columbia ppil essay

2023-2024 Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 11, 2023

Who is Columbia looking for?
How should I answer the CBS essay questions?
Get Into Columbia Business School
CBS Deadlines

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on August 22, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

Located in the heart of New York City, Columbia Business School offers its students access not only to top-notch academics but also to myriad networking opportunities outside of the classroom. Famous for having big names like Warren Buffett drop into classes to discuss past deals, Columbia truly offers unparalleled access to some of the biggest names in business.

Given its tight-knit network, reputation as a finance powerhouse, and privileged location, landing a spot at Columbia Business School is no small feat.

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Columbia admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included example Columbia MBA essays to ensure you give your Columbia application your best shot.

1. Who is Columbia looking for?

(Photo courtesy of @columbia_biz on Instagram)

“Only Columbia Business School gives you the opportunity to shape your career in the very center of business. There’s something about being positioned in New York City, where access to leaders across industry is truly advantageous. Here you will learn to take on challenges and respond dynamically. You’ll gain skills to succeed in fast-moving, competitive environments anywhere. Hone your strengths. Find your best career path. Realize success.” Columbia Business School Admissions

Every year, Columbia’s admissions team enrolls around 850 students for their prestigious MBA program out of around 6,100 applications. Though CBS does work hard to admit a diverse class (44% of the Class of 2024 were women, 51% were international citizens, and 42% were of minority origins (in the US), they do tend to admit applicants with 5 years of work experience. Applicants also tend to have average GMATs of 729 (GRE scores were not reported ).

Nonetheless, that does not mean that Columbia looks simply for good test-takers. Instead, they want a talented, principled, well-networked group of business leaders.

According to Columba’s Admissions team:

In addition, Columbia tends to respond favorably to applicants who can demonstrate that studying in New York City is a differential for them, so make sure to reflect on how you will use the city of New York to complement your learning and accelerate your career.

If this sounds like the perfect B-school for you, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Columbia’s admissions essay questions.

2. How should I answer the CBS essay questions?

Columbia has multiple different essays on a relatively wide range of topics. Our tips below break each down in detail.

2.1. Short Answer Tips

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.

In their instructions, Columbia asks you to be extremely straightforward in telling them what you want to do professionally (and in which industry) immediately after graduating.

Since you’ve only got 50 characters, get straight to the point and make sure you answer the question they are asking (job + industry). Being creative at the expense of giving them the information they want will be a mistake. Finally, no need to add “I want to…” here. Just jump right in.

2.2. Essay 1 Tips

Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Like last year, CBS wants you to focus more on your longer-term plans (logical, since they have asked for your immediate post-MBA goal in the first question). This type of question reveals that CBS is interested in understanding your plans for the future in terms of how you see your career advancing over the long haul.

To answer this question, like any goals essay , it’s important to keep in mind that this is not a restatement or dramatic retelling of your CV. You will, however, want to provide a few lines of context, as this helps the reader later understand that you have the skills and motivations necessary to succeed in your goals.

Next, launch into your 3-5 year goal. This should be related to your post-MBA goal and should state how you intend to continue growing. Stagnant goals here will not work well.

Finally, make sure you state your long-term plans. Columbia asks you for your dream job, so really dream! Envision the impact you want to achieve in the world with your career and discuss why this “dream job” is so important for you. At the same time, make sure your dream job is feasible.

They do not ask you how CBS will help you reach your goals, like many other goals essays do. As such, keep any mentions of CBS brief and ensure the star of the show here is your future and your motivations for pursuing the path you desire.

TOP TIP : If you’re still not sure about your MBA goals, we’ve written a post designed to help you think through what your objectives are and how you might present them in your MBA application. You can check that post out here !

Need more guidance?

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of past successful Columbia Business School essays that worked to get our clients admitted and a detailed brainstorm to help you plan out a winning CBS essay.

Our center also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join !

2.3. Essay 2 Tips

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a 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 and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking.

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

The topic of diversity and inclusion has become increasingly center stage both in the business world and in MBA admissions. Columbia’s return to an essay question focused on their PPIL program is a reflection of Columbia’s continued effort to train leaders who truly value and promote inclusivity.

Of course, success in business school and in your future career highly depends on your ability to work well with people who are different from you. But as the question also touches upon “mitigating bias” and “addressing systemic inequity,” it seems to me that Columbia is making a statement that the successful leaders of the future are those who actively promote ethical, inclusive work environments and company cultures.

This essay prompt gives you the chance to prove that you have already had the opportunity to either work in an environment with others who are different from you or have championed the cause of diversity, ethics, bias, inclusion, or inequality in some meaningful way.

The wording of the question makes it clear to me that this is not the place to write an essay that gives a superficial nod to diversity. For example, perhaps you held a 1-hour training session for the only woman on your team. Though this technically does fall under the category of promoting diversity, it just doesn’t convey the image that DEI is a topic that you resonate with and have actively promoted.

Before deciding if this is one of the three essays you should write, I think it’s important to first examine exactly what types of scenarios the question is asking about. Let’s break them down one by one.

Creating an Inclusive Environment : Inclusivity often gets thrown together with the concept of diversity, and is often used interchangeably with this term. However, inclusivity is more than just bringing diverse perspectives to the table. It’s fostering those perspectives and ensuring that they are fully able to meaningfully contribute.

Mitigating Bias and Prejudice : Bias, especially unconscious bias and how it shapes our decisions, is a critical issue to tackle when promoting greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.

For example, several years back we worked with a client from Latin America who had built a career in the public sector. Though English was not used in any way in the work his department did, a rigorous English test was administered as part of the hiring process in order to keep traditionally privileged people in government jobs. Recognizing how this bias was greatly damaging the fairness of the public service exam – and access to equal opportunities for stable jobs – our client took action and campaigned for a year to remove the English test as part of the hiring process. The results were tremendous, and the practice has been rolled out to other local and state governments.

This is the perfect type of example to use for this question. If you do choose to write on this topic, make sure the bias – and how you actively challenged it – is clear.

Managing Intercultural Dialogue : If you decide to go in this direction, make sure the example clearly demonstrates how you communicated or helped facilitate communication across different cultures. It might be helpful to keep the Council of Europe ’s definition of Intercultural Dialogue in mind as you brainstorm: “In a general sense, the objective of intercultural dialogue is to learn to live together peacefully and constructively in a multicultural world and to develop a sense of community and belonging.”

When choosing an example, make sure you clearly show how the identities you communicated across were different, what techniques you used to overcome the challenges associated with this type of communication, and what the final outcome was.

I wouldn’t frame this as a single conversation, but would contextualize it in the form of a STAR-format story where communicating across identities is core to the example.

Addressing Systemic Inequity : I feel like this is the most difficult but one of the most potentially powerful options for this essay. Addressing systemic, entrenched inequity is no easy task. With the numerous candidates we’ve worked with over the past years, I can think of very few who had a story that would fit this answer.

First, it’s important to define the difference between inequality and inequity. Many people use them interchangeably, but they mean very different things. We love this simple yet effective illustration by Sollis that demonstrates the two terms:

Source: achievebrowncounty.org

As such, if you choose this option, you need to make sure you show a story where you challenged a long-standing lack of fairness . Of course, showing exactly how you did that – and why you decided to take this issue on – is of paramount importance.

Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking : New compared to the list presented the last time this question was asked, this question is broad enough to include many different experiences with diversity, including your own personal experiences.

Since the question asks you to discuss perspective taking, I don’t recommend choosing an experience solely focused on exploring your own identity (more on this later). However, you can focus on your own identity in relation to others. You could also focus on an experience that allowed you to understand another person or group’s identity.

It’s important to note that this skill is presented as Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking, not either/or. As such, a complete answer here also needs to address the perspective taking part of your experience.

As you brainstorm, it might be helpful to keep this definition from LinkedIn in mind, “Perspective taking is defined as trying on the perspective of another without fully agreeing or understanding the complexity of their perspective. Then, you can search to uncover and learn why they may have that perspective.”

So, great examples here are going to focus on understanding an identity in some way and then trying on the perspective of another to learn why they have that perspective.

Remember, though – you should share a clear story on this theme. A broad personal narrative or intellectual discussion of identity or perspective taking won’t work well for this assignment.

Overall, we suggest you start by considering the brand you are presenting to CBS and examine which examples might fit one of the five areas above. Though your example might actually tick multiple boxes, it’s imperative that you choose an example that fully links to one of the five concepts above.

Though examples where you experienced one of the above work well, examples where you took action to overcome one of the challenges presented is, in my view, even better. If you were the one who faced discrimination in the example you choose, that also works well for this essay.

Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story . In a 250-word essay , you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one excellent story.

Finally, write from the heart. Share the context, show why you took action, and tell us both the outcome of the story and how it changed you. Equally as important, avoid shaming or blaming others involved in the situation. If you have an example that fits this question, you’re well on your way to a “small but mighty” admissions essay.

2.4. Essay 3 Tips

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? (250 words)

I think the best way to break down this essay is to think about your answers for each of the three aspects CBS notes in the question: academics, culture, professional development.

Let’s start with tackling the academics part of this question .

To begin, we suggest you do deep research into Columbia’s MBA and make a list of the opportunities you hope to pursue.

