Top MBA Program

Essay Questions:

How to Answer
Them Right
An Accepted.com Special Report
by Linda Abraham
Copyright 2014 Accepted.com

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................3
Chicago Booth............................................................................................................5
CMU Tepper ..............................................................................................................8
Columbia Business School ......................................................................................10
Cornell Johnson........................................................................................................13
Dartmouth Tuck ......................................................................................................16
Duke Fuqua ..............................................................................................................19
Georgetown McDonough.........................................................................................23
Harvard Business School .........................................................................................25
Michigan Ross..........................................................................................................28
MIT Sloan ................................................................................................................30
Northwestern Kellogg ..............................................................................................33
NYU Stern................................................................................................................36
Stanford GSB ..........................................................................................................41
Toronto Rotman .......................................................................................................44
UC Berkeley Haas ....................................................................................................46
UCLA Anderson ......................................................................................................50
UVA Darden ............................................................................................................53
Wharton ....................................................................................................................54
Yale SOM ................................................................................................................56
Epilogue ...................................................................................................................58

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Introduction
The best way to ace your application essays is to ANSWER THE ESSAY QUESTIONS. This may sound
like an easy feat, yet so often applicants go into the essay writing process with ulterior motives: to write
their preconceived essays based only loosely on the given essay topics.
Newsflash: No matter how compelling and well-written your essays are, if they dont answer the
questions as they are presented to you on the application, they will not impress the admissions
committeeor at least not in the way you want them to.
In this special report you will receive the guidance you need to a) understand exactly what each essay
question is asking, and to b) answer the question in the most compelling and impressive fashion.
To make sure you make the most of this special report, I recommend that you keep the following in mind:

These questions were originally used in the 2014-2015 MBA application cycle. Whenever you
read this, dont assume they are unchanged. Check the schools websites for the current version.

Each school asks different questions; therefore, each essay you draft should be unique to each
essay question and to each program. While it may be tempting to use the same essay for a few
different applications, adcoms can usually tell the difference between a recycled essay and an
essay that was written specifically to answer their questionand they certainly prefer the latter.

In our analyses below, youll find valuable tips on what to include in your answers, as well as
advice on what you should avoid at all costs. Dont stop reading after the dos; the donts can
be just as valuable, if not more so.

Since fit is so crucial to each of these schools, be sure to research each program you apply to
and to envision yourself at that particular schoolon its campus, in its classrooms, interacting
with its professors, etc.while drafting your essay. If you want the adcoms to believe you will be
an irreplaceable fixture in their next class, then youll have to convince them that your ideals and
goals are one with theirs.

Finally, at the end of each section of this special report, I provide additional tips and advice for applicants,
as well as how Accepted can further assist them with their application efforts. Our editors and consultants
are standing by, ready to be of service to you.
Enjoy the reportand answer those questions directly. Effectively.

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Disclaimer: Please double-check the original application on each individual b-schools website to ensure
accuracy. Accepted.com is not responsible for any discrepancies in the text or any changes that may have
been made to the original applications since the time of publishing.
Note: As you read through this special report youll find that we formatted it as clearly as possible so you
can easily tell where Accepted commentary begins and ends. B-school directions and questions are typed
in standard font, while Accepted comments are all italicized.

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Chicago Booth
Chicago Booth has always prided itself on valuing
applicants who can handle ambiguity and lack of structure.
And its application reflects that principle. In spades. This
years Booth application mirrors the streamlining that
has taken place throughout the b-school world as well as
Chicagos distinctive culture and love of ambiguity. This
essay/presentation question, which is new for this year,
is about as open-ended as it gets.

Presentation/Essay
Chicago Booth values adventurous inquiry, diverse perspectives, and a collaborative exchange of
ideas. This is us. Who are you?
This is a really difficult question.
What do you want to tell Booth that reflects your adventurous and curious nature,
your distinctive perspective and experience, the ways in which youll contribute to the class
diversity, and your ability to contribute to a vigorous but still collaborative exchange of ideas?
And yes it should be genuinely you.
To start make a list of the experiences and achievements that you are most proud of and that
best reflect who you are. Then review the presentation/essay guidelines below as well as
the Booth admissions criteria. Next to each item on your list, add the qualities from Booths
criteria that this experience or achievement reveals.
Also look at the other information you are providing in the application including your resume
and those boxes. What about you is absent from these other parts of the application? Write those
experiences and attributes down too in a separate list. Which items on your absentee list
introduce the qualities Booth seeks? Are any of them on your first list of achievements?
Focus on the items that are on both lists and that are most important to you and distinctive about
you. As Booth itself instructs Weve learned a lot about you throughout the application, but
what more should we know? The answer to that question is a critical part of an effective
response to Booths essay question.

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Presentation/Essay Guidelines

Be reflective. Weve learned a lot about you throughout the application, but what
more should we know?
Interpret broadly. Who are you? can be interpreted in many different ways. We
encourage you to think critically and broadly about who you are, and how your
values, passions and experiences have influenced you.
Determine your own length. There is no prescribed minimum or maximum length.
We trust that you will use your best judgment in determining how long your
submission should be, but we recommend that you think strategically about how to
best allocate the space.

Dont give in to temptation. Lack of a word limit or guideline is not a license for verbosity or
permission to write the great American novel (or autobiography). Concision is valued in the
business world. Show good judgment and consideration for the readers time. Keep it short, but
tell your story.

Choose the format that works for you. You can design your presentation or compose
your essay in the format that you feel best captures your response. However, please
consider the specific technical restrictions noted below.
Think about you, not us. Rather than focusing on what you think we want to hear,
focus on what is essential for us to know about you. Simply put, be genuine.

Technical Guidelines

File Size: Maximum file size is 16 MB.

Accepted Upload Formats: Acceptable formats are PDF, Word and PowerPoint.
Multimedia Restrictions: We will be viewing your submission electronically and in
full color, but all submissions will be converted to PDF files, so animation, video, music,
etc. will not translate over.
Preserve Your Formatting: We strongly recommend converting your piece to a PDF
file prior to submitting to ensure that everything you see matches what we see.

A few thoughts:
Should you write an essay or use a visual presentation? That depends on you. If you are talented
visually and love graphics and PowerPoint, use a visual medium as long as it will translate to
PDF. If you are a words person comfortable expressing your thoughts in writing, write the
essay. Do what will make it easiest for you to express your essence.

Optional Essay
If there is any important information that you were unable to address elsewhere in the
application, please share that information here. (300 word maximum)
The instructions are pretty clear. Is there something you want the admissions committee to know
about that is not included elsewhere, heres the spot for it. A gap in employment? A dip in grades
caused by illness or family problems? This is the spot.
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Reapplicant Essay
Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting
an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words maximum)
This is a critical essay for MBA reapplicants. Remember, Chicago (and any school you are
reapplying to) wants to see growth. Same ol, same ol got you a ding last time and probably will
again this time. Let this brief essay show a maturation and evolution of your goals and reasons
for wanting to attend Chicago Booth. Chicago loves to see critical thinking.

Deadlines:
ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

September 25, 2014

Round 2

January 6, 2015

Round 3

April 7, 2015

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CMU Tepper
The key to admissions success here is to exhibit your
keen analytical capabilities through your essaysthat
and your strong passion for learning and your desire to
expand your role as an innovative leader. Get those
points across to the adcom members and you could be
well on your way to the tech-savvy business education
that only Tepper can provide.
Tepper has tweaked its application this year, changing the first question slightly under the PostMBA Goals, replacing the second question, and dropping one of the other essay questions.

Post-MBA Goals
1. What is your professional goal immediately following graduation from
Tepper? (1500 characters maximum)
What do you want to do immediately after you get your MBA and in which industry do you want
to do it? If geography is important to you, then include that information too.
Since Tepper is giving you more room than is necessary to simply state what you want to do and
where you want to do it, you can give Tepper background on the development of your goal. What
experience convinced you this career path was right for you? When did you demonstrate the
skills or qualities this role requires?
2. If you are not successful in your first choice of role after graduation, what other role would
you consider? In other words, what is your Plan B? (1500 characters maximum)
This is an easy question to answerif you have a Plan B. If you dont have one, thoughtfully
create one.
If you dont get the job you describe in #1, how will you take advantage of your past experience
and your new Tepper MBA? Would you slightly change long-term goals and go down a different
path? Or would you stick with the long-term goals and attempt to achieve them in a different
way? Either option is possible. Choose the one that best reflects you.

Essays
1. Describe a defining moment in your life, and explain how it shaped you as a person. (300
words maximum)
This question is an attempt to get to know you, the person. The previous questions are
professionally focused. Use this essay to present a different side of you. Dont write about work
and your professional goals here.
Tell a succinct story of that defining moment. What happened and what was the impact on you?
How has that event influenced you going forward? How is your behavior, your life different
because of that moment?
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2. Based on your research and interactions with the Tepper community, share why you are a
good fit with the Tepper MBA program. (300 words maximum)
Again, do your homework before you respond to this question. If you can, talk to current students
or recent alumni from Tepper to get a feel for the culture. If you can visit, even better. Review the
information on the Tepper website to get a picture of student and alumni life and research those
activities you would like to participate in, initiate, or lead. Then write about one or two clubs or
events that you would love to throw yourself into.

