columbia reapplicant essay

Tips for Your Columbia Business School Application Essays

May 28, 2024

Kelly Lundy

Columbia Business School Application Essay Tips, 2024–2025

Columbia Business School (CBS) released its application for January term applicants this week. This year, the school has introduced two application deadlines for J-Term (Round 1 is June 18, and Round 2 is August 15), and the program has also made two changes to its essay questions.

First, the admissions committee added a new question specifically for its January entry applicants: “Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum).”  

Second, they rephrased last year’s third prompt about why “Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally (250 words).” The new wording asks “How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS?” which will allow applicants to highlight how they intend to collaborate with classmates (and professors) to maximize their experience and leave a positive impact on the school.

To write successful essays for CBS, you need to convey that you have clear goals, especially well-thought-out reasons for wanting to attend the school and live in New York City (NYC), and strong values. Moreover, you must do your homework on CBS so you can really prove that it is the best place for you. CBS doesn’t want to be a commuter school filled with people coming to Manhattan for a two-year vacation; it wants to know that you recognize and appreciate it for the world-class business school it is and that you plan to be a leader in its community. So, demonstrating “fit” is critical. Let’s delve deeper into each CBS application essay question.

All CBS applicants must complete three essays and one short-answer question; J-Term applicants must complete an additional short-answer question.

Free : Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Columbia Business School

SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS:

What is your immediate post-mba professional goal (50 characters maximum).

This is a noticeably short statement (remember — 50 characters, not words!). Make your response as specific as possible, noting the position you want, the industry that interests you, and/or a company that is ideal for you. Keep in mind that whatever you say here should tie into your first long required essay.

January Short Answer Question: Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)

Again, you’ll need to keep your response concise but specific. Some reasons you might prefer the J-Term are not needing a summer internship (e.g., you’re planning to return to your current firm or a family business after graduation) or wanting to complete school on an expedited timeline.

Essay One: 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? (500 words)

By starting with some simple context/backstory, you can give the admissions reader a sense of why your stated goals are credible and exciting. Simply launching into why you want to go into consulting or edtech or whatever your interest is could be confusing if you have not yet provided some sense of why you have that interest. So, your first task is to establish that your goals are feasible without rehashing the entirety of your professional path. 

Next, delve into your long-term goal. By starting with your long-term goal, you are solidifying why you absolutely need a CBS MBA. Think big, think creatively, and think outside the box. Here, giving a job title is not essential (though you can), but you do need to convey what sort of impact you hope to make — on a community, on a company or organization, or somewhere else. In addition, give examples of how and why your long-term goal will be important.

Finally, describe your three- to five-year career goals, which should directly help you achieve your stated longer-term goals. Consider offering a specific job title and an example of a company or organization you aspire to work for. This will help the admissions committee connect with your goal. You have ample word count here to show that you really know what this job entails — that you are not just chasing prestige but have really thought about fit and about how, after you have completed the CBS MBA program, your desired role will prepare you for your long-term dream job. Be sure that your long-term goal can be achieved via your short-term goal. If you cannot build the bridge from one to the other, the admissions committee will question whether CBS can support you in such an improbable endeavor.

You can briefly finish with how the CBS MBA specifically will be critical in meeting your goals. Consider highlighting certain classes, centers, programs, and/or organizations that are unique to CBS that would be beneficial to you. 

Essay Two: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) Pathway is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words).

This essay is a great opportunity to give the admissions committee more depth and perspective on your unique background and experiences. But to begin crafting an effective response to this essay question, you first need to learn more about the PPIL program, so be sure to start there. 

Because this is a short essay, every word counts. Our suggestion would be to devote approximately 50–75 words to describing the situation you experienced and why it stands out for you. With such tight constraints, you clearly need to get to the heart of the matter quickly. Of course, the situation you choose to discuss is important, but what is more important is revealing your values by sharing the steps you took. You might dedicate 100–125 words to relaying those actions and then use the remainder to discuss the outcome. Remember, your results don’t all have to be rosy. For example, if one takes on systemic racism, it almost goes without saying that the experience will not be an easy one. Even amid such restrictive limits, strive to convey the reality of applying one of the stated skills, and make sure your values are on display in a thoughtful manner. 

Essay Three: 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. (250 words).

There are many unique ways to convey how you intend to contribute to the campus experience and collaborate with your peers to leave a lasting legacy at CBS. Before you begin writing, do significant research into what CBS has to offer that fits with your specific goals, including classes and professors (to check the “academic” box), extracurricular clubs and unique traditions (to check the “culture” box), and local networking and internship opportunities (to check the “professional” box). The ways you plan to contribute during your MBA experience should be tied to unique aspects of the school and particular interests and needs that you have.

For example, to fulfill the “academic” element, you could mention how you’d like to co-author a white paper with a specific professor or how you intend to collaborate with fellow students on an entrepreneurial endeavor through the Lang Center for Entrepreneurship. For the “culture” element, you could talk about taking a board position in an affinity-based club (Columbia Women in Business, Latin American Business Association, Ski & Snowboarding Club) and planning an event, panel, or trip. For the “professional” element, you might talk about how you could leverage your existing skills or network to help your fellow classmates. For example, if you are currently a consultant, offer to do mock interviews. If you are currently in the tech industry, offer to set up a panel with your existing industry mentors or leaders you know. Again, remember to tie the experiences you highlight to what you need to gain to attain your goals. 

Research could take the form of reading the CBS website, speaking with students and alumni from similar backgrounds or in relevant post-grad roles, attending an info session, or visiting campus. The application specifically asks candidates to list the students and alumni they have connected with, so leverage such resources as the Hermes Society website to connect with students who have shared interests, backgrounds, or goals. Be aware that if you live in NYC, it is imperative that you schedule a campus visit. Not making an effort to go to campus and engage directly with students there can be a red flag.

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. (Maximum 500 Words)

See our blog post on Optional Essay Do’s and Don’ts for guidance.

Reapplicant Essay: How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long term post-MBA professional goals. (Maximum 500 words).

This is an opportunity to explain how you have grown since you last applied. Ideally, you have improved some aspect(s) of your profile, whether via a higher test score, more work experience or leadership, a promotion, or a similar advancement. Be sure to explain what it is about the school that motivates you to apply again. This can be a great way to show your specific and sincere reasons for valuing a CBS MBA and why you would be a great fit with the program.

In Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into Columbia Business School , you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings, such as the Lang Entrepreneurship Center, J-Term, Immersion Seminars, and the CBS World Tour. Download our brand-new guide to learn more about CBS!

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Columbia Business School Re-applicant Essay

Apr, 22, 2016

Categories: Admissions Consulting | Columbia Business School | Essay Analysis | Essays | Reapplication | reapplication

When judging reapplicants, Columbia makes it perfectly clear what they are expecting. See  here  for their criteria. Clearly this essay gives you the opportunity to: 1. Showcase what has changed since your last application that now makes you a better candidate. 2. Refine your goals. I think it is reasonable that they may have altered since your last application, but if the change is extreme, you had better explain why. 3. Make a better case for why Columbia is right for you.

For more about my many posts on reapplication, please see  here .  I have helped a number of reapplicants gain admission to Columbia. Best of luck with your CBS application for 2016-2017!

