columbia mba admission essay

• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples

May 19, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

Columbia Business School (CBS) requires its applicants to submit a short-answer goal statement of just 50 words and three somewhat concise written essays. Like the goal statement, CBS’s first essay prompt is about candidates’ career aspirations, but in the long term and in much more depth (at 500 words). For their second essay, applicants must discuss their active role in a diversity, equity, and inclusion experience, and for the third, they are asked to explain why they want an MBA from CBS in particular. Together, by balancing career goals 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 2023–2024 questions.

Columbia Business School Essay Analysis, 2023–2024

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 Twitter’s standard 280-character allowance might find CBS’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 school’s 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. During a Q&A mbaMission conducted with several top admissions officers, Assistant Dean of Admissions Amanda Carlson commented,

That 50 characters really helps people to just break it down very simply for themselves and simply for us . . . . Pursuing business education, it’s a huge investment in time, in money, in effort, in energy, and I think this 50-character exercise is as much for the candidate as it is for our team, and we want to know that people are serious, they’re focused, and they’re ready for this kind of adventure.

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 own 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 answer the school’s question quite well.

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 CBS response to this 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, 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. (maximum 250 words).

Many of the top MBA programs are including essay questions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their applications, and CBS is no exception, though it does focus on five specific (and per CBS, “essential”) skills that fall under the DEI umbrella. In business school—as in life in general—you will encounter people who think differently from you, come from notably different backgrounds, and operate according to different values. And achieving success in an endeavor can involve weighing, navigating, and often incorporating the views of others in one’s efforts. With this essay prompt, CBS wants to learn about your firsthand experience with such differences. 

While you are in the school’s 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 DEI topics and situations, 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, be sure that you understand the three core concepts fully: diversity, equity, and inclusion. Of the three, equity is the most easily misinterpreted, with people often assuming it is interchangeable with equality. While equality implies same, equity implies fair—requiring not that everyone be provided for or treated identically but rather that each person be provided for or treated appropriately for their particular situation. Similarly, 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.

Without question, recent years have certainly offered a multitude of contexts and situations in which people could “show up” for others who are different from them and work to ensure fairness and appropriate inclusion, such as participating in an organized protest or march, or stepping in when someone was being harassed or marginalized in some way. 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 ethical and inclusive leader” is important—you need to clearly describe a relevant situation and your 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(s) 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. 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).

To effectively answer the school’s question for this essay, you will need to conduct some significant research on all aspects of CBS and the MBA experience it offers, from its resources and community to its extracurriculars and location. The admissions committee calls out three major elements of the CBS program within the prompt and links to more information about them, so we recommend starting (or ideally, continuing ) your research there, even if you do not immediately think any of the three applies to you personally. 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—”academically, culturally, and professionally”—so you must be sure to address all three angles in your essay and do so thoroughly and relatively equally. 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.

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 create a narrative explaining how you will grow through the opportunities available there and benefit from the overall experience. 

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. Click here to access your complimentary copy.

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 your 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 (a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT score, a gap in your work experience, etc.), we do not recommend that you submit an option 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.

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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2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• BU Questrom School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Esade Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School 2+2 Deferred MBA Program Essay Analysis 2024
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• HKUST Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples
• International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Essay Tips and Examples
• Ivey Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• SMU Cox School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024
• Villanova School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

Columbia MBA Essay Examples

Here are some Columbia MBA essay examples and tips for how to write your own! Columbia Business School is at the top of MBA rankings , and getting accepted is very competitive. This means your MBA admissions essays for Columbia need to be very strong, meaning well-written and captivating for the admissions committee. In this blog, we’ll look at how to write a great MBA essay for Columbia, the essay requirements and some Columbia MBA essay examples to help inspire you.

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Article Contents 6 min read

How to write a columbia mba essay.

Your Columbia MBA essay examples need to be strong and well-structured but also add something significant to your application. Columbia Business School is home to one of the best MBA programs in the world , so getting accepted is competitive. Your MBA essays can be a significant strength in your overall application, along with your MBA resume and MBA interview questions .

Columbia MBA asks applicants to respond to MBA essay prompts, so to write an effective Columbia MBA essay, you should address the prompt as thoroughly and in-depth as possible, while keeping to the word count and exhibiting strong writing skills. For each prompt, reflect on your experiences to identify the ones most relevant to the prompt, and most important to you. You can also talk to an MBA essay consultant for brainstorming and writing help. Lastly, be sure to do some research on Columbia’s MBA program to find out what the admissions committee values.

