Short answer question 1
What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal?
Word Limit: 50 words
Tips: 
Don’t overthink the CBS short goal essay. This isn’t where you unpack your life story it’s just a sharp, specific snapshot of where you’re headed post-MBA. Start with a “To + verb” format to make your path crystal clear. Think: “To transition into fintech consulting” or “To apply my design ops background in consumer VC.” Skip generic lines like “Get a job in consulting” that’s lazy and vague. Get specific. Show you’ve done your homework and have a real plan, even if you’re switching careers. If there’s a logical bridge (like a summer internship), hint at it. This is one of the first things the AdCom will read alongside your resume so if your path’s non-linear, this line should help them lean in, not question your whole app. Keep it clean, directional, and tailored. You’ll get space to expand in Essay #1 and the “Why CBS” section don’t try to cram everything in here. Just make it real, make it sharp, and move on.
Why do you prefer the January-entry term?​
Word Limit: 50 words
Tips: 
If you’re applying to CBS J-Term, your job is to make it crystal clear that you won’t later regret skipping the summer internship because you won’t get one. This program is built for people who already have something solid to go back to: a previous employer, a family business, your own startup, or a clear path that doesn’t hinge on traditional MBA recruiting. If your real plan still requires a summer internship, then either J-Term isn’t for you or you need to rework your story. Yes, it’s a great option for “young” applicants with strong early momentum or “older” candidates who missed the M7 bus the first time around. And yes, the admit rate tends to be friendlier. But be ready to commit no hedging with other schools, no hoping for merit aid (funding is limited), and no last-minute panic about the lack of internships. If you can’t confidently say, “I know exactly what I’m doing and don’t need a summer to figure it out,” don’t apply. J-Term is for people with direction, not doubt.
 

Short answer question 2
How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include target industry(ies) and/or function(s). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business.
Word Limit: 50 words
Tips: 
Yes, CBS now wants you to name your target summer internship in just 50 characters and no, it’s not just to annoy you. It’s a filter. Before they dive into your 700+ words of essays, they want a quick gut check: Is this person’s goal even realistic? Think of it as a resume pre-screen for your vision. They’re skimming for clarity, direction, and feasibility not jargon or fluff. So don’t overcomplicate it. Drop the job title that fits cleanly into your bigger career story, then use the main essay to unpack the “why” and “how.” And honestly? This is why keeping your goal path simple, specific, and easy to digest matters. If they can’t grasp it in 50 characters, they’re not going to read 500 words trying to make sense of it.
 

Essay 1
Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job?
Word Limit: 500 words
Tips: 
Start with the long-term impact you want to create not some fantasy job title. Frame your “dream” as a mission, not an ego trip. Want to lead product at Netflix or launch a niche VC firm? Cool but position it as a way to change something in the world, not just build status or wealth. Then work backward: What do you want to do in the next 3–5 years to get there? Name roles and companies that make sense ideally firms with a track record of hiring from CBS or that are NYC-based. Show why this short-term job matters what you'll learn, build, or prove that directly sets you up for the big leap. If you're a career switcher, show receipts research, outreach, pilot steps anything that makes the switch feel grounded and real. As for “Why MBA” and “Why Columbia”? If you run out of space in Essay #3, plant the seeds here. But don’t drop generic lines tie CBS offerings to your actual plan. Show them you're not just passionate you're strategic. You've done the work, and you’re not just dreaming you’re building.
 

Essay 2
Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization.
Word Limit: 250 words
Tips: 
This isn’t a vague “I support inclusion” essay it’s a story with a clear before, middle, and after. Start with the status quo: what wasn’t working? Was there bias, exclusion, silence, or just a culture of apathy? Then show what you did not what the team did. You’re the one applying, so the action has to be yours. Maybe it was sparked by something personal a lived experience, a moment that shifted your perspective, or someone else’s story that cracked you open. Walk through the steps you took to create change: did you push back on a policy, bring people together, challenge assumptions, or simply start a conversation that wasn’t happening? The result doesn’t have to be world-changing even moving the needle matters. Helped onboard someone new? Changed the way your team saw a colleague? That’s impact. Stick to one core story, but if there’s a short prelude or follow-up that reinforces your commitment to inclusion, you can add that too. Keep it grounded, personal, and real. No fluff. No savior complex. Just proof that when it came to building a better culture, you showed up. 

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Essay 3
We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific.
Word Limit: 250 words
Tips: 
Essay 3 is where you get laser-specific about why CBS and how you’ll actively co-create your experience there. That doesn’t mean you need to list everything the school offers. Prioritize what’s uniquely CBS: real-world practitioner faculty, NYC-based part-time internships, and access to professionals through programs like Executives in Residence. Name names. Show how you’ll engage, not just consume “I’ll work with the XYZ Club to do X” hits harder than “I’ll attend events.” Use this space for the CBS-specific stuff that sets it apart, and if you’re out of room, cut anything generic that could apply to any school. Mention NYC only if you’re tying it directly to your goals not just vibes. Don’t feel pressure to balance “academic, cultural, professional” evenly; instead, hit what’s most relevant to your career path and character. And if you’ve talked to a student or alum who backs your plan, bring in that quote it earns trust. The goal here isn’t to flatter CBS. It’s to prove that you know exactly how to use it.
 

Optional Essay 
If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points.
Word Limit: 500 words
Tips: 
Use the optional essay only if there’s something the AdCom truly needs to know like gaps, low grades, poor test scores, or why you didn’t choose your current boss as a recommender. Keep it short, direct, and drama-free. This isn’t the place to tell a sob story or beg for sympathy. Just state the facts, own your decisions, and, if possible, highlight what the experience taught you especially if it speaks to resilience or tenacity (a trait Columbia values). They’re okay with bullet points, so feel free to ditch long narratives and just be clear. Show maturity, self-awareness, and proof that whatever the issue was, it won’t hold you back at CBS. That’s it. No sugar-coating. No theatrics. Just honest, grounded context.