Columbia Business School - Class of 2015 (Matriculating 2013) Official Columbia GSB Admissions Team on GMAT Club to Answer All Your Questions https://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/11/1112_best_business_schools/image/8-columbia.jpg Also, please see: Columbia GSB MBA Guide Columbia Applicant Summary (Real Time) Quick Glance: GMAT Club vs. Latest Intake (Class of 2014) Application Tracker Feed Detailed Applicant List: Add Yourself to This List (add Columbia GSB to your profile) GMAT Club's Real-time Admissions Statistics Add Your Profile to This List Questions about this Roll Call ? Application Dates for 2013 January 2013 October 3, 2012 August 2013 Early Decision October 3, 2012 August 2013 Merit Fellowship Consideration January 9, 2013 August 2013 Regular Decision April 10, 2013 Rankings (2012 GMAT Club Rankings Table) US News 2011 #8 Executive MBA #5 Finance #4 International #5 Management #10 Marketing #9 Nonprofit #8 Production/Operations #8 Bloomberg Businessweek #1 Financial Times #12 The Economist #2 Historical GMAT Club Applicant Threads Fall 2012 - Calling All CBS Applicants Fall 2011 - Calling All CBS Applicants Fall 2010 - Calling All CBS Applicants Fall 2009 - Calling All CBS Applicants Fall 2008 - Calling All CBS Applicants Fall 2007 - Calling All CBS Applicants Popular Links Programs Offered at CBS CBS Employment Reports Notable Alumni Essay Questions Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (200 characters maximum) Essay 1: A. Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career, and how do you plan to achieve your immediate and long term post-MBA professional goals? (Maximum 500 words) B. Please view this video , entitled Community at Columbia. Diverse, tight-knit clusters and carefully selected learning teams are defining features of the first year at Columbia Business School. Along with more than 100 student organizations and countless events each semester, the cluster system helps to create a supportive and devoted lifelong community . Describe why you are interested in becoming a part of the Columbia community. (Maximum 250 words) Essay 2: Describe a personal experience and how it has influenced who you are today. This essay should have a personal rather than a professional focus. (Maximum 500 words) Optional Essay An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview of the required essays. Recommendations 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. Recommendation questions include: What is your relationship to and how long have you known the applicant? Is he or she still employed by your organization? Please list three to five adjectives describing the applicant’s strengths. Please compare the applicant’s performance to that of his or her peers. What does the applicant do best? If you were giving feedback to the applicant regarding his or her professional performance and personal effectiveness, in what areas would you suggest he or she work to improve? How does the applicant accept constructive criticism or handle conflicts? How effective are the applicant’s interpersonal skills in the workplace? Please rate the applicant’s individual vs. team orientation (1 = most effective as an individual contributor; 5 = focused exclusively on the team) Please elaborate on your rating: Please give an example of how the applicant has demonstrated leadership. Is there anything else you feel we should know? Class Profile - Class entering 2011 (January and August) Applications Received -6669 Applicants Accepted -1062 Acceptance Rate - 16% Class Size - 751, divided into 11 clusters January Entry Class Size - 203, divided into 3 clusters August Entry Class Size - 548, divided into 8 clusters GMAT Scores (average) - 716 GMAT Scores (middle 80%) - 680–760 Undergraduate GPA (average) -3.5 Undergraduate GPA (middle 80%) - 3.1–3.8 Work Experience (average) - 5 years At Least One Year of Work Experience - 100% 28% Financial Services, 20% Consulting, 8% Marketing/Media, 8% Tech, 5% Military/Gov, 4% Healthcare, 4% Real Estate, 3% Non-Profit, 2% Energy, 1% Manufacturing, 11% Other 35% Social Sciences, 29% Business, 12% Engineering, 5% Sciences, 3% Technology, 1% Arts, 15% Other Re-Applicant Checklist (if applied last academic year) Submit a new application fee (US$250). Update the “Personal,” “Family,” “Employment,” “Education,” and “Extracurricular Activities” sections of the online application. Update the “How Will You Finance Your MBA?” section of the online application. Submit transcripts of any additional courses taken since your previous application. Submit one new, two-part essay: A. How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied, and address how you plan to achieve your post-MBA and long-term professional goals. (Maximum of 500 words) B. Please view this video , entitled Community at Columbia. Diverse, tight-knit clusters and carefully selected learning teams are defining features of the first year at Columbia Business School. Along with more than 100 student organizations and countless events each semester, the cluster system helps to create a supportive and devoted lifelong community . Describe why you are interested in becoming a part of the Columbia community. (Maximum 250 words) Submit one new recommendation letter, preferably from your current employer, but if not, another colleague in a supervisory role or a client will suffice. UPDATE: We have created a Facebook group for admitted students as well as a LinkedIn group. Join your fellow (soon-to-be) classmates online: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cbs15/ https://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4686288

