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Below are links to our comments on some of the top programs' essay topics.
The Career Goals Essay*
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* denotes '08-'09 commentary

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CATEGORY - ESSAY TOPIC ANALYSIS

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

USC Marshall Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

This year, the USC Marshall essay topics require that candidates submit four essays, though applicants can select two of three options when completing their final response. Let’s take a look at the questions asked for USC for the 2008-2009 application season:

Essay 1: Describe in a brief essay (do not exceed 250 words per section - 750 words maximum):
a) your post-MBA short-term goals (immediately after graduation),
b) your post-MBA long-term goals (3-5 years after graduation), and
c) how your professional experience, when combined with an MBA degree, will enable you to achieve these goals.
This essay is similar to the Career Goals Essay required by many of the top schools. Taking a somewhat compartmentalized approach, USC asks applicants to dedicate a 250-word response to each of three elements comprising this prompt. This being the case , applicants will need to have a fully developed and focused understanding of both their short and long-term goals before attempting to tackle this essay. Additionally, some applicants may find it difficult to condense their career-to-date narratives and ‘why MBA/why USC’ arguments into a 250-word narrative. The key here will be remembering the importance of quality over quantity. For example, a sound strategy could be to name one or two courses and organizations with which one hopes to be involved during one’s time at USC, specifying the skills that stand to be gained and the contributions one would make during the engagement, rather than listing several courses without providing a detailed argument with regard to any of them.

Essay 2: Complete one of the following three statements. Do not exceed 250 words.
a) “My most significant accomplishment to date is…”
b) “People may be surprised to learn that I…”
c) “I am considered a leader because…”
Candidates have a fairly wide range of topics they could consider discussing in response to this prompt. While it would certainly make sense to draw upon a work-related experience for a topic in this essay, extracurricular involvements and unique interests would also be perfectly appropriate. Because of the limiting word-count for this essay, economy of words will be key; applicants will likely want to state their topic (with the first sentence of the response repeating the wording of the prompt) and move right into an illustrative anecdote that describes how the significant accomplishment was brought about, illuminates why he or she is considered a leader, or highlights some vivid detail or application of a surprising trait, interest or activity.

Essay 3: Answer two of the following questions. Do not exceed 500 words per question.
a) The Marshall MBA Prime Program prepares students for doing business in a global economy. Describe a cross-cultural experience that challenged you. How did you meet this challenge and what did you learn from this experience?
b) USC has garnered national acclaim for its emphasis on community outreach and service. How have you impacted your community?
c) We all experience significant events or milestones that influence the course of our lives. Briefly describe such an event and how it affected you.
Candidates again have a range of options to draw upon, though those without a challenging cross-cultural experience to write about may be limited to optins b and c by default. To decide which two of the three options to select, it would be wise to consider all of the situations you could discuss in response to each question, and select those that will provide a balanced picture of your activities and interests (one story from work and another from a key extracurricular might be a nice balance) while supporting the message set forth in response to Essays 1 and 2. Applicants should also note the heavy emphasis on interpersonal relationships in all three of these essays: a reflection of the importance USC places on leadership, communication and teamwork. Candidates should therefore make sure to highlight their unique interests, characteristics and skills related to these ideas, ideally making some connection about how the experience described in the essay has prepared them to make a meaningful contribution to the USC community.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

CMU / Tepper Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

As part of our continuing series of essay topic analyses, here are some thoughts on Carnegie Mellon’s essay questions for this admissions season:

Essay A:   What are your short term and long term goals?  How will a Tepper MBA help you achieve these goals? (Please include any information regarding what steps you have taken to learn more about Tepper).  (Suggested length: 2 double-spaced pages)

Tepper has taken the fairly typical approach of leading off with a standard career goals essay, and at two double spaced pages they allot a reasonable number of words to this subject, though not quite as many as those schools that give applicants 1000 words to work with.   The key will be to formulate a directed discussion that speaks to the question, making judicious mention of one’s career to date where appropriate in explaining one’s motivation and preparedness for his or her goals.

