Strategy Series
Clear Admit Strategy SeriesCraft a winning application with the Clear Admit Strategy Series! Step-by-Step guidance through the application process. Titles include a Resume Guide, Recommendations Guide, Waitlist Guide and more!

Interview Reports

A selection of interview field reports from fellow applicants posted to the MBA Admissions Wiki. Add your reports when you are finished with your interviews.
Chicago
Columbia
Dartmouth / Tuck
Duke / Fuqua
Harvard
Kellogg
Michigan / Ross
MIT / Sloan
Stanford
UNC / Chapel Hill
Virginia / Darden
Wharton
London Business School

MBA Tipline

We encourage admissions officers, students and applicants to alert us of interesting news and developments, please send an email to news@clearadmit.com so we can blog it.

Program Rankings

Rankings are a good way to start your research on various MBA Programs. Keep in mind each uses a different methodology.
Business Week
Economist
Financial Times
Forbes
USNews
Wall Street Journal

B-School Resources

The following are business resources offered by a variety of leading Business Schools. It's useful to subscribe to these resources, especially for the schools to which you are applying.
knowledge@wharton
INSEAD Knowledge
Harvard Working Knowledge
Knowledge @ Emory
Columbia Ideas @ Work
knowledge@ W. P. Carey
Stanford Knowledgebase
Ross Thought in Action

MBA Programs: The 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.

Additional Resources

Archives

Oxford / Saїd Reduces Word Limits for Essays

Oxford / Saїd recently changed the word limit requirements on both of their essay topics.  Essay 1 can now be a maximum of 750 words, while Essay 2 can be a maximum of 1,000 words.  To view the full essay topics, click here.  To read an analysis of these prompts, as well as advice on how to approach them, visit our Oxford / Saїd Essay . . . → Continue Reading

Oxford / Said Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Oxford/Said’s essay topics remain unchanged this year, although the word limit for both essays has been reduced.  Even considering this reduction, with a total of 1,750 words between two essays, Oxford presents a unique challenge in terms of sharing important and relevant information about one’s candidacy while staying on topic. For this reason, careful reflection and outlining is even more important when approaching this sort of application than one with a long series of shorter answers.

Essay 1: Explain why you chose your current job. How do you hope to see your career developing over the next five years? How will an MBA assist you in the development of these ambitions? (750 word maximum)
This is a . . . → Continue Reading

INSEAD Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Unchanged over the past several years, INSEAD’s essay questions cover a good deal of ground, giving candidates ample opportunity to discuss a range of topics related to their candidacies and highlight various elements of their interests and experiences. The first two “job essays” ask for a factual account of one’s current position and overall professional progression, while the rest of the set invite short reflections and exposition of the type MBA applicants are accustomed.

INSEAD’s total of seven essays puts the school at the high end of the MBA application spectrum in terms of questions posed. As always, careful forethought and planning before beginning to write will be important in ensuring that one is using each essay to one’s best advantage and presenting a balanced picture of a well-rounded individual. Let’s take a closer look at the questions:  » Continue reading

UT Austin / McCombs Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

We wanted to take some time today to comment on the UT Austin – McCombs essay topics for the 2010-2011 admissions season, which are unchanged from last year.  Reflecting an emphasis on applicants who have contributed to their workplace and the community (and who will continue this level of personal engagement in an MBA program), UT Austin’s questions focus on how candidates would enrich their environments through leadership commitment.

1. Describe how your experiences, both personal and professional, have led you to pursue an MBA at this time. What are your short- and long-term goals and how will a Texas MBA help you achieve them? (Limit: 900 words)
While most admissions committees are interested in the professional reasons behind applicants’ decisions to apply to business school and the motivations regarding timing, the fact that McCombs specifically asks about personal experiences shows that candidates will need to expand their essay to include non-professional experiences that have influenced their future goals.  » Continue reading

NYU/Stern Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

NYU Stern’s 2010-2011 essay topics remain largely unchanged from the 2009-2010 application season.  While Essays 1 and 2 allow applicants to discuss their career goals and fit with Stern’s MBA program, Essay 3 encourages applicants to tap their creativity to showcase an element of their profile not covered in the rest of the application.  Essays 1 and 2 should be written in a double-spaced, 12-point font.  Let’s take a closer look at this essay set:

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Answer the following:
(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
(750 word maximum)

