Transfer process from community college to Columbia University?

I'd love to eventually attend Columbia University after starting at a community college. Does Columbia frequently accept transfer students, and are there specific classes I should focus on? Any experiences shared would be awesome!

Columbia University does accept transfer students and in fact, has an entire program called the Columbia School of General Studies specifically designed for this purpose. Students in this program are nontraditional; they may be older students, GED recipients, or those who have started their college education but haven't yet completed it.

When preparing for transfer, you should plan your curriculum very carefully. While all college classes matter, focus most on completing Columbia’s core distribution requirements. That means you should try to take classes in a wider range of fields - from humanities and social sciences to physical sciences.

It's also important to maintain a strong GPA. Columbia is one of the most selective schools in the world and you'll need high grades to be competitive. You should aim to have a GPA near 3.8 or higher, although there is no minimum GPA requirement for transfer applicants.

Lastly, take into account that Columbia considers applicants on the basis of overall GPA and the strength of the curriculum, as well as standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. You may want to start preparing these materials early to make sure they’re as strong as possible.

Ultimately, while it's not easy to transfer into Columbia, it is definitely possible, especially if you excel in your community college classes and demonstrate a genuine interest in the fields you want to study. Keep in mind that each applicant’s situation will be different, so following this advice doesn’t guarantee acceptance but can help increase your chances. Good luck!