The reduced essay requirements means that you have to make the boxes work harder to reveal achievement and fit with Yale SOM. The essays themselves are all about Why MBA? and Why Yale.
Essays:
1. What motivates your decision to pursue an MBA? (300 words maximum)
What was the moment when you realized you needed an MBA? You could open with that moment and then segue into the reasons that made the moment significant and be came your reasons for wanting an MBA. The strong answer to this question will also address, "What can't you do without an MBA that you want to do ?"
2. The Yale School of Management provides leadership education for broad-minded, rigorous, and intellectually curious students with diverse backgrounds; a distinctive integrated curriculum; connections to one of the great research universities in the world; and the broad reach of an innovative and expanding global network of top business schools.
What motivates you to apply to the Yale School of Management for your MBA? What will you contribute to Yale and Yale SOM? (450 words maximum)
As you answer this question, keep in mind Yale's Mission: "Educating leaders for business and society." You may also want to review the
welcome from Dean Snyder.
Why would you love to attend Yale? What about its approach to management education resonates with you? Again, you can start with an anecdote or experience, preferably an achievement. Then analyze that event in terms of your reasons for wanting to go to Yale.
Given those reasons and the experience you are highlighting, how do you intend to contribute? Do you homework about Yale and Yale SOM before responding to this question. Which groups do you see yourself getting involved in? Is there anything you would like to initiate? What's going to be better as a result of your attending Yale?
For more on fit, please see "
What is Fit?"
Optional Information:
If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation, please provide the additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. You should use this section only if the information is not adequately captured elsewhere in your application. Re-applicants should use this space to indicate how your candidacy has changed since you last applied. (200 words maximum)
Did you face unusual challenges? Why isn’t your current boss writing your recommendation? Why is there a one-year gap between your second and third job? Why did your grades dip during the first quarter of your senior year? Your optional essay can respond to any of those questions (but not all).
Video Questions:
After you submit your application, you will be asked to answer a small number of video questions. These questions are intended to give you another opportunity to tell us about yourself. They will ask you about your past experiences, how you handled certain situations, and to respond to certain statements. They are not meant to be difficult and should not require extensive preparation to answer.
You will receive an email soon after you submit your application with detailed instructions about the video questions. To answer them, you will just need an internet connection and a webcam. You will have the opportunity to test your connection and respond to a sample questions before answering the questions. Once you have completed the questions, your responses will be added to your application and we will continue with the review process.
To prepare for your webcam session, you need to practice for the experience of talking to a video camera with no responses from another human being. It is a weird experience. For tips on how to prepare and behave during the webcam session, please see:
Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions.
If you would like professional guidance with your Yale SOM MBA application, please consider Accepted’s
MBA essay editing and
MBA admissions consulting or our
MBA Application Packages, which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the Yale MBA application.
This advice originally appeared on the
Accepted Admissions Consulting Blog, the official blog of
Accepted.com.