Your goal: To create an essay that balances these two components, that’s full of descriptive details about what happened (your experience) AND why such things occurred (or how you reacted or responded).

Essay Component #1: Anecdote
The first component of a compelling essay is the retelling of what happened to you. This is the story
element of your MBA essay. Most applicants launch their essays with an anecdote to draw in your
readers. Good idea. (For important storytelling tips, please see our free special report, From Example to Exemplary, or the on-demand webinar, Essays that Stick.)

Essay Component #2: Analysis
For this second component, you’ll want to talk about your motivations for pursuing the experience
in question or the lessons learned as a result of it.

The questions below will help you shape the analysis component of your essay. After thinking of a
good anecdote, a key experience that you’d like to share, make sure your essay also addresses the
following:

1. Why is this experience one that you wanted to bring to the adcom’s attention?
2. What makes you tick? Why did you make the decisions you made?
3. How did a particular experience motivate action in the future?
4. What did you learn from this experience?

You’re applying to b-school, so your quant skills are probably pretty good – so let’s put this in solid
math terms:
Anecdote + Analysis = Your Awesome Application Essay

For more essay writing tips, please see MBA Application Essays 101, a resource guide containing
special reports, webinars, and blog posts on every aspect of the MBA essay writing process.

“M = Motivation” is excerpted from the Accepted.com special report, MBA Admissions
A – Z:26 Great Tips. To download the entire free special report, click here.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

In honor of the first birthday of MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, by Linda Abraham and Judy Gruen, we are posting a series of excerpts from the book throughout November. This post is excerpted from Chapter 5: “Writing for Acceptance.”

Outstanding MBA application essays have several things in common. One of the most important among them is successfully making connections between your past and your present, and between your present and your future. The decision makers will also want to see you make persuasive connections between your interests and your activities, and between your passions and your commitments. For example, if you claim that you are excited about working in green tech, be prepared to show that you have involved yourself in some way in the field. If you haven’t actually worked in green tech, what other actions have you taken to prove your interest? Have you become involved in an organization that promotes it? Can you talk about books you have read on the subject? You can’t just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk.

If you cannot connect the dots of your life, your readers will wonder: Do you really know what your goals are, either for obtaining an MBA or for your career beyond? When in doubt, the easiest step for a harried adcom member deluged with between five and ten applications for every seat in a class is to deny. . .

In addition to making these connections, you will also want to keep two words in mind when you write your essays: balance and values. Don’t write exclusively about career-based experiences, whether accomplishments or setbacks. Write about community involvement, hobbies, playing competitive water polo, performing with a band or in a dance troupe, or the time you trekked alone through six countries in Asia. Toss some personal experiences into the mix. As a guideline, I recommend using a 2:1 ratio of professional to personal experiences, but you will always have to use your own good judgment as to the sources of your strongest material.

As you develop your list of potential topics, also ask yourself these questions:

√ Do these experiences complement one another?

√ Do they show different facets of my personality, strengths and involvements?

√ Do I show self-reflection, lessons learned, personal growth?

Answering these questions will also help you achieve a balance of material that will create a full-bodied profile.

Each school also promotes its own set of values through their curriculum and programs. These values reflect the school’s philosophy and are stated plainly on their websites. For example, Harvard’s website devotes substantial paragraphs (on the Admissions Criteria page) to each of their three key criteria in applicants: “a habit of leadership,” “capacity for intellectual growth,” and “engaged community citizenship.” The website of the University of Texas McCombs School of Business asserts that their full-time MBA program is built on four pillars: “knowledge and understanding; responsibility and integrity, communication and collaboration, and a worldview of business and society.” Notice the different emphases in just these two schools. Take care to know the stated values of the schools where you are applying. When choosing what to write about, try to include experiences that reflect and resonate with each school’s values.

Writing with sensitivity about a school’s values does not mean writing what you think the adcoms want to hear. Believe me, readers in the admissions office can sniff out disingenuousness from the far side of the campus. Only write what is true and real, without exaggeration.

Add insights and analysis

In MBA application essays, the “why” is usually more important than the “what.” This brings us back to the importance of making connections. Great essays are not simply a list of interconnected anecdotes and experiences, even if each of them individually may have some interest. Whether writing about career goals, achievements, personal influences or even your love of Salsa dancing, it is not enough to write solely about what happened. Without insight and analysis, your essays will appear superficial, so make sure to give events and decisions context by evaluating why things happened the way they did, explaining what factors led to the decisions you made, and providing lessons learned. Adding even a sentence or two of analysis and reflection about events in your life will demonstrate maturity, intellect, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness – all valued qualities in MBA applicants.

