How to pass your Columbia Business School MBA admissions interview

 

Columbia matters most to Columbia.

Why? Yield.

COLUMBIA INTERVIEW CRITERIA

  • A friend of mine conducts interview Columbia alumni interviews in the United States.

  • He recently showed me the interview criteria that Columbia asks him to use when evaluating applicants.

  • As I read it, I noticed that Columbia asks interviewers to evaluate how interested you are in the school.

  • In fact, they mention it several times.

  • Columbia asks its alumni to confirm your interest and commitment to Columbia in order to protect its yield, which is around 70% (vs 89% at HBS).

  • For applicants in Japan, you should prepare for some portion of the interview to be conducted in Japanese.

  • This might the case in other non-English-speaking counties, as well.

  • Finally, you should prepare to answer an ethical dilemma question.

 

Why Choose Columbia Business School #WhyCBS

 


 


 

Q: Why Columbia?

A: Location, location, location.

 

  • Most of my clients who are admitted to Columbia Business School have some 'killer' reason why they simply MUST study in Manhattan.

  • A few years ago, a client chose Columbia over Stanford GSB because he wanted to pursue a new career in the art industry after graduation. Stanford is trying to become a leading center for the arts, but they cannot hold a candle to New York City.

  • Think of a reason why you MUST go to NYC for your MBA. How does being there for two years best prepare you to achieve your goals? Then, be sure to mention the people and student culture. Talk about how the CBS alumni that you know fit your personality. Mention how they used the degree to achieve their goals. Then, draw a logical line that shows why CBS is also the best place for you.

 

 

COLUMBIA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

FREQUENCY ANALYSIS

 

Frequency Analysis of Columbia Business School  Interview Questions 

  Based on a sampling of interviews conducted with Japan-based applicants  
1 Question #
2 Walk me through your resume. 6
3 What are your goals?   5
4 Why MBA? 10
5 Why now? 2
6 Why Columbia? What makes Columbia different for you? 14
7 What other schools are you applying to? 7
8 What kind of specific lectures/fields are you interested in? 2
9 What are your contributions to Columbia? 3
10 Tell me about one significant leadership experience. 2
11 Describe "leadership" for you with 3 key words. 2
12 Tell me your 3 strengths and weaknesses 2
13 Tell me your story of ethical dilemma and what kind of lessons you learned. 3
14 Is there any other thing you want to add? 2
15 Any questions? 6
     

 

 

Columbia Interview Reports 

 

Prepare to answer an ethical dilemma question!

 

2009 Regular Decision Round admit in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni 

  • client applied at Jan. deadline
  • invited March 3
  • interviewed March 10
  • admitted March 12!
 
My Columbia interview was okay, I think. What was different was that he spoke to me really really fast and he often asked questions in the middle of my answer.
 
He talked about his experience as well. I would say he spoke during 20% of the interview time.
 
Also he wanted to know a lot about where else I was applying to. I knew he would ask me because it's Columbia, but I did not expect he would ask me so much. But I believe I could get my message across about Why Columbia.
 
 

2008 Early Decision admit in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni

The questions were pretty standard.  

The 2 I remember were the ethics questions (standard for CBS)

and

"What was the most surprising/out of character thing you have ever done in your life, that others would be surprised to hear about" 

 

2008 Regular Decision Round in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni

Columbia Business School, Regular Decision

Ambassador Interview

log 2009/01/29 1630-1750,

Imperial Hotel, Tokyo

Alumni Interview Style: friendly

30% English 

70% Japanese

Firstly we talked in Japanese on a common economist we had known.

He mentioned it has been quite a while ago when he last volunteered for an interviewer, and it took him about 3 minutes after we sat for his preparation before he made the first question.

He seemed to have had the entire set of application materials.

Questions Asked (In English)

  • Please talk about the time you observed someone conducting an unethical action, how did you react, and what was the result. What would you do if given another chance (he mentioned, "This is a question I was instructed to ask by the admission's office")
  • Although you are a researcher, why MBA?  
  • What do you think about American Capitalism, after this financial crisis?
  • Columbia is one of the schools which had produced greedy bankers, but why are you still interested?  
  • Do you think financial regulation should be stricter in the future? (In Japanese)  
  • Why Columbia? What makes Columbia different for you?  
  • Please tell me how sponsored applicants make school choices in your company (which he said was totally from his curiosity).  
  • What kind of specific lectures/fields are you interested in?

 

There were no specific opportunities for me to make questions, but he explained me of his time at CBS.  Also, I made sporadic questions during our conversations. 

 

2008 Early Decision in Tokyo w/ Japanese alumni

Columbia (blind/business-like)
Interviewer: Japanese Alumnus 30% English 70% Japanese
Time: 45 minutes

Questions asked

  • Tell me your career background and what made you think MBA
  • What is the difference between your current career and future goal? (in terms of knowledge/skills/experiences, etc)
  • How Columbia will contribute to your future plan?
  • Why Columbia?
  • What are your contributions to Columbia?
  • Which class or professor at Columbia are you interested in?
  • What extracurricular activities at Columbia are you interested in and how will you contribute to those activities?
  • Have you ever participated in any volunteer activities?
  • Tell me your story of ethical dilemma and what kind of lessons you learned?
  • Other things you want to say to AdCom 
  • Q and A

 

 

 

 

COMMON QUESTIONS

My colleagues, Steve Green and Jessica King have provided me with a list of common questions:

 

WHY CBS / WHY MBA

  • Walk me through your resume.  (Pick and probe content)
  • Explain your professional progression up until now and why you need an MBA?.
  • Why an MBA?
  • Why now?
  • Why Columbia?
  • Where else did you apply?
  • What criteria did you use when choosing schools to which to apply?
  • What will you do if you don't get in anywhere else?
  • What will you contribute to Columbia?
  • What makes you unique from other (financiers / salesmen / IT specialists, etc.) applying to Columbia? 
  • What other steps have you taken to prepare yourself for your goal?
  • Are there any red flags you think the adcom will find in your candidacy?

 

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND SITUATIONS

  • How do you work in teams? Have you ever been in a leadership role?
  • What is your management/leader style? Give an example.
  • Example of a major mistake and how you dealt with it.
  • Example of leading a team.
  • Example of contributing to a team.
  • Example of a challenging team/group situation.
  • Example of an adversity/challenge and what you learned from it.
  • Biggest professional accomplishment/achievement.
  • What was an ethical dilemma you've faced, and what did you do about it? (Follow up with q’s like “What would you do differently?”)
  • Describe a time, either professionally or academically, when you witnessed others behaving unethically--what did you do about it?

 

ANALYTICAL ABILITY / CURRENT EVENTS

  • Tell me about a technology trend and how it will affect business. (Since I talked a lot about wanting to apply my knowledge of tech trends to my career) 
  • What is the impact of the financial crisis on the XXX industry?
  • Topical questions about the current financial crisis, etc.
  • Anything related to interviewee’s field:  Future or real estate, health care, etc.

 

 

PERSONAL

  • What do you do in your free time?
  • What do you get excited about? What turns you on?
  • Why? (sports, hobbies etc.)
  • Tell me something unique about yourself.
  • What are 5 adjectives that describe your interpersonal skills and communication style?

 

 

 

-Updated by Vince on 13 Feb 2012

 
  • I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
  • If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
  • Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
  • I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
  • My interview service details and fees are here
  • Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training
 

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