Kellogg MBA Essays for the Class of 2025

 In the post, I analyze Kellogg's MBA essay and video essays questions for admission to the MBA program for the Class of 2025. I have taken the questions from Kellogg's website.

 

My clients have been admitted to the Kellogg School of Business  every year since 2002. Since I started my own counseling service in 2007, I have had 66 clients admitted to Kellogg. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here. In addition to providing comprehensive application consulting on Kellogg, I regularly help additional candidates with Kellogg interview preparation.

 

Kellogg's Teamwork Culture and its Campus Community
If you go to Kellogg, chances are extremely high that you will live in Evanston. Kellogg is filled with people who are great communicators, friendly, outgoing, and able to thrive in a socially intense environment. If you are not that kind of person, don't apply there. If you are, it will be heaven.

 

Along With Chicago Booth, Kellogg is the US business school I have visited the most (I did an Executive Masters at INSEAD, so it is the business school I have attended). The reason is very simply, my family moved from Los Angeles to Chicago when I was 18, so I have had many opportunities to visit when go back to the US to see my family. Most recently I visited Kellogg in summer 2021, when I could just walk around the Northwestern University campus.  In 2018,  AIGAC, the professional admissions consultants organization I am a part of, held our conference at the campus.  Dean Sally Blount left a great impact on the school in many ways but surely the most lasting will be getting the new campus built. Kellogg went from having an overcrowded building that reminded me of a large US high school to one of the best campuses of any MBA program. Kellogg's campus right on Lake Michigan is a real gem. Sure, it  is freezing walking on campus during the winter but the rest of the year makes up for it.

 

Sometimes when I talk to applicants they don't quite understand that Evanston is really part of Chicago and not some distant cut-off college town.  The thing that is nice about Evanston is that it is both a college town and part of a major American city.  You can stay in a nice safe college town while simultaneously being able to enjoy one of America's most diverse cities.  Unlike Booth students who mostly commute to Hyde Park from downtown Chicago,  Kellogg students typically reside in Evanston, which contributes to Kellogg's intense community focus.  The community aspect is something one should fully take into account when applying to Kellogg.

 

THE ESSAYS

"Kellogg is unique in that we ask you to complete written essays as part of the application as well as video essays. This is your chance to tell us why you think Kellogg is the right place for you. Take some time to think through the experiences that led you here and how they have shaped where you want to go."

I think it is important to keep these overall instructions about the essays in mind.  In particular, Kellogg's application essays are designed, along with the rest of the application and interview, to help admissions determine whether you demonstrate that you meet the following criteria:

• We value individuals who:
  • Approach business problems with a mix of hard and soft skills
  • Seek to adapt to the evolving business world with open curiosity and innovation
  • Believe in strong, empathetic collaboration as a way to strengthen work, perspectives and outcomes
  • Embrace the power of diversity in your teams and networks

I suggest you keep these criteria in mind when writing Essays 1 and 2 and preparing for the three Video Essays. While it could be very challenging to provide comprehensive coverage on all four of these points when writing two 450-word essays, I would suggest making sure that each essay is at least fully addressing one of these topics and that you try make sure that your  Video Essays are covering the rest of the topics that you don't have room to cover.

 

Peer Application Review at Kellogg
One of the chief functions of an MBA admissions committee is to select people who will be good classmates and having 2nd year students on that committee is one way for a school to make sure that happens. The director and the rest of the committee have done their job properly if they have selected students who can work well together, learn from each other, and if these students become alum who value the relationships they initially formed at business school. Students members of the committee bring a peer's perspective to the process. They are also are likely to be the first to read your file and will be looking to determine whether they want you in their community.  When writing essays for Kellogg, keep these student readers in mind.

 

Essay 1: "Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)"

Think Bravely: The movie!  Kellogg has been be on the brave  for quite a while now.  This gem is from 2011 when the whole Brave motto was introduced by former Dean Blount. It still applies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks6cigRyTsk

(They even have a Brave Leader Speaker Series.)

This brave leadership question as been going through various forms for the past several years but the main point is the same: SHOW HIGH IMPACT LEADERSHIP!

I suggest focusing on a recent example where you go beyond a simply defined leadership role and add specific value.  You might question a plan, build something new, intervene in a situation where you didn’t have to, take charge, or otherwise do what others didn’t do. Show you have courage, an innovative spirit, a capacity for leading others beyond the previous limits of the organization, or otherwise going beyond the status quo.  Show Kellogg you fit their criteria.  By recent, I assume something that has happened in the last 1-2 years ideally. I would not recommend going for a topic that happened more than 3 years ago and even 3 years ago is not ideal. 

 

Regardless of the the story you tell, just keep in mind that you need to be introspective as well, so write what you thought as well as what you did. Don’t just present “the facts” but actively interpret your actions. There is really nothing overly complicated about this as long as you understand that you need to tell a detailed story. Pure abstractions disconnected from a concrete set of action steps are highly likely to result in a weak answer. Similarly, grand actions not told in any depth are also likely to be weak. Identify specific actions that contributed to the result so as to establish a clear link between cause and effect.

 

When selecting your topic, you should ask yourself “What does this essay reveal about me?” If you can’t answer that clearly, you need to clarify your message. When asking this question, think about both what you intend the reader to think and what you might also be revealing. Control for the possibility of sending out unintended signals. One of the best ways of handling this issue is to have a very careful and intelligent reader review these essays. If you are working with an admissions consultant, they should be able to do this. Getting multiple perspectives on what you wrote will help you better understand your likely impact on an admissions' reader.

 

 

TWO COMMON TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STORIES:

While there are many possible types of stories that could be used to answer this question, I want to discuss two common types of leadership stories that seem especially suitable.

Team Stories:

Given Kellogg's focus on leadership, an essay that highlights teamwork is surely a good option. Leading a team bravely means going beyond the typical role of just being in-charge.  Therefore  don't a tell story with the following structure: "I led a team of X people. I told them what needed to be done and they agreed. They did it. The result was..." Not only will this be boring, but it will not r highlight why this story best demonstrates your team leadership skills and why you were a brave leader. Don't be overly dramatic, but get admissions to understand the significance of what you have done. If you have a great extracurricular team story, don’t feel obligated to provide a work related answer to this question even though you may have developed such an answer for another school. 

A few questions to think about:

• What skills or qualities did you demonstrate in the process of building or developing the team?
• Did you help the team overcome a conflict?  Was the conflict about individual personalities (work habits, communication styles, cultural assumptions, etc.) and or ideas/values/interests?
• What does this story reveal about the way you interact with organizations and/or individuals?
• Specifically how did your team exceed expectations? If this is measurable, indicate that as clearly as possible.

Finally, keep in mind that the challenges you faced should be highlighting how you were a brave team leader. 

