Columbia 2013 (CBS) - Calling All Applicants

I'm in!

ED applicant
Female, international
730 GMAT
3.5 GPA
3 years WE in M&A, corporate finance

Applied: 8/25
Invited to interview: 9/24
Interviewed: 9/27
Feedback form submitted: 9/27
Admitted: 10/10

The price tag is suddenly starting to look more real! Just mailed off my $6,000 deposit check this past weekend.

Got the call!

J-Term
28, Male, Caucasian
720 GMAT
4.8 GPA (Mid-tier Liberal Arts School)
5 years WE (1 yr IB, 4 yr BD/Finance at Pharma/Chemical co.)

Timeline (Faster than most it seems):
Applied 9/28
Invited to Interview 10/11
Interview Submitted 10/18
Accepted 10/22

Just received the call!!! I'm In

Good luck to everyone still waiting, keep your heads up.

To those already accepted, I will see you in the fall if not sooner ; )

My advice would be to make sure you know yourself, know your story and what you want. The obvious question is, walk me through your resume. Have a ~2 min spiel ready to go about the highlights of your resume that describes key points about your experiences and how you got to where you are today. Then make sure you know the school. Have a clear idea of why you want to go to Columbia, specific classes, clubs, opportunities. You should have something more to say than just, it's in NYC and I can be near the finance centers for networking. That's fairly obvious and doesn't necessarily show that you have done any research into the school itself.

Have a good idea of what you want to do after school. This should tie clearly into the Why an MBA and how Columbia is going to help you in your career path. If you are a career switcher (like I am) expect a number of questions on your motivation to switch careers. Especially if you interview with somebody in the field you intend to pursue. They will want to know that you have really thought this out and aren't just throwing darts at a dartboard.

Ultimately it is about fit. You will be talking to an alumnus of the school. They are going to be evaluating if they would want you as a peer and fellow alumnus. The network and brand name is huge, so fit is important. It's easier said than done but just try to relax. Try and turn it more into a conversation than just an interview. If they feel a personal connection to you or your story they will probably be more likely to give favorable feedback to the school.

Got the call- i'm in!

Submit- 9/20
Interview invite- 10/2
Interview completed- 10/13
Status change- 10/18
Admitted- 10/25

Asian, female
GPA: 3.1 (major 3.4)
GMAT: 740 (Q48 V44)
3 years in finance (asset management), 1 year entrepreneurship

Good luck everyone! :D

quick debrief of my interview for those that are interested...

app submitted - 9/29 (ED)
invited to interview - 10/16
interviewed - 10/23

male
gmat: 720 (50/37)
gpa: 3.6 from top public us

we: consulting/entrepreneurship/corp strat (6 yrs total)

interview was shorter than what i had expected. it lasted about 45 minutes.

first 15-20 mins were the typical interview questions:
resume rundown
goals
why cbs
other schools
why new york (west coast school, west coast WE)
how i would contribute in the classroom (variation on the typical teamwork-question)

the next 30 mins were just general school questions back/forth. we talked about the value investing program, different clubs, where he lived in new york, how to deal with first year recruiting. though these may sound like interview questions, it was very casual, conversational and very much the interviewer giving ME advice. he was very interested and invested in giving me all the info i needed and really felt like he was passing down his wisdom. i was hoping we would start talking about non-school things and shoot the breeze a little more but he ended the interview (naturally) when i ran out of questions. can't complain - had a pretty great experience.

my tips would be - RELAX! these people don't get paid for doing this and their lives won't be altered whether you get in or not. remember these people (vast majority of them) don't want you to suck and would much rather have a great conversation than a stuffy interview where the interviewee seems like a nervous wreck. have confidence and faith in yourself that the application you put together is your best foot forward. REALLY know your story/background and make sure it's aligned with CBS and its qualities.

oh, and i got really lucky. the interviewer submitted the feedback the same day we interviewed. big kudos to him.

now, i just wait.

good luck to everyone!

You didn't get your GMAT up to 710 from 620 with that attitude, right?? You'll do just fine!!

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?)

Posted from my mobile device

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.

Congrats everyone who's gotten in already -- I'm excited to meet you next fall!

With Frankenstorm looking like it'll make for a nasty few days ahead. I've already gotten Columbia alert emails warning that classes might be canceled on Monday -- I assume that means that adcoms might also be forced to slow down by the flooding/power outages/potential MTA shutdown. If you're still waiting, sit tight the next few days, and to everyone with me on the East Coast, best wishes for weathering the storm!

I had the interview today. I met the alum at her office. She was very friendly and kept the interview short and sweet (30 mins in length). Specific questions asked by her were:

Walk me through your resume
What are your short term & long term goals?
What is your backup plan if you do not achieve your short term/long term goals?
Explain what you would like to do for the Columbia community?
Tell me about a time when you faced adversity or a challenge

These questions tool ~20 mins and we spent the remaining 10 mins talking about her experiences at Columbia. Overall, I thought it went quite well. Hoping for the best now!

My profile:
27 year old man Canadian
GMAT - 740
GPA - 3.0/4
Awaiting CFA charter holder status
WE - 4 years in consulting & 1 year as an entrepreneur

Admitted!!!!!!!

Got the call today about 2 hours ago

My timeline

Applied ED - 21st September
Interview Invite - 9th October
Interviewed - 15th October
Feedback submitted - 16th October
Admitted - 31st October - Happy Halloween!
Missed a call from an unknown number last Friday

Profile

GMAT 690
GPA 3.5
International (Dual Nationality)
Male
3Y WE in Investment Banking at bulge bracket firm with international experience

Congrats!

Sure thing. I was stuck with a busy season at work through most of Rd 1 and only was able to visit 2 schools (Columbia and HBS). As I have now been able to visit more and more schools I am able to compare/contrast and build upon what I am looking for and what is the best fit for me. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend visiting as many schools as you can as you will be able to do the same and really find the school that fits you, not that just has a great name. I hope that Rd 2 will not make it more difficult to get in, but I will have a better understanding of which school is the best for me. I have seen now that I lean towards a different school more and plan to continue visiting schools to make sure this doesn't change.

Just got the admit call!

Class of 2015!

Finally it's my turn to say I'm in!!!

Applied for ED
Submitted: 9/19
Invitation: 10/5
Interview Feedback: 10/21
Admitted: 11/7

Good luck with everyone who are waiting!