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losttraveler
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 16 Aug 2011, 17:18
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How reliable do I think the info is? Well considering the above post mentions that a CBS info session said the same under 30%... it's probably fairly close :)
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 16 Aug 2011, 21:35
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I spoke to a few consultants about CBS' ED option before finally choosing one, and all said that the key benefit is that it shows you really REALLY want to be in Columbia, and that CBS "loves being loved". (One also candidly added that if you're in the 85% that gets dinged, at least they let you know quick with ED).

The acceptance stats losttraveler mentioned aren't surprising given CBS is one of the most selective schools out there, but hang in there guys! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of us :-D
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 16 Aug 2011, 23:10
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fudgebrownie
I spoke to a few consultants about CBS' ED option before finally choosing one, and all said that the key benefit is that it shows you really REALLY want to be in Columbia, and that CBS "loves being loved". (One also candidly added that if you're in the 85% that gets dinged, at least they let you know quick with ED).

The acceptance stats losttraveler mentioned aren't surprising given CBS is one of the most selective schools out there, but hang in there guys! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of us :-D
Show more

This is how the panic on stock exchange for example and massive crowds elsewhere are created.
One have heard something, other one supported that point of view and myph has been already created.
STOP! and think know if almost all of applicants believe that CBS's ED round is less competitive, and apply in ED , does it therefore make ED round less competitive?! Look at our statistics, although it may nor be representative, but it clearly shows that a big pool of applicants apply in ED. Thus ED become even more competitive, becuase every smartie thinks "I am ingenious, I will apply in ED and get in"

Guys, CBS is very very selective BS. Having a weak profile would not allow you to get in ED, having a strong profile would probably make you get in even if you applied in last day (last round).

Quote:
if you're in the 85% that gets dinged, at least they let you know quick with ED
Show more
remember that CBS has rolling admission process, it means that the early you apply the early you receive your decision. See notes under the roll call, and you will observe that some guys got invites two weeks after they sumbitted thier applications.

Good luck and dont follow the crowd.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 17 Aug 2011, 06:56
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Pkit, if you look at the homepage here with the notes on Kellogg, I would say that most on gmatclub have done their background work on the schools they want to apply to and have an understanding of what to expect. Undoubtedly you could say all the smart people think ED is better so they all apply and therefore make it more competitive, which I don't necessarily believe since the 6K deposit is due 2 weeks after acceptance... therefore making an admit worthless if you don't feel like coughing up the 6K to hold a spot. What I think the true value of ED is, as mentioned in a prior post, is that it shows you are commited to attending. What value does that have? Well, it really allows you to focus your essays on your personal development and be more personal versus selling them on why you want to attend their university. Quite frankly, if you have to write an essay and spend 1/3 of it justifying why that school and really pulling specific examples out on it... that's space that could of been used to highlight some of your unique qualities and experiences that make you a really unique and sound candidate for diverse class discussion. You may disagree with that, however when writing my Tuck essays, I really had to dig deep. I used professor names, specific landmarks that I saw during my visit, made mention of very specific things I took away from the school to explain why I would want to attend there. When I wrote my CBS essays, I took a much more poised approach and made it really about how I've developed in both my personal and professional life, and how my experiences have culminated to this point of me applying.

So while I agree with you that a top school is not going to give any "freebies", there certainly are inherit benefits of understanding the dynamics of when to apply. Those with weak profiles that you mentioned will not get in during ED or any round, but those with good profiles but maybe not Princeton -> McKinsey -> did 3 month tour in Africa volunteer work, I think applying ED allows you to focus on your development versus why CBS (vs HBS or other M7's) which really creates value and allows you to be more competitive should you have chosen to apply later.

Also as reference, I didn't just state statistics that I "heard". Please go to businessweek and look at the CBS profile under their MBA FT rankings. You will see exactly where the 27% interview and 15% admit numbers came from. Clearly we can't differentiate between the rounds and ED with that, but it is a benchmark.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 17 Aug 2011, 11:51
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Quote:
Please go to businessweek and look at the CBS profile under their MBA FT rankings. You will see exactly where the 27% interview and 15% admit numbers came from
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Could you provide a link, please?

Thank you!
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 17 Aug 2011, 12:13
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https://www.businessweek.com/bschools/ra ... umbia.html
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 17 Aug 2011, 13:30
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globalMBA
Hi lotstraveler! Do you think that info (27% interviewed - 15% admitted) is reliable? The school does not release the number of applicants it interviews... I am asking because I have an interview on Friday hehehe. Did you find info on this anywhere else? Thanks!!!
Show more

That's the overall % for all applicants, although I'd imagine that if you broke it down by ED, pre-scholarship cutoff, post-scholarship cutoff, and J-term, that you'd see a much wider range.

Pkit
This is how the panic on stock exchange for example and massive crowds elsewhere are created.
One have heard something, other one supported that point of view and myph has been already created.
STOP! and think know if almost all of applicants believe that CBS's ED round is less competitive, and apply in ED , does it therefore make ED round less competitive?! Look at our statistics, although it may nor be representative, but it clearly shows that a big pool of applicants apply in ED. Thus ED become even more competitive, becuase every smartie thinks "I am ingenious, I will apply in ED and get in"

Guys, CBS is very very selective BS. Having a weak profile would not allow you to get in ED, having a strong profile would probably make you get in even if you applied in last day (last round).
Show more

You're right -- if you're an all-star candidate you'll probably do fine regardless of what round you apply. That said, from speaking with applicants, it seems that most of the people I have been the most impressed with have been RD applicants. Obviously this isn't a scientific study, but from just my casual conversations with many applicants, it seems that RD admits are definitely at a higher level of competitiveness relative to some of the ED applicants. I think most people take the ED pledge pretty seriously and as a result some of the better candidates kept their options open.

