- I have been a professional writing teacher and essay coach for over 20 years. As a published author and award winning essay writer, I understand how to convey convincing messages on paper.
- My own admissions results demonstrate the power of my application strategies. When I applied to college, I was admitted to every school, including Harvard, Stanford, Brown, Princeton, Yale, and UC Berkeley (with a full scholarship). I continued that 100% success rate by being accepted by Harvard, Columbia, Northwestern and NYU when I applied for my education master's degree.
- In addition, I leverage my artistic background as a professional musician and actor to help my clients tell stories that will capture and hold an audience's attention.
- If you are willing to work hard, I might be able to help you find and express your individual voice and unique story to get noticed in a crowded field of highly competitive applicants.
- Please complete this intake form if you would like to discuss the possibility of working together. Please note that I have limited availability and cannot always guarantee a phone or in-person meeting.
Columbia
- What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (200 characters maximum)
- Describe a personal experience and how it has influenced who you are today. This essay should have a personal rather than a professional focus. (Max 500 words)
HBS
- Intended Post-MBA Industry and Function: (select one option from drop-down list)
- Intended Post-MBA Function: (select one option from drop-down list)
- How does pursuing an MBA support your choices above? (500 characters ≈ 100 words)
- Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
- Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)
- All interviewees will be asked: "You've just had your HBS interview. Tell us about it. How well did we get to know you?" (no word limit)
LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL
MIT
Stanford GSB
- Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
- Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of Reference from your current direct supervisor or peer
- Explanation of criminal conviction, criminal charges sustained against you in a juvenile proceeding, and/or court-supervised probation
- Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
- Any other information that you did not have sufficient space to complete in another section of the application (please begin the information in the appropriate section)
- Additional work experience that cannot fit into the space provided
- Additional information about your academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere
Wharton
2011 - 2012 ESSAYS BELOW FOR REFERENCE
BERKELEY HAAS
Admissions Essays
Listed below are the supplemental questions, required essays, and optional essays for the fall 2012 application.
(found at http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/essays.html; accessed 2011/06)
Vince note: please read the FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/faq.html
CMU TEPPER
What are your short term and long term goals? How will a Tepper MBA help you achieve these goals? (Please include any information regarding what steps you have taken to learn more about Tepper.) (Suggested length – 2 double-spaced pages)
Essay B
The Tepper School’s culture relies on all members to be active contributors to our community. With your values, experiences, and interests, how will you make a unique contribution to the Tepper community? Your examples may include: classroom interaction, student activities, career development, community service, etc. (Suggested length – 2 double-spaced pages)
Essay C
Please answer two of the following three questions or statements. Please clearly specify which questions you are answering. Your two answers should equal a total of two pages or less.
1. Describe an obstacle you have faced in your professional or academic life. How did you overcome this obstacle and how did it foster your development?
2. Describe a time in which your ethics were challenged. How did you deal with the situation and what did you learn from it?
3. One thing people would be surprised to know about me is…
Essay D
Is there anything else that you think we should know as we evaluate your application?
Note: If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application.
(found at https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/ApplicantConnectLogin.asp?id=cmu-mba; accessed 2011/07)
CHICAGO BOOTH
Essay Questions with Explanation from Chicago Adcoms
1. What are your short- and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)
In this essay, we hope to better understand your path and plan, vision for your career, and why an MBA – specifically a Booth MBA – is necessary to help you achieve your goals. In responding to this question, you’ll need to spend some time thinking about your career, your passions, and what you really hope to get out of the entire MBA experience.
1a). Re-applicants only: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words)
For our re-applicants, this question gives you the opportunity to tell us what is different from the time of your last application. What has occurred in your life or career that has either reinforced or changed your goals? What lessons have you learned or how have you grown since you last applied to Chicago Booth?
