EssaySnark

  • about
  • contact
  • help
  • sign up
  • login
CLICK FOR MORE!
  • Essay Questions
    • Harvard
    • Stanford
    • Wharton
    • Chicago Booth
    • Kellogg
    • MIT Sloan
    • Tuck
    • NYU Stern
    • Columbia
    • Yale SOM
    • Berkeley Haas
    • UVA Darden
    • Duke Fuqua
    • Michigan Ross
    • UCLA Anderson
    • Cornell
  • Strategy Guides
    • MBA Interviewing Guide
    • Getting Off the Waitlist
    • Applying in Round 3 mini-guide
    • Applying to European Business Schools
    • School-Specific MBA Application Guides
      • Columbia 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Harvard 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Kellogg 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • MIT Sloan 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Chicago Booth 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • *MORE SCHOOL-SPECIFIC GUIDES HERE*
  • MBA Consulting
    • Free essay reviews
    • What stage are you in?
    • Military MBA
    • BIPOC Program
    • Testimonials & Reviews
    • Guest Posts
  • My SnarkCenter
    • My Strategy Guides
    • My Favorite Posts
    • Discounts & Offers

Columbia: “What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal?”

May 20, 2013 by EssaySnark - Discusses Columbia 3 Comments

IMPORTANT: THIS POST WAS WRITTEN FOR 2013. The 2014 Columbia short-answer prompt is identical except that now they only allow for 75 characters. Adjust accordingly!

Otherwise known as,

The REALLY BIG change with Columbia’s 2013 essays

On Friday we did a brief review of how the Columbia MBA essays have changed for 2013.

What we failed to sufficiently discuss was the short-answer question.

The good news is, the completely overhauled, new-and-improved, massively updated 2013 SnarkStrategies MBA Application Guide for Columbia is now available – and it includes a complete discussion of the short-answer question and all the other essays, too.

The even better news is, we’re going to give you a freebie here on the blahg today, and talk about an important part of Columbia’s new short-answer question that we didn’t mention on Friday.

For several years now, Columbia has been asking its applicants to give a straightforward response to a very simple query: What do you want to do when you graduate?

Columbia always focuses on career goals even more directly than other schools. Most other schools care about the goals too, but few have such a specific emphasis as CBS.

And rightly so. After all, why do you need an MBA if you don’t know what you’re going to do with it?

We’ve always liked Columbia’s priorities in this regard.

In fact, we rejoiced when they first introduced this short-answer response in the 2011 application season – at the time, it was simply “What is your post-MBA professional goal.” Why did we “rejoice”? Well, because this question mapped exactly to the career goals exercises that we’d devised for our clients to complete when applying to Columbia.

We also chuckled when that first crop of candidates drafted up 200-word responses to the question and sent them over to us for evaluation. Sorry Charlie. This appropriately-named “short-answer question” had a 200-character limit.

Last year (2012 apps), the Columbia adcom added the word “immediate” to the prompt. The answers they got from the inaugural crop of BSers dealing with this question had clearly not been quite specific enough as to timeframe. This indicated that Columbia wanted to know what you actually want to do the minute you graduate with the MBA.

This year’s version of the question is identical to last year’s … but for one MAJOR change.

Now they’re allowing only 100 characters to answer.

Yup, you read that right. They’ve cut the length in half.

In case you weren’t convinced that they wanted you to directly, specifically, and also concisely answer this question, you have some evidence in front of your eyes.

Now, many of you reading this post have never written an MBA admissions essay before in your life. You may not realize how drastic a change this is.

BSers struggled mightily when this question was introduced with a 200-character limit. It’s gonna be fun seeing people deal with half that much.

Of course <shameless self-promotion> if you go through the EssaySnark Career Goals App Accelerator, we will coach you on what needs to go into a good response to this short-answer question, and what needs to be presented in their Essay 1 as backup to that.</shameless self-promotion>

Filed Under: career goals Bschools: Columbia

« Previous: 2013 Columbia MBA essay analysis
Next: Advices for a BSer, Part 1: The MBA from India, straight after college »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

Want EssaySnark's personal assistance with your MBA applications? Start with our menu of consulting services and please read the Help FAQ to learn how we operate. Still have questions after doing all that? Email Team EssaySnark at gethelpnow at essaysnark dot com.

