Columbia College Chicago’s explosive enrollment growth continues this fall, with the South Loop institution’s student population growing by about 5 percent, to a record 12,021. The number includes 11,366 undergraduates, making Columbia the second-largest, private, undergraduate college in Illinois.
Since 2000, when Dr. Warrick L. Carter became president, the arts and media college’s enrollment has grown by more than 30 percent.
“Today, Columbia is one of the ‘hot’ colleges at college recruitment fairs across the country,” says Mark Kelly, vice president for Student Affairs at Columbia. “Students flock to our campus because they recognize the value in what the college offers – an outstanding education in the creative disciplines, offered in the heart of one of America’s great cities.”
Kelly attributes Columbia’s success to a number of factors, including its innovative curriculum that was designed within a liberal arts context, but built “by creatives for creatives.” He adds, “We like to tell prospective students that they will work with leading faculty who understand the unique needs and learning styles of young creative people, and that, as students, they will join one of the largest assemblages of young creative talent in the nation.” Add that to our downtown Chicago location, “where the city of Chicago becomes our campus,” says Kelly, “and you have a compelling message that resonates with students.”
In addition, Kelly believes that Columbia’s success reflects the wisdom of its decision to expand its recruitment efforts from regional recruiting to national. This year Columbia enrolled freshmen from 46 states, and overall, more than 40 percent of the college’s new freshmen came from outside of Illinois – up from 29 percent just five years ago.
In the past four years, Columbia’s residential population has grown from 450 to nearly 2,750, making the school one of Illinois’ ten largest private, residential colleges.
Further, the college’s tuition pricing strategy “aims to keep tuition as low or lower than other private arts and media colleges.” Over the past four years, Columbia’s tuition has risen by less than 15 percent, about two-thirds of the national average for private institutions and one-third of the average for public schools over the same period. The college’s tuition - $17,100 this fall – is among the lowest of all private arts and media colleges in the nation.
Yet, according to Kelly, “we understand that some families will be challenged by the college’s costs, and in response, we have expanded our need-based scholarship programs to provide additional opportunities for students with limited financial resources.” This fall, Columbia offered 700 need-based scholarships, up from fewer than 50 just four years ago.
Kelly also stresses the college’s unique admissions philosophy, which recognizes that “creativity, talent and drive cannot be measured through standardized tests” and that, in the end, student voices and visions are best developed through a generous approach to admissions. “This approach has positioned the college as a welcoming place in the higher education landscape and one that draws the most diverse student body of all private arts and media schools in the nation.”
The college’s historic commitment to enrolling a diverse student body has led the college to pay particular attention to the recruitment of minority students. The number of new minority students at the college this fall – including new transfers – increased by nearly 13 percent. The number of African-Americans included in this year’s freshman class rose by 21.5 percent.
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