Does Columbia have a minimum GPA?
No. Columbia’s admissions office says it does not have a cut-off GPA or test score for admission, “and academics are considered alongside the full application.” It adds: “Columbia requires rigorous exploration across a range of subjects” (Columbia, understanding the process). Its Class of 2030 profile states that “Academic preparation is the primary factor in Columbia’s holistic review” (Columbia Class of 2030 Profile).
What GPAs do Columbia students have?
Columbia College and Columbia Engineering file one combined Common Data Set (CDS), a standardized report many colleges publish each year. Its GPA items cover a subset of the class: Columbia says the bands and the average are based on the 72.2% of enrolled first-years whose GPA was recorded on a 4.0 scale, while 99.9% submitted a GPA on some scale (Columbia CDS 2025-2026).
| High school GPA (CDS item C11) | Share of fall 2025 entrants with a 4.0-scale GPA |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 74.9% |
| 3.75 to 3.99 | 20.8% |
| 3.50 to 3.74 | 3.3% |
| 3.25 to 3.49 | 0.9% |
| 3.00 to 3.24 | 0.1% |
| Average GPA (item C12) | 4.25 |
On class rank, 94% of fall 2025 entrants whose schools reported a rank were in the top tenth, 99% in the top quarter and all in the top half, but only 25% of the class had a reported rank. For the class that entered in fall 2026, Columbia’s profile reports that “from schools that reported rank, 96% of enrolling students were in the top 10% of their graduating class.” Our guide to the Columbia acceptance rate covers admission numbers by year.
How does Columbia weigh grades against other factors?
| Factor (CDS item C7) | How Columbia rates it |
|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important |
| Class rank | Very important |
| Academic GPA | Very important |
| Standardized test scores | Considered |
| Application essay | Very important |
| Recommendations | Very important |
| Interview | Not considered |
Columbia rates rigor, rank and GPA very important, and the fall 2025 class applied in a test optional cycle, when test scores were rated considered. The interview is marked not considered. The CDS ratings show what a college says it weighs, not how any single file is read.
Which high school courses does Columbia expect?
Columbia names no fixed list. It hopes to see “strong academic performance across subjects, effective written communication skills, and that you have taken a rigorous course load within the scope of your school’s curriculum, one that is appropriate for your goals and interests.” It “accepts all secondary school curricula (e.g., AP, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge A Levels, National School curricula, etc.), with no preference for one over any others,” and for students applying to Columbia Engineering, “we expect to see coursework in physics and calculus” (Columbia, understanding the process). In our view, the Core Curriculum, which every Columbia College student takes, is one reason breadth across subjects matters here. Our guide to how many AP classes Columbia applicants take covers course rigor in more detail.
What test scores do Columbia students have, and is testing required for fall 2027?
Not for fall 2027. Columbia says: “We will remain test optional for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle.” Columbia College and Columbia Engineering will require testing “effective August 2027 for the 2027-2028 admission cycle,” for first-year and transfer applicants (Columbia testing policy). The Class of 2030 profile adds that students who do not submit scores “will not be at a disadvantage in our process.”
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| SAT total, middle 50%, fall 2025 entrants who submitted (median) | 1510 to 1560 (1540) | CDS item C9 |
| ACT composite, middle 50%, fall 2025 entrants who submitted (median) | 34 to 35 (35) | CDS item C9 |
| SAT total, middle 50%, fall 2026 entrants who submitted | 1510 to 1560 | Class of 2030 Profile |
| ACT composite, middle 50%, fall 2026 entrants who submitted | 34 to 36 | Class of 2030 Profile |
How does Columbia compare with other highly selective colleges?