 

Going Beyond the Expected
Given the emphasis on bravery and creating value, a story that focuses on  going beyond the expected is always a good option. If you are a maverick, a risk-taker, or simply unconventional in your approach to adding value, this kind of theme will work well for you. Also, if you  were not the actual leader, going above and beyond what is expected is a good way to show brave leadership.  Leadership is often tested most profoundly in situations where one has to go against "common sense," organizational tradition, and/or the interests of others. In one way or another show how you possess the courage to act in a situation that was outside the box.

While there are many possible ways to address to write about going beyond the expected, here are a few questions to get you brainstorming:

• How did you demonstrate leadership in a situation where you were not the leader?
• How did you implement something new?
• How did you overcome accepted "common sense" to drive organizational change?
• How did you convince senior people to buy into your idea?

 

 

CREATED VALUE

Regardless of your topic, your actions as a brave leader must result creating value of some kind.  I would divide added value into two categories, but some stories involve adding both types of value:

• Adding measurable (objective) value: Many stories will involve adding measurable value. This is the easiest thing to convey in must cases. Increased revenue, sales, marketing inquiries, improve performance outcomes, and event attendance are some common examples. Reducing something negative is also a way to add value, such as decreased employee hours required to do a task, decreased waste, decreased staff turnover, decreased customer complaints, and reduced measurable risk.  The advantage of measurable value is that it is usually very easy and word count efficient to communicate.
• Adding unmeasurable (subjective) value: Many stories involve adding unmeasurable value. The fairy tale ending, "and they all lived happily ever after" is one of the world's most common story types that involves any extremely non-quantitative and highly subjective added value outcome.  One common type of adding subjective value involves making people happy or cooperative. For example, if he added value is a cooperative team that works well together, while it might be possible to measure an improved team output, part of the value added is highly subjective.  A team can complete a task successfully and hate each other or they can learn to trust/like each other and be motivated to work together subsequently.  Another way of adding value is to add a political or moral or ethical value into how an organization makes decisions, hires new employees, communicates, or allocates resources.  While there is surely a measurable aspect to allocating resources, the reason for doing maybe based on subjective values. If you add value to an organization by getting it to allocate resources to inclusive hiring, part of what being added is a change in company values, not just budgeting decision.
•  

Given the need to show value has been added, there is one kind of story that does not work well:  A story without a clear outcome.  You might be in the midst of a great project but if it has no clear outcome, showing how you added value will be very challenging.  Hence why the example should be recent, some stories are simply too recent.

 

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

One key aspect of this question that applicants often seem to have a problem with is what they learnt.  Focus on real learning:

1. What did you learn in the process of the situation you write about?  Did you have a setback and overcome it?  Did you gain a new skill? Did you stretch yourself in some way that gave you a new insight?
2. What did you learn as a result of the experience? Did it alter the actions or perspective you took subsequently.

Real learning means something you did not know prior to the situation. The point is that learned something new.  Just focus on learning one thing and explain it.  Don't make a list that is no way explained, instead focus on a key point.  

 

 

 

Essay 2: "Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)"

 

For anyone writing essays for Stanford, HBS, or Booth, it should be easy to repurpose some of your content for writing Kellogg Essay 2 because those schools essays (such as Stanford's What Matters Most? ) necessarily relate to values. Unlike all three aforementioned schools, which give copious word count, Kellogg does not.  There is no place here for a life story in detail.  There is room here to identify 1-3 values about yourself that show how you stand out and how you align with Kellogg.

Given that there is no Why Kellogg essay in this essay set and given the previously quoted instructions above about explaining why Kellogg is right for you, this is the essay where I would recommend making that very clear. I don't mean that you should write 450 word essay on the theme of why you fit at Kellogg, but I would surely work Kellogg into this essay.

The key thing about values for this essay is that the values be ones you have acted on.  In other words, a value maybe important to you but unless it reflects actions you have taken, it is not a good topic.  Strong answers here will help the reader understand how your ideas/beliefs/perspectives have effected both your personal and private choices.  Be sure to write about something that is outside of work here as well as writing about something professional.

For a discussion of values, see my post on Stanford GSB, where I discuss this issue in terms of the what matters most question.

 

"Reapplicants: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)"
Reapplicants should read my posts on reapplication. Use this space to specifically explain what has improved about you since you last applied. You can certainly mention improved test scores, but I would not use very much of your word count for that. Typical topics include: development of a new skill, promotions that demonstrate your potential for future success, involvement in an extracurricular activity, learning significantly more about Kellogg, and why your goals now are better/different than the ones you presented last time.

 

"All applicants have the opportunity to provide explanations or clarification in Additional Information. Use this section if you think the person reviewing your application might have a few questions about one or more of your responses. This could include:

• Unexplained gaps in work experience
• Academic, GMAT or GRE performance
• Extenuating circumstances that we should be aware of when reviewing your application"

As with other school's optional questions, do not put an obvious essay for another school here. If you read the above, it should be clear enough that this is the place to explain anything negative or potentially negative in your background. If you have no explanation for something negative, don't bother writing about it. For example if your GPA is 2.9 and you have no good explanation for why it is 2.9, don't bother writing something that looks like a lame excuse. This is more likely to hurt than help you. In the same vein, don't waste the committee's time telling them that your GMAT is a much better indicator than your GPA (the opposite is also true). They have heard it before and they will look at both scores and can draw their own conclusions without you stating the obvious. That said, if you have a good explanation for a bad GPA, you should most certainly write about it.

In addition to GMAT/GRE, TOEFL, and GPA problems, other possible topics include issues related to recommendations, serious gaps in your resume, concerns related to a near total lack of extracurricular activities, and  major issues in your personal/professional life that you really think the admissions office needs to know about.You can certainly write on something positive here if you think its omission will be negative for you, but before you do, ask yourself these questions:

1. If they did not ask it, do they really need to know it?

2. Will the topic I want to discuss significantly improve my overall essay set?

3. Is the topic one that would not be covered from looking at other parts of my application?

4. Is the essay likely to be read as being a specific answer for Kellogg and not an obvious essay for another school?

If you can answer "Yes!" to all four questions, it might be a good topic to write about.

 

 

 

THE VIDEO ESSAYS: Three One Minute Wonders!

You have 1 minute to answer each of the video questions.

 

These video essays have a few different purposes:

1. It is a great way to get an overall first impression of an applicant. It is a way for everyone on the admissions committee to know who the actual person is and not rely only an interviewer's report.
2. It is an easy way to gauge someone's communication skills. This is especially important with respect to non-native English speakers because TOEFL and IELTS test scores don't always reveal actual English ability.
3. Explain why Kellogg beyond what is covered in the Essays and application form, specially Question 2 is asking what degree you want at Kellogg and why. This question is not really asked elsewhere in the application.
4.  Assess how the applicant handles a question that they will not have in advance (Question 3). Can they effectively do that in one minute?  This is a way to gauge how quickly someone thinks and can communicate.  It is a kind of way to gauge how someone might perform in a spontaneous class situation.

