Calling Columbia applicants for 2008

Essay 2 is difficult. Specially because it touches topics for which ensuring that your essay doesn't become impersonal is very difficult. One also has to ensure that this essay doesn't step into what you are discussing in essay 1.

However, I think that the most difficult essay is essay 4: What are you most passionate about? This is a younger sibling of the dreaded "What matters to you most" essay of Stanford. It's easy to write about a hobby, a philosophy in life, a career, a humanitarian cause or your family. But now look at the "most" word. Is that really what you are most passionate about? Honestly? In my opinion, to find out what you really are most passionate about and to come up with a mature and non-cheesy answer to this question in a sensible way in 250 words is insanely difficult.

So far I have found it insanely difficult to answer anything in 250 words. I could do 350 words...sigh....

Can you give some inputs & thoughts on essay 2?

abhishek.sardana:
I had posted some pointers for a start on essay 2 at:

https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... c&start=69

Hope that helps.

bherronp:
Yeah. "250 words" is like two paragraphs. What do they want us to do? Write STPOMLITMFWTBOTHP instead of "So the passion of my life is to make friends with the bouncers of the hip pubs"? Or maybe I can write "So-the-passion-of-my-life-is-to-make-friends-with-the-bouncers-of-the-hip-pubs" and count that as one word?

I put my hobby as my greatest passion. Mainly because I spend so much time on it and have continously done it over the past few years. But can you really rank what you're passionate about?

Let's say, you're passionate about mixing drinks - I mean, it's what you live for, you mix drinks day and night and even work as a bartender, but you would drop mixing drinks to make out with that hot blonde. Does that mean you're more passionate about making out?

I think if you could draw some aspects of your work xp, or ambitions or such into the essay 2, while being able to quote Glenn Hubbard, while showing off your talents, while making it readable and smooth in 500 words, then you're sitting tight....

I'll be submitting my application no later than 29 August..... at least that's the plan

Hey whats everyones work exp and backgrounds like?? Im also applying to ED after a DING late April last year... Its hard to write about how you improved yourself after only a 4 month lag between applications. How are other re-apps handling this? little about myself to start off

5 years work exp

2 years family business
1 year Bank of NY
2 years Lehman asset mgt finance - AVP

Had a question about the recos ...
In the app., when I type the details of the recommender and click save & proceed [with the 'send' box clicked], will I get to see the questionnaire my recommender will be sent ..?

I am not interested in seeing my recommenders response (right now), I just want to tell my recommender what to write and so wanted to see the form before he does ..

Am sure most of you have already done this.., guidance plz..?

Yeah I wondered about this as well. I figured it might be an American thing. Clearly it is a Columbia thing...

I guess I am done with the first draft of essays. Two seem okay, and two need a lot of work. Hopefully by the next week I'll be ready to submit. Now comes the question of when to submit. When I think the application is ready? When I attend the info-session on Sep 5? Or when I make an official visit in Sept end (I have already visited Columbia unofficially)?

Waiting also has a side benefit of using my next month's learnings to refine my Columbia essays. But I am worried that in a rolling admission process waiting unnecessarily might hurt my chances a little.

So anyone turned in the app yet?

This thread is dead right now, we need some excitement. I am waiting on my recommended to get done with this stuff, but he has been extremely quite.

I think I am done with my essay, am hoping to turn it in today. I dont if anyone is reading the BW thread about CL ED, but there are quite a few people who have already turned in their app.

My recos aren't done yet. But even then I am not sure if I should submit my application before visiting the school officially.

I submitted my app last week (8/21/07)
Here are my stats: 710 GMAT, 3.5 GPA, 3 Yrs w/e - public accounting (Big Four), CPA, Real Estate Salesperson (part-time), 24 Age, Korean-American, Recs - From manager and partner

Good luck to all!!! I will definitely need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Wondee! Let us know how it goes!

Thanks kryzak....

Good luck on yours as well. I hope that we can be classmates!

kryzak isn't applying to Columbia. But I am .. so you can hope for me to be your classmate then

Count me in too

oops.... sorry kryzak

yeah... i hope we can all make it!!!!! keep me posted.... i will do the same... good luck!!