Columbia Business School Essays for 2021-22
Deadlines:
Jan 2022 Entry:
Rolling, until October 6, 2021
August 2022 Entry:
Round 1: October 6, 2021
Round 2: January 5, 2022
Round 3: April 10, 2020
All deadlines are at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Columbia requires answers for one short essay and 3 longer essays:
Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)
Examples of possible responses:
“Work in business development for a media company.”
“Join a strategy consulting firm.”
“Launch a data-management start-up.”
Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)
Essay 2 and 3: Please respond to two (2) of the three (3) essay questions listed below:The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a new co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias, Communicating Across Identities, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Managing Difficult Conversations.
1. Tell us about a time you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)
2. Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you? (250 words)
3. Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (250 words
Optional Essay:
If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)
Other Application components:
Recommendations:
Applicants should submit 1 recommendation. Columbia prefers a recommendation from direct and former supervisors. If you are unable to get one from them, then explain why in the employment section of your application.
Following are the recommendation questions (recommended limit – 1000 words):
- How do the candidate’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
Interviews:
These are by invitation only and often conducted by alumni in your geographic area.
Reapplications:
Columbia considers you a reapplicant if you are applying within a year of your initial term of entry. Otherwise you are considered a new applicant and have to submit a new application.
Reapplicants do NOT have to submit additional essays. Only the reapplicant essay is required, which is:
- How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long term post-MBA professional goals. (Maximum 500 words).
Reapplicants should submit one new recommendation, preferably from a current employer. If you have already used your current employer for a recommendation, please choose someone else in a supervisory role or a client.
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