 » Continue reading

Cornell / Johnson Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Today we’ll take a moment to comment on Cornell’s MBA application essay topics for the coming admissions season.  With only slight changes to the first and third essays, the admissions committee has decided to keep its unique second essay, the unusual life story/table of contents prompt, for the third year in a row.  Requiring only three questions, Johnson’s is among the shorter business school essay sets; careful thought should be given selecting examples and topics for  Essays 1 and 3 to ensure that you are presenting a well-rounded picture of your candidacy.  Johnson suggests that applicants write in Times New Roman 12 point font and single space their essays.  Now let’s take a look at each of the topics:  » Continue reading

Indian School of Business (ISB) Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Today we’ll be taking a look at this season’s essay questions for the Indian School of Business.  This year, the application requires that candidates respond to two questions about their professional goals as well as interest in and potential fit with ISB.  The narrow 300 word limit for each of these responses requires that applicants pack a good deal of information into a mere 600 words, so choosing strong topics and writing concisely and effectively will be key here.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the school’s essays:  » Continue reading

UC Berkeley / Haas Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Haas is sticking with its tried-and-true formula for its essays this admissions season, requiring applicants to respond to a series of prompts in just 250 words before exploring two further topics in more depth.  The third of these short answer topics is a new addition for this year, focusing on how a candidate has demonstrated one of the school’s principles and replacing last year’s essay on creating an innovative change in an organization.  The rest of the questions remain the same.  Let’s take a closer look at each:  » Continue reading

Dartmouth / Tuck Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Tuck’s essay topics for the coming admissions season maintain the same themes from previous years, suggesting an enduring focus on teamwork, leadership and applicants’ unique characteristics.   While essays 1 and 4 remain the same, essay 2 on leadership has undergone slight revision, and last year’s essay 3 on constructive criticism has been replaced with one on overcoming a challenging experience.

Like last year, the admissions committee does not specify a word or page limit for its essays.  They have hinted, though, that most candidates find 500 words sufficient for each of their responses, so straying far from that number might not be advisable.  They also state that all essays should be double-spaced.

Essay . . . → Continue Reading

MIT / Sloan Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

With the release of MIT Sloan’s 2010-2011 essay questions, we would like to take some time to offer some advice on how to best approach these questions and draft strong responses.  With only the second essay changed from last year’s set of application essays, this season’s batch reflects an emphasis on proactiveness, encouraging applicants to reflect upon how they have taken charge and led others to achieve some objective.  As with last year, the essay questions are open in terms of the nature of the examples an applicant can use – work, current activities and even appropriate personal stories are fair game here.  In answering the questions, applicants should touch on their . . . → Continue Reading

UVA / Darden Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

UVA Darden’s MBA application essay questions for the 2010-2011 season are slightly revised from last year, with a greater focus on the contribution one would make to the Darden community as well as an applicant’s experiences in and perception of leadership.  Requiring two essays with an allowance of just 1000 words between them, UVA’s is now one of the shorter applications among leading business schools.  Of course, “shorter” doesn’t translate to “easier;” less room to comment on one’s background forces candidates to think carefully and strategically as they decide which aspects of their experiences to highlight.

Let’s consider each of the school’s questions for this year:

Essay 1: The Darden MBA program expects . . . → Continue Reading

Chicago Booth Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Continuing with our series of essay topic analyses for this season’s applications, today we’ll take some time to think about the 2010-2011 Chicago Booth application essay questions.  The overall format of the program’s prompt is similar to last year; the school requires that applicants submit responses to three “essays,” one of which is – in its fourth year running – a four-slide presentation.  As for noteworthy changes, the adcom has discarded last year’s second essay in which applicants could choose to discuss a mistake or surprising feedback, and replaced it with a mandatory question about taking a risk.  Let’s take a closer look at each . . . → Continue Reading

Michigan / Ross Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

With the release of Michigan / Ross’s 2010-2011 essay questions, we want to take the time to offer some advice on how to approach these prompts and craft strong responses.  With all new essay questions this year, the Ross application now has a stronger focus on the unique qualities of applicants’ candidacies and how applicants could contribute to the Ross community.  Here are some tips to consider when tackling each of Ross’s essay topics:

Essay 1: Introduce yourself in 100 words or less.
This question is somewhat similar to prompts found on the Harvard Business School and . . . → Continue Reading

UNC / Kenan-Flagler Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

UNC / Kenan-Flagler recently provided its essays for the 2010-2011 MBA application.  Unlike last year, this year’s applicants are only required to respond to three questions.  These three questions are virtually identical to last year’s essay prompts, although there are slight changes to the second essay.  Below are some tips to consider in tackling these essays:

Essay One: What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)
In a way, this question requests a sort of “career to date narrative,” driven by the themes of a few underlying personal . . . → Continue Reading

Kellogg Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

We’d like to take some time today to offer some guidance on Kellogg’s essay prompts for the 2010-2011 admissions season.  With most questions remaining identical to last year’s application, Kellogg continues to show an interest in an applicant’s potential contributions to the community, encouraging candidates to discuss what makes them unique and how they would be a valued and active member in the program.

