Essay Questions

For programs that start in 2011

Last change made on this page on: October 27, 2010

Important Note!
Schools rarely change essay topics after they were already published.
In addition, we may rarely make a mistake in copying content.

In such cases, it may be that a topic presented here is not accurate!

It is essential that you visit the school website to be 100% certain about the exact essay topics.

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Please note that for re-applicants the essay topics are often different from the below!

Anderson - UCLA
Booth - Chicago
Columbia (January and September 2011)
Darden
Fuqua - Duke
Haas - Berkeley  Very Common Topics
Harvard  Very Common Topics
IE Business School
IESE
INSEAD  Common Topics
Johnson - Cornell
Judge - Cambridge
Kellogg  Somewhat Common Topics
LBS  Common Topics
Ross - Michigan  Somewhat Common Topics
Sloan - MIT
Stanford  Somewhat Common Topics
Stern - NYU
Tepper - Carnegie Mellon
Tuck  Common Topics
Wharton
Yale  Very Common Topics

Find Schools That you can Add Easily
Since different school's essay topics are similar, you might be able to take an essay you wrote for one school and adjust it for other schools.
However, it's important to give all schools the impression that you care about them and their essay topics. Some admission readers are put off if they feel they are reading a "recycled" essay. Therefore, customize and tailor the essay content to the exact phrasing of the question asked. Make sure you answer all parts of the questions, and not much beyond it. Pay attention to the instructions and word limit.
Questions about career vision/goals are very common and are asked by almost every school, so those are not mentioned here.
 

Harvard:
Essay 1 – With minor adjustments, you can use it for INSEAD (essay 2). With some adjustments, you can use it for Yale (P.S 1) or Johnson (essay 1) or IESE (essay 3) or Haas (S.A 2) or LBS (essay 5b).
Essay 2 – With some adjustments, you can use it for Kellogg (essay 4c).
Essay 3[3] – Without adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 3).
Essay 3[4] – With some adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 1) or INSEAD (essay 1) or Columbia (essay 2).

Stanford:
Essay 1 – With minor adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 4a) or Haas (S.A. 1).
Essay 3b – With some adjustments, you can use it for Johnson (essay 1).
Essay 3c – With minor adjustments, you can use it for Sloan (essay 2).
Essay 3d – Without adjustments, you can use it for Sloan (essay 1).

Columbia:
Essay 2 - With some adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 1) or INSEAD (essay 1) or Harvard (essay 3[4]).

Kellogg:
Essay 2 - With some adjustments, you can use it for IE (essay C) or Yale (P.A 3) or Tuck (essay 2) or Haas (essay 1).
Essay 4b - With minor adjustments, you can use it for Tepper (essay C3)
Essay 4c - With some adjustments, you can use it for Harvard (essay 2).

Wharton:
Essay 3 - With some adjustments, you can use it for INSEAD (essay 3) or Ross (essay 3).
Essay 4 - With minor adjustments, you can use it for IE (essay B) or IESE (essay 5) or Tepper (essay C1) or Tuck (essay 3).

INSEAD:
Essay 1 - With some adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 1) or Columbia (essay 2) or Harvard (essay 3[4]).
Essay 2 - With some adjustments, you can use it for IESE (essay 3) or Harvard (essay 1). With minor adjustments, you can use it for Yale (P.S 1) or Johnson (essay 1) or Haas (S.A 2) or LBS (essay 5b).
Essay 3 - With some adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 3) or Wharton (essay 3).
Essay 5a - With some adjustments, you can use it for LBS (essay 4).

MIT:
Essay 1 - With some adjustments, you can use it for Stanford (essay 3d).
Essay 2 - With some adjustments, you can use it for Stanford (essay 3c).

Tuck:
Essay 2 - With some adjustments, you can use it for IE (essay C) or Yale (P.A 3) or Kellogg (essay 2) or Haas (essay 1).
Essay 3 - With minor adjustments, you can use it for IE (essay B) or IESE (essay 5) or Tepper (essay C1) or Wharton (essay 4).

Berkeley:
S.A 1 - With minor adjustments, you can use it for Ross (essay 4a) or Stanford (essay 1).
S.A 2 - Without adjustments, you can use it for Yale (P.S 1) or Johnson (essay 1) or LBS (essay 5b) or INSEAD (essay 2).
Essay 1 - With some adjustments, you can use it for IE (essay C) or Yale (P.A 3) or Tuck (essay 2) or Kellogg (essay 2).