| College | Average GPA reported (C12) | Share at 4.0 (C11) | Top tenth of class (C10) | Class of 2029 (fall 2025) admit rate | Class of 2030 (fall 2026) admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 4.22 | 74.7% | 95% | 4.2% | 3.7% |
| Yale | Not reported | Not reported | 97% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Princeton | 3.96 | 72% | Not reported | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| Columbia | 4.25 | 74.9% | 94% | 4.9% | 4.2% |
| Penn | 3.9 | 59% | 92% | 4.9% | Not published |
| Brown | Not collected | Not collected | 93% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| Dartmouth | Not reported | Not reported | 96% | 6.0% | 5.8% |
| Cornell | Not reported | Not reported | 84% | 8.4% | 9.2% |
| MIT | Not reported | Not reported | 97% | 4.6% | Not yet posted |
| Stanford | 3.94 | 73.0% | 97% | 3.8% | Not published |
Columbia reports the highest average GPA in the table, 4.25, but on a narrower base than Harvard or Princeton, because its bands cover only students with a 4.0-scale GPA. In our view, the share at 3.75 or higher (95.7% at Columbia, about 95% at Harvard and 96% at Princeton) is a fairer comparison than the averages. Our guide to Harvard GPA requirements shows the Harvard bands in full.
Can you get into Columbia with a GPA below 3.75?
It happens, but rarely. Of fall 2025 entrants with a 4.0-scale GPA, 4.3% were below 3.75, by our calculation: 3.3% between 3.50 and 3.74, 0.9% between 3.25 and 3.49 and 0.1% between 3.00 and 3.24. The view of Oriel Admissions is that a student in that range should treat Columbia as a reach, show strength across subjects rather than in one area, and decide carefully whether to submit scores in this last test optional cycle. Our guide on whether a 3.7 GPA is good enough for the Ivy League compares the bands across colleges.
Does applying Early Decision help at Columbia?
Columbia’s binding Early Decision deadline is November 1, with decisions in mid-December, and the Regular Decision deadline is January 1 (Columbia first-year applicants); for fall 2027 entry, applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in the applicant’s local time, or by January 1, 2027. For the class that entered in fall 2025, the CDS reports 5,868 Early Decision applications and 819 admits, 14.0% by our calculation, against 4.9% overall; for the Class of 2030, Columbia’s profile reports 5,497 Early Decision applications. In our view, the gap reflects a self-selected early pool as well as the plan, so it does not measure how much Early Decision helps any one student. Our guide to the Columbia Early Decision acceptance rate covers the trend.
Frequently Asked Questions About Columbia GPA Requirements
Columbia has no minimum or cut-off GPA. Its admissions office says academics are considered alongside the full application.
The Columbia Common Data Set for 2025-26 reports an average of 4.25 for fall 2025 entrants whose GPA was recorded on a 4.0 scale, which was 72.2% of the class.
Of fall 2025 entrants with a GPA on a 4.0 scale, 74.9% had a 4.0, and 95.7% had 3.75 or higher by our calculation.
It is uncommon. Of fall 2025 entrants with a 4.0-scale GPA, 3.3% were between 3.50 and 3.74, and 4.3% in total were below 3.75.
Yes. Columbia is test optional for the 2026-27 cycle, which is fall 2027 entry, and will require testing from August 2027 for the 2027-28 cycle.
Columbia names no fixed list but expects a rigorous course load across subjects within what the school offers. Columbia Engineering applicants are expected to have coursework in physics and calculus.
Early Decision applications are due November 1, 2026, with decisions in mid-December. Regular Decision applications are due January 1, 2027.
Oriel Admissions suggests comparing the share at 3.75 or higher rather than the average, and treating Columbia as one of several reach schools.
Sources: Columbia, understanding the process, Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Common Data Set 2025-2026, Columbia Class of 2030 Profile, Columbia admissions statistics, Columbia testing policy, Columbia first-year applicants, Harvard Common Data Set 2025-2026, Harvard admissions statistics, Yale Common Data Set 2025-2026, Yale College Class Profile, Fall 2026, Princeton Common Data Set 2025-2026, Princeton profile, Penn Common Data Set 2025-2026, Brown Common Data Set 2025-2026, Brown admission numbers, Dartmouth Common Data Set 2025-2026, Dartmouth News, March 30, 2026, Cornell Common Data Set 2025-2026, Cornell University Factbook, MIT Common Data Set 2025-2026, MIT admissions statistics, Stanford Common Data Set 2025-2026. All read October 26 and 27, 2026.
About Oriel Admissions
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