Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Columbia College Chicago supplemental essays.
The essay question Columbia College Chicago asks this year, word for word, with the word limit and how to approach it.
Checked against colum.edu and the Common App application on October 17, 2026
What you write: One optional personal statement, 100–250 words.
Optional: your goals at Columbia
Please provide a short personal statement that outlines your goals for your enrollment at Columbia College Chicago. You may choose to write about development of your creative practice, progress toward your career objectives, improving specific skills, or your own personal growth.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
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