LBS:
Essay 4 - With some adjustments, you can use it for INSEAD (essay 5a).
Essay 5b - Without adjustments, you can use it for Yale (P.S 1) or Johnson (essay 1) or Berkeley (S.A 2) or INSEAD (essay 2).

---

Anderson - UCLA

We are interested in getting to know applicants on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, genuine, and succinct. Remember that we are more concerned with the content of your essays than their form or style.

All responses to essays must be on double-spaced pages that are uploaded in document form, except for the optional essays for first-time applicants, which may alternatively be submitted as an audio or video file instead. (Please note the word limits indicated in parentheses below.)

First-time applicants -- 2 required essays:

REQUIRED ESSAYS:

Please be introspective and authentic in your responses. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn about your life experiences, aspirations, and goals.

1. What event or life experience has had the greatest influence in shaping your character and why? (750 words)

2. Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now and how will UCLA Anderson help you to achieve your goals? (750 words)

OPTIONAL ESSAYS:

The following essays are strictly optional. These essays are for individuals who would like to provide additional information. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit optional essays.

1. You may respond to the following question via written essay, audio, or video clip: What is something people will find surprising about you?

Please limit your submission: audio response (up to 2 minutes), video response (up to 1 minute), or essay (250 words).

2. Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

Supported File Types:

Audio: .avi, .wmv, .wav, .mp3, .midi, .wma, .aiff, .au, .mp4

Video: .avi, .wmv, .mov, .mpeg

Note: Please do not e-mail audio files to the admissions office.

REAPPLICANT ESSAY QUESTIONS


REQUIRED ESSAY:

Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2009 or 2010 class are required to complete the following essay. Please be introspective and authentic in your response. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn more about your aspirations and goals.

1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which 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)

OPTIONAL ESSAYS:

The following essays are strictly optional. These essays are for individuals who would like to provide additional information. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit optional essays.

1. You may respond to the following question via written essay, audio or video clip: What is something people will find surprising about you?

Please limit your submission: audio response (up to 2 minutes), video response (up to 1 minute), or essay (250 words).

2. Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

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Booth (Chicago)

Below are the essay questions for the Fall 2011 application: (Click here to see the essay questions on Booth's website)

1. The Admissions Committee is interested in learning more about you on both a personal and professional level. Please answer the following (maximum of 300 words for each section):

a. Why are you pursuing a full-time MBA at this point in your life?
b. Define your short and long term career goals post MBA.
c. What is it about Chicago Booth that is going to help you reach your goals?
d. RE-APPLICANTS ONLY: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application?

2. Chicago Booth is a place that challenges its students to stretch and take risks that they might not take elsewhere. Tell us about a time when you took a risk and what you learned from that experience (maximum of 750 words).

3. At Chicago Booth, we teach you HOW to think rather than what to think. With this in mind, we have provided you with “blank pages” in our application. Knowing that there is not a right or even a preferred answer allows you to demonstrate to the committee your ability to navigate ambiguity and provide information that you believe will support your candidacy for Chicago Booth.

Essay Question 3 Guidelines

We have set forth the following guidelines:

* The content is completely up to you. Acceptable file formats are PowerPoint or PDF.
* There is a strict maximum of four pages, though you can provide fewer if you choose.
* The document will be printed in color and added to your file for review; therefore, flash, hyperlinks, embedded videos, music, etc. will not be viewed by the committee. You are limited to text and static images to convey your points.
* The file will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise or presentation.
* Files need to be less than 9 megabytes in order to upload. If your file is too large you may save your file as a PDF and upload your essay.

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Columbia (January and September 2011)

In addition to learning about your professional aspirations, the Admissions Committee hopes to gain an understanding of your interests, values and motivations through these essays. How you answer these essays is at your discretion, there are no right or wrong answers and we encourage you to answer each question thoughtfully.

Dual Degree applicants: Please address the following questions within your response to Essay 1: How will the Dual Degree enhance your short-term or long-term goals?

Reapplicants: If you have applied to Columbia Business School within the past year, you are required to submit only the reapplication essay. If your last application was more than one year ago, you must answer essays 1 and 2.