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Columbia 2013 (CBS) - Calling All Applicants

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mysophie

Joined: 26 Aug 2012

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Schools: CBS '15 (S)

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26 Oct 2012, 07:58

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it's so warm to see many unknown friends accompany one another. Good luck to everyone!

brother2040

Joined: 23 Oct 2012

Last visit: 26 Oct 2012

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26 Oct 2012, 08:44

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When someone is denied admission (not invited for interview even), does the status gets updated (and recent activities) or does it still show "Submitted?"

Thanks

Vargen

Joined: 15 Feb 2011

Last visit: 26 Dec 2015

Posts: 44

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Location: Norway

Concentration: Strategy, General Management

Schools: CBS '15 (D) Yale '15 (D) Darden '15 (A) Tuck '15 (M) Stern '15 (WD) Carlson '15 (A) Johnson '15 (A) Haas '15 (D) McDonough '15 (A)

GMAT 1: 710 Q44 V42 Verified score

WE:Analyst (Insurance)

Products:

Schools: CBS '15 (D) Yale '15 (D) Darden '15 (A) Tuck '15 (M) Stern '15 (WD) Carlson '15 (A) Johnson '15 (A) Haas '15 (D) McDonough '15 (A)

GMAT 1: 710 Q44 V42 Verified score

Posts: 44

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26 Oct 2012, 09:26

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It's sad to hear about all those being rejected now. It does make me feel a little better about being waitlisted though. Do you have any tips on how I can increase my chances? Given that I'm applying to J-term I don't have time to do anything crazy.

aerien

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26 Oct 2012, 09:36

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Vargen

Perhaps you can speak to a new responsibility at work or a new leadership role either inside or outside the workplace. Just remember to also reaffirm your interest in the school (have you attended any admissions events recently or sat in on a class?)

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EnigmaD

Joined: 30 Aug 2010

Last visit: 22 Oct 2018

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Schools: CBS '13 (A$) Wharton '13 (A) Booth '13 (WL) Tuck '13 (A) HBS '13 (M)

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Updated on: 20 Mar 2017, 11:24

Originally posted by EnigmaD on 26 Oct 2012, 10:48.
Last edited by EnigmaD on 20 Mar 2017, 11:24, edited 1 time in total.

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If anyone has questions, please feel free to give me a ring.

steambreadbaby

Joined: 17 Oct 2012

Last visit: 27 Mar 2013

Posts: 15

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Location: United States

Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship

Schools: CBS '15 (A) Wharton '15 (D) Sloan '15 (WL) HBS '15 (S) Stanford '15 (S)

GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V44 Verified score

GPA: 3.95

WE:Accounting (Accounting)

Schools: CBS '15 (A) Wharton '15 (D) Sloan '15 (WL) HBS '15 (S) Stanford '15 (S)

GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V44 Verified score

Posts: 15

Kudos: 7

26 Oct 2012, 11:20

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QiuYidio

Submitted: September 20
Interview Invite: October 5
Interview: October 12
Interview Submitted: October 15
Decision: ????

I basically have had my cell phone glued to my hand. The support around here is keeping me going though...

