In this blog post I share my Columbia application to help students write their own application essays. At the end you can read a breakdown and tips to help you out with your essays.
Columbia University Writing Supplement
Writing Questions
List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words or less)
A dynamic, diverse, highly motivated student body committed to academic and personal integrity. A campus community that values outreach; fruitful interactions between college and surrounding environment. Small classes that promote sincere student-professor engagements and independent student inquiry. Helpful upperclassmen and pre-medicine advising network. Numerous opportunities to study abroad in low-income countries. Plenty of summer neuroscience or biochemistry research internships on- and off-campus. Vegetarian-friendly cafeteria.East Coast. Urban setting. Breathtaking campus.Field trips and easy access to nearby museums. Opportunities for exciting excursions to other historically significant locations off-campus. Environment conducive to team-based projects and developing solutions to real- world problems. Open and enthusiastic Bhangra or hip-hop dance team. Comfortable dorms. Savvy, resourceful resident advisers. Elite debate team. Politically active campus community that by its nature encourages friendly argumentation and profound philosophical discourse. Plenty of Kantians!
List the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year.
1. In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)
2. On Writing (Stephen King)
3. One Writer's Beginnings (Eudora Welty)
4. Columbine (Dave Cullen)
5. The Prince (Niccolò Machiavelli)
6. The Art of War (Sun Tzu)
7. The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
8. Simplicissimus (read in English)
9. Emil und die Detektive (read in German)
10. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bill Bryson)
11. The Things They Carried (Tim O'Brien)12. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)13. Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)14. The Elements of Style (William Strunk Jr.)15. The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne)16. Darfur: A 21st Century Genocide (Gerard Prunier)
List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year.
1. Dare to Matter: Choosing an Unstuck and Unapologetic Life of Significance (Pete Smith)
2. The Other Side (Kate Granger)
3. Split Second (Douglas E. Richards)
4. Outliers: The Story of Success (Malcolm Gladwell)
5. Gunslinger, Dark Tower I (Stephen King)
6. Freakonomics (Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt)
7. Consider the Lobster (David Foster Wallace)
8. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (John Locke)
9. The Social Contract (Jean Jacques Rousseau)
List the titles of the print, electronic publications and websites you read regularly.
1. The New York Times2. Teen Ink3. The Huffington Post4. The Economist5. TEDx6. Wall Street Journal7. Existential Comics8. Procon.org9. Debatedrills.com
10. Journal of Chemical Education
11. Scientific American
List the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year.
Films: 8 Mile, Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnorak, Interstellar (again), Logan Lucky, The Dark Knight Rises (again)Concerts: Fall Out Boy/Blackbear, The Weeknd/Rae SremmurdShows: Criminal Minds, Mindhunter, Myth Busters, Daredevil, Stranger Things, Gotham, Black Mirror, Supernatural, OzarkExhibits: The First Ladies, The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, Within These Walls (Smithsonian National Museum of American History)Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend, Dinosaurs in Our Backyard (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History)Beautiful Blooms: Flowering Plants on Stamps, My Fellow Soldiers: Letters from World War I (Smithsonian National Postal Museum)Other entertainment: Danced/performed at numerous parties and Indian wedding ceremonies in front of hundreds. I dance daily for an hour to my own choreography, which rejuvenates me after rigorous homework and hour-and-half-long commutes for school.I have an 11-hour Spotify playlist and challenge myself to generate choreography to vastly different musical genres, from classic Indian to dubstep.
Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)
Columbia is premised on the idea of a community dedicated to collaboration and mutual progress. I would greatly appreciate peer and resident advisers who provide insightful tips about customizing my curriculum, plan exciting excursions to New York City, and arrange small-scale “guacafests” (delicious, I’m sure). Columbia's vision of collaboration isn't confined to campus, but rather is devoted to service beyond its gated walls: from providing for the Morningside Heights community through Columbia Community Outreach to addressing global challenges through innovative research projects and generous summer grants. I would love to partake in Columbia’s Neuroscience and Philosophy Outreach programs to help imbue in others the love I feel for the realms.Columbia also lends itself to cultural diversity – no surprising feat given its 14 Special Interest Communities and numerous organizations committed to enabling open dialogue on diversity, identity, and privilege. I have written several debate cases about identity politics and deconstructing personal privilege, so I can imagine myself participating actively in Columbia’s “Sundaes on Mondays” explorations of diversity.Columbia’s collaborative environment also bolsters pioneering and interdisciplinary research projects. I am eager to witness the Zuckerman Institute's innovative Brain Index, which combines digital art and neurobiology to depict a precise and stunning visualization of the brain. Through debate, I have met many Columbia students, and they have told me that the Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation of knowledge that facilitates both fierce argumentation and friendly conversation about question such as whether truth really exists and why certain segments of society are alienated.Only at Columbia can I envision myself making friends while playing intramural soccer, discussing Aristotle over dinner in John Jay, bonding with professors in small classrooms, and having practice debate rounds with like- minded peers on the Parliamentary Debate team.
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.
