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
If you’re wondering how difficult it is to get into Columbia Business School, then you’ve come to the right place. On this page, we’ll give you a quick overview of what it takes to get into CBS, and help you understand whether your profile is a good fit for Columbia’s MBA program.
Read on to see important key admission factors to help you determine your odds of getting accepted at Columbia Business School.
Columbia MBA: Acceptance Rate & Other Admissions Statistics
Acceptance Rate
21%
GMAT Average
732
GPA Average
3.6
Avg. Years Work Experience
5
Source: Columbia Business School, Class of 2026 data
Undergraduate Majors Represented in CBS’s MBA Program
The top undergraduate majors represented in CBS’s MBA program are Business (30%) , Economics (18%), and Engineering (16%).
Top Undergraduate Universities represented in CBS’s MBA Class
The undergraduate universities most represented in CBS’s MBA class profile are:
Columbia University
Cornell University
The University of Pennsylvania
Northwestern University
University of Michigan
Boston College
Brown University
Vanderbilt University
University of Virginia
Duke University
Yale University
If your undergraduate college is listed above, that means that Columbia has accepted many applicants with your education background in the past. It also shows that candidates who have gone to these schools have considered applying to Columbia, and it is one indication that the business school has found students who have completed their undergraduate education at these universities to be successful.
Columbia’s top pre-MBA industries are financial services (30%), consulting (25%), and technology (13%).
Looking at the pre-MBA industries shows you whether your profile is well-represented at Columbia. Don’t worry if you don’t see your industry on the list—there might not be many students enrolled from your industry simply because many candidates didn’t apply to the program in the first place. The same goes for the pre-MBA employers data we’ve provided below.
The Ultimate MBA Admissions Checklist
Our free, comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to shop for an MBA admissions consultant.
The pre-MBA companies that are most represented in Columbia’s MBA class are:
Deloitte
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
McKinsey & Company
KPMG
PwC
Morgan Stanley
Accenture
Goldman Sachs
Bain & Company
EY
Citi
What Does Columbia Value?
Columbia really values building connections with local companies. If you attend Columbia’s MBA program, you will find several opportunities to network with companies in the NYC area. For instance, through CBS’s Immersion Seminars, students can visit top executives in the company’s New York City offices to have candid conversations with them.
Unsure about your fit for Columbia Business School? Our MBA consultants can provide personalized guidance to help you make informed decisions.
With experience as a management consultant in big tech and manufacturing, plus time as a lobbyist in European Parliament, Maya takes a message-focused, pragmatic approach to the admissions process, looking at how each point on your resume advances your case and highlights the qualities AdComs want to see.