An MBA is not a catch-all degree that serves a purpose for all career paths. As such, you need to demonstrate that the goals you have set for yourself require the additional training that the CBS MBA can provide.

Be thoughtful about this particular section. If you show fluffy or unsupported ways in which you plan to take advantage of the CBS curriculum, you’ll also likely see your application tossed aside in favor of an applicant who was able to clearly demonstrate how they plan to leverage their time at business school.

Instead, show that you deeply understand Columbia’s curriculum and have done significant, thoughtful research into how their academic opportunities will help you reach the goals you laid out in Essay 1.

Then, tie each of these to a specific development goal you have during your MBA or a specific reason each. You won’t have space for a lot of reasons here since the question asks you to cover three different pillars, so we suggest focusing on 2-3 ways you can benefit from CBS academically.

Considering the professional aspect , the benefits of an MBA extend far beyond the classroom, and nowhere is that more true than at Columbia.

Since the city of New York plays such an important role in your CBS education, you want to demonstrate here that you’ve fully considered how you will take advantage of the city’s varied offerings and how this will lead to your development.

Furthermore, Columbia is very proud of its many unique advantages (like renowned business leaders “dropping into” CBS classes), so you may also choose to discuss elements of the CBS MBA program like these that attract you.

For example, a few years ago, our client Helena wanted to use her CBS MBA to transition from investment banking to private equity. When reflecting on the advantages CBS and New York City offered her to support this move, she knew access to one of the world’s PE hotspots was a huge asset, and opened her essay like this:

“When I decided to pursue an MBA to transition into Private Equity, I knew there was only one place to make this career change: New York City. The industry originally began there, and the city is still a hub for PE activity. I plan to capitalize on this geographical advantage and intern at one of these top firms. Putting theory into practice in New York, where the biggest, most important global deals are done, will give me an unmatched opportunity to build experience in deal execution with the very best.”

Beyond CBS’ privileged location, you’ll also want to consider other aspects of the program specifically geared towards professional advancement and development, like the Executives-in-Residence program the prompt mentions. No matter what you choose, make sure you clearly connect how these opportunities will specifically help you reach your professional development goals.

It is also important that you address the part of the question people often overlook – how does CBS align with you culturally? Addressing this topic means really finding one of the core values of the school and finding a way to discuss how it aligns with your career plans in a meaningful way. To do this, we suggest bringing in some mention of how you have exhibited one of Columbia’s values, such as promoting DEI or being a good collaborator, and connect it to how you will continue to pursue this value at CBS in specific ways.

While you should do your own research to find the most relevant courses, opportunities, values, and people at Columbia for your goals and experience, we do suggest addressing one of the opportunities mentioned directly in the question ( clusters and learning teams , the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership , and the Executives-in-Residence program ). Particularly, we suggest that you address the topic of diversity and inclusion, which is foundational to CBS’s increased efforts to train leaders who truly value and promote inclusivity.

Finally, make sure to include meaningful mentions of any students or alumni you’ve interacted with and how they have shaped your view that CBS is the best school for you. A laundry list of names won’t work here, but a quote from a mentor or citation of a class recommendation from a friend that helped reinforce your interest in Columbia would be appropriate.

TOP TIP : When writing your essay, strive for the same level of specificity and connection to your specific professional and personal goals.

2.5. Optional Essay Tips

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 your personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

This optional essay is unlike other schools’ essays, in that it is open enough to speak about more than just “issues” in your application. If you do have a low GMAT score, poor academic record, or other pressing weakness, please use this space to address the issue(s).

However, if you would like, you can also use this space to discuss a personal challenge you have overcome or some unique factor in your profile you were not able to address in the essays.

Do not use the essay to discuss “Why Columbia. ” You have ample space to address this in other parts of the essay.

2.6. Reapplicant Essay Tips

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).

We have written extensively on the topic of reapplicant essays here .

Looking for Columbia Business School MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. Get Into Columbia Business School

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school.

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner.

This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program.

That’s the approach we took with Elisa, who was admitted to Columbia. In her words. “Ellin Lolis MBA Consulting helped me clarify my goals for the future and communicate those ideas effectively in my various essays. I’m confident that their editing suggestions helped me present myself as the best candidate I could be, which led me to get into CBS.

I would highly recommend Ellin Lolis as they were fantastic at helping me flesh out ideas I had in my head in a way that would make the most impact with an admissions committee.”

Not only can you take advantage of our editing expertise through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. CBS Deadlines

Find below the deadlines for the 2023-2024 application cycle. You can start an online application by clicking here .

Columbia is no longer using rolling admissions (except for the January intake) and has moved to a traditional rounds system (as detailed below).

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A Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays (2023-2024)

Coach Melanie E. walks you through each Columbia Business School essay prompt for the 2023-2024 cycle, breaking down what adcoms are looking for and offering expert advice on how to nail your responses.

By Melanie E.

Posted January 9, 2024

Featuring Victoria G.

The Summer Before Round 1: Setting Yourself Up for Success

Starting tuesday, may 28.

3:00 PM UTC · 45 minutes

As a CBS alumnus, Alumni Admissions Ambassador, and professional Coach, I am excited to share my insights into Columbia’s current essays for their MBA application.

Columbia Business School's MBA essays provide applicants with an ample opportunity to showcase their goals, experiences, and fit with the program. Here's a step-by-step guide to approaching each essay.

Short Answer Question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

It is critical to be straightforward with this question, and be consistent with your essays. It is acceptable to write in phrases versus full sentences given the limited word count. In fact, the word count is limited as a way of forcing applicants to be extremely clear about their goals.

Examples of possible responses (provided by Columbia):

Work in business development for a media company. (49 characters)
Join a strategy consulting firm. (32 characters)
Launch a data-management start-up. (34 characters)

A great example is specific and most likely includes both the function/title and industry or type of company you’re pursuing. For example:

Poor execution: Work in CPG. (13 characters)
Good execution: Work in marketing for a CPG company. (36 characters)
Great execution: Marketing for a healthy-foods focused CPG firm. (47 characters)

Understand the Question: Begin by carefully reading the prompt and understanding what it asks for. This is a common mistake where applicants do not directly answer the question(s) being asked in the essay prompt.
Be Specific: Clearly outline your short-term career goals, focusing on what you aim to achieve within the next three to five years. Discuss the industry, function, and potential companies or roles you aspire to work in. It is helpful to provide specific role titles and an example company (such as “a media company like Disney”). If you are sponsored and planning to return to your current employer (such as a Consultant at McKinsey), share this information as well as the mid-term goal, which would be your first role after leaving your current employer.
Explain Your Long-term Dream Job: Describe your ultimate long-term dream job. Discuss the impact you hope to make in that role and your mission. Showcasing impact while balancing your vision with realistic possibility is key. For example, sharing that you want to solve world hunger may be a bit outrageous, but saying that you want to build a new business model for achieving large impacts within world hunger is more reasonable.
Link to Your Background: Connect your career goals with your past experiences (personal and professional), skills, networks, and/or achievements. Demonstrate how your path to date aligns with your future aspirations. If applicable, share your “light bulb” moment where you realized your long-term career vision.
Share Your “Why”: An extension of the previous bullet, share your “why” or your motivations for your career aspirations. Bring this level of authenticity and personality to the essay in order to make it more engaging, believable, and unique from the crowd. This is a critical element that is often missed by applicants.
Stay Within the Word Limit: With only 500 words, be concise and focus on the most critical points. I suggest not worrying about the word count for your first few drafts, and then edit down once you have all the relevant content ready to go.

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The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

Consider PPIL: First, take some time to review the PPIL curriculum on the Columbia website.
Choose a Relevant Situation: Select a specific situation from your professional or personal life that aligns with one or more of the inclusive leadership skills mentioned (Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking, and Creating an Inclusive Environment). The situation should be somewhat recent, and if possible, within the last ~2 years.
Set the Scene: Provide context for the situation. Describe the environment, the people involved, and the challenges you faced. Based upon the limited word count, you may need to leave out some details of the story.
Describe Your Actions: Detailing the steps you took to address the situation should take up the majority of your essay. Clearly identify which inclusive leadership skills were utilized via each action. I recommend choosing only one or two skills to focus upon due to the limited word count. It is better to go into more specifics and detail on fewer skills. Lastly, highlight any innovative or creative approaches you used, and share both soft and/or hard skills as is relevant to your story.
Share the Outcome: Explain the results of your actions. Emphasize any positive impact on individuals, teams, or the overall situation. Small impact is acceptable as long as it is clear, and the applicant was the one who created it.
Reflect on Your Experience: Discuss briefly what you learned from this experience, and perhaps how it has shaped your perspective on inclusivity or leadership.