Essay 1
What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals? (Recommended 750 word limit)

Essay 2
Please tell us about yourself and your personal interests. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Recommended 500 word limit)

Optional Essay
Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? (Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.) (No word limit)

Reapplication Essay
How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate your short-term and long-term goals. Explain how the tools of the Columbia Business School will help you to meet your goals and how you plan to participate in the Columbia community. (Recommended 750 word limit).

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Darden

Click here to see the essay questions on Darden's website

MBA Application Essay Questions 2010–2011

1. The Darden MBA program expects students to actively participate in learning teams, the classroom, and the broader community. Please share one or two examples from your past experience that best illustrate(s) how you will contribute to this highly engaging and hands-on learning environment. (500 words)

2. Please discuss how a global event that has taken place in the past two years has impacted the way you think about leadership broadly and personally. (500 words)

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Fuqua-Duke

Essays for Fall 2011 Entry: (Click here to see the essay questions on Fuqua's website)

Three essay questions must be completed before submitting your application. Prepare your essays carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your responses to the following questions important in the selection process. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing. Your response to each question should be no more than 2 pages in length, with a font size no less than 10-point.

Candidates who applied to The Duke MBA between September 2009 and April 2010 are considered re-applicants. All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay in addition to the Applicant Essays.

All applicants have the opportunity to submit an optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware.

Applicant Essays : Answer all 3 essay questions.

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, Duke is in the midst of an ambitious global venture that will embed and connect us around the world, and we are seeking future leaders of consequence, who value diversity and collaborative leadership, and who aspire to impact the companies and communities of which they are a part in a lasting and positive way.

In an effort to identify, engage, and foster the development of future leaders of consequence, the Admissions Committee would like to get to know our applicants in a more holistic manner. We would like to know who you are, what has shaped you into the person you are today, and how you hope to impact both Duke and the communities of which you will be a part in the future. The essays are your opportunity to convey that to us. Please be open, genuine, and passionate. Share with us what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.

1. Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.

2. How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua's diverse culture?

3. Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)

Optional Essay (not required)

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).

Re-applicant Essay

All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay. Please limit your response to two pages. Write an essay describing how you are now a stronger candidate for admission compared to the application you submitted the previous year.

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Haas - Berkeley

Listed below are the supplemental questions, short answer questions, required essays, and optional essays for the fall 2011 application.
Click here to see the essay questions on Haas website

Supplemental Information

1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain; otherwise, enter N/A.

2. List in order of importance all community & professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, & average number of hours spent per month.

3. List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies, indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.

4. Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.

5. Please identify the course(s) you have taken or intend to take to demonstrate quantitative proficiency. Provide the course name and institution. Beyond courses, please discuss other ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities.

6. If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

Short Answer Questions

1. What are you most passionate about? Why? (250-word maximum)

2. Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250-word maximum)

3. At Haas, our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles — question the status quo; confidence without attitude; students always; and beyond yourself. Give an example of when you have demonstrated one of these principles. (250 words maximum, Review Berkeley-Haas’ Defining Principles)

4. There are many ways to learn about our program, what steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA? (250-word maximum)

Required Essays

1. Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)

2. What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? How will an MBA from Berkeley help you achieve these specific career goals? (1000 word maximum)

Optional Essays

1. (Optional) Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven't addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

2. (Optional) Please provide the occupation of, and highest degree obtained by, your parent(s) or guardian(s).  

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Harvard

Essays for the Class of 2013 (Click here to see the essay questions on Harvard's website)

As an opportunity to present your distinctive qualities, your essays are an important part of your MBA application. You will be asked to submit your personal statements online with the balance of your application materials.

First, compose your responses to the essays in a word processing document.
Please abide by the following instructions:

* Limit your responses to the lengths indicated.
* Single-space your essays.
* Please use Times New Roman font type and 12 pt font size.
* Write the question at the top of each essay.
* Refrain from using images and/or any other nonstandard English characters in your essays. They may prevent the system from processing your application.
 
All applicants must answer questions 1 and 2. For question 3, please choose two of the four questions listed below, and upload individually your response to each of the two questions you've chosen. If applying to a joint degree program, please upload an additional essay in the Joint Degree candidates section below.