Adam has been pivotal for me in obtaining multiple admits from great schools. He has a data analytical approach: He has worked with many applicants and is aware of trends, but at the same time he takes a personalized approach.

- hbs, insead, london business school and wharton (lauder) 2019.

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Columbia-Specific Application Questions

Columbia-specific questions, also known as the writing supplement, tell the Committee on Admissions more about your academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. These questions provide insight to your intellectual curiosity, habits of mind, love of learning and sense of self. They also allow the Committee on Admissions to learn more about you in your current community and why you feel Columbia’s distinctive experiences in and out of the classroom would be a good fit for your undergraduate education. We review your responses to these questions as an essential part of our holistic and contextual review , in order to get a fuller sense of you as a unique individual beyond the standard parts of the application.

A Columbia admissions officer talks about the Columbia-specific application questions, also known as the writing supplement.

2023-2024 Columbia-Specific Questions

Instructions.

For the list question that follows, there is a 100 word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question:

• Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons.
• Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order.
• It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications.
• No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.

 For the four short answer questions, please respond in 150 words or fewer.

• List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.  ( 100 words or fewer)  
• A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer)
• In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not predict or anticipate. It is important to us, therefore, to understand an applicant's ability to navigate through adversity. Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have faced and discuss the personal qualities, skills or insights you have developed as a result. (150 words or fewer)
• Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)
• What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer)

A Guide to the Columbia Business School Essays (2023-2024)

Coach Melanie E. walks you through each Columbia Business School essay prompt for the 2023-2024 cycle, breaking down what adcoms are looking for and offering expert advice on how to nail your responses.

By  Melanie E.

Posted January 9, 2024

Featuring Victoria G.

The Summer Before Round 1: Setting Yourself Up for Success

Starting tuesday, may 28.

3:00 PM UTC · 45 minutes

Table of Contents

As a CBS alumnus, Alumni Admissions Ambassador, and professional Coach, I am excited to share my insights into Columbia’s current essays for their MBA application.

Columbia Business School's MBA essays provide applicants with an ample opportunity to showcase their goals, experiences, and fit with the program. Here's a step-by-step guide to approaching each essay.

Short Answer Question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

It is critical to be straightforward with this question, and be consistent with your essays. It is acceptable to write in phrases versus full sentences given the limited word count. In fact, the word count is limited as a way of forcing applicants to be extremely clear about their goals.

Examples of possible responses (provided by Columbia):

• Work in business development for a media company. (49 characters)
• Join a strategy consulting firm. (32 characters)
• Launch a data-management start-up. (34 characters)

A great example is specific and most likely includes both the function/title and industry or type of company you’re pursuing. For example:

• Poor execution: Work in CPG. (13 characters)
• Good execution: Work in marketing for a CPG company. (36 characters)
• Great execution: Marketing for a healthy-foods focused CPG firm. (47 characters)

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? (500 words)

• Understand the Question: Begin by carefully reading the prompt and understanding what it asks for. This is a common mistake where applicants do not directly answer the question(s) being asked in the essay prompt.
• Be Specific: Clearly outline your short-term career goals, focusing on what you aim to achieve within the next three to five years. Discuss the industry, function, and potential companies or roles you aspire to work in.  It is helpful to provide specific role titles and an example company (such as “a media company like Disney”). If you are sponsored and planning to return to your current employer (such as a Consultant at McKinsey), share this information as well as the mid-term goal, which would be your first role after leaving your current employer.
• Explain Your Long-term Dream Job: Describe your ultimate long-term dream job. Discuss the impact you hope to make in that role and your mission. Showcasing impact while balancing your vision with realistic possibility is key. For example, sharing that you want to solve world hunger may be a bit outrageous, but saying that you want to build a new business model for achieving large impacts within world hunger is more reasonable.
• Link to Your Background: Connect your career goals with your past experiences (personal and professional), skills, networks, and/or achievements. Demonstrate how your path to date aligns with your future aspirations. If applicable, share your “light bulb” moment where you realized your long-term career vision.
• Share Your “Why”: An extension of the previous bullet, share your “why” or your motivations for your career aspirations. Bring this level of authenticity and personality to the essay in order to make it more engaging, believable, and unique from the crowd. This is a critical element that is often missed by applicants.
• Stay Within the Word Limit: With only 500 words, be concise and focus on the most critical points. I suggest not worrying about the word count for your first few drafts, and then edit down once you have all the relevant content ready to go.

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The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

• Consider PPIL: First, take some time to review the PPIL curriculum on the Columbia website.
• Choose a Relevant Situation: Select a specific situation from your professional or personal life that aligns with one or more of the inclusive leadership skills mentioned (Mitigating Bias and Prejudice, Managing Intercultural Dialogue, Addressing Systemic Inequity, Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking, and Creating an Inclusive Environment). The situation should be somewhat recent, and if possible, within the last ~2 years.
• Set the Scene: Provide context for the situation. Describe the environment, the people involved, and the challenges you faced. Based upon the limited word count, you may need to leave out some details of the story.
• Describe Your Actions: Detailing the steps you took to address the situation should take up the majority of your essay. Clearly identify which inclusive leadership skills were utilized via each action. I recommend choosing only one or two skills to focus upon due to the limited word count. It is better to go into more specifics and detail on fewer skills. Lastly, highlight any innovative or creative approaches you used, and share both soft and/or hard skills as is relevant to your story.
• Share the Outcome: Explain the results of your actions. Emphasize any positive impact on individuals, teams, or the overall situation. Small impact is acceptable as long as it is clear, and the applicant was the one who created it.
• Reflect on Your Experience: Discuss briefly what you learned from this experience, and perhaps how it has shaped your perspective on inclusivity or leadership.

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

• Overall: This is an excellent opportunity to focus on explaining why CBS is a great fit for you. If they are your #1 choice, don’t hesitate to share that in this essay.
• Conduct Detailed Research: Before writing, thoroughly research Columbia Business School's MBA program. Understand the curriculum, professors, clubs, conferences, events, and unique aspects of the school. You may also utilize virtual and in-person events specifically catering to applicants to gain knowledge. Lastly, you may decide to contact current students for further information, and are welcome to mention them (with their permission) in your essays. You can locate the names of current students through your network, LinkedIn, and/or school club websites.
• Structure: The simplest and most effective way to structure your essay is by separate paragraphs for academic fit, cultural fit, and professional fit. This directly and clearly addresses each part of the essay question.
• Unique Aspects: Focus upon aspects of CBS that certainly relate to your profile and career aspirations, but that also are unique to CBS. For example, Columbia is highly aware that they are the only M7 MBA program to be located in fabulous New York City, and thus this is a unique point that can be addressed and utilized in this essay.
• Academic Fit: Explain how the specific courses, concentrations, programs, and/or professors will support your academic interests and career trajectory. Look for special classes that may not exist at all top MBA programs and that align to the skills gaps you are seeking to fill to reach your long-term career goals.
• Cultural Fit: Discuss the aspects of CBS's community and culture that resonate with you. Additionally, consider the personal aspects of the school and/or location. Do you have family or friends in the NYC area that would be a supportive community? Do you enjoy the cultural aspects of New York, such as visiting museums in order to relax after a busy school day? Lastly, consider including thoughts on your potential contributions to the school's collaborative environment, such as a leadership position you would like to hold or a club you would like to found. If you’re stumped on this part, consider talking to current students and mention learnings from these conversations (with their permission) in your essay.
• Professional Fit: Showcase how CBS's strong network, career services, employment data, and/or Executives-in-Residence program will aid in achieving your career goals. An often overlooked option is the fact that CBS’ location enables easy networking across almost any industry in NYC, with a robust local alumni population. The location also allows for in-semester internships, which may be relevant for some candidates.
• Be Genuine: Be authentic in your response and avoid generic statements. Don’t be afraid to show your personality, interests, and excitement.

