We pick up where we left off last week, analyzing the essays for the 2014 Columbia Business School application. Part I of this post is available here.

Essay #2

Please watch this video. How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? (250 words)

There are two easy ways to botch this question, so let’s tackle each in turn.

1. Don’t just talk about New York City.

Last October, Columbia Business School unveiled a new branding campaign and tagline: “At the Very Center of Business.” This essay question is a not so subtle attempt to see how closely applicants were paying attention.

As Columbia notes, the campaign is supported by four pillars:

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Columbia University’s Butler Library at nighttime

Columbia Business School made some subtle but important changes to its essays this year, so let’s take a look at each of the questions that applicants will have to answer.

We’ll analyze each essay question in a two-part series, beginning with part I below, in which we take a look at Columbia’s short answer question and first essay prompt for applicants in the 2014-15 season:

Short Answer Question

Goal: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? Examples of possible responses:
      1. “Work in business development for a media company.”
      2. “Join a consulting firm specializing in renewable energy.”
      3. “Work for an investment firm that focuses on real estate.”

Three important words describe the very specific type of goal that Columbia is asking applicants to describe here:

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