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Yale MBA Essay Question Analyzed
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29 Jul 2020, 08:32
Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (500 words)
This question remains unchanged since 2016 and is very broad in nature. This prompt was developed based on the feedback received by a Yale professor of Organizational Behavior, Amy Wresniewski who noted:
“Reading about future plans is helpful, but actions speak louder than words.” In your response, we are looking to learn about how you have approached a particular commitment, whether personal or professional, and the behaviors that support it. You should be less concerned about what we want to hear and instead focus on being honest with yourself in selecting and describing the commitment that has been most significant to you.”
The goal of this question is not so much about the commitment you choose but the actions and behaviors surrounding your commitment. For this question you can draw from either your personal or professional life as long as the story you pick sheds a new light on who you are as a person. Steer clear from anything you already mentioned in the rest of your application
How to approach this question?
Whether you want to feature your commitment to a cause, an organization or a person make sure that the overarching goal of your essay is to highlight skills and attributes that will help you excel as a future business leader and a member of the the Yale community. The subtext of this essay prompt is to determine how your past behavior will predict future behavior.
Describe what commitment means to you: overcoming adversity, sacrifices? compromises? Dive into what made reaching your goal difficult and why you chose to stay the course and what the end result was.
Pick one commitment and stick to it, although you may have multiple examples that support your ability to commit and bring about positive change, the theme around your narrative should remain the same.
Structure:
You will be limited to 500 words, it’s important to use the space wisely. Start with a brief description of your commitment, not more than 2 sentences, then dive into the main topic:
- How did you commit to XYZ?
- What challenges did you experience along the way?
- Why did you decide to stay the course?
- What did you learn and what was the outcome of this experience?
- (and if space allows) How are you intending to use this experience to benefit the Yale community.
Need assistance with your essay? The Admission Concierge is a one-on-one approach consulting service, founded by a former director of admissions with extensive experience in guiding applicants through the application process including interview prep and post admission assistance.