MBA essays of distinction clearly show that you have drawn a path between where you have been and where you want to go. They demonstrate a proven interest and experience in your stated field, as well as an understanding of the school’s values. They include insights showing that you have learned from your experiences. And of course, the writing is crisp, specific, and includes colorful anecdotes that will keep your readers’ attention.

You really don’t want to go further in the MBA admissions process without the succinct, cogent approach presented by Linda Abraham and Judy Gruen, who have been assisting MBA applicants since 1996 in MBA Admission for Smarties. Don’t miss out either on the practical advice or the savings. Order MBA Smarties today!

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

Applying to the Consortium will save you time when it comes to applying to individual MBA

There are two required essays for all candidates, one optional essay for any additional information, and required school specific essays for each school you have ranked on your application. When responding to essay questions, please provide specific examples of your involvement, actions and results.The essay questions are listed below:

1. Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. How has your professional experience shaped these goals and influenced your decision to pursue an MBA degree?

This is a straightforward MBA goals question. Connect the dots between your past and your dreamed of future; show how the MBA is the bridge between the two.

In discussing your professional experience, don’t regurgitate your resume. Highlight specific, influential, and impressive events or projects in your career to bring out both what you like and are good at.

2. Optional additional essay: Is there any other information you would like to share with us that is not presented elsewhere in your application?

You can use this optional essay to address a weakness in your profile or qualifications, but in my mind, this question is also open-ended enough to allow you to discuss a unique area of interest, an obstacle overcome, a distinctive aspect of your background, or an achievement that you haven’t discussed elsewhere.

3. The mission of The Consortium is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.

a) What have you done pre-MBA in your business, academic or personal life to demonstrate commitment to this mission?

b) What will you do while enrolled in your MBA program to demonstrate your commitment to the mission?

c) What will you do post-MBA with respect to community service and leadership involvement to demonstrate your continued commitment to The Consortium’s mission of diversity and inclusion?

This is not a place for an ode to equality. The Consortium wants to see action and commitment to its mission, and the schools reviewing your application will also want your response to reflect your knowledge of their program.

Start with A. When have you led a project, team, or community service event dedicated to improving the representation of under-represented minorities in business school and management? When you have taken any initiative that could possibly improve URM representation?

For B, what would you do at your target programs to enhance diversity. If you are applying to only one CGSM school, this should be relatively easy. You will just focus on that program. If you are applying to several Consortium schools, you will need to be more general.

Finally, for C, the questions doesn’t need much elaboration. It is clear. Just keep in mind that in the entire questions the Consortium wants to say a pattern of commitment from the past that will credibly carry through to your days as a student and beyond.

Deadlines:

Application Deadline November 15 January 5

Applications and all supporting materials (résumé, essays, GMAT® and/or GRE, transcript, recommendations and fee) must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM (PST) on the deadline date.

While late applications will be accepted, this may significantly reduce your chances of being awarded a fellowship.

When responding to essay questions, please provide specific examples of your involvement, actions and results.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

The problem is that you are victim to what can be referred to as Frequent Job-Switching Syndrome (or FJSS). Those who suffer from FJSS may have impressive jobs listed on their resumes – that’s not the problem; the problem is that they’ve got way too many of them. Unfortunately, once you’re labeled as someone with FJSS, you may also receive the follow-up diagnosis of commitment-phobe, and that’s never a good label to acquire when you’re applying to business school. Not only do b-schools want to know that you have what it takes to complete the 1-2 years of their rigorous MBA program, but they also want to make sure that you’ll stick with your post-MBA position – at least for a long enough period so that you don’t damage the school’s relationship with that employer.

When it comes to explaining your Frequent Job-Switching Syndrome, there are good excuses (as you’ll read below) and bad excuses (like, I got bored, or I hated my boss). We suggest you use the good ones.

