Calling All 2010 CBS Applicants (MERGED)

Hey,

Thanks for the tip, I agree with that thought!

I have stuck to 10% rule. I think you will be fine too with 550. Only LBS asks to write the # of words in the essay.

My app went under review yesterday,

wow Praz, you started really early this year.

Damn it took me 2 days just to prepare the first draft of the goals essay ... oh man this is going to take a LOT of time.

Hi Everybody,

This is just a general question about Essay 3. What exactly did you discuss after you described situation and how the team failed? There seems to be many options:

1) What you would change given a second chance (ie. just list a bunch of improvements without really explaining any of them);
2) A single thing you would change and a detailed description of why it was absent/failed in the first attempt, and the effect it would have if included/done correctly;
3) Anything in between (ie. including what you learned, the moral of the failure, etc)

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

This depends on your discussion of failure. When I wrote this last yr, my failure was focusing on one specific misaligned objective for the organization. So I focused on (2) option.

@gobruins- yeah, well I wanted to submit even before deadline started.... Good luck with the reapps, hope we have the last laugh this time around!

I think the best way to present it is:

- One long story, describing the circumstances behind the failure, what failed, and why. What your part was in this.
- What you've done after this to show proactive change. i.e. "I am now more in tune to x and this has resulted in y and z". This should not be a full blown second story, but rather a good conclusion of 3-5 sentences.

It is very important to showcase a team failure, but also take responsibility for it and show what you could do to change it. If it's a team failure that is/was completely out of your control, this won't be very effective. The best stories on this essay will double as great leadership stories that show self-awareness.

I expect an xlick interview invite by the end of next week

Applying in RD but am a international applicant, so the deadline starts only in Jan '10.
Columbia will probably be one of the last apps I submit. But count me in for sure!

Applying at the very end may not be a very good idea. CBS is rolling admissions, so it makes sense for you to get in your app as early as possible w/o compromising quality. Also, make sure the recos are in before you submit the app, as CBS prefers it that way. Good luck.

Agreed. CBS gets a flood of applications in January and they are reviewed in the order they are received. If you can submit a RD application in October or November, you will be much better off.

The Columbia GSb homepage mentions Jan 6th, 2010 as the start date for International Applications Review.

Is it ok if I send in my app anytime before the App review process start date?
Columbia is one of my top choices and I would definitely try and send in my app a month earlier
if it would increase the chances of my admission.

With regard to R1 deadlines this is what I've heard: Because of how actively Columbia uses their waitlist, you're really not at a disadvantage to wait until that January 6th deadline to submit your application. They do process applications in the order they're received but the majority of the slots will still be available at that time because someone with a lesser profile is not going to beat you out simply because they applied earlier - they'd end up on the waitlist. In that way, if your application was better, you'd get admitted even though yours came in after. If someone has a better profile than you, they'll get in no matter what. Submitting AFTER January 6th does put you at a disadvantage, however, because every day they are accepting students so fewer slots will be available.

I think ED is different than regular round in this regard though since the class is still wide open throughout that timeframe.

Couldn't have said it better Audrey : ).
Is anyone else going to the Columbia "Why MBA?" Panel tomorrow?

I have stuck with extracurricular activities section of application

what do you write there, guys?

Iam an international applicant, different clubs and organizations are not so popular in my country (russia).
Can I put just my interest there? Like tennis... I don't know what.
Moreover, I am not a professional sports or smth.


Another thing is this employment history you have to fill apart from uploading your resume.
Are duties and responsibilities the same as your achievements at a particular workplace? I mean can I list in duties and responsibilities the projects I took part in? I worked in Sales so all my duties can be described in 3 words, which is definitely not enough for that box. How did you handle this?

Thanks for help

Count me in for ED.

Good luck everyone!

in for RD (round 2 i suppose).. good luck to everyone else (especially all you ED guys /gals!)