Optional Essay
Is there anything else that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee as we
evaluate your application? 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. This could include clarification of your employment or academic record, choice of
recommenders or helpful context for the admissions committee in reviewing your
application. (500 words maximum)
Use this optional essay, or lose an opportunity to provide even more reasons for Tepper to admit
you. Just dont rehash information found elsewhere. Thats a waste of timeyours and your
readers.

Deadlines:
ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 5, 2014

Round 2

January 4, 2015

Round 3

March 15, 2015

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Columbia Business School

Columbia tweaked last years questions for this year. Relatively
minor changes only. Specifically:

Its short-answer question about your immediate postMBA goal has gone from 100 to 75 characters. Yes, that
was characters, not words.

For question 2, there is a new video to watch and the

question itself is more succinct with a different focus.

Other than cutting 25 characters from the goals question, CBS has not cut essays or essay
length. Still, you will need to make every word, indeed every character, count to really allow
your essays to effectively and compellingly present your qualifications.
Applicants must complete one short answer question and three essays.

Short Answer Question

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (75 characters maximum)
Note the character limit. Your response must be less than the length of a tweet. What do you
want to do professionally and in which industry immediately after earning your MBA? You may
want to provide a geographic location if it is important to your MBA goal. According to CBS,
here are examples of possible responses:
Work in business development for a media company.
Join a consulting firm specializing in renewable energy.
Work for an investment firm that focuses on real estate.
Warning: This question is not asking about intended area of study while in business school or a
non-professional goal or even a long-term goal. And the subject is assumed to be you. No need
to waste characters by including I.

Essays
1. Given your individual background and goals, why are you pursuing a Columbia MBA at this
time? (500 words maximum)
What aspects of your background are motivating you to pursue your MBA at Columbia now?
Keep in mind that the MBA is a bridge between your past and desired future. Show Columbia
why its program is the right bridge for you and why now is the right time for you to cross this
bridge.
To answer this question well, you will need to really know the Columbia program thoroughly as
well as why you want a CBS MBA at this point in your career. The essay that shines will do a
great job of showing both fit and self-awareness.
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2. Please view the video below:

How will you take advantage of being at the very center of business? (250 words maximum)
This video is different from last years videos. Last year, the videos and question focused almost
exclusively on the impact of Columbias New York City location. This years video incorporates
that Manhattan location, but its more about Columbia as a center of business than NYC being
the center of business. So your answer can incorporate the benefits of being at Columbia
University as well as being in Manhattan. Just dont repeat your answer to #1; this question asks
you to take a broader perspective.
Watch the video and really think about the points its making in terms of what being at the center
means: Access to an infinite variety of opportunities. Proximity to thought leadership and
executive leadership. Convergence of theory and practice. NYC as anif not theinternational
business center.
After watching the video, think about how you intend to take advantage of the infinite
opportunities and energy that reside at Columbia University and in New York City. How will you
take advantage of the entrepreneurial eco-system in New York and Columbia University? The
ties to bio science and pharma? The cutting-edge research and thought leadership? Not to
mention the practitioners who lead Wall Street and teach at Columbia. Or will you explore the
cultural riches of NYC and take advantage of the incredible business opportunities present in the
arts and media?
Be careful not to speak of those opportunities in the generalities that I have. If you are interested
in luxury goods marketing, as stated in your short answer, then write here about how you will
take advantage of Madison and 5th Avenues as well as Columbias offerings. If you are
interested in finance or consulting, Manhattan and all the businesses in it are at your feet. How
will you benefit from this incredible location as well as the practitioners teaching at CBS?
Final point: You dont have to address all the points raised in the video, but you do have to write
persuasively about at least one.
3. What will the people in your Cluster be pleasantly surprised to learn about you? (250 words
maximum)
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Make sure you understand Columbias Cluster System.

You only have 250 words here. I would use them to bring out something fun that you like to do.
Would you try to get your Cluster to train for a marathon? Set up a karaoke night? Plan a ski
trip? Explore New Yorks museums? How have you contributed to social groups in the past?
Relate your plans to a past successful initiative, and you will enhance your answer to this
question.
Or perhaps you would take a slightly more serious approach to this question and discuss a
challenge overcome. Show that you are a survivor, not a victim and far stronger as a result of
this experience. If you take this approach, dont make it too heavy or too personal. No TMI. You
will have barely met these people.

Optional Essay
An optional fourth essay will allow you to discuss any issues that do not fall within the purview
of the required essays.
Clearly you can use this optional essay question to address a weakness in your profile or
qualifications, but in my mind, this question is also open-ended enough to allow you to discuss a
diversity element in your personal background or simply some unique area of interest. Also,
tucking a weakness explanation somewhere else would allow you to end the application with a
strength and not a flaw.
Dont use this essay as a grand finale or wrap up. And definitely dont use it to rehash your
reasons for wanting to attend Columbia; those reasons should be perfectly clear from the
required essays. If you decide to respond to this essay, use it to educate the reader about another
talent, interest, or commitment of yours. As always try to show leadership and impact. In short,
give them more reasons to admit you.
Knight-Bagehot Fellows. Rather than answer Essay 1, Part A above, current Knight-Bagehot
Fellows applying to Columbia Business School should use the space allocated to the first essay
(500 words) to complete the Wiegers Fellowship application essay.
Wiegers Fellowship Essay Question. What are your career goals? How has the Knight-Bagehot
Fellowship affected these goals? How will an MBA help you achieve these goals? (500 words
maximum)

Deadlines:
ROUND

DEADLINES

January 2015 Entry

October 8, 2014 11:59 PM EST

August 2015 Entry: Early Decision

October 8, 2014 11:59 PM EST

August 2015 Entry: Regular Decision April 15, 2015

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SUBMISSION TIME

11:59 PM EST

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Cornell Johnson
Are you looking for a close-knit, collaborative MBA
program focused on experiential learning, committed to
innovation, and further differentiated by an immersion
learning component? Are you seeking a top b-school
thats located on an Ivy League campus with all the
resources and networking opportunities the larger
community provides? Youll find all of that at Cornell
Johnson.
Cornell Johnson now lets you link to your LinkedIn profile as part of your MBA application. In
addition to saving you time, this optional step allows Cornell Johnson to see you as a potential
employer would.
This innovation highlights two realities in MBA admissions:
1. Social media counts. For LinkedIn in particular, keep your profile up-to-date
and professional. Make sure its something youre proud of and happy to have others
view.
2. Much of MBA admissions is driven by prospective employment at graduation. Schools
want to know that you have the experience to attract recruiter attention and to land a
great post-MBA job. Many schools will at some point in the application evaluation
process seek input from career services if they have any doubt about the attainability of
your post-MBA goals. Let your profile and any information about your professional
experience speak to that point.
Finally since your LinkedIn profile doesnt have the tight limits you have in your MBA
application, you may be able to provide more context and information there than in your
application. However, no one wants to read a detailed autobiography on LinkedIn. Keep the
length of your job descriptions within reason if you choose to give Cornell access to your profile.

Essays
1. You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. In 2000 characters (including formatting
characters) or less, please write the table of contents for the book in the space provided or
upload it as an attachment. Note: approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity
and authenticity.
Have a little fun with the question. You certainly have a lot of options and flexibility here. You
can reveal something about your youth, influential experiences or people, challenges, hobbies,
interests, passionsperhaps where you intend to be in 30 years. Its Your Life Story.

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2. Targeted Job Type: What is the job that you would like to have immediately upon graduating
with your MBA? (2000 character limit, including formatting characters)
Be concrete in describing what you would like to do. Pursue a position that I find personally
satisfying or Have a positive impact on society are non-starters. What task do you want to
perform and in what industry do you want to perform it? The answer to that question is the
foundation of your response to Cornells question.
2000 characters is a little less than 400 words so you may give a little background as to how this
goal developed or why your previous experience when combined with a Johnson MBA, will help
you achieve it.
3. 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. (2000 character limit, including formatting characters)
Depending on how many activities you have, you may be able to go into a little detail or you may
need to just stick to the facts. As much as possible, highlight evidence of impact, leadership, and
collaborative teamwork. Quantify if you can.
4. 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. (2000 character limit, including
formatting characters)
Very similar to #3, highlight impact, leadership and teamwork. Quantify when possible. The one
twist with this question: list the extracurricular activities in order of importance to you.
5. Hobbies and Activities: Please describe any hobbies or activities that hold special
significance for you. (2000 character limit, including formatting characters)
What do you do regularly when you arent working? Which of these activities would you like
Johnson to know about? If you have too many to fit in the 2000 character limit, then choose
those that show you contributing innovatively to your community and taking initiative.

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. (2000
character limit, including formatting characters)

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Clearly you can use this optional to add context for a weakness in your record. Either a low stat
or a period of unemployment or some dip in an otherwise strong record of achievement.
However the wording is pretty open. If there is something positive or if you want to provide
context for an achievementchallenges you overcome or circumstances that made your
accomplishment even more noteworthyyou can also do so here.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 1, 2014

Round 2

January 7, 2014

Round 3

March 11, 2014

Rolling

June 3, 2014

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Dartmouth Tuck
The Dartmouth Tuck adcom is interested in learning about
what you as an individual, a businessperson, and a leader
can contribute to Tucks small, close-knit program. Use
your essays as a platform for expressing your
earnest desire to enter the world of management and to
make a difference.
Following the shrinking app trend, this year Tuck reduced
its required questions from three to two and slightly
tweaked the second required essay prompt.
I strongly recommend Tuck applicants read The MBA Gatekeeper To Dartmouths Tuck School
of Business, Poets and Quants interview with Dawna Clarke, Director of Admissions at Tuck.