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. (Maximum 500 Words)

• Don’t Write It: Consider if you need to write anything for this essay. In general, admissions committees do not want to receive superfluous materials that are not directly addressing new information that is of significance to the application. Therefore, this essay should only be used to explain any specific situations that are not otherwise addressed in the application. For example, this could be utilized to explain a poor GPA in your undergraduate career due to acute illness.
• Keep It Short: As the guidance from CBS notes, you are welcome to write in bullet form. This means that the essay or bullets should be as short and direct as possible.

General Tips for All Essays

• Showcase Your Unique Story: Use the essays to showcase what makes you unique and differentiates you from other applicants. This is your one opportunity to stand out in your application. Admissions committees value genuine stories.
• Edit and Revise: Plan on having multiple rounds of essay drafts, and take your time to iterate over many weeks. Proofread your essays multiple times to avoid grammatical errors and ensure clarity.
• Seek Feedback: Share your essays with trusted friends, family, or mentors for feedback and suggestions who understand the MBA process. It is best to utilize someone who has attended business school or who is a professional coach.
• Stay on Topic: Focus on answering all the specific questions asked in each essay without straying off-topic.
• Adhere to Word Limits: Respect the word limits for each essay, as exceeding them may reflect a lack of attention to detail.

Final Words

By following this guide and putting effort into crafting engaging, personal, and well-structured essays, you increase your chances of impressing the admissions committee at Columbia Business School and standing out from the crowd.

Good luck with your application!

About the Author

Melanie is an Executive Coach & Admissions Coach with 16 years of experience across strategy, operations, and coaching. A former McKinsey consultant, she is a member of the Forbes Council and has been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, Business Insider, TEDx, and more. Melanie has worked with prominent corporate clients including Google, KKR, IBM, and Morgan Stanley; as well as individuals such as business leaders, influencers, and Olympic athletes.

Melanie holds an MBA from Columbia University and a BS from Cornell University. She currently lives in Los Angeles (while remaining a New Yorker at heart), and enjoys creative pursuits in her free time.

Sign up for a FREE intro call with coach Melanie E. today, and jumpstart your path to your dream MBA program!

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Tips for Tackling the MBA Reapplicant Essay

Rejected from your dream business school? While rejection can be discouraging, do not give up: Personal MBA Coach successfully guides MBA reapplicants every year.

And do not worry – even though your previous application(s) may be kept on file to assess your growth, MBA reapplicants receive unbiased evaluations just like everyone else. As Harvard Business School asserts, “reapplicants do not have an advantage or disadvantage in comparison to other applicants.”

Business schools do, however, require candidates to wait until the following year to reapply, providing ample time for you to take a step back and revise your application.

Each school handles reapplicants slightly differently. For some schools, the reapplicant application is unchanged. For others, along with changing application components, you may also have to answer a reapplicant essay question. MBA Reapplicant essays help the admissions committee understand how you have evolved personally and professionally between the time of your rejection and your reapplication.

For example, Columbia Business School requests that applicants detail their progress and reiterate their MBA goals:

How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA professional goals. (500 words maximum)

Wharton, whose reapplicants make up approximately 10% of their applicant pool in any given year, poses a similar reapplicant essay question but with a shorter word limit:

Please use this space to explain how you have reflected on the previous decision on your application and to discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any applicable extenuating circumstances. (250 words maximum)

Kellogg frames its reapplicant essay question in a slightly broader sense than do Columbia Business School and Wharton:

Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (approximately 250 words)

Taking an even more general approach, MIT Sloan asks the following, allowing applicants to respond to this question however they see fit:

Please let us know what’s changed since you last applied. (1000 characters maximum)

Regardless of the question, your general strategy should be the same. Here are four key tips for tackling MBA reapplicant essays:

1) Answer the question – directly!

While it can be tempting to spend the whole essay professing your love for a given business school, focus on what the question asks! Showing passion and interest is important but desire to attend is only one driver of success. Instead, tell the schools about your growth or goals.

2) Be specific.

Most reapplicant essays ask candidates to demonstrate growth. Remember, past actions are the best indicator of future performance, so be sure to share very specific examples of growth.

3) Consider both personal and professional growth.

While of course it would be great if you were promoted since your last application, this is not essential. You can grow professionally within an existing role by taking on additional projects or changing your approach. In addition, for some candidates, personal growth can be more important than professional growth. Consider weaknesses you have addressed or extracurricular roles you have taken on.

4) Do not dwell on the previous application.

Sometimes reapplicant essays focus on what they think went wrong during the previous application. This is not the most effective strategy. Instead of apologizing, focus on the positive. Convince your readers how you are a better applicant, using the tips noted above.

Need help with the MBA reapplication essay?

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Your Complete Guide to Optional and Reapplicant MBA Essays

Jul 11, 2022

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on July 6, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

Part of the difficulty of applying for business school is figuring out how to present yourself while painting a consistent picture of your personality and achievements throughout the process.

However, if your case is different from most — perhaps you’ve got a lower-than-average GMAT score, perhaps extenuating circumstances have forced you to apply in Round 3, or perhaps you’re reapplying to business school — you will find yourself needing to discuss elements of your profile that fall outside the traditional MBA application. 

That’s where a special type of essay comes in: optional and reapplicant essays .

Done well, these essays can provide the additional context needed to give your application the edge it needs. If done poorly, your application is unlikely to move forward. 

To help you make the most of these kinds of essays, we’ve compiled our expert tips to help ensure you use these “special” essays to their full advantage. 

What is an optional essay and who should write one?

In the past, the optional essay section was often extremely open-ended, with questions like London Business School ’s optional question “ Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (this question is optional) (500 words). ”

This type of question was perfect for applicants to highlight another skill, activity, or experience that they wanted to share with the admissions committee but didn’t quite manage to squeeze in anywhere else. 

How times have changed!

Not only have essay questions become shorter in general , the optional essay has become almost standardized across business schools. 

Take Kellogg ’s optional essay from 2021, for example. The question asks “ If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) ”. 

A nearly identical question is used for the optional essay prompt for most other top MBA programs, often with a limit of just 250 or 300 words .

The change in wording – and word limits – makes it clear that business schools do not want extra essays. They only want to hear about extenuating circumstances . 

Considering the fact that anything you write will add additional work for your reader – who already has a lot of material to read through for every applicant – and how important it is to precisely follow instructions, you must truly reflect on whether or not your case needs explaining in an optional essay. 

Good reasons to write optional essays include:

• A low GMAT score or poor academic performance
• Explaining your choice of recommenders
• Explaining any gaps or confusing jumps in your work experience
• Any relevant personal circumstances that have greatly influenced your application 

Though it’s tempting to fill every box with information about why you are a great fit for your dream school, resist this temptation and make sure, first and foremost, that you follow instructions . 

