Kellogg MBA Essays for the Class of 2026

 In this post, I analyze Kellogg's MBA essay and video essays questions for admission to the MBA program for the Class of 2026. I have taken the  written essay 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 73 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 simple, 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 fall 2022, when one of my former clients took around and also showed me the MMM student room.  In 2018,  AIGAC, the professional admissions consultants organization I am a part of, held our conference at the campus.  Former 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 (In both locations safety concerns are valid),  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 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.

 

Question 1 (450 words)

Kellogg Leaders are primed to tackle today’s pressing concerns everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Tell us about a time in your life where you’ve needed a combination of skills to solve a problem or overcome a challenge. Which skills did you use? What did you accomplish?

 

Kellogg has replaced its previous leadership question with one that is much more open-ended one and could be used in a great variety of ways, not necessarily limited to professional experience.

I think an effective answer here is likely to involve a mix of hard and soft skills though not necessarily.

 

STRUCTURE FOR AN EFFECTIVE ANSWER:

1. State the challenge/problem: What was the challenge/problem you encountered?  What was the situation? What was your responsibility/role?

2. Discuss one skill used and its impact on overcoming the challenge: Focus on a specific  hard or soft skill that you used to overcome the challenge. 

3. Discuss another skill used its impact on overcoming the challenge: Since you to highlight a combination of skills, you must focus on at least two skills. In a 450 word essay, I assume three would be max out in terms of skills used.

4. Discuss the result. Explain what you accomplished. Explain its significance.

 

The challenge/problem should be complex. A weak answer would focus on a routine problem/challenge and not one that required much effort to solve. The point is to discuss something every challenging because it is complex.

 

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. Help your reader understand your thinking behind the way you solved the problem/overcame the challenge.

 

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.

 

What did you accomplish?

Regardless of your topic, your solution to the problem/challenge must have impact.  I would divide added impact into two categories, but some stories involve both types of accomplishments:

• A measurable accomplishment: 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.
• An unmeasurable accomplishment: 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 accomplishment.  One common type of subjective accomplishment involves making people happy or cooperative.    Another accomplishment  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 a budgeting decision.

Given the need to show an accomplishment, 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.

 

Question 2 (450 words)

At Kellogg, our values are based on research that concludes organizations comprised of leaders with varied backgrounds and perspectives outperform homogeneous ones. How do you believe your personal and professional experiences to date will help to enrich the Kellogg community?

This is a new question for Kellogg, but a very old question in the MBA application essay world. 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.  What is nice is that this is the same as Wharton Essay 2, so if you are applying to both schools, this should be easy.

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  Kellogg.  You should know enough about the Kellogg community to show specific ways you might contribute.

Within the context of the Kellogg application, Essay 2 is really one of the important places to show why you will add value to Kellogg based on your personal and professional experiences.  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 Kellogg

ADVICE:

1. Tell your best story or stories that highlight how you will add value at Kellogg.  Help the reader understand what is special about you, about the story you tell, and the contribution you make.
2. Learn a lot about Kellogg 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 Kellogg 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 Kellogg. Then specify the Kellogg 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:

 

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

To tell a story about your background sufficiently and also explain what it shows you will add value at Kellogg 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 encourage my clients to focus on 2 or 3 topics, with at least one topic being professional and one personal.

 

 

"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:

 

PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT SURE WHETHER KELLOGG WILL BE USING THESE QUESTIONS FOR THE CLASS OF 2026.  ONCE I KNOW I WILL ALTER THIS ACCORDINGLY.

• 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.

 

 

Kellogg does not have a goals essay, but you need to know about your goals to apply:

The following are from the application form.

Please tell us about your career goals. You'll also have the opportunity to expand on this in other parts of the evaluation process.

