Founded in 1890, Columbia College Chicago. is a Private college. Located in Illinois, which is a city setting in Illinois, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 7,809 full time undergraduate students, and 311 full time graduate students.
The Columbia College Chicago Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 13:1. There are 308 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Columbia College Chicago include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
88%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
35
SAT Range
ACT Range
Admissions at are considered Less Selective, with ,83% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 19 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
54% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 24% were in the top quarter, and 8% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Columbia College Chicago.
1%
“We”re apathetic”
12%
“We know about current events and vote”
56%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
32%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
4%
“We save it for the classroom”
16%
“Sometimes, but not often”
56%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
24%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
8%
“I only go out in groups”
60%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
30%
“I feel extremely safe”
95%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
5%
“We bought the gear”
0%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
1%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
4%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
95%
“We”re a very artistic group”
5%
“Haven”t met them”
7%
“Available in class”
43%
“They keep regular office hours”
44%
“They”re always available”
89%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
7%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
2%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
218 Students rated on-campus housing 3.8 stars. 25 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
203 Students rated off-campus housing 3.2 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
219 Students rated campus food 3.2 stars. 18 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
277 Students rated campus facilities 4.2 stars. 43 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
276 Students rated class size 4.5 stars. 59 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
275 Students rated school activities 3.6 stars. 30 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
275 Students rated local services 4.5 stars. 65 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
277 Students rated academics 3.7 stars. 29 % gave the school a 5.0.
Columbia College Chicago REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Columbia College Chicago?
97 Students rated Columbia College Chicago
Sapier
I absolutely loved my time at Columbia College Chicago. I gained industry knowledge from industry professionals, which was invaluable to my stage management career after graduation. I do think the tuition is way too overpriced, but overall, I had a great experience.
Samantha
Columbia College Chicago would not be the school that it is without its students. I am in constant awe of my peers and they motivate me to take advantage of the schools resources and opportunities. The cafeteria at school is abismal, youll be lucky to find fresh fruit to buy on campus. But we are located in a city so you can always eat off campus.
Olivia
Columbia College Chicago is a great school. The staff is well trained and are industry professionals. They are experts in the fields they teach and have extensive connections. They give great constructive feedback and are always willing to help their students.
Zion
The mental health services are lacking a bit, but the professors I've had have generally been very supportive, helpful, and want you to succeed. There are tons of different resources & opportunities to pursue in your field that help you build your resume 7 make connections, and the professors here are really experienced & have a lot of connections in the field. The people I've met so far are really passionate about their art & overall I've had some really positive experiences here so far.
Ixy
I love Columbia It was my first choice in high school where I wanted to attend. Columbia knows how to run a school. The school area might be sketchy sometimes as there's a lot of nearby alerts but it's downtown Chicago with many types of people I wouldn't blame the school on that part. Inside I feel safe as it's hard to get in without a student ID. The school always had flyers and fun events on campus before covid like game nights, cooking, sewing, dancing, and any major or culture-related events you can think of! Now off-campus with covid, there's some online too to keep us sane. I believe we lack in sports but we finally have a gym at the student center! Now personally heart to heart with the school walking around campus I feel off but not in a bad way, every single student has a talent or a motive and during high school, if I mentioned what I wanted to do, fashion, they’d tell me it was a waste of time trying to design as it’s me vs a billion. Although at Columbia students and teachers believe in my passion and support me. It’s something I’m not used to, it motivates me to keep pushing in my worse. Here I can share my ideas and dress how I want without anyone giving me a look because everyone loves how different everyone is from each other and gives each other pointers and ideas in class and out.
Adison
Please do not waste your time and read all the fine print. They care about wallets and pushing a biased agenda, nothing more, nothing less. Professors are less than adequate due to Columbia turning them over non stop and most faculty are prior students who are not experts in their fields. They actually have a comedian studies student in their admissions department, that's not a joke. Anytime you seek financial aid they tell you to take out more private loans if possible and nothing more. They also hold your official transcripts until your balance is paid which is insane in this economy.