Essay #1
a) MBA Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)
This is a fairly standard career goals/why MBA essay.  As usual, it’s important to remember . . . → Continue Reading

London Business School Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Although London Business School’s first four essay topics are relatively unchanged from the prompts on last year’s application, the school has introduced two new potential essay topics for the fifth question.  The new essay questions continue to indicate the school’s emphasis on international experience, as well as its interest in a candidate’s past and proposed leadership experience.  In addition, more than most programs, LBS asks applicants to share specific details of their future involvement on campus and contribution to the community.  From this, one can extrapolate and assume that LBS is interested in candidates who’ve spoken to students and learned a good deal about the program to better understand how and . . . → Continue Reading

Stanford GSB Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Following the announcement of Stanford’s deadlines and essay topics, we’d like to take some time to provide guidance on the essays.  The essay topics are virtually identical to last year’s, and applicants are again required to respond to four prompts.  As with last year, Stanford allocates a 1,800 word limit to be used among the four essays, with word limit suggestions for each individual essay.  All essays should be written double-spaced in 12-point font.

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why? (Recommended 750 words)
The open-ended and somewhat philosophical nature of this question can make it a challenging starting point. If a topic doesn’t immediately spring to mind, a constructive approach might be . . . → Continue Reading

Wharton Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Following the release of Wharton’s 2010-2011 MBA application essay questions, we would like to offer some advice on how to choose compelling anecdotes and craft strong essays.  Although applicants are still required to answer four essays, this year’s essay prompts are significantly different from previous years’, as this year’s questions inquire more about applicants’ ability to be self-reflective, to persevere, and to innovate.  Let’s take a look at this year’s essay topics:

Required Question: What are your professional objectives? (300 words)
A marked departure from Wharton’s standard 1,000-word career goals essay, this year’s applicants have only 300 words to describe their future plans.  While this is a variation of the typical . . . → Continue Reading

UCLA / Anderson Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

UCLA Anderson’s MBA application essay requirements have significantly changed since last year, as candidates are only required to respond to two essay prompts.  UCLA Anderson also provides two optional essay questions, giving applicants the opportunity to provide the adcom with additional information.  Let’s consider each of the school’s prompts as well as the broad instructions/preamble that UCLA Anderson provides:

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

Although similar to last year’s preamble, the second sentence in this introduction is new to UCLA’s application.  By explicitly stating that they value content over delivery, UCLA suggests that they want applicants to focus on . . . → Continue Reading

Yale SOM Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

Following the recent release of Yale SOM’s application essay topics for the coming admissions season, we wanted to take some time today to offer our commentary on the school’s questions.

Yale has made several changes from last year’s application.  Although candidates are still required to respond to the multi-prompt question on career goals, the school has made changes to the Personal Statements, as Question 4 is new to the application and Question 3, which was required last year, is now optional.  In choosing two of the four possible Personal Statements, applicants should note topic overlaps: Questions 1 and 3 inquire about candidates’ accomplishments, while Questions 3 and 4 ask about applicants’ leadership abilities.  Let’s . . . → Continue Reading

Duke / Fuqua Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

The Duke / Fuqua essay topics have changed slightly since last year’s admissions season, with a greater focus on applicants’ interest in and potential contribution to Duke.  Although there is no specified word limit, Duke does require that all essays be no more than two pages in length, written with 1.5 line spacing and a minimum 10 point font size.  Let’s take a closer look at each essay as well as the broad instructions/preamble that Fuqua provides:

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, . . . → Continue Reading

Columbia Business School Essay Topic Analysis 2010-2011

After sticking with the same three essays for the past two years, this year Columbia has made a significant change.  Although the first essay on career goals remains the same, Columbia has reduced the amount of essays to two and has adopted a new second essay topic that focuses on applicants’ personalities.  With one question on work goals and the other on personal interests, this set of topics suggests a dual focus on one’s professional and personal interests, experiences, and plans. Bearing this in mind, feel free to contact us for a free consultation, in which one of our Admissions Consultants will help you evaluate the elements of your profile and spread them across each of these essays.  . . . → Continue Reading