Columbia Business School MBA · 2026-27 full-time MBA applicants (August 2027 entry)

Your Columbia Business School interview

A Columbia Business School interview is by invitation only, and recent applicants describe a video call of roughly 30 to 45 minutes with a second-year student or an alum who has seen only your resume. Most call it casual and conversational, though some interviewers work through a set question list and a few dig hard into your career choices.

Sources (9)

Columbia Business School: Frequently Asked Questions · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School Interview Questions & Reports (2026) · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience and questions (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview experience (2026) · Reddit: CBS interview experience (2025) · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School · Accepted: How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School [Episode 528] (2023) · YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used

About 60%of Round 1 interviewees are admitted, according to one second-year interviewer quoted by an applicant in 2024. CBS doesn't publish this figure, and no underlying counts are given. Reddit

Congratulations again: a former CBS admissions director says an invitation means at least two committee readers judged your file admissible. CBS's own pages say only that interviews are by invitation and that the English-conducted interview, with your verbal test score, counts as proof of English. The 60% figure is one interviewer's remark from 2024, so treat it as a rough signal, not an official rate.

Sources (3)

YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used · Columbia Business School: Frequently Asked Questions · Reddit: R1 CBS Interview Experience- Short & Quick - to be Worried? (2024)

WhoApplicants report a second-year student or an alum; one 2026 list also mentions admissions committee members Clear Admit · Reddit · Reddit · Reddit · Poets&Quants

How longApplicants report 30-45 minutes including your questions; some finish in 15-20 Clear Admit · Reddit · Reddit · Reddit · Reddit

WhereApplicants report video calls on Zoom or Google Meet Clear Admit · Reddit · Reddit · Accepted

What they knowOnly your resume. You send it to the interviewer when you schedule Clear Admit · Accepted · Reddit · Reddit

4 more: when, does it count, odds, after

WhenRound 1 invitations roll out through mid-November; Round 2 invitations begin in early February Clear Admit

Does it countYes, as one part of the file, and it also serves as CBS's check of your English Columbia Business School · YouTube · Reddit

OddsOne interviewer told an applicant about 60% of Round 1 interviewees convert (applicants report, 2024) Reddit

AfterApplicants report a thank-you email about an hour later. Denials can't be appealed Reddit · Columbia Business School

How you get an interview

You can't request one. CBS says standard MBA interviews are by invitation only and that the Admissions Office will contact you directly if you're selected. Applicants report the invitation arrives by email rather than as a portal update.

What an invite means. Kelsey Kephart, a former CBS admissions director, says at least two people on the committee must read your file and judge you "admissible" before you're invited.
Timing. Clear Admit reports Round 1 invitations roll out through mid-November and Round 2 invitations start in early February. For August 2027 entry the deadlines are September 9, 2026 (Round 1), January 5, 2027 (Round 2) and March 29, 2027 (Round 3).
Scheduling. Applicants report sending their resume to the interviewer when they set up the time, and getting the interviewer's details anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks ahead.
Deferred Enrollment Program. CBS says DEP applicants must interview, by invitation, virtually with an admissions committee member or a current student.

Sources: Columbia Business School: Frequently Asked Questions · Columbia Business School: Academic Divisions, Centers, & Programs · Reddit: CBS R1 interview (2025) · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School · Reddit: CBS R1 Interview Debrief (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview Thread (2024) · YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used

How the interview runs

Applicants report a video call with a second-year student or an alum, usually 30 to 45 minutes including time for your questions. An older Clear Admit profile mentions in-person meetings with local alumni or phone calls with students, but recent reports describe video.

