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Emory Goizueta Business School MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines [2019 – 2020]

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Taken together, these essay questions cover a lot of ground: your professional path and plans, your alignment with the program’s core values, and your interpersonal and communication responsiveness. Moreover, this vast ground is covered in few words – the written essays are short, requiring tough decisions about what key points and anecdotes to include and what to leave out. Write simply and directly to pack as much meaning and impact as possible into each word. Not least, ensure your video “personality” aligns with your written “personality.”

Emory Goizueta 2019-2020 MBA application essays

Emory Goizueta essay question #1

Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)

This question challenges you to define your short-term goals in three dimensions: your past experience, your skills, and your unique character. Yet, with only 300 words, you can’t give a comprehensive, detailed delineation of those elements. I suggest discussing one point from each category that is relevant to your goals. The key to making this part of the essay work is specificity, detail, and anecdote – e.g. don’t just say you have a charismatic personality that brings people together; show through a brief anecdote how it lets you be the glue in a rough-and-tumble team. Then discuss directly the relevance of this quality to your short-term goal. The question’s emphasis on short-term goals suggests practicality and concreteness: what (type of) position and in what industry, to achieve what, and why (and, sometimes, where).

Emory Goizueta essay question #2

The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)

I suggest addressing this question as a story (a very succinct story): describe a time you led in a situation of some significance. Walk through it straightforwardly, focusing on your actions. In a final, brief paragraph reflect on what this leadership experience taught you about yourself; don’t list ten things, but rather focus on the one to two most meaningful points.

To select the best topic or experience to portray, look for something that is fairly recent and that has a clear impact. While most people will want to grab this opportunity to showcase their impact at work, it may make sense to select a non-work story if, for example, it reflects a situation or experience that truly distinguishes you in a relevant way and illustrates substantial leadership as well. Think strategically in selecting the topic and choose one that enhances your overall application and adds to the information found elsewhere.

Video essay

Within the application, you will be provided with a question to answer. You will have 30 seconds to gather your thoughts and prepare your answer. You will then have up to 60 seconds to respond to the question. You will be permitted 3 attempts to record your video essay, however each opportunity could present a different question.

You can’t prepare content obviously, but you can prepare approach and presentation. A great way to do that is to practice – literally give yourself questions and video yourself answering. (Even better, see if someone can ask you random questions so you are really prepared for anything without knowing what it is first.) Don’t just stand in front of a mirror or talk into a room for 60 seconds. It feels a lot different to be talking while being videoed – if you’re like most people you’ll really benefit from doing it enough to make it second nature.

Additional information

Should you feel there is an important part of your story missing from your application (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic probation issues), please use this section to provide a brief explanation. We ask that you limit your response to 100 words; responses in bullet point format are preferred.

Use this essay to address any extenuating circumstances. Obviously, be succinct.

Reapplicant essays

Applicants who have applied to Goizueta Business School in the past are required to answer the following questions:

  1. Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)See tip for Essay 1 above. If your goal has changed since the previous application, explain why.
  2. Explain how you have improved your candidacy for Goizueta Business School’s MBA Program since your last application. (250 word limit)This is THE key question for all MBA reapplicants. Goizueta just asks it explicitly. See MBA Reapplication 101 for more advice.

For expert guidance with your Emory Goizueta MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

Emory Goizueta 2019-2020 MBA application deadlines

Round 1October 4, 2019
Round 2November 15, 2019
Round 3January 10, 2020
Round 4March 13, 2020

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Cindy Tokumitsu, admissions expert

Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 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:

• Why MBA? a free guide to writing about your MBA goals
• Optional Essays: When and How to Write Them, a short video
• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips

This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.

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