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Columbia MBA Events - October 2024

In October 2024, Columbia Business School will host a total of 21 events, comprising 14 virtual sessions and 7 in-person gatherings. 

Related Download: F1GMAT's Columbia MBA Essay Guide

On October 2, the Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group Conversation will allow prospective students to engage with the admissions team regarding the application process and inclusion-focused initiatives. Also on October 2, participants can join The CBS Experience: Student Chat with Green Business Club to connect with current members and gain insights into their initiatives. 

An in-person event, the Consortium MBA Application Preparation Seminar in Chicago, will take place on October 3, offering an overview of the Consortium MBA admissions process.

Veterans

Following this, on October 7, the Meet Veterans Club Webinar will allow prospective students to learn more about the Veterans Club through a Q&A with current student leaders. 

LGBTQ

On October 8, participants can attend the Top Business Schools Discuss: The Value of an MBA virtual panel, followed by two additional webinars: Meet Cluster Q (LGBTQ+ Students), focusing on the LGBTQIA+ community, and The CBS Experience: Private Equity Program, which delves into the Private Equity offerings at CBS.

Women and Consortium

On October 10, the Women of CBS: Meet Columbia Women in Business (CWiB) Webinar will facilitate connections between prospective students and the CWiB community, while the Consortium MBA Application Preparation Seminar in New York will provide insider tips for the admissions process. 

Virtual Events

A Virtual MBA Information Session on October 14 will cover the application process and program overview. The Dual MBA/Executive MS: Engineering and Applied Science Information Session is scheduled for October 16, alongside another Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group Conversation.

JD/MBA

On October 18, the Three-Year JD/MBA Early Decision Application Q&A Webinar will offer insights into the joint degree program, and on October 19, the Spotlight On: Black Business Students Association and Hispanic Business Association will take place on campus. 

On-Campus

Subsequent in-person MBA Campus Visits are scheduled for October 21, 24, and 28, providing prospective candidates with the chance to tour the campus and interact with the admissions team and current students.

Hispanic 

Lastly, on October 30, the Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group Conversation will be held again, followed by the Meet Hispanic Business Association (HBA) Webinar on October 31, concluding the month's events with another MBA Campus Visit.
 

DateEventDescriptionType of EventRegistration Link

02-Oct-24

Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group ConversationIn this virtual session, prospective students will join Columbia Business School's Engagement & Inclusion admissions team to learn about the application process and explore inclusion-focused initiatives, including the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management and the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership.Virtual

Register

 

02-Oct-24

The CBS Experience: Student Chat with Green Business ClubProspective students can join this online session to connect with Columbia Business School's Green Business Club (GBC). Current club members will answer questions and provide insights into GBC's initiatives. This event is part of the CBS Experience series, which highlights key programs, clubs, and initiatives at Columbia Business School.Virtual

Register

 

03-Oct-24

Consortium MBA Application Preparation Seminar in ChicagoThe Ross admission committee will lead this in-person seminar in Chicago to provide participants with an overview of the MBA admissions process through the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, including information about Consortium member schools, the application process, the Consortium Fellowship opportunity, and the benefits of Consortium membership.In-Person

Register

 

07-Oct-24

Meet Veterans Club WebinarProspective students can join this virtual session to connect with Columbia Business School's Veterans Club. Hosted by the Office of Admissions, veterans and allies will learn about the club and CBS community. Following an introduction, current student leaders will answer questions from attendees.Virtual

Register

 

08-Oct-24

Top Business Schools Discuss: The Value of an MBAProspective students can join representatives from top business schools for an informative session about their MBA programs and student experiences. The event includes a moderated panel discussion with a Q&A session, followed by virtual networking with panelists.Virtual

Register

 

08-Oct-24

Meet Cluster Q (LGBTQ+ Students) WebinarProspective students can join this virtual session to connect with Columbia Business School's Cluster Q. Hosted by the Office of Admissions, LGBTQIA+ members and allies will learn about Cluster Q and the CBS community. Following an introduction, current student leaders will answer audience questions.Virtual

Register

 

08-Oct-24

The CBS Experience: Private Equity ProgramProspective students can join this virtual session to learn about Columbia Business School's Private Equity Program. Hosted by the Office of Admissions, the hour-long event will provide insights into the program's offerings and allow attendees to ask questions live to admissions and program members.Virtual

Register

 

10-Oct-24

Women of CBS: Meet Columbia Women in Business (CWiB) WebinarProspective students can join this virtual session to connect with Columbia Women in Business (CWiB). Hosted by the Office of Admissions, the event provides an opportunity for women and allies to learn about CWiB and the CBS community, with current student leaders answering questions from the audience.Virtual

Register

 

