Columbia Business School MBA News

Get the latest MBA news from Columbia Business School.

Published: August 1, 2022

MBA Real Humans: Alumni – LIVE Webinar Summer 2022

The Clear Admit Real Humans: Alumni Series spotlights recent graduates from the world’s top MBA programs. Each of the alumni provide feedback on their MBA experiences and share how business school prepared them for their careers at leading firms. Join us at 8 pm ET on Wednesday, August 17th to hear from a group of our featured alumni on the following: 1. What was the most rewarding thing about your MBA experience? 2. How has your MBA helped you in your career? 3. Think back on the recruiting process for your first post-MBA role, what are some Read more

Published: August 1, 2022

Admissions Director Q&A: Morgan Janela of Columbia Business School

We welcome Morgan Janela, a Director of Admissions at Columbia Business School, for our latest Admissions Director Q&A to discuss all things CBS MBA admissions. Morgan oversees the operations and evaluations team, and serves as a member of the Admissions Committee for the MBA and Executive MBA programs, reading, evaluating, and interviewing candidates. Before leading the operations team, she worked on the full-time recruiting team, who helped oversee on-campus recruiting events. Prior to joining CBS in September 2013, Morgan was an Assistant Director of Admission at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Program Assistant Read more

Published: July 28, 2022

Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Percentage of Female MBA Students

Over the past decade, the percentage of female MBA students has been on the rise across leading business schools. USC Marshall was the first leading business school to achieve gender parity while others have achieved or continue to strive for that benchmark. The Forté Foundation has also consistently reported that women are either gaining or holding their ground on b-school campuses. Look at the chart below to see the percentage of female MBA students at leading business schools around the globe. Business School % Women Arizona State University Read more

Published: July 19, 2022

Early & Round 1 MBA Deadlines 2022-2023

To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled a chart of the earliest deadlines, including Early Action and Round 1, of the top business schools in one place. For schools that have announced their essay topic(s), you’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay(s) Released” column. We will continue to update this table as more Round 1 MBA deadlines and essay topics are announced. Deadlines are for Round 1 (unless otherwise noted). Last updated: August 16, 2022 School Deadline Decision Essay(s) Released? Application Live? Oxford / Saïd 8/31/2022 10/26/2022 Read more

Published: July 12, 2022

Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Class Size of Top U.S. MBA Programs

Business schools come in all shapes and sizes and the class size of top MBA programs can be a factor in considering fit. From networking to a tight-knit culture to campus opportunities, class size can reveal much about an MBA program. No matter which program you choose, the top MBA programs strive to ensure relationship building during full-time b-school life. Some larger programs, such as Harvard Business School and CBS, mainly break the student body down into cohorts/sections/clusters of dozens of students. Other U.S. business schools, like Wharton, also have Learning Teams, groups of 5-6 students who Read more

Published: June 22, 2022

Key Takeaways from The Economist 2022 Best Full-time MBA Ranking

Harvard Business School tops The Economist’s 2022 full-time MBA ranking, as more business schools elected to participate again. As many may recall, most of the top U.S. MBA programs abstained from last year’s Economist ranking due to the pandemic. This resulted in a top-10 that was half European MBA programs and half American MBA programs. Last year, IESE and HEC landed in the #1 and #2 spots, respectively. Meanwhile, the highest ranking U.S. programs taking part last year were Michigan Ross (#3), NYU Stern (#4), U. Washington Foster (#8), CMU Tepper (#9), U. Minnesota Carlson Read more

Published: June 20, 2022

Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Average GMAT Scores at Top U.S. MBA Programs

If you completed the new GMAT Focus edition, now simply referred to as the GMAT, with a score ending in a 5, please refer to Coming to Grips with the New GMAT Scores. The analysis below refers to the traditional GMAT test. See where your GMAT score lands among the top U.S. MBA programs, as we report the average GMAT scores in the chart below. If you have yet to take the GMAT, you can also get a sense of what score you need to target. Business school admissions use the GMAT score as a sign of applicants’ academic Read more

Published: June 6, 2022

Real Humans of Amazon: Clemente Reyes-Retana, CBS MBA ’19, Sr. Product Manager – Technical, Financial Technology

Clemente Reyes-Retana sought a mix of tech and finance in his MBA program, hence he chose Columbia Business School to propel his career into the tech industry at Amazon. Read on for his story, as he shares insights into the interview process at Amazon, advice for MBA candidates and more in this Real Humans: Alumni. Clemente Reyes-Retana, CBS MBA ’19, Sr. Product Manager – Technical, Financial Technology at Amazon Age: 31 Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico Undergraduate Institution and Major: Instituto Tecnológico Read more

Published: May 31, 2022

What Are M7 Business Schools?

