City: Chicago, IL

Category: Education

Telephone: (312) 369-7130

Address: 600 S. Michigan Ave.

Description: Columbia College started small in 1890 and nearly disappeared by 1960, but by that decade’s end, several advocates revived the school, which is now the country’s largest and most diverse private arts college, boasting 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Occupying 27 buildings in the South Loop, this urban educational hub gives its students opportunities through internships and part-time jobs to experience its world-class cultural neighbors, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago Symphony, and other arts institutions. Average class size is 17, and more than 120 academic programs offer a range of specialties, including film and video, fashion studies, photography, dance, theater, and music. Showcasing the results of their studies and creativity are the student-based initiatives such as Manifest, an urban arts festival that presents student projects in a public way; and the Shop Columbia store, selling students’ work on campus. It’s all part of Columbia’s intent to give students real-life experience and portfolios to take with them as they begin their post-college careers.