbia boasts a lengthy list of research initiatives, including the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and a lab-to-market accelerator network with Big Tech firms like Amazon and IBM. Columbia was the first school in the United States to award the Medical Doctor degree, and it is home to the third-largest private research library. While the university is situated in the heart of the Big Apple, its Morningside Heights campus cultivates the feeling of a close-knit neighborhood, with on-campus residences and walkable pathways. When they’re not in class, students might participate in one of the university’s 500 clubs or organizations, or explore all that New York City has to offer. Longstanding traditions, like finding the hidden owl, the First Snow snowball fight, or the music festival Bacchanal, also provide a unique bit of entertainment.