GPA: 3.0
GMAT: 760
WE: 5 years strategy consulting

I feel you. Your result should come some time today, right? Good luck with it!

KAS1

Joined: 22 Mar 2012

Last visit: 02 Jan 2016

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256

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Location: United States (NY)

Concentration: General Management, Marketing

Schools: CBS '15 (D) Rutgers '15 (M) Stern PT '16 (D)

GPA: 3.1

WE:Accounting (Other)

Schools: CBS '15 (D) Rutgers '15 (M) Stern PT '16 (D)

Posts: 83

Kudos: 256

26 Oct 2012, 11:34

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Any of the J-Term dinged applicants planning on reapplying to CBS for the September class start? I'm just wondering. I'm most probably not but just wanted to know what others were planning on doing.

aerien

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26 Oct 2012, 11:50

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KAS1

Any of the J-Term dinged applicants planning on reapplying to CBS for the September class start? I'm just wondering. I'm most probably not but just wanted to know what others were planning on doing.

I'm curious - has anyone seen this work before? I'd imagine a J-term applicant would have been interviewed and then realized on their own or through conversations with interviewer or adcom that they'd be better served with the full 2 years and summer internship?

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kingfalcon

Joined: 26 May 2010

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Location: United States (MA)

Concentration: Strategy

Schools: MIT Sloan - Class of 2015

WE:Consulting (Mutual Funds and Brokerage)

Schools: MIT Sloan - Class of 2015

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26 Oct 2012, 12:56

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mba2014hopeful

KAS1

Any of the J-Term dinged applicants planning on reapplying to CBS for the September class start? I'm just wondering. I'm most probably not but just wanted to know what others were planning on doing.

I am 99% sure I've read on the CBS site that this is not possible.

joe82

Joined: 03 Oct 2012

Last visit: 11 Mar 2013

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Schools: HBS '15 (D) Wharton '15 (D) CBS '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (I)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

GPA: 3.54

Schools: HBS '15 (D) Wharton '15 (D) CBS '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (I)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

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26 Oct 2012, 13:03

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Soooo...I just want to throw this out there to see if anyone else has thought of this or if I am just crazy. I applied ED to Columbia on 10/3 with the hopes that an ED application would give me a small boost in chance of admission, but late enough that I could stretch out the admissions process to coincide with RD1 decisions from HBS, Wharton, & Kellogg. I got the interview invite from CBS 10/19 but I still haven't communicated with the interviewers because I don't want to speed it up too much and have to make a $6K deposit decision before knowing from the other schools. Can this work? We'll find out.

mappleby

Joined: 04 Oct 2011

Last visit: 08 Nov 2018

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134

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Concentration: Finance

Schools: Booth '15 (II) CBS '15 (M$)

GMAT 1: 700 Q44 V41 Verified score

GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

GPA: 3.03

WE:Project Management (Military & Defense)

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Schools: Booth '15 (II) CBS '15 (M$)

GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

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26 Oct 2012, 13:40

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joe82

The short answer is no, this cannot work. ED is binding, no matter where else you are accepted. That's the whole point. Best case scenario you get interview invites everywhere. You will still have to interview with Columbia before you hear back from HBS. So even if you get accepted to HBS before Columbia you will still owe Columbia $6,000. The only way this could work is if you got accepted to HBS or Wharton before interviewing with Columbia and intentionally bombing the Columbia interview. But the timing won't work that way. You can always game the system using ED to boost your odds. People do it every year. The consequence for doing so is burning any bridges with the Columbia network and you forfeit $6,000. There is no way out of the deposit, that is how they make ED binding.

