the essay that got me into columbia

5 Columbia University Supplemental Example Essays (2024)

If you want to get into Columbia University in 2024, you can make sure you have the best chances of getting accepted by writing powerful essays.

In this article I've gathered 5 of the best college essays that got accepted into Columbia University to help you improve your own essays.

You can see how real students answered Columbia's writing supplement section and Common App personal statement.

What is Columbia University's Acceptance Rate?

This past year 60,377 students applied to Columbia and of those 2,253 were admitted for the Class of 2026.

That gives Columbia an overall admit rate of 3.73% , or in other words about 1 in 25 students are offered admission.

Columbia University Acceptance Scattergram

Admissions into Columbia is clearly highly competitive, but there's an upside:

The more selective a college is, the more your application essays matter.

What are Columbia University Supplemental Prompts for 2024?

This year, Columbia requires applying students to respond to several "list" questions, short answers, and short essay prompts.

Here are the Columbia writing supplement questions for 2024:

Columbia Writing

The questions on this page are being asked by Columbia University Applicants are asked to respond to Columbia-specific questions to tell the Admissions Committee more about their academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. These questions allow us to better understand your intellectual curiosity, habits of mind, love of learning and sense of self. These questions also allow the Admissions Committee to learn more about you in your current community and why you feel Columbia’s distinctive experiences in and out of the classroom would be a good fit for your undergraduate education.

For the three list questions that follow, there is a 75 or 125 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering these questions:

• 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.

For the three short answer questions, please respond in 200 words or fewer.

For additional guidance, visit our website.

Please note that the third short answer question will not appear until you have selected Columbia College or Columbia Engineering in the "Academics" section of Columbia's application questions.

List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)

We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications, journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (125 words or fewer)

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (200 words or fewer)

For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)

For applicants to Columbia Engineering, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)

5 Columbia University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 5 of the best essays that worked for Columbia University.

Below you can read answers to the 2022-23 Columbia writing supplement, as well as past year's prompts. I've also included personal statement essays from admitted Columbia students.

Columbia University Essay Example #1

Columbia university essay example #2, columbia university essay example #3, columbia university essay example #4, columbia university essay example #5.

Prompt: List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words max)

Filled with activity around the clock. A place to come home to.

Trying to get past locked doors (literal and metaphorical).

Offering intellectual freedom and curiosity, without forcing specialization. Accommodating students who are unwilling to wait to make a difference. Willing to look critically at itself.

Socially conscious and politically active.

Never taking its eye off the national or global stage.

Buzzing with so much life it flows beyond the campus into the outside world.

So much life that sometimes it intimidates, that it yearns for more hours in the day. With too many options to choose from, Too much to do in four years.

Filled with clever eyes that see new ideas in the lessons of history.

Diverse of origin, of culture, of opinion, of religion, of personality, Diverse like an international center of thought and ideas and passions. An urban wonderland.

Supporting of extraordinary ambitions.

Prompt: List the titles of the required readings from academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (150 words max)

Survival of the Sickest - Sharon Moalem

What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses - Daniel Chamovitz

The blockade of immune checkpoints in cancer immunotherapy - Drew Pardoll

The Physical Universe - Arthur Beiser

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Between the World and Me - Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

Sexual Politics and Religious Reform in the Witch Craze - Joseph Klaits

The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers - Paul Kennedy

The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli

On World Government - Dante Alighieri

Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945 - Tony Judt

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Prompt: List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (150 words max)

A Most Incomprehensible Thing (the mathematics of relativity) - Peter Collie

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - Hayao Miyazaki

Weapons of Math Destruction - Cathy O’Neil

Algorithms to Live By - Brian Christian

Giant of the Senate - Al Franken

The Sublime Object of Ideology - Slavoj Zizek

The Theoretical Minimum - Leonard Susskind

Battling the Gods: Atheism in the Ancient World - Tim Whitmarsh

The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller - Italo Calvino

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Volume 1 - Richard Feynman

Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov

Justice by Lottery - Barbara Goodwin

History: A Very Short Introduction - John H. Arnold

Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II - John Dower

Prompt: We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications, journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (125 words max)

The Economist

The New York Times

Reddit - /r/programming /r/machinelearning /r/lifeprotips /r/iwanttolearn /r/politics /r/science /r/physics /r/economics Hacker News

The Atlantic

The Washington Post

Paulgraham.com

Waitbutwhy.com

whatif.xkcd.com arXiv.org - arXiv-sanity.com

Scientific American

Flowingdata.com

StackExchange

Prompt: For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time. (300 words max)

Studying computer science gives me the opportunity to be in a field that evolves so quickly I can always be on the forefront and do cutting-edge work. This summer at an ad-tech company, I moved the data science team’s analysis programs to a novel cluster-computing engine (Kubernetes), which can manage and distribute tasks across thousands of computers at once. Kubernetes is so new that barely any information has circulated about it. Because of this novelty, I was able to publish the first existing documentation of a data science pipeline in Kubernetes.

Computer science can also automate the manual drudgery of life. For example: to manage my clubs, I’ve written a program that checks for emails from members with excuses for missing meetings and automatically logs their absences.

Since computers have become the platform for every science, coding allows me to contribute to numerous fields. When I started at Einstein College of Medicine last year, I knew nothing about computational biology. Our project showed me that basic programming was all I needed to find fascinating results in the mostly unstudied mountains of genomic data.

As a person, I’m drawn to seemingly impossible challenges, in particular, the quest to teach machines and create mechanical consciousness. When I started taking online courses in AI, I became fascinated by the gradient descent method in machine learning. The method casts complex input data (e.g. photos) as thousand-dimensional surfaces and attempts to descend to the lowest points (minima) of those surfaces. It works best on data with underlying patterns, like pictures of human faces. This indicates that, in some way, the very nature of what a ‘face’ is, what unique structure is shared by nearly all faces, is found in the minima that AI models descend towards. My dream is to do foundational artificial intelligence research.

If you're trying to get into Columbia, you'll need to stand out from the competition. These 5 Columbia essays that worked showcase successful examples of responses to the Columbia writing supplement for 2022.

What did you think of these Columbia essays?

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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Columbia University Essay Examples (And Why They Worked)

The following Columbia University essay examples were written by several different authors who were admitted to Columbia University. All names have been redacted for anonymity. CollegeAdvisor.com has shared these essays with admissions officers at Columbia University in order to deter potential plagiarism.

For more help with your Columbia University essay supplements, check out our 2020-2021 Columbia University Essay Guide ! For more guidance on personal essays and the college application process in general, sign up for a monthly plan to work with an admissions coach 1-on-1.

List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words or less)

Supportive and collaborative (Let’s trauma bond and get through college together!); Tight-knit and friendly; Accepting; Socially and environmentally-aware; Quirky but also down-to-earth; Know how to enjoy a good movie/book/tv show marathon; Appreciate the arts, scientific achievements, and social accomplishments; Be willing to help out a first year being lost around campus for the first few weeks; Not afraid to stand up for what is right and use our resources to create a difference in the world.

List the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin -Harriet Beecher Stowe (APUSH): This book offered me the raw and emotional look at slavery and showed me the complexities of the US society before the Civil War.

The Grapes of Wrath -John Steinbeck (APUSH): Another emotional book that offered me a raw look at how the migrant workers were hurt during the Great Depression. This book along with Uncle Tom’s Cabin humanize history for me.

L’Étranger -Albert Camus (AP Lang): Existentialism. Interesting read. It really made me question life.

Sociologie des pratiques culturelles (Sociology of Cultural Practices) by Philippe Coulangeon is a required text I particularly appreciated this year. I enjoyed how the novel examines the principle trends that characterize the evolution of modern cultural practices, as well as the results of the democratization of culture in modern-day France.

Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil) by Baudelaire is an extremely powerful poetry collection that I found to be at the same time thought provoking and a pleasure to read. The poet expresses both his “Spleen,” or his agony, and his Ideal through beautiful and captivating verses.

I also absolutely loved Don Juan by Moliere, a play written and set in 17th century France during the reign of Louis XIV. Moliere’s clever mix of the classic and baroque styles was a joy to read, and the way he uses comedy as a tool to criticize society was brilliant.

Why this Columbia University essay worked, according to an ex-admissions officer

This response to the Columbia University essay prompt works well because it highlights the cultural and linguistic diversity of the student. The student succinctly and convincingly discusses what they connected to in the various works, showing their intellectual curiosity as well their ability to appreciate mature pieces of literature. Applying to Columbia, or any other prestigious university, can be challenging. Take our quiz to see just how prepared you are to tackle the Columbia admissions process!

