Applying at Age 30, should I do an additional essay?

aventus please do not do this; it will piss them off because the additional is really to explain major red flags like academic probation, low GPA, reason for no manager recommendation. Treating it as a getting to know you thing will show you are poor at following the rules.

Also 30 is not so old, would only address it if you plan to go into a very age-restricted type post MBA job. But even at 30, both consulting and IB are within reach.

For the schools you are going for, in the recs and CV, you want to show leadership, impact and problem solving. In the essays, you want to help them get to know you as a person, as your friends would know you.

This whole deal is about getting to know you and that means stories from your work and personal life; any stuff about how you would take advantage of the program is about the future and it won't frankly make them more interested in you, if they are not asking for that information directly. If they want that info from you they will have a "why this school" question.

Hope this helps!