In U.S. graduate management education, the M7 business schools are considered to be the seven best in the space. They offer elite MBA programs and are known for their highly selective admissions processes—it’s no wonder the “M” stands for “magnificent.” Which Business Schools Comprise the M7? The schools that make up the M7 include: Columbia Business School (CBS) Harvard Business School (HBS) MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan) Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern Kellogg) Stanford University Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB) Read more

Published: May 24, 2022

MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series Summer 2022

We’re sure you’ve already heard that the application essays are a crucial component of the MBA application. So how can you ace this part of the admissions process without the use of sample essays? Get essay tips straight from admissions representatives at leading business schools during our upcoming MBA Essay Insight Webinar Series! Dates: July 13, July 20, July 27 & August 3. Time: 12 pm-1 pm Panel & 1 pm-1:30 pm Breakout Q&A with Individual Schools (all times Eastern) Each session will start with a 60-minute roundtable panel, Read more

Published: May 23, 2022

Real Humans of Google: Rafael Ferreira, CBS MSFE ’19, Software Engineer

Columbia Business School offers more than a leading MBA program, as Rafael Ferreira, CBS MSFE ’19, highlights in this Real Humans: Alumni. Rafael digs into the benefits of studying at CBS and how his Master of Science in Financial Economics helped him land a role at Google. Read on for his story. Rafael Ferreira, CBS MSFE ’19, Software Engineer at Google Age: 27 Hometown: Rio de Janeiro Undergraduate Institution and Major: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Graduate Read more

Published: May 9, 2022

Real Humans of Microsoft: Ruchi Nanda, CBS MBA ’19, U.S. Capital Markets Sr. Industry Advisor

In this edition of Real Humans: Alumni, Ruchi Nanda, CBS MBA ’19, talks about how Columbia Business School, New York City and more supported her career progress in technology to land a role at Microsoft. Ruchi Nanda, CBS MBA ’19, U.S. Capital Markets Sr. Industry Advisor at Microsoft Age: 31 Hometown: Chicago, IL Undergraduate Institution and Major: Cornell University, Economics and Cognitive Science Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration (if applicable): Columbia Business School, MBA 2019 Read more

Published: April 12, 2022

Upcoming Virtual Event Series: MBA Application Overview

You’ve got your grades and (maybe) your test scores. You’ve put in the time and effort at work, and have accomplishments and skills to show for it. You’re also active and involved in your community. You have the raw materials. So how do you put them together into a compelling MBA application? Join us for our MBA Application Overview Event Series to get answers to just that question! We’re hosting four events – on consecutive Wednesdays in May – May 4th, May 11th, May 18th & May 25th, all @ 12pm ET – each with representatives from up to five Read more

Published: April 11, 2022

Real Humans of Google: Akshay Sriprasad, Columbia Business School MBA ’20, Product Management

Akshay Sriprasad is on a mission. Multiple missions, in fact. He believes technology can save the world–and you will, too, after reading his story. For Akshay, business leaders have a responsibility to solve the world’s greatest problems and an MBA from Columbia Business School added some fuel to this work. In this Real Humans: Alumni, Akshay talks about the importance of a life/work balance, how CBS supported his dreams and why he has pursued product management at Google, along with a lot more. Akshay Sriprasad, Columbia MBA ’20, Product Management at Read more

Published: March 28, 2022

U.S. News 2023 Full-Time MBA Ranking: Wharton & Chicago Booth Share Top Spot

The 2023 U.S. News Best Graduate Programs Rankings rolled out today and we’re taking a closer look at the full-time MBA program list. Chicago Booth and The Wharton School share the top spot, surpassing last year’s #1, Stanford GSB, which now ranks third along with Northwestern Kellogg. On Wharton and Booth landing in the top slot, Clear Admit Co-founder Graham Richmond notes, “This is likely due to these programs’ impressive statistics on both sides of the equation: incoming stats (GPA, GMAT, acceptance rate) and outgoing Read more