List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Most haunting book: Kindred -Octavia Butler (Like Dana, I rooted for Rufus, hoping he wouldn’t turn out to be a villainous and selfish enslaver. I was betrayed)

Most emotional book: Thirteen Reasons Why -Jay Asher (This is one of those books that makes you question your entire life after reading it. It just has the power to make you wonder: Am I a good person? Have I made a good or bad difference in the lives of others? Highly recommended)

Best reread of the year: To All the Boys I’d Loved Before -Jenny Han (Three claps for Asian representation in YA books!)

Most nostalgic book: The Percy Jackson series-Rick Riordan (Earlier this year, I was at the Met, where Percy willed his power to push Nancy Bobofit into the water! Bucket list item #14: checked)

Honorable mentions: The Jungle -Upton Sinclair, The Hate U Give -Angie Thomas, Jurassic Park -Michael Crichton, and The Sympathizer -Viet Thanh Nguyen.

I like this response to this Columbia University essay prompt because the student is unapologetically herself. A lot of students feel the need to make themselves more impressive, or more sophisticated/well read, and the risk in that is that they lose that personal warmth, genuine voice, and connection with the reader. It’s far better to be honest and forthcoming, inviting the reader into your world view, humor, experience, and unique and fun perspective on the world.

One novel I read for pleasure that I found gripping and profound is Brave New World by Huxley. In addition to being a call for freedom during the rise of totalitarian societies, the novel also addresses philosophical and ethical questions that remain relevant today.

Bel Ami by Maupassant is another novel that spoke to me. This naturalist novel depicts the journey of the protagonist’s rise to power through manipulation and corruption in late 19th century France. I enjoyed following how this anti-hero climbs the social ladder from his humble working-class beginnings to become one of the most powerful men in Paris.

I was inspired by Histoire de l’autre (Story of the Other), a book that presents both the Israeli and Palestinian points of view on key historical events throughout the conflict. It was written by six Israeli and six Palestinian history professors, who narrate the same events from different perspectives.

List the titles of the print, electronic publications and websites you read regularly. (150 words or less)

I get caught up on current events from three main news sites: the Saint Louis Post Dispatch for the local perspective, the New York Times for the national perspective, and the BBC for the international perspective. It’s a habit of mine to read about current events from at least 3 perspectives. That way, I know I’m getting the most objective view of the world.

Entertainment news: Buzzfeed and Kenh14 (a Vietnamese newsite)

News not covered by mainstream media but are highly important: Stories on Instagrams, Facebook, and Reddit.

Again, I feel like this student is being honest and forthcoming. You get a sense of ethnicity/identity, and also of a person who is willing to be informed without trying to prove anything. There’s a fine balance between being genuine and trying to seem impressive.

I follow the news on BBC (www.bbc.com). BBC gives me a well-rounded view of political, economic and social events from around the world, with the necessary background information to understand today’s global issues.

I also use the mobile app News Republic on a daily basis. News Republic provides articles from over 1,000 trusted news sources, so I can be informed of global issues from multiple perspectives. Further, I can design my news page to follow the topics I am most interested in.

Another website I follow regularly is Time Out Madrid ( www.timeout.com/madrid ). It helps me take full advantage of all the opportunities Madrid has to offer, such as cultural exhibitions, hidden parks and cafes, concerts, plays and movies. My latest discovery is a list of eleven original bookshops, where, in addition to finding books, friends and I can have a coffee, enjoy a concert or listen to a lecture.

Again, what works about this kind of response is that the reader can get a sense of the global perspective and experience of the student. Without being too obvious with it, the student brings the reader into their life – bookstores, social life, international experience – and makes the reader a part of it.

List the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Musical: Hamilton, Legally Blondes, Miss Saigon (I love the music but hate the historical inaccuracies as well as the ignorance of Vietnamese culture portrayed in the musical)

Films: Avengers: Endgame, Spiderman: Far from Home, Candy Jar, Lincoln, Us, Get Out.

TV shows: Marvel’s Agents of Shield (My all time favorite show. I learned English watching Shield in middle school), Goong (amazing soundtracks, jump started my K-drama binge for the last 2 months, inspired a Viet-styled Goong fanfiction currently in the works), and High Kick Through the Rooftop (It’s an awesome Korean sitcom. I highly recommend it. Just ignore the last 6 episodes)

Music: Soundtracks. My current favorite is Dah Ji Mot Han Ma Eum from Goong!

I saw back-to-back Ionesco’s two classic plays, La cantatrice chauve (The Bald Soprano) and La leçon (The Lesson), at Le Théâtre de la Huchette in Paris, where they have been playing non-stop since 1957. It was fascinating to see these plays with the same original mise-en-scene dating back to the era when they were written.

Additionally, I loved the exhibition Pop Art Myths at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. I enjoyed seeing how this art form developed in the 50s and 60s and its witty critique of consumerism.

Finally, I was inspired by the documentary Beyond Right and Wrong . It follows the stories of individuals who lost their loved ones in terrible conflicts from Northern Ireland, the Middle East and Rwanda, and shows what it took for them to forgive the other side. Their strength impressed me, and their courageous acts allowed me to observe forgiveness under a different light.

The reader gets a strong sense that art, in a variety of forms, is an important part of this student’s life.This is someone who looks beyond the entertainment factor. An admissions officer would most likely get the impression that as a student, this is someone who considers historical context and likes to make deeper connections with the curriculum.

Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)

I hate the word “common” and avoid being associated with it at all cost. Being called “Common” is the worst insult possible. It implies that I’m just another face in a sea of faces and reminds me that not so long ago, in order to blend in with the crowd, I had ignored the injustices I saw. To me, a common person of a common society is nothing more than a lonely cog in the machine who is unable and unwilling to protest against the injustices in the society.

Given my hatred of all things common, it’s a surprise to see me apply to Columbia University, a place famous for its Core Curriculum. However, after October 14, 2019, all my negative thoughts about the Core Curriculum have vanished. Instead of a group of passive ancient philosophers in modern vessels molded by the Core, I got to see a vibrant, accepting, and socially aware group of changemakers on Campus that morning. Columbia students are powerful individuals who are not hesitant to use their power to demand changes. Exhibit A: the mini awareness events to demand the recognition of Indegenous People’s Day that I got to witness. The students made their presence known with posters and chants, demanding for recognition.

It was this display of bravery that changed my view of Columbia. Upon closer research, I can see that the Common Core is not a rigid mold but rather a template for empowerment by making sure that all students are equipped with the knowledge to lead courageous lives and be informed citizens. After all, why else would the university has all students learn about Contemporary Civilization?

Columbia’s Common Core will prepare me to lead a life of courage. Haizz, of course Columbia would be the place that makes me tolerate the word “common.”

This essay works for a number of reasons. Overall, the reader gets a great understanding of what the author values. This is someone who has grown in terms of their thinking, and will continue to seek opportunities for growth. This is a student who will more than likely be involved in a number of communities both on and off campus; a future change agent.

Naturally, most applicants will write about Columbia’s Core Curriculum, for which they are well known. However, this student’s evolved understanding of why and how it’s central to Columbia’s pedagogy, and how they would engage the curriculum is radically refreshing, I would imagine. As an admission officer I would get the sense that while the author is opinionated, they will likely lead and contribute to great classroom discussions. However, what’s equally important in a university setting is that they can listen to others’ perspectives and are also open to change, which it seems this applicant is.

Lastly, the student incorporated the fact that they had been on campus in an effective way that communicated their connection to the University, and allows an admissions officer to understand how this student would fit on campus.

In 2013, I embarked on a whirlwind tour of seventeen American universities. Of all the schools I visited, Columbia stood out. In addition to stellar academic programs, its emphasis on civic and global engagement really spoke to me. It is vital for me to attend a college where both academic rigor and openness to the world are widely promoted.

Perhaps what draws me to Columbia the most is the impact it has had on my sister, Maysa (Columbia College 2018). I have never seen her happier than she is today, as she talks about the diversity of the student body, her amazing professors and advisor, and the truly transformative and eye opening educational experience the Core Curriculum is giving her. Her experience at Columbia makes me dream of having my very own Lit Hum discussion sessions, surrounded by a group of passionate Lions.

At Columbia, I would also take advantage of the many enriching clubs and student organizations. For example, I would like to become a member of the Columbia Model United Nations Team, one of the most renowned in the United States, and the Peace by PEACE club. In addition, I would like to join or set up a Club or Intramural Swim Team.

Being at Columbia would also allow me to take advantage of everything New York has to offer, from acclaimed guest speakers visiting campus to world-class performances and exhibitions. I believe Columbia is the place where all the aspects of my personality would thrive. Columbia students and faculty are motivated, active, and inspiring. At Columbia College, I would grow both academically and socially in an international and openminded environment. It would be an honor to spend the next four years “in the greatest college, in the greatest university, in the greatest city in the world.”