2. At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)
The goal of this essay is to better understand who you are, how your past has influenced you, and your underlying motivation and values surrounding leadership and business. A significant part of the Booth experience is helping each student define and strengthen their personal leadership style. Understanding yourself and your motivations is the first step in that process, and our hope is that this essay will help you start down that path. We are not looking for a prescribed answer – we hope that you will share your story.
3. Considering what you've already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.
Question 3 Guidelines
We have set forth the following guidelines:
* The content is completely up to you. There is no right, or even preferred, approach to this presentation.
* There is a strict maximum of four pages, though you can provide fewer if you choose.
* Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint or PDF.
* The document will be viewed electronically, but we cannot support embedded videos, music, or motion images. Additionally, all content MUST be included in the four pages; hyperlinks will not be viewed.
* The file will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise or presentation.
During our last live chat in June, many of you were wondering if the presentation would be part of the application. Since we feel that it is such a valuable opportunity to learn about you, we have decided to include it again this year. We have framed the question to specifically address what you haven’t already told us in the rest of the application. We encourage you to look at your application holistically. Are there messages, topics, or activities that are important for us to know? If so, then the presentation will be an opportunity for you to provide us with this type of information. Also, it is important to note that this is not a design contest! We care most about the content, but the way in which you deliver that is up to you.
(essay questions found at http://www.chicagobooth.edu/fulltime/admissions/essays_slides.aspx; accessed 2011/07)
(explanations found at http://blogs.chicagobooth.edu/n/blogs/blog.aspx?nav=main&webtag=boothinsider&entry=30; accessed 2011/07)
COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL
In addition to learning about your professional aspirations, the Admissions Committee hopes to gain an understanding of your interests, values and motivations through these essays. How you answer these essays is at your discretion, there are no right or wrong answers and we encourage you to answer each question thoughtfully.
Short Question
What is your post-MBA professional goal? (200 Characters)
Essay 1
Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (Maximum 750 words)
Essay 2
Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Maximum 500 words)
Essay 3 (Select and answer one of the below)
Option A:
The annual A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Competition is a student initiative managed and run by the Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO). The competition encourages Columbia MBA students to explore creative entrepreneurial ideas that are sufficiently ambitious in scope and scale to be considered "outrageous." Students explore these ideas while learning firsthand what goes into the development and presentation of a solid business proposal.
Develop your own "outrageous" business idea. In essay form, compose your "elevator pitch." (Maximum 250 words)
Option B:
Columbia deeply values its vibrant student community, the building of which begins at orientation when admitted students are assigned to clusters of 65 to 70 fellow students who take most of the first-year core classes together. During the first weeks of school, each cluster selects a Cluster Chair. Further strengthening the student community are the nearly 100 active student organizations at Columbia Business School, ranging from cultural to professional to community service-oriented. Leadership positions within the cluster and/or clubs offer hands-on management and networking opportunities for students as they interact with fellow students, administrators, faculty members, alumni, and practitioners.
You are running for either Cluster Chair or a club leadership position of your choosing. Compose your campaign speech. (Maximum 250 words)
Option C:
Founded nearly three decades ago, the Executives in Residence Program at Columbia Business School integrates senior executives into the life of the School. Current executives in residence include more than a dozen experts in areas ranging from media and investment banking to private equity and management. A hallmark of the program is one-on-one counseling sessions in which executives advise students about their prospective career choices.
Select one of the current executives in residence with whom you would like to meet during your time at Columbia. Explain your selection and tell us how you would best utilize your half hour one-on-one session. (Maximum 250 words)
Optional Essay
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. (Maximum 500 words)
Reapplicants: If you have applied to Columbia Business School within the past year, you are required to answer the "What is your post-MBA professional goal? " question and submit the reapplication essay. If your last application was more than one year ago, you must answer Essays 1, 2 and 3.
Reapplicant Essay
How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate your short-term and long-term goals. Explain how the tools of the Columbia MBA will help you to meet your goals and how you plan to participate in the Columbia community. (Maximum of 750 words.) This essay should be inserted into the text box designated “Essay 1.”