 

What all successful videos do:

1. Help the viewer understand why they would like the applicant as a person.
2. Highlight something positive about the applicant.
3.  Show the applicant's passion for Kellogg .
4. Show the applicant's ability to communicate effectively.
5.  

How to prepare for the videos

1. Write scripts.  They will mostly likely be too long. Once you add in breathing, facial expressions, in acting you might do, and speaking a speed to heard effectively, your script should be 90-120 words long most likely.
2. Have your scripts reviewed by whoever you are sharing it with.

 

How I help my clients with their video scripts:

1.  I ask them to write scripts for Questions 1 and 2. We refine those scripts through spoken and/or written feedback. In some cases, they make sample videos, which I give feedback on.

2.  For question 3, I ask them to prepare outlines for possible challenge topics that have been covered in the past. (Sorry but I don't discuss those topics here, only with my clients.) Since  we can't know for sure what the topic of Question 3 will be, I try to make sure that they have enough possible topics to cover what will be asked.

 

Question specific comments:

 

• Video essay 1: Please introduce yourself to the admissions committee.– Consider this your opportunity to share what you would want your future Kellogg classmates and our admissions committee to know about you. What makes you, you?

This is useful way of  getting rid of social idiots who cannot construct even a one-minute appealing statement about themselves. It is your elevator pitch about you!  While your answer should be consistent with what you have in the rest of your application, this is a chance to showcase your personality. What are 2-3 key things someone should know about you that they can't find out from just looking at your resume and reading your application?

 

• Video essay 2: What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?– This is an intentionally broad question so you can answer honestly and meaningfully. We want to know why you’re pursuing an MBA and why you’re choosing a particular Kellogg Full-Time Program.

Kellogg has multiple MBA programs, so specify which one you intend to attend and why.  Link your answer to the goals mentioned in the application form.  Try to mention 2-3 reasons why the program is right for you. Don't get overwhelmed with mentioning too many Kellogg specific details but keep the focus on explaining your needs and how Kellogg will meet them.

 

• Video essay 3: This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

Some possible topics for a challenge include:

• A time you convinced someone or some group.
• A time you led others.
• A time you demonstrated courage.
• A time you made a difficult decision.
• A time you were innovative.
• A time you formulated and executed a strategy or tactics.
• A time you turned around a situation, overcame an obstacle.
• A time reformed something.
• A time you changed something.
• A time you effectively negotiated with someone.
• A time you managed up, down, or across an organization.
• A time you were wrong.
• A time you failed or had a setback and overcame it.
• A time you changed your opinion.
• A time your values were challenged by others.

I provide my own clients with past questions but also encourage them to take a flexible approach to this topic as new questions may arise. Hence the above list is good for brainstorming purposes.

 

Best of luck with your application to Kellogg!

Wharton MBA Essay Questions for the Class of 2025

 In this post, I analyze the essay questions for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for Fall 2023 admission.  For my most recent posts on Wharton interviews, please see here.

 

My clients have been admitted to Wharton every year since 2002. Since I started my own counseling service in 2007, I have had 90 clients admitted to Wharton (75 admitted to Wharton, 1 to Wharton Deferred and 14 admitted to Wharton Lauder), which is my biggest total for any school. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here.

 

The thing I like most about Wharton is that they really do admit a very diverse class. The class size certainly helps,  but beyond that, Wharton is a school where applicants are evaluated holistically and one need not be perfect to gain admission.  Such factors as a less than stellar GPA, a less than super GMAT or GRE, being older (30+) or work experience in companies that are not necessarily prestigious are not inherent barriers to admission to Wharton's MBA program.  I have worked with clients who had such issues, but also had amazing strengths which helped them gain admission. This could also happen at HBS or only rarely at Stanford, but it happens more at Wharton.  The school's diversity is also shown through the range of courses offered and the many international programs.  Some people think of Wharton narrowly as a finance school, but to do so is to ignore the huge course catalog, numerous clubs, and diverse recruiting results.

 

ESSAYS FOR THE 2022-2023APPLICATION CYCLE

"The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself. For additional essay writing resources, see the essay tips article!

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Essay 2: Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Required Essay for all Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider.

Please note:

• First-time MBA applicants and re-applicants are required to complete essays 1 and 2."

 

 

The Required Essays

The essay questions are the same as last year .  Wharton’s essay set is transactional in the most basic sense because Essay 1 is about what Wharton can give you and Essay 2 is about what you can give Wharton. This reflects the core pragmatism of the school’s culture and specifically the culture of the admissions office.

 

 

 

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM WHARTON?

An excellent answer to this essay question would identify those specific aspects of Wharton that you will help you achieve your goals. It is a future focused question.  A general characterization of Wharton- data driven, but also a place with a commitment to experiential learning, East Coast focused but with a San Francisco campus that is now become integrated into the MBA program, highly international, highly flexible with strengths in a large number of areas, including healthcare, finance, real estate, and marketing- is  helpful to keep in mind when writing this essay. Wharton has a lot to offer and, while some have characterized it as a CFO school, a finance school, a Wall Street school, all too some extent true, this is not so helpful when you consider that, for example, Sundar Pichai, Google's guy in charge of Chrome, Android, and Google Apps, is a Wharton alumnus. Wharton is a huge program with so many strengths that the point is not to think about some big overall image of the school, but to focus on what you want to get out of it. Which specific resources you want to use and why. Keep in mind that Wharton is much bigger than HBS because of the undergraduate program. The range of courses, research, and opportunities is huge. The point is to provide a specific game plan on how you will use Wharton to achieve your goals.

 

An effective essay here will do the following:

 

1.   Explain what your goals are.

 

2.   Explain how Wharton will help you achieve your goals.   Focus on specific aspects of Wharton that will help you achieve your professional objectives.

 

If you are having difficulty determining what your goals are and/or why you need an MBA in general, please see my analysis of Essays 1 and 2  in my Columbia Business School analysis. In those posts I provide a detailed method for thinking about goals and need for an MBA. CBS gives 800 words (Essay 1 is 500 words and Essay 2 is 300 words) for what you need to cover in Wharton in 500 words.

 

Make the assumption that an MBA from Wharton will be a transformative experience for you.  If you don't make this assumption, you will likely find it particularly hard to explain what you want from the experience and will also probably come across as rather dull.  Your job is to engage the admissions reader so that they understand what you want from Wharton for your future.