This student took a more traditional approach to writing this essay. The author gave a well rounded response as to how they would engage in Columbia’s community both inside and outside of the classroom. They named specific clubs and organizations they envision becoming a member of, and highlighted characteristics of the University that resonates with them. Lastly, because the author’s sister attended Columbia, they were able to incorporate some personal reflections as to why they too wish to attend.

Please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. If you are currently, undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest in at this time. (300 words or less)

In seventh grade, a phenomenon exploded at my school: YA stories about a world without adults. The premise is simple: A strange accident evaporated all the adults, leaving only young people to inhabit the new world.

Like everyone, I was in love with those stories and enjoyed fantasizing how I would be in that situation. However, something didn’t sit right with me: Why only the adults? How come anyone under the age of 16 got to stay? I was desperate for an answer and since I couldn’t find them in the pre-existing stories, I decided to write my own story with a valid reason for the disappearance of the adults. After weeks of theorizing and researching, I finally got it. The story premise was similar: All adults on Earth have been turned into zombies by invading aliens. Luckily, thanks to a DNA mutation caused by a live virus vaccine that was administered to all children aged 17 and younger, the young people were spared. Now, they are our planet’s last hope.

What started as harmless research to satisfy my curiosity quickly developed into a long lasting fascination with cells and mutations. I marvel at how simple changes in our genetic codes could have great impact on our bodies. It’s interesting and scary to realize how easy it is for our DNA to be manipulated by outside factors. Similar to the unforeseen benefit of the DNA mutation in my story, my research has helped me discover a great passion of mine.

This is a great story! Colleges, particularly top tier schools, are looking for intellectually curious students. The author effectively demonstrates that curiosity, shows its inception, and how they have further pursued their interest. This applicant is clearly a deep and creative thinker who has discovered their passion and will fully engage in furthering their understanding in their chosen field.

Columbia University offers many fields of study closely aligned with my academic and career goals.

My Middle Eastern heritage and international background have made me passionate about social justice, peace, and conflict resolution. I am especially interested in Middle Eastern international affairs and social problems. The unrest and violence in this region have repercussions all over the globe. I believe it is vital for our generation to find long-lasting solutions for peace in the Middle East and to protect the rights of women, children, and ethnic minorities that are being abused in the region. I hope to pursue an undergraduate program focused on Human Rights, taking classes such as “International Human Rights Law,” “Equality, Identity & Rights” and “Human Rights and Human Wrongs.”

For example, in summer 2013, I participated in a two-week course called “Identity, Diversity, and Leadership” at Brown University. This course challenged me to study my own social and individual identity. I learned the values of listening, sympathizing, and understanding those who are unlike me. Similarly, in October 2014, I took part in a seminar on Non-Violent Communication organized by Seeds of Peace, focusing on ways to bridge dialogue divides and maintain empathy during difficult conversations.

Like us, an American-Lebanese-Colombian family living in Madrid, my extended family all have very international backgrounds and have lived all around the world. I have American-Lebanese-Austrian cousins living in London and American-Lebanese- Belgian cousins living in Hong Kong. Even though we all have lived very different lives, we have something in common – the feeling of being citizens of the world, immersed in a plethora of distinct cultures, yet being part of one close-knit family.

I am lucky to have been raised in this environment. It has helped me become a more adaptable, flexible, and understanding person with intellectual curiosity and openness to the world.

Additionally, Columbia College would offer me the opportunity to take an array of classes taught by leading scholars in the Departments of Political Science; Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies; and Linguistics. These classes would give me a global view of the complex world we live in, help me better understand the international challenges we face today, and further expand my global outlook and knowledge of world cultures and customs. I look forward to taking classes such as “National Security Strategies of the Middle East: A Comparative Perspective”, “Rethinking Middle East Politics” and “Language and Society”. I am also keen on continuing to build on my Arabic language skills to complement my interest in Middle Eastern history and politics through the amazing resources provided by the Columbia Global Center in Amman, where I hope to spend at least two summers.

With my background and experiences, I believe I would contribute new perspectives to class discussions and learn from the ideas of the inspiring and diverse students that Columbia University attracts.

This essay works because the author did a great job at showing what their interests are, ways they have already pursued them, and how they will take advantage of Columbia’s curriculum to further pursue and achieve their academic and personal goals. While not every student has the opportunity to participate in tuition-based summer programs (colleges do not expect this), this student was able to highlight their participation and the ways in which they grew as a result.

The author has an incredibly diverse background and global perspective, which they effectively used to demonstrate what they will be able to contribute to the classroom as well as take away from it. This is precisely why diversity is important in a college setting. More importantly, however, the reader gets a strong sense of this student’s values and what’s important to them in terms of the contributions they hope to make to society.

These Columbia University essay examples were compiled by the advising team at CollegeAdvisor.com . If you want to get help writing your Columbia University application essays from CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions Experts , register with CollegeAdvisor.com today.

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5 “Why Columbia” Essay Intros That Worked

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Considering applying to Columbia University ? Columbia has one of the most unique core curriculum that brings over 30,000 applicants every year.

Columbia’s application requires 4 short answer questions and 2 supplemental essays on why you want to attend. Here’s the prompt:

Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why.

Lia_Columbia ‘20

Charades is a game that demands a common repertoire of experience with the other people playing. If players have not seen the same movies, heard the same news stories, or read the same books, they cannot communicate effectively.

TASP, like Columbia, brings together people from vastly different backgrounds. Most of us had never been exposed to the ideas and philosophers we studied. We debated Plato’s view on the value of art late into the night, and discussed the merits of communism in the bathroom in the morning. Keep reading . 

Sakilan ‘19

Searching for invisible matter in the universe. Studying the genetics and evolution of social communication using the South African clawed frog. Using deep-sea sediments to study the climate history of the last ice age. These are all  the research projects I  thought were out of my reach, but Columbia gives me the opportunity to hone my intellect and create new knowledge as it  gave so many of its students. View full profile .

Lmelcher ‘20

When I visited Columbia’s campus last summer, I had the best chocolate pastry of my life at a nearby restaurant. But that is not the only reason I want to go to Columbia.

The Columbia students I met were extremely enthusiastic about the Core Curriculum, and I can certainly see why. Not only do the Core classes provide every student with the opportunity to study classic works of literature and art, they also bring the students together and enable them to discuss their shared intellectual experiences. As a top-ranked national circuit debater, I would definitely welcome such a forum for academic discourse and debate. Continue reading . 

G.reynoso.95 ‘17

Growing up in New York City for my entire life, I realize in what a rich and engaging city Columbia is located. While I want to remain in an urban environment, I also want to attend a college that is small and will allow me to take advantage of individual and intimate attention placed on its students, supportive faculty, and a large array of academic opportunities. Columbia offers this ambiance for me, and I believe that its mission to refine its students’ analytic and imaginative thinking is inspiring and will be beneficial to my education. Read full essay.

Starlysantos ‘18

My parents have sacrificed continuously to put me through a very academically competitive private high school to shape me as well-rounded as possible. Unfortunately, though, 21st century students are more plagued with fanaticism of getting an “A” than with what school is truly meant for, learning. Columbia offers a true education, not only scholastically from its esteemed faculty, but also culturally from the international powerhouse that is New York City. Usually faring fewer than twenty students each, Columbia’s intimate classes allow deeply intellectual group discussion among the familiarity of young adults equally astute as myself. Further, the quaint Morningside Heights campus inevitably ensures running into professors and being able to carry a conversation over coffee and build more personal relationships with them. Keep reading . 

———

Interested in reading these students full personal statements, and Why Columbia supplements? Unlock all of them in one go with our  Why Columbia package ! 

Our  premium plans  offer different level of profile access and data insights that can help you get into your dream school. Unlock any of our  packages  or search our  undergraduate profile database  to find specific profiles that can help you make an informed choice about where to apply! 

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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How to Get Into Columbia: 3 Key Tips

Columbia University is a prestigious school, not just because of its low acceptance rate or high starting salary for graduates. It's one of the oldest colleges in the US, and has had huge numbers of well-known graduates, including Founding Fathers, famous directors, and politicians.

Like any Ivy League , Columbia is a place for both education and networking, creating a solid foundation and social circle for your future career. But first, you have to know how to get into Columbia. And with a school and selective as Columbia, that's going to be difficult—but not impossible.

Follow this guide to get your college application in shape for a Columbia acceptance!

What Should I Know About Columbia?

If you're reading this, you probably already know that people want to go to Columbia because it's a prestigious college with a long and important history. It's an Ivy League school, granting it a reputation of academic excellence; with a degree for Columbia on your resume and the connections you make there, you'll have an edge in the job market.

Columbia is also one of the most selective colleges in the United States . Its acceptance rate for the class of 2026 was 3.7%.