The usual flow. A walk through your resume or "tell me about yourself", then why an MBA and why now, your short- and long-term goals, why CBS, a few behavioral questions, and your questions at the end.
Blind. The interviewer has seen your resume and nothing else, so don't assume they know your essays.
Tone varies. Most reports call it relaxed and chatty. One 2024 applicant's alum read every question from a CBS questionnaire; a 2026 applicant faced an alum who kept interrupting to probe why they hadn't taken other paths.
Short isn't bad. A 2024 applicant's interview with a second-year student lasted only 15-20 minutes and was still described as normal for CBS.
Tech hiccups happen. One applicant switched networks mid-call and the alum was understanding.

Sources: Clear Admit: Columbia Business School Interview Questions & Reports (2026) · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview Prep Tips (2025) · Reddit: Columbia Business School- Interview Experience R2 - Indian Male (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience and questions (2024) · Reddit: CBS R1 Interview Debrief (2024) · Reddit: R1 CBS Interview Experience- Short & Quick - to be Worried? (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview experience (2026) · Reddit: CBS interview experience (2025) · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School · Accepted: How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School [Episode 528] (2023)

What they're looking for

The CBS pages here don't publish an interview rubric. What CBS does say is that the English-conducted interview, along with your verbal GRE or GMAT score, is how it judges English for international applicants, so clear speaking matters.

The same person as your file. Kephart says the interview double-checks that you match your essays, and that a reviewer may flag concerns for the interviewer to explore. Applicants advise keeping your goals consistent with what you wrote.
Fit and character. Kephart lists leadership, empathy, teamwork and excellence, and says interviewers ask themselves whether they'd enjoy you as a classmate and whether you'd be a contributing alum. Her blunt advice: "not be a jerk."
Goals that hang together. Applicants report interviewers pushing on how short- and long-term goals connect and how CBS gets you there.
New York. Several applicants were asked whether they've been to New York, why NYC, or where in the city they'd live.

Sources: Columbia Business School: Frequently Asked Questions · YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience (2025) · Reddit: CBS Interview Thread (2024) · Reddit: Columbia Business School- Interview Experience R2 - Indian Male (2024) · Reddit: CBS R1 Interview Debrief (2024)

How much it matters

It matters, but it isn't a final up-or-down vote. Kephart says much happens in the committee meeting after the interview: a fabulous interview can still end in a rejection or waitlist, and people who felt they bombed have been admitted, sometimes with scholarships.

Interviewers are checked too. She says CBS trains interviewers on what they may ask, audits reports for patterns and knows which alumni are tough graders.
Applicants agree. Interviewers have called themselves just an additional data point, and one 2026 thread notes alumni interviews mostly matter at the margins.
Report problems. If you're asked about gender, religion or race, Kephart says to tell the admissions office promptly and objectively.

Sources: YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview Experience (2023) · Reddit: CBS Interview experience (2026)

How to prepare

Applicants and a former admissions director agree: prepare your stories, not a script.

Build a story bank. Have 4-6 STAR stories ready, including two positive and two negative ones you can swap in: a conflict at work, a disagreement with a peer, a team that struggled, your proudest result.
Time your core answers. One applicant suggests 2-3 minutes for your resume walkthrough and 60-90 seconds for why MBA, why now, goals and why CBS.
Make "why CBS" specific. Name classes, clubs or programs that serve your goals, and have an answer for why New York.
Expect a curveball. A 2025 applicant was asked to describe their leadership style as a kitchen utensil. Think out loud and frame your answer in parts.
Know your school list. Applicants report being asked where else they applied and where CBS ranks.
Bring questions. Prepare two or three about curriculum, careers or New York.
Handle the basics. Applicants recommend a suit; Kephart adds a short thank-you note and easy small talk.

