Predating the American Revolution, Columbia University (founded as King's College in 1754) is the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the US. With a student population of more than 24,900 and a main campus spread across 36 acres in Manhattan, Columbia's 15 schools and colleges grant undergraduate and graduate degrees in about 100 disciplines, including its well-known programs in journalism, law, and medicine. The Ivy League university's more than 3,500-member faculty has included nearly 70 Nobel laureates, as well as former Vice President Al Gore. Columbia, which operates four sites in New York City and one in Paris, also has a strong reputation for research.