 

What are your aspirations? What about your past experience?  You need to give Wharton admissions a very clear image of your professional objectives for attending the MBA program.  You might include a clear post-MBA career goal and a longer term vision/goal. You might express it in terms of your present situation ("past experience") and how you hope to be transformed by your Wharton experience.  A purely abstract dream or visionary statement could easily come across as unrealistic or ungrounded if not handled carefully, so be careful to connect your aspirations to  your past actions and/or clearly defined goals. Career changers (those planning on  changing industry and/or function after MBA) should explain why they want to change their careers and how Wharton will enable that. Career enhancers should explain how an MBA will enhance their careers to continue along the pathway that thy are already on.

 

You should be explaining why you need a Wharton MBA in  particular. You should  learn about the curriculum, clusters / cohorts/ learning teams, Learning @ Wharton, community involvement, clubs, and WGA in order to determine what aspects of Wharton really relate to your professional objectives. You need not mention the names of particular courses as long as it would be clear to your reader that your aspirations align well with Wharton's offerings. For example, it is really a waste of word count to mention the names of particular finance courses if the main point you are simply trying to make is that you want to enhance your finance skills. Every admissions officer at Wharton is well aware of the programs major offerings.  If you have a particular interest in a more specialized course or studying with a particular professor, it might be worth mentioning it as long as it is an explanation of why you want to study the subject and not based on circular reasoning.

 

An example of circular (tautological) reasoning:  "I want to take Advanced Corporate Finance because I am interested in developing advanced corporate finance skills." This kind of bad circular reasoning is so common in early drafts I see from my clients and in the failed essays of reapplicants that I am asked to review. Usually it takes place within a paragraph consisting of many such sentences. These sentences actually convey nothing about the applicant. The admissions reader wants to learn about you, not about their own program. If you don't explain what you need and why, you are not actually answering the question, you are just writing something dull, surface level, and without positive impact.

 

An example of an actual explanation:  "While I have been exposed to finance through my work at MegaBank, I presently lack the kind of comprehensive understanding of corporate finance that I want to master at Wharton to succeed as a future leader of cross-border M&A." By focusing on very specific learning needs and explaining those needs in relationship to one's goals and/or past experience, admissions will be learning about you and really be able to understand what you need from Wharton. Mentioning a course name is not important if the learning need is already something obviously obtainable at Wharton. A more complete explanation would include additional details about the kind of issues that the applicant is interested in learning about and/or specific ways the applicant intended to apply what he or she would learn at Wharton.

 

Finally, remember that if you have something that you really want to discuss about what you contribute to Wharton or wish to mention particular classes, clubs, and events at Wharton that you could not fit into the essay, you can always discuss that in the optional essay.

 

 

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

 

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE TO THE WHARTON COMMUNITY?

 

I have been an MBA admissions consultant since 2001 and the contribution question is one that I could explain to a client in my sleep.  I have done it on this blog many times before. Here is one of my old (2008) favorites, which includes a table that I have also used below.

One of the chief functions of an MBA admissions committee is to select people who will add value to the community.  The director and the rest of the committee have done their job properly if they have selected students who can work well together, learn from each other, and if these students become alum who value the relationships they initially formed at business school. Your contribution(s) need to clearly connected to the community. Maybe it will be through the way you work with others, the knowledge you share, or the activities you organize but make sure the reader can fully understand how this be a contribution at Wharton.  You should know enough about the Wharton community to show specific ways you might contribute.

Within the context of the Wharton application, Essay 2 is really one of the important places to show why you will add value to Wharton.  One way, I like to think about contribution questions is to use a table like the following:

CONTRIBUTIONS	Is it a personal, professional or academic experience?	What skill, value, or unique experience is being showcased?	So what will you contribute  to the Wharton community?	Is this special? Why?
Story 1:
Story 2:
Story 3:
adammarkus@gmail.com. Free to use, contact me if you republish it.

I use the above table for all types of contribution questions, modifying the categories to fit the question.  What this kind of table does is force you to think about exactly how something from your background is meaningful enough to add value at Wharton.

ADVICE:

1. Tell your best story or stories that highlight how you will add value at Wharton.  Help the reader understand what is special about you, about the story you tell, and the contribution you make.
2. Learn a lot about Wharton so that you can write about really meaningful contributions.  Talk to alumni and current students, attend online chats, and dig through the website and otherwise.  Google and network your way into Wharton expertise in order to be able to have really deep contributions.
3. With respect to the kind of contributions you make, don't fall into the "Obvious Knowledge Trap."  What do I mean? Here is an example: "As my work on the Tesla/McDonalds Merger and Acquisition shows, I have deep knowledge of  finance and accounting which I will use to help my classmates without a finance background." This topic is bad for a number of reasons. First, that you have such knowledge will be obvious from your resume, application form and/or transcripts, so it is better to focus on something that the reader will not already know about you. Second just sharing knowledge is not enough, better to focus on how you would do that. For example, instead of writing about your knowledge of a topic, write about how you helped others learn something and how you will use that to make a contribution at Wharton. Then specify the Wharton specific context (Classes, clubs, activities, Learning Teams) where you will make that contribution.

 

SPECIFIC ESSAY 2 REQUIREMENTS: Since the question calls for contributions, my suggestion is to include at least two contributions.  The question does not indicate how many aspects of your background you need to focus on. So you can focus on one story from your background or multiple stories. In 400 words, I think 4 topics would be a maximum from your background to focus on but that 2-3 topics makes more sense.

 

ESSAY STRUCTURE:

It will depend on whether you cover 1 or more topics.   Here are two sample structures that I think are most common:

One Background Topic Essay Structure:

1. Discuss one personal, academic, or professional story.
2. Explain one specific and meaningful contribution that you will be able to make at Wharton based on what you do or learn from this story.
3. Explain another specific and meaningful contribution that you will be able to make at Wharton based on what you do or learn from this story.

Two or Three Background Topic Essay Structure:

1. Discuss one personal, academic or professional story. Explain at least one specific and meaningful contribution that you will be able to make at Wharton based on what you do or learn from this story.
2. Discuss another personal, academic or professional story. Explain at least one specific and meaningful contribution that you will be able to make at Wharton based on what you do or learn from this story.
3. Discuss another personal, academic or professional story. Explain at least one specific and meaningful contribution that you will be able to make at Wharton based on what you do or learn from this story.

Both of the above structures can work well for this kind of essay. It just depends on whether you want to cover one story in depth  and then show two or more contributions from it or show greater diversity of your experience and focus on 2-3 stories.  To tell a story about your background sufficiently and also explain what it shows you will add value at Wharton is very hard to do really effectively in less than 100 words, so 4 topics would be a maximum from my perspective. That said, I will encourage my clients to focus on 1-3 topics.

 

 

Additional Question (required for all Reapplicants):

• Please share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements, etc.). (250 words)

 

Reapplicants, an effective answer here will do the following:

1. Showcase what has changed since your last application that now makes you a better candidate.

2. Refine your goals. I think it is reasonable that they may have altered since your last application, but if the change is extreme, you had better explain why.

