sample columbia mba essays

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Columbia MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2024-2025

The following analysis examines the admissions essays for  Columbia Business School . The Columbia MBA essay questions below are for the 2024-2025 admissions season. You can also review essay topic analyses  for other leading MBA programs as well as general  Essay Tips  to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.

Columbia MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2024-2025

Let’s take a closer look at the Columbia MBA essay questions:

Short Answer Questions

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters) This question asks applicants to speak directly about the job they wish to have upon graduating from business school. The adcom offers several sample answers  to illustrate the sort of direct response they’re seeking. Given a short and strict limit of 50 characters, you’ll want to clearly and concisely describe your short-term goal, making sure that it aligns with what you write in Essay 1.

How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include target industry(ies) and/or function(s). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business. (50 characters maximum) For those choosing an internship, this will need to have a clear connection to your short-term goal. In other words, stay on theme–for example, if you plan to become a consulting associate focused on the healthcare sector, it would not make sense to express interest in a role in fintech. Keep in mind that this is not a binding answer–you just want to show the adcom that you have thought through how to best prepare for your post-MBA plans. It could help to review offerings through the Career Management Center to make sure your summer plans are feasible, but the CMC maintains healthy and extensive corporate relationships, so it’s likely your target industry and function will be attainable as an intern. If you are planning your own venture, simply account for the business need you plan to address.

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) Appearing for an eighth year in a row on the CBS application, this first essay prompts applicants to focus almost exclusively on their career goals. We say “almost” here because a bit of context will be important. For example, applicants might remark on how their professional experiences to date have informed their interest in their post-MBA path, and might also comment on transferable skills they’ve gained on the job that will apply to their future posts. In short, make sure that your comments build on rather than repeat material that the adcom can find in your recommendations or résumé. Also, the reference to a “dream job” stands out here. In light of this language, your long-term plans should be aspirational, as top programs want to admit folks who will make an impact in the world. That said, they should be realistic, based on your short-term aspirations, an MBA and career to-date.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 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) Appearing on the CBS application again this year, this essay option asks applicants to reflect on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their lives. All first-year MBA students are required to attend at least one PPIL-approved session and submit a post-event reflection form. Before getting started with the essay, it could help to read through the PPIL website to get a greater sense of the school’s vision for the programming and more.

No matter the DEI skill selected, applicants should ensure they were active participants in achieving a positive outcome. When tackling this option, note that CBS offers a structure at the end of the prompt, akin to the STAR method:

• Situation – Set the stage or identify the situation and related challenge.
• Action – Describe the actions you took related to DEI, including how you communicated your solution.
• Outcome – Summarize the (hopefully positive) result.

Indeed, this structure should help you convey your story concisely and directly.

The door is wide open for examples, but the key is to ensure you touch on each element of the prompt to show how you are an ethical and inclusive leader. It will be important to connect to how a situation has influenced you—ideally shown through some related actions—as the adcom will want to get to know you and how you think and evolve. Action would also strengthen a response here—think beyond comments or campaigns shared on Facebook or TikTok, and reflect on advocating actively. This can be a lot of ground to cover in 250 words, but if you have room, concluding with a brief example of how you applied what you learned would  show  that you learned from the challenge.

Columbia MBA Essay Question 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) The adcom is seeking to understand how you see yourself contributing to the community and enhancing the experience of other students. If you have a longstanding passion or interest, or relevant accomplishment, you may briefly cite your experience in connection to how it would translate to action at CBS. The key is to have the details about life at CBS so the adcom can more easily visualize you as a student there.

Painting a clear picture of impact within a 250-word essay is no easy task, so zeroing in on how you hope to add to the CBS MBA program academically, culturally and professionally will be important to developing an effective response. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities—whether by seeking out alumni or current students to engage, or connecting with resources through the CBS website—will pay dividends here. For instance, consider the community and collaboration found in the clusters and learning teams or co-curricular and student life environment. Also keep in mind that CBS sees New York City as an extension of their campus, so don’t be afraid to expand the environment for your potential impact on your classmates.

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 admissions committee offers a rather direct prompt to address liabilities in one’s application, e.g. gaps in employment, a weak quantitative record, etc. In such cases, applicants should keep their responses brief and to-the-point, offering explanations without making excuses and humbly bringing mitigating factors to the reader’s attention. That said, it’s possible that there are other elements of one’s background that would be appropriate and not covered elsewhere in one’s application, for example an anticipated promotion or an element of one’s identity not covered in the program’s data forms. While applicants should make an effort to fully represent their candidacies within the required elements of the application, this leaves a bit of room for short exceptions.

Clear Admit Resources

Thanks for reading our analysis of this year’s Columbia MBA essay questions. As you work on your Columbia MBA essay questions and application, we encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s Columbia offerings:

• Columbia School of Business Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
• Clear Admit LiveWire : admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to CBS
• Clear Admit DecisionWire : school selections in real-time by admits to CBS

MBA Applywire

Education: Finance- Chartered Financial Analyst US (CFA) charterholder (>90 percentile); Chartered Accountant (CA); Alumnus of a top-ranked commerce undergraduate college in India (St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata) CGPA: 7.3/10; Top 10% in college Extracurriculars: Played cricket at the National level (U16); Multiple community contribution in health-care sector during the pandemic

Target: R1 - Columbia Business School (CBS), Kellogg School of Management, NYU Stern Reach: R2 -Booth, Wharton (with retake to improve GRE)

Sponsored by Big 4 consulting firm. I studied engineering + CS in undergrad. Most of my work at my current firm to this point has been supporting tech design + implementation for a Health and Human Services gov't agency. I have been involved with tons of internal sustainability efforts and pro-bono supported a LATAM-based economic development nonprofit. Hoping to use the MBA as a way to develop more sustainability + finance fundamentals to come back to current firm and lead decarb strategy engagements. White M. I know my GMAT and GPA are below avg for schools I'm looking at. Will sponsorship be enough to make up for it?

MBA LiveWire

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.

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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2024-2025 Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 7, 2024

• 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 900 students for their prestigious MBA program out of around 6,500 applications. Though CBS does work hard to admit a diverse class (44% of the Class of 2025 were women, 47% were international citizens, and 43% were of minority origins (in the US), they do tend to admit applicants with an average of 5 years of work experience. Applicants also tend to have average GMATs of 730 (GRE scores were not reported ). 

NOTE : Columbia also takes the Executive Assessment exam. Read more here . 

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 Columbia’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. Full-time 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. January Term Short Answer Tips

Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)

In addition to answering the previous short answer question, J-term applicants also need to complete this question. 

Since you only have 50 characters here, be short and sweet. Mention the key reason the J-term appeals to you, such as not needing an internship because you’re returning to your current company or your plans to work for the family business. 

You’ll want to expand a bit more on your reasons for pursuing the J-term as opposed to the full-time MBA in Essay 1, but make sure you condense your motivations to your key reason here. 

2.3. 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 ! 

2.4. Essay 2 Tips

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. (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. 

2.5. Essay 3 Tips

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)

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 these opportunities: clusters and learning teams , the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership , or 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.  \

Keep in mind to additionally mention not just how CBS can help you, but how you can enrich your peers’ and community experiences through your participation in the program to address how you will “co-create” the experience.

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 unique professional and personal goals.

2.6. 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. 

2.7. 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 2024-2025 application cycle. You can start an online application by clicking here . 

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

Columbia MBA August 2025 Entry Round 1 Deadlines

Application Deadline : September 10, 2024

Interview Notification : By November 15, 2024

Decisions Released : By December 20, 2024

Columbia MBA August 2025 Entry Round 2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 7, 2025

Interview Notification : By February 20, 2025

Decisions Released : By March 26, 2025

Columbia MBA August 2025 Entry Round 3 Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 1, 2025

Interview Notification : By May 1, 2025

Decisions Released : By May 15, 2025

CBS January 2025 Round 1 Deadline

Application Deadline : June 18, 2024

Interview Notification : Ongoing, about 2-3 weeks after applying

Decisions Released : Ongoing, and no later than August 15, 2024

Application Deadline : August 15, 2024

Decisions Released : Ongoing, and no later than October 15, 2024

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Columbia MBA Essay Questions, Tips & Advice for 2024-2025

After some major changes to its admissions process last year, Columbia Business School seems to have settled into a new groove for the 2024-2025 application cycle. The Columbia MBA essay prompts reflect very little change from the prior year. Columbia still requires one of the longest essay sets (in terms of word count). This offers a tremendous opportunity for applicants to prove their fit for this M7 program .

If you’re applying to Columbia Business School, read on for our guidance on how to approach the essay prompts . 

Columbia MBA Essay Questions

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.”

January-Term Short Answer Question:  Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (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 is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

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 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.

D escribe 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)

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)

Columbia MBA Essay Advice

You can learn a lot about a school by looking at the essay questions they ask. Columbia’s MBA essay questions show they want students with clear, well-researched career goals. This is why Essay 1 has a generous word count and there’s a direct short answer question. CBS also values diversity—not just in background, but also in thought. They value collaboration and developing leaders who embrace these core values. Essays 2 and 3 ask you to show how your values and goals align with what CBS offers and what unique perspective you bring. Keep these points in mind as you write your answers.

The ‘Why’ is as Important as the ‘What’ in Essay 1

If you haven’t spent much time reflecting on your career goals, Columbia’s first MBA essay question may seem daunting. And that is precisely the point. Columbia is looking to admit individuals who have given a lot of thought to their career, what they want to do and why, and how a Columbia MBA will help them achieve their goals. This does not mean that you must have complete clarity over your future, but rather you’ve taken the time to think about it and have a strong perspective.

There are three parts of this essay question to pay attention to:

1. Don’t Rehash Your Resume

The first sentence of the essay question makes it clear that the AdCom does not want you to spend a lot of time rehashing your professional experience to-date. To the extent that you do, it should only be for the purpose of providing context to your career goals.

Has your current role made you want to go deeper into the industry or function you’re already in?

Has it made you realize a gap in the market that you’d like to fill through an entrepreneurial venture?

Have your experiences made you realize you want to pivot into something else?

Successful candidates connect the dots between what they have learned from their work experiences and what they want to do in the future.

2. Note the ‘3-5 Years’ Timeframe

The question asks about your career goals over the next 3-5 years. This period would include both during your MBA and a few years following your MBA.

When stating your career goals immediately following your MBA, be specific as to the role/title and industry you want to pursue. And then expand on the answer you provided to the short-answer question. Your response should show that you’ve done research into the role and industry and that you have a realistic understanding of the path to get there.

It may be helpful to discuss the skill sets you have to-date and what you plan on building on top of that during your MBA at Columbia to make yourself competitive for reaching your career goal in the short-term.

Ideally, your goals will also be impact-oriented, showcasing not only what you hope to learn but also how you plan to impact your intended clients, community, or other stakeholders.

3. Dream Big for Your Long-Term Goals

The last part of this question asks about your long-term career goals. However, the use of the words “imagination” and “dream” indicates that the AdCom is giving you permission to think big. You don’t necessarily have be too practical or in the weeds of the “how.” They are hoping to get to know you better as a person by understanding what you value in a career.

Think about what aspects of a job would make it your dream job?

What is the impact that you want to make in the world?

What do you want your legacy to be?

While your long-term dream job can be ambitious, your motivations should still be grounded in the experiences that you’ve had. This is how the whole essay flows together.

‘Small’ Stories Can Make for a Powerful Answer to Essay 2

Before thinking about what you will write for this essay, it is important to understand the history of the PPIL program at Columbia. Plus, the role that DEI plays in CBS’ culture. CBS’ website proclaims: “We believe that the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion should be embedded in every facet of the Columbia Business School culture.”

In 2019, CBS’ DEI Committee developed the school’s values statement as such: “To achieve our vision of developing innovative ideas and inspiring leaders that transform the world, CBS is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The faculty, students, and other stakeholders of CBS strive to build and sustain a welcoming and intellectual community that values and respects individuals’ different and shared identities and perspectives, leading to a sense of belonging for all.”

The PPIL program was developed by a pair of MBA students who graduated in 2020. It was inspired by the research of the late CBS professor Katherine Willams Phillips, who studied diversity and its influence on productivity in groups, teams, organizations, and culture. The program includes a combination of reflections, surveys, workshops, and programming to hone and develop students’ inclusive leadership skillset.

Adopt a Broad Definition of ‘Diversity’

With this context in mind, it’s easy to appreciate why this question is a part of the application and how seriously CBS values DEI. Remember that diversity and inclusion encompass not just race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation, but also age, disability, viewpoints, religion, ideas, and experiences. There is no right answer to this question or a superior inclusive leadership skill to cover. Your story may in fact touch on more than one of the five leadership skills. The important thing is to be honest and self-reflective. Topics such as bias, prejudice, and systemic inequity are complex and nuanced. As such, it is best not to oversimplify your story.

Perfection Isn’t the Point

When using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework to answer the question, realize that the result may not be clean and satisfying. It’s okay that even your actions may have been imperfect. Being able to reflect honestly on what you observed and how you handled a situation and realize how you will engage with the PPIL curriculum to improve on your inclusive leadership skills should be the crux of your response.

Remember that ‘Fit’ is a Two-Way Street in Essay 3

Rather than asking ‘why CBS?’ or ‘how will you contribute to the CBS community?’, this question goes a step further. How you would co-create your CBS experience? CBS is looking to admit individuals who want to be active. They want solutions-oriented contributors in the CBS community. Not just benefiting from what’s already available but making their own personal mark on the program. The fact that CBS students, Mariah Celestine ’20 and Camira Livers-Powell ’20, designed the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) program is a great example of how students can co-create elements of CBS’ academics, culture, and professional development.

Research First, Write Second

The first step to answering this question is to do your research on what CBS currently offers. Do research on their academics and faculty, extracurriculars, career support, culture, and its location in New York City. You can do this through speaking to student ambassadors , alumni, attending small group conversations with members of the AdCom, and even visiting a class.

Once you have a good understanding of what CBS has to offer, you can start brainstorming ways your background, experience, and strengths can elevate your essay. How can it add to the three different aspects of the CBS experience – academics, culture, and professional development?

Through your research, did you discover a gap that you are uniquely capable of helping to fill?

Is there a particular experience that you think you can enhance and take to a new level?

Is there a faculty member that you’d like to collaborate with?

The question asks you to be specific, so avoid cliches and pandering to the AdCom. Your response should not only show how intimately you know CBS, but paint a clear picture of where you will invest your time and energy. How you will contribute, and what will your legacy will be?

Interested in personalized, 1:1 coaching for your Columbia MBA essays (and others)? Reach out to request an  initial consultation with our team of MBA admissions experts, including Columbia Business School alumni and former admissions directors.  

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Columbia Business School MBA Application Updates: 2024-2025

Columbia Business School has changed things up again for 2024-2025 MBA applicants.

• J-Term application will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis, with 2 J-Term deadlines.
• In addition, CBS updated its essay #3 question for 2024-2025 applicants.
• Finally, applicants targeting August 2025 enrollment have a new second option for essay #2.

If CBS’s J-Term program is top on your list, do not wait to get started!

