Post-MBA Goal (Short-term): Product Management to Strategy (FinTech in Consumer Finance)
Post-MBA Goal (Long-term/Dream Job): Start a Consulting Company specializing in Consumer Finance solutions
Problem (Narrative): For this Sample MBA Essay, I had to focus on the healthcare niches in the Columbia MBA curriculum and connect with the applicant’s exposure and experiences.
Knowledge Gap: Strategy, Entrepreneurial Leadership and Consulting
Career Pathways: Strategy, FinTech, Entrepreneurship
Electives and Clubs: I have shortlisted electives and collaborations according to the motivation and knowledge gap
• Succeeding in Consulting: From Project Manager to CEO Advisor
• Driving Strategic Impact - Mastering the Tools of Strategy Consulting
• Economics of Strategic Behavior
• The Psychology and Economics of Consumer Finance
• FinTech and Blockchain Student Club
Opener: Starting the story with the culture at Goldman and sharing how he thrived in such an environment addresses any concerns the admissions team would have whether his career move from Finance to Technology happened from underperformance. The motivation for the first career transition is clearly captured in the first paragraph.
Strategy: Unlike most narratives of switching careers, the applicant already had switched careers from Finance (IB) to Technology (Product Manager). The recent motivation to switch from Product Management to Strategy should be persuasive to avoid mischaracterizing the applicant as someone who is not certain about his goals.
M7 schools, especially Columbia is not in favor of applicants randomly choosing CBS. New York’s strengths – Finance, FinTech, Consulting or Healthcare should be clearly mentioned.
Atul’s Note: Current Trends and Long-Term Goals
Another aspect that I had to worry about was the relevance of FinTech as a long-term goal. In ten years, FinTech will be Finance. That is a big reason why I have focused on Consumer Finance instead of any technology or new trend that will reach saturation in the next 3-5 years. I have seen this with crypto and tokens that was a big fad 4 years ago in essays from Finance applicants targeting Columbia. Be mindful of not including current trends or jargon in long-term goals. Keep it focused on beneficiaries that will remain a beneficiary after 10 years.
Columbia MBA Goals Essay: 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) .” (Common for both January and August entering class)
Sample Goals Essay 3: FinTech (Product Manager to Strategy) (497 Words)
Accuracy meant everything at Goldman Sachs. A small margin of error even by half a million dollars was frowned upon by the VP. Under such intense scrutiny, I thrived as an analyst.
Download F1GMAT's Columbia MBA Essay Guide for the Complete Essay, in which the applicant narrates his motivation for switching from Finance to Technology and why a Consulting career is essential to serving the FinTech industry. The Columbia MBA Curriculum and Career Paths are strategically interleaved in the narrative.