Industry desired after Kellogg

AccountingMarket ResearchMarketing and AdvertisingPublic Relations and CommunicationsAviation & AerospaceDefense & SpaceArchitecture & PlanningConstructionHealthcare ConsultingManagement ConsultingTechnology ConsultingOther ConsultingApparel & FashionCannabisConsumer ElectronicsConsumer GoodsCosmeticsFood & Beverage ProductionLuxury Goods & JewelrySporting GoodsTextilesEducation ManagementHigher EducationPrimary/Secondary EducationOil & EnergyUtilitiesCivil EngineeringEntertainmentEvents ServicesGambling & CasinosEnvironmental ServicesRenewables & EnvironmentCapital MarketsCommercial BankingDiversified Financial ServicesFinance Research & RatingsHedge FundsInsuranceInvestment BankingInvestment ManagementPrivate EquityPublic FinanceRetail BankingTaxTreasuryVenture CapitalOther FinanceGovernment AdministrationGovernment RelationsInternational AffairsLibrariesMilitaryPublic PolicyBiotechnologyHealth, Wellness and FitnessHospital & Health CareMedical DevicesPharmaceutical Distribution / WholesalePharmaceutical ManufacturersPharmaceutical OtherHospitalityLeisure, Travel & TourismRestaurantsHuman ResourcesStaffing and RecruitingImport and ExportInternational Trade and DevelopmentJudiciaryLaw EnforcementLaw PracticeLegal ServicesAutomotiveBuilding MaterialsBusiness Supplies and EquipmentChemicalsElectrical/Electronic ManufacturingIndustrial AutomationMachineryPackaging and ContainersPlasticsBroadcast MediaDesignGraphic DesignMedia ProductionPrintingPublishingWriting and EditingMining & MetalsPaper & Forest ProductsMuseums and InstitutionsNon-Profit Organization ManagementPhilanthropyReligious InstitutionsCivic & Social OrganizationConsumer ServicesFacilities ServicesFund-RaisingOutsourcing/OffshoringProfessional Training & CoachingPublic SafetyResearchSecurity and InvestigationsThink TanksTranslation and LocalizationVeterinaryWholesaleCommercial Real EstateReal EstateRetailSportsComputer & Network SecurityComputer GamesComputer HardwareComputer NetworkingComputer SoftwareE-CommerceEdTechFinTechHealthTechInformation Technology and ServicesInternet ServicesNanotechnologySemiconductorsTelecommunicationsWirelessLogistics and Supply ChainTransportation/Trucking/RailroadWarehousing

Functional area desired after Kellogg

Accounting/ControlAdministrationAdvertisingAsset ManagementBrand/Product ManagementBusiness DevelopmentBusiness Development/Strategy/ResearchConsultingCorporate FinanceDevelopmentEconomic AnalysisEntrepreneur/OwnerEntrepreneur/Small BusinessFin. - Accounting/ControlFin. - BankingFin. - Commercial BankingFin. - Corporate Finance/UnderwritingFin. - Financial AdvisoryFin. - Investment Banking/BrokerageFin. - Investment Portfolio ManagementFin. - ManagementFin. - Mergers and AcquisitionsFin. - Private Client ServicesFin. - Private EquityFin. - Public FinanceFin. - Research (Equity/Fixed Inc.)Fin. - Sales & TradingFin. - Treasury, AnalystFin. - Venture CapitalGeneral ManagementHealthcareHuman ResourcesInformation SystemsInformation TechnologyInternational DevelopmentInvestor Relations/PR/CommunicationsLaw/LegalLending/Relationship ManagementManagement ConsultingMarket ResearchMarketing - AdvertisingMarketing - Brand/Product ManagementMarketing - ResearchMarketing - SalesMergers and AcquisitionsOperations/LogisticsOperations/ProductionOtherPrivate Client ServicesProperty ManagementPublic FinancePublic RelationsReal EstateResearch & Development ManagementResearch (Buy Side)Research (Sell Side)SalesSales and TradingStrategic Planning (Internal)Treasury Analysis

What has been your most significant career accomplishment?

240 characters remaining

What is your short-term career goal?

150 characters remaining

What is your long-term career goal?

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What drives your interest in these short- and long-term goals?

240 characters remaining

 

Assuming you are applying to school's with goals essays you can easily create answers to fit this. If Kellogg is your first school, I do suggest looking at the way I analyze goals in detail that you can find in posts on  Columbia Business School and Stanford.

 

 

 

Best of luck with your application to Kellogg!

 

  

 

Wharton MBA Essay Questions for the Class of 2026

 In this post, I analyze the essay questions for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for Fall 2024 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 96 clients admitted to Wharton (81 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.