The 2024-2025 Columbia Business School J-Term MBA Application Deadlines Are: 

Round 1: June 18, 2024

Round 2: September 5, 2024

The 2024-2025 Columbia Business School MBA Application Deadlines for August 2025 Entry Are: 

Round 1: September 10, 2024

Round 2: January 7, 2025

Round 3: April 1, 2025

In addition to changing the deadlines, this year CBS has also updated its essays. (While the essays shared below are for J-term applicants, historically CBS has asked two-year MBA program applicants to answer the same essay questions).

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

Given Columbia Business School’s J-Term 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 Business School 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 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 readers 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 Business School Essay 2 – January Enrollment:   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.

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)*.

Columbia Business School Essay 2 – August Enrollment: 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. Please respond to one of the below. (250 words)

• 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. 
• Alternatively, please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization. 

This second essay directly addresses a topic that continually is top of mind for nearly all top business schools — DEI. Those applying for August enrollment without a strong example here can answer the alternative question on collaboration and community, another important aspect of CBS’s culture.

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. Examples can come from your personal or professional life.

If you have are a J-Term applicant, it is ok to think of DEI broadly, particularly if you do not have an obvious story to tell. However, do not force this essay — admissions directors are aware that students have had varying exposure to inclusive leadership so do not worry if you do not have the most impressive story to tell. Showing the reader how you act and think is most important.

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 .

How would you co-create your optimal mba experience at cbs please be specific. (250 words).

This question is new for 2024-2025 applicants; however, the objective remains the same: explain why CBS is a good fit for you and how you will tailor your experience.

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 for applicants . 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.

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The Columbia Business School Essays: Examples + Analysis

While having the perfect MBA resume and getting a high score on the GMAT or GRE exam are important factors, they are not all that matters when it comes to your MBA application. Business schools also care about who you are as a person and what you have to offer outside of your academics. 

Top universities like Columbia Business School give applicants the opportunity to present themselves in more detail through a series of short essay questions. This article will help you to better understand the ins and outs of writing the Columbia Business School essay. 

If you follow our tips, your Columbia Business School essay will convince the admissions committee that you should be a member of the Columbia community. 

Purpose of the Columbia Business School Essays 

Essays are an important part of Columbia Business School’s admissions process. As US News writes, essays help the business school admissions committees “gauge the compatibility of a prospective student with the culture and values of the institution.” 

Though there are a series of essays that you must write, you must recognize that they ultimately work together to serve a single purpose: to paint a complete picture of who you are and what you want to accomplish. At the end of the day, the admissions committee wants to admit candidates who are well-versed in each aspect of their lives.

To write solid essays that connect with Columbia Business School, it’s important to understand what the school stands for. To deepen your understanding, download this guide . 

It offers detailed information about its programs, faculty, and what it's like to study there. It’s designed to help prospective students understand their options and make informed choices about pursuing an MBA at Columbia.

What Are the Columbia Business School Essays? 

Though the questions are subject to change with every passing year, each Columbia Business School essay typically follows a similar format and theme. First-time applicants must submit responses to one short answer question and three essay questions. Let’s take a closer look at the themes and format for each of these questions:

Short Answer Question

Your response to the short answer question must be short, direct, and to the point, given the question’s short response allowance. Applicants must respond in 50 characters or less, which includes letters, punctuation, and spaces. 

All in all, your response should be approximately eight words long. This question typically asks about your short-term career goals. Given the stringent restrictions, don’t worry about being grammatically perfect; there’s no need to write in full sentences or waste characters by saying things like “I want to…” or “I plan to.” 

Statements like these communicate nothing of substance and are not expected based on the short answer response examples . What is most important is that you get your message across as efficiently as you can. 

While the short answer question isn’t long enough to be considered a traditional essay, it should still be approached with the same level of care, thought, and focus as your other Columbia Business School essay responses. 

Think long and hard about what you want to say before writing. Columbia Business School has designed this question to see if you understand your aspirations and ambitions well. The goals you allude to in this question should connect to what you discuss for the first essay question.

Columbia Business School Essay 1

The first of the three Columbia Business School essays typically requires applicants to focus on their long-term career goals. Feel free to use your response to the short answer question for the foundation of your answer. Consider discussing your goals over the next three to five years and exploring exactly how you intend to progress from your short-term to long-term career goals. 

While we encourage you to be as ambitious as you can when discussing your aspirations, don’t get too lost in your dreams for the future. Make sure to base your aspirations on reality and be as grounded as you possibly can. 

Show the admissions committee that your goals are not only ambitious but are also attainable. It is also worth considering how achieving your goals will impact those around you. Showing this level of consideration will indicate that you have put thought into the betterment of yourself and your career and your community as well. 

While this question may not explicitly require you to link your answer back to Columbia Business School, it is always a good idea. How will attending Columbia Business School help you to make your goals come to life? This is perhaps best added briefly at the end of your response, in no more than a sentence or two.

Columbia Business School Essay 2

The second essay asks you to show how well you can recognize and handle situations that demand inclusive leadership skills. The program administrators want to see how you apply what you've learned to real-life scenarios. 

By reflecting on a specific experience, you demonstrate your understanding of inclusive leadership principles and your ability to tackle diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges effectively. 

This question also gives insight into your problem-solving skills and how you navigate social dynamics in different situations. Overall, it's about making sure you're ready to be an inclusive leader who can create diverse and fair environments in your community or workplace.

Columbia Business School Essay 3

The third and final required essay for your application asks you to explain why you think Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally. 

You'll want to provide specific reasons why you believe CBS is the right choice for you in these areas while keeping your response clear and to the point. 

They want to know why you see yourself thriving in CBS's academic environment, how you resonate with its culture, and why you believe it offers the professional opportunities you're seeking. Remember to keep it concise and focused while sharing your genuine thoughts and experiences.

Optional Essay 

In addition to the three essays, Columbia Business School also provides applicants an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with any relevant information that could not be conveyed within the other parts of their application. Do not feel as though you have to write a response if you don’t have any areas of concern. 

This essay is primarily for those applicants who need to explain situations such as any anomalies in their academic record (including transcripts and GMAT/GRE scores), inability to acquire recommendation letters, significant gaps in academic or professional experience, etc. 

Though this is a chance for you to provide any necessary explanations, do not make excuses. 

Your answer should be short, to the point, and focused solely on the facts surrounding your circumstances. After providing context, be sure to then explain the things you have done to address your concerns, also reiterating that despite your situation, you will be more than able to handle the academic intensity of their MBA program if admitted.

Analyzing Columbia Business School Essays Questions and Examples 

Now that we have discussed what to expect when writing your Columbia Business School essay, let’s take a look at a few questions that you can be asked and ideal responses.

Sample Question and Answer for 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)

“Over the next three to five years, I'm focused on moving up the ladder in marketing, aiming to land a leadership role in a big global tech company. My plan is to get really good at digital marketing and data analytics while also getting better at leading teams and managing projects.

I want to be the person who leads teams made up of people from different departments to come up with and carry out exciting marketing plans. These plans should boost how well people know our brand, get customers more involved, and bring in more money.

In the short term, I'm looking to improve myself professionally. This might mean getting certificates in digital marketing or joining courses that help me become a better leader. I also want to find jobs that give me more responsibility and freedom, letting me have a bigger impact on the company's marketing goals.

Now, looking further ahead, my ultimate goal is to become the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of a top tech company known for its groundbreaking ideas and worldwide influence. As the CMO, I'd decide how we market our products, what messages we send out about our brand, and how we run marketing campaigns across different places and platforms.

As a leader, I believe in fostering a workplace where creativity, teamwork, and learning are valued. I want to inspire my team members to bring out their best and achieve great results. Working closely with other top executives, I'll ensure our marketing plans align with what the company wants to achieve overall, helping the business grow smart and sustainably.

I'm also interested in using technology and data to understand what customers want and how they behave. This knowledge will help us create marketing that feels personal and connects with the people we're trying to reach. By keeping an eye on what's happening in our industry and predicting changes in the market, I think I can help our company stay ahead and stay on top.

To sum it up, my plan for the next few years is to climb the ranks in digital marketing within a big tech company. Eventually, I see myself as the Chief Marketing Officer, leading strategic marketing efforts that take our company to new levels of success and innovation.

In my journey towards achieving these goals, I understand the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. I'm committed to staying updated with the latest trends and tools in digital marketing and leadership through attending workshops, reading industry publications, and networking with professionals in the field. Additionally, I recognize the value of feedback and collaboration, and I'm eager to learn from my peers and mentors to refine my skills and approach.

In conclusion, my career path is guided by a desire to grow, learn, and lead in the dynamic and ever-evolving field of digital marketing. With a focus on continuous improvement, collaboration, and inclusivity, I'm committed to achieving my goals and driving positive change in my organization and beyond.”

The essay outlines clear career goals that align well with Columbia Business School. The applicant aims to advance in marketing within a global tech company, focusing on digital marketing and data analytics, matching Columbia's emphasis on innovation.

In the short term, they plan to gain certifications and leadership skills, showing a proactive approach to professional development. Their desire for more responsibility reflects readiness for leadership, resonating with Columbia’s focus on initiative.

Their long-term goal is to become a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in a leading tech company. As CMO, they plan to manage marketing strategies, brand messaging, and global campaigns, aligning with Columbia’s aim to develop strategic leaders.

The applicant values creativity, teamwork, and continuous learning, fostering a positive work environment. Their interest in using technology and data for personalized marketing is forward-thinking and matches Columbia's innovative spirit.

Overall, the essay shows the applicant’s clear career path and commitment to growth, making them a strong fit for Columbia Business School.

Sample Question and Answer for Essay 2

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you? (250 words)

“Columbia’s community is everything that I aspire to be a part of – diverse, inspired, and accomplished. Through classroom discussions with peers from across the globe, I wish to learn about how the interaction between governmental agencies and the private sector shapes economies around the world. In turn, I look forward to sharing my perspectives on the topic through my years of public sector management consulting at [Firm].

I am eager to capitalize on the unparalleled networking opportunities CBS offers by being in the heart of NYC. I can’t wait to interact with global private equity managers and policymakers to understand what [Country] needs to do to stay competitive and relevant as capitalism evolves. CBS’ rigorous academic curriculum creates exactly the kind of intense educational experience I seek. Electives such as Negotiations will help me strategize win-win situations as I seek to develop and execute privatization and capital-allocation strategies for governmental agencies.

As I think about the skills, networks, and thought-leadership that I wish to develop in order to realize my short- and long-term career goals, I see no better next step than an MBA at CBS.”

The applicant's essay for Columbia Business School shows their excitement about joining a diverse and accomplished community. They want to join global economic discussions and share their public sector consulting experience. 

They value CBS's networking opportunities in NYC. They look forward to meeting private equity managers and policymakers. The essay highlights CBS's challenging academic programs. It mentions classes like Negotiations to help develop strategies for government agencies. 

The applicant believes an MBA from CBS is essential for their career goals. They plan to use the school's resources and expertise to succeed.

Sample Question and Answer for Essay 3

Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (250 words)

“I have always been an avid reader of autobiographies, especially of statesmen and women who played pivotal roles in transforming their countries. However, a book that has left a lasting impression on me is The Singapore Story, a memoir of Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore and a leader that I greatly admire.

The resolve, conviction, and tenacity that Yew embodied are truly inspirational. Painful recollections of him crying publicly after Malaysia chose to separate itself from Singapore are a powerful reminder of his struggles. Nonetheless, he never gave up. Singapore had no natural resources, and its people didn’t speak English. 

He talks about how, through persuasive communication, he encouraged Singaporeans to believe in themselves, marketed the country’s human resources, and took Singapore from being a colonial backwater to a global economic powerhouse in just three decades. I wish to embody similar grit and communication abilities in the coming decades as I work towards uplifting [Country’s] citizens and transforming its economy. 

It is clear from his book that Lee Kuan Yew was extremely straightforward and had incredibly disciplined clarity of thought and expression. His unvarnished views give fresh and unique perspectives, which are a valuable insight into how a small country like Singapore became so relevant in the global arena. One day, I hope to develop a similarly coherent vision, inspire my peers, and create a better planet for generations to come.”

The essay shows how much the applicant admires Lee Kuan Yew and his book, The Singapore Story . They are inspired by his determination, communication skills, and how he turned Singapore into an economic success despite many challenges. 

The applicant wants to develop similar qualities to help improve their own country. They value clear thinking and strong leadership, just like Yew, and aim to follow his example.

Sample Question and Answer for 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)

“In reflecting on my academic record and personal history, I recognize areas that may warrant further explanation to provide context for the Admissions Committee. During my sophomore year of college, a significant family crisis disrupted my academic focus, resulting in a temporary decline in my GPA. Despite this challenge, I sought support from my professors and utilized campus resources to overcome the obstacle. As a result, I was able to rebound and maintain a strong academic performance for the remainder of my undergraduate studies.

Additionally, in my junior year, I made the decision to take a semester off to pursue a personal passion project in social entrepreneurship. While this endeavor led to a gap in my academic record, I want to assure the committee that it was a deliberate choice aimed at furthering my long-term goals. During this time, I engaged in entrepreneurship workshops, volunteered with local community organizations, and conducted independent research on social impact initiatives. This experience not only enhanced my skills but also provided valuable insights that have shaped my career aspirations.

Furthermore, as a first-generation college student, I encountered unique challenges navigating the higher education system. With parents who immigrated to the United States and were unable to provide guidance or financial support for tuition, I relied on my own determination and resourcefulness to pursue my educational goals. Though my journey may not have followed a conventional path, it has instilled in me a strong work ethic, resilience, and determination to succeed despite adversity.

I hope to convey a more comprehensive understanding of my academic and personal journey. I am committed to leveraging these experiences to contribute meaningfully to the Columbia Business School community and to pursue my goals with passion and perseverance.”

The applicant's essay talks about the challenges and decisions that affected their academic record. They explain that a family crisis during their sophomore year caused their GPA to drop temporarily, but they got help and improved their grades afterward.

 They also mention taking a semester off in their junior year to work on a personal project in social entrepreneurship. Although this created a gap in their academic record, it was a choice they made to advance their long-term goals. 

As a first-generation college student, the applicant shows their resilience and resourcefulness in navigating higher education without family guidance or financial support. They aim to show their determination, hard work, and commitment to contributing to the Columbia Business School community.

Top Tips for Crafting the Columbia Business School Essays

Crafting strong Columbia Business School essays begins with understanding your personal brand. By authentically showcasing your values, experiences, and aspirations, you can stand out from other applicants. 

Use real-life examples and be clear and concise to effectively convey your story and make a lasting impression on the admissions committee. Let’s take a closer look at each of these tips. 

1. Understand Your Own Personal Brand 

A key component of pursuing a career in business that is both intentional and fulfilling is having a good understanding of your own personal brand. While this term can appear to be pretentious and overcomplicated at first glance, it is quite simple. 

Understanding your personal brand means spending some time thinking about the things you value, the situations you have evolved from, and the places you are trying to go in the future. Though business schools will rarely ask you about this explicitly, they will definitely do so indirectly. 

Questions about your own personal brand are sprinkled throughout the Columbia Business School essay section. It is important to show as much of yourself as you can in your responses. Don’t give answers that you think they would want to hear or edit too much of yourself to fit a guide that you found on the internet. 