Really, though. There is no easier way to annoy the admissions committee than to flout their instructions. So make sure you really ask yourself, “Is my application truly incomplete without this information?”

Looking for example optional essays that cover a wide range of subjects? Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of successful sample essays, in addition to successful essays from countless schools, brainstorm guides, resume templates, interview mocks and answer models, and much more. Find out more about your one-stop shop for MBA application success here .

What does a “good” optional essay include?

In a word: brevity . 

In some cases, the admissions officer reviewing your file has already read over 1,000 words before getting to your optional essay. 

This means that they don’t need to read a novel about why your boss is not writing one of your letters of recommendation. 

In most cases, a simple, straightforward explanation is more than enough to get the point across.  

If you need to explain a shortcoming in your application – such as a low GMAT score – you also want to make sure to provide evidence that you are still well-suited to add value to your target school’s MBA program and show any relevant growth in the area of concern. 

For example, despite building a challenging, high-performance career in the financial markets, our client João’s quant score on the GMAT exam was lower than ideal. 

To show his score was not an accurate reflection of his abilities, he included this in his optional essay: 

“First, I would like to address my low GMAT quantitative score. Math has never been a problem for me. As such, I chose to pursue a career in the financial markets, a very quantitative industry. I have been improving my math skills, mainly in statistics and probability, for more than 10 years at university and in my career. I have also done professional courses in derivatives and risk management, and have passed through the first two stages of the CFA certification process. As a result, despite my low score, I strongly believe that I have the quantitative skills necessary to thrive in the Michigan MBA program .”

Though this is slightly on the long side for an optional essay, the candidate had ample evidence to present to offset his less-than-stellar performance. In the end, the essay was enough to earn him an admissions offer. 

Finally, be careful where you draw attention.

If your quant score on GMAT was 50 rather than an elusive, perfect 51, there is no need to explain this. More likely than not, the admissions committee member reading this optional essay will respond with an eye roll. 

As such, think carefully about where your application and/or profile may be slightly below average for the school to which you are applying and address only these issues. 

What is a reapplicant essay and who should write one?

Perhaps you applied to business school last year but weren’t quite able to land a spot at your dream school. 

That doesn’t mean you should give up on your business school dream! We have worked with numerous reapplicants who have secured spots at Harvard , Columbia , and other elite MBA programs only the second time around . 

As a reapplicant, however, you need to be conscious of the fact that you have a unique challenge that first-time applicants do not. First and most importantly, you must reflect on why you were not admitted the first time around. 

Though there are many factors that go into play, some of the most common reasons a candidate is dinged are: a low GMAT, a lack of clearly-defined goals, and a failure to demonstrate fit with his or her target school. 

As such, throughout your application, you must focus on showing the admissions committee how you have grown and evolved as a person and professional since your last application. 

One of the most appropriate places to do so is in your reapplicant essay. 

Let’s take a look at Columbia Business School’s prompt for reapplicants (especially critical given the fact that this is the only essay CBS allows reapplicants to submit). 

The question states:

The question is perfect in its clarity. Columbia wants you to get to the point, showing them how you have grown and what your short-term and long-term goals are. 

Though not all business schools ask the question in exactly the same way, your task is the same: show them the “new and improved you.”

Keep reading for our top tips on how to write this essay (including past successful essays) in the next section. 

What does a “good” reapplicant essay include?

When writing your reapplicant essay, you must keep the word “delta” in mind. 

Defined as the “ an increment of a variable ,” in your application, delta should be defined to mean the difference between old you and new you.  

Though there are many ways to demonstrate “delta,” some of the most effective in a reapplicant essay include:

• A higher GMAT score
• Clarified or refined goals
• Additional leadership or managerial responsibilities at work
• Additional international experience
• New or additional community service experiences

Let’s take our client Pedro for example.

The year before putting the Ellin Lolis Advantage to work for him, he had submitted an application to Columbia Business School that, among its greatest flaws, did not state coherent goals. Though Pedro had built a strong finance career, he focused his post-MBA goals in his first application on launching an art gallery. 

For the admissions committee, it was a bit too much of a jump, and Pedro was dinged without an interview. 

After coming to us and critically reviewing his application , we developed a new line of attack that leveraged his company’s desire to sponsor his MBA and give him a leading role in expanding the company’s regional presence.

Furthermore, we focused on showing how he had sought to grow as a leader both at work and in the community to really reinforce the value he could bring to Columbia. 

Here’s how he did that:

“Not being admitted to the Columbia MBA was a big failure for me, though I can now see it was important, as it helped me realize what passion to follow, where I needed to improve, and what I needed to do to accomplish these things. Thus, I took steps to come closer to reaching my goals. 

After going through a process of self-reflection and talking to many people, including the president of BANK, I realized that the bank has many opportunities for development, and not just in Brazil. BANK’s expansion throughout Latin America will require home-grown talent that is able to implement our DNA in a way that is compatible with local cultures and business practices. I want to play an important role in this process in two different ways. By acting as a connector, I will establish relationships with local players and open new markets to Brazilian companies. By building an adequate organizational structure, I will help prepare and manage our future leaders in this task. 

Having decided on my goals, I started working on my own development. Professionally, I improved my negotiation skills when helping clients avoid default in the current economic environment. Although I still don’t directly manage people, I formally took action in the bank’s institutional recruiting and coaching of interns. Additionally, I engaged in two external consulting projects to restructure the bank’s commercial department. These projects gave me greater insight into the areas of general management and organizational planning. 

Although I decided not to pursue the arts as a career, it remains a strong passion of mine. Therefore, I have continued to run and improve my volunteer organization “Integrarte,” which takes underprivileged children to museums to increase their interaction with art. Recently, I have taken steps to add an arts education component to the initiative and have been developing a methodology to scale the project with NGOs using a feasible, low-cost model. I believe that combining business skills with an inner passion for arts can help me continue to share this passion and impact others. 

Now that I am sure where I am going, the Columbia MBA is even more essential to enable my growth. I am looking forward to hearing Carlos Brito talk about the challenges of transforming a local company into a global giant. Also, attending classes such as “The Future of Financial Services” and “Napoleon’s Glance” will help me better understand the financial industry and improve my decision-making skills for the future. Outside of the classroom, I am excited to participate in the Arts and Culture Club and am interested in organizing a trip to Inhotim in Brazil to explore the combination of arts and social empowerment. 

Lastly, I also expanded my network of contacts, getting in touch with CBS alumni and current students, such as XXXX (Class of ‘XX), a close friend of mine. This enabled me to get to know the school even better and has only reinforced that Columbia is the best possible fit for my post-MBA goals. It is the only school that provides the combination of learning specific concepts of finance from top-level faculty and contact with people from all around the globe in a city where the cultural and professional possibilities are truly limitless.”

In your own reapplicant essay, you should similarly discuss how you have overcome any weak spots in your application and provide evidence that reinforces your strong interest in your target MBA program. 

Furthermore, if you have visited the school since you last applied, you may want to include a mention of how this visit shaped your view of the school and what it offers. Though we don’t feel that simply adding, “I visited campus earlier this year,” adds much value, showing the school the insights that you gleaned from attending classes and interacting with students – and how these insights reinforced that the school is the best fit for you – can definitely make your reapplicant essay more compelling. 

With those elements in place, you will be well on your way to reaching your long-awaited goal of attending an elite business school. 

