The City College of the City University of New York (commonly referred to as the City College of New York, City College, CCNY, or just City) is a public senior college in New York City. It belongs to the City University of New York (CUNY) system.
Established in 1847, City College was recognized as the first free public institution of higher education in the United States. Considered the flagship school of CUNY, it is the oldest of the system’s 24 institutions of higher learning.
City College Acceptance Rate
For the 2017 to 2018 admissions cycle, the City College of New York had an acceptance rate of 48%. This means that out of every 100 students who applied, 48 were accepted to the school—making its admissions process competitive.
Applicants who intend to study at the City College of New York are required to submit either ACT or SAT test scores. Students may apply to the college through the CUNY Application. CUNY City College prefers students with high grades in extensive courses and strong test scores.
It is also known for having a holistic admissions process that includes other factors beyond test scores and grades. Students can improve their chances of being admitted by submitting optional letters of recommendation and a resume detailing their extracurricular activities in high school. Do note, however, that certain programs and majors at CCNY have additional requirements.
Admitted Students Profile
Based on the latest statistics, there is a total of 16,001 students enrolled in CUNY City College. 13,210 students were enrolled in undergraduate programs while 2,791 students signed up for graduate programs. According to gender distribution, the school has 7,574 male and 8,427 female students. By race or ethnicity, 2,678 White, 2,501 Black, and 3,585 Asian students out of total 16,001 are attending the college.
Tuition Figures
2019 records show that CUNY City College has undergraduate tuition and fees that amount to $7,140 for New York residents and $14,810 for students living out of the State. The graduate school tuition and fees, on the other hand, are $11,082 for New York residents and $20,232 for non-New Yorkers. 9,021 students or 68.29% of the enrolled undergraduate students have received financial aid in the form of scholarships or grants with an average amount of $8,533.
The school has its own Financial Aid office, which is dedicated to assisting students in determining the best ways through which to finance their college education. The office is responsible for administering state and federal funds to the undergraduate and postgraduate student body. Although a majority of the financial awards provided by the office are need-based, there are also several merit-based scholarships granted annually.
Location
CCNY is located at 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031. The school can be found at Hamilton Heights overlooking Harlem in Manhattan. The Gothic campus has a size of 35 acres and spans Convent Avenue from 130th to 141st Streets. Originally designed by well-known architect George B. Post, many of the campus buildings have been given landmark status due to their popularity.
Academics
The CCNY academic departments provide students with a diverse range of undergraduate majors and graduate degree programs. 13 on-site doctoral programs are available, along with masters programs in architecture, engineering, biomedical education, and other areas. For all students, academics prioritize the integration of classroom learning and training through internships and research.
It’s also worth noting that the college has a vast array of courses that can be taken through the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, the Macaulay Honors College, the School of Education, the Grove School of Engineering, the Division of Humanities and the Arts, the Division of Social Sciences, the Division of Interdisciplinary Studies at Center for Worker Education, the Division of Science, and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.
Student Life
CCNY’s Department of Student Life offers a welcoming community for all students. More than 200 student organizations are open to the community, covering a variety of interests such as academic clubs, cultural clubs, religious clubs, and social clubs.
A few of the most active student organizations include the Caribbean Student Association, LAESA-SHPE (Hispanic Engineers), Muslim Student Organization, National Council of Negro Women, Inc., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the Dominican Students Association.
Athletics
In men’s college basketball history, CCNY is the only team to win both the National Invitation Tournament and the NCAA Tournament in the same year (1950).
At the moment, the college fields nine teams: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Tennis, and Volleyball. Aside from a men’s Lacrosse club, the school has eight women’s varsity athletic teams: Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Tennis, and Volleyball.
Since 1966, the college has won one NCAA Division I championship (Men’s Basketball) and more than 70 City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) Championships. The official team called the Beavers have also snagged two championships in the Division III Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) since the program started (Men’s Volleyball and Women’s Basketball).
The Beavers also have a successful history in the NCAA Division III Track and Field. The Lady Beavers have placed within the top 3 several times, five times for Indoor Women and two times for Outdoor Women. When combined, the Men’s and Women’s Track teams have garnered 25 All-Americans since 1980.
Notable Alums
Some of CCNY’s most famous graduate are the following:
- Julius Axelrod 1933 – Nobel laureate in Medicine, 1970
- Kenneth Arrow 1940 – Nobel laureate in Economics, 1972
- Robert J. Aumann 1950 – Nobel laureate in Economics, 2005
- William F. Aldinger III 1969 – Chairman and CEO, HSBC North America Holdings
- Abraham Beame 1928 – Mayor of New York City
- Akis Cleanthous – former Minister of Education and Culture, Cyprus
- Herman Badillo 1951 – Congressman and Chairman of CUNY’s Board of Trustees
- Bernard M. Baruch 1889 – Wall Street financier and advisor to American Presidents; author of the Baruch Plan
- Woody Allen (briefly attended)
- Maurice Ashley 1993 – first African American International Chess Grandmaster
- Jeff Barry – singer/songwriter; wrote with his wife Ellie Greenwich many hit songs, including “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You”
- Seymour Boardman – New York abstract expressionist
- Joshua Brand – Emmy Award-winning writer, director, and producer