The admissions committee wants to learn about who you are. There are thousands of people who submit applications to Columbia Business School every year, the great majority of whom are highly educated, have stellar professional experience and have recommendation letters. 

The only thing that will really set you apart from the next applicant is who you are as a person, your goals, and your aspirations. These essays are the best way for you to present the full picture of who you are professionally, academically, and personally. This is why it is important to be genuine and authentic in your responses. 

A good way to make sure your Columbia Business School essay represents you is to ask a close friend, family member, or anyone else who knows you really well to take a look at your essay. Ask them if it sounds like you before submitting your application. If you need help incorporating your own personal brand into your Columbia Business School essay, check out How To Assess If Your Essay ‘Truly Reflects’ Who You Are .

2. Tell Your Story

The ability to tell the story of who you are in your Columbia Business School essay is often the difference between those who move forward in the application process and those who do not. An easy way to do this is to make sure that you include real-life examples to drive your answers to the questions. This is also an effective approach for your interview . 

Using these examples will enrich your essay with vivid details, which will impact the reader more than just making broad claims or general summaries. Though telling stories in your responses is good, refrain from embellishing the truth or being unnecessarily dramatic. Focus instead on using these real-life details as proof of your resilience, initiative, leadership, and ability to work as a team.

3. Be Concise and Be Specific

Less is more when it comes to your Columbia Business School essays. The short word limit underscores the importance of being specific and to the point in your responses. Though there’s a lot you might want to communicate in these essays, remember that they are just one part of your application. 

Don’t just regurgitate experiences or skills that can be found in your resume, letters of recommendation, or other parts of your application. Instead, focus on building on and highlighting a few key accomplishments, details, and aspirations. 

Be intentional with the examples that you share and the language that you use. While you are trying to tell the story of who you are, you want to make sure that it is done in a way that is clear and easy to follow. Being concise and specific will also ensure that you stay focused and answer the questions being asked.

To learn more about getting into Columbia Business School, check out this video.

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes in Columbia Business School essays often occur when applicants fail to provide specific examples or details to support their points, leading to vague statements that lack impact. Sometimes, applicants might not fully answer the essay question or rely on too much business jargon, making their essay seem less genuine. 

It's also common for applicants to go over the word limit or forget to check for mistakes like typos and grammar errors. Additionally, focusing only on achievements without sharing personal stories can make the essay less interesting. 

Lastly, not researching the school enough or using generic essays that could apply to any school can show a lack of interest or fit. To avoid these mistakes, applicants should aim for clear, specific, and sincere essays that demonstrate their genuine interest in and suitability for Columbia Business School.

Let's take a closer look at the frequently asked questions regarding the Columbia Business School essays.

1. When Should I Start Writing My Essay? 

Columbia Business School operates on rolling admissions, and applications submitted for both early and regular decisions are reviewed in the order in which they are received. This means that the earlier you start your essay and the earlier you submit your application, the better. 

Start researching and planning your essays when Columbia Business School makes the questions available. The earlier you start, the more time you will have to write and edit your paper without the unnecessary stress of trying to meet the deadline.

2. How Much Should I Be Writing for My Essays? 

The word limit for each of the three essays is subject to change with each passing year. Though it has been getting shorter in recent years, you can expect the word limit for each essay to remain in the range of 250 to 500 words.

3. Can I Write Over the Word Limit?

It is important to keep the word count into consideration when writing your essays, and we don’t recommend that you exceed the limit. Doing so can communicate that you don’t know how to follow instructions or that you are unable to properly organize your thoughts and ideas. 

If you are not sure about how much over the word limit is too much, a good rule of thumb is that 10%, either above or below the prescribed number of words, is typically acceptable. So, for example, if your word limit is 250 words, try not to write no more than 275 words and no less than 225 words.

4. What Characteristics Is the Admissions Committee Looking for in My Essay?

Columbia Business School is looking for applicants who are well-balanced in their academic, professional, and personal lives and demonstrate grit, ambition, and integrity. 

Applicants should strive to show that they care about their community, are able to work in both team and leadership roles, and possess emotional and analytical intelligence.

5. What Can I Do to Make My Paper Better?

Before writing, do as much research as you can. You want to be able to show that you understand how you are going to take advantage of the resources and opportunities available at Columbia Business School. Find out what is important to the university and then show how what you have to offer matches those things. 

Once you have done your research, take the time to plan out your essay. Doing so will help to keep you on track and take full advantage of the word limit. After writing your essay, make sure that it is free of grammatical errors and typos. 

Though it may sound trivial, editing and proofreading your essay is another way that you can improve the strength of your writing. Reading your essay out loud is a great way to evaluate the quality of your writing. 

The places that sound awkward are the areas that you should revise. Having someone you trust to look over your essay is also a good idea before you submit it. A second pair of eyes will provide you with a fresh perspective and can help you determine whether or not your points are coming across the way you want them to in your essay.

6. How Can I Make Sure My Essay Stands Out?

When writing your essay, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Showing passion, personality, or vulnerability is one of the ways that you can stand apart from other applicants. Be very selective with the real-life examples you are choosing to include in your essay.

Make sure that these examples allow you to demonstrate that you have some of the qualities that Columbia Business School is looking for in an applicant.

Conclusion 

While it can be a challenging aspect of your MBA application, your Columbia Business School essay is a great way to tell the admissions committee who you are and what you have to offer. It allows you to demonstrate how you align with the institution's values and culture. 

When writing your Columbia Business School essay, remember to do your research, plan out your response, and revise what you have written. If you use this as an opportunity to show your personality and vulnerability, you’ll be that much closer to submitting a strong application to Columbia Business School.

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Columbia MBA Essays for 2024-2025

The Columbia MBA essays and deadlines for the 2024-2025 admissions season are now available. This year’s applicants to Columbia Business School must complete two short answer questions 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.”

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

August Short Answer Question: How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include target industry(ies) and/or function(s). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business. (50 characters maximum)

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)

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.
• Alternatively, please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization.

Word count: 250

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)

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 August 2025 application will be available in late 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!

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

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 Conquering The New Columbia Business School Essay

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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. The full text of the essay prompt of the new Essay 2 is:

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 essay replaces a more general question: “Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you?”

The switch seems to reflect the importance CBS places on its values of diversity, inclusion, and equity and the school’s focus explicitly on cultivating ethical, inclusive leaders with these skills. 

Tips for Responding. 

There is considerable flexibility in this question. 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 the 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, and how you will engage with and add value to the very diverse and global community there. 

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 — and, importantly, different viewpoints, ideas, and experiences. 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?

For advice on how to tackle all three CBS required essays and the short answer question, view my related blog, How To Tackle The Columbia Business School MBA 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 Cassandra Pittman

Columbia Business School requires three essays in its MBA application. The Columbia essay prompts probe your career goals, your track record as an ethical and inclusive leader, and your commitment to the CBS community and to co-creating your MBA experience. 

In Essay 2, Columbia’s MBA admissions team 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.

Columbia MBA 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. The admissions committee 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.

Tips for Columbia MBA Essay 1

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 for this Columbia essay prompt is to be sure to focus on the future and how your Columbia MBA will get you there. A common mistake here is to write about where you have been rather than where you are going. The school 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, the school is looking to see that you have a clear understanding of where a Columbia MBA can take you (and then essay 3 will show how the MBA will help you get there).

Tips for 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. 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.

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. 

Alternatively, please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization . (250 words)

This essay seems to reflect the importance Columbia Business School 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. You can, of course, address several. Or you can choose the alternate option that focuses more on a situation and your actions. 

This offers many ways to highlight how you’ve engaged in one of five themes and how you have built and nurtured teams. 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 Columbia Business School. 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 Columbia. Be sure to show how you will engage with the diverse and global Columbia Business School community and how you will add value.

I repeat: Show, don’t tell.  Give us the scene, then tie the story to the implications 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 you are questioning the status quo, inviting diverse perspectives and cultivating awareness of the less visible forces that shape decision-making and group dynamics.

Tips for Columbia MBA 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)

This is a version of the classic Why Columbia? essay, revised slightly for the 2024-2025 cycle. Last year, this essay asked candidates why CBS was a good fit for them. This year, the admissions committee is asking what you will do to shape that fit and make your “optimal MBA experience.”

With terms like “co-create” and “agency,” the school is signaling that they seek students who will be active contributors to the class and community. CBS is asking how you will participate in shaping your own learning experience. The prompt mentions agency — a term which refers to the ability of students to take control of their own learning, make independent decisions and actively shape their academic, cultural, and professional experiences. This indicates that students are empowered and expected to contribute to these experiences, rather than just absorbing them. Columbia Business School values applicants who will seize opportunities among its offerings — and perhaps create new ones. 

This 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 knowledge of the school and its emphasis on collaboration and partnership. You could mention experiences such as clusters, learning teams and career mentorship opportunities like their Executives-in-Residence.

In light of the demonstrations surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict that roiled the Columbia University campus in early 2024, this essay question seems designed to reinforce the school’s commitment to cultural inclusion. (Note that the protests took place on Columbia’s Morningside Campus; there were no disturbances around the business school’s new home on the Manhattanville Campus.) In the framing of the question, the school is subtly suggesting that students have a responsibility and role to play in creating that critical sense of belonging, agency and partnership.

This is an opportunity for you to illustrate your readiness to be an inclusive leader. Again, this will require some self-reflection and honesty. You must authentically show how your experiences and strengths prepare you to connect to Columbia’s values related to collaboration, partnership, mentorship, and DEI. Be specific; explain how and where you will contribute to the Columbia MBA community.

Even though it isn’t directly in the essay prompt, you should still explain why you want to pursue your 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.

• Columbia Business School offers an optional essay as an opportunity to share any other information you wish with the Admissions Committee (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.
• Deferred admissions applicants answer two different essays: 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)
• 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. (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 colleague Karen Hamou ‘s related blog: How to Get Into Columbia Business School: MBA Application Requirements . You can also view Fortuna’s  Columbia MBA B-School Profile or the 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 .

Fortuna Admissions Senior Expert Coach Cassandra Pittman is a Columbia MBA alumna and a former member of admissions teams at London Business School and INSEAD. For more free advice and a personal, candid assessment of your chances, you can sign up now for a free consultation .

• Posted on June 27, 2024

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Columbia MBA Essays Prompts: Tips for 2024-2025

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? (New Prompt for 2024-2025)

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)

The Columbia MBA Leadership Essay

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)

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)

Additional Short-Question for January-Entry Term

Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (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.”

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. 

Why This School?

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.

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.

Related Articles

• Columbia MBA Program Overview
• How to Get Into Columbia Business School – Best Tips
• MBA Essay Tips From 3 Top Admissions Consultants
• How to Get Into MBA Programs at Top Business Schools

How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

Posted July 4, 2024

Featuring Matt P.

Planning Your MBA Application

Starting friday, september 6.

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Table of Contents

What is the mba essay.

The MBA admissions essay.

Those words alone are enough to make most MBA candidates run screaming. Writing in general is hard enough. Writing about why you want an MBA? Your short-term goals and career aspirations? What matters to you most, and why? Forget it.

Of course, you still have to write these essays.

The MBA essay is perhaps the most important part of the business school application. Every other part of the application — your GPA, your test scores, your letters of recommendation — is quantified, cut and dried, or out of your control. The essay is your chance to show up as a fully realized MBA candidate, with hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. Admissions committees are not simply assessing your candidacy as a future leader — they're looking to admit human beings. That's where the MBA applicant essays come in.

That being the case, rather than being intimidated by it, treat the MBA essay writing process like the opportunity that it is — the chance for you to highlight your unique, iridescent self; the only moment in the MBA admissions process (prior to the interview) when you can speak directly to admissions officers; the time when you'll show them who you really are. It's not easy to write something that will do that, of course, but with the tips and tricks in this guide, and some help from one of Leland's vetted, world-class admissions coaches, we know you can do it. Give the essay the time, attention, and respect it deserves, and you'll be on your way to an offer of admission at your dream school.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

Ultimate MBA Essay Guide

See the MBA essay prompts, top tips from experts, and real examples from admits with this comprehensive guide.

How Long Will My MBA Essay Take?

First things first: let's talk about timing.

The MBA application is a behemoth; between exams, resumes, gathering your official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the applications themselves, there's a lot to juggle. That being the case, we suggest you give yourself ample time to draft, write, and revise your essays. The last thing you want is to be rushed to the finish line.

So, give yourself at least three months to write your MBA admission essays. That should allow you enough time to draft, write, and edit. For more information on timing your entire business school application, click here for  A Comprehensive MBA Application Timeline--With Chart .

Now, on to the critical question:

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What Makes a Great MBA Essay?

At the highest level, the answer is the one that is truest to you. The whole point of an MBA application essay is to shine through as an authentic, vibrant human being, so the best essays are the ones that cut through the clutter, and allow you to do that.

Which begs the question — how do you cut through the clutter and shine through as a vibrant human being? Here are four critical tips to follow as you begin thinking about your essays.

1. Answer the Question

This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many applicants launch into their story, get carried away, and forget to answer the question. Follow the prompt, and answer the question the admissions committee has asked you. Those prompts can actually be very useful when writing MBA essays — it's a great deal harder to write when you have no guidance or guardrails. With these essays, you have a very specific question you need to answer. So answer it!

2. Be Specific

Another mistake some MBA applicants make is to stay at a high level in their essays, keeping their writing abstract and therefore inaccessible to the admissions committee. If at any point, an admissions officer could replace your name with the name of another applicant, then your essay isn't getting deep enough. It's not enough, for instance, to say that you suffered adversity in high school, or that you really, really want a Wharton MBA. You need to explain, in detail, the adversity you faced, and give concrete and unique reasons why you think Wharton is the right program for you. The best essays offer hyper-specific examples and anecdotes, with details and anecdotes that no other candidate could bring to the table. To get those anecdotes, we recommend using the STAR template, as explained below:

• Situation : What was the situation you were facing? Where were you? How old were you? If you were in a professional role during this anecdote, what was the role, and how long had you been in it? If you were volunteering, at what organization? How long had you been volunteering there? Why did you start? Offer all the relevant information that the admissions readers will need to understand your story.
• Task : What was the task at hand? What went wrong? In your professional role, what was the challenge you faced? In that volunteering experience, what were the hurdles you had to overcome? You can't have a good story without conflict or tension, so after you set up the anecdote, explain what that conflict or tension was (and remember, be specific!).
• Action : What was the action you took to resolve the problem? What did you have to do to fix that issue at work? How did you clear that hurdle in your volunteer experience? Again, be specific about how you came through on the other side of that conflict/tension — and while you're doing it, highlight your leadership capabilities as much as possible! Remember that top MBA programs are looking for future leaders who can assess a situation and decisively take action. (We'll say a bit more about this below, in the Personal Statement section.
• Result : What was the result of your action? If you were facing a growth problem at work, were you able to increase sales? If so, by what percentage? If you were advocating for diversity and inclusion at your local charity, what new programs did you implement to help with that effort, and what was the enrollment like in those new programs? Detail what happened in your anecdote with as much specificity as possible — and quantify, quantify, quantify!

If you want to learn more about how to master the STAR Method, read our article How to Nail “Tell Me About a Time…” Interview Questions .