Ask for an outsider’s perspective

Self-reflection of any type is challenging. 

It can be a complex task to identify weaknesses in your profile – reapplicant or not – and then develop a surgically precise strategy to address these weak spots and how you’ve worked to overcome them in your application. 

If you’re not sure exactly how to do this, we’d be happy to help you make this critical decision . 

At Ellin Lolis Consulting, we pride ourselves on offering personalized solutions to ensure you tell your best story. Perhaps that’s why we have a 98.9% success rate in placing comprehensive consulting clients in top business schools around the world.  

As our client – and successful CBS reapplicant – Pedro Kuczynski said, “ In a nutshell, Ellin Lolis Consulting is the X factor in preparing for any MBA. ”

Want to put the Ellin Lolis Advantage to work for your admissions essays? Find out more about our team of expert MBA essay editors here .

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Columbia MBA Essays Prompts: Tips for 2023-2024

This year’s MBA application prompts are out, which means it’s time to start brainstorming what your topics will be. Wondering where to start, what to write? No worries, we have all the tips you need to get a nice start on writing a quality essay for Columbia Business School.

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, behavioral essays, etc. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for Columbia Business School.

Career Goals Essay

• What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters)
• Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3 to 5 years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Why This School?

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our  clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our  Executives-in-Residence program .

• Why do you feel Columbia is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? (300 words)

The Columbia MBA Leadership Essay

The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders.  Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills:  Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment. 

• Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome.   (250 words)

The 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. (Maximum 500 Words)

If you are a reapplicant to Columbia Business School, you can also find a section on the reapplicant essay .

Applying to Columbia Business School

Conveniently located in New York City, CBS is committed to creating a learning sphere influenced by the current global business environment, which helps develop the students’ skill to create an opportunity in any situation. Through the story you relate in your essay, the admissions council is looking to see if you reflect the same values that the school does. CBS is looking for students who are inspiring leaders, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to creating an intellectual community. The best way to represent that you possess those qualities is through the type of essay you choose to write. 

The Career Goals Essay

You’re not the only one hoping you’ll have a job after you’ve graduated with your MBA. Admissions committees are looking for students who are motivated and clear in their intentions so that when they get a job post-grad, they’ll be more willing to speak positively of their experience in the program. And, of course, in the hopes that their alumni will earn enough money to become a donor to the school one day.  

There are three aspects to the career goals essay: 

• What you want your future profession to look like.
• Why an MBA is necessary to advance your career.
• Particularly, why a degree from CBS will be most beneficial to you and your job plan. 

Your aspirations need to be convincing, ambitious, and realistic. Columbia Business School is looking for applicants who have meaningful goals grounded in their past experiences, and it’s important that you relate that notion in your essay, however it applies to your experience in life. 

Now, here’s where all that practice stuffing extra-curriculars into your resume comes in handy. CBS is looking for applicants who are going to get involved on campus. Being an active participant in campus culture is essential to the experience of Columbia’s business program, and this university is looking for students who will not only enrich their own lives, but that of the school as well. Many of the programs on campus rely on students to run them, which is your golden ticket in.

When writing this kind of essay, it’s important to keep in mind what your specific interests are—which clubs do you want to join, which conferences do you wish to attend? Figuring out where you most want to be involved and writing how you will thus benefit the school in that position is the key to writing a strong participation essay. Spend some time researching and thinking through your options before diving into the writing process. 

Introduced in the 2023-2024 application cycle, Columbia’s Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) essay aims to evaluate candidate’s based on their track record surrounding inclusive leadership.

In this essay, CBS wants to understand your values as a leader and get to know how your leadership style and background will add to the Columbia Business School MBA class.

It’s important, in this essay, to clearly describe a specific situation, the actions you took, and the results of these actions—as well as what you learned from the experience. Were there setbacks or challenges? Were your team all willing and able to facilitate your vision? How did management feel about your actions?

You can also use this essay to highlight aspects of your profile that you haven’t gotten to mention before—if you’re a passionate and talented rower, for example, maybe you could speak about a time when you steered your team to victory by making sure everyone felt included.

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Optional Essay

In addition to these essay types, Columbia Business School also offers applicants the opportunity to write an optional essay to expand on gaps in your resume or other potential weaknesses in your record. Keep in mind that this essay is meant as an addition, so try to keep it short and concise.

The Reapplicant Essay

For reapplicants, Columbia Business School requires a specific essay in which you can address how your application has improved since your last application. In this essay, you can address any improvements to your test scores, promotions at work, additional volunteer or community work, or any significant professional development that you have undertaken since you last applied to the program.

Timing is key for reapplicants, and when you’re applying for an MBA program a second time around, you want to be sure that you are a more qualified and desirable client than you were a year ago—even if your application was stellar the first time.

Writing strong, coherent, genuine stories is an essential part of your MBA application. These essays are meant to help you stand out among many other applicants, so it is worth your time to do the work and write about situations unique to your life and that you truly learned from. Working with an MBA consultant can help you improve your MBA essays for Columbia Business School.

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• Apr 25, 2022

How to Write the MBA Reapplicant Essay

Updated: Feb 1

So, you didn’t get into your target schools the first time around. We know it’s tough to deal with rejection, but you’re not alone. Top MBA programs are very competitive, and even the best candidates face rejection in their application process. For example, Harvard Business School received 9,773 applications in 2020-21, of which only 1010 candidates were able to enroll. UPenn’s Wharton received 7,338 applications and enrolled 897 students for the class of 2023. That amounts to approximately 1 seat per 9.7 candidates for HBS, and 1 seat per 8.2 for Wharton.

The fight is real.

But if you know that you have (and can demonstrate) the skills to be part of a top school’s MBA class even after getting dinged, don’t give up. Reapply in the next cycle.

Your academic timeline may have been shifted, but this gives you more time to strengthen your profile and identify the gaps in your previous application. The application process stays the same for reapplicants across all MBA programs - except for one key addition: The reapplicant essay.

The reapplicant essay is a relatively short piece that tries to understand how you reacted to your rejection, reflected on your application, and rebuilt it to apply this year. Different schools have different ways of asking this question.

Here are some examples of the reapplicant prompts from various schools:

Q. Booth School of Business asks: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/ or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words)

A. Booth is interested to see how candidates have adjusted their short and long term goals as they matured, how these will be realized through an MBA, and how Booth specifically can help their plans. With Booth’s emphasis on leadership and demonstrating excellence, there’s a strong chance that these aspects were inadequate in your previous applications.

Q. Kellogg School of Management asks: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 words)

A. Kellogg’s essay is simple and to-the-point. It is shorter on space and heavily action-oriented. Get into specifics and quantifiable terms. Whether it is retaking the GMAT, or picking up a new course, or taking on more responsibilities at work, Kellogg wants to know if you are an initiative-taker and self-motivated candidate.

Q. The Wharton School asks: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

A. Wharton’s essay is quite straightforward. No beating around the bush - Wharton has clearly outlined the changes in your profile and directly asks you to discuss them. Again, quantify and highlight Wharton-specific values. You are also asked to introspect and analyze your growth since your previous application, so remember to frame your learning in terms of leadership, collaboration, and personal impact.