10-Oct-24

Consortium MBA Application Preparation Seminar in New YorkThe Consortium’s MBA Application Preparation Seminar (MAPS) in New York provides prospective MBA applicants with insider tips on the admissions process, Consortium funding, and membership benefits. Attendees can network with admissions. representatives from member schools and connect with Consortium alumniIn-Person

Register

 

14-Oct-24

Virtual MBA Information SessionThis virtual session will be hosted by the admission representative from the Columbia MBA program who will explain the application process and give an overview of the program.Virtual

Register

 

16-Oct-24

Dual MBA/Executive MS: Engineering and Applied Science Information SessionThis virtual information session offers an efficient way to learn about the Dual MBA/Executive MS in Engineering & Applied Science program at Columbia Business School and Columbia School of Engineering.Virtual

Register

 

16-Oct-24

Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group ConversationIn this virtual session, prospective students will join Columbia Business School's Engagement & Inclusion admissions team to learn about the application process and explore inclusion-focused initiatives, including the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management and the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership.Virtual

Register

 

18-Oct-24

Three-Year JD/MBA Early Decision Application Q&A WebinarThese virtual information sessions offer a convenient way to learn about the Three-Year JD/MBA program at Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School.Virtual

Register

 

19-Oct-24

Spotlight On: Black Business Students Association and Hispanic Business AssociationProspective students can attend this on-campus event, co-hosted by the Office of Admissions, to learn about the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School. The event will feature the Black Business StudentsIn-Person

Register

 

21-Oct-24

MBA Campus VisitParticipating candidates can visit the Columbia campus in Manhattanville and chat with the admission team and the current students.In-Person

Register

 

24-Oct-24

Meet Black Business Students Association (BBSA) WebinarProspective students can join this virtual session hosted by the Office of Admissions to learn more about the Black Business Students Association (BBSA) and the CBS community. The event will include an introductory discussion and a live Q&A with current student leaders.Virtual

Register

 

24-Oct-24

MBA Campus VisitParticipating candidates can visit the Columbia campus in Manhattanville and chat with the admission team and the current students.In-Person

Register

 

28-Oct-24

MBA Campus VisitParticipating candidates can visit the Columbia campus in Manhattanville and chat with the admission team and the current students.In-Person

Register

 

30-Oct-24

Engagement & Inclusion Virtual Small Group ConversationIn this virtual session, prospective students will join Columbia Business School's Engagement & Inclusion admissions team to learn about the application process and explore inclusion-focused initiatives, including the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management and the Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership.Virtual

Register

 

31-Oct-24

Meet Hispanic Business Association (HBA) WebinarProspective students can join this virtual session hosted by the Office of Admissions to learn more about the Hispanic Business Association (HBA) and the CBS community. The event includes an introductory discussion and a live Q&A with current student leaders.Virtual

Register

 

31-Oct-24

MBA Campus VisitParticipating candidates can visit the Columbia campus in Manhattanville and chat with the admission team and the current students.In-Person

Register

 

Winning MBA Essay Guide - A Complete Guide for M7 and Top 15 MBA Application Essays 


F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay guide will teach you how to transform your essay into a life journey with trials and tribulations that will move the admission team.

+ Over 245 Sample Essays (Read Previews of F1GMAT's Winning MBA Essay Guide Sample Essays here)

+ Top 15 MBA Programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Booth, MIT, Kellogg, Yale, Haas, Darden, INSEAD, LBS, NYU Stern, Tuck, Duke Fuqua, Ross)
+ The Art of Storytelling 
+ Leadership Narratives
+ Review Tips
+ Persuasion Strategies
+ The Secret to "unleashing" your unique voice
+ How to prepare and present for the Video Essay
+ How to write about your Strengths
+ How to write about your Weaknesses
 
 

Want to try the individual school Essay Guides before upgrading to the Winning MBA Essay Guide? Try below.

F1GMAT's Essay Guides

  • Harvard MBA Essay Guide (20 Sample Essays)

    Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words) 

    Example #1: Persistence Narrative 
    Background Information: The applicant – a design and music talent, shares her journey through several setbacks. She attributes curiosity to her growth.  
    Curiosity: Philosophy  
    Curiosity (Explained): Curiosity as a philosophy is tough to translate into a narrative unless you are from the creative industry or your contributions had an influence on a solution or an initiative.  
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to capture the humanity of the applicant and her influence in music instead of just highlighting how she overcame multiple roadblocks to gain attention as a designer.  
    Theme: Persistence  
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Life Starts at NO (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example) 