3. Make a better case for why Wharton is right for you.

For more about reapplication, please see "A guide to my resources for reapplicants."

 

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

Second, for addressing any extenuating circumstances: As with the school's other optional question, do not put an obvious essay for another school here. If you read the above, it should be clear enough that this is the place to explain anything negative or potentially negative in your background. If you have no explanation for something negative, don't bother writing about it. For example if your GPA is 2.9 and you have no good explanation for why it is 2.9, don't bother writing something that looks like a lame excuse. This is more likely to hurt than help you. In the same vein, don't waste the committee's time telling them that your GMAT is a much better indicator than your GPA (the opposite is also true). They have heard it before and they will look at both scores and can draw their own conclusions without you stating the obvious. That said, if you have a good explanation for a bad GPA, you should most certainly write about it. In addition to GMAT/GRE, TOEFL, and GPA problems, other possible topics include issues related to recommendations, serious gaps in your resume, concerns related to a near total lack of extracurricular activities, and  major issues in your personal/professional life that you really think the admissions office needs to know about.

 

Best of luck with your Wharton application for the Class of 2025!

-Adam Markus

Columbia MBA Essays for 2023 Admission

 Columbia Business School has, as they do every year, modified their MBA application essay set for 2023 admission to the January term Class of 2024 and the August term Class of 2025. The good news is that got rid of a hard question, increased the length and slightly altered the wording for the why CBS question, but essentially went back to what they were asking for 2021 admission. Along with HBS, Stanford, and INSEAD, I think CBS is one of the best first applications to work on. In the case of CBS, Essay 1 requires more of a focus on goals than any other school, so doing it gives applicants all the content they need for any school's goals essays.  Also Essay 2, provides a perfect length for explaining why you want to attend a specific MBA program. Make that argument right for CBS and it will help you with other schools that require similar essay content.

 

Given Columbia's overall rank as well as the unique nature of both January (J-Term) and Early Decision for August (ED), it has been very common for me to work with clients who apply only to that school. In this sense, the only school with a similar level of sole school focus is INSEAD.  Columbia certainly rewards those who make it their first or sole choice as both J-Term and ED seem to be significantly easier to get admitted to than Regular Decision (RD).  Columbia is also one of the most reapplicant friendly schools both in terms of the reapplication process for those who reapply within one year of their initial application and in terms of acceptance rates.

 

You can find testimonials from my clients admitted for Columbia Business School here.  Since 2007, when I established my own consultancy, (I have been an MBA admissions consultant since 2001) I have been fortunate to work with 79 clients admitted to Columbia Business School for ED, RD, J-Term, and Deferred Admission. For 2022 admission, I had a record year of 12 clients admitted for ED (10) and RD (2).

For my post on re-application to Columbia, see here. For my analysis of recommendations , please see here. For my analysis of Columbia Business School application interviews, please see here.

 

The Unique Admissions Process at Columbia Business School

Before discussing the essays, I have provided a discussion on the application process itself. If you already understand it, you can skip ahead to the essay section.

The admissions process at Columbia Business is so unique, that before discussing the essays for 2023 entry, I will discuss who J-Term (January Entry) is for and differences between Early Decision and Regular Decision for August Entry.

 

Rolling Admission

The first thing to keep in mind about admission to both J-Term and August Term (ED and RD) is that Columbia uses a rolling admissions system unlike the fixed deadline system used by most other schools.  While there are final deadlines, since applicants' files are reviewed and decisions are being made as they apply (hence the rolling nature of the process), by the time that that the final deadlines for August Term have arrived most seats are already filled.  Rolling admissions works just like buying assigned seats for an airplane, movie, concert, etc.  When they are gone, they are gone. Columbia's rolling admissions system is a differentiator from other top US MBA programs because only Columbia uses this system. Rolling admissions is commonly used by EMBA programs worldwide.

 

J-Term

The Accelerated MBA, J-Term, can be a great program for those who don't need an internship and don't need a Merit Fellowship.  J-term is not for career changers, it is those looking to enhance their position within their present career trajectory and/or entrepreneurs. The program is designed for those students who do not want or need a full-time internship and don't require merit fellowships. The principal advantage of the 16-month program is its accelerated format, which allows members of the smaller January class to network quickly and effectively and return to the workplace sooner. You need to make the case in Essay 1 (Goals essay) and/or the Optional Essay that you meet the special criteria for this program and that an internship is not something critical for you. For those who don't need a summer internship, this is really a great program. Internships for J-Term? Based on what former clients tell me, it is common for J-Termers to do part-time internships in NYC while studying.  Actually, this is often true for those attending August as well.   These are not the same as summer internships but such part-time internships can surely serve the same function.

 

Here are some common issues that arise when considering J-term:

 

Is J-term easier to get into than August entry?  I have always thought so.  The lack of Merit Fellowships, an internship, and the nature of who the program is designed for, clearly indicate that it is going to attract fewer applicants, so my assumption is that it is surely easier.  Happy to proven wrong if CBS admissions provides data showing otherwise.  All I know for sure is that relatively late application to J-term has not prevented my clients from being admitted. Late application to RD is a real problem simply from a seat availability perspective. In one way, J-term is clearly easier: Unlike an August entry RD and (and to a lesser extent ED) applicant, someone applying to Columbia J-term can really be assumed to prefer Columbia over all alternatives. This can make interviews a bit easier in the sense that August entry Columbia alumni interviewers are notorious for being particularly aggressive at determining whether the interviewee's first choice is really Columbia. Since J-term has no real US rival, this topic can be easily dispensed with in an interview.

 

Program Alternatives to J-term:   There are no US alternatives to J-term worth mentioning if someone wants a January 2021 start. Cornell, Cornell Tech, Kellogg and NYU Stern (Tech and Fashion & Luxury) offer one year MBAs, but none start their programs in January, Cornell Tech and NYU are specialized degrees, and both Cornell and Kellogg are accelerated programs in terms of the number of courses taken. Only J-term makes it possible to do two years of courses on such an expedited basis. In addition, the Kellogg program is extremely restrictive, since one has to have taken many core business courses or come from a consulting firm that has established a relationship  to apply to it. Cornell is also restrictive (Graduate degree or specialized professional certification is required), while Columbia has no such prior education restrictions.  There are a number of European programs with a January starts but really only INSEAD could be said to be at a similar rank, at least as perceived by my clients.  I have had clients who apply to J-term and  INSEAD  and, less often, IMD, as both have January entry. Still J-term is an incredibly different program in terms of length and content from either of these top non-US programs. LBS, which does not have a January start, would also be another alternative to CBS in the sense that it can be completed on an accelerated basis, but it has no January start. There are many other programs in the Europe that can be completed in around 16 months or less.