One more thing to note is that by asking applicants to detail the steps that they’ve taken to learn more about Tepper, the adcom is signaling the high importance of researching the program and understanding why it would be uniquely appropriate for you.  Discussing campus visits or exchanges with current students and alumni, for example, would be a great way to demonstrate your engagement with the community and emphasize that you are making an informed decision in applying.

Essay B:   The Tepper School’s culture relies on all members to be active contributors in our community.  How will you contribute to the Tepper community?  Please feel free to include examples from the past or ideas for the future.  (Suggested length: 2 double-spaced pages)

This is another classic second question in terms of MBA essays; after learning about what you feel Tepper can do for you, the adcom turns its focus to what you might bring to the CMU community.

The prompt is fairly broad, covering just about every dimension of one’s candidacy, experience and perspective, and inviting the applicant to imagine how his or her unique characteristics might translate into participation in the Tepper community. This response is a great place to showcase extracurricular or community involvement, as well as to demonstrate specific knowledge of the culture at Tepper. Remember that you want to stand out from the rest of the applicant pool, and this essay will allow you to introduce information to that end.

Essay C:   Please answer two of the following three questions or statements.  Please clearly specify which questions you are answering.  Your two answers should equal a total of two pages or less.
1.    Describe an obstacle you have faced in your professional or academic life.  How did you overcome this obstacle and how did it foster your development?
Whether the story is from your professional or academic life, the major themes of growth and learning remain the same. After describing the initial obstacle 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 essay is a good place to highlight instances of resourcefulness and persistence, and provide a comprehensive picture of personal and professional development over the course of the narrative.  Applicants should keep in mind that the adcom will be using their account of their past thoughts and experiences as a barometer to measure their current attitudes and future approaches.

2.    Describe a time in which your ethics were challenged.  How did you deal with the situation and what did you learn from it?
Questions of this sort are designed to gauge an applicant’s ability to see two sides of a situation and appreciate the merits of both - and ultimately choose the best possible solution. The “challenged” detail in the question indicates that it’s not enough to simply discuss a situation where you chose to do the right thing; you need to be able to show that there was a compelling reason for you to have acted otherwise. The question lends itself to personal experiences as easily as professional ones, but it’s nice to give an example of how you view and handle ethical complexity in the workplace. For instance, there are often instances of conflicts between people and profit that work well in this context.

After setting the scene in your essay, you should explore the dilemma in depth, analyzing each of your options and explaining the potential positive and negative consequences of each. Once you’ve acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, you should lead the reader through your decision-making process, explaining the reasons behind your ultimate decision. Ideally, your strong grasp of leadership and of problem-solving will be displayed by this analysis. Finally, you should present the results of your decision and the lessons you learned as a result.

3.    One thing people would be surprised to know about me is…
This question provides candidates a chance to explore an important aspect of their candidacy not mentioned in data forms, the resume, or other responses. For applicants from oversubscribed groups in the applicant pool, this forum could offer a great chance to truly stand out from the crowd by sharing an interesting detail.

The element of “surprise” hints that the topic should not be one that the reader could readily discern from your essays, work history or major extracurricular involvements.  Perhaps you played the flute for 15 years, are an expert in bicycle repair or once visited ten countries in as many days.  Whatever topic you select, it would be ideal to link this mystery quality or factoid to some element of your experience in the MBA program.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

IESE Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

IESE’s essay topics remain unchanged this year.  The very focused questions and narrow word limits of IESE’s application present a fairly straightforward but challenging task. Due to the recurring two-year time frame of some questions and the generally pointed inquiries, it seems likely that viable topics will come immediately to the applicant’s mind (without extensive brainstorming and mulling over possibilities). At the same time, applicants will need to think carefully about the big picture their individual responses create as well as make sure they share as much relevant information as they can in each short answer.

Essay 1: Please describe your short term professional goals (post MBA). (200 word limit)
Essay 2: Please describe your long term professional goals (post MBA). (200 word limit)
Our general advice about tackling the standard career goals essay applies to these questions, but IESE’s unique format should be taken into account as well; though the two responses should come together to form a coherent discussion (with a long-term goal that follows naturally from the short-term objective), it’s also a good idea to limit one’s remarks to the specific topic in question. This probably won’t be difficult given the restrictive word limits. One more thing to consider is that even though the program doesn’t explicitly ask about the reasons the applicant is seeking an MBA, it would be ideal to include a sentence or two about how the IESE education would provide preparation over both the short- and long-term.

