{"id":49225,"date":"2020-07-08T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=49225"},"modified":"2020-07-07T07:34:20","modified_gmt":"2020-07-07T14:34:20","slug":"columbia-emba-application-essay-tips-deadlines-2020-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/columbia-emba-application-essay-tips-deadlines-2020-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Columbia EMBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines [2020 \u2013 2021]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The first two Columbia EMBA essay questions<\/a> ask you to project into the future, both near and long term \u2013 they address what you hope, plan, want, and expect. The third essay question is a \u201cgetting to know you\u201d question, and it also reflects the adcom\u2019s interest in your well-roundedness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these essays, a potential pitfall, given the non-anecdotal questions, is to write generic, abstract \u201cstuff\u201d: ideas, thoughts, buzz words, admirable sounding ideals\/objectives, artistic critiques. However, even though not specified in the questions, grounding these essays in your experience is the key to making them credible and dynamic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach will enable you to create a vivid, meaningful picture of your candidacy. Considering the scant opportunity to discuss past professional achievements in the essays, your resume carries all the more weight<\/a> in the Columbia EMBA application \u2013 attend to it accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Columbia Executive MBA short-answer question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of possible responses: 1) \u201cWork in business development for a media company.\u201d 2) \u201cJoin a strategy consulting firm.\u201d 3) \u201cLaunch a data-management start-up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As their examples show, a factual phrase or bullet will suffice; no need to use a whole sentence. Do include key details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Columbia Executive MBA essay questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Columbia EMBA essay #1<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This question helps<\/em> you avoid a common, reflexive pitfall: summarizing your career before discussing goals. Yes, goals need a context \u2013 and a sentence (or at most two) upfront about your current situation can work as a \u201claunchpad\u201d for presenting your goals. CBS is always interested in elaborated career goals<\/a>, in this case specifying your short-term goals (3-5 years). So, give solid detail about the role(s) you plan during these years: position, type of company, scope of accountability, what you want to accomplish, and why you want to pursue this path \u2013 this \u201cwhy\u201d is the key to moving the readers from professional interest to caring about you and your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your longer-term \u201cdream job\u201d needs less detail and should of course reflect some reasonable trajectory from the earlier role. The wording of \u201cdream job\u201d instead of \u201clong-term goal\u201d plus \u201cin your imagination\u201d provides an invitation (even encouragement) to be open, to \u201cgo for it.\u201d Put some heart and risk into this future vision and think beyond just practical considerations. If it\u2019s a dream job, it should be ambitious in a way that is meaningful and enticing to you. Make the reader feel your excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no request to explain \u201cwhy Columbia\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Columbia EMBA essay #2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Columbia Business School\u2019s 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)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also address your personal responsibilities and how you will meet them with this additional demand on your time and energy; include 1-2 specific changes (probably, sacrifices), e.g. acknowledging that you\u2019ll have less time at the playground with your toddler or mentioning the support of your significant other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve already successfully balanced school and working full time, mention it. Nothing is better than actual evidence that you can juggle a demanding schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Columbia EMBA essay #3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tell us about your favorite book, movie or song and why it resonates with you. (250 words)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Columbia EMBA\u2019s adcom wants to get to know you as a person, beyond all the professional success, career plans, and possibly even community activism. 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,<\/p>\n\n\n\n