A world-renowned and top-ranked academy, Columbia is no uncertainty an excellent choice for graduate school, no thing what field you program to written report. Only to get in, you'll need to have a bang-up GRE score. What are the boilerplate Columbia GRE scores? Is in that location a minimum GRE score for Columbia University?

Read on to learn what Columbia is known for, how competitive the school is in terms of GRE scores, and what kinds of GRE scores and GPAs its various grad programs look for in applicants.

Feature Prototype: Andreas Komodromos/Flickr

What Kind of Schoolhouse Is Columbia University?

Founded in 1754 in New York Urban center, Columbia is i of the oldest and virtually renowned institutions of higher education in the United States. The private research university and Ivy League fellow member is currently home to more than than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Columbia houses several highly ranked colleges and professional schools, including the Columbia Business School, the Teachers College, and the Columbia Law Schoolhouse.

Columbia GRE Scores: How Competitive Is Columbia?

Columbia University is an extremely competitive school for graduate applicants.

The average GRE scores of admitted applicants at Columbiarange from 154 to 167 for Verbal Reasoning and 156 to 170 for Quantitative Reasoning. Many graduate programs adopt to see Verbal and Quant scores in at least the 160s, or the elevation 5-20%. (Note that average Verbal scores are typically higher for humanities and social sciences programs, whereas boilerplate Quant scores are usually higher for math and science programs.)

As for Analytical Writing (AW), which is often considered the least important section of the GRE, the boilerplate AW score for Columbia is around four.0-5.0.

Because in that location'southward such a variety of programs at Columbia, the GRE scores you'll need to get into your program can differ significantly from the scores expected of other programs. For case, you lot tin can't look to demand the same Verbal score for an technology plan every bit you'd need for an art history PhD program.

This is only the general range of average GRE scores at Columbia. But what GRE scores should y'all be aiming for exactly? We go over how you tin find this data next.

What's a Good GRE Score for Columbia?

In this section, we provide you lot with an overview of the Columbia University average GRE scores for various grad programs.

For each programme, we as well give you its The states News ranking, note whether it requires the GRE or not, and requite y'all its boilerplate undergrad GPA and acceptance rate (if available).

More often than not speaking, for most grad programs, GRE score information will be presented in 1 of iii ways:

  • Required GRE scores: These are the minimum GRE scores you must get to be eligible for admission to a detail program. Getting lower than this score will most likely issue in an automatic rejection.
  • Recommended GRE scores: These are "guideline" scores a certain program prefers applicants to have. Getting these scores (or fifty-fifty higher) will brand you a competitive candidate for admission and raise your chances of getting in.
  • Average GRE scores: These are the average (mean) scores of previously admitted applicants to a programme. Getting these scores means you're on part with other applicants. If you can become higher than the GRE average, though, your application volition stand out even more!

All the Columbia grad programs and schools beneath are listed alphabetically (by program proper name,non degree type). Programs refer to both primary's and doctoral programs unless otherwise noted.

Most Columbia programs that offering any GRE score info seem to study the average scores of admitted students; however, some programs might instead report recommended or minimum required GRE scores. This is the same with GPAs, with virtually programs at Columbia offer average GPAs and some offer recommended GPAs.