The Columbia Business School’s mission statement and values reflect a commitment to transformative leadership, the dissemination of knowledge and a respect for diversity and inclusion. Columbia Business School’s values statement is:

“To achieve our vision of developing innovative ideas and inspiring leaders that transform the world, the members of CBS strive to build and sustain a welcoming and intellectual community that values and respects individuals’ different and shared identities and perspectives.”

The Columbia MBA program is looking for applicants with strong, proven leadership skills, intellectual curiosity and high academic ability, as well as students who will contribute meaningfully to the school culture. Although you don’t need to write an MBA diversity essay for Columbia, the admissions committee does want to see your unique perspectives and meaningful experiences in your Columbia MBA essays.

Columbia MBA Essay Requirements

The Columbia MBA requirements include a section for three required MBA admissions essays and a short answer question. There is also an optional MBA essay and additional MBA essay questions for the deferred enrollment program.

For the short answer question, keep it to a bullet point or short sentence. You can describe the job title or position you hope to achieve or condense your short-term career goal into a simple sentence. ","label":"Deferral and Short Answer","title":"Deferral and Short Answer"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Here are some MBA personal statement examples from the Columbia MBA program.

Columbia MBA Essay Example #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)

  Over the next three to five years, my career goals revolve around developing expertise in strategic management and honing my leadership skills within a global organization. Building upon my academic foundation and professional experiences, I aspire to assume roles of increasing responsibility and contribute to driving sustainable growth and innovation.

 In the short term, I aim to secure a position in a renowned financial consulting firm where I can immerse myself in diverse industries and work closely with senior executives to solve complex business challenges. This would provide me with valuable exposure to different sectors, sharpen my analytical and problem-solving skills, and allow me to cultivate a deep understanding of strategy formulation and implementation. Simultaneously, I intend to pursue advanced certifications in areas such as project management or data analytics to enhance my skill set and stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies. These additional qualifications will equip me with the tools needed to navigate the ever-evolving business landscape and add value to my future employers.

To achieve these goals, I plan to take on progressively challenging projects that allow me to expand my knowledge base, strengthen my decision-making abilities, and cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders. Additionally, I will seek out mentoring opportunities to learn from seasoned professionals and gain insights into effective leadership practices. Looking beyond the next five years, my long-term dream job is to serve as a Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) or Chief Financial Officer (CEO) of a global organization. As a CSO or CFO, I would have the opportunity to shape the strategic direction of the company, lead transformative initiatives, and foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity.

In this role, I envision myself leveraging my strategic acumen and business expertise to drive sustainable growth, adapt to disruptive market forces, and navigate geopolitical complexities. I aspire to create a positive impact not only within the organization but also on a broader scale by addressing societal challenges and promoting sustainable business practices.

Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills ( Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity , and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking) . Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

During my sophomore year in college, I was confronted with a challenging situation that tested my ability to create an inclusive environment. As a member of the student council, I was responsible for organizing a campus-wide Cultures of the World event. However, I soon realized that there was a significant lack of representation from certain underrepresented student groups in the event planning committee. This was a clear indication of a potential bias and a missed opportunity to create an inclusive environment.

Firstly, I initiated a dialogue with the committee members, expressing my concern about the lack of representation and the importance of incorporating diverse voices in the planning process. I also encouraged everyone to reflect on their own biases and be mindful of the need to mitigate prejudice in our decision-making. I reached out to student organizations representing underrepresented groups, inviting them to join the event planning committee. I also organized brainstorming sessions focused on ensuring that various cultures and perspectives were represented in the event's activities, performances, and discussions.

The outcome was incredibly rewarding. By actively involving underrepresented student groups in the planning process, we created an event that showcased the true diversity of our campus. The inclusive environment fostered open and respectful dialogue among students from different backgrounds, promoting a sense of unity and understanding. Moreover, the event received positive feedback from attendees, who appreciated the efforts made to address systemic inequity and highlight marginalized voices. The experience taught me the importance of taking action in promoting inclusivity.

Want more MBA personal statement examples?

Columbia MBA Essay Example #3

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

Academically, the school's commitment to experiential learning and its emphasis on real-world applications would provide me with the practical skills and insights necessary for success, especially in working with non-profits through the Non-Profit Board Leadership Program, as working in the non-profit field is my goal. Moreover, the opportunity to engage with distinguished faculty members, such as Melissa Berman, would allow me to delve deeper into the business and organization of non-profits and broaden my intellectual horizons.