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

Overall: This is an excellent opportunity to focus on explaining why CBS is a great fit for you. If they are your #1 choice, don’t hesitate to share that in this essay.
Conduct Detailed Research: Before writing, thoroughly research Columbia Business School's MBA program. Understand the curriculum, professors, clubs, conferences, events, and unique aspects of the school. You may also utilize virtual and in-person events specifically catering to applicants to gain knowledge. Lastly, you may decide to contact current students for further information, and are welcome to mention them (with their permission) in your essays. You can locate the names of current students through your network, LinkedIn, and/or school club websites.
Structure: The simplest and most effective way to structure your essay is by separate paragraphs for academic fit, cultural fit, and professional fit. This directly and clearly addresses each part of the essay question.
Unique Aspects: Focus upon aspects of CBS that certainly relate to your profile and career aspirations, but that also are unique to CBS. For example, Columbia is highly aware that they are the only M7 MBA program to be located in fabulous New York City, and thus this is a unique point that can be addressed and utilized in this essay.
Academic Fit: Explain how the specific courses, concentrations, programs, and/or professors will support your academic interests and career trajectory. Look for special classes that may not exist at all top MBA programs and that align to the skills gaps you are seeking to fill to reach your long-term career goals.
Cultural Fit: Discuss the aspects of CBS's community and culture that resonate with you. Additionally, consider the personal aspects of the school and/or location. Do you have family or friends in the NYC area that would be a supportive community? Do you enjoy the cultural aspects of New York, such as visiting museums in order to relax after a busy school day? Lastly, consider including thoughts on your potential contributions to the school's collaborative environment, such as a leadership position you would like to hold or a club you would like to found. If you’re stumped on this part, consider talking to current students and mention learnings from these conversations (with their permission) in your essay.
Professional Fit: Showcase how CBS's strong network, career services, employment data, and/or Executives-in-Residence program will aid in achieving your career goals. An often overlooked option is the fact that CBS’ location enables easy networking across almost any industry in NYC, with a robust local alumni population. The location also allows for in-semester internships, which may be relevant for some candidates.
Be Genuine: Be authentic in your response and avoid generic statements. Don’t be afraid to show your personality, interests, and excitement.

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)

Don’t Write It: Consider if you need to write anything for this essay. In general, admissions committees do not want to receive superfluous materials that are not directly addressing new information that is of significance to the application. Therefore, this essay should only be used to explain any specific situations that are not otherwise addressed in the application. For example, this could be utilized to explain a poor GPA in your undergraduate career due to acute illness.
Keep It Short: As the guidance from CBS notes, you are welcome to write in bullet form. This means that the essay or bullets should be as short and direct as possible.

General Tips for All Essays

Showcase Your Unique Story: Use the essays to showcase what makes you unique and differentiates you from other applicants. This is your one opportunity to stand out in your application. Admissions committees value genuine stories.
Edit and Revise: Plan on having multiple rounds of essay drafts, and take your time to iterate over many weeks. Proofread your essays multiple times to avoid grammatical errors and ensure clarity.
Seek Feedback: Share your essays with trusted friends, family, or mentors for feedback and suggestions who understand the MBA process. It is best to utilize someone who has attended business school or who is a professional coach.
Stay on Topic: Focus on answering all the specific questions asked in each essay without straying off-topic.
Adhere to Word Limits: Respect the word limits for each essay, as exceeding them may reflect a lack of attention to detail.

Final Words

By following this guide and putting effort into crafting engaging, personal, and well-structured essays, you increase your chances of impressing the admissions committee at Columbia Business School and standing out from the crowd.

Good luck with your application!

About the Author

Melanie is an Executive Coach & Admissions Coach with 16 years of experience across strategy, operations, and coaching. A former McKinsey consultant, she is a member of the Forbes Council and has been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, Business Insider, TEDx, and more. Melanie has worked with prominent corporate clients including Google, KKR, IBM, and Morgan Stanley; as well as individuals such as business leaders, influencers, and Olympic athletes.

Melanie holds an MBA from Columbia University and a BS from Cornell University. She currently lives in Los Angeles (while remaining a New Yorker at heart), and enjoys creative pursuits in her free time.

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Columbia MBA Essays Prompts: Tips for 2023-2024

This year’s MBA application prompts are out, which means it’s time to start brainstorming what your topics will be. Wondering where to start, what to write? No worries, we have all the tips you need to get a nice start on writing a quality essay for Columbia Business School.

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, behavioral essays, etc. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for Columbia Business School.

Career Goals Essay

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters)
Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3 to 5 years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Why This School?

Why do you feel Columbia is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? (300 words)

The Columbia MBA Leadership Essay

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

The 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)

If you are a reapplicant to Columbia Business School, you can also find a section on the reapplicant essay .

Applying to Columbia Business School

Conveniently located in New York City, CBS is committed to creating a learning sphere influenced by the current global business environment, which helps develop the students’ skill to create an opportunity in any situation. Through the story you relate in your essay, the admissions council is looking to see if you reflect the same values that the school does. CBS is looking for students who are inspiring leaders, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to creating an intellectual community. The best way to represent that you possess those qualities is through the type of essay you choose to write.

The Career Goals Essay

You’re not the only one hoping you’ll have a job after you’ve graduated with your MBA. Admissions committees are looking for students who are motivated and clear in their intentions so that when they get a job post-grad, they’ll be more willing to speak positively of their experience in the program. And, of course, in the hopes that their alumni will earn enough money to become a donor to the school one day.

There are three aspects to the career goals essay:

What you want your future profession to look like.
Why an MBA is necessary to advance your career.
Particularly, why a degree from CBS will be most beneficial to you and your job plan.

Your aspirations need to be convincing, ambitious, and realistic. Columbia Business School is looking for applicants who have meaningful goals grounded in their past experiences, and it’s important that you relate that notion in your essay, however it applies to your experience in life.

Now, here’s where all that practice stuffing extra-curriculars into your resume comes in handy. CBS is looking for applicants who are going to get involved on campus. Being an active participant in campus culture is essential to the experience of Columbia’s business program, and this university is looking for students who will not only enrich their own lives, but that of the school as well. Many of the programs on campus rely on students to run them, which is your golden ticket in.

When writing this kind of essay, it’s important to keep in mind what your specific interests are—which clubs do you want to join, which conferences do you wish to attend? Figuring out where you most want to be involved and writing how you will thus benefit the school in that position is the key to writing a strong participation essay. Spend some time researching and thinking through your options before diving into the writing process.

Introduced in the 2023-2024 application cycle, Columbia’s Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) essay aims to evaluate candidate’s based on their track record surrounding inclusive leadership.

In this essay, CBS wants to understand your values as a leader and get to know how your leadership style and background will add to the Columbia Business School MBA class.

It’s important, in this essay, to clearly describe a specific situation, the actions you took, and the results of these actions—as well as what you learned from the experience. Were there setbacks or challenges? Were your team all willing and able to facilitate your vision? How did management feel about your actions?

You can also use this essay to highlight aspects of your profile that you haven’t gotten to mention before—if you’re a passionate and talented rower, for example, maybe you could speak about a time when you steered your team to victory by making sure everyone felt included.

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Optional Essay

In addition to these essay types, Columbia Business School also offers applicants the opportunity to write an optional essay to expand on gaps in your resume or other potential weaknesses in your record. Keep in mind that this essay is meant as an addition, so try to keep it short and concise.

The Reapplicant Essay

For reapplicants, Columbia Business School requires a specific essay in which you can address how your application has improved since your last application. In this essay, you can address any improvements to your test scores, promotions at work, additional volunteer or community work, or any significant professional development that you have undertaken since you last applied to the program.

Timing is key for reapplicants, and when you’re applying for an MBA program a second time around, you want to be sure that you are a more qualified and desirable client than you were a year ago—even if your application was stellar the first time.

Writing strong, coherent, genuine stories is an essential part of your MBA application. These essays are meant to help you stand out among many other applicants, so it is worth your time to do the work and write about situations unique to your life and that you truly learned from. Working with an MBA consultant can help you improve your MBA essays for Columbia Business School.

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Columbia Business School Essay Questions And Strategic Guidance, 2023-2024

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Columbia Business School (CBS) asks three essay questions as part of its application process. Through your essay responses, the school hopes to better understand your experiences and career goals, as well as your rationale for wanting to pursue your MBA at CBS specifically. We at Gatehouse appreciate the program’s range of essay topics because it allows applicants to communicate a broad picture of their candidacy.

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Columbia has been asking this question for several years now. We appreciate this because it has allowed us to see a number of success stories, which have shown us what makes a good essay response. Even better, we also know where applicants are likely to stumble. Our first piece of advice is to answer the entire question. CBS is asking for two distinct things: your career goals over the next three to five years and your long-term dream job. Too often, candidates combine these two parts into one when crafting their essay. Instead, follow the prompt and answer each one distinctly!
With respect to your goals, focus on what you will be doing (role, industry, and/or function), as well as the kind of impact you want to have—the problems you want to solve, the products you want to create, the team you want to build. This is especially important when you are describing your “dream job.” Your dream job likely inspires you, and the admissions committee wants to know why. Also, make sure that your short-term goals flow logically into your dream job. They should ideally prepare and position you to achieve that dream job.
The essay prompt does not explicitly ask how your goals relate to where you are now, but that does not mean you cannot address the connection. Although the admissions committee is all but telling you not to rehash your resume here (which would make for a poor MBA application essay for most schools, anyway), you can certainly include some references to past accomplishments or experiences if doing so provides context that is relevant to understanding your goals or assessing your likelihood of reaching them.
This essay is a kind of goal statement essay. The core components of a goal statement essay are (1) a vision of the future, (2) an explanation of how that vision relates to where you are today, and (3) the reasons you need to attend business school to make that vision a reality. You will also address (3) in CBS’ Essay 3, but you can still make a clear case for needing business school in this essay response as well.

