2019 MBA Applications: All BSchool Essay Prompts and Tips

Harvard

Essay 1: As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA Program? (no word count limit)

Essay Analysis by: Personal MBA Coach | mbaMission | Stacy Blackman | Expartus

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Columbia

Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2: How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? Click photo. (250 words)

Essay 3: Please provide an example of a team failure of which you have been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently? (250 words)

Optional Essay: Is there any further information that you wish to provide the Admissions Committee? If so, use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

Knight-Bagehot Fellows: Rather than answer Essay 1, current Knight-Bagehot Fellows applying to Columbia Business School should use the space allocated to the first essay (500 words) to complete the Wiegers Fellowship application essay.

Wiegers Fellowship Essay Question: What are your career goals? How has the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship affected these goals? How will an MBA help you achieve these goals? (500 words maximum)

Recommendation Questions: We ask recommenders to consider the following guidelines when writing their recommendations (recommended limit - 1000 words):

• How do the candidate's performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
• Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response.

Essay Analysis by: Personal MBA Coach | Fortuna Admissions | Stacy Blackman | mbaMission

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Michigan Ross

Short Answer Questions: Select one prompt from each group of the three groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or fewer (<100 words each; 300 words total).

• Group 1
  
  • I want people to know that I:
  • I made a difference when I:
• Group 2
  
  • I was humbled when:
  • I am out of my comfort zone when:
• Group 3
  
  • I was aware that I was different when:
  • I find it challenging when people:

Essay: Michigan Ross is a place where people from all backgrounds with different career goals can thrive. Please share your short-term career goal. Why is this the right choice for you? (300 words)

Optional Statement This section should only be used to convey information not addressed elsewhere in your application, for example, completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc. Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate.

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Yale SOM

Required Essay: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (500 words maximum)

Essay Analysis by: Admissionado

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London Business School (LBS)

Required Essay: What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500 words)

Optional Essay: Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (500 words)

Essay Analysis by: Stacy Blackman | Accepted

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Wharton

Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

Essay 2: Describe an impactful experience or accomplishment that is not reflected elsewhere in your application. How will you use what you learned through that experience to contribute to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Essay Analysis by: Personal MBA Coach | mbaMission

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Chicago Booth

Required Essays

Essay 1: How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)*

Essay 2: Chicago Booth immerses you in a choice-rich environment. How have your interests, leadership experiences, and other passions influenced the choices in your life? (250 word minimum)*
*There is no maximum length. Use your best judgment in determining how long your submission should be.

Optional Essay: Is there any unclear information in your application that needs further explanation? (300 word maximum)

Re-applicant Question: Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 word maximum)

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Stanford

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

Essay 2: Why Stanford?

Essay Analysis by: Admissionado (Essay 1) | Admissionado (Essay 2)

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UVA Darden

Essay 1: Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you - personal, professional or both. (100 words)

Essay 2: Each year, Darden connects with over 80 countries. If you could choose any location in the world, where would you want to go with Darden? And why? (50 words)

Essay 3: Darden strives to identify and cultivate leaders who follow their purpose. At this stage, how would you describe your evolving leadership style and please provide an example. (200 words)

Essay 4: Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact. (200 words)

Essay 5: What is your short-term, post-MBA career goal and why? (150 words)

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Kellogg

Required Essays

Essay 1: Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip & inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Tell us about a time you have demonstrated leadership and created lasting value. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn? (450 words)

Essay 2: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg? (450 words)

Essay for Dual-degree Applicants: For applicants to the MMM or JD-MBA dual degree programs, please explain why that program is right for you. (250 words)

Essay for Re-applicants: Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250 word limit)

Optional Essay: If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, etc.) (no word count)

Essay Analysis by: mbaMission | Accepted

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NYU Stern

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

• What are your short and long-term career goals?
• How will the MBA help you achieve them?

Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six"). Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:

• A brief introduction or overview of your "Pick Six" (no more than 3 sentences).
• Six images that help illustrate who you are.
• A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.

Essay 3: Additional Information (optional). (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

Essay Analysis by: mbaMission

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UCLA Anderson

Essay 1: Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. How can the UCLA Anderson experience add value to your professional development? (500 words maximum)

Short Answer Question: What are you passionate about and why? (300 words maximum)

Optional Essay: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? Please use your best judgment. (250 words maximum)

Reapplicant Essay: Please describe your career progress since you last applied and how 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 maximum)

Essay Analysis by: mbaMission

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McCombs

Essay 1: We will learn a lot about your professional background through your resume and letter of recommendation We want to get to know you further. Please introduce yourself. Select only one communication method you would like to use for your response.

• Write an essay (250 words)
• Share a video introduction (one minute in length)

Essay 2: Picture yourself at graduation. Describe how you spent your time as a Texas McCombs MBA, and how that experience helped prepare you for the post-MBA world. (500 words)

Optional Statement: Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/or address any areas of concern that you believe will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (e.g., gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, or extenuating personal circumstances). (250 words)

Essay Analysis by: mbaMission

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Tuck (Dartmouth)

Short Answer Questions:

• Share your short-term goals. (50 words)
• Share your long-term goals. (50 words)
• How did you arrive at these goals? (75 words)
• How will Tuck help you achieve these goals? (75 words)

Essay 1: Tuck students are aware of how their individuality adds to the fabric of Tuck. Tell us who you are and what you will contribute. (500 words)

Essay 2: Tuck students are nice, and invest generously in one another’s success. Share an example of how you helped someone else succeed. (500 words)

Optional Essay: Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere (e.g., atypical choice of evaluators, factors affecting academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

Reapplicant Essay (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. (500 words) SAME QUESTION, word count new?

Essay Analysis by: mbaMission

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