Columbia students tend to major in STEM programs like Engineering or Computer Sciences, with around 54% of incoming students declaring a STEM program as their first choice major. But that doesn't mean that Columbia isn't a great humanities school! Columbia is also the alma mater of many prominent artistic figures—Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Katherine Bigelow, Langston Hughes, and Art Garfunkel, to name a few.

In fact, it's ranked as the best college for English studies, the fourth best for performing arts , and the second best college for philosophy —so despite enrolling slightly more STEM undergrads, Columbia is by no means exclusively a STEM-focused college . Its Arts and Social Sciences departments are highly regarded, so students shouldn't feel like pursuing something other than a STEM field puts them at a disadvantage.

Given all this, it's no surprise that enrollment will be competitive no matter what. So if you want to go to Columbia, you need to make sure you're a stand-out applicant!

How Hard Is It to Get Into Columbia?

Columbia's low acceptance rate is part of why it's such a prestigious school. If it was easy to get in, it wouldn't carry so much academic and social clout!

Reported rates vary from year to year, but you can be sure that the acceptance rate in a given year will be 6 percent or lower . For the class of 2025, Columbia reported an acceptance rate of 3.7 percent , so just about four students out of every 100 applicants will receive a treasured acceptance letter.

Because Columbia considers applications holistically, every part of the application matters. Good standardized test scores and an excellent grade point average are essential, but don't make the mistake of assuming your chance of acceptance is based entirely on those two factors.

What GPA and SAT/ACT Scores Do I Need to Get Into Columbia?

Columbia is an Ivy League school , so you need an excellent GPA and SAT/ACT score. Positive study habits and test preparation are a must.

That said, don't despair if your grades don't quite match up with Columbia's expectations. Again, they consider applications holistically; if you can explain your grades, demonstrate growth, and impress with extracurriculars, you still have a chance.

Think of admissions to Columbia as a race. Some people may have worked on theoretical racing so much that they have little experience in actually running. Other racers have lots of experience in running, but lack the finesse of runners who've been coached by professionals. Any of those runners could conceivably win, but those with a mixture of both experience and theoretical knowledge will have an advantage.

Essentially, don't be afraid that poor grades in your sophomore year have ruined your chances forever. If you can prove that Columbia is truly the school for you, you still have a chance...you'll just have some extra hurdles to jump!

What's the Average SAT Score for Columbia Students?

The average SAT score for Columbia students is between 1490 and 1560, making the college extremely competitive . Remember, this is an average—it's not the only score you can have, as students who score about that will have a little extra boost, and students who score below that will have to demonstrate how well they'll succeed elsewhere in the application.

This is why it's important to get started on SAT prep early. If your first score misses the mark, you can always try again . Spending some time prepping for the SAT will help you get closer to your score goal, and therefore closer to holding that coveted acceptance letter in your hand.

What's the Average ACT Score for Columbia Students?

Columbia is similarly selective with ACT scores. Columbia reports their scores as between 34 and 35, so while you might have a little bit of wiggle room, a higher score is always better.

As with SAT scores, it's important to get started on preparing early. Don't wait until junior or senior year to start thinking about your scores if you plan to attend Columbia —you're up against some of the brightest minds in the world, so you need to lock in a good score through lots of studying and practice.

Your best bet is to study like a perfect score is the only one that'll get you in, but know that your test scores aren't the only factor in your acceptance.

What's the Average GPA for Columbia Students?

Columbia's average GPA is a whopping 4.12 . What this means is that you'll need to be taking heavier weighted courses, typically AP or honors courses, to be competitive with other prospective Columbia students.

Again, it's not impossible to get in if you don't have a GPA above 4.0—it also depends on if your school weights GPAs—but reaching for as high of scores as possibly certainly won't hurt your chances. Study hard in your first couple years of high school to ensure that you're prepared for the advanced courses you'll need to push your GPA to a Columbia-approved level.

Remember, your school may weigh AP, honors, or gifted courses more, so a B in an AP course might mean more than an A in a standard course. Don't despair if your grades aren't perfect in AP courses, but do always strive for the best, and set yourself up for success. You simply can't earn a 4.12 GPA if you're not in AP, honors, or gifted courses, so plan to take them.

Though Columbia doesn't offer average GPAs for its acceptance rates, it does state that over 95% of its accepted students were in the top 10 percent of their class . Don't take that to mean that being in the top 10 percent is enough—remember, 95 percent of the students you're competing with are also in that same demographic. You need to excel and stand out.

Because Columbia is holistic, everything counts. But one Ivy League college admissions officer has revealed a little secret— everything counts, but the most important thing to not do poorly on is your GPA . This is general advice for Ivy Leagues, not specifically Columbia, but don't discount your GPA as a vital factor in getting accepted to Columbia.

What Extracurriculars Should I Have to Get Into Columbia?

Your competition is not necessarily every single student who applies to Columbia. Your competition is every student like you—students who have your GPA, your SAT score, your diversity of extracurriculars. So find a way to stand out from the pack; what areas do you excel in? And if you don't excel now, what can you do to target your application to be less of a Renaissance applicant and more of a specialist?

Consider the "spike" approach to applying to college . A variety of skills is great, but most applicants will also have good grades, test scores, and multiple extracurriculars. To stand out, you want something memorable—a spike in your well-roundedness. If you have an interest spike, an area where you particularly excel or that emphasizes your dedication to a certain field, you can tie much of your application to that spike and make your application more memorable.

How to Answer Columbia's Essays

Writing a good answer to the "Why Columbia" essay is essential . The admissions office already knows Columbia is a good school, so use this space to explain why it's the right school for you and how you'll contribute to the community there. Again, this is a great place to return to your spike to tie things together.

Be sure to emphasize your own personal experience in your essay. Reading successful Columbia application essays is a great way to get a feel for what Columbia likes to see, and to better understand how personal details can change the entire feel of an essay.

How to Answer Columbia's Supplemental Writing Questions

Columbia's further supplemental questions may seem unusual compared to other colleges; they ask about books you've read, concerts you've attended, and so on. Be honest—though your temptation might be to reach for the most sophisticated answers, this is an opportunity for the college to get to know you better.

If your favorite concert of the year was indeed the obscure bassoon recital you attended, by all means, list it. But don't write in the prestigious documentary du jour if you have no interest in watching it. That said, Hop on Pop is not a grade-appropriate choice, so do try to choose things that represent your interests and your age level.

Should You Include Supplementary Material?

Certain majors accept supplementary materials , such as some scientific fields, artistic disciplines, or performance-based majors. Students with research experience, you can include an abstract to flesh out your application. Students in the arts can include a portfolio but should be aware that there is an additional fee—this fee can be waived, but Coalition Application students will need to email the school directly for a fee waiver.

Good recommendation letters are a key part of how to get into Columbia.

What Recommendation Letters Should You Have?

Columbia requires three recommendation letters: one from a counselor, and two from teachers . Though Columbia does accept one supplemental letter of recommendation , students should only do so if the source is academic and if the letter will add something new to your application. More isn't always better.

Teachers, coaches, and other mentor figures are great options for letters of recommendation. Be sure that you're setting your teachers up to write you a great letter by asking early and providing them with any information they might need.

Take a look at letters that got students into Ivy League schools for the caliber of recommendations you should strive for. Take note of how these teachers write about personality as well as academics— select teachers who have the same knowledge of your personality and skills so they're equipped to write about you with the same depth.

What Should You Know About Applying for Financial Aid?

Columbia takes a need-blind approach to processing applications from US citizens, undocumented students, and eligible non-US citizens. International students are processed as need-aware , meaning there may be some consideration of financial need while processing the application.

Columbia meets 100 percent of student need and does so without loans. Students whose parents or guardians make under $60,000 annually are considered to have a $0 parental contribution, which will instead be made up with financial aid.

Columbia has a helpful tool for students to determine what documentation and forms they'll need based on when they're applying, their citizenship status, and what year they're applying for. Use this early to be sure that you can get all your paperwork done ahead of time!

Recap: How to Get Into Columbia University

Applying to Ivy League schools like Columbia University can be incredibly stressful. You know you're up against the best, and setting yourself apart can feel like an insurmountable task. But you can do it.

Start early. Think about what you want your application to look like before you start working on it, and take steps to prepare for the advanced courses, test scores, and extracurriculars you need . If you're already later in your academic career, change what you can now and start thinking about how you can address gaps in your personal statement.

Read a ton. Stay on top of changes to the application, new prompts, and what's most advisable for students like you. Assuming all your grades are in order and your test results are on track, start preparing for your essays . Of course, the prompts may not be available yet—consult past and current essays and start thinking about how you'll answer similar questions.

Create a spike. Remember, every other student applying to Columbia is also concerned about having great grades, AP courses, and test scores. If you're competing against the best of the best, you need to stand out. Instead of being well-rounded, develop a particular area of expertise, something that will set you apart from other students and really showcase what makes you unique.

What's Next?

