This Ivy League university’s sticker price is steep, but Columbia meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students with grants and work study (no loans), which can make the school far more affordable for some families than its published cost suggests.
The first two years of study at Columbia, during which students must dive into the school's celebrated Core Curriculum, can be especially challenging. Even so, about 98% of freshmen come back for their sophomore year, and 94% earn a degree within six years. Computer science, political science and economics are among the most popular bachelor’s degree programs.
Campus life blends classic college traditions with New York City energy. Students can cheer on the Lions, join hundreds of clubs, explore Morningside Heights or take the subway downtown for museums, concerts and internships to expand on what they’re learning in the classroom.
Famous alumni include former President Barack Obama, investor Warren Buffett and Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow. And that’s not the school’s only claim to fame: You can spot Columbia’s campus in scores of films, including the original Ghostbusters and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man.
