MIT’s essay format has been among the most consistent of the top MBA programs over the past few years. In addition to the cover letter (more on that unique task below), the school consistently poses four questions about different sorts of situations and requests detailed information about how the applicant reacted and behaved. It’s important to note that the philosophy behind Sloan’s approach is that past behavior is a reliable predictor of future behavior, so it will be wise to select examples that show you at your best.
Though the wording of the questions has changed slightly compared to last years, with this season’s set focused a bit more explicitly on negative or challenging circumstances, the sorts of situations asked about are consistent – impact, negotiation, persuasion, and execution. Each of the questions is entirely open in terms of the origin of the examples the applicant can use – work, undergrad, current activities and even appropriate personal stories are fair game here. The key will be to show the adcom how you behave given different pressures and objectives by touching upon all of the points about thoughts, feelings, words and actions.
Cover Letter: Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Please comment on your career goals and those factors which influenced you to pursue an MBA education at MIT Sloan.
For years, Rod Garcia has likened the MBA application process to the recruiting process; MBA aspirants, just like job applicants, need to demonstrate that they know how to market themselves. This is why the school requires a cover letter as part of their application.
As you approach this assignment, keep in mind that many of the standard cover letter themes need to be discussed – your attributes and skills, why you are interested in joining the ‘company’ (MIT/Sloan), and what you feel you could contribute. These certainly intersect with the ideas covered by other schools’ “career goals” essays, so much so that it may be tempting to simply tack a greeting onto the beginning of a career goals essay you’ve prepared for another program. MIT’s request for these ideas in cover letter format, however, actually makes it very easy to spot recycled material, so it’s important that you tailor your response to the school’s unique process. A potential outline for this essay might open with a ‘greeting’ to the committee followed by a statement of your interest in MIT and what you would bring to the school, then a short statement of your career goals with a summary of the ways in which your experience to date has prepared you, then a “why MIT” section explaining why it is the best place for you in terms of what you need from an MBA and your fit with the school, concluding with a thank you.
Essay 1: Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a group or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.
This has been Sloan’s standard lead-off question for several years running, indicating an enduring focus on an applicant’s ability to affect positive change on a small or large scale. In sharing this story, keep in mind that in addition to providing a clear discussion of the specific steps you took to achieve the end result, it will also be important to quantify or at least concretely describe the impact you made on the person, group or organization and explain why it was important or significant to all parties.
Essay 2: Please tell us about a challenging interaction you had with a person or group. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.
This question is designed to extract not only information about how the applicant acts when faced with a challenge, but also about what sorts of interactions, situations and perhaps even personalities the candidate finds challenging. It’s therefore a good idea to think about what a potential example might say about you and your interpersonal style and preferences before drafting this essay.
Essay 3: Please tell us about a time when you defended your idea. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.
This question is very similar to last year’s inquiry about advocating for a position, with the added element of explicit criticism or questioning. The adcom is clearly interested in how potential students handle opposition, as well as how effectively they are able to take an unpopular stance and hold their ground. Some background about the situation and the reason you believed in your idea will naturally be necessary here, but the bulk of your response should focus on your thoughts, feelings and actions during the defense.
Essay 4: Please tell us about a time when you executed a plan. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.
This question invites subject matter that might be very similar to last year’s inquiry about a time the applicant put an idea into action, but the wording suggests that the adcom’s interest may have shifted a bit – away from theory and over to action. While it would ideal to select a story in which the execution of the plan was successful and resulted in a positive impact, this particular essay is more focused on the process.
One final thing to note is that MIT has historically requested that applicants select experiences or events from the past one to two years. Though the adcom has lifted that official guideline this year (as many applicants with significant work experience or impressive early achievements must have found it quite restrictive), it is quite likely that the general preference for recent examples remains. While applicants now have more explicit freedom to draw essay subject matter from any time, it would probably be prudent to showcase experiences from the past two years in as many essays as possible.
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