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StrategiForZen
Joined: 13 Jun 2025
Last visit: 31 Aug 2025
Posts: 32
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 3
Location: India
Schools: Ross '25 (A$$) ISB '25 (A$$$)
GRE 1: Q168 V162
20 Jun 2025, 21:59
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Let's start with the optional essay, an important change for ISB’s PGP Co’27 applicants:
Share with us any intellectual pursuits, unique perspectives, or experiences that you pursued that have shaped your worldview, your growth through these pursuits, and how they could potentially contribute to our learning community. (250 words)
The first question usually is: Should you attempt the optional essay?
Yes, always attempt it. Skipping it can signal a lack of effort or genuine interest in the program. More importantly, it gives you another opportunity to showcase your personality, values, or unique experiences.
This particular essay is essentially a “contribution” essay and it is be fun to write. In my opinion, here is how you should approach it: (P.S. This is a framework I picked up while working with a mentor during my own US B School applications)
1. Understand the School: You just cannot write meaningfully about contributing to the school without knowing about what school values. To research the school: talk to alumni and current students, attend info sessions, research the web, etc. The aim here is to understand the classroom, clubs, and community before you begin writing.
2. Identify Your Stories: You should start with a list of stories, anecdotes, etc. To filter down, ask yourself these simple questions:
a) Is this personal or professional?
b) What skills does it highlight? Is that skill unique or common?
d) Can I link it to a clear contribution?
I would suggest picking two stories max, given the word count: one personal and one professional, or both personal. Avoid using two purely professional ones.
3. Structure Each Story: Simply set the context, then highlight your growth or learning, and finally explain how will you use this experience to make a meaningful contributions to school.
Two pieces of advice (most applicants do go wrong here):
a) Avoid making obvious claims, it does not add value: Do not just simply restate what your application already makes it clear. For example, If you have worked in consulting/finance/operations, don't just say you will help your peers with problem solving/financial modelling/operation's classes. This is just a simple example, but idea is don't be generic and bland. Rather, focus on less visible unique experiences, perspectives, etc.
b) Do not waste space: Again I have seen a lot of people to do this. In my opinion, one should avoid long, filler intros and conclusions that say nothing about you. Just keep it extremely short. In a 250 word essay, every sentence should add value.
Working on your MBA apps? Book a free 25-min call - ask me anything!
Share with us any intellectual pursuits, unique perspectives, or experiences that you pursued that have shaped your worldview, your growth through these pursuits, and how they could potentially contribute to our learning community. (250 words)
The first question usually is: Should you attempt the optional essay?
Yes, always attempt it. Skipping it can signal a lack of effort or genuine interest in the program. More importantly, it gives you another opportunity to showcase your personality, values, or unique experiences.
This particular essay is essentially a “contribution” essay and it is be fun to write. In my opinion, here is how you should approach it: (P.S. This is a framework I picked up while working with a mentor during my own US B School applications)
1. Understand the School: You just cannot write meaningfully about contributing to the school without knowing about what school values. To research the school: talk to alumni and current students, attend info sessions, research the web, etc. The aim here is to understand the classroom, clubs, and community before you begin writing.
2. Identify Your Stories: You should start with a list of stories, anecdotes, etc. To filter down, ask yourself these simple questions:
a) Is this personal or professional?
b) What skills does it highlight? Is that skill unique or common?
d) Can I link it to a clear contribution?
I would suggest picking two stories max, given the word count: one personal and one professional, or both personal. Avoid using two purely professional ones.
3. Structure Each Story: Simply set the context, then highlight your growth or learning, and finally explain how will you use this experience to make a meaningful contributions to school.
Two pieces of advice (most applicants do go wrong here):
a) Avoid making obvious claims, it does not add value: Do not just simply restate what your application already makes it clear. For example, If you have worked in consulting/finance/operations, don't just say you will help your peers with problem solving/financial modelling/operation's classes. This is just a simple example, but idea is don't be generic and bland. Rather, focus on less visible unique experiences, perspectives, etc.
b) Do not waste space: Again I have seen a lot of people to do this. In my opinion, one should avoid long, filler intros and conclusions that say nothing about you. Just keep it extremely short. In a 250 word essay, every sentence should add value.
Working on your MBA apps? Book a free 25-min call - ask me anything!
