What should I ask assistant dean of Columbia?

Question

On August 21th I will have an opportunity to ask Linda B. Meehan, assistant dean of Columbia, any question. I'm going to post my very short profile and ask her on what issues I should focus on in my application package.

Is it appropriate to ask such question? What other questions do you think would be worth to ask? Can I ask difference between school X and Columbia?

Linda B. Meehan: https://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/cbs-direct ... 254/Meehan
One of the chats: https://www.accepted.com/chat/transcript ... umbia.aspx

Thanks in advance

kidderek · Answer

How what where?

walker · Answer

https://www.mbas.com.ua/content/view/1572/lang,Eng/ - Ukrainian site, but it has English version. Thursday, August 21, 2008, 10:00-11:00a (-5:00 GMT, Eastern Time, New York)

ryguy904 · Answer

I don't believe that is the question you want to ask. She is not going to give you the response (i.e., detail) you are looking for. You can find out the type of applicants that they are looking for by going through the slide shows on their website, reading Dean Glen Hubbard's welcome letter, and talking to students. Spend a lot of time on those.

As far as what to ask, I think you need to figure out why you want to go to Columbia, or how you will fit in and try to have her answer some of those questions in a bit more detail. Unfortunately, most of the chat transcripts that I have seen either cover administrative details (visa, recomendation issues, gmat 4 years ago, etc.) or seem to be very high level.

terp26 · Answer

ask her how to get into harvard:)

Pathfinder · Answer

Ask her to admit you. :wink:

jb32 · Answer

That's great. I would ask her what qualities she personally values in an applicant. Then work my butt off to have my essays show that exact person whether its me or not. :wink:

walker · Answer

You see through my game!

rhyme · Answer

Ask her what wrinkle cream she uses.

terp26 · Answer

ask her about the worst app she's ever read that might be funny!

or the best app , but that will be less funny

rhyme · Answer

That can backfire.

I remember once in physics class - back in high school - the prof was handing back exams and I got mine last. I joked "Saved the worst for last eh?" and he replied "Well, I didn't plan it that way, but...."

SV6 · Answer

can't stop laughing on this......haha..

anyways, from the information sessions i have attended even though not relevant to this, its better to ask some program specific or school specific questions instead of repeating FAQ's in the school website. Otherwise, it gives them the thought that you haven't done any homework. The profile question is a generic and you will always get a neutral answer for that from adcom..saying "our admission criteria is holistic..blah blah.."

walker · Answer

Honestly, the main my criterion for B-schools is following: TOP-5 (Terp26 knows a little more

). I did not and will not spend a lot of time on digging in school life, because I think that TOP-5 is clear criterion and my success will depend on me, my ability to perform well in all directions in a B-school, rather than on school itself. Therefore, the main question for me is how to increase my chance to be admitted.

isa · Answer

that's a good one!

Another I heard asked at my kellogg visit: "what are the most common mistakes you see applicants make?" This gave the adcom an out to cover more mundane/admin stuff but also if they feel so inclined, talk about app strategy.

pelihu · Answer

The main question you need to answer is why top 5 matters so much to you; what does a top 5 school have that lower ranked schools do not. The next order of business, obviously, would be to learn about the schools you are considering so you can answer that question. Schools will love it when you tell them that you didn't bother to look into how they are different from other top schools.

What should I ask assistant dean of Columbia?

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