Learn more about what makes Columbia one of the most selective colleges in the United States , and how it compares to other selective schools. If you're applying to multiple Ivy Leagues, it's a good idea to know your chances at each!

Columbia is one of the country's most selective schools. Even if you're only interested in Columbia, learning more about how to get into other selective schools, such as Harvard , can give you additional insight into how to polish up your application.

Knowing the essay requirements is just the beginning. More in-depth reading about the topics and how to answer them will give you an even stronger shot at impressing the admissions office.

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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How to Write the Columbia University Supplemental Essays 2019-2020

Located in the heart of New York City, Columbia University is one of the world’s leading institutions for research and commitment towards education. With its 265 years of history and ideal location, Columbia has had a major influence in history and continues to be at the forefront of innovation to this day. Offering both a rigorous curriculum as well as ample opportunities to explore one of the largest cities in the world, Columbia attracts thousands of top-performing students from all across the world.

However, with an ever-expanding reputation also comes the increased difficulty of gaining acceptance. For the class of 2023, Columbia admitted only 5.3% of its applicants, making it a highly selective institution. Yet, despite the competition, having a strong set of supplemental essays will be the first step in standing out in the admissions process. Want to know your chances at Columbia? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what Columbia University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering Columbia University needs to know.

Columbia University Application Essay Prompts

Columbia has four supplemental “essay” questions they want applicants to answer. These essays can be broken down into two groups:

Group 1: The first group of essays are specific to Columbia. Instead of requiring you to write a traditional college “essays,” Columbia instructs you to provide lists, such as what you look for in an ideal college community, what you’ve read over the past year, and more. 

Group 2: These questions will get to the heart of why exactly you want to attend Columbia University, how you have prepared for your intended course of study. 

Luckily, the experts at CollegeVine are here to help you navigate the Columbia essays so that you have the best chance possible for admissions. Keep reading for our suggestions on writing the Columbia essays so that you stand out to adcoms. 

Prompt #1: In 150 words or fewer, please list a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community.

The first thing you should notice about this prompt is the limited number of words you are given to answer. As such, you should keep your answer sweet and simple. There is no need to open with a flowery but vague introduction, as that will only serve to use up the space that you could actually be using to talk about Columbia. That being said, even lists can be written in a way that allow for some personality.

To answer this question, listing out words and phrases that would encapsulate your ideal community and separating the terms with periods would definitely be a valid method. Content-wise, make sure that as you are compiling this list, you go in-depth into what kind of person you are as well. Even though this essay is not asking about you directly, your personal passions and life experiences shape what kind of college you would like.

For example, stating that you are looking for a top university in an urban setting with opportunities to work with top finance companies is a good start, but that information can be found with any cursory glance at Columbia’s website—as well as dozens of other schools’ websites. To show that you would really fit into Columbia’s community as a contributing member, you might try to say something along the lines of wanting a community that welcomes a history buff who also wants to learn more about the intricate workings of the solar system . The key is to be honest with what would really make you excited to go to a school. After all, you are being asked to list qualities in your ideal school.

Also keep in mind that the word “community” can be as large or as small as you make it. Your professors, friends, and whoever else you come into direct contact with on a daily basis are an obvious choice, but don’t forget about the food vendors just outside the gates of campus, the multi-talented subway performers just a stone’s throw away, or the friendly residents of Morningside Heights.

The possible ways of writing this essay are truly endless, which is what makes this essay really fun as there is the potential to get really creative with the terms that you choose. That being said, the one thing you should be careful of doing is using terms that sounds very good, but are actually very vague in nature and sounds more like it belongs in a campus advertisement. Writing things like a university that values academic debate and challenges the status quo not only applies to most universities, but doesn’t reveal much about who you are either.

Prompt #2: For the four list questions that follow, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. No narrative or explanatory text is needed. It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. Author names may be included, but are not required. You do not need to fill the entire space or use the maximum number of words; there is no minimum word count in this section, so please respond to the extent that you feel is appropriate.

At first, you may think that this prompt is a trap and that Columbia is expecting you to include specific works. However, we assure you that that is not the case. Honesty should be a general policy for all of your essays, but with this type of question that is even more the case. Remember that you are not just sending in your supplemental essays. The college sees what classes you are taking, as well as the kinds of extracurriculars you are involved in. As a result, the admissions counselor already has some sort of idea of what kind of interests you have, so being as truthful as possible in your list will only serve to strengthen your whole application.

That being said, make sure that the books and publications you do list are reflective of a high school level of reading, and if you want to throw in a few series for nostalgia, have a good balance between the more unique titles and your other titles. As an institution which highly values interdisciplinary studies and the idea of a universal foundation of knowledge, don’t be afraid to list books that span a wide variety of fields. That will only show that you are intellectually curious and would enjoy the Core Curriculum that all Columbia students go through.

Part 1: The titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year

This question is pretty straightforward, as should be your answer. Just think back to all the English classes you have taken and choose some of the titles that you genuinely enjoyed working through. If you are an international student, feel free to include titles that are not commonly found in an American high school curriculum. This may include readings that are in another language, but as long as you give the translated title, it will still be a good choice. We recommend a minimum of three books and a maximum of around ten.

Part 2: The titles of books read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year

This list will be a bit broader as you can showcase the kinds of books that you read outside of an academic setting. That means including titles in both the fiction and non-fiction categories. For example, you may include Fun Home by Alison Bechdel—an autobiography of the author as she discovers who she is and explores her relationship with her father in the process—or Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami—a story about the circumstances surrounding one girl’s disappearance.

Whatever you list, the titles should not be ones that you have read in school, unless it’s a book that you have read before it was taught in a class you were in. Additionally, try to stick with things you have read in the past year as it will reflect your most updated level of reading. Like the previous part, including anywhere between three to ten books is a good amount.

Note on formatting: If you read these titles in a language other than English, feel free to make a small note in parentheses after each title noting this, for example, Les Misérables (read in French).

Part 3: The titles of print or electronic publications you read regularly

Since most publications are available both in print and online, there is no great need to try and find examples for both of these requirements. Publications spanning across all fields can be included, and some example of publications include (but aren’t limited to): The New York Times, Nature, The Economist, Time Magazine, National Geographic, etc. A list of three to ten schools should be sufficient.

Something to be aware of is that there are a lot of “news” outlets floating around that don’t necessarily follow strict journalism integrity. A prominent example of a site like this which has recently come under fire is InfoWars by Alex Jones. If that is an outlet that you really do follow regularly, then it is up to your discretion as to whether or not you should include it. That being said, as a controversial site, you may want to elaborate with a sentence or two your reasoning for following the site. As an example, you may say that it is a source you read often so that you can see how much of an influence popular media sites can have on the everyday viewer.

Part 4: The titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year

This category is in some ways the most casual, as it is the most general category. Really all that it is asking is that you list other forms of media that you spend your time on that are not reading related. Feel free to include whatever you are currently following, and aside from the entertainment options listed in the prompt, you can also consider including video games. As always, try to keep your list between three to ten titles.

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographics, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Prompt #3: Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or fewer)

This essay can really be thought of as a more detailed version of the first prompt. Now, instead of creating your “ideal” campus, you want to explain why Columbia is that ideal. The admissions team wants to know why Columbia in particular attracts you out of all the other fantastic institutions in the country, so doing your research is key.

Try to avoid looking at the admissions page for your information, as the admissions page is designed to give you a brief overview of the programs of study and other offerings but not deep information. Instead, take your time and really go through each of the pages on the main university website. Try to find things that genuinely make you excited about the school, as that excitement will carry over into your writing if it is genuine.

Please note that the prompt is asking what you value most about Columbia, so base your answer around your own interests. What the admissions team or another student values about the university could be completely different from your own reasons.

In general, mentions about Columbia’s location, its famed Core curriculum, and spirit of activism are very commonly mentioned . This is not to say that you can’t include one or all of those points in your essay (if those things really matter to you), but it may not be the best idea to center your essay on any one of those three topics.

A good idea would be to start from either an academic interest of yours or an extracurricular interest and then try to see if Columbia has programs that would satisfy your passions. From there, expand your search to include things like what sports and clubs you may want to try out as well as what you hope to gain from the city environment.

Be as specific as you can, and wherever possible, try to make connections between Columbia programs and your own interests instead of just praising the institution. For example, if journalism and social justice is something you are really passionate about, then you may want to focus on the recent work done by Columbia’s School of Journalism in reporting on the issue of deportation in the US.

Program Specific Essays

For columbia college applicants:, if you are applying to columbia college, tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the member questions section. if you are currently undecided, please write about any field or fields in which you may have an interest at this time..

In this question, the committee is interested in knowing what fascinates you and what steps you have taken to learn more about that specific field. This is a question designed to really gauge your intellectual curiosity, and to see if you will be a student who will take advantage of the stellar academic programs the college offers.