Essays
Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. There are no right or wrong
answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each
essay. 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 fit for you and your goals and why are you the best fit for Tuck?
The MBA is a means to an end; it is a step towards a goal. That means you have to briefly
discuss the most influential stops on your journey to date and then your reasons for wanting a
Tuck MBA to continue on that journey.
You have to know a lot about Tuck as well as your goals to respond effectively to this question.
Why do you want a small, tight-knit program in rural New Hampshire? Why do you want a
program that stresses the integration of business functions? Which of Tucks strengths appeal to
you? How will they help you achieve your goals?
To respond to the fit part of the question, review Tucks six evaluation criteria for admission.
You wont have much room to address fit. Perhaps in your conclusion, succinctly make the case
for your fit with Tucks criteria. Point to elements of your application that show you meet the
criteria without repeating them. You want the reader to see a match made in heaven.
2. Tell us about your most meaningful leadership experience and what role you played. What did
you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?
This question reflects the importance Tuck, like many MBA programs, places on leadership. Last
year, Tuck asked about collaborative leadership. This year it dropped collaborative from
the question. Perhaps some applicants confused collaborative leadership with teamwork, and
Tuck really wants to see you as a leader. Perhaps, and more likely given Tucks collaborative
culture, Tuck wants to know what leadership example you will use and whether your definition of

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leadership is a fit for Tuck. Your example should reflect a collaborative and enlightened
approach to leadership.
Have you co-chaired a fundraiser that raised a record amount of money? Have you been a board
member for a not-for-profit organization? Have you captained a sports team that led your
company league while having an excellent relationship with the coach or manager of the team?
Have you been a team lead on a project that came in early and under budget while cooperating
closely with other team leads or members of your team? Are you the head of a sales team
who empowered other members of your team in a way that greatly contributed to the success of
that initiative? These could all be examples of leadership. How did you motivate your
teammates? What did you learn about yourself through the experience? In answering the last
question, dont be generic and dont wonder What do they want to hear? What did you
actually learn from this most meaningful experience?
The question asks you to reveal strengths and weaknesses. The first is fun and should be
relatively easy. However we all cringe at the idea of revealing weaknesses, especially in a
situation where you want to impresslike now. Nonetheless, resist that nasty impulse to write
something fluffy and meaningless. Dont even think about a phony weakness like Sometimes I
work too hard. The adcom will see right through it. Reveal a weakness that hopefully you can
show yourself addressing in this leadership experience or through another later experience.
Dont dwell on the weakness, but do include it.

Optional Essay
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.
It is almost impossible for two or three 500-word essays plus a bunch of boxes, a transcript, and
a GMAT score to represent fully the uniqueness and talents of a truly impressive candidate. That
comment has nothing to do with writing style and everything to do with the complexity of
accomplished human beings. In my opinion this optional essay is optional in name only.
At the same time, dont waste the readers time by writing a meaningless, superficial grand
finale or summary. Dont repeat what can be found elsewhere.

Reapplicant Essay
How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you
have grown personally and professionally.
This is a straightforward MBA reapplication question. What has changed that would compel
Tuck to admit you this year?

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Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Early Action

October 8, 2014

November Round

November 5, 2014

January Round

January 6, 2015

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Duke Fuqua
Leadership, teamwork, ethics, and a global approach to
business are essential elements of the Duke Fuqua MBA,
which is why youll need to make sure you express your
passion for these ideals in your application essays.
Impress the Fuqua adcom by positioning yourself as an
innovative leader and team player, as someone who can
see the big picture, work collaboratively, and shape
global business.
Three short answer questions and two essays are required from all applicants.

Responses should use 1.5 line spacing and a font size no smaller than 10-point.
Respond fully and concisely.
Responses must be completed before submitting your application.
Prepare your responses carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your answers
important in the selection process.
All essays are scanned using plagiarism detection software. Plagiarism is considered
a cheating violation within the Honor Code and will not be tolerated in the admissions
process.

Application Tip: Check out Fuquas section criteria.

Short Answers
Answer all 3 of the following questions. For each short answer question, respond in 250
characters only (the equivalent of about 50 words).
1. What are your short term goals, post-MBA?
State what you see yourself doing in terms of function and industry. If location or geography are
important to your goal, include them. If you know the type of companies you would like to work
for, you can include that information too, but dont say you want to work for Company X, unless
Company X is sponsoring you. Thats probably too narrow.
2. What are your long term goals?
Your long-term goals should flow logically from your short-term goals. They can be fuzzier and
both in terms of direction and timing. But you should have them. They can, but dont have to,
include larger aspirations and present a broader perspective on where you are headed. But
please dont go too general and say something like I aspire to be a good person or I strive to
leave a lasting impact on my community. Nice sentiments, but way to general.
3. Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a
career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short term goals that you provided above not
materialize, what alternative directions have you considered?

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Whats your Plan B? If you cant get a job at a leading strategy consulting firm, what do you
want to do? If Plan A is investment banking, whats Plan B?

Essays
1. Answer the following questionpresent your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some
points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not
exceed 2 pages.
The Team Fuqua spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA
experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty,
staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions team, we ask that person to
share with everyone in the office a list of 25 Random Things About Yourself. As an
Admissions team, we already know the new hires professional and academic background, so
learning these 25 Random Things helps us get to know someones personality, background,
special talents, and more.
In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know youbeyond the professional
and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us
important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that
helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of 25 Random
Things about YOU.
Have some fun with this list. It certainly allows a more creative approach than permitted by most
essay prompts. Note that the question asks you to go beyond the professional and academic
achievements listed in your resume and transcript. So you can list your Pez collection or
perhaps your brief membership in a rock band or the fact that you took violin from age 6-18 or
your membership in a gospel choir or your volunteer work in a hospital, your needlepoint, your
favorite recipe or photo. The possibilities are endless. Just let the items on your list reflect who
you are. Think of this list as an introduction to potential friends. For more insight into this
question and the motivation behind it, please read Megan Overbays, the former Director of
Admissions, advice. I believe you will find it helpful. And very friendly.
2. Choose only 1 of the following 2 essay questions to answer. Your response should be no more
than 2 pages in length.
Choose the prompt that will let you reveal something important to you and impressive about you.
Write the essay that you will be able to draft most enthusiastically and easily.

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1. When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what
do you tell them? Share the reasons that are most meaningful to you
Why Duke? But youre not talking to the admissions committee, whom you just may be a
tad less than candid with. You are talking to your family, friends, and colleagues, people
you know and like (at least the friends). The Fuqua admissions staff really wants to get to
know you. Authenticity is the goal. The admissions readers want to be able to imagine
you as a part of Team Fuquatheir familyas a friend or colleague. Will you be stiff
and formal? Of course not. You will be friendly in a professional way. Dont take this as
an invitation to be inappropriate, coarse, or rude. Just friendly.
What appeals to you at Duke? What about its program, culture, and professional
opportunities propel you to apply and would compel you to accept an offer of admission?
Maybe start out by drafting a letter to a close friend and tell her why you want to go to
Duke. That letter may morph into this essay.
2. The Team Fuqua community is as unique as the individuals who comprise it.
Underlying our individuality are a number of shared ideas and principles that we live out
in our own ways. Our students have identified and defined 6 Team Fuqua Principles
that we feel are the guiding philosophies that make our community special. At the end of
your 2 years at Fuqua, if you were to receive an award for exemplifying one of the 6
Principles listed below, which one would it be and why? Your response should reflect the
research you have done, your knowledge of Fuqua and the Daytime MBA program and
experience, and the types of activities and leadership you would engage in as a Fuqua
student.
1. Authentic Engagement: We care and we take action. We each make a
difference to Team Fuqua by being ourselves and engaging in and supporting
activities about which we are passionate.
2. Supportive Ambition: We support each other to achieve great things, because
your success is my success. The success of each individual member of Team
Fuqua makes the whole of Team Fuqua better.
3. Collective Diversity: We embrace all of our classmates because our
individuality is better and stronger together.
4. Impactful Stewardship: We are leaders who focus on solutions to improve
our communities both now and in the future. We arent satisfied with just
maintaining the status quo.
5. Loyal Community: We are a family who looks out for each other. Team
Fuqua supports you when you need it the most.
6. Uncompromising Integrity: We internalize and live the honor code in the
classroom and beyond. We conduct ourselves with integrity within Fuqua, within
Duke, and within all communities of which we are a part.

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Do your homework about Fuqua (and yourself) before responding to this question. What
activities and groups appeal to you? How do you see yourself participating? Making a
difference? Then look at the list of six principles above. Which do you most identify with?
Imagine how you would exemplify that principle in your activities. The story of that role and how
you would see yourself earning an award is your essay. While you can reference similar
activities in the past, keep the focus of this essay on what you would do at Fuqua and why you
would earn recognition for exemplifying one of these six principles.