Essay 3: Describe two substantial accomplishments and one failure in a professional or private endeavour. (600 word limit)
With its 600-word limit and three-topic prompt, this question is like Harvard’s first essay with a twist: the addition of a failure to the mix. Remember that because this will be the first response about your past experiences that the adcom will read, it will set the tone for the rest of your materials. It might be a good idea, then, to think carefully about what qualities, impact and lessons you would like to convey in this essay before deciding on topics for the remaining ones.

Essay 4: Describe a recent situation (within last two years) in which you used a contact from your network to achieve a personal or professional objective. (200 word limit)
This is an unusual question as far as MBA application essays go. It seems likely that the school is seeking to gauge the applicant’s interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain connections, as these traits have obvious implications for the ongoing strength of the school’s alumni network. Without explicitly pointing to your value as a future alum (it’s often dangerous to make statements that make it sound like you assume you’ll be admitted), you’ll want to emphasize the qualities the school might be seeking in its graduates in sharing the details of your interaction in this situation.

Essay 5: Describe the most difficult project (personal or professional) that you have faced recently (within last two years). (200 word limit)
Because MBA students will no doubt face difficult tasks and interactions both during and after their time in the program, it makes sense for the adcom to be curious about how applicants respond to adversity. In addition to describing the nature of the challenges you faced on this project, you’ll obviously want to explain the steps you took to overcome them and end with a comment on the positive outcome.

Essay 6: Describe a recent situation (within last two years) in which it was difficult to convince others. (200 word limit)
This question is another instance of the school using a past experience as an indication of current abilities and future behavior. Though you’ll no doubt have much to say in very few words, it would make sense to draw out the interpersonal elements of the situation and highlight the thought process behind the steps you took to convince others of the merits of your ideas.

Essay 7: I wish that the application had asked me… (200 word limit)
This question offers candidates a great way to round out their set of essays and tackle an element or angle that they could not work into their responses to the other prompts.  For some advice on how to navigate this open ended question, refer to our comments on Kellogg’s Essay 4B.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Oxford / Said Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

Oxford/Said’s essay topics remain unchanged this year.  With a total of 3000 words between two essay topics, 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? (1000 word maximum)
This is a very standard career goals/why MBA essay. Note the explicit five-year goals timeline; while it’s certainly fine to look beyond this is in your essay and cover longer-term objectives, it will be important to develop the five year plan in depth to tailor your response to the question. As is the case with any essay of this sort, you’ll also want to comment on the specific merits of the Said Business School even though the question doesn’t mention this directly.

Essay 2: Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why? (2000 word maximum)
This question, which covers the range of world geography and topics factual and fictional, is about as broad as they come. The rather high word limit makes responding to the question all the more challenging, as many applicants find it difficult to sustain a coherent and relevant discussion over 2000 words. In selecting a topic, think carefully about what your event or book selection will tell the reader about your concerns and priorities, ideally selecting a subject that is in keeping with the positioning established in the first response. In terms of structuring the discussion, it might be helpful to think about ways that this book, development or event has influenced your actions as well as your thinking; this could provide a way to introduce a fair amount of information about your experiences and candidacy while keeping to the topic.

For more guidance on how best to present yourself to Oxford or other programs with upcoming deadlines, feel free to send your CV to info@clearadmit.com for a free initial assessment.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

UVA / Darden Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

Darden’s application essay topics this year mark a rather large departure from those of the prior years.  Last year, Darden posed rather narrow questions that seemed designed to force applicants to self-select and cultivate a certain type of community.  Meanwhile, this year’s essays have swung back toward a more mainstream focus, making them somewhat easier to answer.  Let’s take a closer look at each of these questions:

Essay 1: What pivotal choices have you made in your life that have influenced your decision to pursue an MBA? (500 words)
Whereas last year’s ‘why MBA’ question was framed in terms of what mattered most to them both professionally and personally, Darden has reworked this question to focus instead on specific, significant choices rather than enduring priorities.  The fact that the prompt sets the applicant’s life as the scope indicates that the school still invites personal reflection, though the main focus should likely be on professional turning points, given the end result of seeking an MBA in pursuit of specific career goals.  In approaching this question, you should thus think about the motivation behind your career goals and what has encouraged you to develop these objectives.  The choices that you discuss should be ones that had, and continue to have, ramifications for your career development and growth.

