Columbia College Chicago's undergraduate admissions process is entirely test-free. This means that standardized test scores do not play any role in determining a student’s admissibility, or in awarding scholarships. Columbia will not ask students for their results from the ACT or the SAT, and those scores will not be accepted if submitted.
 
As part of our mission-driven commitment to access and equity, Columbia has never required standardized test results for admission. Students have always had the option to share (or withhold without penalty) their SAT or ACT scores. However, reflection and examination of our mission in the context of our institution-wide work to become anti-racist led us to conclude that being “test optional” is no longer sufficient.
 
The standardized tests that many colleges have come to rely on have a deep history of bias. This bias manifests itself in the separation between families who do and do not have access to tutoring and preparatory coaching for the exams, as well as in the content of the exams themselves. As a result, they have often served to exclude BIPOC and other underrepresented students from the professional opportunities and socioeconomic advancement afforded by higher education. Further, we know from years of reviewing applications and getting to know our students that these tests don’t tell us anything important about their ability to succeed at Columbia. 
 
We hope students will apply with the assurance that our staff will conduct a holistic review focused on in-class academic performance, creative work samples, potential to contribute to our campus community, and our expectations of a student’s success beyond graduation.

A test requirement will continue to apply to international students who cannot demonstrate English proficiency through their coursework, and the college will continue to grant college credit for qualifying scores on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and CLEP tests.

For further questions about Columbia’s test-free policy, please contact our Admissions office at admissions@colum.edu or 312-369-7130.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What if I did really well on the SAT/ACT?

  That's wonderful. Congratulations. Seriously. You faced the test-industrial complex head-on and came out victorious.

  We don't want in any way to diminish the time and energy you put into preparing for those tests. Your results are definitely indicative of... well, something, and we're sure some of the other colleges you're applying to will be very interested to see your scores.

  Here at Columbia, though, we just don't believe it is a data point we need to make our admission decision.

• What about AP, IB, and CLEP? Those are standardized tests.
  They totally are, but with those there's at least some advantage to you, the student, for taking them—you get college credit. So, by all means, check out our tables for AP, IB and CLEP, and send those score reports our way.
• If I'm an international student, is an ACT or SAT score acceptable for proving English proficiency?
  We would not accept those scores as proof of English proficiency, but there are lots of other options.