 

There are no changes to the Essays from the prior year.

 

The big change for 2023-2024 at Wharton is that the school is now accepting IELTS for the first time!  For those required to submit an English test score, having IELTS as an option is important. For example, here in Japan, IELTS is now the primary English test used by MBA applicants and Wharton was previously the only school that did not accept it. As a result, Japanese applications to Wharton declined.  I hope this will change that situation. 

 

ESSAYS FOR THE 2023-2024APPLICATION 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

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 3  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 750 words (Essay 1 is 500 words and Essay 3 is 250 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 2026!

-Adam Markus

Columbia MBA Essays for 2024 Admission (J-Term Class of 2025 and August Term Class of 2026)

 Columbia Business School has, as they do every year, modified their MBA application essay set for 2024 admission to the January term Class of 2025 and the August term Class of 2026.  This year they have removed their song/book/movie question (see my post from last year if you are interested in this for some reason) and gone back to using their DEI question (Previously used in 2021. See here if you like history).  

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 3, 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.

Columbia Business School has, as they do every year, modified their MBA application essay set for 2024 admission to the January term Class of 2025 and the August term Class of 2026.  This year they have removed their song/book/movie question (see my post from last year if you are interested in this for some reason) and gone back to using their DEI question (Previously used in 2021. See here if you like history).  

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 3, 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.

 CBS has gotten rid of the Early Decision and Rolling Admissions processes that they have long been know for.  This is a major change that simply means CBS is acting like other MBA programs.  It now has three rounds.  While applying R1 might be advantageous, it is a normal level of that advantage and not necessarily the same as the perceived advantage during the Early Decision Years.

August 2024 Entry Application Deadlines

The August 2024 application will be available in mid-July.

Round	Application Deadline	Interview Decisions Released	Final Decisions Released
Round 1	September 13, 2023	Mid-October	Mid-December
Round 2	January 5, 2024	Early-to-mid February	Late March
Round 3	April 3, 2024	Mid-to-late April	Early May

 

Given Columbia's overall rank as well as the unique nature of January (J-Term. Deadline: 9/13/2022), 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 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 85 clients admitted to Columbia Business School for ED, RD, J-Term, and Deferred Admission.

 

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 complicated CBS 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 2024 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 and/or Essay 3 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 the August Term 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 (They don't).  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 2024 start.  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  Kellogg  is an accelerated program 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.   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 2023 entry and reapply for J-term 2024 entry. If you entered in J-term 2024, you would graduate in the Class of 2025with those who entered in ED/RD 2023. 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  M7  (Booth, CBS, HBS, Kellogg, MIT, Stanford  and Wharton) 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 and they treat it like an insurance policy. 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 February-April (this is based on past practice and not stated on their website), 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 3-7 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. In 2023, at least one of my ED admits was notified of their funding in February. Meanwhile 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. Discuss your past to help establish your motivation for your goals. 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. Explain motivation and past experience if it has not already been discussed sufficiently.

- A clear dream job, not just a long-term goal or vision but an actual imagined highly aspirational role. Explain motivation and past experience if it has not already been discussed sufficiently.

- Since Essay 3is 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 3. 

 

 

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.  If you need a lot of hand holding and want to be part of a highly collaborative intense community this is not the best school for you. It is a commuter school (now more than ever because no lives around the Manhattanville campus)

 

 

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.  For my post on Warren Buffet, CBS's most famous alumnus, see here.  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. 

 

 

 

What makes your vision of the future different? Consider the following when formulating a vision:

 

- Is your vision based on a problem you want to solve?  If you are are merely providing a solution that already exists and just saying you want to be in charge of implementing it, your vision is dull if the problem is a well known one. You need have a unique proposed solution and/or a unique problem to be solved.

 

 

-Is your vision based on a future opportunity that you are forecasting? You don't need a business plan but you need to be able to articulate what the  opportunity is and hypothesize how you might address it.

 

 

-Is your vision based on a coming technology?  That is say, are you predicting the future and making a bet on what technology will enable and you can do with it? Avoid fake futures:  A fake future is merely the present expressed as a future desire but without anything that actually sounds like the future.  Imagine future tech platforms and technologies. Think like an inventor, a science fiction writer, or a futurologist.