Essay 2: From the following categories, describe the one that has taught you the most: a creative challenge, an ethical dilemma or an experience of failure.  Why? (250 words)
Here, applicants have the opportunity to discuss leadership capacity within the context of confronting a creative challenge, professional and personal integrity in working through an ethical dilemma, or maturity and growth in overcoming a failure or a setback.  The three options presented by this prompt allow applicants to draw on a wide range of situations and contexts in selecting a topic for this essay, though the rather narrow word limit will require that they pare whichever story they choose down to its core.  In addition to simply sharing the relevant details of the story, candidates will need to discuss what they learned as a result and, ideally, also touch on how they have continued to draw upon these lessons since.

Essay 3: Describe how you are a fit with the case study method. (250 words)
Darden’s focus on the case method of instruction has long been one of the program’s major selling points, and in turn, the school is now asking applicants to sell the adcom on their preparedness for this unique classroom environment.  In thinking about how to address this question, it might be fruitful to reflect on your leadership, teamwork, and general interactive approach.  You will want to highlight examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to think creatively, assert your opinion, reconcile differing points of view, and define and work towards goals.  Of course, any firsthand knowledge of the case method gained through class visits or discussions with current or former Darden students would strengthen your case.  Candidates may also wish to investigate the Clear Admit School Guide to Darden for further insight into the learning environment.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

UNC / Kenan-Flagler Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

UNC’s questions for the 2008-2009 application represent a departure from those of the previous years.  The school has doubled the number of required questions – from two to four – without raising the total number of words.  Whereas last season’s application posed one 1200 word limit prompt and a second 800 word limit question, applicants now have 500 words to respond to each of the school’s four inquiries.  Here are some tips to consider when tackling the essay topics:

Essay 1: What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? Do you have other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? Your response should not exceed 500 words.
In a way, this question requests a sort of “career to date narrative” driven by the themes of a few underlying personal characteristics.   While the strengths you chose to highlight may be broadly applicable and have probably served you well in many situations, it will be important to focus your comments in this essay on the professional realm, highlighting your major accomplishments and detailing what professional strengths allowed you to achieve this success.  To address the second half of the prompt, you’ll also want to include a concluding comment about how you can utilize your abilities in the future to ensure continued success not only at the MBA program, but also in your career path beyond.

Essay 2: Briefly describe the career path you intend to pursue immediately after b-school. Explain why this career option appeals to you and why an MBA is appropriate at this time. Your response should not exceed 500 words.
This is a fairly standard career goals essay, as you will need to describe your professional aspirations and the motivation behind them.  Conceivably, the comments in this essay could flow directly from the forward-looking remarks in the preceding response.  Further, because candidates will likely have covered much of their career to date in the essay before, the 500 words in this response should provide ample room to fully explain their goals, the timing of their application with respect to their career path to date, and the ways a UNC MBA will prepare them.

Essay 3: What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to Kenan-Flagler? Your response should not exceed 500 words.
Similar to Kellogg’s second essay, this question gives you the opportunity to share some information about your interests and experiences that distinguish you from other applicants, while also showcasing your knowledge of and fit with Kenan-Flagler.  Think about how you can translate your passions and past experiences into involvement on the campus, and indicate specific contributions that you would like to make.  Creating a link between your past and future at the program will enable you to present a consistent and clear picture of your candidacy and professional and personal interests.  The more details that you can provide about how exactly you would contribute (playing a certain role in organizing a particular event, for example), the more reason you’ll give the adcom to admit you.

