The London Business School Masters in Management application essay questions indicate that the adcom values and seeks applicants who, at an early state in their careers, already have self-understanding and the ability to reflect and self-critique. Why? For people who are just starting their careers and don’t yet have a lot of real-world experience to draw on, these qualities will allow them to truly benefit from the program and chart an appropriate path forward.
The LBS MiM essay questions also reflect the program’s requirements for strong communication skills. They require you not just to cite facts but to express ideas, evaluate qualitative factors, and draw insights.
Question 1: What motivates you to further your academic and professional interest in business and why do you want to pursue the Masters in Management or Global MiM programme at London Business School? (600 words)
A simple and sensible approach to this essay is to break it into two main sections per the question:
1. Your academic and professional interest in business.
2. Why this program.
The first section may be a bit longer than the second, which is fine.
I combine academic and professional interest together in the first section because they are not separate for most people, and they both relate to a key point: your career goals. Presumably, your career plans are what motivate your interest in business. Briefly discuss those career plans as you envision them at this point, and explain how and why they inspire you to learn more about business. Since the question breaks out academic and professional, do directly address both – academic would refer to your desire to pursue this learning specifically through a graduate business program, and professional would refer to your projected professional growth and the education it requires.
In the second section, identify specific aspects of the LBS MiM program that you believe will be particularly helpful and/or important in facilitating and enabling that growth. Don’t just list things, but connect them to learning needs, goals, and/or intellectual interests.
Question 2: During your time as a student, how will you contribute to the London Business School community? (400 words)
This question is a great opportunity to differentiate yourself and spotlight relevant accomplishments. Having an impact means contributing based on what you have done, experienced, and/or learned (and, sometimes, endured…). To identify the best topics, consider drawing from your work or internship experience, personal interests, academic experience, distinctive or unusual aspects of your background, etc. Most people will do best to discuss 3-4 topics, for each describing the experience you’re drawing from and then explaining – in specific terms – how it will allow you to contribute to the LBS community. If 1-2 of these are discussed in some detail, you can mention 1-2 more topics with less detail.
Question 3 (Global MiM applicants only): Global MiM applicants will be required to complete an additional video essay component of the application via Kira Academic. You will receive the details of how to access your video questions via Kira within one week of submitting your application. If you do not receive the instructions within this timescale please contact us. Please note your application will not be considered complete until the video portion of your application has been submitted.
If you aren’t accustomed to doing video presentations, put some effort into visual elements like background and lighting. Keep the background simple, clean, and uncluttered. Have the light behind the camera and shining on you. Dress professionally. Also, practice – make up some sample/test questions and practice answering into a video camera, so that when the time comes you’re comfortable talking to the camera and can respond succinctly and engagingly. Oh, and remember to smile!
If you would like professional guidance with your LBS MiM application, check out Accepted’s MiM Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the LBS MiM application.
London Business School MiM 2017-18 Application Deadlines:
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***
By Cindy Tokumitsu, has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA, master, law, PhD and medical programs, with special emphasis on MBA and EMBA and other business programs in her 15+ years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources:
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application Essays, a free guide
• College Students, Recent Grads Interested in Business: London is Calling!, a podcast episode
• Approaching The Diversity Essay Question
This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.
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