3. Get Vulnerable

Most MBA admissions essay prompts are written with the goal of getting to know as much about you as possible in the shortest number of words. To do that, you're going to have to share real things from your life — to get personal, intimate, and vulnerable. Do not shy away from this. If you're starting to get emotional during the reflection, drafting, and writing process, good — that means you're on the right track. Keep going.

Pro tip: If it’s making you cry, it will make them cry.

Another good rule of thumb is to put something real and true on the table. Admissions officers have to read thousands of applications from thoroughly qualified individuals, some of whom might come from similar roles to yours, with letters of recommendation from equally impressive supervisors. In order to cut through that noise, you'll have to share something honest.

If you're doing it right, this can feel risky. At some point, you’ll likely think to yourself: “Can I say that?” The answer is: “Yes.” Of course, there is a line, you don’t want to be crass or offensive but always err on the side of being open and authentic.

The very worst thing you can do is be overly cautious and write something you think will please the admissions committee. These poor people have to read thousands of essays. If yours is just like everyone else’s, they’ll fall asleep. Don’t let that happen. Wake them up by putting yourself —your true, bright, vibrant, quirky self—on the page.

4. Don't Exaggerate

Finally, do not exaggerate, over-inflate, or lie. This goes without saying, but admissions committees are looking for honest candidates. The surest way to get rejected is to lie about something. (Business schools do a background check on you before you're properly admitted, so they will find out.) Don't be the person who over-inflates on their essays and then has their offer letter rescinded.

The Types of MBA Essays

All right — since we've covered high-level approaches to the MBA essays, it's time to dig into the various types.

There are three general categories of MBA essays you'll see across the board.

1. Personal Statement

These questions ask you to offer up something sincere about yourself. They'll often touch on such things as your values and your character. In these, you'll want to be as authentic as possible, while also highlighting attributes like leadership, intellectual vitality, and teamwork that business schools are looking for.

Here are a few examples of previous personal statement essays:

• As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (HBS)
• What matters most to you, and why? (Stanford GSB)

2. Why an MBA/Why This School

In these, schools first want to hear about how an MBA will fit into your career, both short and long term. Top MBA programs are looking for candidates who will: first of all, be gainfully employed upon graduating, second of all, have an illustrious career that will make their institution look good and encourage future generations of applicants to apply, and third, be consistent and generous donors. That being the case, they want to know about your career trajectory, and how an MBA will fit into it.

Pro tip: Here, you want to be ambitious and inspiring in laying out your future career, but not naïve. Walk the line between shooting for the stars and sounding dreamlike and uninformed.

In this set of questions, you'll also encounter questions geared at figuring out why you would want to attend a specific school. MBA programs want to know that you're serious about attending their school — yield, or the percentage of admitted candidates who accept their offers of admission, is an important metric for them — but they also want to envision how you'll contribute to their admitted class. What will you uniquely bring to the table, the things that you'll do that the other candidates wouldn’t be able to offer?

We've heard former deans of business schools say that, in choosing a class, they're curating a world-class dinner party, and that each person invited to the dinner party has to bring something different. What will you bring to the dinner party?

Another Pro tip: To demonstrate that you've done your research, and to help the admissions committee envision you in their program, indicate which classes you might take when earning your MBA and why, which professors you might hope to study with, and in which clubs you might participate.

Here are a few examples of "why MBA / why this school" essays we've seen before:

• How is a Columbia MBA going to help you? (Columbia)
• What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (Wharton)
• Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Stanford GSB)

3. Behavioral/Other

Finally, most other essays will be behavioral in the sense that they’ll ask you about experiences, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and achievements. There's a wide variety of topics here, but all the guidelines from above apply, with the final note to always prioritize authenticity (as mentioned in the Personal Statement section) and leadership ability (remember, business schools are choosing future leaders).

Here are a few examples of behavioral/other essays from the past:

• Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (Yale SOM)
• Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (Columbia)
• Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (Stanford GSB)

Top MBA Program Essay Prompts (Updated 2024)

To help you get started, we've compiled the required prompts from a few top MBA programs below:

1. Harvard Business School (HBS)

• Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (300 words)
• Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (250 words)
• Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (250 words)

For more information, visit A Guide to the HBS Essay .

2. Stanford Graduate School of Business

• What matters to you most, and why? (650 words)
• Why Stanford? (400 words)

Read: What Matters Most When Writing the GSB Essays.

• How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)
• Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For Wharton-specific advice, visit A Guide to the Wharton Essays .

4. Columbia Business School

• 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: 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)
• 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)

If you’re looking for more tips on the CBS essays, read our Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays .

5. Chicago Booth

• How will a Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-word minimum)
• An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (250-word minimum)

*Pro tip: Some essay questions such as these will say “no maximum.” While it’s certainly a good thing that you’re allowed to write more, keep in mind to never write too much. Our rule of thumb for things like this is to never go over 200 words past the “minimum” count.

Read more at A Guide to the Booth Essays .

6. Northwestern Kellogg

• Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (450 words)
• Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (450 words)

For more on Kellogg’s essays, read How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays .

7. MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan doesn’t use traditional essay prompts; instead, applicants are required to submit a cover letter, video, and short answer questions, as well as the other traditional application materials.

Cover Letter

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity, respect, and passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)

Video Question 1

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 second) in length
• Single take (no editing)
• Speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only.

Video Question 2

All MBA applicants will be prompted to respond to a randomly generated, open-ended question. The question is designed to help us get to know you better; to see how you express yourself and to assess fit with the MIT Sloan culture. It does not require prior preparation.

Video Essay 2 is part of your required application materials and will appear as a page within the application, once the other parts of your application are completed. Applicants are given 5 seconds to prepare for a 60-second response.

Short Answer Question

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity to share more about your background. (250 words)

For top-notch advice on the MIT Sloan question prompts, read our articles Expert Guide to the MIT Sloan Short Answer Question and MIT Sloan Video Statement: Overview, Advice, & Common Mistakes .

How to Start Writing Your MBA Essay

So you've read about the types of essays, and seen some of the prompts from top MBA programs. Now it's time to actually start diving into the essay.

The very first thing to do, before putting pen to paper, is to look inward .

Why do you want an MBA? What role will this degree play in your professional growth? How do you imagine it will shape your life? What do you want out of your career? What is the most important thing in the world to you?

Yes, these are life’s deep-end questions, but you’ll need to tackle them in these essays, so before you start all of your writing, take the time to think through them. Go for a run, swim some laps, bake a cake—however you get into the flow — and start a dialogue with yourself. Put down your work, turn your phone off, and give your mind permission to go to the places it usually avoids. That’s a good place to start. That’s where the answers are.

Pro tip: The first sentence is the hardest one to write. When you're starting out, it can be intimidating and anxiety-producing. The trick is to simply put anything down — and don't look back. Keep putting one sentence after the other. You can edit later: let whatever comes to you out onto the page. If you’re struggling with self-critique, dim your computer screen until you can’t even see the words you’re typing. Then keep going.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Once you've started your essay, it's a matter of persistence: keep writing, then keep drafting and editing until you have something you're really proud of.

To help you write a successful MBA essay, here are a few more tips and tricks:

Take Breaks

When you hit the wall — and you will hit the wall — stop and take a breather. This is your brain telling you it needs to do something else. Walk your dog. Take a lap around your room. Eat some cheese. Your body needs sleep every night to function; your mind is the same way. That next leap of inspiration will come exactly at the moment when you’re least expecting it.

Read it Out Loud

When you finally have a draft, print it and read it out loud to yourself. Your ear will catch things your eyes miss. Reading out loud is the best way to pick up on spelling errors, clunky transitions, and paragraphs that still need ironing out. It’s also a good way to envision how the admissions committee will experience your essay.

Don’t be precious with your essay. Send it to anyone willing to read it. Solicit as much feedback as you can. If you don’t like what people have to say, you don’t have to incorporate it, but you need an impartial third party to give notes on what they’re seeing, thinking, and feeling. (You’re too close to things to do it for yourself.) This is where a Leland coach comes very much in handy!

Complete Everything Early

This is more of a timing consideration, but you do not want to trip at the finish line because your internet went down the night before the deadline, or your credit card was denied when paying your application fee (it's happened before). Don't let that be you!

Here is another article to get you started, written by an expert essay coach: 7 MBA Essay Tips to Make You Stand Out in 2022 .

Example MBA Essays

Finally, here are two essays to help inspire you. The first, a personal statement essay, was submitted by an admit to Berkeley Haas' Executive MBA program; the second, a career goals / why MBA essay, was submitted by an admit to Chicago Booth's deferred MBA program.

Haas Admit:

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects, including family, culture, personal interests, and surrounding environments. Please share a facet of your identity or story that is essential to who you are. (300 words) My upbringing in India, filled with countless myths and legends, had a profound influence on me. The most formative tale was about a sage who prays for years to the goddess of knowledge, but in vain. In the end, the goddess didn’t appear for the sage because he was turning his prayer beads the wrong way! As a child, this story upset me: the sage worked so hard and had the right intentions. As an adult, though, I’ve come to realize that the goddess of knowledge was right: you can’t succeed unless you do things the right way.

Seven years ago, two friends and I started a company, XXXX: a digital health platform that would allow patients to store medical records online and consult doctors remotely. We had early success—we brought on 2,000 patients at XXXX, a gynecology clinic in XXXX—but ultimately we didn’t have the resources to properly scale, and had to shut the company down. Among the many lessons I learned, the most valuable was that ideas and hard work are common; businesses succeed or fail based on execution—on doing things the right way. Two years ago, I relearned this lesson in the most painful way possible: when my marriage ended. My wife and I loved each other, but we weren’t there for each other when it mattered most. Our feelings weren’t enough—we had to back them up with the right actions.

It’s disheartening when you have good intentions but still fall short. When this happens, though, you have to keep trying—because eventually you will do things the right way. I carry the story of the sage with me always, not as a harsh lesson, but as a motivating goal: one that keeps me striving towards doing things the right way.

Booth Admit:

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)

I want to start a geothermal company that will help lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy—by targeting existing oil wells as sites for geothermal plants. Oil fields are close to electric grids and have high nearby subsurface temperatures, making them ideal sites for geothermal plants. By building geothermal infrastructure nearby, my company will produce cleaner, cheaper energy, making it more profitable for operators to switch from oil to geothermal. As oil companies decommission their wells, I’ll negotiate for their land rights, so I can use their existing wells for new geothermal vents. I want my company to prove the case for economically viable, carbon-neutral energy production.

After getting an MBA, I want to start a geothermal company which will help me lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. I plan to target developed oil fields in Texas, where, in many places, producing wells are flowing enough hot fluid to generate clean energy. Using this geothermal heat, the carbon footprint of oil and gas extraction will decrease as fewer fossil fuels are utilized to power surrounding infrastructure. As the wells approach their economic life, I will negotiate the lease from various operators, saving them millions in plug and abandonment costs, and retrofit the wells for direct geothermal energy production via closed-loop binary fluid systems, bringing emissions to zero. To accomplish this goal, I need to shore up my knowledge of energy economics and entrepreneurial finance, develop a strong sense of leadership, and build a network of like-minded individuals that will help me lead the transition and I believe I can get those things at Chicago Booth.

My immediate career goal is to develop my first co-production site in Shelby County, Texas at the Blanton well site, which produces abnormally heated fluid from the flanks of an active salt dome. Before investing in capital expenditures, developing a strong sense of energy economics and broader markets is necessary to verify financial feasibility. The University of Chicago, through the Graduate-Student-At-Large: Business program, is already allowing me to accomplish this goal with my enrollment in “Microeconomics” with Professor Andrew McClellan. His instruction helped me understand the impact taxes and subsidies have on market equilibrium, an important aspect of renewable energy as green energy tax incentives continue to change on a yearly basis. As my company continues to grow, having a strong finance and accounting foundation is imperative to building and sustaining a healthy company. Electives such as “Accounting for Entrepreneurship: From Start-Up through IPO” will provide the skills I need to be successful by following the life-cycle of a business that originates as a start-up and covers topics such as building an initial accounting infrastructure. I understand that the execution of the business is as important as developing the idea and proof of concept, and Booth is the best place for me to develop financial fluency.

Leading the energy transition will require a strong sense of leadership. Not only will I need to lead those I get to work with over my career, but to lead the energy transition, and reverse the impact fossil fuels have had thus far, I must have the emotional intelligence to inspire others to join me in my journey. The “Interpersonal Dynamics” course at Booth will allow me to develop my communication skills and better understand the emotions and perceptions of my colleagues. These skills, synthesized with leadership development acquired in “Leadership Practicum” will prepare me to act as a relational leader, who understands the needs of others. As a relational leader, I hope to foster an environment which promotes happiness and maximizes efficiency, not only to make our efforts in changing the world more successful, but to excite other people to join our cause.

To find the greatest chance of success in leading the energy transition, I will need a network of like-minded individuals who can provide a diversity of thought. Chicago Booth provides the opportunity to develop that network through different community experiences. The Energy Club’s “Energy Forward” conference, which designates time to topics in oil and gas and renewable energy will allow me to hear from industry leaders, build meaningful relationships with peers, and contribute my sector experience to the public forum as I learn from those around me. Opportunities through the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group such as “SeedCon” will help me connect with successful entrepreneurs and early-stage investors whose ideas and funding might change the course of my venture’s trajectory. Even in the GSALB program, I have had the opportunity to connect with other students in various sectors, including the energy industry. I hope to continue to strengthen those connections and continue building new ones with matriculation into the full time program.

Connect with an Expert for all your MBA Essay Questions

We know that a lot goes into the process of MBA essay writing. Research, planning, and execution all are major stages that take a lot of time. If you’re looking to fast-track your essay writing process while still blowing away the admission committee, try looking at some of our all-star MBA admissions consultants . We have a wide array of experts ready to give you as much help with MBA essays as you need, just check out some of our top-rated coaches below!

FAQs for Writing Your MBA Essay

What is the most important aspect of an MBA essay that admissions committees are looking for?

• The most crucial aspect of an MBA essay is authenticity. Admissions committees want to see the real you, so be honest and genuine in your responses. Highlight your unique experiences, values, and aspirations to stand out.

How long should my MBA essay be?

• The length of your MBA essay will depend on the specific prompts and guidelines provided by each school. Generally, essays range from 500 to 1,000 words. Always adhere to the word limit specified in the prompt. In the event that there’s no limit, we recommend floating within 200-300 words of whatever posted word count there is.

Can I use the same essay for multiple MBA applications?

• You can use similar content, but it’s essential to edit each essay to be about the specific school and prompt. Schools are looking for personalized responses that demonstrate your understanding of their program and how it aligns with your goals.

How do I figure out what to write about?

• Select experiences that showcase your leadership, problem-solving skills, and personal growth. Focus on stories that highlight your unique qualities and align with the values and culture of the MBA program you're applying to.

What should I avoid doing in my essay?

• Avoid clichés, generic statements, and exaggerations. Be specific and detailed in your responses. Also, steer clear of overly technical jargon that might be hard for the admissions committee to understand unless it’s directly relevant to your story.

Who can I ask for feedback on my essay?

• Seeking feedback from trusted friends, family, or mentors can be very helpful. In addition, consider working with one of our admissions coaches who can provide professional insights and help refine your essay to make it more compelling.

What should I do if I don’t have a traditional business background?

