Chat Transcript: Columbia Admissions

Assistant Dean of Admissions Mary Miller fields questions on strategies for a winning application to Columbia's highly selective full-time MBA program

Mary Miller
Columbia Business School

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Columbia Business School (Columbia Full-Time MBA Profile), which is No. 7 on BusinessWeek's 2008 list of the best business schools in the nation, is highly selective. In fact, this year the admissions committee accepted just 15% of the nearly 7,000 applications it received. Standing out and expressing how you could contribute to the community are key elements in the Columbia application.

Recently, Mary Miller (CBSMaryMiller), assistant dean of admissions at Columbia, and international student Rui Francisco (CBSRuiFrancisco) took questions from BusinessWeek reporter Francesca Di Meglio (FrancescaBW) and the public in a live chat event. They discussed everything from the criteria for admissions to how to overcome a lower-than-average GMAT score. Here are edited excerpts of their conversation:

soujanya8321: What are the major criteria for admission to the full-time MBA program at Columbia?

CBSMaryMiller: We are looking for business leaders of the future. We look at all aspects of the application for indications of the ability to handle a challenging curriculum, get involved in the life of the community, and display interpersonal and leadership skills and ethical values. [We look for] someone who will represent the Columbia brand well while at Columbia and in the future.

question4group: I have read that Columbia used to have a rather high acceptance rate (about 45%), and thus a lower ranking. Since selectivity is a key aspect of any top business school's brand, can you discuss how Columbia has addressed these historical issues? Also, what has Columbia done to increase the quality of its teaching, specifically in the core?

CBSRuiFrancisco: As a student, I will answer the second part of your question. The core is vital to giving all students the required business fundamentals to be successful. Therefore the school has been working hard to make the core the best available. Some of those efforts include adapting the courses to the outside environment (such as what happened recently with the economic crisis); adjusting the length of the core courses and sometimes reducing the length and allowing students to take more electives; and paying close attention to the rigorous evaluation process of professors, which helps them be at their best in their classes and improve the overall class experience.

pav_lov: After the completion of the interview and the status update reflecting the same, how long will it typically take to render a decision for the January-term applicants?

CBSMaryMiller: It can happen at any time after the interview is completed, but typically your final decision will be released within eight weeks from the date your application was complete.

pav_lov: How difficult is it for students entering in January to find accommodations? Is there a decent chance of getting into on-campus housing?

CBSRuiFrancisco: I entered in the fall term in 2008 and was able to get campus housing. I was a peer adviser for the following January class in 2009, and I met most of the students. Many of those students did get campus housing, and some were actually my neighbors. The chances of getting housing are pretty good, especially if you are international. (I haven't met any international [student] who has applied for school housing and didn't get it.)

JackSB: I'd love to hear about how Columbia compares to other top programs. It's tough to get a sense of what makes a place different, even after visiting several campuses.

CBSMaryMiller: Columbia is a very special place for many reasons. We pride ourselves on being a bridge between academic theory and real-world practice and educating our students and graduates for a lifetime. Innovations such as the Individual, Business, and Society curriculum, a program in Social Intelligence, and Master Classes [project-based elective courses], combined with research centers that connect faculty and practitioners, are just a few good examples of our competitive advantage. We also take full advantage of our New York location. Many of our alumni and recruiters are just a subway ride away.

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