 

Can an August entry applicant reapply to J-term? Yes! You could be rejected from ED or RD for 2021 entry and reapply for J-term 2022 entry. If you entered in J-term 2022, you would graduate in the Class of 2023 with those who entered in ED/RD 2021. I have worked with  a number of reapplicants who were admitted to J-term after being dinged from the August entry for the same graduating class. In that situation, the key issues for the reapplicant essay are explaining why J-term is now a better choice and you are a better candidate.

 

 

 ED Versus RD

Applying for Early Decision (ED) is ideal for anyone who considers Columbia to be their first choice and is ready by the application deadline. Columbia takes ED very seriously, so I suggest you do as well. CBS ED really is unique among top MBA programs and the decision to commit to it should not be taken lightly. Every year many applicants to Columbia Business School have to deeply consider whether to apply to the ED or RD round. First, keep the official statement from Columbia regarding ED in mind:

 

• Candidates have decided that Columbia is their first choice and must sign the following statement of commitment within their applications: I am committed to attending Columbia Business School and will withdraw all applications and decline all offers from other schools upon admission to Columbia Business School.
• Applicants must submit a nonrefundable $6,000 tuition deposit within two weeks of admission.

 

In my experience, there are two types of applicants for ED. The first are people who really consider Columbia as their first choice and sometimes make or hope to make no other applications. For this type of applicant, choosing ED is easy. The second type of applicant likes Columbia, but it is not necessarily their first choice. This type of applicant applies to ED because it is perceived as easier to get admitted to than to Regular Decision (RD). This type of applicant treats the $6000 deposit as an insurance policy in the event that they are not admitted to HBS, Stanford, and/or Wharton (I don't know of any cases of applicants forfeiting $6000 to go to other top programs, but I suppose someone has done it). If they do get into HBS, Stanford, or Wharton and break their commitment to Columbia, they lose $6000. Can Columbia do anything aside from keeping the money? No. For those who have no problem breaking oaths and losing $6000, treating ED as possible insurance is a rational decision through clearly not an ethical one. As an admissions consultant, my sole concern is helping my clients reach their admissions objectives, so I don't pass judgment one way or another on this issue.

 

Merit Fellowships:  If you are admitted to ED, you will not find out whether you get a merit scholarship until late March or April, but RD admits find out by the time their first deposit is due.  Hence ED admits will be paying a deposit without knowing whether CBS will provide any financial support for around 5-7 months.  For example, in 2022, I had ten clients admitted to ED and they were not notified about funding until late March in a few cases, but mostly not until April. Meanwhile one of the two clients admitted during RD received their merit scholarship details when they were admitted.

 

Timing an ED application. I  don't consider there to be a really significant difference between an early application in ED and an application right before the deadline.  The real difference are between ED and RD and within RD itself.

 

I do recommend applying before the January Merit Fellowship deadline for RD.  While you can consider the Merit deadline to be kind of a "Round Two Deadline," I recommend you apply as soon as you are ready to do so. That said, RD takes applications until April, so applications are still viable for some applicants until quite late in the admissions cycle. In general, applying late in RD is best for those with highly unusual backgrounds, stellar backgrounds, and no need for merit scholarships (For example, those sponsored by their companies) and/or a love of gambling.  In other words, if you are not exceptional, applying late in RD to Columbia is a very high-risk activity.

 

How to leverage RD to your advantage when applying to other MBA programs in the First Round.  If you are applying in the first round, an ideal time to apply to Columbia is after you have completed all the applications that were due in September.  Assuming you are relatively freed up while you are waiting for your R1 invites, apply to Columbia. This means you will be considered early in RD and that is an advantage because there will be more seats available.

 

How to leverage RD to your advantage when applying to other MBA programs in the Second Round.  Since most R2 applications are due in January, applying to Columbia in November or December will still give you a relative advantage over those applicants that apply right before the Merit Deadline.  Again, the earlier, the better your chance for an available seat.

 

 

The Essay Questions and the Immediate Post-MBA Goals Statement

The questions are taken from the website.

Immediate Post-MBA Goals Statement: 

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

Examples of possible responses:
“Work in business development for a media company.”
“Join a strategy consulting firm.”
“Launch a data-management start-up.”

 

Remember this is 50 characters, not words! This would be about 5-10 words. The question itself, fortunately, includes the above examples to make it clear what Columbia is looking for here. Given the length, you can't possibly expect to explain what you want to do short-term.  That is what Essay 1 is for. In fact, it is best to simply write this little statement after you have a good working version of Essay 1.  CBS is looking for a short, but a very clear statement of what you intend to do after your MBA. If you have difficulty explaining your immediate post-MBA plans in the space given, I think that is likely an indication that your plans are too complex, vague, or otherwise not well thought out. What you state here should be backed up by what you discuss in Essay 1 and 2 (or the reapplicant essay for reapplicants).

If you can be clever or catchy in formulating this response that is fine, but it is a completely secondary consideration to simply stating something that is very clear and that is completely consistent with what you write in Essay 1 and 2. Being clever is not critical here, being clear is.

 

 

Essay #1: 

Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Since I have found it necessary to make this clear to clients:  THIS ESSAY IS COMPLETELY FUTURE FOCUSED. That is why they say they "have a clear sense of your professional path to date."  Any statements you make about your past experience should be analytical rather than descriptive and for the sole purpose of explaining what you want to do in the future and why. If they wanted a detailed past history, they would not have worded the question the way they do. 

A bad CBS Essay 1 will typically consist of extended discussion of past experience, lack of explanation of post-MBA goals, and inability to distinguish between long-term goals as typically required by other schools and a long-term dream job.  Here is what you can do to avoid that:

 

Using your 500 words

I think a good essay will consist of the following components

-A first paragraph that begins to the answer directly and explains whatever aspects of background and/or personal motivation that are necessary to help the reader understand your answers to the two questions CBS is asking here.

- A clear short-term 3-5 year plan.

- A clear dream job, not just a long-term goal or vision but an actual imagined highly aspirational role.

- Since Essay 2 is focused on why CBS, you should not write about that here. However you may need to explain why you need an MBA in general to achieve your goals.

 

 

"What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years"

 

CBS wants to know exactly what you want to do after your MBA and why.  You need to have a clear plan.  Explain not only what you want to do, but why you want to do it. Some questions you want to answer here:

How does the post MBA role you will have relate to your longer term career objectives? 

How does it relate to your past experience? What kind of firms do you want to work for? 

What is the intended role?

Don't hedge more than is absolutely necessary because you want provide a clear believable, achievable story. 

