Student of Presidium College
Essays are a core part of the Columbia MBA application — not just a formality. The adcom uses them to judge goal clarity, school fit, and self-awareness. They want to know if you’ve thought seriously about what you want and how Columbia can help you get there.
For example, in the 100-word goals essay, they expect you to mention a clear role, industry, and location — like “strategy consultant at McKinsey’s healthcare practice in NYC.” In the Why Columbia essay, they want real links to the school: courses like The Entrepreneurial Greenhouse or clubs like the Columbia Women in Business group.
Essays can seriously move the needle. Candidates with a 720 GMAT and solid work experience have been waitlisted or rejected due to generic or misaligned essays. Meanwhile, applicants with slightly lower scores have been admitted because their essays showed strong fit and purpose.
For more details you can read this blog on Columbia MBA Essays on their official website .
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