Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
There’s two big things you should know about Columbia Business School:
Location and flexibility.
An MBA experience at Columbia Business School, as you might expect, is largely defined by living in NYC. The two are inextricably tied to one another. If you want to live in one of the biggest and most influential cities in the world (for sure an exciting prospect if you’ve bounced around to such luxurious locations as Twentynine Palms or Fort Polk, LA) then you can’t do much better than CBS. And if your goal is getting into finance or consulting, then CBS should definitely be on your radar.
CBS provides possibly the most flexibility of any of the top MBA programs. It’s a place meant for starting electives early and deep-diving into a certain specialty. They also have more options in the admissions process than just about any other school. They are one of the few (Darden is the only other one I know) that has an early decision option. If you think Columbia Business School is your #1, this could be your way to get in. After that, it’s a rolling admission process-also unique. Additionally, they allow the option to start in January, vs. in August. If your timeline of getting out of the military doesn’t support starting in August, this can work in your favor.
Ok, yes, living in NYC can be pretty great (for some). But what actual advantages can that provide you as a student?
Location, location, location
NYC is the leading hub for banking, finance, and communication in all of the U.S. This is probably pretty obvious. But it’s also a huge spot for consulting, manufacturing, shipping, and tech. So there are a plethora of opportunities for seeking out employment after school. And you can bet there are CBS grads scattered across all these industries looking to recruit from their alma mater.
Many CBS students also have strong interests in working at non-profits. As of 2017 data, NY state led the nation in the number of non-profit employees. The Tamer Center and the Social Enterprise Club are known for being some of the more popular activities for Columbia Business School MBA students.
And, as an alumni, you can audit courses for free. Currently they are also developing online courses to help keep your education going past graduation.
Flexibility
Columbia Business School is one of the few major MBA programs that I’ve found that has the option for in-semester internships. Typically, the MBA internship, a key part of the experience, is done in the summer between first and second year. But the flexibility of their program gives candidates more opportunity to pursue an internship. If you are trying to break into a tough industry like venture capital, where MBA internships are not always as standardized as they might be for consulting, this can give you an extra leg up. Or if you are following the traditional recruiting paths to consulting or banking, this could give you the chance to try something different, like working at a startup.
While some schools advertise their general management focus, Columbia Business School is known for allowing students to deep-dive into certain specialties. They have a huge array of course options, which allows you to really dig into a certain area if that’s what you desire. While some schools may take up most of the first year with core classes, CBS lets students load up on electives starting in the second semester. You can also place out of intro elective courses if you already feel comfortable and are competent in the subject.
Network
Columbia Business School has one of the largest classes, with the class of 2021 having 754 students. This gives Columbia Business School one of the biggest alumni networks of any of the top business schools, and a network that often stays around NYC. This makes the list of speakers who come into the school and the chance to network with alumni one of the more exceptional options.
The school has an EMBA program, which can be a popular option for working professionals in the city. This not only presents a solid option for veterans leaving after longer military careers, but also gives closer access to professionals already established in their industries.
The Department of Homeland Security recently awarded Columbia Business School a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) designation. While this designation is of most immediate concern to international students looking to work in the US after school, it can also be an attractive bonus for candidates who want to signal to future employers their skills in tech or data analytics (assuming, of course, you take those electives).
Few key stats about Columbia Business School (Class of 2021):
- Rankings: 2019- Forbes (7), Economist (15), US News and World Report (8)
- Class size: 754
- Average GPA: 3.6 (2.7-4.0 range)
- Average Age: 28
- Average GMAT: 727 (690-760 in 80% range)
- GRE accepted (no data published by CBS)
- Also accepts the Executive Assessment
(I honestly had never heard of the Executive Assessment until I started researching this- worth checking out).
Community
The standard critique of Columbia Business School is the lack of community. Their stereotype is that of a school where people already have networks built from the city and spread to the four winds after school events, preventing some of the typical close-knit culture often associated with business school.
I spoke directly with a Marine Corps veteran and current Columbia Business School MBA student, and this is what she had to say about it:
“While the community might not be the same as a school like Tuck, I think this is one of the fallacies about the program (that I admit I even thought before joining the school). I think there are a great number of students who live near campus or in on-campus housing, especially those moving to NYC specifically for school. There are still a great number of on-campus events or off-campus events that bring students together. Either through your cluster experience through core classes, or through various clubs people joint, I think most find a sense of community.”
Although the full-time MBA class size is large, Columbia Business School does not have a 4-year undergraduate program or as many executive education opportunities as other schools. So this can balance out the experience and allow MBA students more time with faculty. The opportunity to network with EMBA students as well as students in other departments (some of the best in the world in their fields) creates lots of opportunities to network. Also, because of the location, many faculty maintain their work, keeping their experience relevant and updated.
Veteran-specific information
- Waived admission fee. (Only for active-duty).
- Yellow Ribbon Program: Available to ALL eligible veterans, with a cap at a $15,000 match.
- For those eligible, Voc Rehab can also be an option at Columbia Business School.
- The school has the Paul Ferri scholarship, recipients of which are chosen from eligible Yellow Ribbon Program recipients. Merit scholarships tend to go fast, so best to apply as soon as possible if you are looking to get this or other merit-based scholarships.
- New York has the Veterans Tuition Award. There are certain eligibility requirements, including being a NY resident for the 12 months prior to the start of class, but definitely worth looking into. Also check out New York’s veteran’s site for more.
- While NYC housing is some of the most expensive in the country, having the BAH based on zip code from the GI Bill, can help make housing much less of a headache for veterans with GI Bill benefits.
- Partner with the Pat Tillman foundation, which provides scholarships to veterans.
(As a note, I was assured by a veteran who is a current student that the residency status for the Veteran’s Tuition Award is not always a factor, so don’t let this stop you from applying for this.)
When I look at a school, I try and also look at what the university as a whole is doing for veterans. So what is Columbia doing?
- They are one of the few schools who has a center dedicated to veterans. The Veteran Transition and Integration Center has a full-time staff dedicated to helping veterans transition.
- Through edX, veterans can take the Academic Excellence and Career Readiness course (FYI, the $99 price is only if you want the certificate through edX).
- And here’s a stat that blew me away:
“Columbia has successfully enrolled more student-veterans [in the last decade] than all other Ivy League schools combined, while maintaining a graduation rate above 90% and a record of job and graduate school placement that equals Columbia’s non-veteran graduates.”
Lastly, I want to make a huge shoutout to the Columbia Business School Military in Business Association (MIBA) for helping with this. They directly added a lot of notes in here that you won’t be able to find online. They strongly encourage all interested veterans (and even those from the State Department, civilian DoD personnel, or Intelligence Community) to reach out to them (via their website) to learn more and get help with their applications.
“GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
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