Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? (Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.)

Sample One

I believe that my professional and military experiences have prepared me for the academic and quantitative rigors at Columbia. I’ve always had a passion for learning and a desire to participate in my community, and I graduated 4th in my class from high school. During my first two years of college, however, my undergraduate academic performance suffered in part because I struggled to balance my 15-hour a week commitment to ROTC and the heavy course load of a double major. My intellectual curiosity and commitment to succeed never faltered but my transcripts my first two years of school do reflect that I was still learning how to balance my many competing commitments. My transcripts also reflect that my time management and ability to prioritize improved in my final two years of college.

My professional experience indicates that I am now adept at fulfilling numerous commitments; I have excelled as both an Army officer and a management consultant, earning rapid promotions in both settings. Thanks to my professional and military experience, today I am prepared for the academically challenging environment at Columbia and I believe that I will excel as both a student and a leader.

Sample Two

I would like to provide additional evidence of my quantitative ability in light of the C- in college statistics on my transcript, which was a consequence of poor final exam preparation rather than a weakness in my analytical abilities. I believe that my solid GMAT math score (49/87%), strong performance in college finance classes, A in Business Calculus, and success in management consulting at PWC (ranked among top three analysts from class of 50, based largely on financial modeling skills) are better indicators that I am well prepared for the analytical rigor of the Columbia curriculum.