UPDATE: This article was originally posted on June 20, 2019. It has been updated with 2024/25 information and tips below.
Located in the heart of New York City, Columbia Business School offers its students access not only to top-notch academics but also to myriad networking opportunities outside of the classroom. Famous for having big names like Warren Buffett drop in on classes to discuss past deals, Columbia truly offers unparalleled access to some of the biggest names in business.
Given its tight-knit network, reputation as a finance powerhouse, and privileged location, landing a spot at Columbia Business School is no small feat.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Columbia admissions interview to stand out. We’ve rounded up not only our best tips but have also included sample interview questions to ensure you give your Columbia application your best shot.
How the Columbia Interview Works
Making sure you shine during your Columbia interview is no easy task.
Columbia interviews tend to be very friendly. Nonetheless, the interviewer is still trying to gauge how solid your motivations for wanting to pursue an MBA are, how interested you seem in the Columbia program, and if you truly plan to use the city of New York to your advantage.
Interviewers often ask many standard MBA interview questions, as well as questions designed to test just how collaborative you really are. You can also expect numerous follow-up questions.
Our clients who have interviewed with Columbia in the past say that the interviewer was very friendly and demonstrated a genuine interest in their answers. Though questions do tend to focus on standard MBA interview questions, be ready for anything.
Who will interview you?
Columbia has a rich tradition of alumni conducting admissions interviews. As such, you will most likely be paired with an alumni interviewer in your area. However, in recent admissions cycles, members of the admissions committee have increasingly been interviewing applicants.
Increasingly, both alumni and admissions committee members conduct interviews virtually, depending on availability. This will have no impact on your application.
Will the interviewer have read your application?
The Columbia interview is blind, meaning the alumni interviewer will only have access to your CV.
How long will the Columbia interview last?
Based on our clients’ experiences, the CBS interview usually lasts 45-60 minutes.
Who is Columbia Looking For?
(Photo courtesy of Columbia Business School)
“Only Columbia Business School gives you the opportunity to shape your career in the very center of business. There’s something about being positioned in New York City, where access to leaders across industry is truly advantageous. Here you will learn to take on challenges and respond dynamically. You’ll gain skills to succeed in fast-moving, competitive environments anywhere. Hone your strengths. Find your best career path. Realize success.” Columbia Business School Admissions
Every year, Columbia’s admissions team enrolls around 900 students for their prestigious MBA program out of around 6,100 applications. Though CBS does work hard to admit a diverse class (44% of the Class of 2025 were women, 47% were international citizens, and 43% were of minority origins (in the US), they do tend to admit applicants with 5 years of work experience. Applicants also tend to have average GMATs of 730 (GRE scores were not reported).
Nonetheless, that does not mean that Columbia looks simply for good test-takers. Instead, they want a talented, principled, well-networked group of business leaders.
According to Columba’s Admissions team:
In addition, Columbia tends to respond favorably to applicants who can demonstrate that studying in New York City is a differential for them, so make sure to reflect on how you will use the city of New York to complement your learning and accelerate your career.
Trends in recent Columbia MBA interviews
Recent feedback from candidates interviewing at Columbia highlights several notable trends that you should consider when preparing for your interview:
Focus on Resilience: With the pandemic’s aftermath and challenges facing business environments globally, interviewers are increasingly asking candidates about their resilience in the face of adversity. It’s critical that candidates demonstrate how they have handled significant challenges both personally and professionally.
Global and Ethical Perspectives: Reflecting the changing business landscape, more candidates are being asked about ethical dilemmas and how they navigated them. This trend highlights the importance of a global perspective and a commitment to ethical decision-making.
Leveraging New York City: CBS interviewers are focusing heavily on how candidates plan to use the school’s New York City location. Being specific about networking, industry exposure, or involvement in NYC’s entrepreneurial scene has become crucial.
Diversity and Inclusion: Given Columbia’s increased focus on diversity, many candidates report questions about how they contribute to or foster diversity within teams and organizations. Interviewers are probing candidates on their experiences and awareness of diversity and inclusion efforts.
How Can You Prepare For Your Interview?
Though no interview is 100% predictable, Columbia interviews do tend to center around a fairly standard list of MBA interview questions. As such, we have prepared some model questions below that previous candidates have received in their past Columbia interviews.