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

Do NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area of the
application.
The Optional Essay is intended to provide the Admissions Committee with insight into
your extenuating circumstances only.
Limit your response to two pages.

Why isnt your current supervisor writing your rec? Why is there a six-month gap on your
resume? Why did your grades dip during the first semester of your senior year? What are your
responsibilities while working for a family business after having left a prestigious investment
bank, and why did you make the change? Answering any of those questions (but not all) could be
the topic of your optional essay.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Early Action

September 17, 2014

Round 1

October 20, 2014

Round 2

January 5, 2015

Round 3

March 19, 2015

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Georgetown McDonough
Georgetown McDonough, the top MBA program at the
intersection of business and government, takes advantage of
its Washington D.C. location, its connections to the greater
Georgetown University community, and its Jesuit roots
while at the same time focusing on the global nature of
twenty-first century business. Your application should show
that you need the education provided by McDonough to
achieve your goals and that you wholeheartedly embrace its values.

Essay
Essays should all be double-spaced using 12pt. font. Prepare your attachments offline in separate
document files and upload them individually. Please follow the instructions regarding length of
each attachment, and label each page with your name.
Why You? (Hint: We are looking for an answer that cannot be found from research on our
website.) (750 words maximum)
This question is all about fit. It is an attempt by Georgetown to learn about you and why you
think you are a good fit for Georgetown and why Georgetown is a good fit for you. Georgetown
wants to see how you think and come to a major decision.
There are lots of different ways to approach this essay. Clearly you shouldnt spit back the
McDonough website. If you can, talk to current students about the culture and distinctive
elements of the program to gain a deeper understanding of it. You also need to reflect on the
reasons you personally would choose McDonough. Why is it the best program for you?
You could start with a highly influential experience that influence your decision to pursue an
MBA, go into more depth about what you hope to achieve and why you believe Georgetown is
the best place for you to achieve it.
Alternatively, you could start with a day in the future where you attain your goal and then circle
back to discuss the development of that goal and McDonoughs role in helping you achieve it.
You can also discuss how you intend to contribute to McDonoughs community.
In short, why should McDonough accept you? How will you make the school proud that they
did?

Optional Essays
1. If you are not currently employed full-time, use this essay to provide information about your
current activities. (250 words maximum)
Show them that you are using this period to acquire new skills, contribute to your community, or
grow in some way.

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2. Please provide any information that you would like to add to your application that you have
not otherwise included. (500 words maximum)
Please see The Optional Essay: To Be or Not to Be.

Reapplicant Essay
How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly
interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. (500 words or
fewer)
This is a key question (whether asked explicitly or not) for all reapplicants to any MBA program.
What has changed? How are you new and improved since last yearwhen you were rejected?
Georgetown does you the favor of providing this explicit prompt so you can address this question
while retaining the ability to address the main essay.

Deadlines:

ROUND
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3

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January 5, 2015
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Harvard Business School

For the second year in a row, Harvard Business School
is simultaneously demanding less and much more of applicants:
No essays. Fewer words. Fewer characters. More thought. More
brevity. And as much substance as you can cram into the responses
limited not to a few hundred words, but to a few hundred
characters. If any of you think creating a compelling HBS app will
be easy, think again.

Required Portions
The required portions represent what Harvard wants to know
about you. The HBS admissions committee is quite clear and
specific about what it wants to know. And how much it wants to know. Please realize that your
resume and the boxes are now the heart of your application. Before you begin completing the
application, first review Harvards three criteria for admission. Write your descriptions and
response so that you show these qualities:

Habit of Leadership
Analytical Aptitude and Appetite
Engaged Community Citizenship

For additional understanding of Dee Leopold, Director of Harvard Business Schools

Admissions, and her thought process, please review the Poets and Quants interview with Dee,
published in June 2014.
Because of the brevity requiredmost of the longer answers have a 500-character limityou
must be succinct:

Focus on business and leadership achievements, not technical feats.

Dont merely describe your responsibilities; highlight your accomplishments
where you have made a difference, where you have gone above and beyond the
expected, the typical, and the ordinary.
Quantify as much as possible.
Write tight.

Optional Essay
Youre applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, school transcripts, extracurricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders
have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy? (No
word limit)
Now what elsereally and trulydo you want HBS to know about you? The HBS admissions
committee has told you what it wants to know. Thats in the required sections of the application.
What do you want the HBS readers to know?

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The answer to that question is not something I can give or even suggest to you in a guide aimed
at the many. (For individual advice, please see Accepteds MBA Admissions Consulting.) It
should be different for each of you. Again, refer to the HBS criteria, as you contemplate possible
topics, but the options are infinite. A few possibilities:

Context for events described in the required elements.

Motivations for the decisions or commitments you have made.
Challenges you have faced.
Something you would like to do at HBS.
More depth on an activity or commitment that is particularly important to you.

Please dont limit yourself to these suggestions. I am offering them to stimulate your creativity,
not to shut it down. Some of you may wonder if you should write this essay given that it is
optional. If you dont have anything to say, say nothing. Nonetheless, I cant believe that
accomplished, remarkable people have nothing valuable to add to the required portions of
Harvards application. A persuasive, impressive essay simply gives Harvard more reasons to
accept you, and you should want them to have those reasons. On the other hand, if you slap
together something hastily or rehash or copy-and-paste another schools essay, then you run the
risk of actually reducing the quality of your application. Bottom line: Make it worth reading.
Write a thoughtful essay that reflects you and complements the required components.
Since Ive been in MBA admissions consulting (almost 20 years now), HBS has valued concision.
And, in todays tweet- and sound-bite-driven world, it is requiring even shorter responses, at
least in the required portion of the application. Dont take the absence of a word limit on the
optional essay as a license for verbosity. Make every word count. If you must pull a number out
of me, dont go over 800 words. And if you can say what you need to say in less than 800 words,
do so. A few caveats and warnings on the essay. It is not:

Stanfords what matters most to you and why?

The kitchen sink in which you throw everything.
An autobiography.

Interview Reflections

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Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

September 9, 2014

Round 2

January 5, 2015

Round 3

April 6, 2015

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Michigan Ross
Ross completely redid the essay part of its
MBA application this year. Getting rid of its longstanding goals essay, a fairly new elevator pitch
question, and a question about dealing with
frustrating or disappointing situations, it added two
questions on achievements. The overall word count
is down 150 words.
Since the application is not live, I cant see the
short answer questions or the online boxes. It wouldnt surprise me at all if Ross asks about
goals in the non-essay portion of the application.
Review Ross Evaluation Criteria before you sit down to write the essays. And remember: Your
essays should reveal the qualities Ross seeksnot just mouth them. Show that you walk the walk,
not just talk the talk. Also, read carefully the introductory paragraph to the essay questions. The
advice is excellent.

Essays
Our goal with these new questions is that well get a sense of who you are, how you think about
yourself and how you process your experiences. The range of responses can be quite widefrom
an accomplishment to a challenge or difficult situation that you overcame or a characteristic
about yourself. There isnt a right or preferred type of response. Applicants often ask how
they can differentiate themselves. The essays are the best way to do it. Your undergraduate
school and major may be similar to another applicants. Your career path and goals may be
similar to another applicants. But your experiences and what you take away from them will be
unique.
1. What are you most proud of professionally and why? What did you learn from that
experience? (400 words maximum)
The first part of the question is fairly straightforward. What are you truly proud of
professionally? The reasons for your pride and the lessons learned require thought and soulsearching. And of course, you only have 400 words.
Good reasons for the choice: Contribution to your team, department, company, or society.
Impact on you or others. Try to quantify this part of your answer. Numbers are a great way to
show both contribution and impact. However, if your #1 achievement is qualitative or difficult to
quantify, dont let lack of numbers stop you from using it.
For the lessons learned part of the question, choose one lesson that has changed how you think
or behave and describe those changes. You dont have room for many lessons learned, so select
the most important one.
2. What are you most proud of personally and why? How does it shape who you are today? (400
words maximum)
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This response should complement your response to #1 and obviously it should not be
professional. Ross wants to know that you have a life off the job and that you make a difference
then too.
What have you done off the job that you are really proud of? Raised money for a favorite charity
by running a marathon? Organized a political event? Engaged in interfaith dialogue that broke
down communications barriers? Led a sports team to victory?
Any of the above and many, many other non-professional achievements would qualify as a good
topic for this essay.
What was the impact of that accomplishment on you? Please dont write that you learned you
can do anything you put your mind to. That response is clichd and not really true. Its a nonanswer. A good response will show how your behavior or thinking has changed as a result of this
accomplishment.

Optional Essay
Is there anything not addressed elsewhere in the application that you would like the Admissions
Committee to know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (300 words maximum)
Optional questions arent junk drawers or shoe boxes in which to jam stuff. Focus on one
facet of your life or an experience that is important to you, reveals the human being you are, and
isnt described in other parts of the application.
Of course, you can also use this essay to provide context for a weakness, but I prefer not to end
your application on that note if possible. So weigh your options. If you have something to
explain, do so. If you can slip in the explanation somewhere else, great. If the best place for the
explanation is this last essay, so be it.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

SUBMISSION TIME

Round 1

October 6, 2014

11:59 PM EST

Round 2

January 5, 2015

11:59 PM EST

Round 3

March 23, 2015

11:59 PM EST

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MIT Sloan
For years MIT Sloan asked applicants to create a cover letter as
part of its application. MIT dropped that requirement last year,
but this year the big news is that MIT is asking you to write your
own recommendation. And while many of you write your own
reviews at work and some of you may have been asked to write
recommendations for your recommenders signature, which the
schools hate, this year its from you to MIT Sloan. More on that
below.

