Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago is the largest and most diverse private, four-year, non-profit, arts and media college in the nation. We offer 121 academic programs of study to nearly 12,000 students from all over the world. Columbia is a creative academic community that takes a practical approach to education in creative professions which aims at preparing our students for successful and rewarding careers in their fields of choice. We offer an unparalleled array of courses in the visual, performing, and media arts and a rigorous liberal arts and sciences core which provides our students with the essential context and inspiration needed to practice their craft, develop their voice, and launch their professional careers. Our faculty are working industry insiders who have not only "been there," but are still doing it. As a result, our programs stress the career outcomes of a higher education in the arts and media, and produce alumni who, in turn, become award-winning professionals themselves.

We believe in admitting WHOLE students, not just GPAs or test scores. By using a holistic approach to application review we are able to take everything about a student into account before making an admissions decision. Yes, we look at academic records, but we weigh essays very heavily and give very serious consideration to where we think students can go, not just on where they've been.

Columbia College is located in downtown Chicago and our students are encouraged to treat the entire city as their campus by taking advantage of all the cultural, academic, social, and professional resources it has to offer.

Columbia College Chicago believes in the power and importance of creativity. We welcome applications from all students who are prepared for the challenges of a rigorous academic curriculum and who are interested in preparing themselves for a future using their innovation, imagination, and intellect.