• If you don’t have a traditional business background, focus on transferable skills and experiences that highlight your leadership, analytical abilities, and teamwork. Demonstrate how your unique perspective will contribute to the MBA program and your future career.

How do I handle multiple essay prompts for the same school?

• Approach each prompt separately and ensure that each essay provides new insights about you. Avoid repeating the same information across essays. Instead, use each essay to highlight different aspects of your experiences, skills, and aspirations.

Here are several other articles that you may find helpful as you put together your MBA application:

• The Most Frequently Asked Questions on MBA Applications
• How to Answer the "Why an MBA?" Essay Question
• My Top Piece of Advice for MBA Applicants
• How I Nailed My MBA Interview and Gained Admission to Top 10 Business Schools
• 4 Expert Tips on Paying for Business School

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MBA Resources

Darden MBA Essays

If you’re aiming to join the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, understanding the “Darden MBA Essays” is crucial for your application process. These essays provide a platform to showcase your personality, career goals, and fit for the program. The admissions team at Darden uses these essays to gain deeper insights into applicants beyond their resumes and test scores. Crafting compelling responses to these essay prompts is essential to stand out among a competitive applicant pool.

In addition to the essays, it’s important to keep track of the application deadlines to ensure your application is considered for the desired round. Darden offers multiple rounds for application submission, providing flexibility depending on your readiness.

Darden MBA Application Deadlines

Key Essay Tips

While the specific prompts may vary each year, Darden typically asks about your career goals, leadership experiences, and personal qualities. Here are some general tips to keep in mind:

• Be Authentic: The admissions committee wants to get to know you as a person. Be honest and genuine in your responses.
• Use Stories: Vivid anecdotes can bring your experiences to life and make your essays more memorable.
• Tie It Back to Darden: Clearly explain how your experiences and goals align with Darden’s mission and values.
• Proofread Carefully: Errors in grammar or spelling can create a negative impression.

Example Essays

Variation 1.

Community of Belonging What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Although I was drawn to competitive running from a young age, my athletic journey was temporarily stalled by scoliosis at age 15. Through years of rehabilitative training and the determination to overcome this challenge, I was eventually able to secure two medals at the national level. This experience taught me that setbacks are opportunities for growth, shaping me into someone who embraces challenges and inspires others to do the same. Today, I still serve as a coach for young athletes, including many from my alma mater. So far, I’ve coached over 40 athletes who have made it to national events.

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In 20XX, our petroleum storage plant faced demurrage fines from X Railways of USD $200K due to delayed unloading from carriers and increased refinery output, highlighting our need for better collaboration with the refinery and Indian Railways.

I proposed forming the ABC Committee to transcend departmental boundaries. Initially, it didn’t include the blue-collar workers at X Railways. Although I interacted with them as a manager, it wasn’t until a chance casual conversation that I realized that having direct experience with the logistical issues, they were the best situated to identify issues and propose solutions. I invited them to present their views to the ABC, which many of them were reluctant to do, citing examples of how management had previously ignored their suggestions. 

However, I assured them that their suggestions would not only be carefully considered but that they would be instrumental in finding solutions. This led to the workers openly discussing their proposals at the next ABC meeting and guiding the ABC’s successful plan to bring the demurrage costs to zero. Recognizing the efficacy of our collaborative approach, the corporation fostered collaboration with the workers on multiple other projects. 

As the gap between upper management and the workers shows, the biggest challenge to inclusivity is creating opportunities for people of different backgrounds to come together and understand one another. From my experience as an athlete, I know that the love of sports transcends all boundaries. This is why I intend to bring a spirit of inclusive leadership to Darden by helping lead the Running Club, bringing together people from different backgrounds, careers, and interests over a shared love of running. I’m excited by the prospect of combining both my love for running and for learning from interactions with a diverse community, while contributing to that diversity. 

Want to pursue an MBA but not sure if your profile fits?

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Career with Purpose At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

In the near future, post-MBA, I aim to join top-tier strategy consulting firms such as ABC. My goal is to help create innovative and sustainable business strategies for the oil and gas industry in theY, enhancing asset growth while mitigating risks in an unpredictable market. This industry, amidst evolving business dynamics, is in need of visionary and socially conscious leaders, especially as market pressures increase the impetus for the industry to achieve carbon neutrality which fervently inspires me to be at the forefront of this transformative movement.

Long-term, I plan to leverage my experience in strategy consulting on sustainability-focused projects for oil and gas companies as well as my previous experience on the operational side of infrastructure development projects in that industry to take on a leadership role in the strategy-planning division of a global energy corporation such as a Chief Sustainability Officer. I hope to use the experience and network gained through this leadership experience to then found my own consultancy committed to helping the energy sector implement Cleantech initiatives as the urgent demand for such solutions continues to increase.

Variation 2

Please elaborate on any of your above responses. Alternatively, you may use this opportunity to expand on hardships or unusual life circumstances that may help us understand the context of your opportunities, achievements and impact. (150 words maximum)

Growing up in a conservative X family where gender roles were rigidly defined, my journey was marked by the pursuit of excellence against societal norms. My cousin sisters were denied access to science, reserved for men. However, my parents broke these norms and provided equal education opportunities for my brother and me, with whatever limited resources they had. 

In 20XX my mom was diagnosed with XYZ disease, this took a huge toll mentally, physically and financially but I still managed to excel in my academics as I knew the society was rooting for me to fail.

In 20XX I was distraught as I learnt both my parents were diagnosed with cancer at the same time. However I pushed through and balanced my job and caregiving. Now looking back at my journey I am proud of myself, my achievements and the fact that I didn’t succumb to my circumstances.

Scholarship Essay:

To be considered, candidates must submit a 500-word essay as a part of their Darden application. High-potential candidates should use the essay to describe their experience in the area they select. In addition, strong candidates should address how they intend to contribute to the Darden community at large.

Technology Batten Technology Scholars are comfortable on the leading edge and understand how to harness technology to address critical challenges. Their essays should include:

• Evidence of exemplary impact developing and/or launching technologies and solutions
• A commitment to innovating at scale through technology in future endeavors (500 words)

Navigating the intricate maze of technological innovation at industry giants like A and B has not just been a career for me; it has been a platform for creating tangible, transformative impact.

As a Senior Software Developer at ABC, I spearheaded the revamp of our XX System, a mission-critical project aimed at onboarding and pricing for over 2 million U.S. accounts. I initiated the transformation by conducting a deep-dive analysis into the existing system, identifying bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. Using my expertise in system architecture, I formulated a comprehensive roadmap that included automated pricing algorithms and data model redesigns. The project demanded both technical and leadership skills. Leading a team of 12 engineers, I worked in close alignment with stakeholders across finance and operations to ensure project deliverables met business objectives. Utilizing agile methodologies, we quickly iterated through challenges, such as unexpected data inconsistencies, and implemented solutions on the fly. This not only streamlined the onboarding time from 3-4 months to a day but also resulted in financial savings exceeding $10 million for the firm.

In addition to my technical and system design experience, this endeavour tested my leadership skills, requiring me to balance between directive and collaborative approaches. By strategically dissecting tasks into manageable pieces, I accelerated our path to a seamless rollout. Since its launch, we’ve encountered zero issues. Additionally, the successful transition from physical data centers to AWS reduced the company’s carbon footprint.

While I am fortunate enough to be able to have an enriching professional experience in FinTech, my life story finds its pulse in the rural landscapes of X, exposing me to the glaring financial literacy gap in marginalized communities. These experiences have cemented my commitment to leveraging technology for large-scale impact, especially in the arena of financial inclusivity. I’m already planning my next venture—a mobile app that delivers financial literacy resources in vernacular languages. Through continuous machine learning models, the app will adapt to the changing financial landscape, and its algorithms will help gauge the legitimacy of various financial instruments. This aims to increase financial awareness at a mass scale, bridging the literacy gap between urban and rural populations.

At Darden, I plan to leverage this multifaceted experience to benefit the community. Specifically, I aim to reinvigorate the existing FinTech Club. My vision includes introducing a speaker series featuring industry leaders, case competitions, and mentorship programs to bridge the gap between students and alumni in the FinTech sector. Additionally, I intend to collaborate with Darden’s Net Impact Club to host hackathons aimed at developing tech solutions for financial inclusion, enriching the community’s engagement with technology and social responsibility.

With a proven track record of leading significant technology projects and a deep-rooted commitment to social impact, I feel that I am an ideal fit for the Batten Technology Scholars Program. My goal is to utilize this unique blend of professional experience and societal focus to both sharpen my skills and contribute meaningfully to the Darden community.

Essay_1: Community of Belonging What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Driven by a deep-rooted passion for education, I have committed myself to democratizing quality learning in X, where it is often a ladder out of poverty. Raised in a family of educators, I spent my Saturdays innovatively teaching 60-80 underprivileged children, turning lessons into interactive games and live experiments. This approach not only curtailed school dropouts but also honed their public speaking skills. 

During the pandemic, I shifted gears to digital education with ABC, a non-profit committed to educational equity. Transitioning to Darden, I look forward to extending my educational commitment by establishing workshops and mentorship for marginalized Y youth.

Essay_2: Inclusive Impact Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

At XYZ, working with predominantly male colleagues from M, N and O exposed me to various perspectives and biases. 

A standout moment involved a Z-based colleague with an astrophysics background transitioning into software development. A female from a non-traditional trajectory led to her insights being dismissed, eroding her confidence. Recognizing the gender bias inherent in this situation, I took a stand and championed her ideas to our manager. This not only elevated her contributions but also revitalized her self-assuredness. As a result, our team underwent a profound transformation, evolving into a nurturing environment that genuinely embraced diverse perspectives and voices.

Inspired, my manager and I launched bi-weekly safe space sessions for team members to discuss challenges and aspirations. During one of these sessions, a colleague confided in me about health issues affecting her performance. I later learned she had undergone an abortion but was unable to discuss it with upper management, underscoring a glaring gap in female representation at that level. Recognizing the seriousness of her situation, I advocated for her needs and rearranged responsibilities to aid her recovery. This experience highlighted the urgent need for a diverse management structure that allows for open discussion and accommodation of everyone’s challenges.

These experiences shaped my leadership style of uniting, integrating, and cultivating open dialogue to effectuate inclusivity. With these convictions, and insights from my conversations with A and B, class of 20XX, I wish to work with the “Graduate Women In Business” club, aiming to create a global community where diverse perspectives thrive and safe spaces flourish. My journey from challenging gender norms to advocating for inclusivity at MN fuels my aspiration to foster a welcoming global community at Darden.

Essay_3: Career with Purpose At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

As a software developer in the banking sector, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of fintech, which intersects technology and finance to reshape transactions and communication. This firsthand experience has driven me to pursue a short-term goal of crafting impactful financial products as a technical product manager within a fintech company like X. This aligns with my mission to foster financial inclusion and capitalizes on my IT background.

My conversations with Darden student XY, class of 20XX, reinforced my belief in leveraging my technical skills alongside the business insights gained from a Darden MBA to bridge the gap between technology and user-focused solutions.

Hailing from rural India and currently residing in metropolitan Mumbai, I’ve observed that rural areas are vulnerable to deceptive financial schemes, from misleading insurance to questionable investments. This fuels my long-term vision of creating a financially inclusive India. I aspire to establish a fintech platform catering to the economically underserved population. This platform won’t merely provide information; it will guide users toward genuine financial products aligned with their aspirations. Through this initiative, I intend to eliminate the financial knowledge gap and empower every individual to make informed decisions, contributing to a more equitable society.

Crafting compelling Darden MBA essays requires careful thought, planning, and a deep understanding of the school’s values. By following these tips and showcasing your unique qualities, you can increase your chances of securing a place in this prestigious program. Remember, the goal is to create a narrative that highlights your potential to contribute meaningfully to the Darden community.

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Columbia Business School – MBA Essay Samples

Mba essay sample 1:  please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life.

Read More of this sample MBA essay on passion

Essay Sample 2:  Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity

Read More of this sample MBA essay on opportunity

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8 Great Columbia Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example 1 – mechanical engineering, essay example 2 – trailblazing, essay example 3 – the core and community.

• Essay Example 4 – Cancer Research

Essay Example 5 – Joy in Birds

Essay example 6 – psychology.

• Essay Example 7  – Slavic Languages and Cultures

Essay Example 8 – Diversity

Where to get your columbia university essays edited.

Columbia is an Ivy League school in NYC with an incredibly low acceptance rate. Like most other competitive schools, Columbia has supplemental prompts where students can demonstrate parts of their life that aren’t present in other portions of their application. Many applicants to selective colleges like Columbia have stellar grades and test scores, so the essays can help you stand out from other candidates with the same stats.   

The school requires applicants to fill out a variety of prompts, ranging from quick short-answers about your favorite books and pieces of media to fleshed out essays. In this post, we will share three essays real students have submitted to Columbia and go over what each essay did well and where they can be improved. 

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Columbia University essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

As I continue my journey toward becoming a mechanical engineer, I am constantly searching for ways to positively impact and solve complex problems. Columbia University is the perfect place for me to do so. The university’s diverse and brilliant community, combined with its focus on hands-on learning, will provide me with the foundation I need to grow as a student and a person.

I am excited to take advantage of Columbia’s many opportunities, from its Core curriculum to its various labs and research centers. In particular, I am drawn to the F1 car club and the opportunity to work on real-world projects through Columbia World Projects. These experiences will help broaden my knowledge and skills and allow me to make a significant difference in the world.

In addition to the academic opportunities at Columbia, I am also drawn to the university’s rich traditions. From the tree lighting ceremony to the Holi celebration, these events foster a sense of belonging and connection that will be invaluable as I begin my studies. I believe my unique perspective and skills will be an asset to the community, for I am excited to contribute my voice to Columbia’s dynamic and diverse community.

What the Essay Did Well

In responding to this textbook “Why This College?” prompt, the author effectively selects a topic, mechanical engineering, to focus his essay on, and connects that topic to opportunities that can only be found at Columbia, such as the F1 car club and Columbia World Projects. These specific opportunities show admissions officers that the student has done their research, and has tangible reasons for wanting to attend Columbia that go beyond, for example, the generic “I want to go to school in New York.”

The author also expresses an interest in the traditions that form the backbone of Columbia’s community, such as the tree lighting ceremony and the Holi celebration. This variety demonstrates that the author has spent time thinking about what their life at Columbia would look like overall, not just in the context of their mechanical engineering studies.

What Could Be Improved 

While this essay effectively conveys which specific things about Columbia interest the author, it could be strengthened by providing more details about why each activity is important to them, as that will explicitly connect their past experiences to their potential future at Columbia.

For example, the author could connect the F1 car club to the summers they spent working in their parents’ car repair shop. Or when discussing Columbia World Projects, they could explain how the CWP’s “Transforming Wastewater Infrastructure in America” project would allow them to build on the skills they learned from an elective they took on urban planning.

Along the same lines, the author could expand on how they see Columbia’s traditions helping them grow as a person. They name-drop the tree lighting ceremony and Holi festival, but don’t say anything about why these events are important to them. The essay would be stronger if, for example, they discuss how lighting the Christmas tree was always a time for their family to reflect on the previous year, and they look forward to having a similar unifying moment in college.