1. You moved around a lot. You can’t (usually) keep one position for many years if you’re moving around a lot. Of course, you’re going to need to explain why you’ve needed to pick up and leave so many times in the last 5 years or so. You may want to explain how a sick parent required your presence half-way across the country after you’d only been working at your job for 6 months, or how your spouse got relocated at a moment’s notice…twice.
2. You got laid off. Getting laid off happens to the best of us. And if you had to work at a not-so-great job just to pay the bills until you found another position in your field, then that’s completely understandable and could easily explain the job jumping.
3. Your schedule shifted. There are many reasons why you may have needed to switch from part-time to full-time or from nighttime hours to daytime hours. If one job wasn’t flexible enough to handle your schedule change, then you may have had to leave one position to search for another.
4. You weren’t ready to settle. You need to be careful not to tread the wishy-washy line here, but if you’re careful and honest, then it’s possible to use this excuse to your advantage. You may want to explain how one job wasn’t challenging enough or how it didn’t provide you with the long-term growth potential that you had been seeking, and so you had moved on to try and find “the one.”

It’s important that whichever of the above routes you take, you make sure that you explain how your Frequent Job-Switching Syndrome is only a temporary disease, and that with the right tools (i.e. a topnotch MBA education) and the right match, you plan on staying put in one position for the long haul (with room to grow). If possible, also show that your meandering prepared you for your post-MBA goal, that somehow these different experiences (or at least most of them) had some benefit that will help you in your future career.

Finally, be sure to explain your multiple positions in a straightforward manner; be honest; and focus on convincing the adcom that you are, despite how it may look, a very committed person.

“4 Good Excuses for Frequent Job Switchers” was excerpted from Twelve Terrific Tips for MBA Applicants. To view the entire free special report, please click here.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

In honor of the first birthday of MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools, by Linda Abraham and Judy Gruen, we are posting a series of excerpts from the book throughout November. This post is excerpted from “How to Research MBA Programs and Why It’s Essential That You Do”- Chapter 2 in MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

I realize that for many, if not most applicants (particularly international applicants applying to U.S. schools), a school visit is simply out of the question. Don’t worry. There are many valuable channels that can yield the information you need to make an informed decision about where to apply, and to help you when answering a frequently asked essay/interview question, “What steps have you taken to learn about Our Amazing MBA Program?”

First, you can attend school-sponsored receptions and information sessions either in your city or another one within reasonable traveling distance. The same questions that you gathered from studying the web site can still be asked at these sessions. Schools also often participate in larger MBA fairs organized during the fall and held in many major cities across the world. How can you get the most out of attending these fairs? Peter von Loesecke, CEO and Managing Director of The MBA Tour LLC (thembatour.com), which organizes information sessions between MBA admissions representatives and prospective students, offers these tips:

1. Come prepared. Research the schools participating in the event ahead of time. Think about your career interests and goals and know how an MBA helps you achieve those goals and interests.
2. Make a good impression. Have your resume available and wear business attire. Business casual is ok, but most serious students, especially those outside the United States, attend in business attire. Ask questions that pertain to your personal situation and goals, and asking questions that can be answered off the school’s internet site. Don’t monopolize conversations with school reps; limit your chats to between three and five minutes unless no one else is waiting.
3. Expand your horizons. Don’t be limited by first impressions of programs and where you want to go to school. Try and visit as many schools as you can and have your visit recorded so there is a record of interest at that program.
4. Ask for business cards. This way you can send follow-up emails thanking them for the time they spent with you. You can even resend your resume too!
5. Don’t ask questions that are not relevant to your situation or that show you haven’t done any research. Questions not to ask include:

“What is your average GMAT score?” Research this online on Businessweek or through other sources.

“Tell me why I should apply to your school.” This sort of question implies you think the school would be privileged to accept you and shows arrogance.

“Where is your school located?” Another question that reveals no prior research.

“How strong are your career services in this city?” A better question is: “Does your career services center have connections into XYZ industry where I am looking for a position after graduation?” The second question is a fair question and should be asked. The first one will generate a predictable response of “Of course we are strong in job placement in this city.”

If you still can’t get to a school or visit a school fair, you can amass a wealth of information without even leaving your chair or couch thanks to the internet. Blogs, articles, podcasts, videocasts, chat transcripts, and other information are available through individual school web sites, my company’s (Accepted.com), and others such as businessweek.com/bschools, mbapodcaster.com, worldmbatour.com, poetsandquants.com and thembatour.com. These resources will provide valuable insights and help you learn in-depth about the programs you are interested in and enable you to narrow down your search.