Published: March 20, 2022

MBA Career Trends: Tech Industry Placements at Top Programs

Post-MBA careers in tech are a very popular option for MBA graduates, whether they choose to join a large company like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, or jump into a role with a small venture-backed tech start-up. In fact, tech, along with consulting and financial services, are three of the most popular industries for Class of 2021 MBA graduates. In this installment of Top MBA Program Career Placement Outcomes, we take a closer look at technology industry placements across leading U.S. business schools. Class of 2021 Post-MBA Career Placement in the Technology Read more

Published: March 13, 2022

MBA Career Trends: Consulting Placements at Top U.S. Programs

For many years, MBA graduates have sought to work at leading management consulting firms for the opportunity to provide important strategic advice to business leaders operating large companies. Jobs at leading strategy consulting firms, such as McKinsey, Bain and BCG, are particularly coveted by MBA graduates. In this installment of Top MBA Program Career Placement Outcomes, we take a closer look at the management consulting industry job placement across leading business schools. Class of 2021 MBA Job Placement in the Management Consulting Industry Here is a chart showing the percent total of Class of Read more

Published: March 8, 2022

MBA Career Trends: Finance Industry Placements at Top Programs

For many years, MBA graduates have been drawn to careers in the finance industry due to high compensation and the chance to work on high profile deals at an investment bank or invest in the next billion dollar company at a venture capital or private equity firm. In this installment of Top MBA Program Career Placement Outcomes, we take a closer look at the finance industry placement across leading business schools. Key categories include sell-side investment banking jobs, buy-side jobs in investment management, private equity (PE) & venture capital (VC) as well as other finance industry Read more

Published: March 6, 2022

MBA Career Trends: Employment Outcomes at Top Programs

Since one of the benefits of going to business school is to help young professionals advance in their career, many MBA applicants (and current MBA students) are interested in seeing the employment outcomes for recent graduates. In response, business schools survey their MBA graduates and issue employment reports which highlight successful MBA job placement outcomes by region, industry and function. It is important to keep in mind that a lot of the information prominently displayed in the MBA employment reports is gathered from the subset of Read more

Published: March 3, 2022

Real Humans of Apple: Jon-Matt Hopkins, CBS ’20, New Product Launch Manager

How long have you waited in line for the new iPhone? How many Apple products are helping you run your life seamlessly? In this edition of Real Humans – Alumni, we hear from an MBA alum making sure these products reach you. Jon-Matt Hopkins, Columbia Business School MBA ’20, tells us about his business school experiences that helped him become a New Product Launch Manager at Apple. Jon-Matt Hopkins, CBS MBA ’20, New Product Launch Manager at Apple Age: 31 Hometown: Morristown, New Jersey Read more

Published: February 15, 2022

The Financial Times 2022 Global MBA Ranking: Wharton Returns on Top

The Financial Times (FT) released its rankings of the 100 best MBA programs for 2022. While COVID kept several schools on the bench last year, a total of 151 schools participated in the 2022 edition. “It’s important to remember that COVID took a toll on the rankings last year, but several programs seem to be making a comeback,” says Graham Richmond, Co-founder of Clear Admit. “For instance, six schools in this year’s top 20 were not a part of last year’s ranking due to COVID abstentions. Wharton even storms back to grab Read more

Published: December 28, 2021

Columbia MBA Employment Report: Class of 2021 Moves on from Morningside Campus to Bright Careers

See the Columbia MBA employment report for the Class of 2022 here. The Columbia Business School employment report touts the program’s expansive alumni network as an integral part of the MBA Class of 2021’s success. The report marks a landmark year, as these graduates are the last for the Morningside campus. The new business school campus, located in Manhattanville, will see students in the spring semester at its two new buildings: Henry R. Kravis Hall and David Geffen Hall, which together encompass 492,000 square feet, twice the size of the previous Read more

Published: December 13, 2021

Real Humans of MBA Students: Columbia Business School Class of 2023

Join us for another edition of the Real Humans: MBA Students series to meet some new members of the Columbia Business School (CBS) MBA Class of 2023. 847 students chose to attend CBS and become part of the MBA Class of 2023. Classes began in August with 614 students and another 233 will begin their studies in January. Women make up 41 percent of the class, and international students comprise nearly half (48 percent) of students. Forty percent of students identify as US minorities. CBS reports minority representation using both federal guidelines and multi-dimensional Read more

