Michigan / Ross Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009 » Clear Admit: MBA Admissions Consultants Blog

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Jan. 2: Michigan / Ross R2
Jan. 6: HBS R2
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Essay Topic Analysis
Below are links to our comments on some of the top programs' essay topics.
The Career Goals Essay*
Berkeley / Haas*
Chicago GSB*
CMU / Tepper*
Columbia*
Cornell / Johnson*
Dartmouth / Tuck*
Duke / Fuqua*
Harvard*
IESE*
INSEAD*
London Business School*
MIT / Sloan*
Michigan / Ross*
Northwestern / Kellogg*
NYU / Stern*
Oxford / Said*
Penn / Wharton*
Stanford GSB*
UCLA / Anderson*
UNC / Kenan-Flagler*
USC / Marshall*
UT Austin / McCombs*
UVA / Darden*
Yale SOM*
* denotes '08-'09 commentary

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Use categories to access all that has been written on each of the topics. We have categorized by school and by subject matter.

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Chicago
Columbia
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Harvard
Kellogg
Michigan / Ross
MIT / Sloan
Stanford
UNC / Chapel Hill
Virginia / Darden
Wharton
London Business School

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USNews
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Vault.com
Wetfeet

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MBA Programs: North America
If an MBA Program is not listed, please e-mail and we will be happy to list it.
Berkeley / Haas
Carnegie Mellon / Tepper
Chicago
Columbia
Concordia
Cornell / Johnson
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Emory / Goizueta
Harvard
HEC Montreal
Indiana / Kelley
Michigan
MIT / Sloan
Northwestern / Kellogg
New York / Stern
North Carolina / Kenan Flagler
Notre Dame / Mendoza
Pennsylvania / Wharton
Queens
Stanford
Texas / McCombs
Thunderbird
Toronto
UCLA / Anderson
Virginia / Darden
Western Ontario / Ivey
Yale

MBA Programs: Rest of the World
As there is some variety in the length of international MBA programs, we have denoted the length of the program next to its name (1 = one year; 2 = 2 years). If an MBA Program is not listed, please e-mail and we will be happy to list it.
AGSM (Australia) 2
Cambridge / Judge (UK) 1
CIEBS (China) 2
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (China) 1
Cranfield School of Mgmt (UK) 1
ESADE (Spain) 1 or 2
HEC (France) 2
IESE (Spain) 2
IMD (Switzerland) 1
INCAE (Costa Rica) 2
INSEAD (France) 1
IPADE (Mexico)
ISB (India) 1
London Business School (UK) 2
Manchester Bus. School (UK) 2
Melbourne (Australia) 2
Oxford / Said (UK) 1
Rotterdam (Netherlands) 1
Tsinghua IMBA (China) 2
University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) 1

Additional Resources
Here we link a host of additional resources available across the web. E-mail info@clearadmit.com to have resources added to this list.
AACSB International
Association of MBAs
Beyond Grey Pinstripes
EFMD
gradschools.com (worldwide)
Infozee
mba.com (GMAT Scores)
MBAInfo
mbaleague.blogspot.com
MBAzone
MBA Jungle
TOEFL
Top MBA

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Michigan / Ross Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

Michigan/Ross’s essay topics remain unchanged this year. The school again requires applicants to complete the standard “career goals,” “significant accomplishment” and “challenging time” essays, as well as the slightly off-the-beaten-path essay asking candidates to describe the profession they would pursue were they not striving to receive an MBA. Here are some tips to consider when tackling each of these topics:

Essay 1: Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross?
This is a variation on the typical Career Goals Essay. For Ross’s essay of only 500 words, applicants are not explicitly asked to describe their careers to date. Instead, applicants might consider ways in which their work histories have led them towards pursuing an MBA at this time. Last year, the wording of this essay question gave applicants a helpful clue about how Ross’s adcom characterizes its school’s program. Though this hint does not appear in this year’s question, “action-based learning” remains a distinguishing element of the Ross education. This essay provides a great chance for applicants to demonstrate their understanding of this school’s unique approach, and doing so effectively will make a positive impact on the adcom. In specifically asking “What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross,” the essay also invites applicants to highlight any notable business relationships they may have. This is a good opportunity for candidates to illustrate their interpersonal skills and capabilities as both a leader and a team member.

As is the case with most schools, demonstrating an understanding of the unique merits of Michigan’s program is crucial to an effective response to this question. Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities - whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to Ross - will pay dividends here.

Essay 2: Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization.
Applicants debating how to answer this question should think about several key elements of their professional accomplishments, identifying which of the projects demonstrate the most impressive aspects. Essay writers might examine the scope of their leadership responsibilities, the degree of innovation they brought to the project, the knack for strategic analysis that they demonstrated or the revenue they generated for an organization, to name a few. In addition, one should evaluate how relevant the accomplishment was to his or her current work and future goals. Remember that specific anecdotes will make a stronger impression on the reader than generalizations, and that an account of the steps you took which led to your accomplishment is just as interesting as the results

Essay 3: If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (for example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multi-disciplinary problems?
One could approach this question from two different angles. An applicant might describe an alternative career that is closely related to the one he or she identified in Essay 1, but devoting this essay to more of a “fantasy” career is another great option. While some applicants may be in a position to debate two very similar career paths in an interesting way (while still coming across as fully committed to the goals put forth in Essay 1), for most applicants the second of these two options will be the more effective approach.

Taking the first cue from the examples Ross provides in the parentheses, it seems as though the admissions committee is interested in applicants’ passions, whether they are creative, idealistic, etc. Following this line of reasoning, this is a great opportunity for applicants to discuss their extra-curricular activities while still communicating their professional strengths. An investment banker who sings in a choir might make a great band manager in another life; an IT consultant who dreams of opening her own restaurant could let the adcom know that she founded a culinary club as an undergraduate and plans to do the same at Ross.

Essay 4: Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it.
Applicants can answer this question with a story about a challenging episode in either their personal or professional lives. The choice between these two options depends largely on Essay 3; if that essay focuses on a personal interest, Essay 4 could round out the application by delving into a professional experience, and vice versa.

Whether the story is personal or professional, the major themes of growth and learning remain the same. After describing the initial challenge in detail, the applicant should comment on both his or her thoughts and actions in response. It’s very important to present both one’s internal and external reactions in creating a full picture for the adcom. This could be a story about recognizing a professional opportunity and struggling to bring others on board, or the challenge of leading a dissonant team. For those who are more inclined to tell a personal story, remember that no matter what the topic, the goal is to demonstrate one’s maturity and sincere interest in improvement.

# posted by Clear Admit @ 10:45 am in Essay Topic Analysis, School: Michigan / Ross

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