CAMPUS INITIATIVES

TEST-FREE ADMISSIONS

As part of our mission-driven commitment to access and equity, Columbia has never required standardized test scores for admission. They do not play any role in our determination of an applicant’s admissibility to the college, or in awarding merit-based scholarships.

The standardized tests that many colleges have come to rely on have a deep history of bias and were designed to exclude rather than include. Further, we know from years of reviewing applications and getting to know our students that these tests don’t tell us anything important about an applicant’s ability to succeed at Columbia.

colum.edu/testfree

Curricular Offerings

Columbia offers courses like Asian American Literature; Black Artistry and the Archive; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History in the U.S.; Deaf Representations in the Media; Chicago Latinx Community, Culture and Citizenship; and Transnational and Global Feminisms, along with minors like Black World Studies, Latino and Latin American Studies, and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, which give students new perspectives and deeper understandings of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

SUPPORT & SCHOLARSHIPS

Columbia has increased scholarship awards for high-achieving/high-need students, because we know that making college more affordable also makes it more accessible. These awards include merit-based awards specifically for Chicago Public School graduates. When combined with Federal and State grants, these scholarships enable many students to complete a four-year Columbia education debt-free.

colum.edu/cps-scholarships

The Scholars Project

The Scholars Project is a holistic academic support program that was created as part of Columbia’s Social Justice Initiative to support first-generation students who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color).

colum.edu/scholarsproject