Dual Degree applicants: Please address the following questions within your response to Essay 1: How will the Dual Degree enhance your post-MBA and long-term professional goals?
(found at http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/applynow/apprequirements#essays; accessed 2011/06)
Vince note: please read Columbia's FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/faq
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CORNELL JOHNSON
1) What career do you plan to pursue upon completion of an MBA degree and why?
We are obviously looking at your career pathing and focus. The adcom wants to see that you have done your due diligence on your career trajectory and what is it about b-school (hint: why Johnson) is the right fit and time in your life.
2) You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the table of contents for the book. Note: Approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity and authenticity.
We have been asking this essay question for the last two years. It is a favorite to read and to write for our applicants. Keep the creativity and personality because we enjoy learning more about who our applicants are!
3) What legacy would you hope to leave as a Johnson graduate?
The adcom wants you to really evaluate what "fit" means to you for Johnson. "Fit" is different for everyone, so we want to see how authentic and purposeful you are about applying.
The application is set to go live on July 18th.
(found at http://www.johnson.cornell.edu/Academic-Programs/Full-Time-MBA/Admissions/Admissions-Blog/EntryId/134/3-Essays-and-the-GRE.aspx; accessed 2011/07)
DARTMOUTH TUCK
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College has posted the essay questions for the 2011-2012 application cycle.
As a reminder, Tuck doesn’t impose a formal restriction on the length of your responses, but most applicants use approximately 500 words per essay.
1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)
2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?
3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?
4. Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?
5. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.
6. (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.
(found at http://tuckschool.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-essay-questions.html; accessed 2011/07)
Vince note: please read the FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/admissions/admissions-faq
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DUKE FUQUA
Three essay questions must be completed before submitting your application. Prepare your essays carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your responses to the questions important in the selection process. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing. Your response to each question should be no more than 2 pages in length, with a font size no less than 10-point.
Candidates who applied to The Duke MBA between September 2010 and May 2011 are considered re-applicants. All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay in addition to the Applicant Essays.
All applicants have the opportunity to submit an optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware.
Applicant Essays : Answer all 3 essay questions.
Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, Duke is in the midst of an ambitious global venture that will embed and connect us around the world, and we are seeking future leaders of consequence, who value diversity and collaborative leadership, and who aspire to impact the companies and communities of which they are a part in a lasting and positive way.
In an effort to identify, engage, and foster the development of future leaders of consequence, the Admissions Committee would like to get to know our applicants in a more holistic manner. We would like to know who you are, what has shaped you into the person you are today, and how you hope to impact both Duke and the communities of which you will be a part in the future. The essays are your opportunity to convey that to us. Please be open, genuine, and passionate. Share with us what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.
1. Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.
2. How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua's diverse culture?
3. Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)
Optional Essay (not required)
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).
Re-applicant Essay
All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay. Please limit your response to two pages. Write an essay describing how you are now a stronger candidate for admission compared to the application you submitted the previous year.
(found at http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/programs/duke_mba/daytime/apply_daytime/#tab_apply; accessed 2011/07)
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HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
HBS Essays (MBA applicants only):
Essay Questions
All applicants must submit answers to two essay questions listed below. Joint program applicants for the Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School must provide an additional essay which can be found below.
Essays required for all applicants:
- Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
- Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)
Joint degree applicants only:
- How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400 words)
(found at http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/writtenapplication.html#essays; accessed 2012/06)
Vince note: please read the FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://www.hbs.edu/mba/faq
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INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Essay 1
Please detail your two most significant achievements. These could be either professional or personal but relevant to your application to the ISB. (300 words max)
Where do you see yourself three years after you graduate from the ISB? (300 words max)
Please provide additional information, that will significantly affect the consideration of your application to the ISB. (300 words max)
IMD
TWO QUESTIONS (THAT REQUIRE ESSAY ANSWERS)
TEN QUESTIONS (CALLED "ESSAYS" BY IMD)
Essay 1: Two situations of importance to you
Essay 2: Failure to reach objective
Essay 3: Leadership
Essay 4: Describe yourself
Essay 5: International Exposure
Essay 6: Differentiators
Essay 7: Alternatives
Essay 8: Finance
Essay 9: Disability / illness
Essay 10: Additional Information Optional question: Is there any additional information that is critical for the Admissions Committee to know which has not been covered elsewhere in this application?
