Columbia University
OVERVIEW
Columbia University is an American private Ivy League research university, encompassing twenty schools and affiliated with numerous institutions. With a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,888, the university is the fourth most selective college in the United States by admission rate behind Harvard, Stanford and Yale.
The university was founded in 1754, although located in New York City, New York, United States, today it expands its operation to seven Columbia Global Centers overseas in Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris, Mumbai, Santiago and Nairobi.
Columbia University offers degrees in bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate’s programs, and it also provides combined-degree programs. However, it has high 4-year and 6-year graduation rate, while the freshmen retention rate is 99%.
The mission of Columbia University is:
Columbia University is one of the world’s most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.
ACCREDITATION
Columbia University is recognized by Middle State Commission for Higher Education Accreditation.
ACADEMICS
Columbia University comprises around a hundred departments, ranging from Accounting Division, Anatomy and Cell Biology Department to Surgery Department.
The most popular majors and course of study for students are as follows:
- Social Sciences
- Engineering
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- History
- English Language and Literature/Letters
According to the US News Ranking in 2012, the university ranks 4th in national universities.
The full-time faculty with Ph.D or terminal degree of the university reaches 100%, which is really high, while there is no class taught by graduate assistants.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the university are required to possess high school diplomas. General Educational Development (GED) is equally effective. Meanwhile the university uses SAT or ACT scores in admissions decisions for first-time, first-year applicants, and scores must be received by February 1. Within all nonacademic factors extracurricular activities and character/personal qualities are given priorities.
COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID
The tuitions and fees for year 2011-2012 is USD 45,290. Students spend USD 1,040 for books on average.
With the average need-based scholarship or grant award of $38,3565, 51.5 percent of full-time undergraduates in the university receive some kind of need-based financial aid. It also provides many kinds of need-based scholarships from state, individuals and the university, at the same time students can choose to apply for loans.
