Calling all Columbia Applicants for 2009!

I'll probably give that PDF thing a shot....
Much easier than worrying about all the little details in that Excel template

I wonder if a scanned image file is OK. Oh boy, I haven't even looked at the application thoroughly, because of these essays. After finishing a draft for essay# 3, now I have to go back to my goal essay and rewrite it. This is a slow process for me. How's everyone doing?

For Essay 3, is a team the same as a group or a division? Would a group's failure suffice for a team's failure?

When I read team, I think of consultants deployed to a client's site.

Would anyone agree that this can very well include a department or division?

Absolutely.

Hey guys,

I just wanted to double check this recommendation form question with you.

6. What do you think motivates the candidate’s application to the MBA program at Columbia Business School?

This is why CBS question, rather than why MBA, right?

Are you writing your own recommendation?

No. It's ethically wrong.
I am meeting with my recommender tomorrow. I just want to make sure that she understands all the questions.
So am I right about the question?

Just checking

I would go say it "Why MBA" peppered with a few "Why Columbia's." That being said, they can't expect your recommender to be an expert on Columbia. The "Why MBA" and "Why Columbia" responses should be different than what you are writing about on your own.

Does anyone know where I can find the CBS rec questions for this year?

Thanks.


https://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/learnmore/applynow
Scroll down. You will see eight questions.

Wow... truly a classic here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM1DWd-Q ... re=related

Also - I must say - really impressive placements. This was in a newsletter in the investment banking club:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key= ... 0cbNm6aDQw

Bschool guy vs Law School guy is even funnier

Yeah that was a pretty solid one too.

This one scares me (CBS Cribs):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGE52w9tqJ4

CBS Follies is a solid tradition, haha.

Everyone who is applying ED this year - can you please share what your reasons and thoughts are for applying ED? Why is Columbia your first choice over all of the other great schools out there?

This post on the BW forums sounds like my future self:

Dear Sandy, I sent you a message a few weeks ago, but I think it got lost and I never got a response. I want a quick advice. I am accepted at both UCLA and Columbia, their respective full-time programs. I currently live and work in Los Angeles as a Consultant. I am definitely going for a career switch, and I want to go into Finance (Investment Banking/Management), but I am not 100% sure that is the industry I will ultimately pursue. Both schools are highly ranked for Finance, even though Columbia as a brand name carries more weight I guess. The thing is, I like living in Southern California, and I wouldn't leave unless I have an indication that attending Columbia will open more doors for me in the long run and be more beneficial for my career in general. What is your opinion? Thank you.

So, I was filling out the online app and it asked for my undergrad gpa. My school's gpa goes 2 decimal places, so that's how I entered it. The system accepted 2 decimals (it lets you go as many as you want) and I was able to save and move onto the next part of the app. Well, yesterday I was looking at the app instructions (which is a totally different file and not actually a part of the online app) and it said to round your gpa to the tenths. Here's the thing, I have a 3.24. So I would much prefer to show that then put a 3.2 (which could technically be as low as 3.15). Does it matter? Can I get away with 2 decimals or will it look like I don't know how to follow directions. I know they look at your whole transcript - and I'm depending on that because I have a strong upward trend - but their first impression is going to be formed by looking at your overall gpa and gmat score. Should I put 3.24? Can I get away with it? Or should I just put 3.2?

I'd give them a call. However, I can't imagine that they remeber the specifc rules for something like that. Seems so trivial. If you don't want to call, I'd report it exactly as it is shown on your transcript.

Folks, anyone know if the Letter of Recommendation requires recommenders to respond to each of the 8 questions individually, or allows them to upload a single response in *.doc or *.pdf format?