Avoid this school. They probably wont stay accredited for long.
Brianna
Columbia is all-inclusive for the aspiring artist. I was able to deepen my appreciation for all arts--particularly music and film--while I was a student. Students were encouraged to give their unadulterated opinion on arts and politics. It's great!
Sarah
I was once asked what an inconvenience store would sell, and my response was "Columbia College Chicago merchandise". Most of the teachers were adjunct, and none of them made enough to care about the students. The professors that were passionate about their field were often fired, simply not present in enough of the majors, or too interested in selling their own books and bragging about their accomplishments. The campus never had a lot of extracurricular activities going on, the students were always high, and I found it very difficult to make friends. Professors focused on getting students to compete with one another rather than collaborating, which was supposed to be the goal of the cohort. The school cut classes and completely changed around many majors halfway through my time there, which completely damaged some students' educational paths. Columbia even bought the debt of another school halfway through my time there and guaranteed them a tuition rate they would never consider offering their own students, who had to deal with crushing tuition raises every year. I honestly wish I had dropped out before acquiring too many credits, although it would not have mattered because almost none of Columbia's classes transfer to other colleges. Instead of believing the lie that I would be guaranteed a job after graduation because "employers love Columbia grads", I wish I had been shown the reality that Columbia does not prepare students to compete for careers in competitive art fields. I don't know anyone in my cohort who got a job related to their studies after graduation, and I consider my diploma to be nothing but an incredibly expensive receipt. I am glad to have the degree because it allowed me to apply for the graduate degree that will lead to my dream job, but I would give this school less than one star if I could.
Suanna
I have loved my experience at Columbia College Chicago. It feels good to be surrounded by people doing meaningful and creative projects all of the time. The teachers are pretty much always available to answer questions or provide feedback. They have a lot of film screenings, practicum events, and networking resources. They really care that you meet the right people and are set up for success when you move on from collegiate life. I am really thankful for my opportunity to study there.
Kierra
Columbia College Chicago is a excellent school. I'm so happy I decided to come here to get a acting education. There are many good teachers here who help the students with their lessons and want to see them thrive and do something with their lives. Also there are many programs that help the students with their careers and what they want to do in life. Also there is a club here for every student that can help them make new friends and feel at home.
Paige
Expensive, but worth the money if you go for an internship.
Areyona
My overall opinion on columbia college was great school. My tour guide made sure that everyone felt comfortable no matter our different majors. He also thoroughly showed us places that can be of use to our personal life outside of the class. After the tour we also were able to meet the head of admissions who explained the whole process to us to make sure that we went home with all of our questions answered.
Kayla
Amazing school to attend if you are interested in arts media fashion business. They have many different course to choose from. The school is in the heart of Chicago so beautiful and so many things to do because everything so close by. My favorite thing about the school was the campus it was so nice and roomy. So many different cultures and many people to meet from all over the world.
Brooke
Columbia College Chicago is a good school for those looking to go into a more artistic field. The priorities lay in the arts, with lots of opportunities for students who want to professionally go into the art world, whether that be theater, film, fine arts or more.
Estefany
I honestly am in love with CCC. It’s a great school with a lot of resources and great classes. Our professors also work in the fields they teach at their current time of teaching which is why a majority of them are part-time. It’s a very expensive school, that’s no joke but it’s worth the price. Like I said before, there are a lot of resources, you just have to be willing to go out there and see what they have. This is also a school where you get out what you put in so if you so that you are truly passionate about your major and/or minor and that you’re willing to do the hard work and whatever it takes to succeed, then that's the type of experience you're going to have. But if you’re wanting a school where you can just breeze by and just party and whatnot, you’re not going to make it. Columbia is a really great school with a lot of great opportunities for students that are willing to go out there and show what they got.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Columbia College Chicago is 88%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
I would tell myself to apply for as many scholarships as I can. I am mostly happy with every other decision I made. I started at community college to save money, and then went to my dream school, Columbia.