Published: October 20, 2021

Ace Your MBA Interview: Clear Admit’s Interview Guides

The MBA interview—the nail-biting, stomach-churning, sleep-robbing component of the MBA application process that ties some applicants up in knots—is upon us. But there’s no reason to fret: not with Clear Admit’s in-depth Interview Guide Series as part of your arsenal. Providing expert advice and insider tips on what to expect and how to prepare, these guides are ready and waiting to help you conquer your jitters and ace your interview. The Clear Admit Interview Guides include first-hand interview accounts submitted by real applicants over the years through our Interview Archive. The Clear Admit team has Read more

Published: September 21, 2021

Columbia’s MBA Class of 2023 Defies the Pandemic

See the CBS MBA Class of 2024 profile here. Columbia Business School‘s MBA Class of 2023 shows no signs of having weathered a pandemic to get where they are. The class profile covers 847 total enrolled students, up from 782 last year. Classes began in August with 614 students and another 233 will begin their studies in January. Here are some key elements of the profile: Columbia MBA Class Profile: Undergraduate Background Average Undergraduate GPA 3.5 Percent majoring in arts, humanities, social sciences 19% Percent majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math 24% Read more

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Columbia Business School

CLASS SIZE: 982

Women: 46%

INTERNATIONAL: 41%

MEAN GMAT: 734

MEAN GPA: 3.6

Livewire Decisionwire Interview Reports Essay Topic Analysis MBA Admissions Deadlines View Full Profile

MBA Applywire

March 11, 2026 2:57pm ET

Applying: Michigan / Ross

Intake Year: 2026

Pre-MBA Career: Banking

Post MBA Career: Finance

GRE: 317

GPA: 7/10

Years of Work Experience: 7

Location: São Paulo

March 6, 2026 9:59am ET

Applying: Harvard Business School, INSEAD, London Business School

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Consulting and Corporate Banking

Post MBA Career: Finance, Private Equity, Management Consulting

GPA: 8/12

Years of Work Experience: 7

Notes:

Profile Review: Banking/PE Experience for INSEAD GEMBA (May '27) / LBS EMBA (Jan '28) – Consulting Pivot?

Hi all, looking for a reality check on my profile for top-tier EMBAs with a goal of pivoting into Management Consulting (MBB).

Background:

\* Age: 33 at enrollment

\* Current Role: Associate Director in a major Nordic bank (Corporate Banking/PE/Risk focus).

\* Work Experience: \~7+ years.

\* Current: Lead on liquidity strategy, PE value creation, and covenant restructuring. I manage high-value client portfolios day-to-day, though formal people management/team lead is handled by a Director.

\* Previous: Senior Analyst in Tier-1 US Bulge Bracket and Senior Consultant (Big 4, fast-track promotion).

\* Education: MSc in Finance & Accounting (Top Nordic BS).

\* The GPA Weakness: My academic GPA is on the lower side. However, I have a CFA Level I and have won some industry business cases while at Uni. I’m hoping my professional track record offsets the academic record.

\* Extracurriculars: Board member experience (Mensa/Non-profits).

Goals:

\* Target Programs: INSEAD GEMBA (Flex, May 2027 intake) or LBS EMBA (Blended, Jan 2028 intake).

\* Why MBA: Pivot from finance into Strategy Consulting (MBB) or PE (whom I advise daily).

Questions:

1. How much will a lower GPA hurt me at INSEAD/LBS if my professional trajectory is strong?

2. Does not having formal direct reports (but managing high-stakes client portfolios) hurt my candidacy for these senior-level programs?

3. Is an EMBA actually "consulting-pivot friendly" for someone already at an Associate Director-level in finance?

Appreciate any insights or past experiences from similar paths, thank you!

March 6, 2026 6:09am ET

Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Dartmouth / Tuck, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Northwestern / Kellogg, NYU Stern, Penn / Wharton, Stanford GSB, UVA / Darden, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Cybersecurity

Post MBA Career: Management Consulting

GPA: 3.6

Years of Work Experience: 5

Notes:

I’ve been in the cybersecurity space for about 5 years starting at a global Fortune 100 insurance firm before moving to my current org in the critical infrastructure sector. Currently a senior in incident response, I started as an intern. While the role is technical, my focus is on the strategic orchestration of response. Think stakeholder engagement, legal/PR/C-suite coordination, regulatory reporting, compliance, risk.

