This is a classic goal essay with a twist. It doesn’t specifically ask you ‘Why CBS’ or ‘How CBS will help you to achieve your goals’. They have asked for those details in essay # 3. In this essay, they have asked you to narrate your future journey.
A common mistake is that candidates focus too much on their career journey and invest too little on their future aspirations. It’s essential to talk about your past to show what inspires you. You can provide a brief anecdote about something that happened in your past or a quote that inspired you. Thereafter, you can explain what you have done so far just to put a bit more context around the goals you will then introduce. As the question specifically asks about your goals over the next 3~5 years, a substantial portion of the essay should specifically address short- and long-term goals (at least 300 words).
Short-term goals can be more specific than long-term goals. You certainly need to have some specific idea about what you aspire to do immediately after MBA as that clarity will help you to choose appropriate electives and professional clubs on the Columbia campus for networking with the other like-minded students and alumni. However, CBS is not expecting the same level of details about where you will be decades from now (long term goal) as they are for the immediate post-MBA goals. They are looking to see that you have a clear understanding of the value addition of the Columbia MBA program in your professional journey.
Additional Tips: My experience has shown me those applicants who focus on how to write THEIR STORY has a unique advantage of appearing authentic to the admissions team. If I send you 50 goals essay samples that various applicants has send me, you can quickly spot the 48 essays that looks quite same in approach and format. These applicants have extensively read all the sample essays in the internet, tips in GMATClub forums, and analysis in various admission consulting websites. They gathered extensive knowledge on goals essay but still couldn’t embrace the courage to write the desires of their heart in their own voice in their unique way. They all want to avoid the herd mentality; but, inadvertently create write-ups that look identical to whatever is available in the internet. Monkey see, monkey do.
My only advice is, if you behave like fifty other applicants, your output will look very similar to what those fifty will produce. There will be less, if any, differentiation. Whatever you desire in your career, write that in your true spirit without thinking how others’ will perceive it. You don’t need help from anyone else.
In case you are unable to put your thoughts in a piece of paper, then you can talk to me.
Diversity and inclusion can be about nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or different viewpoints. Nowadays, numerous top-notch MBA programs in the USA & EU are asking admission essay questions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their applications and CBS is no exception. To effectively answer this question, you need to thoroughly know about the PPIL initiative. All first-year MBA students are required to attend at least one PPIL-approved session and submit a post-event reflection form. On the website, CBS has described the PPIL as “a one-of-a-kind diversity, equity, and inclusion requirement.” Hence, the admission committee aspires to admit students who understand the nuances of DEI.
In this question, you have a plethora of flexibility and breathing space. First, there are five specific skills to choose from. You can select any appropriate story from your professional career, volunteering experience or personal life in which you have witnessed bias, prejudice, inequality or a long-standing lack of fairness. This is a golden chance to project yourself as an ‘agent of change’. “Show, don’t tell” your actions to demonstrate that you are an inquisitive and reflective leader who has the ability to create change and promote a more inclusive environment.
Even though CBS hasn’t asked about how you will promote inclusiveness on the campus, it’s paramount to show how you will add value to the diverse and global community at CBS. Finally, you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples in a 250-word essay, so limit yourself to one excellent story.
In order to effectively answer this question, first think of your career goals. What are the key leadership skills you definitely need to acquire from Columbia in order to attain your career objectives? What kind of professional network do you need to build to boost your post-MBA career? Moreover, what do you aspire to do outside the classroom to enrich your overall MBA experience? Thereafter, you need to do a thorough study of the Columbia MBA program and understand their culture as much as you can. Visit the Columbia campus, interact with the admissions officers and current students, attend webinars, review the website, and network with former students. Study in detail about the Columbia Executives-in-Residence program, which offers one-of-a-kind access to C-suite mentors. What are the key skills, domain knowledge or industry trends you aspire to learn from such senior executives? Moreover, what benefits are you going to reap from the specialized centers focused on entrepreneurship, value investment, private equity, small business, finance etc? Such in-depth research will help you to obtain numerous details about the program and the student life on CBS that will help you to write a memorable essay.
Columbia expects students to actively participate in various student-driven clubs so as to not only enrich their own lives, but that of the school as well. What are your specific interests? Which clubs, seminars and conferences do you wish to join and why? Study the list of professional and social clubs and figure out how you could make a significant contribution to one or more of them.
The primary focus of your answer should be how CBS’s course offerings, top notch faculty, visiting speakers, New York location, and unlimited industry access will serve as a springboard for your career. Know yourself, know the school and thereafter match the two to showcase your fit. Your answer must be tailored to your individual career goals along with your comprehensive knowledge of Columbia’s academic and professional opportunities. Specifics, specifics and more specifics is your only way to differentiate yourself from thousands of other CBS applicants.
The school is located at the heart of the world’s business capital at Manhattan, and NYC is the home of thousands of multinationals, the major stock, bond, and commodity exchanges, and a vibrant real-estate market. For the Columbia student, not only do internship and job opportunities abound, but also the school itself enjoys a close connection with Wall Street, and its faculty boasts a crop of renowned hedge fund managers.