Sources: YouTube: Preeti Wadekar, Head of MBA Admissions at consulting firm The Red Pen and a CBS alumna, on the CBS in · YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used · Reddit: CBS interview Prep Tips (2025) · Reddit: How should I prep for CBS interview? (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience and questions (2024) · Reddit: CBS R1 interview (2025) · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: Columbia Business School- Interview Experience R2 - Indian Male (2024) · Poets&Quants: 2025 MBA Interview Questions: A School-By-School List (2025) · Reddit: R1 CBS Interview Experience- Short & Quick - to be Worried? (2024) · Accepted: How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School [Episode 528] (2023)

What applicants report (2023-2026)

From Reddit threads, Clear Admit's 2026 reports and Poets&Quants lists:

The core questions repeat. Tell me about yourself, why MBA, why now, goals, why CBS, how you'll contribute to the CBS community.
Behavioral questions vary. A team conflict you resolved, a disagreement with a coworker, making a team more inclusive, a project you led.
Some odd ones. Whether you'd accept January entry, whether you have a plan B, your views on DEI, and one sentence to tell the committee about you.
Mostly relaxed. Words like casual and laid back come up most, and some interviewers gave real-time feedback or said they'd recommend the applicant.
Not always. A 2026 applicant met a challenging alum who fixated on one point for half the interview, and was told such interviews often still end in admits.

Sources: Clear Admit: Columbia Business School Interview Questions & Reports (2026) · Reddit: CBS R1 Interview Debrief (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience and questions (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview Experience (2023) · Reddit: CBS Interview experience (2026) · Reddit: CBS interview experience (2025) · Poets&Quants: 2026 MBA Interview Questions: A School-By-School List (2026) · Poets&Quants: 2025 MBA Interview Questions: A School-By-School List (2025)

Your interviewer

Gregory Stavros Fictional interviewer

Get a briefing on your own interviewer

Know who's interviewing you? Their LinkedIn profile is the best source.

Use a computer if you can. Open their LinkedIn profile in a web browser, click More (or ⋯) under their name, then Save to PDF.
On a phone: the LinkedIn app can't save a profile. Open linkedin.com in your phone's browser instead, switch to the desktop site, and use More → Save to PDF.
Upload the PDF here, or paste what you know about them (a bio, a profile page).

See the sample briefing

CBS '19 alum, corporate development director at a packaged-foods company, former private equity associate and bank credit analyst; experienced alumni interviewer since 2021

Gregory is a seasoned interviewer (since 2021, about 15 interviews a cycle, so likely 75+ by now) who has heard every polished answer. His About section says he enjoys hearing how people got where they are, especially non-linear paths, so expect him to spend real time on your resume walkthrough and the reasons behind each move. His background is in credit analysis, private equity and acquisitions, judging whether a business is worth what it claims. That training ('footnotes matter more than headlines') suggests he may probe vague claims, round numbers and goals that don't connect. He likely won't be impressed by name-dropping CBS programs; he lived them (Value Investing Program, Follies, a club leadership role). Be specific, honest about your choices, and show you'd be a good classmate.

Their path

Tufts University, BA Economics and History (2009-2013)
Crestline Bank, Credit Analyst, Commercial Lending, Boston (Jul 2013 - Jul 2017, about 4 years): underwrote loans to New England manufacturers and distributors
Columbia Business School MBA (2017-2019): Value Investing Program, Food and Beverage Club VP Treks, Follies cast, Cluster D
Halcyon Ridge Partners, lower-middle-market private equity, Associate (Jul 2019 - Dec 2021, about 2.5 years): consumer and food-service deals, board observer at a portfolio bakery chain
Brightwater Foods, Senior Manager then Director, Corporate Development (Jan 2022 - present, nearly 5 years; Director since Mar 2023): led three regional snack brand acquisitions totaling $410M
Volunteer: CBS alumni interviewer (2021-present); Astoria Community Food Pantry board treasurer (2020-present)

What it means for your conversation

He used the MBA as a career switch (banking to private equity to corporate strategy), so he will likely understand and respect a pivot, but he'll want to see the logic of why an MBA is the bridge for you specifically.
Corporate development means deciding which companies to buy, sell or build; his job is to test whether a story holds up. Expect follow-ups like 'what exactly did you do' and 'what was the result in numbers.' Know your own figures cold.
Value Investing Program alum: if you mention it, know it's a selective second-year program you apply to in first year; don't treat it as a guaranteed perk.
He has done this for about six years and knows the format; a rehearsed-sounding script will likely land worse than a genuine, structured answer.
He mentions meeting applicants over coffee in Midtown or on Zoom; recent reports say video, so confirm the format and be ready for either.
He was in Follies (CBS's student comedy show) and a club leader, which suggests he values community contribution; have a concrete answer for what you'd add outside class.

