At Menlo Coaching, we’ve had strong results working with Indian applicants from elite
backgrounds—particularly those at large family businesses, private equity and venture capital firms, or
other high-end employers.
But we want to be upfront:
We’re not the best fit for every Indian applicant.
Our pricing is significantly higher than local firms—and may be out of reach based on typical Indian
salaries.
We focus on a small subset of Indian applicants and do not have broad admissions data across the entire
applicant pool.
If you’re currently working for a top-tier family business, PE/VC fund, or similar organization…
…and you think you may be a fit for our services, feel free to reach out directly at [email protected].
Looking for a Great Local Option?
We often recommend MBA Crystal Ball, one of the most established and trusted MBA admissions consulting
firms in India.
They’ve helped a wide range of applicants succeed at the M7, T10, and T25 programs—even those with
challenges like low test scores, GPA issues, or career gaps.
“MCB made me fall in love with the application process.”
— Apoorva: 10 applications, 9 interviews, 6 admits, $250K in scholarships
The #1 reason to attend Columbia is to take advantage of its NYC location. Although you might briefly question whether the neighborhood of Morningside Heights is truly the “very center of business,” Columbia makes excellent use of its location.
First, Columbia brings in NYC-area executives as adjunct faculty and as Entrepreneurs in Residence. This gives you a chance to interact with senior industry professionals who could otherwise be very hard to reach, and when you approach these relationships in a patient, long-term way, they can make a huge difference to your career advancement.
Second, Columbia facilitates contact with local companies through their Master Classes, in which a company will bring a live problem to campus for student teams to work on, and their Immersion Seminars, in which students visit top executives in their NYC offices for candid discussions.
Finally, many Columbia students pursue in-semester internships with NYC-area companies. The low commitment of an internship like this makes it easy for a company to say “yes” even if you don’t fit the traditional criteria for the role. Thus, it’s a chance for you to gain broader experiences than what you might get during a full summer internship or a full-time job search.
Columbia also has a great brand in China, and its Greater China Society is one of the most active clubs on campus. So, whether you simply want to learn about doing business in China, or expect to actually move to China for your post-MBA career, Columbia can help.
This profile lays out the basic facts about Columbia and the resources you’ll need to further research the full-time MBA program.
The data above is from 2022 and represents the career statistics for the Columbia MBA class of 2022. See the full report: Columbia MBA Employment Report
Columbia Business School MBA Academic Programs
MBA Curriculum
Columbia’s MBA curriculum spans across four terms over two years. Applicants can either choose a fall entry date or a January, J-term, entry date for the program. Unlike the two-year MBA beginning in the fall, the J-term program does not include the possibility of a summer internship. Students take classes from the core curriculum during the first year of the program. During the first term of the MBA, students are required to complete eight half-term and two full-term courses including Managerial Statistics, Strategy Formulation, and Corporate Finance. Columbia offers over 325 courses as part of their elective curriculum. Some of the electives popular with MBA students are Applied Value Investing, Family Business Management, Global Immersion, and Managerial Negotiations. Students may also select from any of Columbia University’s graduate level classes.
Columbia’s MBA program does not offer official majors or concentrations. However, students can choose to pursue an in-depth study of one of Columbia Business School’s 15 academic divisions. These academic fields include Accounting, Private Equity, Value Investing, and Social Enterprise, and others, with research centers, programs, and student clubs associated with each field.
Experiential Learning Programs
The experiential learning component at Columbia is closely tied to the program’s Tamer Center for Social Enterprise. Through the center, students can take part in initiatives such as the International Development Consulting Project Fund or the Nonprofit Board Leadership program.
Research Centers
Columbia has a wide variety of research centers, programs, and institutions that are part of the business school. The centers range from the Program for Financial Studies to the Initiative for Policy Dialogue.
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)
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)
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)
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)
Additional Short-Question for January-Entry Term
Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)
Examples of possible responses:
“Work in business development for a media company.”
Columbia Business School MBA Admissions Interviews
Columbia’s MBA admissions interviews are conducted by alumni ambassadors. Columbia’s admissions office aims to complete the evaluation process for each application within 10 weeks. Often, you can receive an admissions decision within a few days or a week of conducting your interview.
J- Term: January entry for the full-time MBA. You study through the summer and complete the degree in a shorter time period, making this a great fit for sponsored students, who want to return quickly to their firm, and for family business candidates who do not need an internship. Also, winning admission to this program is generally easier than the August entry program.
Value Investing Program: This program is selective and you must apply once you’re already a student.
Early Decision Program: This gives some advantage over Regular Decision, but you have to put down a $6,000 non-refundable deposit on short notice once offered admission.
The NYC Location: Facilitates getting great adjunct faculty into the classroom and provides unique opportunities through programs such as:
Master Classes offer hands-on, project-based electives for second-year MBA students.
Immersion Seminars bring students to the offices of local companies for candid discussions with senior executives. Industries covered have included finance, consulting, luxury retail, technology, and more.
In-Semester Internships allow students to gain work experience with NYC-area companies during the semester and are offered to both full-time and J-Term students. These are especially useful to students who plan to enter fields in which they have no experience — it’s much easier for a company to say “yes” to a short internship placement than a months-long summer internship or a full-time role, and good performance in a short internship can lead to a larger role later.
Ready to take the next step? Our MBA application consultants can help you navigate the admissions process at Columbia Business School.
*All data retrieved from the Columbia Business School MBA Program webpages, unless otherwise stated.
Jarrett Brandon Early
Sr. Consultant
Education: BA, MBA
As a master storyteller (he’s published four novels!), Jarrett knows how to spice up a “vanilla” profile. Before joining Menlo Coaching, Jarrett helped form connections between UNC Kenan-Flagler and companies like Google, Bain, Amazon, McKinsey, Dell, and PwC. Armed with this insider perspective, Jarrett helps MBA applicants develop goals that are well-defined, ambitious, and, most importantly, realistic.