If you have a specific major in mind when answering this question, be prepared to answer the following questions:

1)    Why do you want to study this subject?

2)    Why are you qualified to study this subject?

3)    What would you potentially want to use this major for?

Your essay should answer all three questions in some capacity — be as specific as you can. While having general interests is fine, in this essay you really want to show that you are serious about the field that you have indicated and that you understand at least some of the intricacies that go into that major.

If you are currently undecided, don’t fret! Even most college students are still exploring their options and don’t know exactly which major they should choose. In this case, you should still list some general interests you have, and instead of focusing on describing why you are qualified to study said subjects or what you want to do with it later, focus more on the fact that you are intellectually curious and show what you have done to further that specific academic interest.

For the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science Applicants:

If you are applying to the fu foundation school of engineering and applied science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the member questions section..

In many ways, this prompt is very similar to the prompt in Part 1. The only difference is that since you are applying specifically to an engineering school, your academic interests should fall within the STEM fields, and more specifically within an area of engineering.

Still, the same three questions apply:

1)    Why do you want to study this field of engineering?

2)    Why are you qualified to be in this field?

3)    What would you potentially want to use your training for?

Try to highlight more of your problem-solving skills, and draw connections to how certain instances in your life make you a better engineer. As always, try to inject a personal narrative to your essay. For example, if you are really intrigued by computers, you may share a story of how you took apart an old desktop to see how the pieces fit together or maybe how your interest in coding took flight after you decided to create your own website.

For Sciences Po Dual BA Applicants:

“describe how your experiences or ideas have shaped your decision to pursue the dual ba program. why is an international academic experience and a two-year focus on the social sciences important to you as you consider the ways in which it may influence your future (750-1000 words) successful essays should not only identify and describe specific elements of the dual ba program that meet your needs as a student, but should also explain why the region of focus that you have chosen for your time at sciences po is compatible with your aspirations, academic or otherwise.”.

Unlike all the other Columbia supplements up to this point, this essay has the greatest word count. The increased space also means the possibility to go more in depth into the reasons applying to such a specific program. Let’s break down this prompt into its individual questions:

1)    Why do you want an international academic experience?

2)    Why is a two-year focus on the social sciences important to you and the kind of future you want?

To answer the first question, try to avoid general statements about how experiencing different cultures can make you a worldlier person or that it allows you to start traveling at a young age. You need to be specific about what an education internationally can offer you that you wouldn’t be able to find at just Columbia.

While we usually recommend that people stay away from name dropping professors in most essays, this program is specific enough where mentioning the work of the professors at the partner school would be a good way to explain your interest. One thing you may want to mention is how living in the country that you are learning about offers a more robust experience. You will probably have greater and easier access to a lot of first-hand source material, added with the bonus of interacting with the greatest academics in your field of choice.

Beyond that, talk about the kinds of hands-on work opportunities you will have in a foreign country. Just be sure to explain in detail how the work experience fits into your goal for a future career.

As for the second question, once again you can answer in the same way you would respond to a “Why Major” essay. While it may be daunting to tackle the entire question at once, break it further into three smaller prompts:

1)    Why do you want to study social sciences?

2)    Why are you qualified to study this field?

Start by brainstorming a list of answers that immediately come to mind when reading these questions. Then, see if there is a common thread that connects what you have written down. While you are answering the last prompt, it is also a good idea to include mentions of how the Sciences Po curriculum and other offerings will aid you in your endeavors.

As a mathematician in ancient Greece, Euclid made a famous statement to King Ptolemy, “there is no royal road to geometry”. Given your success, can you describe a failure, either personal or academic, that you have experienced (where you “lacked a royal road” to be followed), and what you have learned from this experience? (500-750 words)

This prompt already starts by giving you two possible paths—a personal or academic failure—to follow. The broadness of these two options gives you a lot of freedom in choosing the topic of your essay, so anything that you can justify as a “problem” will be a valid topic to write about.

Regardless of whether you end up choosing an intellectual research challenge or a personal ethical dilemma, make sure that you are choosing a problem that genuinely concerns you and is also one that you have really thought through. To answer this prompt fully you will not only need to walk the reader through the way that you solved the issue, but also why it matters in the first place. You can do this by either recalling how your interest in the subject at hand originated (if you are describing a research question, for example) or why the potential consequences are bad (if you are writing on an ethical dilemma).

One thing to keep in mind if you are writing on a more academic-focused issue is that you stay away from jargon that would slow down the pace of the essay and cause more confusion for the readers. Try to simplify the academic issue down to the level where any reader will be able to understand, since the problem itself is not the main focus of the essay. More so, you are describing how you found an answer to some obstacle.

It’s always safer to spend more time describing the process of how you came to solve the problem, and the specific steps you took. Each step of the way, try also to highlight your thought process and show your process for working through similar issues that may come up in the future.

For Trinity College Dublin Dual BA Applicants:

Describe how your experiences or ideas have shaped your decision to pursue the dual ba program. why is an international academic experience important to you as you consider the ways in which it may influence your future successful essays should not only identify and describe specific elements of the dual ba program that meet your needs as a student, but should also explain why the academic course you have chosen for your time at trinity college dublin is compatible with your aspirations, academic or otherwise. (750-1000 words).

Unlike all the other Columbia supplements up to this point, this essay has the greatest word count. With the increased space also means the possibility to go more in depth into the reasons applying to such a specific program.

To answer the question of how an international academic experience can enhance your education, try to avoid general statements about how experiencing different cultures can make you a worldlier person or that it allows you to start travelling at a young age.

You need to be specific about what an education internationally can offer you that you wouldn’t be able to find at just Columbia. While we usually recommend that people stay away from name dropping professors in other essays, this program is specific enough where mentioning the work of the professors at Trinity College would be a good way to explain your interest.

One thing you may want to mention is how living in Ireland can offer you a more robust experience. You will probably have greater and easier access to a lot of first-hand source material, added with the bonus of interacting with the greatest academics in your field of choice.

Beyond that, talk about the kinds of hands-on work opportunities you will have in Ireland, possibly mentioning how the proximity of the European countries will offer you greater opportunities to find internships in your chosen field. Just be sure to explain in detail how the work experience fits into your goal for a future career.

Additionally, you should take this essay to be another iteration of the “Why Major” essay. To sufficiently explain why you are interested in studying the majors offered in this program, be sure to answer the following three questions:

4)    Why do you want to study this major?

5)    Why are you qualified to study this field?

6)    What would you potentially want to use your training for?

Start by brainstorming a list of answers that immediately come to mind when reading these questions. Then, see if there is a common thread that connects what you have written down. While you are answering the last prompt, it is also a good idea to include mentions of how the Trinity College curriculum and other offerings will aid you in your endeavors.

Similar to the advice given in part 4, the essay you write for this prompt should explore a problem that genuinely concerns you and is also one that you have really thought through. To answer this prompt fully you will not only need to walk the reader through the way that you solved the issue, but also why it matters in the first place. You can do this by either recalling how your interest in the subject at hand originated (if you are describing a research question, for example) or why the potential consequences are bad (if you are writing on an ethical dilemma).

Since the focus of this program is based heavily around English and European history, you may want to consider discussing an obstacle that relates to either of these two fields. Give yourself ample space to discuss what the issue is, or in other words, setting up the background. Then, aside from explaining how you tackled the issue, it’s also important to discuss the implications of your problem in a larger context, whether that’s your local community, country, or even the whole world.

For School of General Studies Applicants:

Tell us about your educational history, work experience, present situation, and plans for the future. please make sure to address why you consider yourself a nontraditional student and have chosen to pursue your education at the school of general studies of columbia university. successful essays should not only identify and describe specific elements of the program, academic or otherwise, that meet your needs as a nontraditional student, but should also explain why gs is the place for you. (1000-2000 words).

As a nontraditional student, a very valuable part of your application is simply your experience! Returning to school is a very big decision and you probably wouldn’t be applying in the first place unless you have already thought long and hard about the benefits that doing so would provide. Therefore, this essay is simply a place for you to put those thoughts on paper.

Though the prompt asks a series of questions, you should still try to weave the answers to each of those questions into a larger narrative that shows the admissions committee more about who you are as a person. Since this essay allows up to 2000 words, one way you can break down the components would be to spend the first 1000 words discussing your background and answering the questions of:

1)    Why do you consider yourself a nontraditional student?

2)    What is your educational history?

3)    What is your work experience?

4)    What is your present situation?

The next 500 words or so should be spend answering questions that are more specific to your future goals and what kind of support you would need from an institution that would help you get there. Then, use the remaining space to tie in that list of support to programs and resources that Columbia offers. This way, not only have you provided a good background on who you are as a person, but you’ve also explained what you are looking for in a college and why Columbia fits that ideal.

In Conclusion…

It’s true that Columbia requires quite a few supplements, and that can definitely be overwhelming. However, more supplements also means that you have more chances to show Columbia how amazing you are and all the unique things that would make you a great addition to their campus.

We hope that this guide has been helpful to get you started on your writing, but don’t be afraid to look for essays of applicants who have successfully been admitted to Columbia either. While you can’t and shouldn’t use their ideas directly, it will show you the kinds of profiles that really speak to the admissions officers. Best of luck from the CollegeVine team!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Want to write a college essay that sets you apart? Three tips to give you a head start

1. Keep it real. It’s normal to want to make a good impression on the school of your choice, but it’s also important to show who you really are. So just be yourself! Compelling stories might not be perfectly linear or have a happy ending, and that’s OK. It’s best to be authentic instead of telling schools what you think they want to hear.

2. Be reflective . Think about how you’ve changed during high school. How have you grown and improved? What makes you feel ready for college, and how do you hope to contribute to the campus community and society at large?

3. Look to the future. Consider your reasons for attending college. What do you hope to gain from your education? What about college excites you the most, and what would you like to do after you graduate? Answering these questions will not only give colleges insight into the kind of student you’ll be, but it will also give you the personal insight you’ll need to choose the school that’s right for you.

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3 Columbia deans resign over texts that 'touched on ... antisemitic tropes'

Tovia Smith

The statue of Alma Mater on the campus of Columbia University in New York. Diane Bondareff/AP hide caption

Three deans at Columbia University have resigned, putting an end to a saga known on campus known as “Textgate.” The three were removed from their positions in June after revelations that they had sent what the university called “unacceptable and deeply upsetting” texts that “touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.”

University spokesperson Samantha Slater confirmed the resignations but offered no further comment.

3 Columbia deans ousted for texts about Jewish students

The three deans were texting sarcastic and mocking messages about students’ complaints of antisemitism during a panel discussion on Jewish life on campus last May. The texts were photographed by someone sitting behind one of the deans, and first reported by The Washington Free Beacon , a conservative website, before they were publicly released by a congressional committee investigating allegations of antisemitism at Columbia.

Susan Chang-Kim, formerly the vice dean and chief administrative officer of the undergraduate school Columbia College, disparaged the students’ complaints, texting that it “comes from such a place of privilege… hard to hear the woe is me.”

Matthew Patashnick, formerly the associate dean for student and family support, suggested Jews on campus were just trying “to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential.” And Cristen Kromm, formerly the dean of undergraduate student life, texted vomiting emojis and wrote, “Amazing what $$$$ can do.”

None of the three responded to requests for comment.

The deans were removed from their positions last month but still kept on staff. At the time, President Nemat Shafik denounced the deans for “conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns of and the experiences of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University’s values.”

Columbia senior Eden Yadegar called the resignations “long overdue.”

The texts were “a punch in the gut” she says, and especially offensive that they were coming from the very deans “tasked with ensuring that students are included and can succeed on campus.” She says she has brought formal complaints to the deans’ office before only to be disappointed by their response — or lack thereof, and is now party to a lawsuit accusing Columbia of discriminatory behavior against Jewish students.

Yadegar also called it disappointing to not hear “a proper apology from the deans themselves.” She adds, Columbia has far more to do to address what she calls a culture of antisemitism: “How did Columbia allow us to get to the point where it is so mainstream? And what are they doing about it?”

The point was echoed by David M. Schizer, a dean emeritus at Columbia Law School, who was part of the panel on Jewish life where the three deans were texting. He’s also a chair of Columbia’s antisemitism task force. “There are real problems at Columbia,” Schizer said. “We need to make sure that the campus is welcoming for all students, including Jewish and Israeli students. This requires an "all-hands-on-deck" approach. We need to change our culture. We have work to do.

The school has been under fire since the Israel-Hamas war prompted volatile pro-Palestinian protests and some Jewish students complained of an increasingly hostile environment. Columbia is currently among many schools now facing congressional investigation over their handling of the complaints. The university is also facing a Department of Education inquiry into complaints of discrimination against Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims.

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The Price of Perky Boobs

“Look at my boobs and tell me what you think.”

I’m a 20-year-old retail assistant, beseeching an older colleague and close friend, to evaluate my bare breasts in the backroom after hours. Unbuckling my bra, I stand before her, totally exposed. “What are you talking about?” She responds. “They’re fine!” After years of self-critiquing, I wasn’t convinced.

While the perceived ‘perfect’ size of breasts have fluctuated with time, breasts have always been beholden to one immovable standard: perky. Those with breasts that align with this archetype may consider their boobs a source of #freethenipple empowerment. Other women feel a kind of wearied distaste for their tatas; forgoing a bra is inconceivable, and god forbid they go on top. Some have embraced a kind of ‘it-is-what-it-is’ booby ambivalence.

I spent several college summers fitting bras at a contemporary lingerie chain—measuring breasts, buckling brassieres and at times, literally lifting flesh into cups—so I have met all these women. I have been them, too. When the pandemic found me in my mid-20s – prompting a massive lifestyle shift and a discovery of disordered eating. I’d moved to the west coast and, without daily walking around New York City, took up running and downloaded Noom, a calorie counter app that promptly capped my daily intake at 1200 calories. (Editor’s note: Research has shown that calorie tracking, including with apps, may contribute to eating disorders.) Within three months, my breasts descended four bra sizes, taking my nipples with them. With that, my boobs entered their new, deflated era, and for the first time, I felt incentivized to confront the issue.

I was not the only one to recently research breast lifts —the number of people searching for them peaked during summer 2021, and has continued to spike each summer since, according to Google Trends. It’s coincided with the arrival of Ozempic , forcing women—and myself—into the same societally-constructed conundrum. Weight loss? We like it. Small, saggy breasts caused by weight loss? Unacceptable. From 2019 to 2023, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says there was a 30 percent increase in requests for breast lifts (mastopexies)—placing the procedure in direct competition with its more popular sister: implants. “I want my titties pinned back to my shoulders, right where they used to be,” Rihanna revealed in last month’s issue of Interview . “I don’t want implants. I just want a lift.”

New York-based board-certified plastic surgeon Norman Rowe has made his name on the Upper East Side and beyond as a breast expert. In the past year, his requests for lifts have almost tripled—an exponential increase that he says is a result of rampant semaglutide use."

“I get a lot of women who've lost a substantial amount of weight, especially with Ozempic ,” he says. “The more weight someone loses—and the quicker they lose it—the more impact that has on the skin. Body procedures are just going through the roof, 30 percent of our business is now dedicated to face, breast and back lifts.”

When I first consulted with Dr. Rowe for a breast lift , he sketched the anchor-like incision required. He would cut around the areola, down the center of the breast, removing excess skin and raising the nipple so it no longer faces down. This would not create cleavage or add fullness. For that, he emphasized, you need an implant.

“A lift will take care of the sag in the skin, it will take care of the position of the nipple, but it will not address the volume loss of the upper poles of cleavage,” he says. (“Upper poles” is how plastic surgeons refer to the breast tissue above the nipple.) Patients often come in without realizing the limitation of a breast lift, says Dr. Rowe. “There is a misconception among patients of what a lift is. So I figured out the way to ask if they wanted an augmentation or a lift was, ‘Do you want cleavage ?’ Either you want to get bigger and your cleavage to change, or you want to be the same size but get rid of the droopiness.”

I fit into the latter group, or so I thought. Anyone who remembers the 90s will also remember that buxom beauties were not only abundant but considered femininity made manifest. Even if you joined in on the bimbo jokes that shamed the cosmetically enhanced likes of Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra, their perfectly rounded, perky breasts were still taped to the bedroom walls of your school crush. Anything less than a squeeze-worthy palmful, anything that succumbed to gravity, would be passed over by Playboy editors—relegated instead to the readership of National Geographic.

In the weeks leading up to my surgery, I would debate the pros and cons of implants over and over again. Like Dr. Rowe, I was struggling to understand my expectations. Due to their generally higher placement, my nipples would be raised only an inch. With the removal of skin, my 34D boobs would likely decrease by a half or a whole cup size. Was it worth going through all of this, just for slightly smaller tits with slightly higher nipples? Would I be satisfied with, well, a slight difference?

This was also plaguing Dr. Rowe, who responded to my initial consultation with multiple surgical plans. “One of the key things that I try to ascertain when I'm examining a patient: what are their true expectations and, more importantly, are they realistic for the patient?”