Finally, while the author does a good job in general of using specific opportunities to show their interest in Columbia, there are places where they are too vague. For example, when they talk about Columbia’s “Core curriculum” and “various labs and research centers,” we don’t get any information about what in particular intrigues them about the Core, or which labs and research centers they hope to work at. 

The essay would be stronger if the writer highlighted their excitement about using the Core to explore topics, such as art history, that they otherwise might not make time for in their schedule, or about working at the Earth Engineering Center to learn about how to harness their knowledge of biomechanical engineering in service of a greener future.

“She is a natural leader and role model.”

This comment punctuates all my report cards. However, I never believed it, until an alumnus of my high school was murdered by a maintenance worker for rebuffing his advances. Feeling angered, I spearheaded a plan of action for my poetry club—it was a reflex. I led one group poem celebrating her warmth, which we performed for her parents, and one about the rape culture that killed her, which we performed at a sexual assault awareness event.

Columbia boasts an exceptional culture of students who feel emboldened to call out injustice, even when it’s perpetuated by their own community. From the student-driven Columbia Prison Divest campaign, which successfully led Columbia to divest from the private prison industry, to the recent protests about Columbia’s gentrification of Harlem, the tenacity of Columbia’s Lions reflects my own.

Moreover, as someone from a household of sexual and domestic violence, I feel drawn to activism in that field. As a Peer Advocate for Columbia Health, I would provide support and resources for survivors, protecting them from the environment I was in.

The core of Columbia’s ethos is building trailblazers— I can’t wait to be one of them.

The student’s discussion of the difficult topic of sexual assault is impressive, as many applicants wouldn’t be bold enough to include this topic in a college application, and many others wouldn’t have the reflective or writing skills necessary to make it work. This student, however, is able to highlight both a genuine desire to fight back against injustice on a large scale, through public poetry performances, and a grassroots compassion for the victims, by working for Columbia Health as a Peer Advocate.

On that note, the writer also does an excellent job of connecting their passion for justice and advocacy to their potential life at Columbia. Remember that a “Why This College?” essay should be as specific as possible to that particular school, and this author not only mentions a variety of activities they hope to get involved in at Columbia, but also makes it clear which of their values and past experiences are motivating their interest in those particular opportunities. That gives admissions officers a strong sense of who this student is and what they’ll bring to the table at Columbia.

Finally, the reader’s emphatic tone throughout the essay stirs up readers’ emotions, and makes us feel like getting up and marching towards justice alongside them, which is an incredibly effective way of making us experience their leadership abilities firsthand. Lines like “ it was a reflex” and “ Columbia boasts an exceptional culture of students who feel emboldened to call out injustice, even when it’s perpetuated by their own community” make us viscerally feel the writer’s passion, and that sensation adds even more weight to their points.

Currently, the beginning of the essay is disjointed, as the author’s shift from positive report card comments to a former classmate’s murder is extremely abrupt. That jarring transition may have been intentional, but you don’t want to shock readers just because. While the essay is about leadership, readers will understand that without the first line, and thus the writer could be better off starting “in medias res” (in the middle of things) to immediately immerse readers in the story.

For example, they could say: “November 20, 2022 was a dark day at our school, when news broke of our former classmate’s murder.” This alternate first line gets right into the details of how the author developed their leadership skills, rather than starting off talking about those skills in the abstract and then zooming in. Remember, space is limited in the college essay, so you want to be as efficient as possible with how you make your points.

A vibrant, intellectually curious culture cultivated by the Core Curriculum, rich student interconnectedness, and an alignment of core values attract me to Columbia.

Seminar-based courses comprehensively facilitate my learning style; learning from peers, sharing my perspective, and exploring unquenchable curiosities comprise my ideal environment. Columbia’s emphasis on such learning through the Core Curriculum provides balanced structure and an approach encouraging valuable interdisciplinary study. Although I plan to pursue current intellectual interests through Columbia’s electives, the Core offers an invigorating communal experience and exposure to potential newfound passions, such as philosophy or Western musical analysis.

In conversation with my tour guide, Ashley, and through discussions with current students, I was inspired by the emphatic sense of community pride that envelops Morningside Heights. Beginning with the shared experience of the Core, it is apparent that inclusive community is fostered through academic spaces. Through traditions such as Tree Lighting, “Surf, Turf, & Earth” – which sounds absolutely scrumptious – and cultural celebrations, the Columbian community radiates in social spaces.

I envision myself blanketed with Columbia blue, clutching a glimmering snowball on the day of First Snow. Exuberant with lion pride, I prepare for a sportive battle, and a euphoric moment, with fellow prideful lions.

In the first paragraph, the author clearly lists three characteristics of Columbia–“a vibrant, intellectually curious culture cultivated by the Core Curriculum…rich student interconnectedness…and an alignment of core values”–which provide structure for the rest of the essay. This organization makes the essay easy to follow, as each point connects back to that first paragraph.

The writer also shows that they have a true appreciation of the community at Columbia, and that they aren’t just paying lip service to one of the most frequently used words in college admissions, by mentioning their tour guide by name, and the discussions they have had with current students. Those details show that the student has spent real effort getting to know Columbia’s campus culture, which in turn shows that they will be committed to making contributions to that culture themself.

As noted above, one of the keys to this kind of “Why This College?” essay is not just showing genuine interest in the school, but also how that interest will manifest once you’re there. By referencing traditions like the Tree Lighting ceremony and “Surf, Turf, & Earth,” the author demonstrates that they have already spent time thinking about how they would fit into Columbia’s community.

Finally, the author’s vivid imagery of “[themself] blanketed with Columbia blue, clutching a glimmering snowball on the day of First Snow,” ends the essay on a high note. The author doesn’t just restate that they want to go to Columbia, but paints a tangible picture of their excitement and anticipation, which makes those feelings come across far more strongly than if they just said something generic like “I can’t wait to hopefully be arriving in Morningside Heights next fall.”

While the author does include some Columbia-specific traditions, as described above, too much of the essay, particularly the paragraph focused on academics, is phrased in general terms. For example, the line:

“Although I plan to pursue current intellectual interests through Columbia’s electives, the Core offers an invigorating communal experience and exposure to potential newfound passions, such as philosophy or Western musical analysis” 

doesn’t tell us anything about what the author’s “current intellectual interests” are, nor about which specific courses or professors at Columbia will help them pursue their “newfound passions.” The essay would be much stronger if, for example, the author talked about how Columbia’s “American Film: Cult and Exploitation” course would help them refine their interest in contemporary media culture, which they have already started exploring through a research project in their American history class.

Additionally, rather than listing general categories of courses like “philosophy or Western musical analysis,” the author should talk about the Core in more specific terms, which are also linked to their own personal interests. That line could look something like:

“While I’ve never considered myself a musician, I’ve always been fascinated by how songwriters can unify millions of people with just a clever turn of phrase, and the Core’s ‘Music Humanities” requirement will help me better understand why musicians can wield so much power in society.”

Finally, along similar lines, the author should ideally connect the Columbia-specific traditions they mention to their own interests. For example, rather than just saying that the “Surf Turf & Earth” event sounds “absolutely scrumptious,” they could talk about how their multicultural family has always encouraged adventurous eating, and so they are excited about attending a college that also values culinary exploration.

Essay Example 4 – Cancer Research and Community

I’ve always known about Columbia’s stellar core curriculum, first hearing it from my uncle. He would speak of the strengths of this method, allowing students to experience learning in all fields of study. And its rumors are nothing less than reality – being given this holistic foundation throughout college is one I wish to thrive on. It would allow me to explore other subjects and meet Columbia’s astute professors, specifically Dr. Adana Llanos. I want to journey through Cancer Epidemiology and possibly assist in her research towards breast cancer subtypes because of its prevalence in my family.

Looking past academics, I view Columbia as a family where I can learn about myself and those around me. After hearing about the South Asian club, Club Zamana, I want to use it as a mode of discovery for my own heritage, participating in flamboyant events like Tamasha. This club would create a door to indulge in the passionate cultures that make up Columbia. 

I believe Columbia to have academic resources, a community, and energy like no other. It is the home where I want to discover my passion and pursue it for my 4 years. I think my uncle would love that.

This essay succinctly captures the “why?” of the “Why This College?” essay in a straightforward, easy-to-follow response. This applicant is interested in applying to Columbia because of: 1) the core curriculum, 2) their personal interest in studying cancer epidemiology, and 3) the opportunity to explore their own heritage through the South Asian club. 

While having a simple structure may not initially seem like something to get excited about, one of the unfortunate realities of college essays is that, while you spend many hours writing and revising them, admissions officers have no choice but to read them extremely quickly, because they have so many to get through. So, you want to be sure that your readers understand what you’re saying the first time around, as if they’re confused about something, they don’t have time to  stop and figure it out.

Additionally, by mentioning a specific professor they hope to work with, the author shows they’ve done some research on how exactly Columbia will help them delve into their interest in Cancer Epidemiology. The key to successfully responding to this kind of prompt is joining your current background/interests with opportunities at the school that will help you explore them. The line “I want to journey through Cancer Epidemiology and possibly assist in her research towards breast cancer subtypes because of its prevalence in my family” accomplishes both things.

If, however, the last two sentences of the first paragraph were replaced with the vaguer “I want to journey through cancer epidemiology, and possibly learn about breast cancer subtypes because of its prevalence in my family,” the reader would still understand this student’s interest in the field, but not how that connects to their desire to attend Columbia, which would give the essay an incomplete feel.

Finally, college is more than just academics, and this student’s discussion of their non-academic interest, in a club that will help them better understand their own identity, shows they have thought comprehensively about what their life at Columbia would look like. That will in turn help admission officers create a complete picture in their minds of how this student would fit into Columbia as a whole, not just the classrooms.

As noted above, the author does a good job of tying the opportunities they hope to pursue at Columbia to their existing interests. That personal connection could be strengthened, however, by more details about why they are drawn to these opportunities over any others.

For example, regarding the student’s interest in cancer epidemiology, they do mention the prevalence of breast cancer in their family as their motivation for studying the topic, but that line is brief, and thus could be missed by someone who, as noted above, is reading quickly. It’s also lacking specificity, as plenty of people have familial connections to certain topics–say, Jewish history if you have an aunt who is a rabbi–and yet don’t have much interest in exploring them themselves.

The author could more concretely connect their background to their potential breast cancer research at Columbia by providing additional details about, say, a summer research program they completed, or their experience learning about genetics in their high school biology class, or a 5K race they run every year to raise money for breast cancer research. That will in turn show admissions officers what they would bring to Dr. Llanos’ lab, not just that they hope to work there in general.

This same general idea also applies to the student’s discussions of the Core and the South Asian club. The student generally references things that appeal to them about these features of Columbia, like a “holistic foundation” provided by the core, and “discover[ing]…[their] own heritage” through the club, but we don’t get any specific details explaining how their past experiences have led to them prioritizing these things in their college experience.

Specifically with regards to the Core, as you’ve probably noticed in our analysis of both this essay and the preceding two, just mentioning this feature of Columbia isn’t enough. When a school is particularly well known for one thing, like Columbia with the Core or Brown with their Open Curriculum, pretty much every applicant is going to mention it somewhere in their application. 

So, in order to set yourself apart–which is the whole point of the essay, after all–you want to make sure you’re being as detailed as possible about how your past experiences and goals for the future align with this aspect of the school. Otherwise, you’re wasting valuable words, as just saying you like the Core won’t move the needle on your application.

Finally, a general word of caution when writing applications: don’t lose sight of the fact that admissions officers want to understand a student’s motivations for applying to their school, not those of their family members, or anyone else for that matter. This student both starts and finishes their essay by talking about their uncle, which makes it seem like their motivation for applying to Columbia is to make their uncle proud, rather than a personal interest in the school. 

While it’s not automatically bad to mention how someone else helped you become interested in a school, the overall focus should stay on you. In the case of this essay, that means the student shouldn’t frame the second line around their uncle “speak[ing] of the strengths of this method,” but rather around how their uncle’s introduction to Columbia led them to start researching the school themself. And at the end, the last thought in their reader’s mind should be of them at Columbia, not their uncle. So, the line “I think my uncle would love that,” should be taken out.

A small bird nest rests outside my doorway. Everyday at 3:40 pm, the mother bird eagerly comes home to her ecstatic children. They remind me beauty is everywhere, even in the smallest of reunions.

The author makes great use of the limited word space in this essay with a charming account of what brings happiness in their daily routine. Thanks to the efficient writing and simple but vivid imagery, created through strong word choices like “ecstatic” and creative phrasings like “the smallest of reunions,” this short essay reads almost like poetry.

Furthermore, the author’s description also teaches us something about who they are, which is the key to any college essay, even the short ones. The reflection “They remind me beauty is everywhere, even in the smallest of reunions” shows that the author appreciates the beauty and significance of seemingly ordinary moments, which in turn shows that they would bring both thoughtfulness and positivity to Columbia’s campus.

This is an incredibly strong essay, without much room for improvement. If anything, the lesson to be learned here is that usually, you eventually get to a point where your essay doesn’t need any more changes. Calling your essay “finished” can be challenging for many students, due to the overall stress of the college process and the constant feeling that you should be doing something, anything, to improve your chances of acceptance. But at some point, it’s okay to take your hands off the keyboard, be proud of the work you’ve put into the essay, and take a five-minute break to unwind 🙂

Prompt:   For applicants to Columbia College, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you previously noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)

The flickering LED lights began to form into a face of a man when I focused my eyes. The man spoke a ruthless serial killer of the decade who had been arrested in 2004, and my parents shivered at his reaccounting of the case. I curiously tuned in, wondering who he was to speak of such crimes with concrete composure and knowledge. Later, he introduced himself as a profiler named Pyo Chang Won, and I watched the rest of the program by myself without realizing that my parents had left the couch.

After watching the program, I recited the foreign word until it was no longer unfamiliar — ”profiler”. I stayed up all-night searching the meaning; my eyes sparkled with the dim light of the monitor as I read the tales of Pyo Chang Won and his Sherlock-like stories. From predicting the future of criminals and knowing the precise vicinity of a killer on the loose, he had saved countless lives; living in communities riddled with crimes in my youth then and even now, I dreamed of working against crimes. However, the traditional path of a lawyer or a police officer only reinforced the three-step cycle of arrest, trial, and jail which continued with no fundamental changes for years; I wanted to work with the psyche of criminals beyond courts and wondered about the inner workings of the mind.

Such admiration and interest led me to invest my time in psychology. Combined with working with the likes of the Victim Witness Agency, I decided to pursue psychology as my major for my undergraduate education. Later on, I want to specialize my research and education on behavioral/forensic psychology and eventually branch out to my childhood dream of becoming a criminal profiler. 

A major positive of this essay is how it is focused on one moment in time. This student goes into depth about the night they first fell in love with criminal psychology which allows the reader to feel like they are there watching TV with the student and researching afterwards. Having the essay focus on a snapshot of the student’s life opens the door to include more imagery and delve into the internal monologue of the student, thus creating a more engaging and personable essay. 

The student’s genuine fascination for the topic is evident through what they show the reader. They explain that they stayed to finish the show after their parents left, they stayed up all night researching what they just learned, and their eyes sparkled the more they learned about criminal psychology. Providing all these details shows the student’s fascination and passion for this topic without them ever having to explicitly say they were excited about it. 

