At 12:15, about 30 of Champe’s juniors and seniors congregated in the auditorium and waited intently for Anna Marti, an admissions officer at Columbia University, to begin her presentation about student life, available courses and applications for the Ivy League school. Marti repeatedly mentioned that her favorite part of the university was the campus itself. Although students are only required to live on campus for their first year, 90% choose to stay for the welcoming community, the mouthwatering food and to avoid the horror of NYC apartment hunts.
Columbia, although known for its economics and political science programs, also offers a multitude of STEM courses. It has two seperate schools: Columbia College for those interested in their liberal arts and theoretical science programs, and Columbia Engineering for those interested in the college’s engineering and applied science programs. Interestingly, both schools offer computer science courses, one of the university’s most popular majors.
When asked about admissions criteria, Marti mentioned that Columbia is not looking for someone who is accomplished, but also someone who will fit in with the community and the environment at the university. The Ivy League university is one of the most prestigious and selective institutions in the country, and they want to know that their students can keep up with the implications of that. For the 2021-2022 school year, the university had an acceptance rate of 4% and a graduation rate of 94.5%, showing that Columbia choses students who are driven and passionate enough about their education to handle the rigorous curriculum.
“For our students, learning doesn’t stop after they leave the classroom,” Marti said. “They have difficult conversations with peers and regularly seek out ways to challenge themselves.”