Well, my school offers the opportunity for artistically driven young and older adults to learn their craft in a variety of fields. At Columbia College Chicago, there is a high emphasis on critical as well as creative problem solving which would be useful in a variety of industries and businesses. Our motto is to "Author the Culture of Our Times" by making an signature imprint on the world though our visions in music, dance, theater, creative writing, and a variety of other artistic channels of media. Students are encouraged to push limits of creative visions that express their world interpretations .
What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
The worst thing about my school are the three hour classes. Three hours is a long period of time, and for the most part information either becomes confusing, or the student begins to tire, so much to that he or she cannot pay attention.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
Columbia College is one of the recommended colleges told by my former English professor, and I'm glad it was recommended because I adored with the art classes and it shows that they care for art students as much as any other art colleges.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
The most frustrating thing about my school the cost. Yes I get that college is not free , but its real unfortunate when students have to leave a school that they love because they can't afford to stay here.
A person with the passion and desire to make something of their life should go to this school. I feel that attending a private school in one of the greatest cities in the world that the sky is the limit. If your the type of person that wants to be more focus on the future at a younger age you should attend Columbia College. From personal experience college campus life can be distracting. Living in the city without the fraternities and sororities helps a lot.
What kind of person should not attend this school?
The kind of person that should not attend Columbia college is one that does not appreciate creativity. Columbia college is in the midst of downtown chicago, which is in the heart of the "art district" and each program explores an element of the creative arts.
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
When telling friends about Columbia I brag most about the teachers. All of the teachers are professionals who are currently working in their field. They bring so much insight to the class room as well as industry connections.
The classes are super small which is really fantastic and helpful because you are able to get one on one help from your teacher. Most of my teachers are extremely knowledgeable in the field they are teaching and all the teachers really encourage participation so much student do participate well and we usually have really great discussions. The small classes also help to become good friends and possible career partners with people.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
The TV and film clubs tend to be pretty popular since they make up a large percentage of the school, #savecolumbia became very popular, Common Ground (the LGBTQA club is pretty popular as well), Student Government Association (SGA), the quidditch team, and many many more.
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
Columbia College Chicago is a college that is completely unique. Learning is focused more on the networking, and how you might use a class in your professional career. The college has definitely taken a new twist on liberal arts education. The most unique thing about Columbia College Chicago are the students themselves. When you think of an arts school, you might have images of kids wearing paint splattered clothes, and people with an interesting sense of style. I love that even though art school students are often labeled as "hipsters", students on campus do not always fit that mold. We are kids that have a passion for what we are going to school for. We live what we love. If that makes us "hipster" or "art school freaks", then I will gladly wear that stereotype.
There are pros and cons of going to Columbia but all the things I have learned and have gained from columbia is defiantly worth every penny I paid here. All the teachers are working or have woken in the industry they are teaching so they have a ton of connections and can really help in finding a job. I like the city but it is hard to receive the sense of a college community because your in the heart of the city. I wish they had more sports and advertised sports around campus more because I was athletic in high school and miss doing sports when I came here. The school is exspensive and the supplies are exspensive but I leaned soo very much and built a really great portfolio and resume. I feel like I will earn ever penny back that I spent at Columbia because I went to Columbia.
Where is the best place to get work done on campus?
Either in the library, coffee shops, or the computer labs in certain buildings. Some work has to be done in designated areas though such as sewing or photo printing because certain equipment is needed.
Columbia's urban campus has a wide variety of dining options. Most of the on-campus residence halls have kitchens in-unit, therefore it is sometimes easiest to stock the fridge and make your own meals (that's what I did when I lived on campus). The cafeteria is located in the University Center (UC) and is a building shared by four local universities (Columbia, DePaul, Robert Morris, and Roosevelt). A meal plan is included in the housing cost for all students living in the UC. If you live in any of the other buildings, you may purchase a supplementary meal plan and enter the cafeteria during meal times.
With or without a meal plan, there are countless restaurants and places to grab a quick bite. The college also has a few cafes on campus to get coffee and a sandwich between class.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
88% of students attending Columbia College Chicago receive some sort of financial aid.
35% were awarded federal grants.69%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.