Q. Columbia Business School asks: How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA professional goals. (500 words maximum)

A. While the essays above were under a tight limit of 250-300 words, Columbia wants you to elaborate. With a 500 word limit, you have ample space to discuss how you reflected on the rejection and channeled resilience this year. As is the norm with these essays, discuss your progress. While reiterating your goal action plan, think about how you can do it differently from last year.

Perhaps you could have explained them better, they weren’t specific enough, or the jump was too radical. Break down your goals into immediate, short-term, and long term plans and identify landmarks that will help you keep a check on your progress.

Pragya worked with us to reapply to Oxford and successfully received an admit. I sat down with her to discuss how she did it. An inspirational story for any MBA reapplicants. Watch that interview below.

Tips to write your MBA reapplicant essay

Now that you’ve read these example prompts, you probably have a fair idea of what universities are expecting from reapplicants. Here are their top asks and some handy tips:

Strict Word Limit: Reapplicant essays are never open-ended. In most cases, real estate is tight. Make sure you address all points adequately, but remember to edit yourself and keep it brief.

Notice What’s Changed : Naturally, submitting the same application that you did last year will get you the same result. Make sure there is tangible progress in your application essays. Consider all aspects, including your choice of career goals, fit with the school, even your recommendations. Make sure everything is up to date and inclusive of recent achievements.

Writing About Change: Don’t be tempted to reuse last year’s essays and stories. Typically, candidates discuss promotions, new responsibilities and qualifications, recent academic programs, international experience, another GMAT/GRE attempt, and less commonly, warm personal anecdotes such as getting married or having a baby. With change comes perspective. The key to a successful reapplicant essay lies in how well you can express the changes in your vision and values.

Get Into The Specifics: Think of actionable steps. Your attitude towards previous rejection and how you reoriented your profile to learn from the situation has to be explained in terms of plans, milestones, and quantifiable actions. These will credibly back up how you deal with failure and crisis.

These essays, while crucial to your application, are only part of your strategy as a reapplicant. You will need to consider your recommendations, goals, GPA, and even your school choices. Want an easy walkthrough of how to create your MBA reapplicant strategy? Head on over to our Strategy Guide .

This could be your year! If you need guidance with your MBA applications, book a free 30 minute chat with me now.

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February 17, 2023

Reapplying to Business School: How to Do It Right the Second Time Around

Was your b-school application rejected? This blog post offers a step-by-step process for evaluating your rejected application and crafting a standout application for your next attempt. If you implement the principles discussed here and reapply with strong essays, letters of recommendation, and an interview, you should find yourself preparing to attend a favorite business school in the not-too-distant future.

Here’s to your successful reapplication! 

A track record of success with reapplicants

Over the years, I have coached many clients who successfully reapplied to their target schools. One client from India with a 770 GMAT, stellar GPA, and strong international work experience was rejected from all the M7 schools to which he applied. You would think he would have gotten a slam dunk somewhere with those stats!

Once I read his application, I knew immediately why he had been rejected. His essays were, frankly, boring and generic. The elements of his profile that made him so exceptional (his low-income background, being the first child in his family to attend university, his cutting-edge tech experience) were barely mentioned at all. His resume read more like a list of duties, rather than highlighting his impact. 

We worked together to refashion his essays. First, he narrated the journey of how he beat the odds and transformed into a true leader. He also reworked his goals to reflect an exciting vision, informed by experts in the field. 

The candidate also conducted research and engaged in networking, which really paid off. He first reached out to clubs at his target MBA programs where he had a natural affinity. Through those conversations, he developed a better understanding of why he was a good fit for the programs and of specific aspects of them that could help him achieve his vision.  

Some of that information went into his reapplication essays. Other insider knowledge he gleaned helped him prepare for his interviews. All that work paid off – he was accepted to two M7 schools in Round 1!

He had the stats, the story, all the raw ingredients, but better essays and better timing were what ultimately got him accepted. 

Reasons for rejection

First of all, it is important to consider any possible reasons for your rejection. There are two main types of rejections. The first type is a rejection because of the numbers : At the most competitive, top 15 schools, chances of admission are slim – they often have a 10%-20% acceptance rate. Thus, even if you possess impressive qualifications, there were too many highly qualified candidates, and you simply did not make the cut. Any more specific reason remains unclear. The school might have run out of available spots. Waitlisted applicants certainly fall into the category of the qualified but not quite accepted pool. Think of it this way: If you were waitlisted, you were acceptable . You met the bar. But somehow you weren’t as acceptable as somebody who got an acceptance letter. (Applying late is frequently a risk factor and something you should consider if you were rejected but are fundamentally competitive .) 

Again, while applying in the second round is not late, some spots are going to be already taken. And applying in the third or fourth round further increases your chances of rejection simply because of the decreasing spaces available, regardless of your qualifications.

Let’s consider a different group now – those who were rejected because of an application weakness. Usually, one of the “five pillars” of a rejected candidate’s application was weak. These “five pillars” are the most critical aspects of one’s application:

• Work experience
• Personal qualities and characteristics
• The “Why should we admit you?” factor

Unless you are 100% certain which of these pillars might have caused your rejection, you should seek feedback from the programs that provide it. Several schools do offer feedback. The adcom at Michigan Ross says that if they have time, they will offer feedback. UCLA Anderson admissions provides feedback to candidates at the end of the admissions cycle. Dartmouth Tuck and UVA Darden offer feedback to applicants who accept a place on their waitlist.

Check the FAQs of your desired program to learn whether and when they give feedback. Getting feedback often involves a 15- to 20-minute session with an admissions officer, who will go through the different aspects of your application.

Prepare for this session by developing a set of questions that you would like answered. The first should be “Could you point out areas of weakness in my application that contributed to my rejection?” (They probably will answer this question without prompting, but just in case, that should be at the top of your list.) After you get their feedback, even if they have addressed this fundamental question and while being respectful of the adcom member’s time, go through the five pillars and ask the following questions:

• Were my academic stats competitive? If not, how so? Would additional coursework improve my application?
• Was my work experience MBA quality? If not, what can I do to make it more competitive?
• Did my essays convey the personal qualities you value? If not, how can I do better?
• Did I show why I am a good match for your particular institution? 

Now, if you walk out of your feedback session and don’t have answers to these questions, you’ve missed a golden opportunity. At the same time, as valuable as feedback from an admissions officer can be, just like everything else you read or hear, you have to evaluate it. If it appears vague, general, and unfocused, you were probably rejected for subjective reasons. 

However, if the feedback points to specific issues in your previous application, then you will have to change those aspects of your profile or apply to a different school. Most adcoms, when considering your reapplication, look at how well you addressed their concerns in the new application. 

If your schools don’t give feedback, then you will need to do a self-evaluation and/or seek feedback from a firm such as Accepted. 

The self-evaluation

Look more closely at the five pillars of your application.

1. Academics

Compare your stats to your target school’s averages . If you applied to a program where the average GPA is 3.5, and your GPA is 2.8, you’re in trouble. You need to take classes and show that you are capable of applying yourself in an academic setting and of earning As. Calculus, statistics, accounting, economics, and finance are all excellent preparatory, quant-based courses that relate to business school. You might also want to consider online options such as Harvard Business School’s CORe or MBAMath.com. 

If your verbal or English skills are weak, take advanced English courses. Consider hiring a one-on-one tutor. Garnering A grades will demonstrate that you’re working to address this weakness. 