Please note: Do not send an extra copy of your essays to our office, as this will complicate the processing of your application.

Essays:

* What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

* What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)

* Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):

1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?

2. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

3. Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.

4. When you join the HBS Class of 2013, how will you introduce yourself to your new classmates?

Joint degree applicants:
* How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400-word limit)

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IE Business School

The main objective of the following questions is to have more information regarding your candidature. Please answer the questions corresponding to you. You must answer each question in a separate page with a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 (1.5 line spacing).

All Applicants must answer the following essay questions:

A. If you had the opportunity, what would you ask the president or leader of your country, and why?

B. Cite the most difficult situation you have faced in your professional life and how your input helped to resolve it.

Applicants for MBA and General Management programs should also write an essay on the following topic:

C. Cite at least one example in which your leadership impacted or changed a situation and discuss how you think IE Business School will help you refine, focus, or enhance this skill.

Other open questions from the application form:

Additional Information
1. What is your motivation for you to study a Master degree? Describe how you believe a Master degree fits with your future career objectives. (200 words)
2. What are your reasons for applying to IE? (200 words)
3. Have you applied to any other schools? If so, please state which ones. (200 words)
4. What contribution could you make to a highly dynamic and interactive program? (200 words)
5. Which of your personal characteristics could be considered valuable for teamwork? (200 words)
6. Which of your personal characteristics would you like to improve through the program? (200 words)
7. What, in your opinion, have been your most important achievements? (200 words)
8. Please indicate other extra-curricular activities, internships or voluntary work relevant for Admissions. (200 words)
9. What are your aspirations...
...personal? (100 words)
...professional? (100 words)
...financial? (100 words)

Professional Experience
Please describe your former job, stating your responsibilities and tasks. State the position of the person you reported to. (125 words)

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IESE

Essay Questions

1. Please describe your short term professional goals (post MBA). (200 word limit)

2. Please describe your long term professional goals (post MBA). (200 word limit)

3. Describe two substantial accomplishments and one failure in a professional or private endeavour. (600 word limit)

4. Describe your job responsibilities. (250 word limit)

5. Describe the most difficult project (personal or professional) that you have faced recently (within last two years). (200 word limit)

6. I wish that the application had asked me... (200 word limit)


Additional questions

IESE Scholarship Essay 1
In addition to the academic and professional activities already mentioned, describe any other activities in which you were or are currently involved. This includes university, college, community, athletic, political and cultural organizations, articles published, awards won, professional titles obtained, etc. (200 word limit)

IESE Scholarship Essay 2
How do you plan to finance the IESE MBA and what financial needs do you think justify awarding a scholarship in your case?

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INSEAD

Word limit policy - please keep it to 5% of the word limit at the most.

Job Essay 1
Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved. (250 words)

Job Essay 2
Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)

Essays

1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (400 words approx.)

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)

3. Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)

4. Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career. (500 words approx.)

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics:
a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.),
or
b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (200 words approx.) This essay is optional.

7. In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of
professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application. We would
also like you to explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. This essay should not exceed 400
words.

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Johnson - Cornell

The essay portion of your application gives you the opportunity to candidly demonstrate your attributes and your compatibility with our rich and vibrant program. Formatting suggestions: 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, single spacing. Please observe the 400 word limit for each essay.

Essays Required for All Applicants

1. Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you added value to your organization. (400 word limit)

2. What career do you plan to pursue upon completion of an MBA degree and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal? (400 word limit)

3. You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the table of contents for the book.
Note: Approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity and authenticity. (Required essay) (400 word limit)

Essay Required for All Re-applicants

How did you strengthen your application since you last applied to the Johnson School?
(400 word limit)

Optional essay

Complete this essay if you would like to add additional details regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate record or test scores) do not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School. (400 word limit)

Activities

Create and upload a document outlining your activities according to the instructions below. Formatting suggestions: 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, single spacing. (400 word limit)

Collegiate Activities and Employment - List your extracurricular activities while in college in order of importance to you. You may include details about your positions and the time commitment, honors or awards received, and dates of participation. The list may also include part-time and summer employment held while in college. Please list your employer, job title, responsibilities, hours per week, and the dates for each position.

Post-Collegiate Activities - List community activities (clubs, church, civic, etc.) and professional associations you contributed to since graduation from college. Please include the organization name, your role, hours dedicated, elected offices held, and dates of participation.

