Calling all Columbia Applicants for 2009!

Everyone's concerns about ED are not unfounded. ED is only for applicants who have decided that Columbia is their first choice. If you have researched schools and have discovered that everything that Columbia offers fits with who you are and what you want to be then the rolling and early aspects of Columbia's ED round can be really appealing. This is how I saw it, hence I applied ED. If you like Columbia, but it might be your 2+ choice, or it is neck and neck with your first choice, then you are better off going RD. RD might be more competitive, but we're talking about 2 years of your life that could plot the course for the rest of your life. Don't go for Columbia ED just to get the application process over with quicker, do it because Columbia is where you want to go for business school.

There's a lot of reasons why students to choose Columbia over the other schools you named. I'll name a few:
1) location, both NYC and Wall Street
2) Finance
3) Consulting (McKinsey LOVES!!! Columbia)
4) Particular alumni show the quality of the school: Buffet, Kravis, Mario Gabelli, Vikram Pandit
5) Students - I never visited the other schools, but I felt an instant connection with the Columbia students; plus, they have the Hermes Society and Peer Advisors, which are groups of current students whose sole responsibility is to welcome prospective and accepted students
6) Value Investing Program
7) Renowned faculty, such as Bruce Greenwold and even the former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors who is now our current Dean
8) Real Estate Program - NYC real estate is a great case in itself for a real estate program
9) Healthcare and Pharma Mgmt Program - one of the best for MBA's
10) A Private Equity focus
11) An international nexus as far as MBA programs go, as well as U.S. cities
12) New core curriculum
13) An incredible pre-MBA "World Tour" initiated and facilitated by '10's (there's a 14-week itinerary, website, and leaders for each leg, talk about initiative...incredible!!!)
14) Yield - Columbia's is 17%, very presitigious
15) Ivy League (ok, Harvard and Wharton have that)
16) Plus Columbia has everything that top-tier programs should have, such as short and long abroad programs, a focus on entrepreneurship, every club under the sun, intramurals, class groups and teams, happy-hours, student-organized shows, a cohesive class of students, excellent job placement, great compensation packages upon graduation
17) I could go on and on and on...

Every school has its strength. If you want to work out West, at Google, or Silicon Valley, then Stanford and Haas would be better than Columbia. If you want a very different leariing experience, then Ross might be your best bet with their MAP program or Darden's case study system. No matter where you go amongst the top schools, you'll be able to write your ticket. If you come from Columbia, Wharton, Harvard, Chicago, or Stanford, I'll hire any of you in a heartbeat--assuming I can afford you! So you are better off just finding where your ideals fit the school's ideals, and go from there.

Many of these things seem to be present at Chicago or Harvard.

If you come from Columbia, Wharton, Harvard, Chicago, or Stanford, I'll hire any of you in a heartbeat--assuming I can afford you!

Dj- does that mean you wont hire me?

There's a lot of reasons why students to choose Columbia over the other schools you named. I'll name a few:
1) location, both NYC and Wall Street
2) Finance
3) Consulting (McKinsey LOVES!!! Columbia)
4) Particular alumni show the quality of the school: Buffet, Kravis, Mario Gabelli, Vikram Pandit
5) Students - I never visited the other schools, but I felt an instant connection with the Columbia students; plus, they have the Hermes Society and Peer Advisors, which are groups of current students whose sole responsibility is to welcome prospective and accepted students
6) Value Investing Program
7) Renowned faculty, such as Bruce Greenwold and even the former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors who is now our current Dean
8) Real Estate Program - NYC real estate is a great case in itself for a real estate program
9) Healthcare and Pharma Mgmt Program - one of the best for MBA's
10) A Private Equity focus
11) An international nexus as far as MBA programs go, as well as U.S. cities
12) New core curriculum
13) An incredible pre-MBA "World Tour" initiated and facilitated by '10's (there's a 14-week itinerary, website, and leaders for each leg, talk about initiative...incredible!!!)
14) Yield - Columbia's is 17%, very presitigious
15) Ivy League (ok, Harvard and Wharton have that)
16) Plus Columbia has everything that top-tier programs should have, such as short and long abroad programs, a focus on entrepreneurship, every club under the sun, intramurals, class groups and teams, happy-hours, student-organized shows, a cohesive class of students, excellent job placement, great compensation packages upon graduation
17) I could go on and on and on...

Every school has its strength. If you want to work out West, at Google, or Silicon Valley, then Stanford and Haas would be better than Columbia. If you want a very different leariing experience, then Ross might be your best bet with their MAP program or Darden's case study system. No matter where you go amongst the top schools, you'll be able to write your ticket. If you come from Columbia, Wharton, Harvard, Chicago, or Stanford, I'll hire any of you in a heartbeat--assuming I can afford you! So you are better off just finding where your ideals fit the school's ideals, and go from there.

Are the recommendation questions same from year to year?

Has anyone thought about the 2nd question on J-term's essay topics? experiencing on closing the gap between theory and practice?