Columbia University 2025-26 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Columbia University 2025-26 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 List question 100 words; 5 short answer 150 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

How to Write Columbia Supplemental Essays

Your college application is full of lists, from your transcript and test scores to your resume and activity list, but that hasn’t stopped Columbia University! Their supplement asks you to generate yet another list, along with some brand new essay material. Keep reading to access our expert tips for writing successful Columbia supplemental essays that are sure to impress admissions! 

For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:

• Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons

• Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order

• It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications

• No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed

List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.  (100 words or fewer) 

How do you pursue intellectual development outside of the classroom? You’ll need to be careful to avoid self-aggrandizing or pandering choices. Don’t top your list with 1984 unless you genuinely picked it up of your own accord, read it from start to finish, and meditated on Orwell’s intentions (while staring out the window, jaw agape). Think of not just the most recent media you’ve consumed, but also the old classics you can’t help revisiting (anything by Jenny Han, the podcast you binged in two weeks, the film you saw in theaters three times). Play with the sequencing here: how would you set these up in your library? Chronologically? Alphabetically? Thematically? Maybe you can make an entertaining leap from the sublime to the ridiculous by placing a heart-wrenching play alongside a goofy satire. Have fun with it! After all, this list is, at its core, about what you consume for the pleasure of it.

For each of the five short answer questions, please respond in 150 words or fewer.

Tell us about an aspect of your life so far or your lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s multidimensional and collaborative environment. (150 words or fewer)

Ah, the classic Community Essay. Columbia wants to know what you value and how you relate to the people around you, forge connections, and commune with your peers. Notably, they’re asking how this aspect of yourself would make you a strong contributor to their “multidimensional and collaborative” school. Maybe you’ve realized that your shyness has led you to be a keen observer of humanity and a good listener, making you a trusted confidante for your friends and sparking your interest in anthropology. Perhaps the friends you made at the skatepark have introduced you to a new culture and mindset of “try and try again” that you now apply to all aspects of your life and studies. Maybe there are different languages spoken by the volunteers in your community garden, and in addition to knowing how to say “basil” in four different languages (BTW in Italian it’s “basilico,” #funfact), you can’t wait to build your multilingual vocab with your new college cohort. How has your life experience shaped what matters to you? And, looking forward, how would you keep those values alive at Columbia next fall?

At Columbia, students representing a wide range of perspectives are invited to live and learn together. In such a community, questions and debates naturally arise. Please describe a time when you did not agree with someone and discuss how you engaged with them and what you took away from the interaction. (150 words or fewer)

Whether during a mid-shift dinner break with your coworkers, a long bus ride with classmates, or your family’s Fourth of July barbecue, odds are you’ve disagreed with someone about an idea or an issue—and Columbia wants to hear about it. Admissions wants to know not only how you went about engaging with someone with an opposing viewpoint, but also what you took away from the experience. To make sure your response stands out from the pack, be as specific and purposeful as possible. What did you disagree on and how did you communicate? Maybe you used some deescalating tools you picked up from a friend of yours or, perhaps, you made an effort to see things from their point of view while still making a case for your perspective. Details are your friend here to add credibility. Whatever conversation you decide to write about, remember to address what you learned from the experience. Were you introduced to a point of view that you hadn’t considered before? Did you and your conversation partner find a middle ground, or did you feel even more resolute in your viewpoint than you had before? Maybe what you took away wasn’t so much about the topic of the conversation, but rather about the mechanics of holding a difficult conversation. Columbia wants to foster the kind of learning environment that encourages respectful discussions about beliefs and values, so show admissions that you’re game to learn, listen, share, and grow.

In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not anticipate. Please describe a situation in which you have navigated through adversity and discuss how you changed as a result. (150 words or fewer)

This prompt is incredibly similar to the Common App’s Prompt #2, which asks applicants to recount a time when they faced a challenge, setback, or failure. Our advice is similar: isolate an incident of trial in your life and illustrate how that experience changed you. Writing about a difficult time in your life requires both vulnerability and perspective. Instead of focusing on the obstacle you were up against, spend most of the words at your disposal on how you rose to the occasion to overcome the challenge at hand. This is your opportunity to show admissions that you are a developing, maturing young adult with resilience and introspection. As you zero in on a key moment, ask yourself the following questions: What healthy coping mechanisms or communication skills did you develop? What did you learn about yourself? How will you approach difficult situations moving forward? Be honest and open, and we’re sure admissions will be impressed.

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)

This brief assignment is Columbia’s version of the classic Why Essay, and the key to every good Why Essay is solid, specific research. Spend some quality time with the Columbia website or, if you can, on a campus tour. Ask questions, take notes, and dig to find specific people, organizations, and experiences that excite you. Don’t dig too deep into majors or classes just yet; you’ll have an opportunity to write about your academic interest in a little bit, so for now, focus on the Columbia experience as a whole. Once you have some notes on the page, try to weave together a story that pairs your interests with Columbia’s offerings. Reveal new information about yourself while also showing that you’ve done your homework.

What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer)

This prompt gives you a chance to geek out about your intended area(s) of study. Whether you’re hoping to study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering, the assignment is the same: offer admissions insight into your academic interests and pursuits. Whether your goals are intellectual, professional, or somewhere in between, your reasoning should be grounded in what Columbia has to offer. 150 words isn’t a lot of space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t provide a detailed response. Get ambitious and aim to answer these two key questions: What intrigues or excites you about your intended major? And why is Columbia the ideal place for you to study it? Do a little research to identify classes you’d like to take, professors you’d like to work with, and alumni you’d like to network with; then, get to drafting—and leave yourself plenty of time to edit and revise! 

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Columbia Essays

We have been reading Columbia supplemental essays for over twenty years now, so we know a thing or two about the most common mistakes students make. The most common mistakes to avoid are repeating the prompt in your essay (don’t waste your words), trying to sound like an academic (admissions wants to hear your authentic voice!), and using cliches (they’re ineffective and—let’s face it—lazy).

Why Choose College Essay Advisors for Columbia Essays

We at College Essay Advisors have been guiding students one-on-one through the essay writing process for the Columbia supplements for over twenty years. We take a holistic approach to these essays and short answers, considering each student’s application package as a whole and identifying their strengths to highlight. Our Advisors accommodate each student’s scheduling needs to virtually brainstorm, draft, and revise winning essays. It’s incredibly important to us that each student’s voice is preserved, and we pride ourselves on helping students to write successful Columbia supplemental essays that differentiate them from similarly qualified applicants. For more information, submit a contact form below or review our one-on-one advising services or list of student acceptances.