Freshman
A freshman student is an individual who has completed or will complete high school, home school, or a GED by the time he or she enrolls at Columbia, and who has not earned college credit after high school.
Columbia’s own application is available online.
Ready to apply?
Go directly to Columbia’s Admissions Application.
Planning to live on campus?
Go to the Housing Application.
Complete the online application and essay question
Essay question options:
- Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
- Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
- Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
- Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
- A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
- Topic of your choice.
Official Transcript
All applicants are required to submit their official high school transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
High School Applicant: Have your most recent and/or final transcript sent by your school
GED Applicant: Have an official copy of your GED test results (including your scores) sent from the testing agency. Certificates of GED completion are not accepted.
Home School Applicant: Have an official copy of your home school transcript sent from a state-recognized home school.
ACT/SAT Scores – strongly recommended
If you have taken the ACT or SAT, and your scores are not on your high school transcript, please arrange to have your test results forwarded separately to the Admissions Office. Although the ACT or SAT is not required for admission to Columbia College Chicago, these tests are valuable tools for advising new students. All students are strongly encouraged to complete one of them while they are in high school. In many cases ACT scores may be used as an alternative to the College’s placement tests.
Letter of Recommendation
One letter of recommendation from your instructor, counselor, advisor, or other individual is required to complete your application.
Your recommender may choose to submit a letter they have written, or they may download our recommendation form. Please note: the applicant must complete the top portion of the form.
The full name and date of birth of the applicant should be featured at the very top the message.
Immunization Records
All applicants are required to have their immunization records provided to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students are required to submit records showing proof of specific immunizations as follows:
- One tetanus/diphtheria shot within the last ten years
- Two separate measles shots during your lifetime
- One rubella shot, and one mumps shot; OR one tetanus/diphtheria shot within the last ten years
- A combination of one MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and a second measles vaccination.
Students born prior to January 1, 1957 and students enrolled in fewer than six credit hours are exempt from complying with this law, Illinois Public Act #85-1315.
Completed applications can be reviewed without immunization records on file. However, all students are required to have complete immunization records on file prior to Orientation/Registration.
The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that serves students by providing an admission application—online and in print—that students may submit to any of the more than 400 colleges that are members of the organization.
Ready to apply?
Go directly to The Common Application.
Planning to live on campus?
Go to the Housing Application.
Complete the online application and essay question
Essay question options:
- Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
- Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
- Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
- Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
- A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
- Topic of your choice.
Official Transcript
All applicants are required to submit their official high school transcripts to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
High School Applicant: Have your most recent and/or final transcript sent by your school
GED Applicant: Have an official copy of your GED test results (including your scores) sent from the testing agency. Certificates of GED completion are not accepted.
Home School Applicant: Have an official copy of your home school transcript sent from a state-recognized home school.
ACT/SAT Scores – strongly recommended
If you have taken the ACT or SAT, and your scores are not on your high school transcript, please arrange to have your test results forwarded separately to the Admissions Office. Although the ACT or SAT is not required for admission to Columbia College Chicago, these tests are valuable tools for advising new students. All students are strongly encouraged to complete one of them while they are in high school. In many cases ACT scores may be used as an alternative to the College’s placement tests.
Letter of Recommendation
One letter of recommendation from your instructor, counselor, advisor, or other individual is required to complete your application.
Your recommender may choose to submit a letter they have written, or they may download our recommendation form. Please note: the applicant must complete the top portion of the form.
The full name and date of birth of the applicant should be featured at the very top the message.
Immunization Records
All applicants are required to have their immunization records provided to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Students are required to submit records showing proof of specific immunizations as follows:
- One tetanus/diphtheria shot within the last ten years
- Two separate measles shots during your lifetime
- One rubella shot, and one mumps shot; OR one tetanus/diphtheria shot within the last ten years
- A combination of one MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and a second measles vaccination.
Students born prior to January 1, 1957 and students enrolled in fewer than six credit hours are exempt from complying with this law, Illinois Public Act #85-1315.
Completed applications can be reviewed without immunization records on file. However, all students are required to have complete immunization records on file prior to Orientation/Registration.