Are you looking for expert tips on how to approach Columbia Business School’s first essay? Learn what the 5 components to a successful CBS essay are and what you need to do to ensure that your application essay checks off each one. View this short video for more information.

Full video transcript

Are you struggling with Columbia’s first essay?

My name is Michelle Stockman and I’ve been a consultant with Accepted for over 11 years.

Consider this as an effective approach to the first essay.

Here’s what they ask:

“We can get a sense of your professional experience and accomplishments from your resume. Tell us about your short-term goals and what would be your long-term dream job?”

The 5 Parts of the CBS Essay

This essay, I found, can be split into five parts.

1. Start with an introduction

   This is where you want to grab the admissions committee’s attention. You can do that by asking a big question like: “What if this milestone could be reached in my industry?”

2. Establish yourself as an expert who can execute

   You can do that by relating a brief example that shows when stakeholders gave you their time, their money, or other people, to make your idea become reality.

3. Discuss your short-term goal

   Be specific by naming a specific position at, perhaps, a couple specific companies in a specific industry that you’d like to go into after you complete your MBA.

4. Discuss your long-term goal

   This is where you want to show the admissions committee how your ambitions can soar. But it really should have a bridge to your past.

5. End with a conclusion

   Perhaps right now you’re working on networking with people who already trying to figure out the solution to that big problem that you mentioned in your first paragraph. Then the fifth paragraph, or fifth section, should be your conclusion and should tie in Columbia.

Be Columbia-Centric

You can mention a couple specific aspects of Columbia that would help you reach this goal. And then this is a great launch which asks you how you plan to take advantage of Columbia’s location in New York City, “the very center of business.”

Work with an Accepted Advisor to Get Accepted to CBS

So if you like this approach and you would like to work with me or some of my colleagues at Accepted, check out our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing Services. Let us guide you to confidently apply to an MBA program.

Looking for more advice on how to get into CBS? Mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 7 at 10AM PT / 1PM ET or 5PM PT / 8PM ET and attend our live webinar, Get Accepted to Columbia Business School. Register now to reserve your spot!

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Related Resources:

• Ask Me Anything, a webinar discussion with CBS’s Director of Admissions Emily French Thomas
• Columbia Business School Application Essay Tips & Deadlines
• The Applicants That Stand Out at Columbia Business School