This essay also does a good job of expanding past the requirements of the prompt to explain what they hope to accomplish with their degree. Including their career aspirations reinforced their passion to pursue this field to admissions officers. It also demonstrated that they are a goal-oriented person who wants to make a difference in the world.

What Could Be Improved

One thing that could be improved in this essay is the grammar. There were a few sentences where there were either typos or just clunky sentences that could be tightened up. In order to catch grammatical errors, you should always give your essay to at least one other person to read. CollegeVine offers  essay reviews that allows students to receive feedback on the grammar, structure, and content of their essays. It’s always a good idea to have a fresh pair of eyes read your essay to catch mistakes that might go unnoticed by you. Having someone review this essay would have likely helped this student fix their grammatical errors.

Essay Example 7 – Slavic Languages and Cultures

Steaming fruit filled knedliky, singing Czech Christmas Carols, and falling asleep to fairy tales about princesses with golden stars on their foreheads compose my earliest memories. As I grew older, I found myself exploring the streets and museums of Prague on my own and requesting less fantastical fairy tales, consisting of true stories from my parents about life under Communism. These personal experiences with Czech Language and Culture have vastly influenced my academic interests. 

Exploring the manner in which Czechia developed and understanding its intrinsic components remained an innate goal of mine. Though Czech was my first language I developed my skills further as I matured by utilizing Czech news sources and literary works. Throughout my AP English and History courses, I continually sought out both works by Czech authors and their accounts of consequential historical events, attempting to discover the common ground between these readings and those assigned in class. Through these unique means, I began unearthing the intricate history and background of the country. 

Majoring in Slavic Languages and Cultures provides ideal opportunities to develop a cross-cultural understanding of pertinent political issues while defining my identity as a Czech-American, thus fostering my innate academic passions and personal ambitions. 

Although this student doesn’t reveal what their intended major is until the last line, the entire essay does a great job of building a vivid picture of Czech culture and this student’s fascination with it that we almost don’t need to be told the actual major. 

The author shows how their Czech heritage has fascinated them through different stages of their life, demonstrating their maturity through the information they seek out. To show the beauty of their childhood innocence, they describe “ Steaming fruit filled knedliky, singing Czech Christmas Carols, and falling asleep to fairy tales about princesses with golden stars on their foreheads. ” Then, they demonstrate their interest in history by asking their parents about Communism. This fascination for history continues when they discuss searching for Czech authors in their AP classes.

Not only do we see how Czech language and culture has been an integral part of their life, but we get to see their determination and drive to develop new skills through exploring their Czech heritage. This student could have been content with speaking Czech at home, but instead they demonstrated intellectual curiosity by “ utilizing Czech news sources and literary works” to go above and beyond in their studies. If this student acted on their niche passion in the confines of a high school classroom, imagine what they could do with Columbia’s resources!

While the prompt asks you to reflect on your past experiences, for this essay to really stand out, it should have touched on the future as well. You can strengthen any “ Why Major? ” essay by explaining what you hope to achieve with your major post graduation. Prompts won’t always ask for this, but it’s a nice way to demonstrate you are forward-looking.

Even if there was just a phrase in the final sentence that mentioned something about how this student wants to become a Czech historian or they want to move to Czechia after graduation to reconnect with their roots, this would be enough of an addition to show admissions officers that this student is confident in both their past and future.

Prompt: A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to live and learn in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)

Uno. Jenga. Monopoly. These were the board games I grew up with in America. But I found that the seniors at St. Theresa’s Home in Singapore did not share my enthusiasm for these pastimes (nor did they understand my elation at finally capturing Boardwalk)!

Prioritizing flexibility as a facilitator, I flipped the tables.

Pai Gow. Xiangqi. Mahjong. Initially, my team and I struggled to keep track of the countless new gameplay rules. However, I embraced the initial discomfort of this “hands-off” approach, realizing how it allowed us to transfer control to a community whose voices we wanted to amplify.

The small but crucial details, like knowing Mandarin pronunciations of game and piece names, built trust and respect and soon, we found ourselves trading stories freely, like cards.

I was initially hesitant to talk about my upbringing in a Western society and my constant struggle to define my own identity. However, I found a true sounding board in the aunties and uncles. Both sides simply wanted to hear and be heard. 

This is the knowledge I will carry into Columbia, where I hope to foster cultural discourse through safe spaces and conversations, ensuring that no one feels like a missing piece.

This student very creatively displays the discomfort of cultural divides and the joys of overcoming them through playing games. The parallel of listing three US board games (“ Uno. Jenga. Monopoly. “) and then three Singapore games (“ Pai Gow. Xiangqi. Mahjong. “) shows the reader how this student had to step outside of their comfort zone to connect with the seniors.

By explaining how it was difficult to “ keep track of the countless new gameplay rules ” and know the “ Mandarin pronunciations of game and piece names ” we understand the challenges of relating to people from a different culture that this student had to overcome. However, by describing the seniors as “ aunties and uncles ” and a “ sounding board ” for this student, it shows the level of comfort they finally established and how this student benefitted from hearing diverse perspectives.

Additionally, this essay has a strong game motif running through it that contributes to the playfulness and cohesiveness of the essay. From cracking jokes about getting the most coveted property in Monopoly, to referring to their conversation as “ trading stories freely, like cards “, to concluding with the analogy of a “ missing piece “, the commitment to games is a nice way to reinforce the connections they fostered.

Something missing from this essay is an explanation of why this student was at the senior center and what they wanted to accomplish. Was this a volunteer activity they were originally hesitant to join but grew to love once they embraced the Singaporean games? They mention the seniors as “ community whose voices we wanted to amplify ,” so does that mean they were interviewing seniors for articles or research projects?

Although the essay still effectively answers the prompt without telling us more about why this student was at the senior center, the lack of answers can be distracting for the reader and diminishes the lasting impact of the story.

Do you want feedback on your Columbia University essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Columbia Essays Examples

Are you interested in applying to Columbia University? If so, Columbia essays examples are a great way to start considering your own essay strategy. 

As with any top school, essays are a critical part of the application process. When you read Columbia supplemental essays examples, you can learn more about the Columbia University requirements and admissions criteria. In this guide, we will take a look at several Columbia essays examples. These examples of Columbia supplemental essays—and Columbia essays that worked—can give you useful insight into what Columbia looks for. 

More details about Columbia

Columbia University is an Ivy League school that ranks #18 in National Universities by U.S. News. Located in New York City, New York, Columbia is one of the top schools in the nation, with an acceptance rate of just 3.73%. 

Although Columbia has a low acceptance rate, tips from these Columbia essays examples can help you stand out in the Columbia application process. They can also help you show the Columbia admissions office what makes you a unique applicant. 

The Columbia-specific application questions give students an opportunity to highlight their extracurriculars and personal accomplishments. After all, to boost your chances of acceptance, you will want to submit stellar essays. 

In this guide, we will first review the Columbia University requirements and examples of Columbia supplemental essays. Then, we will dive into some Columbia essays that worked, including some Columbia supplemental essays examples, Why Columbia essays examples, short essay examples, and extracurricular activities essay examples. We will also offer tips on how to write your own Columbia essays that worked.

How many essays do you have to write for Columbia?

Before diving into Columbia essays examples and how to write Columbia essays that worked, let’s first look at the Columbia University requirements for essays.  

Students applying to Columbia University will submit their Common Application or Coalition Application, which requires an essay. In addition to this essay, Columbia requirements separately include Columbia-specific list questions and short answer questions. We’ll later look at Columbia supplemental essays examples. 

For the list questions, applicants will simply list each individual response using commas or semicolons. So, there are no formatting guidelines, and applicants shouldn’t explain their responses. 

The short answer questions, however, require a more in-depth answer. Students should prepare their answers so that they answer all parts of the question in the most powerful manner. 

The value of crafting strong Columbia essay responses

Columbia-specific questions tell the admissions office more about your academic, extracurricular, and intellectual engagements. These questions provide valuable insight to your application. Moreover, they allow you to distinguish yourself within the large pool of competitive applicants. Remember, Columbia’s acceptance rate is very low, so you have to put your best foot forward.  

We will go over many different types of Columbia essays examples and Columbia essays that worked, including short essay examples, extracurricular activity essay examples, and examples of Columbia supplemental essays to ensure you have all the guidance you need. Let’s first go over Columbia essays examples and some Columbia essays that worked. 

What are the Columbia supplemental essay prompts?

Here are the current prompts for the Columbia supplemental essays examples. You can familiarize yourself with the formatting and requirements so that you can write your own Columbia essays that worked. 

Columbia Short List Response Essays:

For the following questions, we ask that you list each individual response using commas or semicolons; the items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. no explanatory text or formatting is needed. (for example, it is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications. no author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.).

• List the titles of the books, essays, poetry, short stories or plays you read outside of academic courses that you enjoyed most during secondary/high school. (75 words or fewer)
• We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications, journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (125 words or fewer)

Columbia s hort answer questions:

Please answer the following questions. .

• A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (200 words or fewer)
• Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (200 words or fewer)
• Please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the areas of study that you noted in the application. (200 words or fewer)
• In Columbia’s admissions process, we value who you are as a unique individual, distinct from your goals and achievements. In the last words of this writing supplement, we would like you to reflect on a source of happiness. Help us get to know you further by describing the first thing that comes to mind when you consider what simply brings you joy. (35 words or fewer)

It’s important to remember that the prompts change each year. However, you can use these Columbia essays examples to help you address any future prompts you might encounter. 

For example, from these Columbia essays examples, you can learn the formatting, requirements, and themes so that you’re prepared to write your own essays. Below, we will provide Columbia essays examples from various categories. These include Why Columbia essays examples, short essay examples, examples of Columbia supplemental essays, and examples of Columbia essays that worked.  

Columbia Short Essay Examples

Below are some Columbia essays examples and short essay examples of previous list questions. For these Columbia supplemental essays examples, students list their responses using commas or semicolons. So, there is no need for any explanatory text. 

Check out these Columbia essays that worked and examples of Columbia supplemental essays:

List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words or less)

Open to new experiences, perspectives, and people

Encourages a balanced lifestyle where relaxation and a social life is equally as important as schoolwork

Diversity in academics, where I can pursue minors and interests in subjects unrelated to my major

Evident school pride on campus

Open line of communication with professors and university staff

Focused on the advancement of society and outreach to communities in need

List the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Brave New World

 Henrietta Lacks

The Metamorphosis

Connectome,  

“How a Frog Became the First Mainstream Pregnancy Test”

“Point of View Affects How Science is Done”, 

“The Science of Racism: Radiolab Treatment of the Hmong Experience”, 

“The C-word in the Hallways”, 

NY Times HERS Column by K.C. Cole on March 18, 1982,

 “A Troubled Silence”

Response 2 

The Crucible

The Scarlet Letter

Huckleberry Finn

The Awakening

The Great Gatsby

Death of a Salesman

The Catcher in the Rye

One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest

A Farewell to Arms

The Color Purple

All the Pretty Horses

Pride and Prejudice

An Enemy of the People

Wuthering Heights

List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Angela’s Ashes, 

Pride and Prejudice, 

Animal Farm, 

If the Allies had Fallen,

 Graceling, 

The Crying of lot 49, 

Going after Cacciato, 

The Flute Book, 

Book Thief, 

Between Shades of Gray, 

Unbroken, 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, 

The Outsiders, 

Anna and the French Kiss

And the Band Played On

The Kite Runner

The Book Thief

The Bell Jar

Great Expectations

A Tale of Two Cities

East of Eden

The Golden Compass

List the titles of the print, electronic publications and websites you read regularly. (150 words or less)

New York Times Op-Ed column, Buzzfeed, The Telegraph, NowThis, spacex.com, Morning Brew

www.nature.com

www.nydailynews.com

www.sciencedirect.com

www.sciencedaily.com

www.bbc.co.uk

www.espn.com

www.espnfc.com

www.espncricinfo.com

The New York Times

The Journal News

Sports Illustrated

New York Post 

Time Magazine

National Geographic

ESPN The Magazine

Popular Science

Sports Weekly Magazine

Tennis Magazine

List the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or less)

Good Will Hunting, 

Criminal Minds, 

The Men who Built America , 

Santa Clara Vanguard “Babylon”, 

Bluecoats “Session 44”, 

Gregory Porter Performance at Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, 

Of Mice and Men at Pittsburgh Hazlett Theater, 

Pride and Prejudice at O’Reilly Theater, 

Wicked , 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Pittsburgh Cast), 

The Nutcracker (PBT), 

Sam Rhine Genetics Conference Lectures,

“Adventures in Engineering: Lasers and Mechatronics” (Ben Campbell), 

“Crime Science: Science and Engineering” (Andrea Dammann), 

“All Around the World with No Fuel” (Paige Kassalen), 

Balcony Big Band performances

Response 2: 

Dr. Sobolevsky at Columbia University (Lecture)

Suits (Show)

Psych (Show) MythBusters (Show)

The Great Gatsby (Film)

As with all of the Columbia essays, answer these list questions authentically. So, don’t try to impress admissions by adding publications that sound fancy and intellectual. Remember that the goal of college essays is for admissions to learn more about you. So, just be yourself!

Why Columbia Essay Example

The Why Columbia essays examples are some of the most important essay examples to understand. Why is the why school essay so important? Well, because you’re likely to see it on most college applications. So, learning the format of this type of essay is vital. 

In a successful Why Columbia essay example, the student will demonstrate why they are interested in attending Columbia University. Strong Why Columbia essay examples will also highlight what the writer has to offer the Columbia community. 

Check out the following examples of Columbia supplemental essays: 

Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or less) 

“ Connected Humanity.” My group receives our assignment and begins brainstorming different ways to incorporate this idea into a home AI. Synchronization between extended family homes, daily local and national news updates, and the ability to join social groups through a unique network were some of our favorite ideas when creating a home AI through the lense of “Connected Humanity.” After presenting our ideas, we heard four other groups give their ideas through their assigned viewpoints. Sustainable, Healthy, Secure, and Creative humanity introduced new perspectives I had not considered when working on “Connected Humanity”, much less before attending CE2 at Columbia. 

What I value most about Columbia is its unique approach to engineering. From the CE2 program, I experienced engineering in an entirely new way. I always envisioned using engineering to help communities thrive and advance society, but Columbia presented an actionable outline on how to achieve that, something I have not encountered anywhere else.

Beyond the distinct approach to engineering, another area I appreciate about Columbia is the open communication between university staff and the students. At the CE2 program, every current student I spoke with praised the administration for correcting any issues brought to their attention. For example, after students requested an improvement in mental health services, Columbia introduced new resources and reforms to improve the services already offered.

Lastly, Columbia has the academic benefit of a “core curriculum.”  This will introduce me to interesting classes outside of my major and allow me to become a well-rounded individual by diving into other areas of study. Furthermore, it will facilitate the creation of friendships across majors, allowing me to form friendships with students outside of my major. Throughout high school, some of my favorite classes have been humanity courses. A college experience without this enrichment would be unimaginable.

The writer of this essay uses their experience in the Columbia Engineering Experience (CE2) . Why does this work? Well, it’s extremely specific and it’s a program only offered at Columbia. The writer also mentions other areas of Columbia that are important to them such as open lines of communication and a liberal arts curriculum. 