 

 

-Is your vision based on a specific value or focus that differentiates it from others? Your vision can be informed by a value that is a source of motivation and can help to distinguish your way of discussing your role in the future from others.

 

 

-Is your vision based on a specific organizational role you see yourself in?  For example, such as head of your family business or being a CEO?  Such roles seem generic but can become specific if you tell the right story about why you want the role and what you would do with it.

 

 

When I work with clients on their long term vision, I  typically ask them to come up with a few different initial answers if they don't already have a good one in place. We use these as the basis for a conversation that then leads to the creation of a specific future 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 3. 

 

 

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 3.

 

 

 

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 CBS Insights. Some other great general sources for learning what is hot: Harvard Working Knowledge, Harvard Business Review,  Stanford Social Innovation Review, Knowledge @ Wharton, and the Aspen Institute.  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. The PPIL DEI Question

• The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking.Tell us about a time when you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

 

This essay question was used for 2021 entry, dropped for 2022 entry, and is now back.  What is nice about this question is that can be used for a wide variety of answers in a personal, academic, professional, or extracurricular content.  The actual question itself is behavioral and really fits the STAR (Situation, Task, Action(s), Result) approach to such questions.  While CBS does not mention the task (your role), I think it is important that you keep that in mind.  A good answer will efficiently explain the situation (and given the length of the essay, cannot be context heavy), explain your role in the situation, explain what you did, and clearly state the result.  The word breakdown might be:  Situation/Task (~50 words), Action(s) ~150 words consisting of 1-3 actions, Outcome (~50 words).

 

A challenge is any situation which is not easy.  You may have succeeded, partially succeeded, or failed at the challenge.  That said, I think it is easier to write about successfully overcoming a challenge rather than discussing a failure because such an answer requires discussing what you learned and given the overall essay length, this might prove difficult. It might also prove risky to write about failure here if you come across as not fully upholding the values implied by this essay question.

 

Let's consider the various thematic options here and how they might be used.  Of course, there are certainly more ways of doing this effectively than will be able to elaborate on here.

 

For details about the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL), see https://groups.gsb.columbia.edu/ppil/home/. PPIL is a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) initiative that just had its soft launch in spring 2021 and has subsequently been developed.

The specific language of DEI as well as five categories for possible answers may not be familiar to some applicants, especially those coming for countries, without such practices. Hence I will define/explain the categories and suggest possible ways of writing on them. Unfortunately CBS still  has yet to define these categories and the PPIL does not include definitions/explanations either and since these terms are subject to rather different interpretation, I will simply provide my own, which are by no means comprehensive.  Should CBS explain these terms then I will alter this post accordingly. Since the launch in 2021 they still have yet to do that, which I consider to be extremely unhelpful and not inclusive, especially for those coming from outside of the United States.

One major PPUL site update since 2021 has been Program Insights, which I recommend reviewing as it might help with brainstorming essay topics.

 

 

Creating an Inclusive Environment

Definition: Based on a definition of an inclusive workplace found here, I define an inclusive environment as follows: An environment that makes every person feel valued while also acknowledging their differences and how these differences contribute to a group/team/organization’s culture and  outcomes. 

 

Hence an effective answer would highlight the way(s) in which you made (or attempted to make)  a professional/academic/extracurricular/personal environment open to and benefitting from person(s)/perspective(s)/group(s) that had not previously been valued.

 

I will give a personal example, during my first year of college (1986), I joined a student quarterly with a mostly male staff.  Soon thereafter, as co-editor, I helped introduce a women's section to the paper in order to get women involved in the newspaper, to get their perspectives effectively included, and to increase our staff. We benefited from a greatly expanded team, went on to win Columbia student journalism awards, and my eventual replacement as editor -in-chief was a woman.  The biggest challenges involved overcoming the perspectives of older staff members who did not understand why there needed to be a women's section and to convince female students that we were earnest in our objectives to include and empower them.