 

 

You want want to explain why need an MBA now to get into that role but only briefly as you have an entire essay for explaining why CBS.  The point of mentioning MBA here would be if it is not obvious why an MBA is needed to achieve this goal or if you cannot get the topic into Essay 2. 

 

 

This is a reality based question so provide a well-researched reality based answer.  See https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/recruiters/employmentreport to figure out where CBS graduates go.  If you are mentioning a role, industry, or company that does not recruit at CBS and your post-MBA goals are not entrepreneurial or in a family business, you have a problem. Make CBS adcom believe in your short-term plan.  This is not a good school for confused people, it is one for those who know what they want and have an initial plan for how to achieve it. 

 

 

what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job?

 

IT IS A DREAM! Tell them a story about the future, not just mentioning a role but painting a picture.  CBS is inviting you to showcase your ambition and future potential.  What is your vision?  What kind of impact do you want make in your life?  Assume you succeed and don't just become another middle management type.

 

Consider illustrious CBS alumni:  See https://www.businessbecause.com/news/notable-alumni/7134/columbia-business-school-notable-alumni and https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-columbia-business-school-alumni-and-students/reference.  How will you reach their level?

 

Think about the future. Imagine not on how the world is now, but on how it might be in10, 20, 30 years from now. Describe  that future and how you see yourself in it.  The future you present might be 10 years from now or 20 or 30 or more years.  The point is to showcase your ambition and vision.

 

 

 

GOALS AND WHY MBA ANALYSIS FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT

If you are having problems clearly articulating your goals either in Essay 1 or in the 50 character statement,  I think Gap, SWOT, and ROI analysis are great ways for understanding what your goals are, why you want a degree, and how you will use it. The following table will help you with both Essay 1 and Essay 2. 

 

 

The following image may not work for all browsers. If so, see here.

(A Google Docs version of this matrix can be found at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WobczFFLHBzQRxUeuwBRNmGQ3q-RKP_94iGHuLlXXEs/edit?usp=sharing)

 

 

Step 1. Begin by analyzing your "Present Career." What roles and responsibilities have you had in clubs, part-time jobs, internships, volunteer activities, etc.? What was/is your functional role(s)? What was/are your responsibilities?
Next, analyze your present strengths and weaknesses for succeeding in your present career. In particular, some of your greatest strengths may have been demonstrated outside of work, so make sure you are accounting for them.
Strengths: What are you good at? Where do you add value? What are you praised for? What are you proud of?
Weakness: What are you bad at? What are you criticized for? What do you try to avoid due to your own limitations? What do you fear?
Next, analyze your situation in right now. What opportunities exist for your growth and success? What threats could limit your career growth?

 

 

Step 2. Now, do the same thing in Step 1 for your "Post-MBA" future after you have earned your graduate degree. If you cannot complete this step you need to do more research and need to think more about it. I frequently help clients with this issue through a process of brainstorming.

 

Step 3. If you could complete step 2, then you should see the "Gap" between your present and your future. What skills, knowledge, and other resources do you need to close the gap between your present and future responsibilities, strengths, and opportunities?  THIS IS WILL HELP YOU ANSWER ESSSAY 2

 

 

 

Step 4. After completing Step 3, you now need to determine how an MBA will add value to you. It is possible that an increased salary as a result of job change will be sufficient "ROI" for the degree to justify itself, but you should show how a degree will allow you to reach your career goals. How will the degree enhance your skills and opportunities and help you overcome your weaknesses and external threats? If you can complete Step 4, then you should be ready to explain what your goals are, why you want a degree, and the relationship between your past and future career, as well as your strengths and weaknesses.

 

The above table will also help you answer such common interview questions as: Where do you want to work after you finish your degree? Why do you want an MBA? What are you strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your goals?

 

Be informed about your goals. Columbia Admissions needs to believe you know what you are talking about. If you are changing careers, no one expects you to be an expert, but you should come across as having a clear plan based on real research into your future. If you are planning on staying in your present industry, you should be well informed not only about the companies you have worked for but about the industry as a whole. If you are not already doing so, read industry related publications and network.

 

Those applicants who are changing fields should most certainly read industry related publications in their intended field. Additionally, I suggest conducting informational interviews with at least one peer level and one senior level person in that field. Conduct a peer level interview to get a good idea of what it would be like to actually work in that industry. Conduct a senior level interview to get the perspective of someone who can see the big picture and all the little details as well. Don't know anyone in your intended field? Network! One great way to start is through LinkedIn. Another is by making use of your undergraduate alumni network and/or career center. No matter whether you are changing fields or not, learn what is hot now and try to figure out what will be hot by the time you graduate. Now, of course, this is just a plan and chances are that what is hot in your industry or field now may very well be cold in the future.

 

 

The point is to come across to Columbia Adcom as someone who is not only well informed but has CUTTING-EDGE knowledge. Look at ideas@work,  and Chazen Global Insights. Some other great general sources for learning what is hot: Harvard Working Knowledge, Harvard Business Review, University of Chicago GSB's Working Papers, The University of Chicago's Capital Ideas, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Knowledge @ Wharton, and MIT Sloan Management Review.  Other sources: Read magazines, websites, and books  and listen/watch podcasts/lectures that relate to your intended field.

 

If at the end of the above process you feel as though you are uncertain about whether you need an MBA, please see Do You Really Need an MBA?

 

 

ESSAY 2:

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, co-curricular initiatives like the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership, which aims to equip students with the skills and strategies necessary to lead in an inclusive and ethical manner, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? (300 words)

 

Keep in mind that this question is focused on why Columbia Business School is the right MBA program for you. That is to say what does its curriculum, community, and network offer you that will help you reach the professional objectives you have mentioned in Essay 1? And beyond, professional objectives who does CBS fit you as a person from an academic and cultural perspective.   For a more general discussion about the whole issue of academic fit, see here. If you are unclear about why you need from an MBA program, see the GAP, SWOT, and ROI table above.

 

Balance and integrate Goals and Why Columbia?

A good version of Essay 2 will connect goals with Columbia. If you use the table above, Step 3 relates directly to the content of this essay. That is to say, the objective is not merely to explain why  Columbia fits you, but why it aligns with the goals discussed in Essay 1.  Your objective is to write an essay that shows Columbia why it is the best possible place for you to achieve your career goals. If your goals are not showing themselves to be particularly well supported by Columbia, you may need to either change your goals or decide to apply elsewhere.

 

Beyond  Goals

Beyond direct goals reasons for why Columbia is right for you, consider what aspects of its curriculum or community support your personal and professional interests. This might be a club or activity that you want to engage in. For more about CBS clubs, see here.