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). We
encourage you to use the resume template provided in the online application.
Go beyond mere job description to highlight achievement. If your title is consultant, saying
that you consulted on projects is redundant and uninformative at best. Writing that you Led
a 6-member team working on a biotech outsourcing project to Singapore with a budget of $X; it
came in on time and under budget. conveys infinitely more. Quantify impact as much as
possible. You want the reader to come away with a picture of an above average performer on a
steep trajectory.

Essays
We are interested in learning more about you. In each of the essays, please describe in detail
what you thought, felt, said, and did. Please draw upon experiences which have occurred in the
past three years.
1. The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative
leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. Discuss
how you will contribute toward advancing the mission based on examples of past work and
activities. (500 words maximum)
First identify examples that illustrate you either developing others into principled, innovative
leaders who improve the world and generate ideas that advance management practice or
practicing your own form of principled leadership. You can choose professional and nonprofessional examples. Once youve jotted down several examples, choose between 1-3 that you
want to focus on. What should you focus on? The examples that show you transforming an
innovative idea into a reality. Remember MIT Sloans commitment to balancing innovative
ideas and theories with hands-on, real-world application.

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Show how your leadership and impact in this experience has improved the world in some small
way; you dont need to have cured cancer or ended starvation in Africa. Then tie those examples
to future plans. How will you build on that experience at MIT Sloan and beyond? How will you
fulfill MIT Sloans mission on the job and off?
2. Write a professional letter of recommendation on behalf of yourself. Answer the following
questions as if you were your most recent supervisor recommending yourself for admission
to the MIT Sloan MBA Program:

How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant?
How does the applicant stand out from others in a similar capacity?
Please give an example of the applicants impact on a person, group, or organization.
Please give a representative example of how the applicant interacts with other people.
Which of the applicants personal or professional characteristics would you change?
Please tell us anything else you think we should know about this applicant.

(750 words maximum)

Quite the curve ball! You can have a little fun with the first bullet, but then get serious. And yes
you are supposed to write this as if you are your manager.
First of all think about the questions. Reflect on how you stand out in a positive way from your
peers. If possible focus on leadership and interpersonal skills and give an example of your ability
to lead, to diffuse tension, to listen, to be entrusted with responsibility or whatever way you feel
you stand out. And of course reveal impact. You need to show that your attributions have made a
difference and perhaps allowed you to contribute more and progress faster than most.
The bullet that will make many of you squirm is the second to the last one. It is asking for a
weakness and before you tie yourself up in nervous knots about dealing with that point, please
see Flaws Make You Real. You dont have to make your response to this bullet the longest
part of the essay, but do respond honestly and effectively.

Optional Essay
The Admissions Committee invites you to share anything else you would like us to know about
you, in any format. If you choose to use a multimedia format, please host the information on a
website and provide us the URL.
I discussed this question with someone in MIT Sloans admissions office. First of all realize that
you can choose an essay or multimedia presentation. The media option is there so you can
express yourself in the way you find easiest and most revealing. MIT does not want a recycled
essay from another school. The person I spoke to was explicit about that. If you choose the
multimedia format, realize it should be something viewable in about a minuteno 20-minute
videos or 100-slide expositions or lengthy orations. Keep it short. Its also fine to link to
something you have created for a club, event, or cause thats important to you.
Whats behind the option? A deep and sincere desire to meet you as a human being. A genuine,
animated, real live human being. So dont regurgitate your resume or spew stuff found in the
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required elements of your application. Have the confidence to share a special interest or deep
commitment. Im not suggesting Mommy Dearest or True Confessions; use judgment. I am
suggesting that you allow the reader to see a good side of you not revealed elsewhere in the
application. Let them see what makes you smile, motivates you to jump out of bed with joy, and
gives you a feeling of satisfaction when you turn out the light at the end of the day.
MIT Sloan has an excellent video with advice on its optional essay. Here it is: Jeff CarboneOptional Information Tips

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

SUBMISSION TIME

Round 1

September 23, 2014

3:00 PM EST

Round 2

January 8, 2015

3:00 PM EST

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Northwestern Kellogg
In September 2014, Kellogg rebranded itself and moved away from the
more obscure Think Bravely, which was difficult to wrap your mind
around. Its returning to its traditional core values or at least to a more
concrete mission: Inspiring growth. The video below explores and
clarifies this mission as well as the values Kellogg holds dear. I highly
recommend that you watch it to grasp understand Kelloggs fundamental
principles.
A couple of key takeaways from the videoKellogg seeks individuals
who:

Have a growth mindset (for details, please see Caroline Dwecks Mindset: The New
Psychology of Success, one of my favorite books).
Work well in a collaborative environment while striving to grow individually and at
the same time inspiring growth in individuals, organizations, and markets.

Essays
1. Resilience. Perseverance. Grit. Call it what you will.Challenges can build character.
Describe a challenging experience youve had. How were you tested? What did you learn? (450
words maximum)
A perfect prompt for an essay showing that you take responsibility for you actionseven in
challenging situationsand that you courageously face those challenges, deal with them, and
grow from them.
The question asks you to describe one experience that you found challenging. I suggest you open
with either a difficult moment or interaction, then describe what led up to it and continue with
how you dealt with it. Reveal results both in terms of the situation and more importantly in terms
of your personal character growth.
For more thoughts on resilience, please see Resilience: Moving On.
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2. Leadership requires an ability to collaborate with and motivate others. Describe a professional
experience that required you to influence people. What did this experience teach you about
working with others, and how will it make you a better leader? (450 words maximum)
This question reflects Kelloggs emphasis on collaborative leadership. As in question 1, Kellogg
is asking you to describe one experience. This time the school seeks a professional one where
you influenced others. You can use a STAR framework for this response (Situation, Task, Action,
Results). Start with the situation and simply describe what was going on. Then relate your
groups task and responsibility. How did you motivate the others to move in one direction? How
did you influence and persuade? Finally what were the results for the group, but more
importantly for you? What did you learn about leadership, collaboration, and influence?
While it isnt a requirement and I can imagine instances where this may not be true, in general,
examples where you led by virtue of your stature and others respect for you will be more
compelling than those where you led by virtue of station and title.

Reapplicant Essay
Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (250
words maximum)
No trick questions here. How are you a better candidate today than when Kellogg rejected you?
Have you addressed weaknesses in your previous application? Check out MBA Reapplicant
101a lot of free resources there.

Additional Information (Optional Essay)

If needed, use this section to briefly describe any extenuating circumstances (e.g. unexplained
gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic
performance, etc.) (No word limit)
This is a true optional question. If necessary, use it to provide context for possible negatives.
Take responsibility for mistakes if necessary and discuss what you have changed so that you
dont err in the same way again.
Keep this section short and to-the-point. Dont be fooled by No word count.

Video Essays
The Video Essays provide applicants with an additional opportunity to demonstrate what they
will bring to our vibrant Kellogg communityin an interactive way. Each applicant will
complete two short video essay questions. The questions are designed to bring to life the person
we have learned about on paper.

After submitting a completed application, each applicant will be asked to

complete two Video Essay Questions. One will be about the candidates interest
in Kellogg and the other will be a getting to know you type of question.
There are 10 practice questions which candidates can complete as many times as
they like to get comfortable with the format and technology.
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The practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay
experience, so this is meant to be a useful tool and help applicants feel prepared.
There is not an opportunity to re-do the answer to the official video essay
questions. We encourage applicants to practice so they are comfortable with the
format once it is time to complete the official questions.
Candidates will have 20 seconds to think about their question and up to 1 minute
to give their response.
We estimate the Video Essays will take 30 minutes to complete which includes
time for set-up and answering all the practice questions.

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. For tips on how to prepare and behave
during the webcam session, please see Kelloggs Video Essay on its Application Components
page as well as my Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

SUBMISSION TIME

Round 1

September 24, 2014

5:00 PM CT

Round 2

January 7, 2014

5:00 PM CT

Round 3

April 1, 2014

5:00 PM CT

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NYU Stern
Your essays will need to highlight your qualities as a successful,
leadership-driven, creative thinker and businessperson. For
NYU Stern, youll want to reveal that you are a perfect fit with
the program, the Stern community, and the global business
world at large. Keep in mind that Stern is a place that values
EQ as much as IQ.
Our Stern 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.
Please note the following details when completing your essays.

All written essays must be typed and submitted using the standard U.S. 8 1/2 x 11
format, double-spaced, in 12-point font.
Word limits apply to the total question. For example, your response to Essay 1 should
answer all parts of the question 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).
Your essays should be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be revoked if
you did not write your essays.