Hobbies and Activities - Please describe any hobbies or activities that hold special significance for you.

Park Fellowship

The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program is only available to US Citizens applying for the Two-Year MBA program during the first three rounds. The Park Fellowship is the Johnson School´s most prestigious award and we offer twenty-five fellowships to entering MBA students each year. The two-year award includes full tuition and a stipend.

Park Fellows complete a rigorous leadership program in addition to academic classes. As part of the fellowship obligation, each Park Leadership Fellow also makes a significant public service contribution to the Johnson School, Cornell University, or the surrounding community.

To receive consideration for the fellowship, you must submit your online application and complete an essay regarding leadership.
If applying for the Park Fellowship, please answer the essay question below and upload your response:

What is your greatest example of leadership and what personal qualities helped you succeed in that role? (400 word limit)

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Judge - Cambridge

1. What are the key issues facing organisations in your sector over the next three years? What course of action would you recommend to such organisations? (up to 300 words)

2. What did you learn from your most spectacular failure? (up to 200 words)

3. Please provide a personal statement. It should not exceed 500 words and must include the following:
* What are your short and long term career objectives?
* What skills/characteristics do you already have that will help you to achieve them?
* What do you hope to gain from the degree programme and how do you feel it will help you achieve the career objectives you have?

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Kellogg

2011 Application Essay Questions - 1Y, 2Y & MMM questions

Essay #1
a) MBA Program applicants - Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)

b) MMM Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. How does the MMM Program meet your educational needs and career goals? (600 word limit).

Essay #2
Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experience (600 word limit).

Essay #3
Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit).

Essay #4
Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.

a) Describe an instance where you encountered resistance in a professional team setting. How did you address the situation?
b) People may be surprised to learn that I…..
c) The best mistake I ever made was…….

Required essay for re-applicants only – Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

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LBS

Essay Questions for Class of 2013 (beginning August 2011): (Click here to download the questions from LBS website)  

Instructions:

The Admissions Committee will consider carefully your answers to the following questions. Please complete all of the essay questions beginning your answer below each question and giving word counts for each answer. Once complete, please attach this document to your online application following the instructions given on the web form.

Please do not write more than the specified word limit for each essay. Any extra words or essays may be disregarded.
You should complete just one essay for Question 5, choosing option 5a or 5b.

Question 1 (750 words)

Give us a brief assessment of your career progress to date.
In what role do you see yourself working in immediately after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?
How will your past and present experiences help you to achieve this?
How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal?
Why is this the right time for you to pursue an MBA?

Question 2 (300 words)

Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and team working skills. Given this experience what role will you play in a first year study group?

Question 3 (300 words)

Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London Business School MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. Please describe how you will contribute to student clubs and the community and why?

Question 4 (300 words)

London Business School offers a truly global and diverse experience. Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country or culture. What did you gain and how will your experience contribute to London Business School?

Please choose ONE of the following options.

Question 5a (150 words)

You have decided to stand for the role of Student Association President. Announcing your campaign to the London Business School community for the first time, please describe your manifesto.

OR

Question 5b (150 words)

What is your most substantial achievement to date and why?

Question 6 (300 words)
(This question is optional)

Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

Question 7 (300 words)
(This question is for re-applicants only)

How has your candidacy for the London Business School MBA improved since your last application? Have your views of London Business School or the MBA programme changed since you last applied?

Question 8

Please provide a CV/Resume. This CV must only be one page in length. If you have any significant gaps in your employment history, please tell us why on a separate sheet.

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Ross (Michigan)

1. Introduce yourself in 100 words or less.

2. Describe your career goals. How will the Ross MBA help you to achieve your goals? (500 word maximum)

3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)

4. Select one of the following questions:

  • What are you most passionate about and why? (300 word maximum)

  • We expect that Ross MBAs will not only be effective leaders, but also effective teachers. How will you contribute to the learning experience of your peers at Ross? (300 word maximum)

5. Optional question: Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (500 word maximum)

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Sloan - MIT

Click here to see the essay questions on Sloan's website

Resume

Please prepare a business resume that includes your employment history in reverse chronological order, with titles, dates, and whether you worked part-time or full-time. Your educational record should also be in reverse chronological order and should indicate dates of attendance and degree(s) earned. Other information appropriate to a business resume is welcomed and encouraged. The resume should not be more than one page in length (up to 50 lines).

