School of General Studies Undergraduate Admission

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Choosing Columbia means choosing an opportunity to engage in a rigorous academic environment. In the classroom, developing critical and analytical skills take priority whether you are taking Contemporary Biology or The Cultural History of Japanese Monsters. Expect to be engaged by new ideas, concepts, and theories that will forge your path as a scholar and lay a foundation for a future career.

THE LIBERAL ARTS

At Columbia, your academic life extends well beyond your major. Our core curriculum is central to Columbia's academic experience, and as a GS student, you'll engage with an array of academic disciplines. Whether you’re an economics major taking the Music Humanities course, or a premed student studying film, the core curriculum fosters intellectual development, personal growth, and newfound passions. You will learn to straddle different realms of thought as you compare, critique, and cut across ideas.

DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE

With their real-world experience and perspectives, GS students transform the conversation in and beyond the Columbia classroom. Maybe you've served in the military; maybe your roots are far from New York; maybe you're a life-long New Yorker. No matter the case, the common denominator at GS is experience, and that experience plays a vital role in Columbia's academic discourse. Columbia's Faculty of Arts and Sciences inspires students to connect personal insights and firsthand experiences to academic concepts. Outside the classroom, GS will support your unique needs as a non-traditional student, with dedicated student advising, financial aid counseling, and community activities.