 

 

Mitigating Bias

Explanation: To mitigate bias ( defined as "inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair"), is to alleviate, lessen,  or weaken a prejudice. Note that mitigating might not actually eliminate a bias outright but would attempt to reduce its impact.  In addition to attempting to control for overt bias (such as an open prejudice against a specific group), another form of bias mitigation involves becoming aware of and controlling for unconscious bias, which is a common idea in the DEI field and is defined as "social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one’s tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing."

 

A typical example of conscious bias would be the outright exclusion of a particular group from leadership roles. For example, a student club that is extremely hierarchical and does not allow junior members to take positions of responsibility. Another example would be a preference in hiring more males over females based on some kind of overtly stated rationale.

 

A typical example of unconscious bias would be a sexist perception such that a male who is highly vocal and opinionated is described as  "a strong leader/go getter" while a women who exhibits the same behavior is described as "pushy/annoying. " The person doing the describing  might not be aware they are using completely different language to describe the same behavior.

 

A good answer here will involve the direct confrontation and attempt to overcome a conscious or unconscious bias(es).

 

Communicating Across Identities

 

Explanation: The idea of communicating across identities could also be called cross cultural communication if cultural is defined in a very broad way as it is the following definition: "Cross cultural communication thus refers to the communication between people who have differences in any one of the following: styles of working, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Cross cultural communication can also refer to the attempts that are made to exchange, negotiate and mediate cultural differences by means of language, gestures and body language."

 

The challenges of communication include fundamental differences in assumptions based on identify differences, use of language (Two people using the same language can easily miscommunicate if they don't share or understand each other's definitions),  and misinterpretation based on making assumptions about a behavior that has a different meaning than the observer understands.

 

An effective answer here will involve enabling (or attempting the enabling of)  communication across identities.  Examples might include actions involving negotiating, facilitating, and directly communicating with someone whose identity is very different from your own.

 

 

Addressing Systemic Inequality

 

Systemic inequality is also know as structural inequality. I will use a definition of the latter provided by the United Nations:

"Structural inequality is defined as a condition where one category of people are attributed an unequal status in relation to other categories of people. This relationship is perpetuated and reinforced by a confluence of unequal relations in roles, functions, decisions, rights, and opportunities. As opposed to cultural inequality, which focuses on the individual decisions associated with these imbalances, structural inequality refers specifically to the inequalities that are systemically rooted in the normal operations of dominant social institutions, and can be divided into categories like residential segregation or healthcare, employment and educational discrimination."

 

An effective answer here would attempting to overcome organizational discrimination that is systemic against a particular group or groups that is practiced as a matter of outright policy. It could be everything from discriminating against the hiring of LGBT employees to seniority based discrimination that prevents junior players in a sports club from being starting players.

 

 

Managing Difficult Conversations

In this case, I could find a PPIL workshop on this topic:

"All students are welcome to participate in this interactive workshop designed to help you navigate difficult conversations which we all face in our personal and professional lives. The session with walk you through an easy framework which will help you understand the competing demands between intention versus impact, set psychological safety standards for all participants, and empower you to feel comfortable with your communication skills to achieve a mutually beneficial positive outcome."

 

I highly recommend taking a look at this short article, 7 Tips for Difficult Conversationsfrom Harvard Business Review.  Examples of such conversations mentioned in that article:

"I have to tell one of my long-standing suppliers that we’re cutting back orders 50%. We’re their biggest client — and I know it will be devastating.

The new hire worked all night on the presentation, but there were big mistakes in it, and I’ve got to tell her before she makes them again.

There’s no way we’re going to meet the deadline for producing the report our boss promised the Board — we just don’t have the data yet. Someone has to talk to him before this whole situation blows up."

The article goes on to describe some tips for handling such conversations.  Whether the difficult conversation you managed fits into the examples above or was resolved in the manner described in that article, a good answer here will involve explaining why a conversation was hard to have, how you had the conversation, and what the outcome was.

 

 

ESSAY 3: WHY CBS?

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, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, 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? Please be specific. (250 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 3 will connect goals with Columbia. If you use the GAP/SWOT 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.  Feel free to visit campus if you want, but the most important thing to do is connect with students and alumni because you will need to mention that in the application form.  

 

 

 

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 3 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.

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 2025 or 2026!