Columbia Essays Examples – Extracurricular Essay Example

Many of the Columbia essay prompts ask students to discuss their extracurricular activities. Extracurricular essay prompts give you the perfect chance to show the admissions office who you are beyond academics. So, use this essay prompt to display your interests, passions, and values. 

Below are some Columbia supplemental essays examples and extracurricular activities essays examples. Read our Columbia supplemental essays examples to learn more about how to approach these prompts. Then, you’ll see see what made these extracurricular activities essay examples and examples of Columbia supplemental essays so strong. 

Briefly describe which single activity listed in the Activity section of your Common Application represents your most meaningful commitment and why. (150 words or less)

Columbia extracurricular essay example.

It is not too often you get the chance to truly make a difference. After making numerous trips to my homeland, India, it was alarming to see how devastated some areas there have become. These trips opened my eyes to the value of community service and how even the smallest bit of help can truly make a difference. This is why I decided to run Make a Difference Rockland. With Make a Difference Rockland, it is my mission to engender a community devoted to community service. Via a massive community service fair devoted to and designed for service, I hope to facilitate the efforts of individuals interested in performing service by connecting them with service opportunities available to them in their area. For too long has enthusiasm to perform service been frustrated by a lack of organization. So, I have created this organization to address just that. 

This essay shows much more about the writer than what we could have known from just their activities list. That’s precisely the goal of this type of essay. Students should show the meaning, passion, and drive behind their choice of extracurriculars.

Columbia Essays that Worked

Some of the Columbia essays will ask specifically why you’re interested in a particular field of study. Additionally, if you’re applying to a specific school, such as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, you may have to write a particular essay for that school. This prompt may ask you to explain why you are interested in this field and what you have done to prepare yourself for your chosen program. 

As much as you are investing in your college education, Columbia is investing in you as well. So, the admissions team wants to know why you should be accepted to Columbia University. Highlight why you are a good fit for Columbia and what you have to offer the campus community. 

Now, let’s take a look at these Columbia supplemental essays examples and Columbia essays that worked. 

For applicants to The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, please tell us what from your current and past experiences (either academic or personal) attracts you specifically to the field or fields of study that you noted in the Member Questions section. (300 words or less)

Columbia supplemental essays example.

“Some of you may wonder ‘When will I ever use derivatives in real life?’ Welcome to when.” My physics teacher, Mr. Welsh, described engineering as the “when” math and physics were applied to real problems. That is what is so attractive about engineering; it gives me the ability to apply intriguing concepts to fascinating projects.

During the Chain Reaction Contraption competition, my team and I created a Rube Goldberg machine to complete a certain task. I found a love for the hands-on, creative portion of mechanical engineering. The ability to step away from the calculator and notebook and get my hands dirty is the most enjoyable aspect of this profession. I also enjoyed how engineering combines creative freedom and mathematical certainty. In creation of each step, I could design whatever I desired and had a large degree of flexibility.

Afterwards, I would complete the calculations and see how math and physics concepts applied to a real-life problem. Finally, I would build the step, getting to experience a “hands-on” area of engineering. While I participated in other engineering activities in high school, this experience solidified my passion for engineering.

 However, other engineering activities also provided important experiences that contributed to my desire to pursue engineering. In my engineering design class, I enjoyed using computer programs like Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD to create my designs. In FTC Robotics, I discovered that in addition to building the robot, I also loved the programming aspect. 

Reflecting on these experiences with engineering, particularly mechanical engineering, I am certain that engineering is the best path for me.

This essay shows us that the writer is a critical thinker, applying methods learned in classes to other areas of life. They’re also curious, motivated, and passionate about engineering. Additionally, this essay does a great job of hooking the reader from the start. Remember that even though this essay is specific to the engineering school, it doesn’t mean that you can’t show of your writing chops!

How do you write a Columbia essay?

In our guide to Columbia essays examples, you’ve seen how other students have written stellar Columbia essays examples. These examples of Columbia supplemental essays each highlight what makes the writer unique. But how can you use what you learned in these Columbia University essay examples?

To start, each of these Columbia essays that worked have flawless spelling and syntax. So, like these examples of Columbia supplemental essays, your essay should have perfect spelling and grammar. Moreover, in the Columbia essays examples above, students demonstrated a proficient use of language. 

Spelling, grammar, and syntax errors can be distracting. So, be sure to revise your essay until it is free of mistakes. When you think you have finished, be sure to proofread and edit once more with fresh eyes. To be sure, have someone else read your essay and listen to their feedback. And, most importantly, make sure that you have adhered to all the essay format guidelines, including the word count and any other essay formatting requirements. 

Authenticity is key

Another crucial aspect of writing stellar Columbia essays is being true to who you are. So, take the time to write an essay that highlights why you would be a great addition to the Columbia community, like the Columbia essays examples we have discussed. Don’t get caught up in trying to impress the admissions officers. Rather, show them what makes you unique and what you have to offer. From these essay examples, you can see that the strongest essays are honest, authentic, and personal. 

Once you have prioritized what you want to say, start thinking about your essay’s structure. You may start by making a list of what the admissions team should know about you. How do you spend your time? What are your accomplishments? What are your passions? 

Finally, choose carefully the stories you include in your essay. You want the admissions team to walk away from your essay with a picture of who you are and why you’d succeed at Columbia.  

Short Essays vs. Long Essays

The shortest examples of Columbia supplemental essays are the list questions. For these questions, students simply list their responses with no explanatory text or formatting. For these questions, there really is no “right” answer. The admissions office just wants to get to know you better. These questions require less writing than the short answer Columbia essays examples. 

The longer examples of Columbia supplemental essays require a bit more attention. For these questions, students will want to create an outline in order to respond to the prompt in a clear, concise, and organized way. Most importantly, use the Columbia short answer questions to distinguish yourself from the other applicants. You can do this by being honest and telling a story that not only answers the prompt but also shares new information about yourself. 

Our examples of Columbia supplemental essays address several themes. These include Why Columbia essays examples and extracurricular activities essay examples. Both examples of Columbia supplemental essays give you the opportunity to tell Columbia who you are beyond your academic achievements.

So, as you write, channel these examples of Columbia supplemental essays. Your work should honestly reflect your desire to attend Columbia University, just like we’ve shown you with the Columbia essays examples. 

What does Columbia look for in essays?

Just as much as you are looking for the best college for you, Columbia University admissions looks for students who best align with their values. The application is designed to give students an opportunity to put their passions, interests, background, and academic credentials on display. 

Additionally, Columbia admissions uses a holistic review process, meaning they consider the entirety of your Columbia application. In terms of the Columbia supplemental essays examples, Columbia University admissions hopes to learn more about your intellectual interests and personal values through your responses. 

Overall, Columbia University admissions looks for academic preparation, curiosity, engagement with others, individual voice, and knowledge of Columbia. Successful examples of Columbia supplemental essays will address these important points. 

More CollegeAdvisor resources about Columbia essays

Beyond our guide on Columbia essays that worked, CollegeAdvisor has many other Columbia essays examples and resources that can help you learn how to get into Columbia. 

How to Get Into Columbia University Guide

If you want to learn more about the questions behind these Columbia University essay examples, check out our guide on the prompts for Columbia essays that worked. Along with providing explanation on the Columbia essays examples, this guide will also go into more detail on the essay prompts, Columbia application information, and deadlines.  

In addition, you may find the video from Columbia University admissions below to offer helpful insight into what Columbia admissions officers are really looking for in their applicants

Lastly, for more advice on completing your application outside of essay examples, CollegeAdvisor has webinars featuring recent alumni who answer frequently asked questions from hopeful applicants. You can also check out this webinar that gives students insider information as to what it’s like to attend NYU, Columbia, and Barnard. 

NYC Schools Panel

Columbia Essays Examples – 5 Takeaways

Now that we’ve reached the end of our guide, you should have a better idea of how to approach your own Columbia essays. 

Here are five takeaways on Columbia supplemental essays examples and how to get into Columbia, one of the best universities in New York and the nation.

5 Takeaways for Writing Columbia Essays

1. tailor the essay to the prompt.

Some of your college essay prompts may be similar or even the exact same across different applications. While it may be tempting to reuse an essay for multiple applications, students should be extra careful about doing so. It is important that your essay response is specific to the prompt and university. As for Columbia, supplemental essays change year to year. However, common themes include community, extracurriculars, and academic pursuits. 

2. Get personal and be specific

Admissions officers agree that the most crucial aspect of a successful essay is highlighting a personal story with impactful details. So, use these supplemental essays to tell the admissions committee something they don’t already know about you. If your essay is a genuine, in-depth depiction of who you are as a person, then it will likely stand out.

3. Do your research

Demonstrate that you understand the dynamics of Columbia and its community. Moreover, always make sure your essays are specific to the school. Our Columbia University essay examples show how important it is to do your research on specific programs, extracurriculars, or even internships. Then, you can best convey how Columbia is a good fit for you. 

4. Think about the structure of your essay

Organize your thoughts as a narrative that ties together so that the admissions officers can follow your thoughts clearly and concisely. The best essays will use anecdotes and personal experiences to give life to facts and details about yourself. This will make your essay more interesting and paint a picture of who you are off paper. 

5. Be concise

Follow the formatting and word count guidelines by clearly and concisely getting your points across. Additionally, there is no need to include unnecessary information in your essay. Consider the requirements and make sure that your essays meet them. However, while being concise is important, remember that you should get creative with your essays. The essays are an opportunity to share more about yourself while also showing off your writing abilities.

After reading these Columbia essays examples, we hope you have a better understanding of Columbia essays that worked and how to get into Columbia. Students who want to attend Columbia should refer to this guide and our other CollegeAdvisor resources in order to construct a successful Columbia essay and overall application. With the right preparation, you can overcome the low Columbia University acceptance rate. 

Don’t forget that you can always schedule an appointment with our team for extra help with essay writing and any other aspect of the college application process. Otherwise, use what you’ve learned and get excited about those essays. Happy writing!

This article was written by Bailey Bennett. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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July 28, 2022

Columbia EMBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines [2022 – 2023]

The first two  Columbia EMBA essay questions  ask you to project into the future, both near and long term – they address what you hope, plan, want, expect – and dream. The third essay question is a “getting to know you” question, it reflects the adcom’s interest in your well-roundedness.

In these essays, a potential pitfall, given the non-anecdotal questions, is to write generically, abstractly: ideas, thoughts, buzz words, admirable ideals/objectives, artistic critiques. However, even though not specified in the questions, grounding these essays in your experience – through anecdote and example – is the key to making them memorable and dynamic.

This approach will result in a vivid, distinctive, meaningful picture of your candidacy. Considering the scant opportunity to discuss past professional achievements in the essays, your resume carries all the more weight in the Columbia EMBA application – attend to it accordingly.

Columbia Executive MBA short-answer question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal?  (50 characters maximum) Examples of possible responses: 1) “Work in business development for a media company.” 2) “Continue my career within investor relations.” 3) “Launch a data-management start-up.”

As their examples show, a factual phrase or bullet will suffice; no need to use a whole sentence. Include key details with function and industry being the essential elements.

Columbia Executive MBA essay questions

Columbia emba essay #1.

Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years, and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job?  (500 words)

This question  helps  you avoid a common, reflexive pitfall: summarizing your career before discussing goals. Yes, goals need a context – and a sentence (or two) upfront about your current situation can work as a launchpad for presenting your goals. CBS is always interested in your plans for achieving your goals as well as the goals themselves – a practical focus. In this case it’s asking you to specify your short-term goals (3-5 years). So, detail the role(s) you anticipate during these years: position, type of company, scope of accountability, what you want to accomplish, and why you want to pursue this path – this “why” will allow the readers to get excited about your goals.

Your longer-term “dream job” needs less detail and should of course reflect some reasonable trajectory from the earlier role. The phrase “dream job” instead of “long-term goal” plus “in your imagination” invites (even encourages) you to be open, to take a bit of a risk, show some heart. If it’s a dream job, it should be ambitious in a way that is meaningful and enticing to you. Make the reader feel your excitement.

There is no request to explain “why Columbia” in the question, but it would be fine to add a sentence or two about what is truly compelling to you about the program, if you have something thoughtful and insightful to say in this regard.

Columbia EMBA essay #2

Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA will challenge you by offering a rigorous academic experience, global exposure through the international seminar, and the opportunity to immediately apply what you learn to your career. How will you approach balancing the demands of the program with your professional and personal life while you are in school?  (250 words)

Keep this essay concrete and practical. Discuss the accommodations you will make at work, such as delegating more, adjusting travel schedules, etc. Focus on the most significant two or three adjustments.

Also address how you will handle your personal responsibilities with this additional demand on your time and energy; include 1-2 specific changes (probably, sacrifices), e.g. acknowledging that you’ll have less time at the playground with your toddler or mentioning the support of your significant other.

If you’ve already successfully balanced school and working full time, describe how you did it. Nothing is better than actual evidence that you can juggle these concurrent demands.

Columbia EMBA essay #3

Tell us about your favorite book, movie or song and why it resonates with you.  (250 words)

Columbia EMBA’s adcom wants to get to know you as a person, beyond all the professional success, career plans, and extracurricular initiatives. What better way than with this question? Its brevity teases, as it yields up a rich opportunity to present a formative experience. You might wonder,

• Should I approach it strategically or personally?   Both! Chances are you have several favorite songs (yes, you could write about a sonata or symphony or opera if you’re a classical music fan), books, movies. Identify some favorites and think about (a) what you have to say about them and (b) what they say about you. Which one best illuminates a relevant side of you that’s not apparent elsewhere in the application?
• I’m not a critic, how can I explain how it moves me?   Rather than explain, contextualize your passion for the book, movie, or song by anecdote and detail; make it a story ! When did you first see/hear/read it? Where were you in your life, and what did you do/see/feel differently as a result of the experience? How has your response to it changed over time?
• Should it be something I read/saw/heard long ago, or something more recent?   Rule of thumb: The longer ago the experience is, the weightier it should be in your life to warrant discussion. If you read a book in high school that totally changed your perspective and subsequent actions/decisions or helped you understand yourself deeply, it’s fine to use something that old. Otherwise, stick to something more recent.

Final tip: “resonate with you” means now, today. Whatever you discuss, end with its ongoing meaning and relevance to your life.

Columbia EMBA essay #4 (Optional)

An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (500 words)

This question enables you to explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender if not using a direct supervisor, etc.). As far as non-necessary points, read “between the lines” about not needing to be formal and having permission to use bullet points. The instructions imply that this isn’t the place to make a whole additional marketing point about your candidacy. Whatever you present, there should be a clear value to the information you’re sharing.

Columbia Executive MBA 2022-23 application deadlines for New York Saturday program (May 2023 entry)

Columbia Executive MBA 2022-23 application deadlines for New York Friday/Saturday program (August 2023 entry)

Source: Columbia Business School’s website

For expert guidance with your Columbia EMBA application, check out Accepted’s  MBA Application Packages , which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA and EMBA program and look forward to helping you too!

Related Resources:

• School-Specific EMBA Application Essay Tips
• Executive MBA Essays: How to Make an Impact [Sample Essay]
• A Non-Traditional Applicant Accepted to the Columbia EMBA Program , a podcast episode

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