Columbia MBA Program

Columbia Business School

Perhaps more than any other school, Columbia is nearly synonymous with finance and banking. Students rave about the school’s finance faculty and the access that they have to top Wall Street executives. And with more than half of a typical Columbia graduating class going into banking, it’s no surprise that nearly every Wall Street firm is stacked with Columbia alumni.

Accordingly, most finance-minded applicants—especially those on the east coast—consider applying to Columbia. If you are one of them, you will need to especially focus on differentiating yourself from a large pool of similar-sounding applicants. Therefore, start thinking now about what makes you different from the rest of the investment bankers (and aspiring bankers) who apply to Columbia.

Columbia’s core curriculum is heavy in finance and related courses. First-years take required courses in financial accounting, corporate finance, and global economics, among others (students take one elective in the first year). The core curriculum also includes classes such as marketing and strategy, although these are studied in half-term courses. While these courses are also strong, be aware that much of your time will be spent on finance-related topics. Of course, you will also need to demonstrate an ability to handle a quantitative workload, ideally through your GMAT score and relevant work experience.

Beyond finance, Columbia also places a great deal of emphasis on entrepreneurship. The subject is studied both inside and outside of the classroom, with the Eugene M. Lang Center serving as the hub of much of this activity. Launched in 1996, the Lang Entrepreneurial Initiative Fund provides seed capital to worthy business plans crafted by Columbia students. The Fund acts less like a traditional business plan competition and more like a venture capital firm, taking an equity stake in any Columbia start-up with promise. The Lang Center also sponsors the Entrepreneurial Greenhouse Program, a semester-long course that students take in the spring term of their second year. More than just a seminar in entrepreneurship, the Greenhouse Program provides mentorship and even limited funding to helps students cover typical startup business costs. Students must submit a business plan to be considered for the program, and just 15 to 20 students are accepted into the program each year.

Another notable program is the Global Social Venture Competition, which grew out of a partnership between Columbia and Haas, keeps growing in stature. It has taken on multiple partner schools around the globe, and now welcomes submissions from MBA students at any school. Finally, one student-run initiative at Columbia is the A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Competition. As the name suggests, the competition awards students for business plans outlining ideas that are big and ambitious enough to be deemed “outrageous.” Obviously, if you have an entrepreneurial itch, research these programs and be sure to highlight this interest in your application.

One new development at Columbia is the creation of the Program on Social Intelligence (PSI). This program helps students sharpen their ability to read others and to understand their own effect on other people—in other words, it helps them increase their “social intelligence.” While other schools have started similar programs, what’s most notable about PSI is the extent to which the school is working it into the whole student experience. PSI starts with exercises during Columbia’s orientation for first-year students, but goes beyond that with integration into the core curriculum, career services, study groups, end even student clubs. While it’s not a wholesale change to Columbia’s curriculum, PSI provides an important glimpse into how Columbia views leadership development. Take note of this as you think about what stories to highlight in your admissions essays.

Don’t plan on waltzing your way into Columbia if you’re an overly competitive shark. Although they acknowledge that their peers are competitive, most students and grads consider Columbia to be a competitive but helpful community. Students spend their entire first year in the same “cluster” of 60 students, taking their core classes together. Like other schools, Columbia encourages cooperation and trust within these clusters. As such, you will need to demonstrate the ability to get along with your peers. Also, like other schools in big cities, Columbia wants its students to spend more time on campus with each other. Demonstrating your enthusiasm for the program and a willingness to get involved in extracurricular activities will help show your fit with Columbia.

• NYU (Stern)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Chicago
• University of London (LBS)

1. What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals? (Recommended 750 word limit)


2. In a recent speech delivered to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Dean Glenn Hubbard discussed the new, essential elements of the 21st century MBA: http://www.gsb.columbia.edu/admissions/21st_century_MBA.pdf. How will your MBA prepare you for a rapidly changing business environment? (Recommended 500 word limit)


3. The entrepreneurial mindset is an integral component of the Columbia Business School MBA. Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity. (Recommended 500 word limit)


4. Please tell us about what you feel most passionate in life. (Recommended 250 word limit)


5. (Optional) Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.

This and dozens of other top business schools are covered in detail in Your MBA Game Plan, the definitive guide on MBA admissions, now in its second edition.