Questions they may lean toward

Walk me through your resume, and why did you make each move? He explicitly says he enjoys hearing how people got where they are; expect him to linger on transitions and the reasoning behind them.
Questions that test the substance behind a claim: what was your specific role, what was the number, what went wrong. Credit and deal background, plus his 'footnotes over headlines' line, suggests a habit of digging past summary statements.
How do your short- and long-term goals connect, and why is CBS the step between them? Applicants report CBS interviewers pushing on goal logic; someone who engineered his own pivot through CBS will likely test whether yours is realistic.
Why New York, and how will you use the city? Commonly asked at CBS, and he has built his whole post-MBA career in New York.
What would you contribute to the CBS community? Core question; his own record (club VP, Follies, years of interviewing) suggests he values people who give back.
A behavioral question on a mistake, disagreement or a team that struggled. Standard in CBS interviews; prepare honest negative stories, not humble-brags.

Honest common ground

If you have made a non-linear career move, he has said outright that those paths interest him; tell yours plainly and own the reasoning.
If you genuinely work in finance, lending, PE, M&A, consumer goods or food, you can speak to that briefly, but let him lead and don't overclaim.
If you really are a runner, a Mets fan, or into cooking, it may surface in small talk; only mention it if it's true and comes up naturally.
Like most applicants, you're weighing whether to move to or stay in New York; he can speak to living and working there after CBS.

Questions to ask them

You went from credit to private equity to corporate development. Which parts of the CBS experience turned out to matter most in making those switches? Ties to his stated career path without reciting it, and gets you practical insight into using CBS for a pivot.
Looking back, what do you wish you had done differently in your first year, given how much there is to choose from? Invites candid advice from an alum who juggled a selective program, a club role and Follies.
How did being in New York, rather than just the classroom, shape your recruiting or your network? Opens the NYC theme from someone whose career has been in the city since graduating.
Having interviewed for several years, what do you think makes someone a good CBS classmate? Genuine question he's well placed to answer; keep it about community, not about how you're being scored.

Avoid

Reciting his resume or deal totals back to him, or bringing up the $410M figure; it reads as rehearsed flattery.
Faking interest in food, PE or value investing to connect; he will likely spot it fast and probe.
Vague, inflated impact claims ('drove transformational growth') without specifics he can test.
Mentioning his hobbies or volunteering unless he raises them; you know them only from LinkedIn.
Assuming he has read your essays; he has only your resume, so tell stories in full but keep goals consistent with what you wrote.
Getting defensive if he presses on a choice you made; answer calmly with your reasoning and what you learned.
Over-scripting; prepare 4-6 stories and timed core answers (about 2-3 minutes for the walkthrough, 60-90 seconds for why MBA/why now/goals/why CBS).

A sample, to show what the briefing looks like: Gregory Stavros and their employers are invented.

Based on: The sample interviewer's profile (fictional) · Columbia Business School: Frequently Asked Questions · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School Interview Questions & Reports (2026) · Reddit: Columbia Business School Interview Experience (2024) · Reddit: CBS interview experience and questions (2024) · Reddit: CBS Interview experience (2026) · Reddit: CBS interview experience (2025) · Clear Admit: Columbia Business School · Accepted: How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School [Episode 528] (2023) · YouTube: Kelsey Kephart, former CBS Admissions Director and founder of Embark, on how MBA interviews are used

All sources · 28 plus 15 applicant threads

Applicant threads are linked under each question.