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a 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 and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking.

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words).

We at Gatehouse are excited to see this question in CBS’s application. Not only does the prompt give applicants a sense of how CBS is adjusting its MBA experience to meet the leadership needs of the moment, but it also offers candidates the chance to share a specific experience. When executed well, doing so can reveal much about your motivations, unique candidacy, and ability to observe, learn, and grow.
While you can choose which of the five highlighted skills you want to focus on, Columbia is clear about what it wants you to share: the situation, actions, and results—or, SAR. We encourage you use the fuller STARR—Situation, Task, Actions, Results, and Reflection—approach in crafting your response. Each of these elements is important in storytelling. The Situation helps your reader “see” your world. The Task conveys the challenge or goal at hand. The Actions, as well as your thought processes behind them, illustrate who you are as a doer. The Results are perhaps obvious (the “so what” of the story!), but we at Gatehouse also encourage you to Reflect. How did this experience affect and shape you ? Why was it meaningful to you ?
Applicants often assume that because they are applying to business school, they should recount only positive stories—stories in which they are the hero or did everything right. You can absolutely choose such a story (as long as you can still explain how the situation affected and shaped you). However, you could instead focus on an experience that did not end positively or one in which you were not at your best. If you choose to highlight this sort of experience, really lean into that last “R”—the Reflection—and be sure to think about and discuss how you have developed since that experience. Columbia is not expecting perfection; on the contrary, the school’s MBA program exists expressly because CBS believes you are capable of more growth and change ahead.

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , co-curricular initiatives like the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership , which aims to equip students with the skills and strategies necessary to lead in an inclusive and ethical manner, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .

Why do you feel columbia business school is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally (250 words).

A well-executed essay response to this prompt will present clear connections between you and the aspects of the business school that you find compelling. Make a case for why you need an MBA (i.e., the experiences, skills, knowledge, and/or connections you are lacking), and then prove to the admissions committee that you know how CBS specifically can fulfill those needs. Note the resources and offerings (whether well-known or somewhat obscure; they do not have to be arcane!) that resonate with you and will help you advance toward your career goals. You can also mention the clubs and activities you hope to participate in and why they are so important to you.
We strongly caution you to avoid empty pandering! Simply describing CBS in glowing terms and praising its resources does nothing to enhance your candidacy. By telling the admissions officers what they already know about the school they represent rather than what they want to know about you, you run the risk of losing their attention—and worse, their support.

Also, note that CBS asks the following important short-answer question that you should develop in tandem with your essays:

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.”

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.

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June 8, 2023

Columbia Business School MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023-2024], Class Profile

Columbia Business School (CBS) has made some big changes for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle! CBS will now consider applications in three rounds, rather than on a rolling basis. In another move, CBS has ended its Early Decision program. Finally, CBS has changed two of its essay prompts to focus on inclusive leadership and how you will contribute to the CBS experience.

What do these changes mean for you? By moving to the rounds system, Columbia will no longer favor early birds in its historic “first come, first serve” rolling admissions process. Rounds will give the adcom a better chance to compare applicants in a big pool against one another. That’s why you’ll need to work even harder to justify why you deserve a place at CBS and explain what you will contribute to the MBA experience there.

Ready to get to work on your CBS application? Read on.

Columbia Business School application essay tips

Columbia business school application deadlines, columbia business school class profile.

Applicants must complete one short answer question and three essays (source: CBS website ).

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

Note that this has a CHARACTER (rather than word) limit. Your response must be significantly shorter than a tweet. What do you want to do professionally and in which industry immediately after earning your MBA?

Warning: This question is not asking about your intended area of study while in business school or about a nonprofessional goal or even about a long-term goal. And the subject in your response is assumed to be you, so you by including or starting with “I” or “I plan to….”

Succinctly define your goal in terms of function (what you want to do) and the industry (or type of company) in which you want to do it.

Columbia Business School Essay #1

Columbia adcom readers must really like the answers they get to this question, because it’s back this year and has been a part of CBS’ application for the last several years. CBS wants you to focus on your career goals not immediately after graduation, as in the short-answer question, but in the medium and long term. The adcom wants to see how you believe your career will develop after your first post-MBA job. Note that this question DOES NOT ask you how CBS will help you achieve your goals.

To respond to this essay question, realize that the . Don’t repeat “your professional path to date.” That would be a waste of valuable essay real estate and would mean you’d neither be telling the adcom anything new nor answering their question. Instead, describe what you want to do three to five years in the future, which should build on what you have stated for your first post-MBA job. Make sure to answer the long-term question and feel free to dream and aspire, but at the same time, reveal a feasible professional goal.

Let CBS see that you have a purposeful and exciting direction in mind for your future – a future that will transform you into a graduate they will be proud of.

Columbia Business School Essay #2

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

For this essay, you’ll have just a few words with which to describe some big ideas. A superior result will come after you do your research and some deep thinking.

First, get to know the PPIL initiative . CBS describes the PPIL as “a one-of-a kind diversity, equity, and inclusion requirement.” It’s become a mandated part of the CBS experience.

Second, reflect on your personal experiences. You can write about a situation at work, during a volunteer stint, or in any other social situation where you acted with inclusive leadership.

The best examples will demonstrate how you were inquisitive, reflective, and if necessary, willing to create change within institutions or hierarchies for a more inclusive environment.

Columbia has offered five topics from which you can choose and must expand on in your essay. Because of the word limit, selecting just one or two is better than trying to address all five.

Third, organize your thoughts into a narrative. It’s useful to use the SOAR or SOAR + L framework to tell your story:

S = Situation. What was the situation you were presented with, and who were the people involved?

O = Obstacle. What was the obstacle or problem you faced?

A = Action. What considerations did you make, and how did you ultimately decide to act?

R = Result. What were the results of your actions?

+L = Learning. If you have space, you can summarize what you learned about the importance of acting as a leader on this issue.

Remember, don’t worry that the best essays will come from people who have started or joined formal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in their workplace. Individual, one-on-one experiences outside of an institutional framework can be just as powerful, or even more so.

Columbia Business School Essay #3

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

This essay is your opportunity to prove to the adcom that you have done your research, and you’re convinced that CBS is THE best MBA program for you.

To prepare for this essay, think about your career goals. What do you need to learn to achieve them? Think about your learning style. Do you thrive in a lecture hall or in small groups? Finally, what do you like to do socially, and how do you best make friends?

Next, take time to review the curriculum – even go a step further and map out your ideal class schedule based on required core classes and possible electives . Consider also the Executives-in-Residence program, which offers one-of-a-kind access to C-suite mentors. What challenges do you anticipate you’ll encounter in the future that these classes and mentors will empower you to address? You could also consider how you would make the most of access to specialized centers focused on entrepreneurship , real estate , or investing at Columbia.

Finally, decide how you will contribute to the CBS student experience. Look through the clubs that are available, and come up with ideas about how you could have an impact in one or more of them. Do you want to have an international experience ? Mention skill sets you’ve developed in your past, and discuss how you could apply them at Columbia to help organize and enrich the campus experience for everyone.

Now that you’ve done your research, dive right in and get to the point. You only have 250 words! Give yourself loosely 75 words for each focus area: academic, social, and professional. This means you can’t cram in everything you’ve discovered, so be selective. Choose aspects of the CBS program that will have the most impact on your future and where you will have the most impact.

Columbia Business School 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)

The CBS optional essay is specifically for you to “address areas of concern.” If you don’t have areas of concern, don’t write an essay. However, if you had a dip in grades, a period of unemployment, or some other issue that you want to address, this is your opportunity to do so. You don’t want the admissions committee guessing as to why something is the way it is and coming to the wrong conclusion.

Don’t even think of using this essay as a grand finale or wrap-up. And definitely don’t use it to rehash your reasons for wanting to attend you’re your required essays should make those reasons perfectly clear.

For expert guidance on your CBS application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages that include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the CBS application. Looking to score some scholarship money while you’re at it? Explore our services for more information on how Accepted can help you get into Columbia.

Watch our webinar and learn how to Get Accepted to Columbia Business School!

Source: CBS website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with CBS directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here’s a look at the CBS MBA class entering 2022 from the Columbia Business School website:

Applications received: 6,177

Admissions: 1,363

Enrolled: 844, divided into 12 clusters

January entry class size: 215, divided into 3 clusters
August entry class size: 629, divided into 9 clusters

GMAT score (average): 729

GMAT scores (range): 550-780

GMAT scores (middle 80%): 700-760

Undergraduate GPA (average): 3.6

Undergraduate GPA (middle 80%): 3.1-3.9 Work experience (average): 5 years

Work experience (middle 80%): 3-8 years

At least one year of work experience: 99%

Average age: 28

Age range: 21-44

Age range (middle 80%): 25-31

Minority of U.S. origin: 42%

International citizens: 51%

Undergraduate major:

Business: 33%
Economics: 20%
Engineering: 16%
Social Sciences: 12%
Sciences: 8%
Humanities: 6%
Technology: 2%

Previous industries:

Financial Services: 29%
Consulting: 22%
Marketing/Media: 11%
Technology: 9%
Real Estate: 5%
Healthcare: 5%
Military/Government: 5%
Nonprofit 4%

Is CBS the right school for you? These resources can help you decide:

An MBA’s Perspective on Columbia Business School – podcast Episode 373
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Over 6,000 applications, and only 1,363 accepted at CBS last year. How can you ensure your application stands out from the crowd? Check out these resources for expert advice:

Get Accepted to CBS Webinar
AMA Session with Columbia Business School Director of Admissions Michael Robinson
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Columbia Executive MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines

Getting into Columbia Business School takes a special combination of an outstanding application, an extraordinary essay, and an incredible interview. Check out our MBA Services Packages to work one-on-one with our expert admissions consultants. We can help you GET ACCEPTED!

Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant. Want Michelle to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

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Columbia MBA Essays for 2023-2024

The Columbia MBA essays for the 2023-2024 admissions season are now available. Applicants to Columbia Business School must complete one short answer question and three essays.

Short Answer Question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? ( maximum 50 characters )

Examples of possible responses:

“Work in business development for a media company.”
“Join a strategy consulting firm.”
“Launch a data management start-up.”

The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a 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 and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking .

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (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)

Deferred Enrollment Program

Deferred Enrollment candidates will answer two short essay questions instead of the essays listed above.

Why are you interested in obtaining a Columbia MBA in the future? ( 300 words maximum )

Who is a leader you admire, and why? ( 300 words maximum )

CBS will post the 2024 application deadlines in June. For more information on applying, please visit the Columbia Business School admissions website. If you need guidance on your Columbia MBA essays or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help!

Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot of the Columbia Business School expertise on the SBC consulting team:

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from LBS, Columbia CBS and every elite business program in the US and Europe. These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Meet Susan , just one of the many superstars on the SBC team. Susan was the Director of Recruitment and Admissions at London Business School LBS and also the Director of the Executive MBA program at Columbia Business School CBS.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

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Tips for Your Columbia Business School Application Essays

May 30, 2023

Kelly Lundy

Columbia Business School (CBS) has chosen to revisit its application essays this year, replacing last year’s third prompt “Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you.” In its place, the school brought back a question from the previous year’s application, which is meant to highlight an applicant’s ability to be an ethical and inclusive leader.

To write successful essays for CBS, you will need to convey that you have clear goals, especially well-thought-out reasons for wanting to attend the school and live in New York City (NYC), and strong values. Moreover, you should do your homework on CBS so you can really prove that it is the best place for you. CBS doesn’t want to be a commuter school filled with people coming to Manhattan for a two-year vacation; it wants to know that you recognize and appreciate it for the world-class business school it is and that you plan to be a leader in its community. So, demonstrating “fit” is critical. Let’s delve deeper into each CBS application essay question.

Applicants must complete one short-answer question and three essays.

Free : Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Columbia Business School

SHORT ANSWER QUESTION:

What is your immediate post-mba professional goal (50 characters).

This is a noticeably short statement (remember—50 characters , not words!). Make your response as specific as possible, noting the position you want, the industry that interests you, and/or a company that is ideal for you. Keep in mind that whatever you say here should tie into your first long required essay.

Essay One: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

By starting with some simple context/backstory, you can give the admissions reader a sense of why your stated goals are credible and exciting. Simply launching into why you want to go into consulting or edtech or whatever your interest is could be confusing if you have not yet provided some sense of why you have that interest. So, your first task is to establish that your goals are feasible without rehashing the entirety of your professional path.

Next, delve into your long-term goal. By starting with your long-term goal, you are solidifying why you absolutely need a CBS MBA. Think big, think creatively, and think outside the box. Here, giving a job title is not essential (though you can), but you do need to convey what sort of impact you hope to make—to a community, to a company or organization, or somewhere else. In addition, give examples of how and why your long-term goal will be important.

Finally, describe your three- to five-year career goals, which should directly help you achieve your stated longer-term goals. Consider offering a specific job title and an example of a company or organization you aspire to work for. This will help the admissions committee connect with your goal. You have ample word count here to show that you really know what this job entails—that you are not just chasing prestige but have really thought about fit and about how, after you have completed the CBS MBA program, your desired role will prepare you for your long-term dream job. Be sure that your long-term goal can be achieved via your short-term goal. If you cannot build the bridge from one to the other, the admissions committee will question whether CBS can support you in such an improbable endeavor.

You can briefly finish with how the CBS MBA specifically will be critical in meeting your goals. Consider highlighting certain classes, centers, programs, and/or organizations that are unique to CBS that would be beneficial to you.

Essay Two: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) Pathway is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words).

This essay is a great opportunity to give the admissions committee more depth and perspective on your unique background and experiences. But to begin crafting an effective response to this essay, you first need to learn more about the PPIL program, so be sure to start there.

Because this is a short essay, every word counts. Our suggestion would be to devote approximately 50–75 words to describing the situation you experienced and why it stands out for you. With such tight constraints, you clearly need to get to the heart of the matter quickly. Of course, the situation you choose to discuss is important, but what is more important is revealing your values by sharing the steps you took. You might dedicate 100–125 words to relaying those actions and then use the remainder to discuss the outcome. Remember, your results don’t all have to be rosy. For example, if one takes on systemic racism, it almost goes without saying that the experience will not be an easy one. Even amid such restrictive limits, strive to convey the reality of applying one or more of the stated skills, and make sure your values are on display in a thoughtful manner.

Essay Three: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .

Why do you feel columbia business school is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally please be specific. (250 words), your answer to this essay should convey that the cbs mba is the best business program for you. before you begin writing, do significant research into what cbs has to offer that fits with your specific goals, including classes and professors (to check the “academic” box), extracurricular clubs and unique traditions (to check the “culture” box), and local networking and internship opportunities (to check the “professional” box). the reasons you give for why you want to attend cbs should be tied to unique aspects of the school and particular interests and needs that you have. for example, you could express your desire to get involved at the lang center for entrepreneurship, to enroll in the healthcare and pharmaceutical management program, to find volunteer opportunities in the local community through the small business development center, or to spend significant time in nyc because of the unparalleled business resources that are within arm’s reach. just as important, remember to tie the resources you highlight to what you need to gain to attain your goals, and address how you will collaborate with classmates and offer them your experiences and time while in the program. .

Research could take the form of reading the CBS website, speaking with students and alumni from similar backgrounds or in relevant post-grad roles, attending an info session, or visiting campus. The application specifically asks candidates to list the students and alumni they have connected with, so leverage such resources as the Hermes Society website to connect with students who have shared interests, backgrounds, or goals. Be aware that if you live in NYC, it is imperative that you schedule a campus visit. Not making an effort to go to campus and engage directly with students there can be a red flag.

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).

See our blog post on Optional Essay Do’s and Don’ts for guidance.

Reapplicant Essay:

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)..

This is an opportunity to explain how you have grown since you last applied. Ideally, you have improved on some aspect(s) of your profile, whether via a higher test score, more work experience or leadership, a promotion, or a similar advancement. Be sure to explain what it is about the school that motivates you to apply again. This can be a great way to show your specific and sincere reasons for valuing a CBS MBA and why you would be a great fit with the program.

In Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Columbia Business School , you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings, such as the Lang Entrepreneurship Center, J-Term, Immersion Seminars, and the CBS World Tour. Download our brand-new guide to learn more about CBS!

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Essay Advice – Columbia Business School

Working on your Columbia Business School application? Here is what you need to know:

Application Run Down

Columbia is one of the only top schools where the timing of when you click “submit” can matter. Since Columbia has rolling admissions, it’s often to your benefit to submit your application early. This is an important one to stay on top of if it’s on your list.

J-Term Entry (January 2022):

Final – October 6, 2021

Regular Entry (August 2022) (70% of students):

Early Decision (Binding) – October 6, 2021
Scholarship Consideration – January 5, 2022
Final – April 8, 2022

There is one short answer question and three required essays:

Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)
Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five 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. 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)
Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you? (250 words)
Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (250 words)

How To Tackle The CBS Essays

While it may sound odd, you can tell a lot about a school from the essay questions they ask applicants to answer. Columbia’s essay questions demonstrate that it seeks students who have defined, well researched career goals, hence the robust word count allotted to essay one and pointed short answer question. CBS also places heavy emphasis on diversity – not just in background but also in thought – and developing leaders who embrace this as a core value. Essays 2 and 3 seek to understand the unique perspective you bring to the table and look for you to demonstrate that you share the school’s focus on harnessing diversity. Keep these nuances in mind as you craft your answers.

The ‘Why’ is as Important as the ‘What’ in Essay One

While the first essay prompt indicates that Columbia isn’t looking for a restatement of your resume, some insight into the past makes for a more powerful and authentic response. In addition to a clear and specific explanation of your goals, the most important thing to communicate is the ‘why’ behind them. And the ‘why’ is often rooted in your past experiences.

The key is to be targeted about which of your past experiences you include. Start by thinking about the defining elements of the career you will pursue post-MBA. For instance, perhaps your dream is to launch a new beauty brand. The defining elements of this path could be described as (1) entrepreneurship and (2) consumer focused. Share things from your past that explain why you have a passion for entrepreneurship and also why beauty / consumer goods will be your focus as opposed to another product or service. Perhaps you launched a side business in college and loved the thrill of building something from scratch. And maybe your personal experience has demonstrated a gap in the current beauty marketplace that you feel compelled to rectify. Tell these stories to help the reader feel your passion and the authenticity underlying your goals.

