The City College of New York

The City College of New York (established as 'The Free Academy' in 1847) is the founding institution of the City University of New York and home to eight schools and divisions, each dedicated to the advancement of research and knowledge. They're the place where Albert Einstein first presented his theory of general relativity outside of Europe, their alumni discovered the polio vaccine, helped build the Internet, and designed the Panama Canal. And, their alumni have gone on to become Supreme Court Justices, Secretaries of State, leaders of industry, world-renowned researchers and award winning actors and musicians. They’re the City College of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its role at the forefront of social change.

Located in the heart of New York City, CCNY is home to such important 'firsts' as: The first college explicitly founded on the ideal of educating the 'whole people', the first documentary film program in the U.S., the first intercollegiate lacrosse game played in the U.S., first student government in the nation, and the longest running Alumni Association in the U.S.

It is ranked #1 by The Chronicle of Higher Education out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for world University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.2% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. More than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight professional schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself.

Outstanding programs in architecture, engineering, education and the liberal arts and sciences prepare their students for the future, and produce outstanding leaders in every field. Whether they are drawn to the traditional, like philosophy or sociology, or emerging fields like sonic arts or biomedical engineering, their baccalaureate graduates go on to graduate programs at Stanford, Columbia or MIT – or they stay right here in one of their 50 master's programs or their doctoral programs in engineering, the laboratory sciences, and psychology.

Nowhere else in the city do undergraduates have so many opportunities to conduct research with professors and publish and present their findings. In their science, engineering and social science programs, more than 300 undergrads work alongside senior researchers in funded projects. Leading CUNY in funded research, they house a number of research centers, and soon two new advanced research centers will rise on South Campus. Nearly all of their full-time faculty hold PhDs or – like their architecture faculty, maintain professional practices. Art professors exhibit their work, film professors make films, and music professors perform in venues around the country.

The campus is alive with student activity. City College fields 16 varsity teams that compete in NCAA Division III – and students work out in an equipment rich fitness center and socialize in more than 100 student clubs. And their students come from around the corner and world, representing more than 150 nationalities. City College is an integral part of the civic, urban and artistic energy of New York and inseparable from its history. They are the City that built this city.

Academics

The City College of New York is organized into five schools plus The Macaulay Honors College. The five schools of the City College of New York are The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which is divided into four divisions (The Division of Humanities and the Arts, The Division of Social Science, The Division of Science, and The Division of Interdisciplinary Studies at City College Downtown, 25 Broadway), The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, The School of Education, The Grove School of Engineering, and The Sophie B. Davis School of Biomedical Education.

The college offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. Ed.), Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) degrees at the undergraduate level, and the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.), Master of Engineering (M.E.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Architecture (M.Arch.), Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.), Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.), Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.), Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees at the graduate level.

For the fall 2016 entering class of freshman, the average SAT score was 1260/1600 and the average high school GPA was 90/100%.

Student Housing

The Towers is City College’s modern on-site student residence conveniently located just a short walk from classrooms, laboratories and all student activities.  Choose from several different room layouts and enjoy a safe, comfortable work, study, and living environment.   Amenities include free Wi-Fi throughout the building, free modern laundry facilities, on-site convenience store, health club, outside grounds for sports or barbecues and many other comforts.

Live and study in the greatest city in the world – you’re just minutes away from Central Park, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden and all the museums, shopping, clubs, theatres and excitement New York City has to offer.

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report in its 2016 rankings placed CCNY 85th among 620 Regional Universities in the North. ("Regional Universities" are defined as institutions that offer a broad range of undergraduate programs, some master's degree but few, if any, doctoral programs. CUNY uses the CUNY Graduate Center for its doctoral programs). CCNY also ranked #1 for racial and ethnic diversity among Regional Universities in the North.

The Princeton Review in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 included City College of New York in its annual "Best Colleges" guidebook

The 2015 America's Best Colleges ranked by Forbes placed City College at #177 overall and #78 in the Northeast.

Washington Monthly in 2013 placed CCNY 43rd among 684 Master's Universities (defined as "institutions awarding more than 50 masters degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral degrees in a given year"). The rankings were based on the school's "contribution to social good in three broad categories: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give back to their country)." CCNY ranked 29th in social mobility and 1st in research.

In 2015, Academic Ranking of World Universities placed CCNY at #289 among all universities worldwide—among the top 12%. Among U.S. universities, CCNY placed at #111. This ranking was the highest among CUNY schools.