Expert Essay Advice for the 2018-2019 Columbia Business School MBA Application

We are excited to share with you our advice on Columbia’s 2018-2019 MBA admissions essay prompts. Read on for a taste of the advice you can find in the Veritas Prep Essential Guide to Top Business Schools. You can also skip straight to the full version of our advice, if youd like a more in-depth analysis of this years essay prompts from Columbia.   This year, applicants to Columbia Business School must complete one short answer question and three essays.   Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum) 50 characters is not a lot, so get to the point! What do you want to do after you graduate business school, in a nutshell? A straightforward question deserves a very straightforward answer, so dont beat around the bush in answering this. Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words) Here’s your chance to expand on the answer you provided to the short answer question. Two very important things to keep in mind with this essay: 1) Make sure your goals are researched, realistic and real, and 2)  show that you have the vision and ambition to really make a positive impact. We go into depth about how to ensure that your goals are researched, realistic, and real in the full essay advice section of our Essential Guide. For example, in researching your goals, ask yourself have you done â€Å"human research†? Have you actually talked to someone who has your target position and do you truly know what it entails? Will an MBA from Columbia help you achieve that goal? These are questions you should be asking yourself as you tackle this e ssay prompt. Essay 2: How will you take advantage of being â€Å"at the very center of business†? Click photo. (250 words) Be sure to actually watch the video that launches when you click on the photo. In your essay response, show how you’ll take advantage of the unique opportunities Columbia offers. What specifically does Columbia offer you that is perhaps not available at the other top business schools (especially other schools in New York) that you might be interested in? Go beyond just the obvious professional opportunities, and consider also writing about the social benefits of immersing yourself in the Columbia culture and going to business school in New York City. Essay 3: Please provide an example of a team failure of which you have been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently? (250 words) Note that they specifically ask you to write about a team failure here. An important part of teamwork is being accountable, and  an important part of a strong answer to this question is showing what you learned and how you grew (became a better leader, teammate or team member) because of this experience. Those are just a few quick thoughts on the 2018-2019 application essays from Columbia. For more free expert advice on getting into top MBA programs like the one at Columbia, check out the Veritas Prep Essential Guide to Top Business Schools. You can also   give us a call at 1-800-925-7737 to speak with an MBA expert about how you can best increase your  odds of admission to business school!