Ask Columbia GSB Admissions : MBA Archive

arsalanask

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

11 Dec 2011, 23:40

Hi,

I applied to CBS for the full-time MBA program and received a deferred decision on 11/2/11 saying that I can expect to get a final decision anytime by the 2/1/12 deadline. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is a deferred decision? Does this mean I'm wait listed?

Thanks,
Arsalan

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

12 Dec 2011, 12:45

LostinNY wrote:

Hi There:

I was wondering what is the best way to go about addressing this issue in the application and how the admissions office views this type of event. Earlier this year when I was taking the GMAT, during the break between the quant and verbal sections, while grabbing a snack from my bag I accidently touched my phone while moving items out of the way. The proctor in the waiting room saw this and suspended my exam. I received a letter from GMAC saying that it was a policy violation and that it would be reflected as such on my official report. As you can imagine, I was very very upset and distraught over the decision as I had absolutely no intention of any wrong-doing and was just honestly moving stuff out of the way in a rush during the 8 minute break. I am an honest individual in my personal and professional life and I feel as if this a big blemish for something that happened accidently. All else being equal on the overall application, I want to address in the 4th essay and be open and honest to the adcom but I'm afraid this "P" code will negatively affect my chances. What is the best approach and how does the adcomm view this type of event for perspective candidates.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You.

Hi LostinNY,

Thank you for your question. I suggest that you explain your situation in Optional Essay. It is difficult to answer your question "how does the adcomm view this type of event," but it is best to explain this as thoroughly as possible in the Optional Essay rather than leave this unexplained.

Good Luck!

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

12 Dec 2011, 12:49

sda wrote:

Hi, how long do you store a gmat score report?
I'm going to take it soon but won't be applying for this admissions season.
Do you store the score report for the full 5 years until its expiration?

Hi sda,

Thank you for your e-mail. We do not verify official scores until applicants are admitted. Scores are valid for five years so you must submit your application while your scores are still valid, but you would self-report your scores. For further information on score reporting please visit our website at https://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admiss ... ments#GMAT.

Good luck!

ColumbiaMBA

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

12 Dec 2011, 12:54

arsalanask wrote:

Hi,

I applied to CBS for the full-time MBA program and received a deferred decision on 11/2/11 saying that I can expect to get a final decision anytime by the 2/1/12 deadline. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is a deferred decision? Does this mean I'm wait listed?

Thanks,
Arsalan

Hi arsalanask,

Thank you for your question. We do waitlist some candidates, but it sounds as though you are going to be considered later in the process. This means we will reevaluate your application with the larger pool of applicants. ED applicants can sometimes receive this decision and are no longer bound to the ED commitment if they are then admitted. We give this decision to a very small percentage of applicants.

Best of luck!

forsaken11

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

Updated on: 14 Dec 2011, 04:24

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for your time in answering our questions.

I am an international applicant and had a question about the "How will you finance your MBA" section on the application form? Does this section have any bearing on the admissions process? I am planning on using my own/family savings to cover around 30-40% of the expenses. For the remaining amount I am hoping for fellowships/scholarships. At the same time, I have made arrangements to have a US cosigner for a loan. However, of course, right now I don't know if I will get any fellowships/scholarships from CBS. Therefore, I am not really sure what to write in this section. Can you pls advise on what is expected from the applicants for this section. I know its an optional section but at the same time I want the admissions committee to know that I have thought about how I will finance my MBA.

Thanks again for your time and consideration.

Originally posted by forsaken11 on 12 Dec 2011, 20:28.
Last edited by forsaken11 on 14 Dec 2011, 04:24, edited 1 time in total.

anirudh316

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

13 Dec 2011, 09:55

Hello! I am submitting my CBS application in a couple of days, and had a couple of basic application questions:
1. What's the difference between Entrepreneur/Owner and Entrepreneur/Small Business when entering the "Function" field in employment?
2. When they ask for "Primary language", is that my mother tongue or the language I'm most comfortable with?
3. Is the GPA supposed to be rounded off to the nearest tenth or hundredth?

I would appreciate any help with these, as I want to submit a "near-perfect" application! Thanks

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

14 Dec 2011, 07:39

forsaken11 wrote:

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for your time in answering our questions.

I am an international applicant and had a question about the "How will you finance your MBA" section on the application form? Does this section have any bearing on the admissions process? I am planning on using my own/family savings to cover around 30-40% of the expenses. For the remaining amount I am hoping for fellowships/scholarships. At the same time, I have made arrangements to have a US cosigner for a loan. However, of course, right now I don't know if I will get any fellowships/scholarships from CBS. Therefore, I am not really sure what to write in this section. Can you pls advise on what is expected from the applicants for this section. I know its an optional section but at the same time I want the admissions committee to know that I have thought about how I will finance my MBA.

Thanks again for your time and consideration.

Hi forsaken11,

Thank you for your question. We ask this question so that applicants begin thinking about the finances of the MBA. We ask applicants to estimate how they plan to pay for the program. Use your best judgment when completing this section.

Good luck!

ColumbiaMBA

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

14 Dec 2011, 07:41

anirudh316 wrote:

Hello! I am submitting my CBS application in a couple of days, and had a couple of basic application questions:
1. What's the difference between Entrepreneur/Owner and Entrepreneur/Small Business when entering the "Function" field in employment?
2. When they ask for "Primary language", is that my mother tongue or the language I'm most comfortable with?
3. Is the GPA supposed to be rounded off to the nearest tenth or hundredth?

