The following Columbia Business School MBA interview questions & report were submitted to Clear Admit by an Early Decision MBA applicant. Good luck to them!
I received an invitation to interview and was matched with one alumnus in my area. The match was definitely not random since we are in the same under-represented industry, similarly sized companies, and have worked with the same people at some points in our careers.
I reached to my interviewer via email and he suggested two days to meet. After agreeing on date and time I also sent him my resume. Before the interview, I spoke to 10+ students and prepared extensively.
On the day of the interview, we met at a cafe near his office. The atmosphere was very casual and friendly.
He read my resume in advance and just had a couple of clarifying questions specific to my background. Otherwise, questions asked were very typical for Columbia interviews.
Questions
- Tell me about yourself
- Why MBA and why now?
- Why Columbia?
- Do you have any questions for me?
I asked several questions about his career and MBA experience, and my last question was whether he had any advice for prospective students. This question ended up launching a second phase of the interview… He expressed concern about my goals being unclear (I failed to explain properly and at this point said goodbye to Columbia), and started asking follow up questions:
5. What impact / achievement have you had in your current job?
Conclusion
He seemed unsatisfied with my answer and kept pressing until I gave him a quantifiable answer.
He said he will submit feedback to school and tell them my interest in Columbia seems genuine.
After the interview, he submitted feedback the same day. I was certain I failed the interview, but I got a call from admissions two business days later.
Clear Admit Resources
Preparing for your Columbia Business School MBA Interview? Check out Clear Admit’s other resources:
- Clear Admit Columbia Business School Interview Guide: Strategic tips for approaching CBS’s interview questions, and more.
- Interview Archive: More firsthand accounts from CBS applicants themselves
- Understanding the MBA Admissions Interview: Blind Interviews vs. Non-blind Interviews
- Podcast Episode 23: 5 Most Common MBA Interview Questions You Need to Ace