If your test score was weak and your target school requires the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment, you need to prepare for and take whichever test you find easiest.

If you applied to two or more schools where your stats are significantly below the schools’ averages and you are not a member of an underrepresented minority, you are probably aiming too high and not applying realistically. Furthermore, evaluate the program(s) you applied to. If you applied exclusively to M7 schools (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, and Columbia), and you simply don’t have the stats for them, mix it up; apply to some lower-ranked schools. We recommend that you apply to a range of schools (four to six) with varying reputations for prestige and selectivity, particularly if there is a weakness in your candidacy that you’re asking the school to overlook. 

Now, if you decide to apply to a few lower-ranked schools, then look for ones that are well regarded in your specific area of interest. For example, U.S. News & World Report ranked Tepper number two in business analytics and information systems. Overall, however, the school is typically ranked in the mid-20s. Babson is consistently placed by both Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News in the top five for entrepreneurship, yet it ranks in the top 50 overall. Georgetown University ranks very highly in international business but overall ranks much lower. So, consider your areas of interest: If you are having trouble qualifying for the schools that are ranked highly overall, then these alternate programs, and others like them, might be excellent options for you. 

2. Work experience

Now in terms of the professional pillar, you have to examine both quantity and quality. Another year has passed, and presumably, you’ve moved up. If lack of work quantity was the issue with your application, time has been your friend, and you’re already in better shape. On the other hand, if you’re an older applicant and time is working against you, you have an embarrassment of riches in your experience. Consider applying to more experience-friendly schools. Another option is an executive MBA program ; if you have the stats for them, look into the Sloan Fellows Programs at London Business School and MIT Sloan, USC Marshall’s International Business Education and Research MBA program, and the Stanford MSx program. These are full-time programs aimed at more experienced applicants. 

For more information on overcoming the challenges of both early career and more experienced applicants, please see:

• Applying for an MBA with No Work Experience: What You Need to Know
• MBA Application Advice for Younger Applicants
• Applying to Regular Full-Time MBA Programs as an Older Applicant

However, quality is just as important as the length of your professional experience . If you determine through your self-assessment that your work experience didn’t measure up to that of other candidates, or if the school notes this in its feedback, then perhaps a promotion or a change in your responsibility has already addressed this problem. If it hasn’t – in other words, you haven’t earned a promotion, or you’re in a very narrow technical role and need to broaden your horizons – try to move to a more business-oriented position. If you have been in a strictly domestic role, try to add an international dimension to your experience. Any of these changes will improve the quality of your work experience from an admissions perspective. 

You also have to present your work experience effectively. Be sure to quantify how you’ve improved, advanced, or gained more responsibility. Admissions officers want specificity, such as, “I’m now managing a department of 20” or “I now have budgetary responsibility twice what it was” or “I have a sales territory three times the size.” 

Another way you can show significant change is to take initiative, especially for elite MBA programs, which like to see leadership outside of work. Start a charity, lead a fundraising drive, or take a significant role in a mentoring program. There are endless opportunities.

3. Personal qualities and characteristics

Demonstrating your personal qualities is one of the central purposes of your essays. Your essays should reveal how your personal qualities match the values of the school, particularly those attributes not shown in your transcript, resume, or job history. The most desired MBA applicant qualities are leadership, interpersonal skills, initiative, and teamwork. The schools also look for impact. For example, if you mentor someone and have a significant impact, that stands out in your application (and in the life of others!).  Showing community service is important , no matter what form that takes. And understand this: Community service does not mean just working in a soup kitchen; it can also mean helping your community in whatever way you relate to “community.” It can be your professional community, ethnic community, political community, or religious community. The bottom line is that by assuming responsibility, taking a leadership role, and having an impact on those around you, you’ll be demonstrating all kinds of qualities that business schools value.

Did you clearly convey how and why the specific school’s program would help you achieve your particular goals? That’s a key question. To answer it, you must also have a clear answer to this question: “What are your goals?” Once you clarify your personal and professional goals , you can figure out which programs are best for you. Start by researching each school you are interested in. You can perform this research by visiting the school’s website and examining the school’s curriculum and special programs. You can attend an online info session or visit the campus in person. In most years, school representatives travel throughout the world, meeting with prospective students and pitching their programs. Attending school receptions and MBA fairs is a good way to get an introduction to the different programs. Additionally, talk to students and recent alumni. Ask them about professional opportunities in your field of interest. Make sure that the school’s graduates get the kinds of jobs you are most interested in.

Finally, look into what the professors at the school are doing. Would you like to take a particular professor’s class? Are they doing research or consulting for a firm that you’re particularly interested in? That kind of knowledge can really add authenticity to an essay with respect to why you want to attend the school.

5. The “Why should we admit you?” factor

This key question must be answered if you’re applying to an intensely competitive school or have a common applicant profile. On some level, the question is code for all the following questions: How will you make a difference at our school? What can you contribute? How are you unique? What can you add to the class? Do you have an unusual level of professional achievements? Do you have musical talent? Unusual energy? Initiative? A spiritual bent? A mania for running? Experience abroad? What are you going to bring to the b-school party? This is an exceedingly important question for all candidates but especially for very traditional applicants. Non-traditional applicants have a different challenge, in that they must show how they’ll fit in. But the more traditional you are, the more you have to show how you will stand out.

How do schools view my reapplication?

Generally speaking, most MBA programs look favorably on applications from reapplicants. This is especially true if you are reapplying after being on the waitlist; although there are no guarantees, you are a little bit ahead of the game. 

Harvard requires an entirely new application and says, “Reapplicants do not have an advantage or disadvantage in comparison to other applicants.”

Stanford also requires a brand new application and offers some words of encouragement : “Every year, we offer admission to reapplicants who present compelling applications.”

Wharton requires a new application and an extra essay. But this extra work can pay off: “We encourage you to reapply for the next academic year. Reapplications make up approximately 10% of our applicant pool in any given year.”

About the percentage of reapplicants that are accepted, MIT Sloan says it “varies year-to-year but typically the acceptance rate for reapplicants is a few percentage points higher than our average.”

Michigan Ross waives the application fee for reapplicants who reapply within a one-year window. Take a look at this video for tips on a successful reapplication.

Again, reach out to your target school, seek feedback (unless the adcom specifically states on the school’s website that feedback is not offered), evaluate your prior application, and follow instructions.

Types of reapplications

Schools generally ask for one of two kinds of reapplications. The first kind is a whole new application. In this case, you have to submit all new essays, new letters of recommendation, your same transcripts, and your test score. (If you have improved your score, submit it!) If you received feedback from the school on your first application, the adcom will want to see that your new application addresses the issues that were raised in their feedback. They won’t read your entire file from the prior year, but they will very likely read the previous reviewers’ notes. If they have questions, then they’ll consult your previous application, but usually, they don’t. 

The other kind of reapplication just requires you to submit one or two essays, or a letter to update the school on what has changed since your previous application, plus any new scores, new transcripts, and so on. In this kind of reapplication, your earlier application is far more significant. If you feel your old essays were dismal, that your letters of recommendation need to be “adjusted,” or that your old application was really flawed, you can ask the school if you can submit an entirely new application. You should make that request if you feel your previous application was really weak and problematic. There are also schools, of course, that fall in between these two extremes. Again, it’s a judgment call as to whether it’s worth putting in the additional effort to rewrite your application or whether you should simply augment the original version. If you are unsure which path is better for you, our expert Accepted consultants can help.