Essays
1. Professional Aspirations (750 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
a. Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life?
b. What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA
experience?
c. What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation?
Stern states explicitly that it seeks students with a well-articulated plan to achieve their career
aspirations.
Sterns first question is an MBA goals question with a couple of small twists. A and C are fairly
typical of this genre, only C doesnt ask about long-term goals. At the heart of this question:
What do you want to do after you graduate that requires an MBA, and A asks why is now the
right time to get it? You should be able to answer Sterns first question, or you shouldnt be
applying.
Another small twist occurs in B: Have you done your homework about Stern? What have you
done to research the program, its curriculum, career opportunities, and student life? What
aspects of the program will help you achieve the goals you provide in C?

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The part of the question asking about your career goal upon graduation is critical. Are you
realistic about where your past experience plus a Stern MBA can take you? Stern doesnt want
people in la-la-land who will be impossible to place.
Finally make sure you answer all elements of the question while staying within the word limits
(not guidelines). No adcom member sits there and counts words, but the readers can tell when
you are significantly over. Significantly in my book is more than 10%. Write succinctly.
2. Choose Option A or Option B (500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
Answer the question that will best complement your answer to Essay 1 (above) and the rest of
your application.
Option A: Your Two Paths
The mission of the Stern School of Business is to develop people and ideas that transform the
challenges of the 21st century into opportunities to create value for business and society. Given
todays ever-changing global landscape, Stern seeks and develops leaders who thrive in
ambiguity, embrace a broad perspective and think creatively about the range of ways they can
have impact.

Describe two different and distinct paths you could see your career taking long term.
How do you see your two paths unfolding?
What factors will most determine which path you will take?
How do your paths tie to the mission of NYU Stern?

This is a relatively difficult question. It forces you to embrace that broad perspective, ambiguity,
and creativity, or you cant answer the question. Lets assume you get that first job out of Stern
that you describe in Essay 1. What are the two most desirable paths you would take from there?
Alternatively, chart two alternatives starting with that first job. In each path, how will you create
value for others? For society? Why would you choose one path over the other?
You may have a clearly preferred Plan A and a less desirable Plan B that ultimately ties to Plan
A. You can have two parallel or divergent paths. I think the feasibility of your path given your
past experience and an NYU MBA plus your enthusiasm, dare I say, passion for you goals are
going to determine the success of this essay.
If I urged concision for Essay 1, it is even more important for Essay 2, which has a 500-word
maximum.

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Option B: 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 submit a non-written piece for this essay (i.e., artwork or multimedia) or if you submit this
essay via mail, please upload a brief description of your submission with your online 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 submit a video or audio file, it should be five minutes maximum.
If you prepare a multimedia submission, you may mail a CD, DVD or USB flash drive to
the Admissions Office. These are the only acceptable methods of submission. Please do
not submit an internet link to any websites or to a video hosting service such as YouTube.
The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate essay if we are
unable to view your submission.
Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food), or any item that has been worn (e.g.
clothing).
Mailed materials must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Please follow our
mail and labeling instructions.

Please note that mailed packages are subject to size restrictions. Submissions 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

Bribes wont work, so dont send a check in the mail with a pretty please note.. Candidates
can get very creative with this essay and use different media (other than edibles and worn attire),
but many of you will convey your ideas in words. Think of how you describe yourself in a social
setting when meeting people for the first time.
If its the first day of class or a mixer early in the pre-term, how would you break the ice? Would
you try to set up a tennis game or golf match? Would you find someone to explore NYCs
museums? Or do you hate museums and prefer hiking through the woods? What would you say if
you were in the campus coffee shop and sat down with some new classmates? Could you create a
dialog? A short skit?
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NYU Stern also permits the use of multimedia in response to this question. While the medium
may vary, the point again is to introduce yourself to friends. Given the other questions, this can
be a great venue for discussing hobbies, extracurricular interests, and community service.
When I visited NYU Stern a few years ago, the admissions officer I met with proudly showed me
several personal expressions. Her faves. They were incredibly creative, but much less slick
than you might imagine. This past May, Stern hosted AIGAC for a day and again presented two
of the videos filmed in response to this question. They were thoughtful introductions to the
applicants who created them. But neither one was super-slick or professional. Just revealing,
creative, and clever.
If you want to submit something three-dimensional or multimedia, dont worry if you arent
ready for the Louvre or the Academy Awards as long as your creation is authentically yours,
introduces you, and sticks to the above requirements. It will be taken seriously and appreciated.
If you are considering creating a video, view Audio/Video in Admissions: Get Ready for Prime
Time, a free special report.

Additional Information (Optional Essay)

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, even if you are a re-applicant.
If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since
your last application.
Obviously if you fit into one of the categories described in the three points above, you need to
write this essay. If you dont fit into the above categories and have something you want the
admissions committee to know that isnt part of the required essays, then you still should write
this optional essay.
If you are an MBA reapplicant, please realize that the question posed here by NYU Stern is THE
key question you need to answer as a reapplicant. What have you done to improve your
candidacy that should change the outcome?

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Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 15, 2014

Round 2

November 15, 2014

Round 3

January 15, 2015

Round 4

March 15, 2015

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Stanford GSB
Stanford cut its essays from three to two, actually returning
to the same two essays it asked for several years (or slight
variations of them) before it increased the number of essays
for the 2007 entering class.
The other change in these questions is that Stanford has
done away here with the behavioral questions that it
added for the applications for the classes entering in 20072013. It will be interesting to see if those types of questions show up as short answer questions
within the application or if they are used more in the Stanford interview.
Stanford gives a lot of advice and guidance as to what its looking for in the essays. You should
access that advice.

Application Questions
Essays help us learn about who you are rather than solely what you have done. Other parts of the
application give insight to your academic and professional accomplishments; the essays reveal
the person behind those achievements.
When writing your essays, resist the urge to package yourself into what you think Stanford
wants to see. Doing so will only prevent us from understanding who you really are and what you
hope to accomplish. The most impressive essays are the most authentic.

Essays
We request that you write two personal essays. The personal essays give us glimpses of your
character and hopes. In each essay, we want to hear your genuine voice. Think carefully about
your values, passions, aims, and dreams prior to writing them.
Essay A. What matters most to you, and why?
A strong response to this question will:

Focus on the why rather than the what.

Reflect the self-examination process you used to write your response.
Genuinely illustrate who you are and how you came to be the person you are.
Share the insights, experiences, and lessons that shaped your perspectives, rather than
focusing merely on what youve done or accomplished.
Be written from the heart, and illustrate how a person, situation, or event has influenced
you.

This superficially straightforward question has been Stanfords first for the last several years,
and it is actually one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult MBA essay questions to
answer. It demands introspection. Before you put finger to keyboard or pen to paper, really
reflect on what you value, how you have acted upon those principles, and why you value them.
Stanfords advice urges reflection. The question requires it.
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When I reflect on our many successful Stanford clients, initiative in the face of need is the
common thread among them. They are always the ones who revealed, especially in Essay A, that
they do not turn away when they see a problem or need for action. They grab the initiative when
faced with an opportunity to contribute. They are comfortable expressing emotion and their
values, and their actions reflect both, but particularly the latter. Think purpose-driven, principledriven lives.
More than anything else, initiative and self-awareness characterize the successful Stanford
applicant. Implication: You have to know your values and those times you have acted upon
them. Yes I wrote that a few seconds ago, but it bears repeating. Climbing Mt. Everest or
suffering from terrible social ills is not a requirement of admission, but you do have to know the
person occupying your skin.
Essay B. Why Stanford?
Enlighten us on how earning your MBA at Stanford will enable you to realize your ambitions.
A strong response to this essay question will:

Explain your decision to pursue graduate education in management.

Explain the distinctive opportunities you will pursue at Stanford.

This question is succinct, and really says what they want to know.
Similar to questions that have occupied this Stanford application slot for years, this question is a
variation of a standard MBA goals question, as revealed in the two bullet points after it. For this
forward-looking question, you must say why you want an MBA. The best way to do so is in terms
of your desired post-MBA professional direction. Then explain how Stanfords program
specifically will help you attain them.
Understand the flexibility inherent in Stanfords curriculum, its integrated approach to
management, its entrepreneurial culture, and how both will help you learn what you need to
know to achieve your career goals. Realize that the curriculum allows for personalization based
on your goal and your past experience, specifically your previous business education. Two
pieces of information are required to answer this question: A clear MBA goal and an in-depth
understanding of Stanford GSBs curriculum. (Folks: Its not just the ranking, brand, or
location.)

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Essay Length:
Your answers for both essay questions combined may not exceed 1,100 words. Below are
suggested word counts per essay, but you should allocate the maximum word count in the way
that is most effective for you.

Essay A: 650-850 words

Essay B: 250-450 words

Additional Information (Optional Essay)

If there is any information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, include it
in the Additional Information section of the application. Pertinent examples include:

Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance

Explanation of why you do not have a letter of reference from your current direct
supervisor
Work experience that did not fit into the space provided
Academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere

This is optional. Respond if you have something to explain or need the additional space because
you cant fit in your work experience or all academic info. Responses should be succinct and tothe-point and should provide the context necessary for Stanford to understand the circumstances
surrounding whatever difficulty you are writing about.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

SUBMISSION TIME

Round 1

October, 1, 2014

5:00 PM PST

Round 2

January 7, 2014

5:00 PM PST

Round 3

April 1, 2014

5:00 PM PST

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Toronto Rotman
The University of Torontos Rotman School of Business is one of the leading business schools in
Canada. Known for its design approach to MBA education and strong emphasis on problem
solving, Rotmans program is growing in size and renown.