Cover Letter

Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.

Essays

We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Please limit the experiences you discuss to those which have occurred in the past three years.

In each of the essays please describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.

Essay 1: Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Essay 2: Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Essay 3: Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Supplemental Information (Optional)

You may use this section to address whatever else you want the Admissions Committee to know. (250 words or fewer, limited to one page)

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Stanford

Essay Questions for Class of 2013 (entering Fall 2011): (Click here to see the essay questions on Stanford's website)

We read your essays to get to know you as a person and to learn about the ideas and interests that motivate you. Tell us in your own words who you really are.
In other parts of the application, we learn about your academic and professional accomplishments (i.e., what you have done). Through your personal essays (Essays 1 and 2), we learn more about the person behind the achievements (i.e., who you are).

Because we want to discover who you are, resist the urge to "package" yourself in order to come across in a way you think Stanford wants. Such attempts simply blur our understanding of who you are and what you can accomplish.
We want to hear your genuine voice throughout the essays that you write and this is the time to think carefully about your values, your passions, your hopes and dreams.

In your short answer responses (Essay 3, options A, B, C, or D), we learn more about the experiences that have shaped your attitudes, behaviors, and aspirations.
Truly, the most impressive essays are those that do not begin with the goal of impressing us.

Essay Length

Your answers for all of the essay questions cannot exceed 1,800 words.
You have your own story to tell, so please allocate the 1,800 words among all of the essays in the way that is most effective for you. We provide some guidelines below as a starting point, but you should feel comfortable to write as much or as little as you like on any essay question, as long as you do not exceed 1,800 words total.

* Essay 1: 750 words
* Essay 2: 450 words
* Essay 3: 300 words each

Formatting

* Use a 12-point font, double spaced
* Recommended fonts are Arial, Courier, and Times New Roman
* Indicate which essay question you are answering at the beginning of each essay
* Number all pages
* Upload all four essays as one document
* Preview the uploaded document to ensure that the formatting is true to the original
* Save a copy of your essays

Editing Your Essays

Begin work on these essays early, to give yourself time to reflect, write, and edit.
Feel free to ask your friends or family members to provide constructive feedback. When you ask for feedback, ask if the essays' tone sounds like your voice. It should. Your family and friends know you better than anyone else. If they do not believe that the essays capture who you are, how you live, what you believe, and what you aspire to do, then surely the Committee on Admissions will be unable to recognize what is most distinctive about you.

There is a big difference, however, between 'feedback' and 'coaching.' There are few hard and fast rules, but you cross a line when any part of the application (excluding the Letters of Reference) ceases to be exclusively yours in either thought or word.
Appropriate feedback occurs when you show someone your completed application, perhaps one or two times, and are apprised of errors or omissions.
In contrast, inappropriate coaching occurs when your application or your self-presentation is colored by someone else.

You best serve your own interests when your personal thoughts, individual voice, and unique style remain intact at the end of your editing process.
It is improper and a violation of the spirit of the Fundamental Standard and Honor Code to have someone else write any part of your Stanford MBA Program application. Such an act will result in denial of your application or withdrawal of your offer of admission.

Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and two of the four options for essay 3.

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

• The best examples of Essay 1 reflect the process of self-examination that you have undertaken to write them.
• They give us a vivid and genuine image of who you are—and they also convey how you became the person you are.
• They do not focus merely on what you've done or accomplished. Instead, they share with us the values, experiences, and lessons that have shaped your perspectives.
• They are written from the heart and address not only a person, situation, or event, but also how that person, situation, or event has influenced your life.

Essay 2: What are your career aspirations? What do you need to learn at Stanford to achieve them?

• Use this essay to explain your view of your future, not to repeat accomplishments from your past.
• You should address three distinct topics:

    - your career aspirations
    - the role of an MBA education in achieving those aspirations
    - and your rationale for earning that MBA at Stanford, in particular.

• The best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests; explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management; and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program.

Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.

• Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
• Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
• Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.
• Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected

Additional Information

If there is any other information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, please include it. Examples of pertinent additional information include:

• Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
• Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of Reference from your current direct supervisor or peer
• Explanation of criminal conviction, criminal charges sustained against you in a juvenile proceeding, and/or court-supervised probation
• Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
• Any other information that you did not have sufficient space to complete in another section of the application (please begin the information in the appropriate section)
• Additional work experience that cannot fit into the space provided
• Additional information about your academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere

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Stern - NYU

Click here to see the essay questions on Stern's website

Please note the following details when completing the Essays section of the 2010-11 online application.

The following essay questions give you the opportunity to more fully present yourself to the Admissions Committee and to provide insight into your experiences, goals and thought processes. Your essays should be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be revoked if you did not write your essays. Please note the following:

• Essays 1, 2 and 4 must be typed and submitted using the standard U.S. 8 1/2” x 11” format, double-spaced, in 12-point font.
• Please adhere to the essay word limits provided for each question.
• Word limits apply to the total question. For example, your response to Essay 1 should answer part (a), part (b) and part (c) with a total maximum of 750 words.
• Label the top of each essay with the following: Name, Date of Birth (month, day, year), Essay Number and Page Number (e.g.: Joe Applicant, January 1, 1983, Essay 1, Page 1)

Essay 1. Professional Aspirations
(750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Answer the following:

(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?

Admissions Tips:

• Listen to our podcast: Essays.
• Proofread your essays carefully.
• Make sure you have fully answered the essay questions.
• Be genuine in your essays - tell us about the real you.
• Follow the essay instructions, including word limits and font size.

Essay 2. Your Stern Experience
(500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions:

(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.
(b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.
(c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.

Admissions Tip:

• To see if Stern is a fit for you, come visit us in New York City or at one of our events around the world.

Essay 3. Personal Expression
Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.

If you will submit Essay 3 via mail or by providing an online link, please provide a brief description of your submission and its relevance to your MBA application.

Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:

Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.

If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.

If you have a multimedia submission, you may:

• Mail a CD, DVD or USB flash drive.
• Include an online link in your submission description.
The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate Essay 3 if we are unable to view your submission.

Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food).

Mailed materials must be postmarked by the deadline date. To submit Essay 3 by mail, please follow the mail and labeling instructions.

Please note that mailed Essay 3 packages are subject to size restrictions. Essays that exceed the stated size restrictions will not be accepted for review by the Admissions Committee. Please see the table below for the maximum package size guidelines:

Packaging Type	Dimensions: Metric	Dimensions: Non-metric
Box	36cm x 31cm x 8cm	14” x 12” x 3”
Cylindrical tube	8cm x 91cm	3” x 36”
Triangular tube	97cm x 16cm x 16 cm x 16 cm	38” x 6” x 6” x 6”

Admissions Tip:

• Listen to Isser Gallogly, Executive Director of MBA Admissions, discuss Essay 3 on Public Radio's "Marketplace". (Please note that we have updated Essay 3 size restrictions and multimedia submissions including CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives and online links are now accepted.)

Essay 4. Additional Information (optional)
Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE and/or TOEFL or any other relevant information.

If you are unable to submit a recommendation from your current supervisor, you must explain your reason in Essay 4.

If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application.

If you are applying to a dual degree program, please explain your decision to pursue a dual degree.

Uploading Formats
You may upload documents into the online application in the following formats: word, excel, PDF, .txt, .rft and .wpd.

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Tepper - Carnegie Mellon

Suggested length - 2 double-spaced pages per essay

ESSAY A* (Required)
What are your short term and long term goals? How will a Tepper MBA help you achieve these goals? (Please include any information regarding what steps you have taken to learn more about Tepper.)

ESSAY B* (Required)
The Tepper School’s culture relies on all members to be active contributors to our community. With your values, experiences, and interests, how will you make a unique contribution to the Tepper community? Your examples may include: classroom interaction, student activities, career development, community service, etc.

ESSAY C* (Required)
Please answer two of the following three questions or statements. Please clearly specify which questions you are answering. Your two answers should equal a total of two pages or less.
1. Describe an obstacle you have faced in your professional or academic life. How did you overcome this obstacle and how did it foster your development?
2. Describe a time in which your ethics were challenged. How did you deal with the situation and what did you learn from it?
3. One thing people would be surprised to know about me is…

ESSAY D (Optional)
Is there anything else that you think we should know as we evaluate your application?
Note: If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application.
Note: You must complete this essay if you answered 'yes' to either of the 'additional information' questions above.