Program US News Ranking GRE Required? Avg. GRE Scores Avg. GPA Credence Charge per unit
Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics programs fifteen (Best Applied Math Programs) Yep 5: 64th %ile
Q: 82nd %ile
AW: 64th %ile
Unavailable Unavailable
Art History PhD Yep Recommended
5: 167
Q: 160
AW: 5.v
Unavailable Unavailable
Master of Business Assistants (MBA) 9 (Best Business concern Schools) GRE or GMAT GRE Unavailable
GMAT
732
iii.60/4.00 17.one%
Business Schoolhouse PhD programs nine (Best Concern Schools) GRE or GMAT V: 90th %ile
Q: 90th %ile
AW: 90th %ile
Unavailable Unavailable
Information science MS 13 (Best Informatics Schools) Yes Q: 750
(Old scoring scale)
Recommended
three.50/iv.00
Unavailable
Figurer Science PhD 13 (Best Computer Science Schools) Yes Five: 159
Q: 166
AW: 4.3
Unavailable Unavailable
Information Science MS Yes 5: 157
Q: 166
AW: three.8
iii.seventy/4.00 Unavailable
Engineering 12 (All-time Engineering Schools) Yes Q: 91st %ile Unavailable Unavailable
English language and Comparative Literature iii (Best English Programs) Yes Five: 95th %ile Recommended
3.70/4.00
<five%
History PhD 6 (All-time History Programs) Yep Unavailable 3.60/4.00 Unavailable
Juris Dr. (JD) — Law v (Best Police Schools) GRE or LSAT GRE
Unavailable
LSAT
171
3.73/iv.00 16.7%
Mathematics of Finance MA 4 (Best Finance Programs) GRE or GMAT Five: 161
Q: 170
AW: 4.0
three.70/4.00 Unavailable
Middle Eastern, S Asian, and African Studies Yes Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable
Modern Fine art MA Yep Recommended
V: 167
Q: 160
AW: 5.5
Unavailable 27%
Schoolhouse of Nursing 11 (All-time Nursing Schools: Master's); xix (Best Nursing Schools: Dr. of Nursing Practice) Yes, unless you get a GRE waiver Five: 50th %ile
Q: 50th %ile
AW: 50th %ile
3.xxx-3.60/4.00 Unavailable
Dr. of Physical Therapy 36 (Best Concrete Therapy Schools) Yes V: 156
Q: 155.6
AW: 4.iii
3.61/iv.00 18%
Public Wellness 5 (Best Public Health Schools) Yes V: 159
Q: 158
AW: iv.3
3.xxx/iv.00 Unavailable
Social-Organizational Psychology MA 17 (Best Psychology Schools) GRE or GMAT V: 162
Q: 160
AW: four.0
three.56/4.00 Unavailable
Masters in Sociology 11 (Best Sociology Programs) Aye Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable

Source: columbia.edu

Your face when you (hopefully!) get your acceptance from Columbia.

What Are Your Chances of Access to Columbia?

Now that we've gone over what typical Columbia GRE scores and GPAs wait like, how can you know your own chances of getting into the grad plan you lot're applying to at Columbia?

In order to reply this question, we'll need to consider iii central factors. But earlier we take a await at those, let's quickly go over some important estimates.

The following GRE scores and GPA should make you a competitive bidder for almost grad programs at Columbia Academy:

  • If Exact is your more than important score, around 165 on Exact, 160 on Quant, and 4.5+ on AW: Reading-heavy programs at Columbia unremarkably prefer Verbal scores in at least the mid-160s and AW scores around 4.5 (preferably five.0+). Quant isn't that important, just you should still aim adequately high—around 160.
  • If Quant is your more important score, around 166-167 on Quant, 160 on Verbal, and 4.5 on AW: Math- and science-based programs at Columbia strongly value high Quant scores, then it'due south critical you get in the mid- to loftier 160s on Quant. Exact and AW are less important, so try to aim for effectually 160 on the former and 4.v on the latter.
  • A 3.half dozen/4.0 GPA or higher: Most Columbia programs want applicants to have between a B+ and A- average, though some prefer GPAs closer to 3.7 or three.eight. Don't forget that the rigor of your undergraduate coursework will be taken into consideration, too, so fifty-fifty if your GPA isn't super high, if you took mostly difficult classes, this should reverberate positively on your application.

These are the (very general) GRE scores and GPA that you should aim for to make you a stiff candidate for admission to most Columbia programs. That said, there are a couple of caveats to be aware of.

For one, GRE score and GPA expectations can vary a lot at Columbia depending on the programme you're applying to. Therefore, information technology'south certainly possible that yous could get into a programme at this institution with GRE scores or a GPA lower than what we recommend above.