Essays
1. Please state your professional goals and how you plan to achieve them. (250 words maximum)
This is a pretty straightforward goals question, requiring a concise answer. What do you want to
do and where do you want to do it? The where refers to industry, not necessarily geography,
but geography could be a part of your goal. If it is, you should include it in your response.
Your essay should show Rotman that you have thought about your career path, Rotmans role in
that chosen path, and how your career can realistically progress after you receive your Rotman
MBA.
2. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have received recently. Please
detail the circumstance and your plan to address it. (250 words maximum)
Tell a brief story here. What were you told? What was the context? How has it proven
constructive? If you have room in your essay and you feel it fits with the rest of your response,
include a situation similar to the one that prompted the criticism and that you handled well as a
result of the advice you received.
Alternatively, you could even start with the situation that ended well, and then provide the
background, including the story of the constructive feedback.
3. Reflection Question: List 3-5 attributes or characteristics that best describe you. Limit
response to 50 characters. (3-5 word maximum)
My suggestion here would be to avoid what my friend and colleague from Maxx Associates,
Maxx Duffy, calls umbrella words. These are general terms for valued attributes, but
they tend to be abused and overused in the MBA application process. There is nothing wrong
with them other than the reality that they are sapped them of meaning and impact. And if you use
these umbrella words, you will blend in with all the others who are also using them, just like one
more black umbrella on a rainy day.
An example: leadership. I guarantee that attribute (or any form of lead) will be the most
commonly mentioned term. I encourage you not to use a form of lead or leader. It is an
umbrella word. Instead, use one of the key attributes you have that make you a great leader.
Those are the qualities that go under the umbrella. They will be more distinctive and more
memorable.

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Video Interview
The video interview component is a required part of Rotman Admissions process designed to
give all candidates guaranteed face time with the Admissions Committee and showcase your
personality, characteristics, passions, and values.
You will have an opportunity to test the technology, and then will be asked two taped questions.
Both questions are personality/values based and are designed to be answered without any
advanced preparation and will only take a few minutes to complete. After completing your
questions, you will receive a confirmation email and unique URL to input into this section of the
application and complete the video component. Good luck and have fun with the process!
Weve written blog posts on the video essay, and last year I had a fascinating interview with Niki
da Silva, Rotmans Admissions Director, who provided excellent advice on the Rotman video
interview. It is by far, our most popular podcast.
Here are links to these resources.

Tips for Video MBA Essay Questions

MBA Video Essays: A Conversation with Rotmans Niki da Silva
MBA Interview Tips: Video Essays

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

November 3, 2014

Round 2

January 12, 2015

Round 3

March 2, 2015

Round 4

April 20, 2015

Round 5

June 1, 2015

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UC Berkeley Haas
Haas application this year has relatively minor
changes. It replaced the first question on last years
application, which was a somewhat artsy question
about a song that expresses who you are, with a
straightforward question about a transformational
experience.
The other significant change is that Haas provides
word length guidelines that provide range, for
instance 400-500 word maximum, instead of the more traditional single number, for example,
500 words max.

Supplemental Information
1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please
explain. If not applicable, enter N/A.
Keep it short and sweet. This is primarily for those of you who dont want to tell your boss yet
that you plan to leave.
2. List in order of importance all community and professional organizations and extracurricular
activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Include the
following information for each organization or activity using the format below:

Name of organization or activity

Nature of organization or activity
Size of organization
Dates of involvement
Offices held
Average number of hours spent per month

Whenever possible, quantify your impact or contribution. Please note that Haas is not interested
in high school grades or activities. Note also that they want the list not in chronological order,
but in order of importancehowever you define importance.
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.
Again, quantify your responsibilities and impact as much as possible. Focus on achievements.
Avoid job descriptions that are obvious from your job title.
4. Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.
Provide the circumstances, but as always, be succinct. If your position was eliminated during a
restructuring and it took you three months to find a job, say so. No harm, no foul. If the layoff
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was much longer, also indicate how you used your time, other than job-searching. Learning new
skills or serving your community, if true, would be great to mention here.
5. 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.)
Please, please, please dont forget to answer this question if it applies to you. Its far worse to
omit it than to answer it.

Essays
At Berkeley-Haas, our distinctive culture is defined by four key principlesQuestion the Status
Quo; Confidence Without Attitude; Students Always; and Beyond Yourself. We seek candidates
from a broad range of cultures, backgrounds, and industries who demonstrate a strong cultural fit
with our program and defining principles. Please use the following essays as an opportunity to
reflect on and share with us the values, experiences, and accomplishments that have helped shape
who you are. (Learn more about Berkeley-Haas Defining Principles.)
As you are answering the following four questions really think about Haas defining principles
and when possible, tie your answer and experiences to those principles. As I frequently do, I
want to warn you against simply repeating the principles or stuffing them into your essays.
Thats a waste of time and space. Use your essays to reveal that you share those values and have
those qualities.
1. Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world. How did
this transform you? (400-500 words maximum)
This is a new and very different questions from the one that occupied this slot last year.
The question is fairly straightforward and clear. Plus it leaves you room to start with the
experience. Paint a picture for the reader of the scene that had such tremendous impact, or tell
the story of that experience. How has your life changed as a result? How did your perspective
change? What do you do differently? While discussing perspective or outlook is fine, dont leave
your essay with theory alone. Transformation isnt merely theoretical; it has to
influence practice.
2. What is your most significant professional accomplishment? (200-300 words maximum)
What are you most proud of? When did you make a real contribution and go beyond yourself?
Tell the story of your accomplishment, but also reflect on it. Why do you consider it the most
significant? Was it the impact you had on others, or the impact the experience had on you, or
what the experience says about you?
For a brief article on accomplishments, please see What is an Accomplishment?

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3. What is your desired post-MBA role and at what company or organization? In your response,
please specifically address sub-questions a., b., and c.
a. How is your background compelling to this company?
b. What is something you would do better for this company than any other employee?
c. Why is an MBA necessary and how will Haas specifically help you succeed at this company?
(500-600 words maximum for 3a, 3b, and 3c combined)
This is a probing question. Generalities wont do here.
Its unusual that Haas is asking you to be so specific as to name a company you would like to
work for. Theyre not asking for a type of company or industry. Regardless, do the homework
necessary so that you can specify a company as well as the role you would like to play in that
organization.
First, what role would you like to have after you earn your MBA and what would be your first
choice in terms of employer. Now do your homework about the company. Read its employment
site. If you can, speak to current employees. If you cant interact with real live people, go on
Vault or LinkedIn and network with current employees who are alumni of your college or
somehow connected to you in some other way. What is a typical career path at this company?
What does the organization seek in people it hires for your desired role? Why would this
company want to hire you given your background and education? Why would you be (after you
get your Haas MBA) a compelling candidate?
And finally, how will Haas help you snag your dream position at your dream company. What
gaps will your MBA fill? What skills will it hone?
Think about a common thread between what youve done, your Haas MBA, and that dream
position. That core idea can really unify your essay.

Optional Essays
1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to
your application that you havent addressed elsewhere. (500 words maximum)
A bonus! If there is an element in your background, be it personal, academic or professional,
that you have not revealed elsewhere and would like the adcom to know about, this is the spot.
Give them another reason to admit you, but dont submit the grand summary, appeal, or closing
statement. Keep it succinct and focused. Obviously, you could use this essay to explain a
weakness, but that would leave your application ending on a weakness, which is less than
optimal. Try to fit that explanation in somewhere else in the application or if necessary tuck the
weakness into this essay, but have the main focus of this essay be something positive. For
example: Your pride in working your way through undergrad, the challenges, and the ultimate
satisfaction of learning to manage your time. An essay with this core idea explains a less than
stellar GPA; but it wont justify a 2.0.

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2. If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative
abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear
on your transcript. (250 words maximum)
If you are a liberal arts graduate or the proverbial poet applying to business school or if you
simply dont have a lot of math on your transcript or on your resume, you need to respond to this
question. You could show that your work may be more quantitative than initially assumed or you
could discuss quantitative courses you are taking now that do not yet appear on your transcript.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 1, 2014

Round 2

January 7, 2015

Round 3

March 11, 2015

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UCLA Anderson
The advice that UCLA Anderson provides below is
excellent, not just for Andersons essays, but for most MBA
essays. Read it carefully.
Your essays are the primary way for you to share your
perspectives and plans with the admissions committee. The
best essays are introspective, genuine and succinct in
directly answering our questions and responding to our
topics.

Essay questions are listed below for both first-time applicants and re-applicants.
You should try to distinguish yourself by showing what makes you different from others
who share similar profiles.
Personal expression is what we are looking for, not platitudes.
Making a strong case for your future plans requires you to first do research on career
paths and find one that resonates. Even if this target will change during business school,
your application essays should lay out a clear trajectory for short-term and long-term
goals. Do this by demonstrating how you expect to build on skills from your past, and
those you expect to gain from the MBA.
Essays are more compelling if they include specific courses, programs, groups,
opportunities, activities, etc. from which you would benefit, if admitted to UCLA
Anderson. These references are best found through website research, personal discussions
and a campus visit (if possible).
Content and clarity are key elements, as we seek superior communication skills.
Style is a consideration too, although we understand that those who speak other
languages may have different manners of expression in English.
We do check your essays for plagiarism, so make sure you always submit your own
work.
Length does not equal strength. A well-written short essay can have even more impact
than a longer essay. Please try to respect the word limits indicated below.
All responses to essays must be on double-spaced pages that are uploaded as a document.
We do not accept essays in any other media but written form.

