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Founded in 1879, Columbus College of Art and Design. is a Private college. Located in Ohio, which is a city setting in Ohio, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 1,060 full time undergraduate students, and 35 full time graduate students.
The Columbus College of Art and Design Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. There are 63 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Columbus College of Art and Design include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
75%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
50
SAT Range
ACT Range
Admissions at CCAD are considered Less Selective, with ,12% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 37 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
57% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 14% were in the top quarter, and 2% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Columbus College of Art and Design.
10%
“We”re apathetic”
15%
“We know about current events and vote”
50%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
25%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
19%
“Sometimes, but not often”
43%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
38%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
5%
“I only go out in groups”
38%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
57%
“I feel extremely safe”
89%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
0%
“We bought the gear”
11%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
5%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
5%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
90%
“We”re a very artistic group”
5%
“Haven”t met them”
10%
“Available in class”
33%
“They keep regular office hours”
52%
“They”re always available”
90%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
10%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
0%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
24%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
43%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
29%
“We only party on weekends”
5%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
24%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
38%
“There might be people who do”
33%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
5%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
10%
“We”re apathetic”
15%
“We know about current events and vote”
50%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
25%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
19%
“Sometimes, but not often”
43%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
38%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
5%
“I only go out in groups”
38%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
57%
“I feel extremely safe”
89%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
0%
“We bought the gear”
11%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
5%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
5%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
90%
“We”re a very artistic group”
5%
“Haven”t met them”
10%
“Available in class”
33%
“They keep regular office hours”
52%
“They”re always available”
90%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
10%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
0%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
68 Students rated on-campus housing 3.2 stars. 12 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
60 Students rated off-campus housing 3.4 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
73 Students rated campus food 3.2 stars. 15 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
78 Students rated campus facilities 4 stars. 37 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
78 Students rated class size 4.4 stars. 59 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
78 Students rated school activities 3.2 stars. 15 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
78 Students rated local services 4 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
78 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.
Columbus College of Art and Design REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Columbus College of Art and Design?
25 Students rated Columbus College of Art and Design
Sam
College04/29/2025
The thing that stands out to me the most is the endless potential of opportunities in Columbus College of Art and Design. The campus and community is the perfect size to create tight relationships and expand on my connections. As a graphic design student, the programs they provide are perfect for my career, too. I'm excited to see what kinds of art I will be able to create when I have access to the many tools they have availale for the students, like the photography dark room and 3d printers. I hope I am able to make the best use of these opportunities, I cannot wait to attend Columbus College of Art and Design!
Dani
College04/22/2025
The Professors here are clearly passionate and dedicated to their students. I have made great connections and gained valuable experience in my time here. Some of the facilites and non-teaching staff leave some to be desired. I do wish more classes were offered at different times but I understand that there are complications. Overall I do love this place and would highly recommend.
Max
04/20/2023
I love it. I'm so excited to be attending in the fall. I have always wanted to be a comic artist, and I feel so lucky to have found a school with a comics major and such wonderful facilities. The students and staff I've met also seem so nice and welcoming, and I can't wait to get to know everyone and make new friends.
Jennifer
03/19/2023
When I started CCAD I was very excited about my journey there but have been disappointed. There is very little student engagement and almost no activities. There also are not a lot of clubs or none that meet on a regular basis. Most of my classes this year were relatively good. I have had some good professors and learned a lot about myself and where I needed to grow. Some teachers were better than others. A small percentage of the time the teachers felt rushed or wanted a project or assignment to be finished instead wanting us to be inspired. That was disappointing as a student. The community feels very small practically no student engagement. That along with a large portion of the student body going home each weekend has made my year at CCAD not the best, Yes, they will have occasionally have student events but in terms of on campus the spirit is kinda lost. There is so much that CCAD could do to improve itself but I cannot see the school making any changes or not any time soon.
Ivette
05/12/2020
It is a great school to be in, the art and the general culture brings so much happiness into the school. There are so many people with unique styles in this school and you can learn a lot from just walking into a classroom and making conversation with others. This campus creates an environment where everyone can feel safe and spend time together having fun while working hard. The teachers and staff are really helpful as well and make sure to check up on you when you need it.
Sierra
10/05/2019
The school is quite amazing, in my opinion! The classes all revolve around the arts, so it really helps with everyone's major. Classes are smaller, and it reminds me of the size of an average high school class; but not in a bad way! The professors are kind and understanding.
Nicole
09/16/2019
Honestly, for the cost of tuition it's overpriced, some of the facilities are somewhat nice, they have great workshops for wood and metal work, and there are lots of good adjunct professors. Communication from the administration isn't great. There also isn't much to do in the surrounding area because it is in the middle of the business district. Overall, could be worse, could be better.
Julie
04/30/2019
I loved my time at CCAD. I felt like the quality of the courses and teachers were a huge asset to achieving my goals as an artist. The connections made with professionals in the field and also the connections the school had to major companies made job searches easy.
Josephine
04/18/2019
I am in love with this school so in love that I'm willing to go in to debt just so that I can attend. The professors are invested and enthusiastic about what they teach, you can tell as soon as you walk in to a class that they are there because they want to be and they want you to succeed.
Gabrielle
10/11/2018
My opinion on Columbus College of Art and Design is very good. I am very excited to do an official tour of the campus. I have heard great things of the school itself and would be honored to go to such a school. Their animation program is one of the best. I personally love the atmosphere of the school and cannot wait to visit and apply!