Good luck on your apps, Brave Supplicant!

Here's what others have said about this:

  1. Ash says

    June 26, 2014 at 1:37 am

    Hi guys,

    I am thinking of purchasing the complete essay package which I think is about a 100 bucks. I don’t have a gmat score at hand yet. Will be taking mine in a month’s time

    Would you guys reocmmend that I purchase your service after I have a test score in hand. Its just that Im thinking of applying to 4 schools.

    Insead
    University of chicago
    Columbia and
    Nyu stern

    In october. I am not sure if its too late to purchase your product at that point. Please can you let me know?

    Reply
    • essaysnark says

      June 26, 2014 at 6:33 pm

      Hey Ash – great question! Typically we do recommend having a GMAT score in hand before doing the Comprehensive Profile Review, which is generally recommended as the first step of the Complete Essay Package. HOWEVER: There are big advantages to starting early (especially in starting now, before the month is out – see this post), and we must also note the prices may rise at any time. We’re still technically in early season though that will be changing within a matter of days. We can develop your Comprehensive Profile Review using a practice test score, or you could potentially start working on your career goals first, before you submit your questionnaire for the profile review, and then wait for the profile review until your GMAT is done. Remember that all steps in the Complete Essay Package must be finished within its subscription term (60 days from purchase). Most people need at least 4 full weeks for essay development so no matter what, you’ll want to get going pretty soon if you are planning for a Columbia Early Decision app (best to submit in early August if possible).

      Hopefully that helps! Let us know if you have other questions on this. We are encouraging people to move ahead as soon as possible since this stuff always takes longer than expected (you’ll want to have your first app done at least 4 weeks before the next ones are due, to make sure you have time to rework tactics and tackle questions that the different schools ask in different ways).
      EssaySnark

      Reply
  2. Ash says

    June 26, 2014 at 1:40 am

    Sorry I meant to say I would like to purchase The complette essay pakage which is about a 1000 bucks! Haha wish it was 100 though.

    I dont know if I should purchase it now/later. Thanks and please let me know what you guys think.

    Reply

Tell us what you think. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up for the 'Snark via email

Enter your address to get weekday blahg posts by email.

UPCOMING MBA APP DEADLINES

  • INSEAD Jan '22 intake Rd 1
    in 5 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 1 month, 2 weeks, 4 days, 5 hours
  • (expected) HBS Class of 2024 app requirements released
    in 2 months, 0 weeks, 1 day, 6 hours
  • (expected) Columbia J-Term/ED app to open
    in 2 months, 4 weeks, 2 days, 6 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 3
    in 3 months, 1 week, 6 days, 5 hours
   
From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


Feb 11, 2021
by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on EssaySnark
Great Starting Point

I thought getting over the GRE/GMAT hurdle was fairly straightforward--disciplined study then test execution... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on Single Shot Express MBA Essay Review
Worth Every Penny

I used the Single Shot Express to decimate essay #1 at my first-choice school. Paired with the school... Read more






Not sure where to begin with EssaySnark?
Our Snark Selector
will tell you!



What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: The Fed and the virus
  • 2020: What you control in life
  • 2019: ($) "What can I do to improve my chances?" GMAT edition
  • 2018: The main argument in favor of a larger school
  • 2017: Plea for Help! "Maybe I'm not as qualified as I thought..."
  • 2015: *NOW* what are your reasons for going for an MBA?
  • 2015: ($) Everybody's at a disadvantage in admissions
  • 2014: Someone is starting early!
  • 2014: But are you likeable?
  • 2013: "Why do GMAT scores go down in older populations?"
My Tweets

See the Top U.S. Business Schools on a Map!


EssaySnark is currently available! We're accepting new clients! Standard turnarounds apply. If you're in a hurry, Speedy Review is available!

EssaySnark® is a registered trademark. All content copyright © 2010–2021 Snarkolicious Press · Privacy Policy

Where should you start with EssaySnark?

Which EssaySnark service is right for you? Answer a few questions to find out!

This field must be set to Everyone - then in the Settings -> HTML -> After Fields screen there's JavaScript to hide it.
Sending