Timing a reapplication

We advise you to aim to submit your reapplication in the first round  if at all possible, particularly if you were waitlisted, because this demonstrates preparedness and eagerness. Furthermore, a few schools require reapplicants to apply in the first round, so be sure to check the reapplication requirements. However, if your work experience was lacking and applying in the second or third round would allow you crucial time to build up that resume, and the school does not require a Round 1 reapplication, this deserves some serious thought. While this is the type of question to navigate with an admissions consultant, it might be advisable to prepare your application for Round 1, and if you feel something is going to change at work significantly that you would like to include in your application, you can hold off on submitting until Round 2. Another possibility: Apply in the first round, and if something does change, let the adcom know about it. But make sure that any later updates you send are reporting significant changes, not minor or superficial adjustments. 

Reapply with confidence

The reapplication process can be tricky and requires careful consideration, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to claim your place in your dream program. Don’t waste this chance! The experienced admissions consultants at Accepted know how to help you craft excellent essays, improve your interpersonal skills, and perfect your profile so that you can beat the odds the second time around. Check out our reapplication packages and get back on track to MBA success.

Michelle Stockman is a professional journalist, former Columbia Business School admissions insider, and experienced MBA admissions consultant.  Want Michelle to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Best MBA Programs , a free guide to selecting the right one for you
• How to Reapply Successfully to Top MBA Programs , a short video
• 5 MBA Reapplication Lessons

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Guest Essay

Dear Boomers, the Student Protesters Are Not Idiots

By Elizabeth Spiers

Ms. Spiers, a contributing Opinion writer, is a journalist and a digital media strategist.

Appearing last week on “Morning Joe,” Hillary Clinton lamented what she views as the ignorance of students protesting the war in Gaza. The host, Joe Scarborough, asked her about “the sort of radicalism that has mainstream students getting propaganda, whether it’s from their professors or from the Chinese Communist government through TikTok.” Ms. Clinton was happy to oblige. “I have had many conversations, as you have had, with a lot of young people over the last many months,” she said. “They don’t know very much at all about the history of the Middle East or frankly about history in many areas of the world, including in our own country.”

I’ve taught students at the college level for 12 years, most recently at New York University’s journalism school. I’ve also seen and heard the assumptions made about them by some of their elders — administrators, parents and others. So it’s no surprise now to hear protesters described as “ spoiled and entitled kids ” or delicate “ snowflakes ” who cower in their safe spaces and don’t believe in free speech . Billionaires like Ken Griffin , Bill Ackman and, of course, Donald Trump — as entitled as anyone — have been particularly vocal in their disdain, calling the students in one instance “whiny” and demanding that they be punished for protesting. Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, even suggested that TikTok should be banned in part because “you’re seeing how these kids are being manipulated by certain groups or entities or countries to foment hate on their behalf and really create a hostile environment here in the U.S.”

Whether they realize it or not, Ms. Clinton, Mr. Lawler and the rest are engaging in a moral panic about America’s youth that is part of a larger effort to discredit higher education in general. That effort includes fearmongering about diversity programs and critical race theory. But it starts with students.

In the current panic, the protesters are described as somehow both terribly fragile and such a threat to public safety that they need to be confronted by police officers in riot gear. To justify the police department’s excessive response at Columbia University, Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry showed Newsmax viewers a large chain and a book with the title “Terrorism” that had been recovered from one site of protest. The former was a common bike chain Columbia sells to students and the latter was part of Oxford University Press’s lovely “Very Short Introductions” series, which covers topics from animal behavior to Rousseau and black holes.

There are some obvious partisan factors at work here: Staunch support for Israel among Republicans , for instance, and the long-running right-wing insistence that elite universities are liberal indoctrination camps. But recent research reveals a significant generational divide as well. A recent YouGov poll found that 45 percent of people ages 45 to 64 strongly opposed the protests, as did 56 percent of people 65 and older. By comparison, only 12 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds strongly opposed them, and 21 percent of people ages 30 to 44.

It’s not just about Gaza; similar age gaps emerged in response to protests after the murder of George Floyd, too. Eighty-seven percent of adults ages 18 to 34 supported the protests in June 2020, according to Gallup , while only 54 percent of adults 65 and older did. And just 3 percent of the older group had participated in the protests, while 26 percent of the younger group had.

We know from research that adults under 40 are more likely to participate in a protest than adults over 40, and generally prefer informal political participation more than their older cohorts, who are more likely to participate by voting. But that doesn’t fully explain the outright hostility some have leveled at campus protesters.

High-profile public figures of all ideological stripes have varyingly called for the students to be kicked out of their institutions, made unemployable or sent to prison. They’ve floated implausible scenarios in which the protests turn deadly. Students brave enough to risk their financial aid and scholarships are derided as childish rather than principled. And though they are educated to participate in civic life, as soon as these students exercise their First Amendment rights, they are told that protecting private property is a more pressing public concern. It’s as though some older adults simply can’t wrap their heads around the idea that college students, who are old enough to marry, have families and risk their lives for their country, are capable of having well thought-out principles.

“They basically want students to shut up and study,” is how Robert Cohen, a scholar of 20th-century social protest, put it when I spoke to him this week. It doesn’t matter how virtuous the cause, he explained; older generations start with a bias against students. But protest is often the only way students have any voice at all in university matters. “People do not understand that university governance is fundamentally undemocratic,” Mr. Cohen said, noting that even students who have convinced universities to consider divestment have won, at best, the right to make their case to the board.

In my experience, the stereotypes about today’s students are often ludicrously far from reality. College students of this generation have far more knowledge about complex world events than mine or Ms. Clinton’s did, thanks to the availability of the internet and a 24/7 news cycle fire-hosed directly into their phones. Representative Lawler may be correct that some portion of that information comes from clips on TikTok, and social media can be misleading, but there’s no evidence that college students are more likely to be misled by TikTok than people Mr. Lawler’s age and older are likely to be misled by Facebook. In fact, research indicates that younger people are more savvy and skeptical about media, and more likely to triangulate among different sources to see if something is true.

They may also be more sensitive to the horrors of children being killed here and elsewhere because they grew up participating in active shooter drills and watching the aftermath of mass shootings on the news. They are less financially secure than generations prior, and less likely to believe that institutions will save them or reward them for loyalty and hard work . But they are not babies, and they are not oblivious or naïve. And their ideas and actions cannot be dismissed just because some bad actor — no mass movement is without them — does or says something stupid.

I’m somewhat sympathetic to those who find protests uncomfortable. They’re always disruptive, as they’re supposed to be. And big loud crowds make me nervous now in a way that they didn’t when I was 22 and a big loud crowd was fun and meant I was at a club with oontz-oontz-oontz music and 73 of my closest friends. I now prefer political participation that is less hard on the knees. But I am exhilarated to see students using protest for exactly the reasons it’s protected by the First Amendment. It allows them to stand up for their values, invest in what’s happening in the world and hold decision makers accountable, even if it means putting themselves at risk. And most compellingly, it’s getting the attention of the president and other lawmakers who can effect change far beyond the walls of any university campus.

Elizabeth Spiers, a contributing Opinion writer, is a journalist and a digital media strategist.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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