Essay
UCLA Anderson is distinguished by three defining principles: Share Success, Think Fearlessly,
Drive Change. What principles have defined your life and pre-MBA career? How do you believe
that UCLA Andersons principles, and the environment they create, will help you attain your
post-MBA career goals? (750 words maximum)
Anderson has simplified its essay requirements but still gives you enough room to write a
revealing response. Make sure that essay shows that you can answer the question articulately
and that you belong at Anderson.

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First think about whats important to you. What guides and drives your behavior? If you can
summarize those principles in two words as Anderson does, thats great. If not, dont sweat it,
but do be succinct. If you come up with more than three principles, choose the three that are
most important to you, but I advise against going with more than three. If you want to use fewer
than three, thats OK too. And, for heavens sake dont be tempted to say that your guiding
principles are verbatim identical to Andersons.
A great way to approach this essay would be to discuss an experience or anecdote that
represents your guiding principles and then connect that story and your values to UCLAs
critical principles and the Anderson culture. Then conclude by addressing the last part of the
question: How Andersons principles and environment will help you realize your post-MBA
career goals.

Optional Essay
Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee
should be aware? (250 words maximum)
If there are extenuating circumstances that would add perspective on or explain a weakness,
you can discuss them here. A few years ago, UCLA added the following: Please do not submit
redundant information in the Optional Essay. This is good advice for all optional questions.
For more on this, please see The Optional Question: To Be or not To Be.

Reapplicant Essay
Reapplicants who applied for the class entering Fall 2013 or 2014 are required to complete the
following essay. Please be introspective and authentic in your response. We value the
opportunity to learn about your aspirations and goals.
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 maximum)
This is the key question in every MBA reapplication: How have you enhanced your candidacy?
Career progress is an obvious place to start and something you must address, but if academics
were a weakness, then what have you done since you last applied to show you can excel at
Anderson?

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Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 22, 2014

Round 2

January 7, 2015

Round 3

April 15, 2015

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UVA Darden
Darden led the way with a one-essay application. Some may feel that
fewer essays indicate that essays are losing importance. My suspicion
is that the remaining essays and short-answers are as or more
important than they ever were. Especially at a program emphasizing
the case method and experiential learning, evidence that you can
communicate, analyze a problem from multiple perspectives, and
handle the rigorous program that Darden is famous for are all
critical.

Essay
Describe the most courageous professional decision you have made or most courageous action
you have taken at work. What did you learn from that experience? (500 words maximum)
First of all, I strongly encourage you to watch the video with Dardens Assistant Dean of MBA
Admissions Sarah Neher where she lays out what theyre looking for in this essay:
What is courage? The strength to act in the face of fear, difficulty, criticism, opposition, and
possibly danger. Hopefully you didnt need courage because you were facing true danger on the
job, but perhaps you needed it for some of the other reasons I provided. When did you have the
strength and courage to take ownership of a project, position, or initiative? When did something
become your baby? What was the decision? What did you do? Why was it so important to you?
What was the result? And most importantly (per the video), what did you learn?
They not only want to know your reaction to a particularly challenging situation; they want to
see how you respond when you are personally invested and excited about a challenge, initiative,
or project.
Final tidbit: Make sure you answer all elements of the question. Thats critical.

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

October 10, 2014

Round 2

January 7, 2015

Round 3

April 1, 2015

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Wharton
Wharton is still marching in the MBA application
shrink parade. It now has one required
question and has dropped the question about
contribution to Whartons learning community.
However, it has made the optional question a
broader question than it was last year and has
increased the optional essay word limit. Overall
the Wharton essay word limit count has declined
from 1250 to 950 including the optional.
The Admissions Committee wants to get 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.

Essay
What do you hope to gain both personally and professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500
words maximum)
What do you want to achieve personally and professionally that you cant do now and that a
Wharton MBA will help you achieve? Note that the question is not just asking what you want to
do after you graduate, and its not asking for exclusively professional aspirations. It is giving
you the option to dream a bit.
As with most MBA goals questions, Wharton still wants to see how you connect your Wharton
education to your future. Keep in mind that Wharton has an incredibly rich curriculum. How will
you take advantage of its premier offerings to prepare yourself to achieve your vision for the
future?

Reapplicant Essay
All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete the Optional Essay. Explain how you have
reflected on the previous decision about your application, and discuss any updates to your
candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework,
extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any
extenuating circumstances. (250 words maximum)
The key part of this question is the update part. Dont ignore reflection on your previous
decision, but focus on the new and improved you. For more reapplication advice, please see
MBA Reapplication 101.

Optional Essay
Please use the space below to highlight any additional information that you would like the
Admissions Committee to know about your candidacy. (400 words maximum)

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You can use the optional essay to explain or provide context for decisions you have made or
events in your life. For example:

Why isnt your current boss writing your recommendation?

Why is there an eight-month gap between your first and second job?
Why did your grades dip during the last semester of your junior year?
What are your responsibilities while working for a family business after having left
a prestigious consulting firm, and why did you decide to go into the family
business?

Your optional essay can respond to any of those questions (but not all).
Or you can use your optional essay to highlight something in your experiences, background,
personal or professional life that didnt fit into the required essay and that you want the
admissions committee to know about. You can discuss a diversity element, a unique area of
interest or an accomplishment that you dont feel is adequately described elsewhere.
Dont use it as a grand summary of your application or reasons for wanting Wharton. Make sure
it adds value.

Deadlines:
ROUND

DEADLINES

SUBMISSION TIME

Round 1

October 1, 2014

5:00 PM EST

Round 2

January 5, 2015

5:00 PM EST

Round 3

March 26, 2015

5:00 PM EST

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Yale SOM
Yale is down to one essay this year from two last
year. 500 words max. What does this
shrinkage imply? You need to make the most of that
single essay, but you also need to take the time to
make every box in the application a home run. They
are not afterthoughts. Your job descriptions and
activity history are increasing in importance. Write
and edit them carefully. Focus on achievements.
Quantify when possible and keep in mind
Yales commitment to educating leaders for business and society.

Essay
The Yale School of Management educates individuals who will have deep and lasting impact on
the organizations they lead. Describe how you have positively influenced an organizationas an
employee, a member, or an outside constituent. (500 words maximum)
This essay would do really well with an anecdotal response telling the story of how you
positively affected your department, team, club, company, client or any entity that benefited from
your contribution. You can start with a moment of challenge or triumph. Then go back, provide
context, and tell your story of contribution, hurdles overcome, and complexity handled. If your
impact has lasted, say so.

Video Questions
As part of your application, you will be asked to answer three video questions. These questions
are intended to give you another opportunity to tell us about yourself. These questions are not
meant to be difficult and should not require extensive preparation or special knowledge to
answer. After hearing each video question, you will have 20 seconds to formulate a response,
followed by up to 60 seconds to respond.
After August 15th, you will see a link in your applicant status page checklist that will allow you
to complete the video questions once you have submitted your application and fee. To answer the
questions, you simply need an internet connection and a webcam. These questions will take
roughly 15 minutes to complete, and you will have the opportunity to test your connection and
respond to a sample question before answering the questions. Once you have completed the
questions, your responses will be added to your application and we will begin 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.

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Optional Essay
If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation (unexplained gaps in work experience,
choice of recommenders, academic performance, promotions or recognitions, etc.), please
provide a brief description here. (200 words maximum)
You can use the optional essay to explain or provide context as Yale SOM suggests or you can
use your optional essay to highlight something in your experiences, background, personal or
professional life that didnt fit into the required essay and that you want the admissions
committee to know about. Consider relating a diversity element, a unique area of interest or an
accomplishment that you dont feel is adequately described elsewhere.
Dont use this optional essay as a grand summary of your application or reasons for wanting to
attend Yale. Make sure the optional adds value.

Reapplicant Essay
Since your last application, please discuss any updates to your candidacy, including changes in
your personal or professional life, additional coursework, or extracurricular/volunteer activities.
(200 words maximum)

Deadlines:

ROUND

DEADLINES

Round 1

September 18, 2014

Round 2

January 8, 2015

Round 3

April 23, 2015

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Epilogue
Thank you for downloading this exclusive Accepted.com admissions guide. We are confident youve
learned valuable tips on how to optimize your business school applications by writing compelling,
thoughtful answers to the essay questions.
If you are still not confident about your ability to write effective application essays, or just want to save
time, please contact Accepted.com. While our experienced professional editing staff wont write your
essays for you, we can help you from the beginning, as youre defining your topics and themes, or we can
edit your essays to ensure that your application is as strong as it can be.
If you have any questions about this report, or questions about MBA admissions in general, please feel
free to post them to our Facebook wall, or LinkedIn group.
We look forward to hearing from you!

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