哥伦比亚大学(Columbia University)是世界最具声望的高等学府之一。它位于美国纽约市曼哈顿的晨边高地，濒临哈德逊河，在中央公园北面。它于1754年根据英国国王乔治二世颁布的《国王宪章》而成立，命名为国王学院，是美洲大陆最古老的学院之一。美国独立战争后为纪念发现美洲大陆的哥伦布而更名为哥伦比亚学院，1896年成为哥伦比亚大学。

       哥伦比亚大学是很多人的理想校园，对于想进入哥伦比亚大学学习本科课程的学生来说，需要准备以下材料：

　　Application Requirements

　　· The completed Application for Admission (two documents, one of which includes a personal statement)

　　· The $70 application fee (or fee waiver from a school official) $70

　　· The completed Secondary School Report

　　· An official high school transcript (from all schools attended)

　　· The completed Mid-Year School Report

　　· SAT or ACT scores, two SAT Subject Test scores (and English proficiency examination score if necessary)

　　· Two letters of recommendation from teachers

　　PERSONAL ESSAY

　　On a separate sheet of paper, write an essay which conveys to the reader a sense of who you are. Possible topics may include, but are not limited to, experiences which have shaped your life, the circumstances of your upbringing, your most meaningful intellectual achievement, the way you see the world—the people in it, events great and small, everyday life—or any personal theme which appeals to your imagination. Please remember that we are concerned not only with the substance of your prose but with your writing style as well. We prefer that you limit yourself to approximately 250-500 words (or 1-2 pages).

　　(编辑：ada)