Be Strategic When Choosing Prompts and Material for Essays Two and Three

When it comes to selecting the two of three essay prompts to answer, be strategic. Think of your application as a holistic package and choose the questions that will highlight critical parts of your personal brand that you haven’t had the chance to communicate elsewhere.

Because there isn’t another discrete place to cover your ‘why Columbia’ messaging, I often encourage clients to answer the second prompt and then select one of the others. The catch is that this is arguably the hardest of the three questions to answer well . Doing so requires communicating that you understand the unique perspective you bring to the table (harkening back to my earlier point) – both the skills you have and also those you lack – and have done your research to understand how they benefit and benefit from CBS’ program.

Leverage your final essay as a ‘gap filler’. Think about the differentiating things you bring to the table, particularly those you haven’t covered elsewhere, and find a way to weave them in. If you answer the third prompt, for instance, you could choose a book or movie that resonated with you because the main character shared your cultural background, philosophy on life, etc. Despite what the prompt says, it doesn’t have to be your favorite of all time – it’s better to focus on something that will help explain your own diverse viewpoint to the adcom.

If you need help with your MBA applications, including Columbia, click here to schedule an initial consultation.

Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.

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Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples

May 21, 2024

Jeremy Shinewald

Columbia Business School (CBS) requires all its applicants to submit a short-answer goal statement of just 50 characters, and its January applicants must respond to an additional 50-character short-answer question, explaining why they have selected the alternative program start date. In addition, candidates must write three somewhat concise essays. Like the goal statement, CBS’s first essay prompt is about candidates’ career aspirations but focuses on the long term, and the additional length (500 words versus 50 characters) demands much more depth. For their second essay, applicants must discuss their active role in an inclusive experience, and for the third, they are asked to describe their vision for their time in the CBS MBA program and the role they anticipate playing in creating this experience. Together, by balancing professional aspirations with more personal, values- and character-based topics, the school’s essays should provide candidates with sufficient opportunity to provide a well-rounded impression of themselves as aspiring CBS MBAs. Read on for our detailed analysis of the program’s 2024–2025 questions.

Columbia Business School Essay Analysis, 2024–2025

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.”

CBS applicants accustomed to X’s (formerly Twitter’s) standard 280-character allowance might find the school’s 50-character limit here more than a little challenging—especially considering that it includes spaces! To get a sense of how brief your opportunity really is, note that the question is itself exactly 50 characters. With such limited space, this can hardly be considered a true essay, but you will need to approach it with the same level of thought and focus you give all your other written responses for CBS.

So, this prompt is a no-nonsense request for information that is all about getting to the point and telling the admissions committee what it needs to know—that you have a clear and achievable goal. The school’s sample responses illustrate not only that conveying the requested information in such a tight space is definitely doable but also that you do not need to worry too much about grammatical issues or crafting a complete sentence (in other words, you do not need to start your response with “I want to” or something similar). We like to offer the statement “Reveal true goals, not what you think CBS wants” as both our example of keeping things concise and our advice on how to approach and fulfill this request.

So think about what you truly want to do with your career in the short term, and state this aspiration directly. Keep in mind that the rest of your application needs to provide evidence that your stated goal aligns with your existing skills and profound interests, especially once they have been augmented by an MBA education. This will show that your professed goal is achievable and lend credibility to your statement. If you can do this in 50 characters (not words !), you will have done what you need to do to answer the school’s question quite well.

January Short Answer Question: Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)

With this straightforward query, the CBS admissions committee wants to understand why you are pursuing the shorter form of its MBA program, which omits the traditional summer internship. Candidates have a myriad of reasons they might prefer this option, and CBS is interested in yours specifically. Perhaps you already have a job lined up or will be returning to your current firm (or maybe a family business), in which case, you would not need an internship to gain hands-on experience or build a relationship with a company in hopes of landing a post-MBA position there. Maybe you are certain you will start your own business, which would make completing an internship less crucial. Whatever your reason, simply state it directly for the admissions committee. The school is not looking for a predetermined “right” answer here; above all, they want to see that you have thoroughly considered your options and have landed on a reason—and can articulate it succinctly—that this route is the right one for you. But if not needing an internship is your reason for selecting the 16-month program, make sure you do not simply say, “I do not need a summer internship”; explain why that interim position is not needed.

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

CBS starts this essay question by more or less telling you not to recap your career thus far, so we strongly recommend that you do so (and briefly, at that) only if context is absolutely needed for your stated goals to be understood and/or believable—perhaps if you are making a fairly remarkable career change. Pay particular attention to the phrase “dream job” with respect to the long-term portion of the question. The school is prompting you to be creative and perhaps even to challenge or push yourself to think big. CBS wants individuals who do not just follow prescribed paths according to someone else’s blueprint but who are aspirational and more inclined to forge their own way. This is not to suggest that if you have a more traditional plan in mind that you are in trouble or at risk of losing the admissions committee’s attention, but you might need to take a little extra time to consider your ambitions from the perspective of “what if?” and to delve more deeply into what you hope to achieve to find the more personal and inspiring elements of your goals. Showing creativity and individualism here can only be helpful.

Although this is not a request for a textbook personal statement essay, your response will certainly involve some elements of the topics covered in such a submission, such as short- and long-term goals. The mbaMission Personal Statement Guide offers advice on brainstorming and crafting such essays, along with multiple illustrative examples, and could therefore be helpful in preparing your response to this CBS prompt. You can download your free copy here .

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

In the CBS MBA program, you will be surrounded every day by individuals who are unlike you in a multitude of ways, and you will need to work in tandem with and alongside these individuals when analyzing case studies, completing group projects, and participating in other activities both inside and outside the classroom. CBS has created the PPIL program to help students more easily and appropriately navigate topics and situations related to diversity and inclusivity, but first, the admissions committee wants some evidence that you are capable of learning such lessons and acting on them when appropriate. It also wants to gauge your current level of understanding of the concepts and your ability to apply them by having you relate an illustrative story from your past. To start, you must understand that true inclusion goes beyond simply providing a seat at the table, so to speak, for everyone on a team and demands that each person be invited or at least allowed to contribute in a meaningful way and that those contributions be valued on par with those of other team members.

We strongly recommend getting to know the PPIL program in some depth before you begin writing this essay. On the CBS site, this essay prompt includes a hyperlink to the program’s site (we have replicated the link here in our post), so be sure to take some time to click through and read about the program’s initiatives and founders; you can even watch a recorded PPIL event. To be able to write effectively on one of the five skills the admissions committee has highlighted in the essay question and asked you to focus on, you will need to start by understanding how CBS defines and talks about the skill.

Again, CBS wants you to provide evidence of how you act on your values and ideals, so you cannot simply discuss why you believe that being an inclusive leader is important—you need to clearly describe a relevant situation and your associated mind-set, motivations, and actions. Fully illustrating and exemplifying the “how” element is crucial for this essay to be its most effective, so be as thorough as possible (within the rather restrictive 250-word limit) in explaining your thought process and the steps you took to make a difference.

Because the school places no restrictions on the environment in which your experience occurred, be sure to consider all the areas of your life (personal, community, professional) to uncover your strongest example. Similarly, the admissions committee does not stipulate that you must have been acting in a leadership capacity in the story you share, but if you have a strong example in which you were directing a team, group, or initiative, it would likely make for an even more compelling essay.

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership – academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words)

In different words (clearly), the admissions committee is essentially asking you two core questions here: How are you a good fit with the CBS program? And what would you contribute to it and the CBS community? To position yourself to provide a strong and convincing answer to the school’s question(s), you will need to conduct some significant research on all aspects of CBS, its community, and the MBA experience it offers, from its resources and faculty to its extracurriculars and location. In your essay, you must present a clear plan of action, showing direct connections between CBS’s offerings and your interests, personality, and needs. Note that the prompt does not present an “and/or” choice in its request, so you should strive to address all three angles of the experience it mentions—”academically, culturally, and professionally”—in your essay, if at all possible. This will demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are truly a good fit for, and enthusiastic about, the entire CBS MBA experience, rather than being narrowly focused on just a few key resources or aspects.

One important key to this essay is the element of “co-creating.” You need to paint yourself as an active participant and contributor, not just benefitting from what CBS has to offer but also making your personal mark on the experience in some way. In researching the CBS program, have you noticed something “missing” that you could add? Alternatively, is there just a key area of interest where you could engage and contribute? Ideally, whatever you discuss in your essay should be advantageous for others in the community, as well. Although you are focusing on your personal experience, of course, CBS is looking for applicants who will be additive and can elevate the program more broadly.

Although the word “optimal” implies a bit of “blue sky thinking,” you need to make sure that whatever you propose is indeed possible at the school. If not, the admissions committee will conclude that you have not done sufficient research on the school to understand it appropriately, and—perhaps worse—your proposed offering(s) would have no chance of ever coming to fruition, which essentially means that your contribution might end up being nothing. Obviously, this is not the message you want to send.

Note that generic claims and empty pandering have no place at all in this rather compact essay. Any elements of CBS that you reference must be specific to your interests, character, and needs, and the connections between them must be made very clear. Be authentic about what draws you to CBS in particular, and clearly explain how you will engage with and grow through your experience there while adding to the school in some way.

The “why our school?” topic is a common element of a typical personal statement, so we (again) encourage you to download a free copy of the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide , which helps applicants write this style of essay for any school. It explains ways of approaching this subject effectively and offers several sample essays as guides.

And for a thorough exploration of CBS’s academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to Columbia Business School is also available for free.

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)

CBS’s optional essay question starts out sounding like an open invitation to discuss almost anything you feel like sharing with the admissions committee but then puts the spotlight on addressing problem areas specifically (“areas of concern”). The additional directive about bullet points seems to be a not-too-veiled indicator that the school wants you to just impart any key information rather than offering a detailed and long-winded explanation of the issue in question. Without a doubt, this is not an opportunity to share another cool story or otherwise try to impress or pander to the admissions committee. If you do not truly need to explain an issue or potentially confusing element of your candidacy (e.g., a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT score, a gap in your work experience), we do not recommend that you submit an optional essay; if you do have issues to clarify, keep things concise. In our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide , we offer detailed advice on when and how to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your profile.

CBS reapplicants are required to provide only one essay, in response to the following prompt.

Reapplicant Essay: 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).

CBS wants to know—and see evidence—that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile since you last applied, because earning your MBA from CBS is so important to you. Whether you have enhanced your academic record, achieved a higher GMAT/GRE score, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts are presented in the best light possible.

The Next Step—Mastering Your CBS Interview: Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. And, on your way to this high level of preparation, we offer our free Interview Primers to spur you along! Download your free copy of the Columbia Business School Interview Guide today.

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Columbia Business School Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance, 2023-2024

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Columbia has been asking this question for several years now. We appreciate this because it has allowed us to see a number of success stories, which have shown us what makes a good essay response. Even better, we also know where applicants are likely to stumble. Our first piece of advice is to answer the entire question. CBS is asking for two distinct things: your career goals over the next three to five years and your long-term dream job. Too often, candidates combine these two parts into one when crafting their essay. Instead, follow the prompt and answer each one distinctly!
With respect to your goals, focus on what you will be doing (role, industry, and/or function), as well as the kind of impact you want to have—the problems you want to solve, the products you want to create, the team you want to build. This is especially important when you are describing your “dream job.” Your dream job likely inspires you, and the admissions committee wants to know why. Also, make sure that your short-term goals flow logically into your dream job. They should ideally prepare and position you to achieve that dream job.
The essay prompt does not explicitly ask how your goals relate to where you are now, but that does not mean you cannot address the connection. Although the admissions committee is all but telling you not to rehash your resume here (which would make for a poor MBA application essay for most schools, anyway), you can certainly include some references to past accomplishments or experiences if doing so provides context that is relevant to understanding your goals or assessing your likelihood of reaching them.
This essay is a kind of goal statement essay. The core components of a goal statement essay are (1) a vision of the future, (2) an explanation of how that vision relates to where you are today, and (3) the reasons you need to attend business school to make that vision a reality. You will also address (3) in CBS’ Essay 3, but you can still make a clear case for needing business school in this essay response as well.

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a 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 and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking.

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words).

We at Gatehouse are excited to see this question in CBS’s application. Not only does the prompt give applicants a sense of how CBS is adjusting its MBA experience to meet the leadership needs of the moment, but it also offers candidates the chance to share a specific experience. When executed well, doing so can reveal much about your motivations, unique candidacy, and ability to observe, learn, and grow.
While you can choose which of the five highlighted skills you want to focus on, Columbia is clear about what it wants you to share: the situation, actions, and results—or, SAR. We encourage you use the fuller STARR—Situation, Task, Actions, Results, and Reflection—approach in crafting your response. Each of these elements is important in storytelling. The Situation helps your reader “see” your world. The Task conveys the challenge or goal at hand. The Actions, as well as your thought processes behind them, illustrate who you are as a doer. The Results are perhaps obvious (the “so what” of the story!), but we at Gatehouse also encourage you to Reflect. How did this experience affect and shape you ? Why was it meaningful to you ?
Applicants often assume that because they are applying to business school, they should recount only positive stories—stories in which they are the hero or did everything right. You can absolutely choose such a story (as long as you can still explain how the situation affected and shaped you). However, you could instead focus on an experience that did not end positively or one in which you were not at your best. If you choose to highlight this sort of experience, really lean into that last “R”—the Reflection—and be sure to think about and discuss how you have developed since that experience. Columbia is not expecting perfection; on the contrary, the school’s MBA program exists expressly because CBS believes you are capable of more growth and change ahead.

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , co-curricular initiatives like the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership , which aims to equip students with the skills and strategies necessary to lead in an inclusive and ethical manner, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .

Why do you feel columbia business school is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally (250 words).

A well-executed essay response to this prompt will present clear connections between you and the aspects of the business school that you find compelling. Make a case for why you need an MBA (i.e., the experiences, skills, knowledge, and/or connections you are lacking), and then prove to the admissions committee that you know how CBS specifically can fulfill those needs. Note the resources and offerings (whether well-known or somewhat obscure; they do not have to be arcane!) that resonate with you and will help you advance toward your career goals. You can also mention the clubs and activities you hope to participate in and why they are so important to you.
We strongly caution you to avoid empty pandering! Simply describing CBS in glowing terms and praising its resources does nothing to enhance your candidacy. By telling the admissions officers what they already know about the school they represent rather than what they want to know about you, you run the risk of losing their attention—and worse, their support.

Also, note that CBS asks the following important short-answer question that you should develop in tandem with your essays:

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.”

Topics in this resource:

MBA Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance

Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School MBA Essay Analysis

(Application cycle 2021-22)

Columbia Business School MBA Essay Analysis

(Application cycle 2023-24)

Columbia MBA Short Answer Question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters)

A straightforward one-line answer discussing your immediate plan upon graduation. Think of it as the subject line to the 500 words elaborate career goals essay that follows.

Within the scope of the 50 characters limit, provide a short yet descriptive answer to give them a summary of your target role, industry, type of firm, domain of work, or interests.

The Columbia Business School admissions committee has offered a few example responses to this answer, such as:

“Work in business development for a media company”

“Join a strategy consulting firm”

“Launch a data-management start-up”

Columbia MBA Essay Question 1

Through your résumé 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)

This question wants an action plan from you as a candidate. It need not be set in stone, but provide details about your high-level career plans. Expand upon the role, industry, geography, interests mentioned in the 50 characters essay above.

Discuss how you’re planning to achieve these goals, specify the milestones, and how you think this will lead you to your dream job.

If you’re making a switch, give your reasons and why you believe this is the best path for you.

Align this further with the opportunities that Columbia Business School offers. Correlate the placement opportunities, extracurricular activities, clubs, specializations and electives with your goals and show that you can create impact.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 2

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

Columbia Business School has included this PPIL leadership program to build diversity, equity and inclusion skills within their MBA graduates. They want to nurture candidates who are inclusive, unbiased, and self-aware leaders, who can manage challenging situations strategically.

To answer this optional question, delve into your past experiences to find an instance where you were challenged around one of the five skills mentioned above.

Structure the story part of your your answer using the SCAR format (Situation, Challenge, Action and Result) to describe the situation, a challenge you faced, how you overcame the challenge, and the result of the story. A well-written story will demonstrate how it improved your decision-making, and give insight into how you’ll tackle such challenges post MBA in future.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 3

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

Business schools are aware that candidates apply to multiple schools at the same time. Frankly, you'd be stupid not to do so.

But through the multiple stages of the application process, Columbia wants to choose the candidates who are genuinely invested in their school. A major reason for this is the school's focus on "yield" - the percentage of offers that are taken up by candidates. One client last year was told by the AdCom "we can offer you a spot if you promise to accept it". Therefore, it is important that you show them specific reasons that you’re keen to join their program.

Try to create a logical, step-by-step flow in this answer. Write about the b-school’s curriculum and specializations, clubs and societies, values and alignment with their objective. Explain why these interest you, and how you think they align with your future goals. Describe your plans to engage with the available opportunities, especially how you’ll contribute.

The 250-word limit is tight, so make use of each and every word. Repeatedly scan through the essay to eliminate any information repeated in other essays or superfluous to the core of the story. Be as concise and crisp as possible. Don’t be afraid of short sentences.

Columbia MBA Optional Essay

Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

Most business school applications have an optional essay. It is NOT the space for a deathbed confession! Just an objective explanation of any gaps in your profile, such as low grades, overlapping experiences, job gaps, etc.

Keep your answer short, concise and focused on addressing the issue and reestablishing why it wouldn’t hamper your performance in the future. In other essays, you may use stories and interesting structures. Not here. Ideally, you’ll only use 100 of the words available.

Check out our Columbia MBA Interview Guide for in-depth insights into Columbia's interview process, what they're looking for in prospective candidates, interview schedule and questions for 2024, and tips to ace your interview.

We help determined applicants get admitted to top business schools. Get in touch if you think we can help you with your MBA application. Book a free 20 mins chat now.