Outside of work I’m on the board of a non profit(not cybersecurity based), serving as the director of strategy and program development. I also volunteer to do pro-bono cyber consulting for NGOs, focusing more on the governance, planning, and strategic posture but also on other aspects of cybersecurity.

My academic path was non trad: BS cybersecurity from competency based program (pass/fail) then MS cybersecurity from NYU (3.6) working full time through both. Have a number of cyber related certifications, technical and non technical. Became more interested in an MBA last year.

Post-MBA, I’d like to transition into digital strategy consulting(MBB) and eventually move into private equity portfolio operations (focusing on tech strategy and value creation rather than the investment side). Given my professional and academic background which programs should I look into? Selected a few but don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m in test prep right now for the GRE, targeting 325+.

March 5, 2026 6:04am ET

Applying: Cornell / Johnson, Duke / Fuqua, Emory / Goizueta, Michigan / Ross, UNC Kenan-Flagler, UT Austin / McCombs, Vanderbilt / Owen

Intake Year: 2027

Pre-MBA Career: Financial Reporting + Investor Relations

Post MBA Career: Finance, Investment Banking

GPA: 3.46

Years of Work Experience: 5

Post MBA Location: NYC

Notes:

Domestic ORM Male
BA Econ (T10 Public) - 3.46 GPA
MS Info Systems (T10 Public) - 3.50 GPA
Passed CFA L1 (L2 in progress)
4 years in Financial Reporting at a large asset manager (A2A promotion)
1 year in Investor Relations at LMM PE firm (potential promo to Senior Associate by application time)
Working on joining a reputable nonprofit ASAP to start gaining volunteer experience + potentially gain a leadership position
Post-MBA goal: Investment Banking (preferably NYC but open to anywhere on east coast + Chicago + Texas)

March 2, 2026 12:12pm ET

Applying: Carnegie Mellon / Tepper, Cornell / Johnson, Emory / Goizueta, INSEAD, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2026

Pre-MBA Career: Population health (Business Integration Specialist)

Post MBA Career: Accenture, ZS Associates, PWC Strategy&, McKinsey, LEK Consulting, Deloitte, BCG, Bain, Alvarez & Marsal, Consulting

GRE: 304

GPA: 3.37

Years of Work Experience: 5

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MBA LiveWire

March 13, 2026 4:55pm ET

Rejected at Notre Dame / Mendoza

Round: Round 2

Received via email March 13, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GRE: 309

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Health Care

Application Location: Florida

Note:

Invited 1/22, Interviewed 2/26 Rejected 3/13

Juno Member: Not yet

March 13, 2026 4:17pm ET

Waitlisted at Duke / Fuqua

Round: Round 2

Received via portal March 13, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: International

GRE: 333

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Management Consulting

Target Career: Consulting

Application Location: Hungary

Note:

FMCG LDP background and LGBTQ leadership. Got interview invite shortly after submission and felt super confident. Surprised to be waitlisted.

Juno Member: Yes

March 13, 2026 4:15pm ET

Accepted to NYU Stern

Round: Round 3

Received via portal March 13, 2026

Standardized Test: GMAT

GPA: 1st class (UK)

GMAT: 655

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Finance, Venture Capital

Application Location: Switzerland

Note:

Interview end of Feb

Juno Member: Yes

March 13, 2026 4:10pm ET

Interview Invite to NYU Stern

Round: Round 3

Received via email March 13, 2026

Standardized Test: GMAT

GPA: 3.32

GMAT: 695

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Healthcare

Juno Member: Not yet

March 13, 2026 3:56pm ET

Waitlisted at Duke / Fuqua

Round: Round 2

Received via portal March 13, 2026

Standardized Test: GRE

GPA: 3.7

GRE: 327

Program Type: Traditional Two-Year

Post MBA Career: Energy

Application Location: Los Angeles, CA

Note:

Surprised - thought I was a good fit and interview went well. Fingers crossed for the other apps.

Juno Member: Not yet

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