Secondly, Columbia is still a super selective school, so even if you have an impressive GPA or extremely high GRE scores, these factors solitary won't necessarily guarantee y'all'll be admitted to your program of choice.

Now that we've covered all the general requirements you must meet to raise your odds of getting into Columbia as a grad student, let'south await at the three most of import factors that volition impact your chances of getting in.

#1: Is There a Minimum Required GRE Score or GPA?

One big factor you'll need to consider is whether your program has a minimum GRE score requirement and/or GPA requirement. Every bit the chart above indicates, most programs at Columbia do non accept a minimum GRE score cutoff.

That said, if your particular programme does accept a minimum required GRE score, you lot absolutely must come across this threshold just to even exist considered for admission. (Some programs might brand exceptions to this, but you lot'll need to check with the program directly to come across whether this is the case or not.)

If your plan recommends a certain GRE score but does not crave it, you lot'll yet want to aim for this score or higher. Doing this will prove that you're able to come across the minimum expectations of the program. While getting a score lower than what your Columbia graduate programme recommends doesn't necessarily hateful you'll be rejected, it doesn't say anything impressive almost yous and raises your odds of getting weeded out early on.

In terms of GPA expectations, virtually Columbia grad programs don't maintain a minimum GPA requirement. Withal, the average GPA of admitted students is still pretty loftier—around three.6-three.vii out of 4.0. If you have a lower GPA, you can endeavour to raise your odds of getting into Columbia past improving other areas on your awarding.

#2: How Does Your GRE Score Compare to the Boilerplate?

The easiest way to determine what GRE scores yous should shoot for when applying to Columbia is to discover the average GRE scores for your plan.

Normally, you'll desire to aim for at least your program's boilerplate GRE score, if not higher; doing this should give you a neat shot at getting admitted, as it proves you lot're just as qualified equally the electric current students are.

For example, say you're applying to Columbia'due south Master of Public Wellness plan. For this plan, to get on par with its GRE averages, you would demand to score at to the lowest degree 159 on Verbal, 158 on Quant, and 4.v on AW. If you got scores higher than these—such as 163 on Verbal, 160 on Quant, and five.0 on AW—you'd be an even more competitive bidder.

Unfortunately, not all Columbia programs have made their GRE score information available online. If you tin can't find any average scores, minimum score requirements, or recommended scores for your specific plan, use our detailed guide to what a good GRE score is to help you estimate what score you should be targeting.

Don't neglect the other parts of your application!

#3: How Strong Is the Remainder of Your Awarding?

The final factor that can affect your adventure of admission to Columbia grad school is the residue of your application, besides your GRE scores and GPA.

Here are some of the most important components you lot'll be evaluated on:

  • How interesting, unique, and authentic your argument of purpose is
  • How strong your letters of recommendation are
  • Whether you've engaged in whatsoever research, work, and/or volunteer feel in your field
  • How closely your research interests align with those of professors in the program

Although GRE scores and GPA are undoubtedly important for making yourself wait like an ideal candidate to the admissions commission, they're certainly not the only parts of your application you should worry nearly! Be certain to spend lots of time making your grad schoolhouse awarding as strong every bit possible.

In the stop, even something as "small" as a cliched argument of purpose or disruptive CV could make Columbia decline you, and then give it your all!

What'due south Next?

You now have a sense of what kinds of GRE scores you'll need for Columbia. But what about other pinnacle schools? Check out our expert guides to see what GRE scores y'all'll need for Harvard, Yale (coming before long), and Princeton (coming soon).

Desire to learn more about boilerplate GRE scores? Read about the boilerplate GRE scores past major besides as the average GRE scores by schoolhouse.

Set up to meliorate your GRE score by 7 points?

We've written a eBook nigh the top five strategies you lot must exist using to have a shot at improving your GRE score. Download it for free now:



Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor'due south degree in English language and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate almost education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz