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College Essay Prompts 2026-27

Columbia Supplemental Essay Prompts 2026-27

Columbia University's published supplemental essay prompts for first-year applicants in the 2026-27 application year, quoted from the college's own website, with the limit for each and whether it is required.

Application
Common App or Coalition
Status
2026-27 prompts published
What to write
Every first-year applicant answers 6 prompts.
Last checked
September 26, 2026
Official source
Columbia Undergraduate Admissions: Columbia-Specific Application Questions

The 2026-27 prompts

Quoted word for word from Columbia University. Limits are as the college states them. These are the first-year prompts the college publishes; transfer essays and questions that appear only inside the application portal are not listed.

For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question: Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons. Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed. For each of the six short answer questions, please respond in 150 words or fewer.

Required of all applicants

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

  1. 01

    List the titles of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.

    100 wordsShort answers

  2. 02

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

    150 wordsBackground and identity

  3. 03

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

    150 wordsBackground and identity

  4. 04

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

    150 wordsBackground and identity

  5. 05

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

    150 wordsWhy us

  6. 06

    What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering?

    150 wordsWhy us

What these prompts are really asking

One line per prompt type, from our supplemental essay guide.

Why us
Have you done real research, and can you connect it to your actual path?
Short answers
Can you be precise, human and specific without trying to sound profound?
Background and identity
What lived detail shapes your perspective, choices or contribution?

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Common Questions

How many supplemental essays does Columbia University require for 2026-27?

Every first-year applicant answers 6 prompts. This page lists 6 prompts in all, including choices and optional prompts.

What are the word limits for Columbia's supplemental essays?

100 words, 150 words. Each prompt above shows its own limit as the college states it.

Which application does Columbia University use?

Common App or Coalition.

Where are these prompts from?

We copied them word for word from Columbia Undergraduate Admissions: Columbia-Specific Application Questions and last checked on September 26, 2026. The prompts inside your application portal are the final word.

Sources, last checked September 26, 2026

Prompts for other colleges

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