Student Panel: First-Generation and Low-Income Students at Columbia

Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM until 5:00 PMEastern Standard Time UTC -05:00

Hear firsthand from current first-generation and low-income Columbia College and Columbia Engineering undergraduates. Students will discuss their experiences at Columbia, their college search process and their transition to life on campus.

Panels are presented webinar-style through Zoom and are moderated by a staff member of Undergraduate Admissions. Participants can ask questions through the Q&A function in Zoom, and time is set aside to answer audience questions. Please note that questions unrelated to the panel topic will not be answered. This event is open to all interested students.

Note that the times listed above are in Eastern Time. Please coordinate with the time zone of your location. English-language auto-generated closed captioning is available for all of our virtual events.

Please select the option below that best describes you.

Prospective Student

Parent, Guardian or Family Member of Prospective Student

Counselor, Adviser or Educator

Thank you for your interest in Columbia, but please note that this event is intended only for prospective students. We invite you to learn more about Columbia at an upcoming information session.

Prospective Student Information

First Name

Preferred Name (optional)

Do you want Columbia Undergraduate Admissions to use your first name or preferred name?
Columbia Undergraduate Admissions can use your first name or your preferred name in most email, text and print communications, including mail sent to your home address and digital communications which may also be sent to your parents, guardians or school counselors. Some records may require the use of your first name; otherwise, Columbia Undergraduate Admissions will make all reasonable efforts to use the name indicated here.

Use my first name

Use my preferred name

Last Name

Email Address

Are you interested in Columbia as a first-year student?
First-year candidates are high school students who are interested in studying at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering for their undergraduate degrees. Students interested in the liberal arts with more than one year's break between high school and postsecondary study, or students interested in the Dual BA Programs (including with Sciences Po, Trinity College Dublin, City University of Hong Kong, Tel Aviv University and Jewish Theological Seminary) should consult the School of General Studies.

Yes

Which non-first-year program are you interested in?

Transfer candidates are currently enrolled undergraduate students with at least 24 credits (or equivalent) who are interested in earning only one undergraduate degree from either Columbia College or Columbia Engineering. High school students in dual-enrollment courses are not eligible for transfer admission. Full eligibility can be found on our Transfer Applicants page.

Combined Plan candidates are currently enrolled undergraduate students who are interested in obtaining two undergraduate degrees: one in the liberal arts from their current institution and one in engineering from Columbia Engineering. Candidates apply in their junior or senior years of undergraduate study.

Visiting Student candidates are currently enrolled undergraduate students who are interested in studying at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering for one or two semesters as part of their undergraduate/bachelor's degree study.

Transfer

Combined Plan

Visiting Student

Current School
Please begin typing the name of your current school and select the correct entry from the drop-down list.

CEEB Code

CEEB External ID

High School Graduation Year
If you plan to take a gap year, please share the year you will enroll in college.

Enrollment Year
Please share the year that you would potentially enroll at Columbia for the fall term.

Birthdate

Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Thank you for your interest in Columbia! You may complete the form using the "Submit" button below at this point if you would like.

Would you like to provide additional information now?
There are additional optional questions that Undergraduate Admissions uses to provide more specific information to students, including invitations to themed events and information about different resources and opportunities on campus.

Yes

All of the following questions are optional, and the form may be completed at any time using the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page.

Academic and Additional Interests

Academic Interests
Please indicate your academic interests so we can provide you with additional information, including invitations to themed events. Select all that apply.

Arts

Engineering and Applied Science

Humanities

Language and Cultural Studies

Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Social Sciences

Undecided

Additional Interests
Please indicate any topics you are interested in so we can provide you with information about resources and opportunities on campus. Select all that apply.

Affordability and Financial Aid

Global Engagement and Study Abroad

Internships and Career Development

Multicultural Affairs

Research and Fellowships

Wellness and Academic Support

Community Information

Your responses to race and ethnicity questions are for statistical purposes only, and such responses will not be available to reviewers during any future application review and decision process.

Are you Hispanic or Latino? (optional)

Yes

Regardless of your answer to the prior question, please indicate how you identify yourself. (optional)
Please select all choices that apply.

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

Will you be a first-generation college student?
If neither of your parents graduated from a four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, please select "Yes."

Yes

Have you grown up in a rural area or small town?

Yes

Additional Contact Information

Mobile Phone Number

If you would like a parent, guardian or other family member to receive information from Columbia, please share their information below.

Parent, Guardian or Family Member 1

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Parent, Guardian or Family Member 2

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Other Interactions with Columbia

The following questions are used to inform Columbia Undergraduate Admissions visit programming and outreach. Columbia Undergraduate Admissions does not track demonstrated interest and does not consider campus visits, event attendance or other contact with the admissions office during application review.

Have you visited Columbia's campus before?

Yes

What resources have you previously used to learn about Columbia?
Select all choices that apply.

Parent or other family member

Web search

Friends and classmates

College fair

College planning website or guidebook

In-person campus visit

Columbia Admissions virtual presentation or panel

Columbia Admissions virtual tour

Columbia Admissions representative visit to my high school

Columbia Admissions website

Counselor or teacher

Group presentation from Columbia and other colleges (including Exploring Educational Excellence, DiscoveringU and Brown-Columbia-UChicago-Vanderbilt)

Materials from Columbia received in the mail

Emails from Columbia

Social media, including Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Video, including YouTube

Other

Please specify:

Student Type - First-Year

Student Type - Transfer

Student Type - Combined Plan

Student Type - Visiting

FYR Level of Study

FYR Degree Type

NFYR Level of Study

Follow Admissions on Social Media

Search

Student Panel: First-Generation and Low-Income Students at Columbia