What questions are asked in the Columbia MBA interview?
The questions below are drawn from our clients’ interview reports, as well as from sites like clearadmit.com. Though these are not all the potential questions you could possibly receive during your Columbia interview, preparing for these (and any follow-up questions you think you might be asked) should give you a very solid foundation for your interview.
STARTING UP QUESTIONS
- Walk me through your resume (similar to the question: “Tell me about yourself”)
- Tell me about a professional achievement (usually picked off of your CV).
- What are your career goals?
- What’s your plan b/back up plan for your goals?
- Why do you need an MBA?
- In addition to applying for an MBA, what other steps have you taken toward your goal?
- Why now?
- Why Columbia? (If applicable, why the J-term program?)
- Where else did you apply? How will you decide where to go if you pass in all these programs?
- How will you contribute to Columbia?
- What makes you unique from others (financiers/salesmen/IT specialists, etc.) applying to Columbia?
- What excites you about living in New York City, and how do you plan to take advantage of it during your time at CBS?
LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK
- What is your leadership/management style? Can you give me an example?
- Tell me about a time when you took the lead on something.
- Have you ever been in a leadership role? Can you give me an example of a time you were a leader?
- Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult team/person.
- Can you tell me about a team failure you were a part of?
- Tell me about a time you worked with a diverse team.
MISCELLANEOUS BEHAVIORAL
- Tell me about a time when you faced adversity.
- Tell me about a time when you made a major mistake. How did you handle the issue?
- Tell me about an ethical dilemma you’ve faced and what you did about it.
- Describe a time when you witnessed others behaving unethically. What did you do about it?
- What do you do in your free time?
- How would you describe your interpersonal skills and communication style?
- Tell me about a time you had to work in a fast-paced or rapidly changing environment.
- How do you handle ambiguity?
CLOSING
- Is there anything else that you haven’t mentioned in your application that you would like to share at this time?
- Do you have any questions for me?
We have found that answering real interview questions on the spot is a much better means of preparation than reading lists of interview questions for most candidates.
We highly suggest you take a look at mock interview questions and sample interview responses before your interview.
Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of real interview mocks from Columbia, as well as detailed guides to help you prepare for questions ranging from “Why our MBA program?” to “Tell us about a time you failed.”
The Ellin Lolis Consulting MBA Resource Center is your one-stop shop for interview success.
If you’re still not quite confident with your interview skills, our interview experts can help you craft your answers or prepare you for the Columbia interview through mock interviews tailored to your profile.
What to do if you get a question you weren’t prepared for
Despite your most diligent preparation, you will almost always receive a question you had not prepared.
First, stay calm and take a deep breath. You have already made it this far in the process, and one question will not trip you up!
Second, make sure you directly answer the question the interviewer asked you. For example, if the interviewer asks you about a time you had to deal with a difficult manager, make sure to tell a story about a difficult manager and how you handled the situation.
If you’re having trouble thinking of an answer or an example to support your answer, however, take a drink of water to give yourself a few more minutes to think. If you really can’t think of an example from your personal or professional experience, you can use a hypothetical answer about how you would act in a certain situation.
Finally, assume that the interviewer is testing how you think on your feet and respond to questions you didn’t prepare in advance. Though your answer might not be as polished as if you’d had weeks to rehearse it, smile and confidently give your answer to show you can respond to any question they throw at you.
Make sure you get into Columbia
One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA interviews is that candidates fail to tell compelling, well-constructed stories about their profiles while also nailing the basics.
Striking this balance between sharing STAR-format examples that show off your background while also presenting strong answers to questions like “Why do you want an MBA?” is a challenging task that requires significant thought and preparation.
Because of this, it’s no surprise that, on average, 50% of interviewed applicants walk away without an offer.
This is why our interview preparation process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is known as the best in the industry. We offer customized 1:1 support that ensures you’re able to turn your application’s strengths into compelling answers that show fit and sell your profile in any type of interview.
That’s the approach we took with our client Gabriel, who was admitted to Columbia Early Decision.
Forget simulation platforms or long lists of tips – our 1:1 preparation focuses on playing to your strengths and overcoming your weaknesses to turn you into an interview expert. Hire our interview services here. Our interview packages sell out quickly, so make sure you sign up today!
Real MBA Essays That Got People In
School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted