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MBA and Executive MBA Columbia Business School students are enrolled in the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) Program. Learn more about how PPIL is structured for each student population.

Ppil requirement.

Full-Time MBA Students: All students must register and attend ONE (1) PPIL approved event and submit ONE (1) post-event reflection form each fall and spring of their MBA Program, for a total of four (4) PPIL events and four (4) reflections over the course of two years. Attendance and submission deadline vary per semester, students should check their CampusGroups Checklist for the official deadline. Fall 2023 Deadline: December 1st

Program Exemptions: Students can request to be exempt from the PPIL requirement by semester, if their status meets the following criteria: leave of absence, studying abroad through the Chazen Institute, medical absence, dual-degree students not in CBS residency, and stretch students. To request an exemption, students should email [email protected].

*Students who fail to meet the program requirement will receive a PPIL registration hold on their student accounts.

Full-Time MBA Student Track

The Full-Time MBA student track offers students the opportunity to self-select one PPIL-approved event offered throughout each semester. All students must register and attend ONE (1) PPIL approved event and submit ONE (1) corresponding reflection form each academic semester of their MBA Program,

PPIL Session 1

Students select one (1) PPIL-approved event from the calendar of events and submit one (1) reflection form in their first semester registered.

PPIL Session 2

Students select one (1) PPIL-approved event from the calendar of events and submit one (1) reflection form in their second semester registered.

PPIL Session 3

Students select one (1) PPIL-approved event from the calendar of events and submit one (1) reflection form in their third semester registered.

PPIL Session 4

Students select one (1) PPIL-approved event from the calendar of events and submit one (1) reflection form in their fourth semester registered.

PPIL Checklist

The PPIL Checklist on CampusGroups tracks student attendance, hosts the post-event reflection form, and allows to review progress to completion with the program on a semester basis. Students can access this checklist by:

1. Logging onto CampusGroups

2. Reviewing the Navigation Menu on the left-hand side

3. Clicking on "My Checklists"

4. All students should see enrollment in "Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) Track- MBA Class of 20XX"

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Columbia Professors Host an Alternative Graduation for Students

After some ceremonies were canceled or moved, some college students in New York attended an event near Columbia’s campus where speakers praised pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

By Alexandra Eaton

May 16, 2024

Approximately 550 students, professors and religious leaders gathered near the Columbia University campus in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon for what organizers called an alternative graduation ceremony, featuring speeches by pro-Palestinian activists and writers, and clergy from various faiths.

The two-hour event, called “The People’s Graduation” and organized by Columbia faculty and staff, was held toward the end of a week of official graduation ceremonies, many of which the university moved to its athletic complex some 100 blocks north to avoid disruptions by protesters.

“People are feeling very alienated from the college and the university and they wanted a space where they could celebrate their accomplishments and express themselves politically,” said Nara Milanich, a professor of history at Barnard College, who attended the event.

Many students had expressed dismay when Columbia’s leadership canceled the university’s main commencement ceremony , and moved most events off campus. In the weeks leading up to graduation, the school’s administration had called the police twice to remove protesters from its Morningside Heights campus, where students established a pro-Palestinian encampment and occupied a building.

In a letter to the New York Police Department in April, Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, requested that the police remain on campus until at least May 17 “to maintain order and ensure encampments are not reestablished.”

Administrators said they were “deeply disappointed” at having to change plans for graduation, but said the security issues were “insurmountable.”

During the alternative event on Thursday, held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, college students from across New York City attended, and many wore the powder blue caps and gowns of Columbia. Some speakers grew emotional as the Palestinian-American poet Fady Joudah read his poem “Dedication,” which he wrote during the first three months of the war in Gaza.

Toward the end of the ceremony, organizers played a video message from Hind Khoudary, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, who thanked the protesters for their actions.

“We never imagined that anyone is gonna ever give us hope the way you guys did,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll see you one day soon when all of this ends.”

Alexandra Eaton is a senior video journalist. Her work focuses on new approaches to visual storytelling across breaking news, politics and culture. More about Alexandra Eaton

The Campus Protests Over the Gaza War

News and Analysis

A union for academic workers in the University of California system announced that an ongoing strike challenging the system’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations would extend to two more campuses , U.C.L.A. and U.C. Davis.

With speeches canceled , students at the City University of New York School of Law ceremony chanted, carried signs and walked out .

Hundreds of students walked out of Harvard’s commencement ceremony , while hundreds of others chanted “Let them walk!”, a reference to 13 student protesters who were not allowed to graduate.

A Complex Summer: Many university leaders and officials may be confronting federal investigations, disputes over student discipline — and the prospect that the protests start all over again in the fall.

Graduation’s Pomp Goes On: Commencement is the rare American ritual that still has rules. That’s why it’s ripe for disruption .

A New Litmus Test: Some Jewish students say their views on Zionism — which are sometimes assumed — have affected their social life on campus .

College President Openings: Presidential posts are available at U.C.L.A., Yale, Harvard, Cornell, Penn and many others. But the job is not what it used to be .

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COMMENTS

Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership
Community members interested in viewing a PPIL event can watch the "Organizational Leadership Series with Rhonda Morris" hosted by the Sanford C. Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School. In this virtual event, Rhonda Morris, vice president and chief human resources officer of Chevron, and Adam Bryant, CBS' Senior Advisor to the Reuben Mark Initiative, discuss ...
NEW MBA Essay Prompt for Columbia Business School (2023-2024)
Columbia PPIL Essay Prompt. The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a 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, ...
2023-2024 CBS Essay Tips & Example Essays
Columbia's return to an essay question focused on their PPIL program is a reflection of Columbia's continued effort to train leaders who truly value and promote inclusivity. Of course, success in business school and in your future career highly depends on your ability to work well with people who are different from you.
A Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays (2023-2024)
A Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays (2023-2024) Coach Melanie E. walks you through each Columbia Business School essay prompt for the 2023-2024 cycle, breaking down what adcoms are looking for and offering expert advice on how to nail your responses. By Melanie E. Posted January 9, 2024. Free Event. Featuring Victoria G.
MBA Application Requirements
Essay 2 . The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice ...
Tips For Conquering The New Columbia Business School Essay
Columbia Business School has released its 2023-2024 application and has replaced one of its essay topics — or, rather, reverted back to one in use a few years ago. CBS is once again asking applicants to describe a time when they were challenged around one of five skills essential to becoming an inclusive and ethical leader.
Columbia MBA Essays Prompts: Tips for 2023-2024
The Columbia MBA Leadership Essay. Introduced in the 2023-2024 application cycle, Columbia's Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) essay aims to evaluate candidate's based on their track record surrounding inclusive leadership. In this essay, CBS wants to understand your values as a leader and get to know how your leadership ...
Poets&Quants
Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking. ... Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a ...
Tuesday Tips: Columbia MBA Essay Tips for 2023-2024
Finally, specifics will help you set yourself apart with this essay. Columbia MBA Essay 2. The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader.
Columbia Business School MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023-2024
Columbia Business School Essay #2. The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills ...
Columbia MBA Essays for 2023-2024
Gain insight into the review process and eliminate weaknesses from your MBA application. Columbia MBA Essays for 2023-2024. The Columbia MBA essays for the 2023-2024 admissions season are now available. Applicants to Columbia Business School must complete one short answer question and three essays.
Tips for Your Columbia Business School Application Essays
May 30, 2023. Kelly Lundy. Columbia Business School (CBS) has chosen to revisit its application essays this year, replacing last year's third prompt "Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you.". In its place, the school brought back a question from the previous year's application, which is meant to ...
Essay Advice
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.
Columbia Business School Essay Examples
Examples of possible responses: "Work in business development for a media company.". "Join a strategy consulting firm.". "Launch a data-management start-up.". CBS applicants accustomed to X's (formerly Twitter's) standard 280-character allowance might find the school's 50-character limit here more than a little challenging ...
Columbia Business School Essay Guidance
Columbia Business School Essay Questions and Strategic Guidance, 2023-2024. Columbia Business School (CBS) asks three essay questions as part of its application process. ... (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend ...
Columbia Business School
Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words) Columbia Business School has included this PPIL leadership program to build diversity, equity and inclusion skills within their MBA graduates. They want to nurture candidates who are inclusive, unbiased, and self-aware leaders, who can manage challenging situations ...
Columbia MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2023-2024
Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking. ... Columbia MBA Essay Question 3 .
Full-Time MBA Student Track
PPIL Requirement. Full-Time MBA Students: All students must register and attend ONE (1) PPIL approved event and submit ONE (1) post-event reflection form each fall and spring of their MBA Program, for a total of four (4) PPIL events and four (4) reflections over the course of two years. Attendance and submission deadline vary per semester, students should check their CampusGroups Checklist for ...
Columbia Professors Host an Alternative Graduation for Students
Approximately 550 students, professors and religious leaders gathered near the Columbia University campus in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon for what organizers called an alternative graduation ...

2023-2024 Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Example Essays

1. Who is Columbia looking for?

2. How should I answer the CBS essay questions?

2.1. Short Answer Tips

2.2. Essay 1 Tips

2.3. Essay 2 Tips

2.4. Essay 3 Tips

2.5. Optional Essay Tips

2.6. Reapplicant Essay Tips

3. Get Into Columbia Business School

4. CBS Deadlines

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