 

The resources available at CBS and Columbia University are vast, so figure out specifically what you want from the school as you will need to discuss that. The program is flexible, so identify your needs from Columbia as specifically as possible. After all, you want to show them you love and need them For learning about what is hot at Columbia, I suggest taking a look at their  Ideas and Insights Homepage.  You will likely want to write about taking a Master Class. I also recommend learning about the Cluster system as it core part of the CBS experience.  Japanese applicants should most certainly visit https://www.jbacolumbia.com/.  All applicants should attend online chats and reach out to alumni and current students if they have not done so.  Since visiting will most likely not really be an option for 2020-2021, the school will be expecting all applicants to engage online.  Do it!

 

 

 

Explaining your learning needs: 

 

 

WHAT NOT TO DO

An example of circular (tautological) reasoning:  "I want to take Capital Markets & Investments because I am interested in learning about capital market investing."

This kind of circular reasoning is so common. Usually it takes place within a paragraph consisting of many such sentences. They actually convey nothing about the applicant.  They are just abstract needs and will have limited impact on your reader.  The admissions reader wants to learn about you, not about their own program.

 

 

WHAT TO DO

An example of an explanation for why:  "While I have been exposed to finance through my work at MegaBank of Joy, I presently lack the kind of comprehensive understanding of capital market investing that I will need to succeed as an investment analyst and I know I can gain at Columbia."  A more complete explanation would include additional details about the kind of issues that the applicant is interested in learning about and/or specific ways the applicant intended to apply what he or she would learn at Columbia.  By focusing on very specific learning needs and explaining those needs in relationship to one's goals and/or past experience, the admissions reader will be learning about you.

 

While in recent years, the school emphasized its New York City location in Essay 2, it no longer does. You need only discuss that if it is especially useful for making the best possible argument for why CBS fits you. In general, such arguments are often dumb cliches and since they are not what the question is focused, don't waste words on the topic.

 

ESSAY 3

Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you? (250 words)

 

This old gem of an MBA essay question is one that been around for a good long time.    UC Berkeley Haas was using a song-only version of this one for quite a while. You can find some great songs in my 2016 analysis of that essay set. I'm glad CBS decided to keep using it again this year.

 

 

 

 Adam's Four Rules for Answering this Question:

 

 

RULE 1: ANY QUESTION IS REALLY ABOUT YOU.

While this question certainly requires writing about something else, whatever book, movie, or song you discuss and why you discuss them is a reflection on you.  Bad answers to this question take the form of extended summary/analysis of the book/movie/song  that fail to focus on the WHY THIS RESONATES WITH YOU part of the question.  The point is to show that connection. Focus on your own values and/or experience to make this an effective answer. Hence writing a 250 word answer on why The Lord of the Rings is your favorite novel will be totally ineffective if you all you are doing is explaining how much Tolkien's writing style and the world he creates satisfies you, but don't explain why it connects to you and why that is important.

 

 

 

RULE 2:  TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING INTERESTING

The book, movie, or song need not be famous to be interesting. In fact, mention the obviously famous and frequently mentioned,  is BORING AND CLICHE.  For example, I would tend to stay away from the films Wall Street and The Big Short if you are a finance person because that is too boring and obvious.  The key point is that whoever you select, you make it clear why this resonates with you. For songs/books/movies that are not English, there is no real difference between them and those that are.  The point is all about your interpretation. For example, your song selection does not need to have lyrics and does not need to have lyrics in English. Even if the song has lyrics, my suggestion would be only briefly explain the meaning of those lyrics because  you should really using most of your word count to explain why the song resonates with you.

 

I think the advantage of a song without lyrics, say a jazz instrumental or a classical composition (Western, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, whatever), is that it allows for easily focusing on what the song means to you. For example, I might use a song by India's master violinist L. Subramaniam to discuss how the way the music resonates with me from a spiritual dimension. I might discuss 2-3 qualities about myself that are reflected in his music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdNA5oyFgE&feature=related

 

Clearly with compositional works, you have great freedom to attach any meaning you want it to it.

 

 

RULE 3: CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHY

The why aspect of this question is the most critical part of the question. Anytime you are given a question where you are asked to give something  meaning, the first thing to do is think about what you want to express through the song. For example, if your objective was demonstrate your commitment to peace and social justice, you might pick Bob Dylan’s Blowin' In The Wind:

How many roads most a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

 

 

In this case, you might explain when Dylan’s first caught your attention. What it means to you and how it relates to actions you have taken in your own life.  This is just one possible way of answering this question. I am using this song because I assume it is too old to actually be one that clients would select.  Fine for Gen-Xers like me, though way too Boomer if you ask me.

 

RULE 4: WHY DO THEY NEED TO KNOW?

The very nature of this question is that it could be answered in so many ways.  The point is to focus on something about yourself that you really want Columbia admissions to know about you.  Don't discuss something already covered in the other essays. They want to learn about some aspect of you as a person.  What aspect of yourself will really help Columbia understand you as person?  Help them learn what sets you apart as an individual through this essay. While work topics might fit here, personal topics tend to work better.

My admitted clients frequently use this essay to do one or more of the following:

1. Highlight a specific experience about themselves that is transformative.
2. Focus on a specific characteristic about themselves that they consider most important for CBS to know about.
3. Highlight a major lesson learned.
4. Highlight a unique selling point.
5. Tell a growth story. Growth can occur though failure, success, or just experience.

Optional Essay:
Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

 

 

As with other school's optional questions, do not put an obvious essay for another school here. If you read the above, it should be clear enough that this is the place to explain anything negative or potentially negative in your background. If you have no explanation for something negative, don't bother writing about it. For example, if your GPA is 2.9 and you have no good explanation for why it is 2.9, don't bother writing something that looks like a lame excuse. This is more likely to hurt than help you. In the same vein, don't waste the committee's time telling them that your GMAT is a much better indicator than your GPA (the opposite is also true). They have heard it before and they will look at both scores and can draw their own conclusions without you stating the obvious. That said, if you have a good explanation for a bad GPA, you should most certainly write about it.In addition to GMAT/GRE, TOEFL, and GPA problems, other possible topics include issues related to recommendations, serious gaps in your resume, concerns related to a near total lack of extracurricular activities, and major issues in your personal/professional life that you really think the admissions office needs to know about.You can certainly write on something positive here if you think its omission will be negative for you, but before you do, ask yourself these questions:
1. If they did not ask it, do they really need to know it?
2. Will the topic I want to discuss significantly improve my overall essay set?
3. Is the topic one that would not be covered from looking at other parts of my application?
4. Is the essay likely to be read as being a specific answer for Columbia and not an obvious essay for another school?
If you can answer "Yes!" to all four questions, it might be a good topic to write about.

 

Columbia Loves to Be Loved

One thing that is consistent about Columbia Business School is that they want to know that their school is your first choice. If you have an alumni interview you can be expected to be asked about that very directly. See here for my advice on Columbia interviews. Best of luck for gaining admission to the Columbia Business School Class of 2024 or 2025!