Columbia College Chicago Review

Columbia is not a place to go if you want to be pulled pushed shoved and prodded into doing what is necessary to exceed in your field. While the teachers are generally inspiring and have high expectations, the school itself is not going to hold your hand through your degree. You. Have. To. Work. For. It. Most of the teachers are working professionals in the art that they teach, providing real-life experience and usually allowing students to get experience with them. It's general admissions policy may seem like a catch-all for the people who couldn't get in anywhere else, however, once you get there you have to work as hard or harder to stay. With most degree programs requiring a c+ or better average and at least half the classes requiring a B average to advance to higher level coursework, they aren't joking around.

If you want a "university" type arts-education, go somewhere else. If you want to be immersed in your art in one of the biggest and most diversely cultural cities in the country - then Columbia is for you.