Jaydon
09/01/2018
It’s a college of topics and subjects that are narrowed down, to give better focus to the classes that are associated directly to your major. The people in Ohio are very friendly and knowledgeable. There are shops of all kinds that are in walking distance. Great food. Great college atmosphere.
Brianna
05/11/2018
It's a good school but expensive. The teachers are helpful and students are close and willing to help each other. The construction on campus during the second semester was really frustrating though since it's such a small space to begin with. I love all the opportunities the school had given me and other students.
Laurissa
05/02/2018
Great when it comes to Art, teachers try to include all majors. Communication is the weakest point and many times can mess up important things, whether it's events on campus to critically important financial aid, they will not contact you until it is too late. Liberal art teachers are a hit or miss, they are either good at what they do or they suffer poorly.
Jennifer
01/25/2018
I love it here. Most people are nice and accepting. The teachers are caring and helpful, well most. The one-spot tries helping with money problems and to keep in going to school. The Dorms are nice. Foods kinda good, depends on the day. Big selection of shops and places to eat.
Abbey
01/24/2018
Some of the faculty and staff here are amazing, they've provided me with guidance and resources that have helped me immensely and I genuinely enjoy both their teaching style and them as people. The institution as a whole, however, is a different story. I've had several teachers who were hired mere days before the class they were teaching began, and the financial aid department is wildly unhelpful.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Columbus College of Art and Design is 75%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
If given the opportunity to go back and speak to myself as a senior in high school, I would decline the offer. Everything I learned about college was learned through experiences, both good and bad. Why would I deny myself the chance to learn from experiences that I treasure? I knew what to expect in high school as far as college goes, and I knew that it was going to be a big new world for me. I would not take the chance of speaking to myself in the past and ruining all of the experience up front. What's college life without learning from new experiences and friends?
Lots of opportunities, diverse classes, etc. Teachers are always trying to get us to be our best and constantly encouraging us, and bringing in guest speakers.
What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?
I brag most about not having to take many courses outside my major field of study. I've been able to focus almost solely on illustration with out being distracted by math or science classes. I was taking courses relevant to my major my freshman year. This allowed me to see if it was a good fit for me and to start improvement early on in my college career.
The Columbus College of Art and Design is best known for producing artists of very high skill in a very high amount. Many allumni have worked for big name corporations, such as Disney, Pixar Studios, Victoria's Secret, and a multitude of other businesses ranging from animation to graphic design. The allumni are very loyal to CCAD and make trips back to CCAD for seminars and events.
What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
The cost of the school is too high in my opinion. My parents are helping me pay for school, and when I was in High School the College told my parents I would get so much financial aid, and portfolio scholarships from them that my tuition would virtually be nothing. That is not the case. I am just hoping that I will graduate when I am supposed to, I was barely able to sign up for classes next semester.
Someone who is open to change and to other people. Everyone at an art school is already their own unique, special brand of person. You not only have to have a creative and open mind for art, but also to everyone around you. You would be surprised to find that art isn't the only thing that could inspire you, but the different people you meet here will be enough to inspire you to let go and become your own person as well. Everyone here is do wierd and unique that it makes it easier for others to open up.
Small class sizes and class participation will help prepare you for presenting in a work setting. Art school is a totally different style of learning, but it's very valuable and A LOT of work!
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
There are the fine arts students, the animation students, and others. We notice the differences between the majors, but most people still have no problems interacting with other majors.
Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
- CCAD students are not all crazy... just some of them. - Fewer people are medicated than not, but most of the prescribed should be taking the meds!
- The CCAD community is mostly not gay, but it is an open environment, where gay people are less likely to be singled-out.
- CCAD actually does a fantastic job of preparing most of its students for the career world. However, I highly recommend choosing a design degree rather than fine art. You can find ways to incorporate your passions into your designs. If you like sculpture, do fashion design or industrial design. If you like illustration, do graphic design. Just sayin'!
- Many students at CCAD would struggle in a traditional collegiate setting b/c they learn differently than other people. The liberal arts courses are modified for CCAD students b/c taking studio and liberal arts courses at the same time is like training for a swim meet and sporadically being told to climb a mountain. Even if you're in peak physical condition, you're not acclimated to that specific sport.
- CCAD students are too pretentious too young. But they take pride in what they do, form solid opinions, and work really hard to follow their visions. Granted, it is still a college and there are some losers, druggies, and chumps, but that's not the norm.
They great! 97{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of them are easy to comprehend and very helpful. They take the time to go over lessons and art demos with you and explain further if you don't understand it at first. A lot of the teachers will stay after hours for you and some even hold work groups near midterms and end of semesters. If anything, I think the teachers are some of the greatest parts of the school, and CCAD would be terrible without them. Except one philosophy teacher. He was terrible. . .
What is the stereotype of students at your school?
- CCAD students are all crazy
- CCAD students are all medicated
- CCAD students are all gay
- CCAD students are all on drugs
- Getting an art degree will result in a long-term career as a barista at Starbucks.
- Students attend CCAD b/c they cannot function at "real school"
- CCAD students are too pretentious too young
CCAD is a great size. You'll know most of the kids in your major and projected graduation year, and you'll consistently see many of the same people... makes it easy to feel at home.
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.
99% of students attending Columbus College of Art and Design receive some sort of financial aid.
49% were awarded federal grants.90%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