Vince note: please read the IMD FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://www.imd.org/programs/oep/faq/index.cfm
INSEAD
JOB RELATED ESSAY QUESTIONS
VINCE NOTE: INSEAD does not require a resume. Use the following three “job essays” to showcase your career progress and current responsibilities and achievements.
1. Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/ products and results achieved. (250 words maximum)
2. Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)
3. If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme? (250 words maximum)
ESSAY QUESTIONS
VINCE NOTE: INSEAD now imposes a strict word limit on essays.
1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words maximum)
2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments (if possible specify one personal and one professional, to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words maximum)
3. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed. Discuss what you learned (400 words maximum)
4. a) Discuss your short and long term career goals. (300 words maximum) and b) How will studying at INSEAD help you achieve your vision? (250 words maximum)
5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics: a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What insights did you gain? (250 words maximum), or b) Describe the ways in which a foreigner in your country might experience culture shock (250 words maximum)
6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (350 words maximum) This essay is optional.
7. In case of reapplication, please provide an update on any new aspects of your professional, international, academic or personal profile that would not have been included in your previous application. Please also explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. (400 words maximum)
(found at http://mba.insead.edu/admissions/apply_online.cfm; accessed 2011/07)
Vince note: please read the FAQ for useful tips ▸ http://mba.insead.edu/faq
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LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL
MICHIGAN ROSS
1. Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.
2. Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? What is your vision for how you can make a unique contribution to the Ross community? (500 word maximum)
3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)
4. Select one of the following questions:
• What are you most passionate about? (300 word maximum)
• Describe a personal challenge or obstacle and why you view it as such. How have you dealt with it? What have you learned from it? (300 word maximum)
5. Optional question: Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (500 word maximum)
International applicants are encouraged to apply in either Round I or II. The fall 2012 application will be available online in August. For more information, visit Ross’s admissions website.
(found at http://www.bus.umich.edu/admissions/applynow.htm; accessed 2011/06)
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MIT SLOAN
Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.
RESUME
Please prepare a business resume that includes your employment history in reverse chronological order, with titles, dates, and whether you worked part-time or full-time. Your educational record should also be in reverse chronological order and should indicate dates of attendance and degree(s) earned. Other information appropriate to a business resume is welcomed and encouraged. The resume should not be more than one page in length (up to 50 lines).
ESSAYS
We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Please limit the experiences you discuss in the three essays below to those which have occurred in the past three years.
In each of the essays please describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.
• Essay 1: Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
• Essay 2: Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
• Essay 3: Please describe a time when you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (OPTIONAL)
You may use this section to address whatever else you want the Admissions Committee to know. (250 words or fewer, limited to one page)
(found at https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/ApplicantConnectLogin.asp?id=mit-mba; accessed 2011/08)
NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG
Essay 1: MBA Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)
Essay 2: Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences. (600 word limit)
Essay 3: Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit)
Essay 4: Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.
a) Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group….
b) People may be surprised to learn that I…..
c) The riskiest personal or professional decision I ever made was…..
Reapplicant Essay: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)
(found at http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/Programs/FullTimeMBA/Applying/Essay2012Questions.aspx; accessed 2011/07)
NYU STERN
Essay 1. Professional Aspirations
(750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Answer the following:
(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
Essay 2. Your Stern Experience
(500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions:
(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.
(b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.
(c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.
Essay 3. Personal Expression
Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.
