Columbia Business School Essays / Business Education

Columbia Business School Essays

Columbia Business School Essay Topic Analysis 2016-2017 May 6, 2022 – 11:08 am

While the length of each of CBS essay prompts has been modified, the spirit of each question remains very similar to their questions over the previous few years. Covering both professional plans and personal history–as well as the various reasons for one’s interest in earning Columbia MBA–these essays allow the applicant to cover a fair amount of material. Overall, CBS has allowed applicants more space to expand on their career goals and specific interests in the program. Across the set of essays, it’s important to maintain balance and avoid repetition.

Let’s take a closer look at each prompt:
Goal: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (51 characters)
Making its sixth appearance on the CBS application form, this question asks applicants to speak directly about the job they wish to have upon graduating from business school. The adcom offers several sample answers to illustrate the sort of direct response they’re seeking. Given a short and strict limit of 51 characters, you’ll want to clearly and concisely describe your short-term goal, making sure that it aligns with what you write in Essay 1.

Essay 1:Through your résumé and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals going forward, and how will the Columbia MBA help you achieve them? (100-750 words)
Making its second consecutive appearance in the CBS application, this prompt declines the brief synopsis of work history that many applicants provide as part of their career goals essay. Instead, the adcom asks applicants to focus almost exclusively on their career goals and interest in the CBS MBA. We say “almost” here because a bit of context will be important. For example, applicants might remark on how their professional experiences to date have informed their interest in their post-MBA path, and might also comment on transferrable skills they’ve gained on the job that will apply to their future posts. In short, make sure that your comments build on rather than repeat material that the adcom can find in your recommendations or résumé.

Candidates will want to use the bulk of this response to outline their short- and long-term post-MBA goals, as well as the reasons they’re applying to CBS. As always, the adcom will be looking for applicants to showcase their knowledge of the school’s MBA program. Because people applying to Columbia are often also considering other first-tier schools like Wharton, Chicago Booth, and NYU Stern, it’s especially important for applicants to convince the Columbia adcom of their sincere interest in their program. The most effective way to do so will be to pack your essay full of school-specific details about CBS courses and clubs that would facilitate success upon graduating. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs, and extracurricular activities–whether through a campus visit, conversations with current students, or reading Clear Admit’s Columbia School Guide–will pay dividends here.

A note on length: While CBS set a limit of 500 words last year, applicants have a wider range of 100 to 750 words now. Given the amount of ground to be covered in regards to goals and interest in CBS, anything under 250 words will seem paltry and insufficient. Whereas solid, informed content in the range of 500-750 words will convey the right message of interest. Applicants should be wary of exceeding the 750-word limit; while +/-10% is generally a good rule of thumb in terms of word limits, such a broad range conveys harder markers for length.