“No way!” I stammered. I stood there in my monogrammed lab coat, holding a euthanized mouse that seemingly refused to accept its death: it tossed violently as its autonomic nervous system continued to fire off signals.The poor creature was born lacking the vital Sox11 gene in its cortical cells, thus becoming an unwitting ally in my quest to learn more about brain development. Over the next week, I visualized the cell structure under a microscope. The event was unforgettable—and yet a typical experience during my research internship.The brain genuinely intrigues me. I am astonished that sublime emotional experiences and great intellectual pursuits are all rooted in the simple firing of neurotransmitters and tidbits of DNA. My curiosity continued far beyond my enriching internship. At science fairs, I met experts who cross-examined my knowledge of neuroscience, which encouraged me to keep reading primary-source articles from my mentor’s reading list.Actually, my final project begged more enticing questions, such as: How can experience itself strengthen the signaling power of the synapse? Which proteins in the nervous system respond to injury? I hope to continue researching the answers at Columbia College.I’m also interested in studying the broader social implications of such questions. Throughout my studies of works by David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and John Locke for high school debate, I have learned the importance of articulating the ramifications of scientific results in a social context. My daily three hour-long total bus commutes give me ample time to contemplate life’s questions and develop my own philosophical thought. Neuroscience and philosophy give rise to numerous fields of study such as the nature of consciousness and the possibility of a human soul.
If you are submitting a science research abstract, please upload it here.
Uploaded document attachedScience research abstract
Description of Research:
My neuroscience research took place the summer of 2016 at Georgetown University’s Biology Laboratory, in which I worked as an intern for 9 weeks and 350+ hours under the guidance of Professor Maria Donoghue and Assistant Professor Maryna Baydyuk. Throughout the internship, I conducted maxi prep, stained brain tissue samples with fluorescent antibodies, analyzed abnormal cell structures under a microscope using complex image-processing software, genotyped mice using gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reactions, created LB broth and cultured cells, and gave several presentations to doctoral candidates in my lab. I culminated the internship with a project of my interest related to the lab’s focus (SoxC genes). I became intrigued by concepts such as the folding of the cerebral cortex, the role of SoxC genes in the brain, and the function of human embryonic cells in neuroscience research. The American Academy of Neurology recognized my final project, which compared mouse and frog transcription factors, among the top 15 neuroscience projects in the country.
Analysis, Tips, Breakdown
In this blog post, I’ve shared my Columbia University application essays to help guide fellow students through their own application writing process. Below, I provide an analysis of the essays, offer tips based on my experiences, and break down what made these responses effective.
Analysis of My Columbia University Supplement Essays
For my Columbia essays, I meticulously chose topics and narratives that resonate with the university’s culture and values, ensuring that each response underlined my fit and enthusiasm for Columbia.
1. Ideal College Community: Here, I described the attributes of my ideal college community. My goal was to reflect a vision that aligns with Columbia's own community values—diversity, academic integrity, and a commitment to solving real-world problems. This essay allowed me to paint a picture of what I seek in a university environment and subtly align it with the known characteristics of Columbia.
2. Reading and Engagement: Listing the books and media I enjoyed most over the past year, I aimed to showcase not only my diverse interests but also my intellectual curiosity. This approach helps admissions officers see the breadth of my engagement with different ideas and disciplines, reinforcing my fit for a place as intellectually vibrant as Columbia.
3. What I Value About Columbia: This essay is perhaps the most direct connection to the university. I discussed specific programs, resources, and aspects of campus life that excite me, demonstrating a deep understanding of what Columbia offers. By tying these elements to my personal experiences and goals, I highlighted how Columbia is uniquely suited to help me grow both academically and personally.
Tips for Writing Compelling Application Essays
Focus on Fit: Tailor your essays to reflect how your personal goals and interests align with what the university offers. Research deeply and mention specific resources or opportunities that excite you about the school.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through. Admissions officers read thousands of essays, so a genuine voice can make your application stand out.
Show Diversity of Interests: Especially for schools like Columbia, showcasing a wide range of interests suggests you’ll take full advantage of their broad academic and extracurricular offerings.
Revise, Then Revise Again: Never underestimate the power of polishing. Revise your essays multiple times and get feedback from teachers or mentors who know you well.
Breakdown of Effective Essay Writing
Narrative: Start with a narrative hook to engage the reader immediately. Personal anecdotes or vivid descriptions of experiences can effectively draw attention.
Detail: Use specific details when discussing your interests or experiences. General statements are less impactful than detailed descriptions that reveal your thought process or passion.
Connection: Make sure every part of the essay connects back to you and your desire to attend the university. Whether discussing books, extracurriculars, or academic interests, tie these back to your personal journey and future aspirations.
Conclusion
Writing these essays was a journey of self-discovery and reflection. My hope in sharing these essays and breakdowns is that they will assist you in crafting your own unique and compelling Columbia University application. Remember, the key is to convey not just why you are a great candidate, but why you are a perfect fit for Columbia specifically.
If you found this breakdown helpful and want more insights into navigating college applications, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and reading more essays on my Substack. Each platform offers additional resources and advice to help you on your journey to college success. Good luck with your applications!
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