Many colleges ask applicants to share a favorite book, but Columbia University is one of the only schools that wants students to share their whole reading list — and not the books assigned in school. As one of the most famous and rigorous liberal arts schools in the country, Columbia looks for students with high intellectual potential. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that one sign of an intellectual person is that they choose to read more than what they are given for homework.
Reading List for Columbia Computer Science Majors
Columbia University has become notorious for asking applicants to list books that they’ve read not because that’s such a ridiculous request, but because they don’t also give you an opportunity to explain why it is you chose to read them. This has left many applicants scratching their heads, because how much can the application readers really learn from a list of titles and authors?
Reading List for Columbia Humanities Majors
Columbia University is one of the few colleges that asks students to submit a list of books applicants have read outside of required in-class reading. They know you’ve been working — they have seen your transcript — but they still want to know what you’re doing when you’re off the books and no one is shoving a book in your hand followed by quizzes and papers and expectations.
Reading List for Columbia Engineering Majors
Columbia University is one of the few colleges that asks applicants for a list of the books they’ve read, but that doesn’t also give you an opportunity to explain your choices. Instead, it’s a list devoid of additional context. Everything you have to say needs to be in the titles and authors, which means being strategic about what you include is critical.
Books that Look Good on College Applications
We love to read. We are voracious and committed to reading all sorts of books all of the time so that a) you don’t need to, and b) we can guide you on your literary journey(s). It’s our favorite work to do with students. The books that we recommend they read aim to challenge their perceptions about certain topics. And then we talk about it. That’s really our favorite part.