Show your management smarts by following the straight-talking advice that will direct you through the MBA admissions maze. Written by two leading experts in MBA admissions consulting, MBA Admission for Smarties reveals vital, yet often-neglected steps that will save you from the needless disappointment of applying at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons, or to the wrong program. Whether you’re applying this January or next October, you need this succinct guide which is on special during November. Buy it for yourself or for friends who are applying. And it’s discounted this month, and this month only:

• Save $5 on the paperback version purchased at Accepted.com. Use coupon code: GETSMART5.
  
• We’ve lowered the price on the Kindle edition by $5 for November. It’s only $4.99 through Nov. 30, 2012.

Instructions:

The Admissions Committee will consider carefully the answers to the following questions. Please complete all of the essay questions beginning your answer below each question and giving word counts for each answer. Once complete, please attach this document to your online application following the instructions given on the web form. For queries regarding the application form please email emba-office@london.ed

LBS EMBA 2013 Essay Questions:

Question 1 (500 words max)

Please qualify the content and scope of your management experience and/or exposure to decision making. How would this help you contribute effectively to the learning of your EMBA classmates?

This question gets at what you really are (and have been) accountable for – it gets past the position title, which can mask a lack of meaningful responsibility. Describe and give actual examples of your most significant decision-making, managerial responsibilities in your current and previous positions. Draw on the particulars of these roles to show ways you can contribute to your classmates’ learning; i.e., the insight you’ve gained from addressing the particular factors, constraints, circumstances, etc. of your industry, company, function, and so forth

Question 2 (500 words max)

Our students participate in the Executive MBA for many valid reasons. Please outline your career objectives and explain how London Business School’s Executive MBA would help you achieve them.

Since the preceding essay sets up nicely for this goals essay, you can start by describing briefly your immediate goals in your current role – after all these goals are part of what you’ll bring to the table at LBS, because you’ll be working on them during your studies. The bulk of the goals discussion will focus on your post-MBA goals. Present a trajectory of five to ten years – beyond that it becomes too speculative. In describing your goals at each given point, indicate why you are taking that step or pursuing that role. In discussing how the program will benefit you, be specific: describe what skills and knowledge you need, and how the program meets those needs. Refer to the structure and special features of the program, detailing how they will support you and your goals.

Question 3 (500 words max)

The Executive MBA will expose you to broader networks from outside your sector. Describe the current trends in your sector and how your organisation’s strategy is addressing them, ensuring that this not-specialist audience will be able to understand and learn from your perspectives.

With so much dynamism in the global business world and in almost every industry, thinking of possible trends to discuss won’t be hard. Rather, the hard part – the challenging part – is selecting which trends to discuss. I suggest focusing on two to three (not necessarily at equal length). Select trends that you have been directly involved in. Present your first-hand experience through anecdote, and then reflect on and give insight into the trend(s) based on that experience. This approach will avoid abstract or generalized (i.e., doze-inducing) discussion while simultaneously showcasing your distinctive experience and perspective.

Question 4 (300 words max)

Describe a piece of constructive feedback that you have received regarding an area of weakness. What was your response?

This is essentially a story; treat it as such – a straightforward approach is needed with only 300 words. Select a meaningful experience that further illuminates your character and/or your level of responsibilities. Summarize the situation that led to the feedback, then describe the feedback – be specific, who gave it, when/where, etc. Note how you responded – and importantly – action you took based on it. End with a statement about how this feedback has influenced you going forward.

Question 5 (500 words max)

If you could choose any three people who have ever lived to join you for dinner, whom would you invite and why?

First, a don’t – avoid Mahatma Ghandi and similar paragons. Look at this essay from the adcom’s view – they’ve read probably hundreds of such essays extolling the globe’s undisputed exemplars. Be creative in selecting three people who reflect various facets of you – and ideally people who will be new to the adcom, or at least not well known to them. If you can reveal relevant aspects of yourself while engaging the adcom with interesting people, you’ve got a hit with this essay. For each invitee, tell a little about him or her, clarify why they are important to you, and add a bit about what you’d expect them to contribute to the evening and/or what you’d like to discuss with or learn from them.

Deadlines:

Apply now to secure your place for the January 2013 intake of the Executive MBA. Early admission also means you can be considered for a scholarship.

