Columbia University is a private institution that was founded in 1754. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,162, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 36 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Columbia University's ranking in the 2019 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 3. Its tuition and fees are $59,430 (2018-19).

Located in New York City, Columbia is comprised of three undergraduate schools – Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of General Studies – as well as a number of graduate and professional schools, including the highly ranked Business School, Teachers College, Law School and College of Physicians and Surgeons. The university also has a well-regarded College of Dental Medicine and graduate Journalism School. Columbia offers a wide range of student activities, including about 25 Greek chapters, and more than 90 percent of students live on campus. Columbia is affiliated with Barnard College for women, the Union Theological Seminary and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Distinguished alumni include John Jay, founding father and first Supreme Court chief justice, and former President Barack Obama. Columbia also administers the Pulitzer Prizes.