If you submit a non-written piece for Essay 3 (i.e., artwork or multimedia) or if you submit Essay 3 via mail, please upload a brief description of your submission with your online application.
Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:
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Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.
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If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font. If you submit a video or audio file, it should be five minutes maximum.
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If you prepare a multimedia submission, you may mail a CD, DVD or USB flash drive to the Admissions Office. These are the only acceptable methods of submission. Please do not submit an internet link to any websites or to a video hosting service such as YouTube.
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The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate Essay 3 if we are unable to view your submission
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Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food) or any item that has been worn (e.g. clothing).
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Mailed materials must be postmarked by the deadline date. To submit Essay 3 by mail, please follow the mail and labeling instructions.
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Essay 3 packages are subject to size restrictions.
Essay 4. Additional Information (optional)
Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE and/or TOEFL or any other relevant information.
If you are unable to submit a recommendation from your current supervisor, you must explain your reason in Essay 4.
If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application.
If you are applying to a dual degree program, please explain your decision to pursue a dual degree.
(found at http://www.stern.nyu.edu/AcademicPrograms/FullTime/Admissions/ApplicationInstructions/Essays/index.htm; accessed 2011/08)
OXFORD Saïd
2) Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why? Maximum 1,000 words.
Please note that you will need to upload your completed essays onto our online application system before submitting your application. Due to the high volume of applications received, unfortunately the Admissions Office will not be able to give any feedback on your essays.
STANFORD GSB
Essay Questions for Class of 2014
(entering Fall 2012)
Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and two of the four options for essay 3.
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Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?
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The best examples of Essay 1 reflect the process of self-examination that you have undertaken to write them.
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They give us a vivid and genuine image of who you are—and they also convey how you became the person you are.
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They do not focus merely on what you've done or accomplished. Instead, they share with us the values, experiences, and lessons that have shaped your perspectives.
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They are written from the heart and address not only a person, situation, or event, but also how that person, situation, or event has influenced your life.
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Essay 2: What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford?
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Use this essay to explain your view of your future, not to repeat accomplishments from your past.
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You should address three distinct topics:
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your career aspirations
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the role of an MBA education in achieving those aspirations
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and your rationale for earning that MBA at Stanford, in particular.
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The best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests; explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management; and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program.
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Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.
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Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
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Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
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Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.
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Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined or established.
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(found at http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/mba/admission/dir_essays-p.html; accessed 2011/07)
Need help with school research? Please check Vince's Stanford links ▸ http://j.mp/StanLinks
TEXAS McCOMBS
Required Essays
1. Describe how your professional and personal experiences have led you to pursue an MBA at this time. Please share with us your short and long term goals and why the Texas MBA at McCombs is the program best positioned to help you achieve them.
Limit: 900 words
2. At the McCombs School of Business, we are proud to have an active and diverse student community. What do you consider to be your personal strengths and how have you leveraged them in the past to enrich your work and non-work communities?
Limit: 500 words
Optional Essays
If your standardized test scores are low or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (i.e. calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum.
Limit: 200 words
Please provide any additional information to the Admissions Committee that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the committee in considering your application.
Limit: 350 words
(found at http://new.mccombs.utexas.edu/MBA/Full-Time/Admissions/Apply/Essays.aspx; accessed 2011/09)
UCLA ANDERSON
We are interested in getting to know applicants on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, genuine, and succinct. Remember that we are more concerned with the content of your essays than their form or style.
All responses to essays must be on double-spaced pages that are uploaded in document form. Please note the word limits indicated in parentheses below.
First-time applicants -- 2 required essays:
REQUIRED ESSAYS:
Please be introspective and authentic in your responses. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn about your life experiences, aspirations, and goals.
1. What event or life experience has had the greatest influence in shaping your character and why? (750 words)
2. Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now and how will UCLA Anderson help you to achieve your goals? (750 words)
OPTIONAL ESSAY:
The following essay is optional. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit an optional essay.
1. Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)
REAPPLICANT ESSAY QUESTIONS
REQUIRED ESSAY:
Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2010 or 2011 class are required to complete the following essay. Please be introspective and authentic in your response. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn more about your aspirations and goals.
1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words)
(found at http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x27517.xml; accessed 2011/08)
UNC KENAN-FLAGLER
What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)
Essay 2:
Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how: your professional experience has shaped these goals; why this career option appeals to you; and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum)
Essay 3:
What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)
Essay 4 (optional):
If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)
Essay 5 (optional):
Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum)
(found at http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/Programs/MBA/Apply/essays.cfm; accessed 2011/07)
USC MARSHALL
2) How will other USC Marshall MBA Students benefit from your background, experience, leadership and teamwork skills? (500 words)
3) Select three from the following and describe: (250 words each)
a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged
4) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application (250 words)
Re-Applicants:
If you applied within the past two years, please answer the following:
1) What steps have you taken to strengthen your application since your last submission? Please reiterate your short-term and long-term goals. (750 words)
2) Select two from the following and describe: (250 words each)
a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged
VIRGINIA DARDEN
Essay 1: Share your perspective on leadership in the workplace and describe how it has been shaped by the increasing influence of globalization. (500 words maximum)
(found at http://blog.clearadmit.com/2011/06/uva-darden-2012-2012-essay-topics; accessed 2011/07)
WHARTON
The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.
REQUIRED QUESTION:
What are your professional objectives? (300 words)
RESPOND TO 2 OF THE FOLLOWING 3 QUESTIONS:
1. Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today? (600 words)
2. Discuss a time when you faced a challenging interpersonal experience. How did you navigate the situation and what did you learn from it? (600 words)
3. "Innovation is central to our culture at Wharton. It is a mentality that must encompass every aspect of the School - whether faculty research, teaching or alumni outreach." - Thomas S. Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School
Keeping this component of our culture in mind, discuss a time when you have been innovative in your personal or professional life. (600 words)
ADDITIONAL QUESTION FOR REAPPLICANTS:
All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete the Optional Essay. Please use this space to explain how you have reflected on the previous decision on your application and to discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances. (250 words)
OPTIONAL SECTION FOR ALL APPLICANTS:
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)
(found at http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/apply-to-wharton.cfm; accessed 2011/07)
Check out the Wharton MBA: FAQs here http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/faqs.cfm
YALE SOM
This year the application will continue to contain four short answer questions of 150 words each and two longer personal statements of 500 words each. Applicants must answer all four short answer questions. The personal statements contain a list of three essay topics, from which you must choose two topics and answer them in essay form. If you are a reapplicant, you must answer the reapplicant question as one of your personal statement essay responses. The questions are:
Short Answers
Please answer each of the four (4) questions below with a short paragraph of no more than 150 words. This is an opportunity to distill your core ideas, values, goals and motivations into a set of snapshots that help tell us who you are, where you are going professionally, and why. (600 words total)
1. What are your professional goals immediately after you receive your MBA?
2. What are your long‐term career aspirations?
3. Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA? (If you plan to use your Yale MBA to make a significant change in the nature of your career, please tell us what you have done to prepare for this transition.)
4. The intentions of our students to engage in a broad-minded business school community and to connect to an eminent and purposeful university greatly influence the Yale MBA experience. How do you plan to be involved in the Yale SOM and greater Yale communities?
Personal Statements
Choose two (2) of the following topics and answer them in essay form. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)
1. At the Yale School of Management, we believe the world needs leaders who:
- Understand organizations, teams, networks and the complex nature of leadership;
- Understand markets and competition in different contexts; and
- Understand the diversity of economies throughout the world and the relationships between business and society.
What experiences have you had that demonstrate your strength in one or more of these areas?
2. What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you perceive in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?
3. Imagine yourself meeting your learning team members for the first time in Orientation. What is the most important thing your teammates should know about you?
4. Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?
-Updated by Vince on 26 Oct 2012
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