For 2023 intake, Columbia is again requiring three essays. Unlike last year, where the first essay was required and applicants could choose two from among three other prompts, the options are gone. That’s a plus for applicants, as too many people were trying to read between the lines and figure out which essays they were expected to write. The ambiguity was stress-inducing; less stress = better essays.

The first prompt will be familiar to anyone who has followed the CBS application trajectory over the years. It’s a goals essay, and if you haven’t already articulated your goals, now is the time to start.

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)

First, there’s a subtle but significant change from prior year wording. Until this year, the second sentence read “what, in your imagination, would be your long term dream job?”

“In your imagination” is gone, and “would” has become “is.” Why is the change significant? See below.

At first glance, this appears to be a standard goals essay. And half of it is. Nothing makes an admissions officer crazier than to see an applicant who has no idea why s/he is applying.  The assumption, correct or not, that your reasons aren’t very solid. “I hate my boss.” “I’m bored!” Even if you don’t know exactly what you’re going to do, you need a plan, preferably one that requires an MBA.

Your goal need not be unique. But it should be aligned with your past experiences and with your academic plans. “I operate the merry-go-round at the amusement park, but I would like to be the park’s manager someday. I need advanced management skills, and I will acquire them through Columbia’s courses and leadership training.”

Note that to answer the first half of the question, you will want to reorient yourself to the post-graduate future. An answer like “well, I’m going to spend a year applying and then two years in the MBA program, and, yep, that’s three years right there!” is not what they’re looking for. The 3-5 year clock starts when you graduate.

The second part of the prompt looks at the long-term. But by removing “imagination” and changing “would” to “is,” CBS is clarifying their objective: they want your realistic assessment of your future.

Because they haven’t removed the word “dream,” the intent remains clear. Think big! Imagine that all the stars are aligned, good fortune comes your way, and you have all the talent needed for immense success. What will you do? Who will you be?Throw some passion into your description so that whoever is reading your essay will be as excited as you should be. That’s what dreams are for.

Last year, a new prompt about the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership, was among the three “choose two” options. All my clients chose the PPIL prompt as one of their two essays. Why? Well, schools generally introduce new prompts for one of two reasons. Sometimes, the new prompt is speculative, in a let’s-run-this-up-the-flagpole way. They aren’t sure it’s going to fly, but want to see how people respond. In this case, CBS wanted to emphasize their focus on DEI issues with a pointed prompt that asked about challenges that individuals had faced while working on diversity-related issues. DEI is still a prominent issue for MBA programs, but this year CBS has reframed the prompt to broaden its scope and folded another one of last year’s optional essays (why CBS?) into the essay. It is now required.

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)

Let me say for starters that I don’t love what they did with this prompt. It sounds too kitchen sinkish, as though it was created by a committee with everyone throwing in a word or two. You simple can’t do justice to all three key topics (in bold) while also explaining why CBS is a good fit. Not in a total of 300 words. Here’s the strategy I recommend.

First, do your homework on the three bolded items.  Note phrases like “collaborative learning” and “inclusive and ethical manner.” If you’re taking notes about your reasons for attending Columbia, and I hope you are, you should have a few pages of thoughts by this point. Of all the material you’ve assembled, what stands out to you the most? How do you envision getting involved, or having an impact on the school?  What in your background or experience suggests that the environment is right for you?

You will want to make sure your response is specific. You don’t have a lot of words here, and you don’t want to spend too many (if any) describing your philosophy.  Come up with at least one concrete example that illustrates your approach to learning as well as your principles. What obstacles did you run into? How did you resolve them? What did you learn? What could you have done better? What will you take away from that experience for the next time? How will an MBA at CBS fit into your journey of continuous self-improvement and learning? “Columbia Business School is a special place.” Why does that sentence resonate with you?

Essay #3: Tell us about your favorite book, movie or song and why it resonates with you. (250 Words)

This topic has staying power: it’s been around for a while. I’ve got to believe that admissions officers truly enjoy getting to know applicants from a different perspective.

As you can guess, what you choose probably does not matter; no one is going to question your taste in music, film, or literature. (You are going to make a judicious choice; you’re not going to talk about a slasher pic or Mein Kampf.). You don’t have a lot of space here, and you want to make sure you focus on topics like:

  • What motivated you to read the book/watch the movie/listen to the song?
  • What was your takeaway from that experience?
  • Why has it stayed with you?
  • What message, mantra, or lesson do you take from the book/movie/song that you can apply to your life?

Although you can summarize the plot or lyrics, devote a minimum amount of space to that. Adcomm is not reading this essay to obtain entertainment recommendations! Providing context is fine too, but make sure it stays within the spirit of “why it resonates.” For example, if you’re writing about a song that always reminds you of a friend, you can talk about what that friendship means, but you don’t want to segue to a discussion of your friend’s life/job/vacation.

This prompt can also be a place to showcase talents or interests that you can’t describe anywhere else.  Often, books/movies/songs offer gateways to hobbies or adventures. Could be a picture book you read as a child, or a movie you saw last month – whatever you write about, it should be personally meaningful to you.