The recommended application dates for the London and Dubai January 2013 intakes are:

By Cindy Tokumitsu, co-author of The EMBA Edge, and author of the free special report, “Ace the EMBA.”

If you would like help with London Business School’s executive MBA essays, please consider Accepted.com’s LBS Executive MBA Packages or our other MBA admissions consulting and MBA essay editing services.

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

More, how he did it holds lessons for business school applicants, because at least two major schools ask for presentations as creative as his. NYU Stern asks applicants to “please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message. Feel free to be creative.” Chicago Booth similarly asks applicants to give “a four-slide presentation” that “broadens our perspective about who you are. The content is completely up to you. There is no right, or even preferred, approach to this presentation.”

If you are applying to these or other schools that prompt you for a wide open response, then you must come up with your own creative proposal that gets your audience to say yes. How? Let’s look at David Pogue’s approach for some helpful lessons.

• Get others to help you come up with a great idea. Pogue got his idea for a fake movie trailer from his kids. Your idea too can come from family—or from friends, coworkers, or even strangers you hear in passing. Don’t limit the source of your ideas to yourself.
• Plan, plan, plan. Pogue clearly thought out his whole movie trailer in intricate detail, right down to the timing of his on-screen actors’ responses to his live proposal. Because of all the thinking up front, shooting took just two days. Map out your own plan for your presentation; it will save you time when you execute it and the quality will show in the results.
• Use the technology you have on hand, and use it creatively. Some who saw Pogue’s video thought it cost him thousands of dollars, but it didn’t: he used friends as actors, moving cars as dollies, and still cameras as video recorders. Creativity doesn’t end with the idea for your presentation; it continues through the execution of your presentation.
• Know your audience. David Pogue impressed his audience—his fiancée—simply by being David Pogue. Through your presentation, the admissions committee wants to know you—the kind of person you are. Give them that! Don’t give them a list of accomplishments, or a full chronology of your life, or some made-up persona—just give them you, the person your closest coworkers see, the person your friends see, the person your family sees. If those close to you can recognize you in your presentation, then the admissions committee will as well.

David Pogue could have proposed to his fiancée in a traditional way. No one would have noticed. Similarly, a business school applicant could respond to the NYU and Chicago questions in a traditional way, with a straightforward essay and a standard slide set. No one would notice—and that’s a problem, because the worst thing you can do as a business school applicant is not be noticed. No doubt it scared David Pogue to take a big, creative risk; it scares my clients too when they answer creative questions like these. But if he can do it well, so can you: taking a creative risk got him noticed, and it will get you noticed in a good way too.

By R. Todd King, an MIT MBA, who has worked with MBA applicants since 2001. Todd can help you make the most of your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses.

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Purchase The Techie’s Guide to MBA Admission through August 31, 2012 and save 20% when you use coupon code TECHIE20 at checkout.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

UVA Darden prides itself on producing successful, ethical, community-focused, leadership-driven MBAs. If you want a spot in next year’s Darden class, you’ll need to prove that you have the skills and the drive to commit to this top b-schools ideals and goals. Exhibit your skills as they exist now, plus your passion and motivation to expand on those skills with a case-based, general management MBA. (Note Darden’s new question for this year.)

UVA Darden 2013 MBA Essay Question

1. Share your thought process as you encountered a challenging work situation or complex problem. How did this experience change your perspective? (500 words maximum)

Interesting question, and there are lots of different ways to approach it. Here’s one: Start by describing the work situation or complex problem. The more vividly you can describe the scene, the better. Steer away from problems where the complexity is entirely technical. There can be a technical component, but you want to make sure your reader understands what you were facing. A problem with a leadership or inter-personal element is a good one. How did you decide to deal with the challenges you were facing? What were the factors that influenced your approach?

In relating this story, don’t omit the results of your approach. Was it effective? How did it resolve the different elements of the problem?

Conclude with the lessons you learned from the experience. Show that you have the maturity and self awareness to reflect thoughtfully on your own actions. In what way(s) did your perspective on leadership or other components of your challenge change? Demonstrate growth and the ability to change as you analyze the effect of this experience on you.

UVA Darden 2013 MBA Application Deadlines

If you would like professional guidance with your UVA Darden MBA application, please consider Accepted’s MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our UVA Darden School Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Darden MBA application.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.