Professionally speaking, Columbia Business School's location in the heart of New York City offers unparalleled access to global business opportunities, particularly in the non-profit sector. The school's strong ties with industry leaders, alumni network, and career resources would provide me with invaluable connections and internships, enabling me to translate my academic knowledge into practical experiences.

Culturally, CBS is an ideal fit for me as an individual passionate about collaborating with people from different backgrounds and perspectives. The school's diverse student body would provide an enriching environment for cross-cultural learning and networking. Additionally, the plethora of student organizations and initiatives, such as the Social Enterprise Club, would enable me to contribute to causes I care about while building lasting relationships with like-minded individuals.

Columbia’s MBA program is considered one of the best in the world, with an admissions rate just over 16%. Getting accepted to Columbia’ MBA program is quite competitive, considering the amount of applicants the business school receives every year and its fairly rigorous academic standards.

There are 3 required MBA essays at Columbia, plus an optional essay. Columbia also requires deferred program applicants to answer two different MBA essay questions.

Columbia’s MBA program is considered one of the best in the world and at the top of the business school rankings. As of this year, Financial Times' Global MBA rankings puts Columbia at the very top of the best business schools worldwide.

Your Columbia MBA essays will have a word limit of 500 words for the first required essay, and a limit of 250 words for the second and third required essays. The optional essay has a word limit of 500.

Yes, the Columbia MBA essays are a significant part of your overall application and can be a big asset to your candidacy. It’s important to take your time and write well-structured and stand-out essays that will add to your application and help you get accepted.

At this time, no, Columbia does not use video essays for its MBA program.

To write a good MBA essay for Columbia, read the prompts very carefully and brainstorm ideas that relate to the prompts directly. Any experiences you highlight should be meaningful and impactful to you, personally or professionally. You should also choose experiences which highlight the values of Columbia Business School, such as diversity, intellectual curiosity, leadership and innovation.

If you’re not sure what to say in your MBA essay, do a bit of brainstorming on the provided prompts or essay questions. Write down a few key experiences that relate to the prompts or answer the questions. You can also talk to an MBA essay consultant or MBA admissions consulting service for help with your essays.

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Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, how to tackle the columbia mba essay questions.

• By Karen Hamou

Columbia Business School requires three essays in its MBA application. For the 2023–2024 admissions cycle, they have changed one essay — 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. That’s a question that should be confronted with courage and careful self-reflection. I have some advice on how to respond below, but first, let’s take the application questions from the top.

Short Answer Question:

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

The Admissions team wants you to be direct, succinct, and demonstrate direction (ambition is good, but be realistic). This is an opportunity to provide a clear, overarching headline that lays the groundwork for subsequent essays that cover your career goals and reasons for pursuing the Columbia MBA.

Note that the question asks about your goal; it’s subtly asking what you envision doing, rather than the position you hope to secure in a specific company. A strong answer will indicate what you hope to achieve in a sector, such as ‘consultant focusing on clean technology’ or ‘structure investment deals in real estate.’

There is no right answer here, but whatever you choose should be coherent and credible based on your past experience, bolstered by the Columbia MBA. Columbia is looking to see that you know what you want to do, have a general understanding of that role, and that you understand the paths that would be available to you coming out of Columbia.

Essay 1 Tips

Essay 1 remains the same:

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)

My advice: be sure to focus on the future and how CBS will get you there. A common mistake here is to write about where you have been rather than where you are going. CBS specifically asks what your future career goals are, and so a substantial portion of the word count should specifically address short- and long-term goals (at least 250 words, if not more).

It often helps to start with a brief hook to show what inspires you to take the path that you will then lay out. It can be a brief anecdote, a quote, a reflection on something that happened in your past, and so on. Then, it helps to offer a (very brief) paragraph explaining what you have done on that career path to date, just to put a bit more context around the goals you will then introduce.

Short-term goals can be more specific than long-term goals. You certainly need to have a general idea of what you would like to do in the long term, but the admissions committee is not expecting the same level of detail about where you will be decades from now as they are for the immediate post-MBA goals. Again, CBS is looking to see that you have a clear understanding of where a CBS MBA can take you (and then essay 3 will show how the MBA will help you get there).

