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Columbia Business School

Columbia MBA Salary 2021

Columbia MBA stands out for its highest median sign-on bonus among M7 Schools at $57,500, against peers’ $50,000 benchmark. At the same time, the school also attracted the second-highest total salary in Investment Banking at $207,500. The school is among the handful of top schools where Investment Banking is reinforcing its position among MBA graduates while Management Consulting remains the most popular industry and function.

Pitfalls of Quoting Songs in Columbia MBA Essay

I had just moved with 4 housemates as a fresher in college. This was way back in 2001.

We were getting used to understanding each other's musical tastes.

One of my friends was really into Michael Jackson and was raving about the transition in "you rock my world" - the album MJ released after a big hiatus.

He was playing the song on an infinite loop.

Others found their own sacred playlist.

I interrupted everyone with a loud proclamation - this is nothing.

You should hear, "The Rhythm of the Rain" by the Cascades

Sample Columbia Book Movie or Song Essay (IMPRO)

Although a great book for anyone entering performance arts, specifically Improvisation, Keith Johnstone’s book IMPRO is a pioneering look at performance and life’s nuances interactions. Through his hands-on experience guiding thousands of students in his theatre company in Canada, the methods of improvisation have caught on to popular culture and materialized in several TV shows and movie’s memorable moments.

Columbia Book Movie or Song Essay (Viktor E Frankl)

In the first example, we look at an MBA applicant who cites Viktor E Frankl's seminal work on suffering - Man's Search for Meaning. A psychiatrist, Viktor, offers a poignant narrative on surviving the concentration camps in Auschwitz, breaking down human being’s primal motivations when faced with a consistent threat to their safety. Through the suffering, he connects our desire to balance human dignity with survival, and the search for meaning.

Columbia MBA Essay 1 Tips (We have a clear sense of your professional path)

Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Columbia MBA Essay 1 Tips: The Essay is a rephrased short-term and long-term goal essay. Unlike last year, the admission team has reduced the word count from 750 to 500. You have to be judicious with the use of phrases. Dive straight into the core of the narrative.

Sample Columbia MBA Essay – Most Passionate About

Your passion for a goal or activity might have already come out with an extracurricular or your short-term goal, but if you have not covered them, this is the space for you to show that you are complete person. Bring your unique hobby to the picture. We had an applicant with a passion for music - not as a musician but as an organizer. It was so unique and apparent in his Instagram feed that any one from the admission team would recognize that he did not create the narrative for the essay.

Columbia MBA Essay 2 Tips (2016-17)

Essay 2: Columbia Business School’s students participate in industry focused New York immersion seminars; in project based Master Classes; and in school year internships. Most importantly, our students are taught by a combination of distinguished research faculty and accomplished practitioners. How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? (100-500 words)

Read Columbia MBA Essay 2 Tips

Interview with Kavita Singh(Columbia MBA Alumnus)

F1GMAT: Tell us a little bit about yourself

Kavita Singh: I have grown up and lived all over the world: Calcutta, Dubai, Delhi, Oxford, London and New York. It was a great experience and has shaped who I am quite fundamentally.

I am extremely passionate about innovation, and have spent my entire career in new product and new business development.

MBA Admissions

Columbia MBA Application Essay Questions: 2012

Short Answer

What is your post-MBA professional goal? (Maximum of 200 characters.)

Examples of possible responses:

“After my MBA I want to build my expertise in the energy sector and learn more about strategy and decision making by joining a consulting firm specializing in renewable energy and power companies.”

“After my MBA I hope to work in business development for a media company that is expanding its market share in Asia.”

“My short term goal is to work with an investment firm that utilizes public private partnerships to invest in community development projects.”

Essay 1

Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why you are pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (Maximum 750 words)

Essay 2

Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Maximum 500 words)

Essay 3

(Select and answer one of the below questions)

Columbia MBA Ranking, Class Profile and Employment Report: 51% Chose Financial Services

Except for Businessweek, all the other reputed MBA rankings have ranked Columbia Business School in the top 10 over the past 2 years. Businessweek in fact had ranked Columbia at 9th place last year, but 2012 saw the school slide down to 14. Financial Times and the Economist both gave identical ranks during 2012 and 2011 – 5 and 7 respectively.  US News saw the rise of ranking from 9 to 8 over the last one year. These results show that the Columbia MBA is on the upswing and we need to wait for next year to see if this New York based Business School can maintain the momentum.




Average Rank: 8

Columbia MBA Class Profile – Nationality




Columbia MBA Class Profile - Pre-MBA Experience