Applying to College Edge
Learn everything you need to know about starting and completing your application to the following Columbia University Pre-College Programs:
- College Edge: Academic Year
- College Edge: Summer
Applicant Eligibility
Students must be actively enrolled in their secondary school throughout their studies at Columbia. They are permitted to study for three terms, with subsequent terms contingent upon successful completion of prior terms. Students may not exceed a total of 30 credits during that time.
- Fall and spring programs are open to domestic students in grades 11 or 12.
- The summer program is open to domestic or international students entering, or currently enrolled in grades 11 or 12.
Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Applications are processed on a rolling basis and will not be reviewed until all application materials have been submitted.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time of the program application deadline date.
Applicant Qualifications
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3
- Two strong letters of recommendation
- Strong writing ability as evidenced in a statement of purpose and a writing sample that each showcase intellectual and academic strength and promise for continued growth and achievement
International Students
International students may only participate during the summer term.
Students who are not United States citizens or permanent residents must be a full-time student at Columbia—registered for at least 6 points of credit-bearing courses in a six week session or 12 points of credit-bearing courses in the entire 12-week summer period, in order to be eligible for a student (F-1) visa.
Please visit the ISSO website for detailed visa instructions.
Application Materials
Completed application form
$80.00 nonrefundable application fee payment in U.S. currency must accompany the application. Application fee payment must be made by credit card through the online application.
Writing sample (3–10 double-spaced pages)
The writing sample must be a graded assignment from your high school that showcases an example of your best expository writing and bears your name on the document itself.
Statement of Purpose (600–800 words)
The statement should address the following:
- A brief summary of your academic background and your personal and academic goals.
- Clearly articulated ideas regarding why the College Edge program appeals to you and how participation in the program will help you realize your academic and personal goals.
- A description of a situation in which you contributed to the learning of your fellow students in the classroom that will allow the admissions committee to consider how you would fit into a learning experience at the university level.
Transcripts
Applicants must list all institutions attended in grades 9-12 and should upload their unofficial academic transcript(s) within the application system at the time of application, including the most recent report card for the current school year. Transcripts must be in PDF format as provided by your school. PDF downloads of unofficial transcripts from student portals can be accepted only if they clearly show your full name, your school’s name, the full name of all courses taken, and all grades achieved in those courses.
International students must submit a transcript for the US equivalent for grades 9–12. We require grades starting 4 full academic years before your anticipated high school graduation date.
All applicants, if offered admission and before being permitted to enroll, must request to have their official academic transcript sent electronically from their school to the Office of Admissions. Official transcripts must be emailed by a school administrator to collegeedge [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu or mailed in a sealed envelope from the school to our address listed on this page. Applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange for the submission of official transcripts at the earliest possible stage to avoid a delay in registration.
School Profile
The School Profile must be submitted by your school counselor, headmaster, or principal as an uploaded document on the School Counselor recommendation form. It can also be included as part of the transcript uploaded on the student application.
The school profile is created by a student’s school. It usually includes information about the types of classes offered (AP, IB, etc), GPA distribution and/or ranking, graduation rates, and other notable facts about the school. Each profile is different, but they all give our admissions team more information about students’ academic performance in the context of their high school.
If a school profile is unavailable, see the section below regarding official test scores.
Two Recommendations
The recommendations should attest to your intellectual strengths and commitment to personal and academic growth. One recommendation must be from your school counselor, college counselor, or principal commenting on the student's intellectual ability, level of maturity, and motivation for participating in the Columbia University Pre-College Programs. The second recommendation must come from an instructor who teaches in a field closely related to the applicant's curricular preferences. The recommendation must describe the student’s qualification to engage in concentrated study.
Recommenders submit a form within the online application—they are not asked to supply a letter. During the application process you will add your recommender's information (name, title and school email address). Once you add and save their information, an email will be sent to your recommender with a link to our recommendation form. Applicants may submit their online applications in advance of the recommendations.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose native language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores.
Official TOEFL scores must be submitted through the ETS portal using the Columbia school code 2594.To report official IELTS scores, please email the TRF number (located on the bottom of your score report) to transcripts [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBt minimum required score: 100+
- TOEFL PBT minimum required score: 600+
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum required score: 7.0+
This requirement is only waived if the applicant is currently enrolled in a high school program at a U.S. school or at a school where the language of instruction is English.
Official test scores (optional)
Standardized test scores are not required unless a school profile is unavailable. If a school profile is unavailable, students should provide official PSAT, SAT, or ACT test scores. Test scores submitted otherwise will not be considered in the application review. Unofficial test scores cannot be considered.
PSAT scores should be submitted officially by emailing the PDF score report to collegeedge [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
Official ACT and SAT scores should be submitted directly to Columbia University School of Professional Studies using the following school codes:
- SAT school code: 2594
- ACT school code: 2721