Emory Goizueta 2012 MBA Essay Questions
This Emory Goizueta 2012 MBA Application tip post is one of a series of posts providing MBA application and essay advice for applicants to top MBA programs around the world. Check out the entire 2012 MBA Application Tips series for more valuable MBA essay advice.
Answer all essays (numbers 1 through 4), following the directions indicated in the questions.
1. Complete each of the following questions. Please limit your response to 150 words each.
- Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this time?
- What are your short term post MBA goals?
- What are your long term professional aspirations?
This is a forward looking MBA goals question, and a short one too. To answer "Why Now?" explain how your job and past education have given you a firm foundation for your future goals, but you need the skills and knowledge provided by this school's MBA to achieve your professional goals. Don't just copy and past the preceding sentence. Discuss specific aspects of your work and experience relevant to your future goals. Then discuss your short-term goals in terms of the job function you would like to perform, the industry you would like to work in, and the location (if relevant) where you would like to work. Your long-term goals should grow naturally from what you have done in the past and intend to accomplish in business school and your post-MBA work experience. It should all fit together.
2. Share one of your most significant professional accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this activity and how it has helped to shape your management skills. Please limit your response to 500 words.
When have you really contributed to an organization? When have you led an initiative that led to an increase in membership or sales, a decrease in expenses or time to market, or a change of policy. Any of these outcomes could represent a significant professional accomplishment for you.
Make sure that the essay both defines your role and your impact as well as the influence this experience has had on your views of management and your management skill set.
Please note that this MBA essay asks for "one" of your most significant accomplishments, not a bunch.
3. 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. It is his legacy and the strength of his character that gives rise to our vision: Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. We encourage you to watch this short video for inspiration in answering the question.
What sort of impact do you hope to have as a Goizueta Business School student OR business leader and what attributes do you possess that will assist you in achieving this goal? Please limit your response to 300 words.
The transcript of the video can be found here
Inspiring and ennobling sentiments in the transcript and video.
The question asks about the impact you hope to have at Goizueta OR (not "and") as a future business leader. How are you going to contribute? In Goizueta's words, how are you going to create value for others whether in b-school or later in life? Then, what 1-2 character traits will enable you to contribute in this way? It would be ideal if you could discuss a time in the recent past when you had impact and were a contributor because of this trait(s).
You can either start this essay with the past example of contribution and then move forward, or start with your vision of contribution in the future andthen move to the example from the past. Just keep it focused on and succinct.
The example you use to respond to this question should be different from the one you write about in #2.
4. Complete two of the following statements. Please limit your response to 150 words each.
- I am unique because...
- My most memorable cross-cultural experience...
- I am passionate about...
- The most surprising thing about me is...
- The best piece of advice I've ever received is...
Don't try to calculate which questions Emory really wants you to answer. It is giving you a choice. Choose the two that allow you to best present yourself to the admissions committee. Choose topics that will complement the other elements of the application and perhaps address a possible short coming or even a stereo-type.
Optional Essay: If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues, areas of weakness in application), please complete this optional essay in 250 words or less.
If there is something you believe would add to your case for admissions that is not covered in the rest of the application, write about it here. Given that you have a maximum of 250 words, realize that this questions requires focus. Focus on one facet of your life or an experience that is important to you, reveals the human being you are, and isn't described in other parts of the application.
You can of course also use this essay to provide context or "explain" a weakness, but I hate to end your application on that note if it can be avoided. So weigh your options. If you have something to explain, do so. If you can tuck the explanation somewhere else in the application, more power to you. If the best place for the explanation is this last essay, so be it.
FOR RE-APPLICANTS
Applicants who have applied to Goizueta Business School in the past are required to answer two questions:
1: Complete each of the following questions. Please limit your response to 150 words each.
- Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this time?
- What are your short-term post-MBA goals?
- What are your long-term professional aspirations?
Please see my tip above.
2: Explain how you have improved your candidacy for Goizueta Business School’s MBA Program since your last application. Please limit your response to 250 words.
This is THE key question for all MBA reapplicants. Goizueta just asks it explicitly. Please see MBA Reapplicant 101 for more advice.
You may also submit the optional essay if you wish.
If you would like help with your Emory MBA application, please consider Accepted's MBA essay editing and MBA admissions consulting or our Emory School Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Emory Goizueta's application.
Emory Goizueta 2012 MBA Deadlines
Applications are reviewed in rounds. We encourage candidates who have submitted their on-line application to log into OPUS to verify materials received and to check their application status. The Admissions Office cannot accommodate requests to verify materials received over the phone.
Application Deadlines
- September 16, 2011 - Early Deadline
- October 21, 2011 - Round 1
- December 9, 2011- Round 2
- January 27, 2012 - Round 3
- March 9, 2012 - Round 4
By Linda Abraham, President and Founder of Accepted.com.