The New Essay 2

A question about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you has been replaced with this question used a few years ago:

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 switch seems to reflect the importance CBS places on its values of diversity, inclusion, and equity and the importance of explicitly cultivating the specific skills that ethical, inclusive leaders need.

Here, you have wide flexibility and latitude in your response.  After all, there are five specific skills to choose from, and you can, of course, address several. That offers many ways to highlight ways you’ve engaged in one of five themes and how it impacted you and others. Your response should identify one meaningful example from your career or experiences, and then extract lessons learned that showcase the kind of person you are and leader you hope to be.

Implicit in this prompt is a question about your knowledge of and your commitment to CBS. Your answer should also communicate how you will develop and practice these skills at CBS. It’s important to show how you will engage with the very diverse and global community at CBS and how you will add value.

Channel your authenticity and courage to show how you have already engaged this capacity — and then make clear where you hope to let it shine at CBS.

I repeat: Show, don’t tell.  Give us the scene, then tie the story to what the implications are for your future. Self-reflection is essential here: Remember that diversity and inclusion can be about race and ethnicity, but also gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or different viewpoints, ideas, or experiences. Show how are you questioning the status quo, inviting diverse perspectives, and cultivating awareness of the less visible forces that shape decision-making and group dynamics?

Essay 3 Tips

This prompt is the classic “why our MBA?” essay question, with a new, shorter word limit this year:

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, cocurricular 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)

Here, you need to explain why CBS is uniquely positioned to help you achieve your goals. It is a great opportunity to demonstrate that you have done your homework, assessed your fit with the school, and are eager to attend Columbia. You should showcase your deep knowledge of the school and the engagement that you’ve had with members of the Columbia community.

The framing of the question once again encourages you to demonstrate your readiness to be an inclusive leader. Again, this will require some self-reflection and honesty, to authentically show how your experiences and strengths prepare you to connect to Columbia’s values related to collaboration, mentorship, and DEI. Be sure to explain how and where you will contribute to the CBS community.

Even though it isn’t directly in the essay prompt (as it has been in previous years), you should still explain not only why Columbia’s campus life and leadership culture is right for you, but also why want to pursue the MBA in New York City, because the city, as a global center of business, is such an integral part of the Columbia experience.

Additional Essay Advice

A few final details are worth noting.

• CBS offers an optional essay as an opportunity to share any other information you wish with the Admissions Committee (maximum 500 words). This space could be used 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.
• Essay word limits are not absolute; since you upload essays as a .pdf file, the word count is not a hard cap. However, we advise you to stay within the recommendation.
• Deferred admissions applicants answer two different essays: Why are you interested in obtaining a Columbia MBA in the future? (300 words maximum); and Who is a leader you admire, and why? (300 words maximum).
• Reapplicants submit just one essay response to this question:

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).

Want more advice? 

For everything you need to know about how to get into the Columbia MBA program, from program basics and admissions requirements to our team’s insider tips for admission success, read my related blog: How to Get Into Columbia Business School: MBA Application Requirements . You can also view Fortuna’s  Columbia MBA B-School Profile.

You can also view Fortuna’s M7 Admissions Masterclass below, which offers a deep dive on the Columbia MBA and how to position a standout application.

Let’s Get You In.

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA Admissions Directors and Officers from the world’s most elite business schools, including the Columbia MBA program. With our unparalleled collective expertise, we are able to coach you to develop a clear vision of your goals for business school and beyond. We work closely with you throughout the application process and provide expert guidance at every stage to maximize your chances of admission to a top school.

Our free consultations are consistently rated as the best in the industry. To learn more about Fortuna and assess your chances of admission to CBS and other top programs, request a  free consultation .

Updated May 30, 2022

Fortuna Admissions Expert Coach Karen Hamou is a Columbia MBA alum and former Deloitte Consulting recruiting lead, as well  as well as #2 ranked consultant globally in Poets & Quants list of the Top 20 MBA Admissions Consultants of 2021. For more free advice and a personal, candid assessment of your chances, you can sign up now for a  free consultation .

• Posted on June 3, 2023

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Columbia Business School MBA Application Updates: 2023-2024

It is time to get started on your  Columbia Business School application as the Columbia MBA essay questions for class of 2026 business school hopefuls were just released.

Columbia Business School has made some big changes for 2023-2024 MBA Applicants (applying for August 2024 Entry), removing the rolling and binding early-decision process and moving to a more traditional rounds model. 