    Example #2: International Community Building 
    Background Information: The applicant, a Machine Learning (ML) entrepreneur specializing in healthcare diagnostics, shares how his curiosity to learn other ML algorithms’ evolution in diagnosing Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease transformed his platform into a global community. 
    MBA Essay Strategy: I wanted to show the applicant’s contributions in diagnostic from 2020 to 2024 by citing two events. Such examples build credibility instead of engagements that were recent. The evolution of the platform from an AI development community to a community for discussing the application of AI in diagnostics is captured through a ‘curiosity’ angle.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Growth through Collaboration (AI in Healthcare) (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #3: Culture
    Background Information: The applicant, an Entrepreneur from India narrates his first entrepreneurial experience – facilitating exchange of stamps in the late 1990s.
    Theme: Culture
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Instead of addressing the biases in the investor community that could turn preachy, I wanted to focus on the applicant and his entrepreneurial journey by citing two entrepreneurial experiences – a platform(club) for stamp collection and his Grocery delivery App.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – The American Dream (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #4: Addiction
    Background Information: The applicant – a beneficiary of the foster home system, captures the sacrifice his adopted grandparents made to save him from a path of addiction. Paying it back through early intervention among teenagers and community engagement is the curiosity narrative.
    Theme: Addiction
    MBA Essay Strategy:  My strategy is to capture a gratitude narrative in the first one-third of the essay to demonstrate motivation for starting the venture and dedicate the latter part of the essay to the unique solution
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Drug Addiction and Gaming (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #5: Scarcity
    Background Information: The applicant, an education major, recognizes that 70% of all students in Kenya don’t have a computer. The curiosity that drives him to pivot from one solution to another is the growth narrative.
    Theme: Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Often, innovation is captured with a ‘hero’ narrative where the applicant is the sole originator of an idea. I wanted to break that cliché and include a person from whom the applicant learned to use a concept called ‘scaffolding.’
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Scarcity (Growth-Oriented HBS Essay Example)

    Example #6: FinTech
    Background Information: The applicant captures a vulnerable moment of a beneficiary to compare his journey of side hustle before a technology giant noticed his talent. Although cryptocurrency is not a flavor for the year, capture niches where innovation is still happening. 
    Theme: Education, Child Welfare
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Empathizing with a techno solution is tough without a strong backstory around the beneficiary. For the essay, I wanted to clearly establish the beneficiary – Rami, before the applicant narrates the similarities to his journey and finally shares the solution that emerged from his curiosity.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – FinTech as a Tool for Good (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #7: Learning from the best
    Background Information: The applicant – a Remote Engineer in the Oil and Gas industry, reflects on a value that has helped her learn from the best regardless of her geographical limitations.
    Theme: Learning
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The effectiveness of the case-study method depends on the assumption that peers in a Harvard MBA class will help elevate your learning experience. For the essay, I have highlighted the applicant’s recognition of this value proposition with three examples.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Learning from the Best (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #8: Military & Search for IMPACT
    Background Information: The most common narrative for US military applicants is to quote 9/11 and the reaction your immediate family had while watching the events unfold. The horrifying moment is captured as a motivation to join the Military. On digging deeper, most applicants would share that their motivations were diverse.
    Theme: Career Choice
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I wanted to quickly highlight that the applicant had the choice of entering any industry. One achievement to demonstrate his curiosity that I shared in the first half is the invention of a game. Since the game is mentioned in the resume and verifiable through search, I didn’t quote the name. By clearly highlighting the person’s curiosity and career options, the family legacy is used as a factor in joining the military.
    Read: Harvard MBA Curiosity Essay – Career Choice after a Military Career (Growth-Oriented HBS MBA Essay Example)
     
    Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

    Example #9: Small Business Values
    Background Information: The applicant - a second-generation Asian American, is familiar with the values of fiscal conservatism, building relationships, and understanding the daily struggles of the community through his family’s department store.
    Theme: Customer-Centric
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The applicant’s role in developing an App for the store is highlighted in the essay at a crucial part of the narrative so that the essay is not all about his father. I have also humanized the journey – by sharing how upset the father was when the revenues fell by 40%. The essay is about the transformation in the applicant’s value from a person chasing productivity and optimization technique to someone who is truly thinking about the customers. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Small Business Values (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #10: Breaking Away from Family Business
    Background Information: A unique challenge that applicants whose parents are public figures or CXOs of businesses or entrepreneurs are the pressure to live up to the parent’s standards or milestones. For the leadership narrative, the burden of legacy is established before the narrative addresses his leadership principles.
    Theme: Authenticity  
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, I want to capture an entrepreneur’s journey to rise above his entrepreneur father’s image. But I didn’t want to make the entire essay about this complex dynamics. The narrative is around the applicant’s focus on customers and surrounding with teams who keeps him grounded. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Breaking Away from Family Business(Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #11: Creativity and Communication 
    Background Information: When the overall percentage of users with internet access is 62% in South Africa and the inequality accentuated by the rural and urban divide, the applicant endured the lack of digital infrastructure, and spending close to 22% of the family income on gaining relevant information on schools, global exams, and financial assistance. 
    Theme: Creativity, Communication
    MBA Essay Strategy:  The strategy is to share why the applicant values no distraction in a child’s home for optimum education experience. Then I highlight the many roadblocks the applicant’s non-profit faced in receiving fee waiver for their cooperative run ISP.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Non-Profit (Telecom) (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #12: Mental Health
    Background Information: The applicant like most didn’t pay much attention to the mental health epidemic until tragedy hit home.
    Theme: Communication, Innovation
    MBA Essay Strategy:  A question we frequently get from applicants is whether they should cite tragedy in the family as a motivation for a venture or a non-profit initiative. As long as you don’t linger too much on the tragedy and offer a balanced narrative, there are no restrictions on leveraging unique stories from your life. 
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Mental Health (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #13: Trauma, Healing & Finding Authentic Self
    Background Information: The applicant narrates the absurdity of war in the narrative about the duties in Kabul, and the trauma. Instead of wallowing in on the horror, the applicant takes what makes military applicants strong and guides unprivileged children build life and leadership skills.
    Theme: Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing PTSD in an essay, the healing process, and the cues that helped the applicant are too sacred to be shared in a Harvard MBA application essay. However, with the right motivation and narrative arcs, you can capture the essence of your journey without sharing the darkest secrets. That is what I did by merging two stories – the horrors of the war with a non-profit engagement.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Military & PTSD (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #14: Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra
    Background Information: In this narrative, the applicant captures Peru’s Silver mining boom of 2006. The growth experienced in her father’s business shifted the family’s economic status to a new stratosphere. Through the changing economic and family dynamics, the applicant finds her voice in a unique way, initially to record her unheard voice but later as one of the youngest subject matter experts in mining and commodities.  
    Theme: Failure
    MBA Essay Strategy:  For the essay, the strategy is to show how life’s unpredictability is a blessing. By narrating two setback events, the essay demonstrates the applicant’s resilience and her acknowledgment of people who made a comeback possible.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Addiction, Setback and Leadership Mantra (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Example #15: War, Immigration and Starting Over Again
    Background Information: Despite a raging war in Syria, the family of the applicant was unblemished by the chaos. The strategic government assets near the applicant’s house would have made the region an easy target, but it was not. The calmness of her journey is shattered in one event. From the privileges of a cocooned life, the applicant is forced to think about survival, her sister’s future, and her future in the US. The second half of the narrative captures the change that was forced on her. 
    Theme: Gratitude, Resilience
    MBA Essay Strategy:  I consciously chose not to start the essay with a dialogue or trauma. Two lines are allocated to set up the narrative before the trauma event.
    Read: Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – War, Immigration and Starting Over Again (Leadership-Focused HBS MBA Essay Example)

    Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

    Example #16: Creative or Finance
    Background Information: The applicant starts the narrative with the origin of her talents. The unbridled enthusiasm receives a reality check when in high school, the applicant’s father has a conversation with her about academics. While the applicant picked up her quant skills, she was reaching over 50,000 loyal fans, and her videos captured 1 million views. 
    Theme: Passion, Talent
    MBA Essay Strategy:  Capturing vulnerability is the toughest part for Harvard MBA applicants. For this essay example, I have captured the applicant’s uncertainty about career choice throughout the essay. Here the goal is to show vulnerability in the career choice essay while for leadership and growth essay, I could capture one example each from creative and PE industry respectively to balance the narrative. So don’t follow this example without a strategy.  
    Read: Harvard MBA Business-Minded Essay – Creative or Finance (Business-Minded HBS MBA Essay Example)

  • Stanford MBA Essay Guide (24 Sample Essays)
  • Columbia MBA Essay Guide (21 Sample Essays)
  • Wharton MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • INSEAD MBA Essay Guide (19 Sample Essays)
  • Darden MBA Essay Guide  (21 Sample Essays) 
  • Yale SOM MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Tuck MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays)
  • Haas MBA Essay Guide (18 Sample Essays)
  • NYU Stern MBA Essay Guide (15 Sample Essays + 6 Examples - Visual Essay)
  • LBS MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Essays)
  • MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide (6 Sample Cover Letters + 3 Sample Video Statement Scripts + 3 Sample Optional Essays)
  • Kellogg MBA Essay Guide (11 Sample Essays)
  • Chicago Booth MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)
  • Ross MBA Essay Guide (31 Sample Essays)
  • Duke Fuqua MBA Essay Guide (10 Sample Essays + Two 25 Random Things Samples)
  • Cambridge MBA Essay Guide (12 Sample Essays)

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