Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants

Here is my own analysis of the 3 optional essays. I preface this by saying I have no inside info on how the adcoms look at these essays, this is just my personal opinion.

Option A: If you're entrepreneurial and have a clearly amazing idea go for it. That said, its only 250 words, so I think even if you don't have some amazing idea its still OK to try this essay out. What you'd want to do is show what your priorities in life are. Whatever your business does should reflect your values. In this way, you can sort of communicate to the adcoms your personality and values system based on what your business will do.

Option B: This is a great way of showing a particular passion you have, or even of touting your existing EC credentials and how you're going to translate that energy into leadership and community building at CBS. I'm almost positive that the adcoms have focused on people who make involvement and community a priority for them, and it has definitely transformed the culture at CBS for the positive. If you can communicate energy, positiveness, and passion about an issue or community and show how that will translate into you being active at CBS, go for this option.

Option C: This is another way of communicating your maturity and depth over your career goals. If you can ask an insightful, cutting question to these EIRs that shows you not only have knowledge about your career but wisdom behind both the challenges and opportunities in it and how they will affect your career search, you will probably hit home. I would also try and ask some questions that speak to your personal situation -- use this as a tool to further let the adcoms into your world to figure out who you are, what drives you, and why your background and experience set will translate to success in your career. If you can do this Jeopardy style (in the form of a question), then I think you'll be successful with this.




The key theme is that not only should you answer each question directly, but remember what the goals of these essays are. They're not angel investors or VCs and they probably can't assess a great business idea communicated in 250 words. They're looking for what that business says about you and your aspirations. The adcoms are probably only a little curious what leadership positions you'll take, what they really want to know is what values and personal experiences have you had that make you want to lead and lead in the specific way you'll discuss. The adcoms don't want to know if you'll ask the Execs-In-Residence if you should do "banking or consulting?" They want to know what issues are facing your personal career journey, and what that says about who you are and what your core goals and values are.

So make sure with each one of these that in addition to answering the question, you let the adcoms know more about you, who you are, what makes you tick, what your goals are, and everything else that down deep is the core driver of how you are answering the question.

Thanks Moss, that's a great take on the essays topics

How's orientation been so far?

Went with 3B personally. I am a sound public speaker and very persuasive so figured I'd leverage that strength and touch on a few areas that I wanted to emphasize about my general "personality".

On a side note, with reference to working the weekend... I would bet they had already planned to admit the person at the Diversity event but figured they'd wait until the event (weekend) to do so. However, I'm still holding firm that I want those of us who have been complete for nearly 3 weeks to get a call early this week!

Anyone here applying to the Diversity Connect here? They said they'd reply w/in 10 business days, and today is the 10th day and I still haven't heard back...

I'm sure you'll hear something very soon. I think all the notifications go out on the same day. I'm not applying to Diversity Connect so I won't be there. If you attend, please do let us know how it was.

I will be in attendance for Diversity Connect. I applied almost a month ago but heard back about 2 weeks after application. Let me know if you get the good news.

Duly noted, will let you know if I am invited to attend. Do you guys upload .doc's or .pdf for your essays? What line spacing do you have? Tuck told me double spaced but I have 1.5 for Columbia, should I amend?

You upload a doc and it changes it to pdf ... either is.. the only thing is size limits which don't really matter w/ the essays since they fit. I used 1.5 spacing with question posted on top and name in header... no real format guidelines so that's what made sense to me

Guys just submitted ED. The wait begins. I reallly wanna go to Columbia so hope this goes through. now on with other apps!

Hey Guys!! I have applied in the ED round. My application went complete on 24 Aug. Have any of you heard back from Columbia about your final decision

I don't believe any of us have gotten an admit call yet... and there's a few of us who went complete on the 24th... so will let you konw if that changes

Losttraveler - are you JTerm or ED? Apologies for not knowing this already!

ED fall 2012

No news today for me as well. Seems there are a bunch of us who went complete between the 22nd-24th.

Thanks! Orientation ended a couple weeks back and it was a blast! The experienced surpassed even my most optimistic expectations. Really happy to be both here in NYC and at Columbia.

Posted from my mobile device

Another quiet day from the adcom...

Posted from my mobile device

My app went "Under Review" on Aug 25th. So waiting for further updates too.