When Dr. Rowe first opened his private practice in 2004, he was routinely implanting 500 and 600cc implants—for reference, one cup size is around 250cc. With larger implants dropping faster, creating sagging, he says women have trended smaller in the last five years. Fat transfer enhancements, popular among those seeking natural-looking breasts, can calcify into hard lumps and be mistaken for cancer during mammography—resulting in additional surgery. The complications and shelf lives associated with implants have also become more well-known : follow-up implant removal or replacement surgeries after 10 years or sooner, and ruptured implants need to be replaced in up to 17.7% percent of patients after 6 or 10 years (the rupture rate after revision augmentation is between 2.9% and 14.7%). Breast implant illness is a controversial topic—it’s a term patients came up with, rather than a medical diagnosis; there’s a lack of data on the topic; and no real agreement about what the symptoms are, though patients tend to name hard-to-track ones, like fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, rash, memory loss—but the FDA and many doctors agree there’s still much to learn, Grant Stevens, the president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and a clinical professor of plastic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, previously told to Allure .

Still, the promise of built-in cleavage was tempting. I wanted to go braless without insecurity. Wear plunging dresses without experimenting with endless sticky cutlets. I didn’t want to tug up my breasts in tight tops. At the same time, I didn’t want to go bigger, and I didn’t want to possibly undergo multiple surgeries on my breasts as I aged. My heart just wasn’t in the implants.

“Whereas I used to do a lot of breast implant mastopexies—where you put in the implants at the same time—today, I'm probably doing a larger number of mastopexies [breast lifts] alone,” he says.

Post-consultation, the options Dr. Rowe offered me were a mastopexy with a small implant or a mastopexy with an internal bra. The internal bra is a lesser-known procedure that originated in the ‘80s, reaching wider awareness more recently, Rowe says, with the help of a rebrand and big marketing push . Originally, the internal bra was a kind of cone shape (picture Madonna) created from a Gore-tex mesh. Over time, there were claims the mesh may have been obscuring mammography, and insurance companies began rejecting claims for mammograms if the patient had an internal bra. That’s where Galaflex came in. A new internal bra material first implemented around 2016, it’s best described as an absorbable mesh sewn into the chest wall.

“Think of it as a hammock,” says Dr. Rowe. “It goes underneath the implant [around existing breast tissue] and keeps it from descending over time. You don't need a full cone because you’re not pulling anything up—but you are protecting the implant from moving down after two years. You have your own sling.”

A lot of breast surgeries rely on skin to hold up an implant or (in the case of a lift-only) breast tissue, Dr. Rowe explained to me, but skin is not capable of bearing weight. Someone who has skin that has been stretched from rapid weight loss is a perfect candidate for an internal bra because that stretching of the skin weakens the layer of collagen that’s usually a built-in structure to prevent descent. But after Galaflex dissolves, in about 1-2 years, “it gets replaced by collagen — which would not have been there otherwise,” says Dr. Rowe, an assessment validated by studies published in the journals Aesthetic Surgery ( in 2022 and 2016) and Plastic and Aesthetic Research . “While the internal bra itself is gone, its impact remains.”

This was enough to convince me to get an internal bra, which starts at $10,000 at Dr. Rowe's practice, making the cost of a breast lift with an internal bra $40,000 and up. While I was assured the results of an internal bra are not permanent—Dr. Rowe said I could expect them to last for at least 10 years—it does make it less likely for the breasts to droop over time. And an internal bra is less likely to interfere with breastfeeding—something that may or may not be in my future—than an implant.

My surgery took around an hour and a half. I was in the clinic by 7:30am, put under general anesthesia, and awake around 11:30am. During the procedure, Dr. Rowe removed excess skin and sewed the gauze to my ribcage, reshaping the remaining skin and tissue to lift my breasts and nipples while reducing the size of my areolas. I was back to my hotel room in a surgical bra by noon. Recovery requires you to wear a surgical bra, day and night, for at least a month — eventually downgrading to a sports bra until around six weeks. A surgical bra is a wireless bralette that closes at the front (so you don’t have to stretch your arms back), and feels very lightweight but also extremely tight. The compression helps with the swelling but also keeps the breasts in their proper place as they heal. I was unable to sleep on my side for around 10 days, and there’s no lifting more than 10 pounds, or working out other than walking, for three weeks. Following that, scar tape or gel on the sutured areas (around the areola, down and under the breast) is an everyday essential for a year.

This dress was impossible for me to wear without a bra before, now they sit perfectly without any support.

The first several days require heavy reliance on another person. For the first 48 hours, my boyfriend lifted and lowered me into bed, dressed me, and brushed my hair and teeth because I couldn’t raise my arms. I was encouraged to walk the next day, and allowed to fly or drive if necessary on the second (I’d traveled to New York City for the surgery, and had booked my flight back home two days later). I had full mobility again by day three or four, but the discomfort should also not be underestimated—specifically with the internal bra. I felt a constant pang and tugging pain on my ribcage that affected even the most basic activities (like lifting groceries or shaving my legs) for the first several weeks.

For the first 24 hours, I was in so much pain that I cried all the way through my post-op appointment the next morning. In the first 24 hours, I was taking a low-dose prescription opiate by itself, which wasn’t enough pain medication, so Dr. Rowe recommended I take it in conjunction with Extra Strength Tylenol. (He compared Tylenol to the main meal, while Oxycodone and Tramadol were a kind of ‘chaser’—supplementing the OTC medication should I need something stronger.) Through my tears, I revealed my new, bruised breasts to Dr. Rowe. Upon inspecting his work, the surgeon concluded he was “very happy” with the results.

“You're trying to make their soul better,” he explains of cosmetic surgery. “While I'm not taking out their appendix, when a patient sees themselves as having a flaw–rightfully so or not–you're trying to correct it. And sometimes to them, it's life and death. Honestly, down deep, I'm a fixer. Seeing a problem and getting a solution, a good solution, it's gratifying.”

I didn’t look at my breasts for the first week—a mostly unconscious choice. For as long as I remember, I have avoided looking at my breasts entirely. Even before my weight loss changed their appearance significantly I always felt unsatisfied with them on a bad day, or ambivalent at best. Eight days after surgery, I unzipped my surgical bra and inspected the result for the first time. Dr. Rowe had reduced the size of my areolas, raised the nipples, and rounded my breasts into two symmetrical mounds. The anchor-shaped incision was sutured with almost invisible stitches. I was looking at boobs I had only seen on screen, or on my most genetically-blessed friends.

I turn away from the mirror. The change might seem slight to some, but to me, mastopexy had made a world of difference. “Tell me what you think,” I say to my boyfriend. “They’re perfect,” he responds. This time, I believed the beholder.

To read more about plastic surgery:

• Breast Lifts Are on the Way Up
• 13 People Get Real About Their Facelifts
• I’m 96 and I’ve Had 3 Facelifts — Here’s What I Learned

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Tim Walz's military record: What to know about potential VP's National Guard service

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a progressive yet plain-spoken VP candidate from America’s heartland to help her win over rural, white voters.

“I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate,” Harris said via text to supporters. “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”

We look at Walz, a 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran, and his military career over the years.

More: Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates

How long was Walz in the military?

Walz served in the military for 24 years, enlisting in the Nebraska National Guard at 17 in 1981 and then transferring to the Minnesota National Guard in 1996. He retired in 2005 to begin his successful run for the U.S. House, representing Minnesota as command sergeant major, among the highest ranks for enlisted soldiers. His battalion went on to deploy to Iraq shortly after Walz's retirement.

Walz specialized in heavy artillery and had proficiency ribbons in sharpshooting and hand grenades.

But during the 21 years that Walz spent working with large artillery pieces, he suffered hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears, Minnesota Public Radio reported. He was allowed to continue his service after undergoing surgery, which partially resolved his hearing loss.

Where did Walz serve, and what did he do in the National Guard?

During his service, Walz responded to natural disasters, including floods and tornadoes in Minnesota and Nebraska, and was deployed overseas for months at a time, according to MPR.

In 2003, he was sent to Italy, where he served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan. He was also stationed in Norway for joint training with other NATO militaries.

Walz told MPR that he reenlisted in the National Guard after the September 11 attacks but never saw active combat in his years in the military.

Stars and Stripes reported in 2020 that Walz credited his Army experience with helping him steer Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic as governor.

As governor of Minnesota, Walz is commander in chief of the 13,000-soldier Minnesota National Guard. “I’m certainly proud of my military service, but it’s one piece of me,” he told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018. “It doesn’t define me.”

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this story.

Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025

The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies.

Donald J. Trump intends to bring independent regulatory agencies under direct presidential control. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

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By Jonathan Swan Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

• Published July 17, 2023 Updated July 18, 2023

Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Their plans to centralize more power in the Oval Office stretch far beyond the former president’s recent remarks that he would order a criminal investigation into his political rival, President Biden, signaling his intent to end the post-Watergate norm of Justice Department independence from White House political control.

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him.

Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies — like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses — under direct presidential control.

He wants to revive the practice of “impounding” funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon.

He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda. And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as “the sick political class that hates our country.”

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