How will this and allied advantages impact your MBA experience? How will you benefit from the entrepreneurial eco-system in New York and Columbia University? How is closer proximity to the Silicon Alley, which houses hundreds of tech, media and telecom start-ups, going to shape your future plans? How is the cutting-edge research and thought leadership of Columbia faculty members going to assist you to accomplish your dreams? Not to mention the practitioners who lead Wall Street and teach at Columbia. Academics at Columbia include an incredible portfolio of adjunct professors from industry. Or, are you going to explore the cultural treasures of New York as a global melting pot and thereafter take advantage of the incredible business opportunities in the arts, media and luxury goods? Well, in that case, Madison and 5th Avenues are in close proximity, giving you an unparallel access to the world of media, advertisement and retail. If you aspire to follow the footsteps of iconic investors such as Warren Buffet and join an investment bank or financial services, Manhattan and all the businesses in it are at your feet.
If you aim to launch your business, the strong venture capital community in NYC will be an asset. The Columbia Venture Capital club will offer you huge networking opportunity with the prominent VCs in NY. Or, if you wish to build a career in non-profits, NYC will provide you the suitable openings as it houses some of the best organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way Worldwide, Feeding America, Task Force for Global Health and so on. Furthermore, if you are planning to switch careers, then you can explore Columbia’s internship opportunities to explore a variety of firms.
In terms of writing this essay, first identify all the skills and resources that you need in order to accomplish your career goals. Thereafter, do an elaborate research on how Columbia will fulfill those needs. Talk to current students, network with alumni via LinkedIn or Facebook, and attend any admission events. You may look at this MBA essay as an extension of Columbia MBA essay question 1, as it gives you an opportunity to demonstrate a link between your professional objectives and the benefits of studying at CBS.
To effectively answer the Columbia MBA optional essay question, please review my tips on optional application essays in the following blog posts:
As an admission consultant, I have observed that Columbia always aspires to create a diverse class of star performers who have “fire in the belly” to make it big in life. The CBS admissions team is looking for applicants who demonstrate willpower, perseverance, and the mindset of a global citizen.
The phrase “global citizen” can have different connotations. For instance, it might mean applicants who have crisscrossed the globe for professional assignments and have eye witnessed various cultures. Such exposures have broadened their horizon about the positives and negatives of each culture and also made them tolerant of people who speak a different language or might have a different skin color. Global citizen also means people who are globally famous due to their own achievements or by association. For instance, the guy who won an Olympic medal or the swimmer who crossed the English channel last summer.
On the other hand, global citizen also means someone who will add his or her own diversity, confidence, or unique vibe to a multicultural student body. CBS wants to admit students with strong intellectual horsepower and big ideas. They want to admit students who can seamlessly network with people from all walks of life. Moreover, they want people who are confident, but not arrogant. They like people who will thrive in a large group setting and amidst the hustle and bustle of the New York City. They’re looking for applicants who illustrate resilience, steadfast determination and above all a zest for life — kind of like the city itself.
What do I mean by confidence? It might mean someone who has achieved extraordinary things in his or her professional or academic career. It might also mean someone who has persistently faced challenges head-on. Someone who can comfortably walk out of comfort zone and walk into the unknown.
It might also mean someone who doesn’t have a perfect GMAT score or a shinning resume. But he is an expert in networking and relationship building. He is someone who can step up to a challenge and persuade others to shoulder some additional responsibilities. Such a person can build a relationship with an adcom member, retake GMAT, enroll in an evening class to improve quant skills, make efforts to improve at work or have an impact in the community. He knows the art of managing relationship with admissions officers without being boring or pushy. This person might have to reapply, but fighting for an admission with steel in your spine can eventually mean an admission to CBS.
Finally, this is a soft corner for the admissions officers. Columbia is looking for someone who will embrace New York. They all fundamentally believe that unparalleled access to Manhattan, Wall Streets and so on is the core strength of the school. They never forget to point out their location advantage. They basically want to understand do you know what New York can offer you. Can you thrive amidst all the hustle and bustle of NYC? Can you excel in the hyper-competitive business scenario?
A campus visit can be a huge plus–confirming for the adcom that you’re serious about attending Columbia. You will come to the obvious conclusion that CBS symbolizes the New York city: a global melting pot, energetic ecosystem, and dream to touch the sky. Where else can you meet the Who’s Who of Wall Street so easily? Where else can you meet prominent managers from top banks and hedge funds during subway rides? Or meeting with the JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon at a cultural event? And if you are super lucky, a class “talk” with the one and only, Warren Buffet? But, you should not feel intimidated or overwhelmed due to the overabundance of everything at NYC. Columbia wants you to embrace the New York city.
In your MBA essays, showcase to the CBS admissions committee that how you would thrive in the hustle and bustle of New York and demonstrate how they will capture all the advantages of living in New York – a city that never sleeps. However, if you are not from a big city, there is a possibility that you might actually feel scared about all the busyness and traffic snarls in New York city. But hang on! Columbia and New York have so many things to offer that they actually have the power to make your dream come true.
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