It isn't a "myth" that the ED round gives you better odds, but it isn't necessarily a published fact. But if you talk with CBS students, talk to admissions consultants, and talk to the general applicant community you definitely get the feel that ED applicants have slightly better odds. Maybe its because CBS goes easy on them knowing it will help pad their yield. Or maybe its because those that apply ED are those that really want to attend CBS as a first (and possibly only) choice and their passion for CBS shines through their essays to the admissions committee. Perhaps its because if you think that CBS is your best fit, so does the admissions committee. (Interesting note: if its one of the last two reasons that ED students do better, it wouldn't help you to apply ED just to have "better chances.")

Who really knows why ED students seems to do a bit better with their applications, and who knows how big that edge really is... but if CBS is your first choice school then why not apply ED?
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 06:34
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In the link provided there is no difference between ED and RD applicants. Does anybody know where this information could be found?

Thank you!
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 06:40
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Etreus
In the link provided there is no difference between ED and RD applicants. Does anybody know where this information could be found?

Thank you!
Show more

I don't think they publish the statistics based on round. I'm pretty sure the overall numbers are the best you're going to get.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 08:31
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Got the admissions call today. I'll in! Really looking forward to the J-term 2012! Good luck everyone!
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 08:57
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Congrats, my interview tomorrow!
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 16:15
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Anybody know what the recommendation questions are this year?
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 16:30
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From Columbia GSB website:
"All applications require two recommendations. If you have been working full-time for at least six months, one recommendation should be from your current supervisor. The second recommendation should be from either a former direct supervisor or from another professional associate, senior to you, who can add personal insight into your candidacy.

If you are a college senior or have worked full-time for less than six months, at least one, but preferably both, of your recommendations should be from a person who can comment on your managerial abilities. You may ask a summer employer or another person who you feel can objectively assess your professional promise. The second recommendation may be from a college professor.

Recommendation questions include:

What is your relationship to, and how long have you known the applicant? Is this person still employed by your organization? If not, when did he/she depart?
Please provide a short list of adjectives describing the applicant’s strengths.
Please compare the applicant’s performance to that of his/her peers. Does the applicant have the potential to become a senior manager?
How effective are the applicant’s interpersonal skills in working with peers, supervisors, and subordinates?
How does the applicant accept constructive criticism?
Comment on your observations of the applicant’s ethical behavior.
What do you think motivates the candidate’s application to Columbia Business School?
In what ways could the applicant improve professionally?
If you could change one thing about the applicant, what would it be?
Are there any other matters which you feel we should know about the applicant?

Please be aware, the Admissions Committee does require all application materials be submitted online, including recommendations."

You can also find this on their website under Admissions->Apply Now->Application Requirements->Recommendations (sorry, can't post links).

They also ask if you are:
* Truly Exceptional (top 2%)
* Outstanding (top 10%)
* Very good (top 20%)
* Good (top third)
* Average (middle third)
* Poor (bottom third)

for a variety of topics like Maturity, Verbal Communication, etc.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 19:27
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Just curious if there is any minor or significant advantage to applying well before the 10/5 deadline for ED?

Let's say you were to apply early to mid august versus early to mid september.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 20:38
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M4Life
Just curious if there is any minor or significant advantage to applying well before the 10/5 deadline for ED?

Let's say you were to apply early to mid august versus early to mid september.
Show more


From people I have talked to, it doesn't make a major difference. A minor difference is when your app gets reviewed. Since apps are rolling at Columbia, they go under review in the order they are received. So, if you apply now, you will go under review in the next couple of days; if you apply in September, you will go under review shortly after.

As long as you apply by the deadline, your application will be reviewed before any regular decision candidate - even if they applied well before you. All ED gets reviewed before RD.

From the Columbia GSB website:
"Early decision applications are reviewed, and decisions rendered, before regular decision applications"

"Regular decision applications are reviewed after early decision applications"

Admissions->Options and Deadlines
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 18 Aug 2011, 21:04
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I think the biggest advantage is the earlier you submit the earlier they review you. I was speaking with an AD at a school and they said the earlier in the process you are reviewed the better your chances are. As the class begins to take shapes, they start narrowing their search to fill demographic (using in a broad sense) gaps in the class to ensure the variety of backgrounds, careers, etc. are met.

With that said, I think for Columbia when you are ready with you application and confident that another day or week will not make a difference I would submit. The one thing to note is that you should have your recommenders submit as soon as possible this way you give yourself the flexibility to submit today or before the deadline.

Hope that helps.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 19 Aug 2011, 06:56
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Had my interview last night. Went extremely well. No questions that I did not expect (walk me through your resume, career goals, leadership example, etc). It was basically a conversation rather than an interview.

Good luck to the rest of you guys.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 19 Aug 2011, 09:55
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Finished my interview today... about 90 minutes... 30 minutes in spilled a glass of water on myself...rofl. Didn't skip a beat, overall went really well and even had a few jokes about that now there's a specific example of how I handle adversity! Will post status when I receive admit/ding.
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 19 Aug 2011, 11:58
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Congrats losttraveler & mbarealestate on the positive interviews. Thanks for the debrief, my interview is next Wednesday. I am stoked to say the least! I've had to wait over 3 weeks for this.

How many minutes long did your interview last mbarealestate?
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Columbia 2012 - Calling All Applicants 19 Aug 2011, 13:13
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Mine only lasted 45 minutes or so. My interviewer seemed to have a lot of work to do so that may have had something to do with it.
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