Note: for candidates applying for January 2024 entry, the application process will continue to be rolling, with a deadline of 9/13/2023.

The 2023-2024 Columbia Business School MBA Application Deadlines are as follows:   

Round 1: September 13, 2023

Round 2: January 5, 2024

Round 3: April 3, 2024

While submitting a round 1 application is non-binding, applicants will be required to submit a $6,000 deposit to accept their offer.

Read Personal MBA Coach’s Top Tips for Tackling Columbia Business School’s Essays Below!

The Columbia MBA essays changed for 2023-2024 applicants

• Essay 1 remains unchanged
• Essay 2 is new (though this question was an option for 2021-2022 applicants)
• Last year’s essay 2 is now Essay 3, with a shorter 250-word limit.

Given Columbia Business School’s rolling admissions, getting an early start is particularly crucial.

The three questions together will prompt MBA candidates to cover a wide range of information about their professional goals, plans on campus, personal stories and leadership styles.

Avoid repeating yourself while ensuring that the three Columbia essays work together to paint an accurate and consistent picture of your candidacy.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 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 maximum)

Columbia specifically asks that candidates not repeat their resumes in this career goals question. While some mention of your professional past is still expected, it should be brief and used as context to further elaborate on why your goals are attainable. This question explicitly asks for both a short-term goal and a long-term dream job so be sure to include both.

According to Nicole Shay, former Columbia Business School Admissions Director: “Your goal should be pragmatic. The committee will be asking themselves: ‘Given the applicant’s work experience + the resources/opportunities at CBS, will this applicant be successful in achieving their short-term goal?’”

In addition, your goals should show a logical progression from your current experiences. If they do not, then a brief explanation is a good idea so that the admissions committee can understand how you will realistically attain your goals.

Discussing your long-term dream job is an opportunity to show the admissions committee your true ambitions and what really matters to you professionally. It is important that candidates have lofty goals here but ones that make sense for them and fit with both their short-term goals and overall story. This is a unique chance not only to show how you envision your career unfolding, but also to give the reader a little more insight into who you are by adding at least a brief mention of why this career interests you.

Finally, while not explicitly asked, a bit on how you will prepare for these goals while at Columbia would serve as a nice conclusion.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 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)

This new second essay directly addresses a topic that continually is top of mind for nearly all top business schools. When it was asked during the 2021-2022 application cycle, it was not required for all candidates and we recognize that some applicants may struggle to answer this question.

With a very short word limit, it is crucial to be very direct in sharing the circumstances, your actions and the result. There is no room for fluff here. Similarly, do not force this essay and be sure your story is authentic. You may need to consider DEI a bit more broadly and that is ok.

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)

This question takes a direct approach to addressing fit. During some previous cycles, CBS has asked candidates about their desire to be in New York City. While the current prompt addresses fit more broadly, mentioning how you plan to leverage the city would still be advised here.

With only 250 words and a lot to cover, it is important to be focused and specific. Show that you have done your research on what options are available on campus and which specifically interest you. Naturally, a tie should be made between these opportunities and your career goals.

According to Nicole: “In this essay, the committee is looking for which resources you are going to utilize to achieve your short-term goal and fulfill your social/cultural needs/interests. However, they are also looking at how you are going to contribute to the CBS community.”

This is the time to discuss the classes you hope to take, clubs you will join and other programs of interest to you, such as speaker series or immersion seminars. While we have always recommended that candidates consider culture as they answer this question (which, as we have shared in the past, is becoming increasingly important to many top business schools) this year CBS explicitly asks applicants to speak to why the CBS culture is a good fit. Be sure that you have done your research on CBS and its culture and community. Find out more about what sets CBS apart by visiting our CBS school guide. Plus, watch Personal MBA Coach’s Nicole Shay’s  exclusive interview  with former colleague and current CBS Adcom Director, Jordan Blitzer. Get insider information about CBS including what Jordan wishes applicants would do differently, what is new on campus and common misconceptions about CBS. This is a must see for prospective CBS students.

Finally, Columbia has an optional essay. As we advise for most schools, do not feel compelled to answer this unless you have something specific to explain in your background (e.g., a career gap, an unusual recommender, extreme personal circumstances, etc.) This is not the time to spend 500 words professing your love for Columbia.

Considering Columbia Business School? Find out how Personal MBA Coach’s clients are generally some of the first to get accepted into CBS (with leading scholarship $’s).

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