I would appreciate any help with these, as I want to submit a "near-perfect" application! Thanks

Hi anirudh316,

1. You can choose either.
2. You should choose the language you use most.
3. Round to the nearest 10th.

Thank you for posting!

ColumbiaMBA

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

14 Dec 2011, 07:45

Hi Everyone - If you are on Twitter and want to live chat with admissions officers, join us tonight from 6-7pm EST. You can follow the chat at https://tweetgrid.com/grid?l=2&q1=your+n ... olumbiaMBA and post your questions by mentioning @ColumbiaMBA or #mbachat.

I look forward to hearing from you!

anirudh316

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

14 Dec 2011, 10:48

Matthew,
Thank you for the response.
Just one last question.
The application asks us to mention if we have spoken to a program representative. Do the student ambassadors count as program representatives. If not, who is the program representative?
Thanks a lot!

bonnierong2010

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

15 Dec 2011, 18:02

ColumbiaMBA wrote:

arsalanask wrote:

Hi,

I applied to CBS for the full-time MBA program and received a deferred decision on 11/2/11 saying that I can expect to get a final decision anytime by the 2/1/12 deadline. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is a deferred decision? Does this mean I'm wait listed?

Thanks,
Arsalan

Hi arsalanask,

Thank you for your question. We do waitlist some candidates, but it sounds as though you are going to be considered later in the process. This means we will reevaluate your application with the larger pool of applicants. ED applicants can sometimes receive this decision and are no longer bound to the ED commitment if they are then admitted. We give this decision to a very small percentage of applicants.

Best of luck!

Hi Matthew

I got this deferral decision, too. And I wonder can I submit updated essays, resume, or recommendations to improve my candidacy?

Or, I can not re-submit materials, but can share some update on personal and prefessional achievements via email?

Best,

Bonnie

ColumbiaMBA

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

16 Dec 2011, 08:34

anirudh316 wrote:

Matthew,
Thank you for the response.
Just one last question.
The application asks us to mention if we have spoken to a program representative. Do the student ambassadors count as program representatives. If not, who is the program representative?
Thanks a lot!

Hi anirudh316,

Yes you can include students or anyone else you have spoken to at Columbia Business School.

Regards,

ColumbiaMBA

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

16 Dec 2011, 08:47

bonnierong2010 wrote:

ColumbiaMBA wrote:

arsalanask wrote:

Hi,

I applied to CBS for the full-time MBA program and received a deferred decision on 11/2/11 saying that I can expect to get a final decision anytime by the 2/1/12 deadline. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is a deferred decision? Does this mean I'm wait listed?

Thanks,
Arsalan

Hi arsalanask,

Thank you for your question. We do waitlist some candidates, but it sounds as though you are going to be considered later in the process. This means we will reevaluate your application with the larger pool of applicants. ED applicants can sometimes receive this decision and are no longer bound to the ED commitment if they are then admitted. We give this decision to a very small percentage of applicants.

Best of luck!

Hi Matthew

I got this deferral decision, too. And I wonder can I submit updated essays, resume, or recommendations to improve my candidacy?

Or, I can not re-submit materials, but can share some update on personal and prefessional achievements via email?

Best,

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

You are welcome to submit additional information and updates. I suggest that when you are submit information beyond professional updates to make sure these materials will add value to your application.

Good luck!

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

16 Dec 2011, 08:52

ColumbiaMBA wrote:

bonnierong2010 wrote:

Hi Matthew

I got this deferral decision, too. And I wonder can I submit updated essays, resume, or recommendations to improve my candidacy?

Or, I can not re-submit materials, but can share some update on personal and prefessional achievements via email?

Best,

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

You are welcome to submit additional information and updates. I suggest that when you are submit information beyond professional updates to make sure these materials will add value to your application.

Good luck!

Hi Matthew,

Many thanks for your kind advice!

Bonnie

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

17 Dec 2011, 10:50

Hi Matthew,
I'm another one of the ED deferred candidates. Will you suggest that I submit another short essay to focus on the areas of experience and skills that did not come across in my initial application package? Or you're more interested in any professional achievement I had in since Oct 5?
Thank you.

happyface

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

18 Dec 2011, 13:48

Hey Columbia MBA,
I would like to know what does Columbia think about applicants that participated in Student government during undergrad. Can this boost the application ? What about being an SG president ? Also, on the website it is stated that the only international students that may be waived from the TOEFL requirements are the ones who studied in a country where the official language is English. How about studying in a non-English country, in an American university abroad, entirely in English ?

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Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

19 Dec 2011, 13:47

happyface wrote:

Hi Matthew,
I'm another one of the ED deferred candidates. Will you suggest that I submit another short essay to focus on the areas of experience and skills that did not come across in my initial application package? Or you're more interested in any professional achievement I had in since Oct 5?
Thank you.

happyface

Hi happyface,

This is entirely up to you. We certainly want to hear from our candidates who will are considering later, but I suggest that the update is adding to your application not merely reemphasizing what you have already submitted.

Best of luck!

gmatclubot

Re: Ask Columbia GSB Admissions [#permalink]

19 Dec 2011, 13:47