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Tuck

Click here to see the essay questions on Tuck's website (PDF)
Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. Compose each of your answers offline in separate document files and upload them individually in the appropriate spaces below. Although there is no restriction on the length of your response, most applicants use, on average, 500 words for each essay. There are no right or wrong answers. Please double-space your responses.

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)

2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

3. What is the greatest challenge or hurdle you have overcome, either personally or professionally, and how did you manage to do so?

4. Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

5. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.

6. (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.

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Wharton

Click here to see the essay questions on Wharton's website

The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.
Focus your energy on painting a concise, complete, and well-thought-out picture of who you truly are, rather than present what you think the Admissions Committee is looking for in response to essay questions. Use essays to elaborate your candidacy while answering the specific questions at hand within the suggested guidelines. It is important to answer all questions that we present, using good judgment with respect to length.
We provide guidelines for word count that reflect our strong sense of how long an essay should be. We don't count words or expect you to list a word count, but if your essays are twice as long as the guidelines suggest, there may be a more concise way to address the question.

Candidates who have worked in nontraditional careers (or for companies that may not be as familiar to the Admissions Committee) will need to explain issues in a little more detail. If that's your situation, please feel free to write more while still using your good judgment.

The optional essay is truly optional, and may be presented in one paragraph of 250 words or less. It should be used to highlight any inconsistencies your application may need to address, or you can use it to explain your choice of recommenders, if you believe they are not a traditional choice. We recommend that you don't skip over any issue that may present a concern to an evaluator.

If there is a potential issue (e.g., one poor semester/term at university within an otherwise impressive academic experience, a year out of your career to explore), explain its context, what you learned from the experience, as well as how it may affect your time at Wharton. If you do not explain the context, the Admissions Committee may make uninformed assumptions.

Required Question:

What are your professional objectives? (300 words)

Respond to 3 of the following 4 questions:

1. Student and alumni engagement has at times led to the creation of innovative classes. For example, through extraordinary efforts, a small group of current students partnered with faculty to create a timely course entitled, “Disaster Response: Haiti and Beyond,” empowering students to leverage the talented Wharton community to improve the lives of the Haiti earthquake victims. Similarly, Wharton students and alumni helped to create the “Innovation and the Indian Healthcare Industry” which took students to India where they studied the full range of healthcare issues in India. If you were able to create a Wharton course on any topic, what would it be? (700 words)

2. Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today? (600 words)

3. Describe a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? How did this experience help to create your definition of failure? (600 words)

4. Discuss a time when you navigated a challenging experience in either a personal or professional relationship. (600 words)

Optional essay:
If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

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Yale

Aringo Note to candidates, due to Yale's policy which forbids applicants from getting any assistance with their essays:
If you are "recycling" an essay from another school to create a Yale essay, use the non-edited first draft that you created for the other school.

Click here to see the essay questions on Yale's website

Short Answers
Please answer each of the four questions below with a short paragraph of no more than 150 words. This is an opportunity to distill your core ideas, values, goals and motivations into a set of snapshots that help tell us who you are, where you are headed, and why. (150 words maximum per question)

1. What are your professional goals immediately after you receive your MBA?
2. What are your long-term career aspirations?
3. Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA and why now? (If you plan to use your MBA experience to make a significant change in the field or nature of your career, please tell us what you have done to prepare for this transition.)
4. What attracts you specifically to the Yale School of Management’s MBA program?

Personal Statements
Choose two (2) of the following topics and answer them in essay form. Please indicate the topic numbers at the beginning of your essays. (500 words maximum per essay)

1. What achievement are you most proud of and why?
2. What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you have perceived in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?
3. Describe an accomplishment that exhibits your leadership style. The description should include evidence of your leadership skills, the actions you took, and the impact you had on your organization.
4. An effective leader for business and society is one who is able to hear, understand and communicate with people from all segments of society. In order to educate such leaders, Yale SOM is committed to promoting diversity and creating a community that cultivates a wealth of perspectives. In this spirit, describe an instance when, as part of a team, you played a role in bringing together individuals with different values or viewpoints to achieve a common goal.
5. For Reapplicants (answer this topic plus one (1) of the other topics): What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

Additional Information (Optional)
If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation, please provide any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (250 words maximum).

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