Leadership, teamwork, ethics, and a global approach to business are essential elements of the Duke Fuqua MBA, which is why you’ll need to make sure you express your passion for these ideals in your application essays. Impress the Fuqua adcom by positioning yourself as an innovative leader and team player, as someone who can see the big picture, work collaboratively, and shape global business.

Duke Fuqua 2013 MBA Essay Questions

▪ Three short answer questions and two essays are required for all applicants.

▪ Responses should use 1.5 line spacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point.

▪ Responses must be completed before submitting your application.

▪ Prepare your responses carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your answers important in the selection process.

Application Tip: Check out this blog post from the Director of Admissions for more insight on the 2012 – 2013 essays.

Required Short Answer Questions: Answer all 3 questions. 
Respond in 250 characters only (the equivalent of about 50 words).

1. What are your short-term goals, post-MBA?

State what you see yourself doing in terms of function and industry. If location or geography are important to your goal, include them. If you know the type of companies you would like to work for, you can include that information too, but don’t say you want to work for Company X. That’s probably too narrow. This is 60 words.

2. What are your long-term goals?

Your long term goals should flow logically from your short-term goals. They can be fuzzier and both in terms of direction and timing. But you should have them.

3. Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize what alternative directions have you considered?’

What’s your Plan B? If you can’t get a job at a leading strat consulting firm, what do you want to do? If Plan A is investment banking, what’s Plan B?

Required Essays: Answer both essay questions

1. The “Team Fuqua” spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of “25 Random Things About Yourself.” As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire’s professional and academic background, so learning these “25 Random Things” helps us get to know someone’s personality, background, special talents, and more. 

In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know you—beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of “25 Random Things” about YOU.

 (Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2 pages.)

Have some fun with this list. It certainly allows a more creative approach. Note that the questions asks you to go “beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. So you can list your Pez collection or perhaps your brief membership in a rock band or the fact that you took violin from age 6-18 or your membership in a gospel choir or your volunteer work in a hospital, needlepoint, your favorite recipe or photo. Gosh the list is endless. Just let it reflect you. Think of this list as an introduction to potential friends.

For more insight into this question and the motivation behind, please read Megan Lynam, the Director of Admissions’, advice. I believe you will find it helpful. And very friendly.

2. When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what do you tell them? Share the reasons that are most meaningful to you. (

Your response to this essay question should be no more than 2 pages in length. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing.)

Why Duke? But you’re not talking to the admissions committee, whom you just may be a tad less than candid with. You are talking to your family, friends, and colleagues, people you know and like. At least the friends part. The Fuqua admissions staff really wants to get to know you. Authenticity is the goal. The admissions readers want to be able to imagine you as a part of Team Fuqua — their family — as a friend or colleague. Will you be real stiff and formal? Of course not. You will be friendly in a professional way. Don’t take this as an invitation to be inappropriate, coarse, or rude. Just friendly.

What appeals to you about Duke. What about its program, culture, and professional opportunities propels you to apply and would compel you to accept an offer of admission? Maybe address a letter to a close friend and tell her why you want to go to Duke.

Optional Essay 
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them in an optional essay (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, or any significant weakness in your application). (Limit your response to two pages.)

Why isn’t your current supervisor writing your rec? Why is there a six-month gap on your resume? Why did your grades dip during the first semester of your senior year? What are your responsibilities while working for a family business after having left a prestigious investment bank, and why did you make the change? Answering any of those questions (but not all) could be the topic of your optional essay. And of course an infinite number of similar subjects could be worthwhile discussing in the optional essay.

Duke Fuqua 2013 Deadlines

Round Due Date Notification

Early Action September 19, 2012 October 30, 2012

Round 1 October 24, 2012 January 8, 2013

Round 2 January 4, 2013 March 18, 2013

Round 3 March 21, 2013 May 10, 2013

If you would like professional guidance with your Fuqua MBA application, please consider Accepted’sMBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our Duke Fuqua MBA Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Fuqua MBA application.

By Linda Abraham, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the new, definitive book on MBA admissions, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools.

Accepted.com’s experienced admissions consultants can help you create the most impressive application possible with comprehensive packages, or provide targeted assistance from picking perfect programs to designing a dazzling resume, constructing engaging essays, or preparing for intense interviews…and more! Accepted.com has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top MBA programs since 1994 – we know what works and what doesn’t, so contact us to get started now!

This article originally appeared on the Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of Accepted.com.