MedicMBA

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26 Oct 2012, 14:02

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I recently got invited to interview, and am wondering how closely applicants hew to the instruction to first contact the Ambassador at the top of the list (they must mean business, as there's an underline involved). The third Ambassador they offered is an alum of my college, and I'd like to reach out to her first instead. Is this really discouraged (not seeking out fellow alumni, but not reaching out to the Ambassadors in order of appearance)?

mappleby

Joined: 04 Oct 2011

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Concentration: Finance

Schools: Booth '15 (II) CBS '15 (M$)

GMAT 1: 700 Q44 V41 Verified score

GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

GPA: 3.03

WE:Project Management (Military & Defense)

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Schools: Booth '15 (II) CBS '15 (M$)

GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

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26 Oct 2012, 14:06

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I emailed the 3rd person on the list. I found him on linkedin and saw he works in the field I want to switch careers into. I would contact whoever you think will give you the best interview chances. I'm really not sure why the email puts them in a particular order but I promise it isn't a trap.

joe82

Joined: 03 Oct 2012

Last visit: 11 Mar 2013

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Schools: HBS '15 (D) Wharton '15 (D) CBS '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (I)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

GPA: 3.54

Schools: HBS '15 (D) Wharton '15 (D) CBS '15 (D) Kellogg '15 (I)

GMAT 1: 730 Q47 V44 Verified score

Posts: 17

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26 Oct 2012, 14:07

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mappleby

joe82

Thanks for the response. I guess my thinking is that the $6K is not actually due to CBS for 2 weeks after you've received the admissions invite. So, conceivably, you could interview and gain admission to CBS on 12/10 then hear back from Kellogg on their notification date of 12/17 and choose to enroll at Kellogg. But that's only if you stretch the admission to CBS back to the notification dates of other schools. Granted, you would not be living up to the ED agreement of enrolling there and withdrawing all other applications, but it's not truly a "binding" agreement and you only lose the $6K if you pay and then decide to enroll somewhere else.

MBAPangs

Joined: 03 Dec 2011

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GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V40 Verified score

GPA: 3.3

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27 Oct 2012, 09:20

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any idea whats teh selection rate for teh ED applicants who have been invited to interview?

mappleby

Joined: 04 Oct 2011

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Concentration: Finance

Schools: Booth '15 (II) CBS '15 (M$)

GMAT 1: 700 Q44 V41 Verified score

GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

GPA: 3.03

WE:Project Management (Military & Defense)

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GMAT 2: 750 Q48 V46 Verified score

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27 Oct 2012, 10:13

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MBAPangs

any idea whats teh selection rate for teh ED applicants who have been invited to interview?

That's tough to answer with our small sample here. Especially because people are less likely to post on here when they get dinged vs an admit. That being said, it looks like so far for ED those who were invited to interview the yield has been 70% or maybe even a little better. Most of the dings people have reported were Denied Without Interview. I only recall 2 or 3 who interviewed and were dinged subsequent to that.

Historically the overall yield is around 50% if you get an interview invite. ED tends to have a higher admit rate than RD but not significantly. I would expect that if you were able to look across all ED applicants the reality is closer to 60% of ED interviews convert to admits. The rates are usually a little higher on GMATClub than the overall applicant pool just because those of us taking the time to be on this site tend to be overly motivated(or maybe we're just OCD).

MBAPangs

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27 Oct 2012, 10:32

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mappleby

MBAPangs

any idea whats teh selection rate for teh ED applicants who have been invited to interview?

thanks mappleby.. your reply gives me the hope that it might work out after all.. need to continue on this journey

you seem to have hit the nail on the head with the ocd bit (used to check my mail every hour prior to getting the invite)

anyway, best of luck to all out there for the interviews!

rrw708

Joined: 03 May 2012

Last visit: 28 Feb 2013

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Concentration: Finance, General Management

Schools: CBS '15 (M) Wharton '15 (S)

GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V39 Verified score

GPA: 3.11

WE:Project Management (Mutual Funds and Brokerage)

Schools: CBS '15 (M) Wharton '15 (S)

GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V39 Verified score

Posts: 1

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27 Oct 2012, 17:05

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Got the call last night!

Applied ED on 9/6, interviewed on 10/11, feedback submitted 10/15, accepted 10/26

27 years old, male, white
GMAT 740 Q50 V39
GPA 3.10
WE 5 years at an online brokerage in the back office.