Essay 4: What do you expect from your MBA program? How and when will you measure the return on your investment in the MBA? Your response should not exceed 500 words.
The unusual question is really just a reprise of Essay 2’s “why MBA” inquiry.  UNC is asking what applicants hope to achieve and gain by completing the program, i.e. why they are choosing to invest their time and money in the degree.  While one might most readily think of ROI in monetary terms, it would be best to focus largely on the skills, knowledge and relationships you would gain through the MBA program, and the impact you expect these to have on your career in the years after you graduate.  In-depth knowledge of the school’s program will pay dividends here, as specifics will indicate your understanding of how the program would help you to realize your objectives.  Think about how you will gauge this return, both in terms of your own career growth and progression, as well as the impact you’ll have on companies, clients, customers and communities.  The question about “when” you might evaluate this, meanwhile, suggests that applicants may want to select one or two specific points in time (1, 5, 10 or 15 years out of school, for example) and discuss what exactly you hope to have achieved thanks to the tools gained through an MBA.

Essay 5: (Optional) If your GMAT quantitative score is low, or if you have not had coursework in calculus, microeconomics, statistics and financial accounting, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative MBA curriculum. 300 words maximum.
As with any essay addressing what might be a perceived weakness in one’s academic record, the key to this kind of essay is to avoid making excuses or being defensive. It will simply be important to provide a straightforward account of your quantitative preparation and, if there is no coursework in these disciplines of which to speak, point to some examples from the professional realm that you feel demonstrate your proficiency. Of course, if you find yourself without any formal academic work to write about here, we would strongly recommend that you plan to enroll in at least one of the courses in question during the fall or spring semesters before matriculation, and share this intention with the adcom.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

London Business School Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

London Business School’s essay questions are relatively unchanged from last year, with only a few minor alterations.  This is a solid indication that the school’s emphasis on international experience, as well as its interest in a candidate’s past and proposed leadership experience, remains unchanged.  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 they’re interested in candidates who’ve spoken to students and learned a good deal about the program to really understand how and where they might fit.

Question 1 (600 words)
In what role do you see yourself working immediately after graduation? Why? How will your past and present experiences help you achieve this? How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal? Why is this the right time for you to pursue an MBA?
Question 2 (200 words)
Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?

Here, the typical career goals essay is broken down into two discrete inquiries. This format clearly underlines the importance of having both a short- and long-term career plan in the MBA admissions process.  Though the compartmentalization of the short and long term discussions might make it a bit more difficult to adapt content written for applications to other schools, it does signal the extent to which the adcom wants to hear about each of the topics raised.  Developing one’s long-term goal discussion over 200 words, with a stopping point at the five-year mark, could be a great opportunity for applicants who often cover this topic in a single sentence to meet the word limit in their essays for other schools.  The question now incorporates a “why now?” query, prompting candidates to explicitly justify the timing of their applications given the current stage of their careers.

Question 3 (500 words)
Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life. Include any specific challenges you have faced. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your first year study group?

While this question seems to invite a broad commentary on the history of the applicant’s leadership and teamwork experiences at or outside of the workplace, keep in mind that the most effective essays are those that provide specific details and vivid anecdotes. A general comment about the various leadership roles you’ve held is certainly in order, but it would be wise to use this as an introduction to an example that exemplifies your leadership/teamwork skills and style. This year, LBS has introduced an additional component to the question asking applicants to address specific challenges that they’ve faced in their interpersonal interactions.  It would therefore be beneficial for candidates to reflect on strategies they’ve developed to overcome and navigate any obstacles, and how you can apply these processes to future work at LBS.  Note that the question about LBS study groups offers applicants a great chance to showcase their familiarity with the program and prove that they’ve done their homework, as well as demonstrate that they’ve thought through the contribution they would make and the strengths they could bring to the program.

Question 4 (400 words)
Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London Business School MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community events will you be involved with and why? How will you contribute?

Whereas last year’s question asked applicants which on-campus club they see themselves leading, this season’s formulation now asks candidates more generally to discuss the clubs and events in which they would like to participate.  Because it’s easier to be an active member in multiple clubs than it would be to lead more than one organization, this new framing gives candidates a wider berth to discuss how their interests and experiences to date would translate to contributions on several fronts.  As with any essay of this sort, it would be ideal to link the clubs and events you cite to established interests or elements of your career goals, as these will help the admissions committee readily see how you are poised to make a contribution.  Taking the time to learn about the school’s special programs and extracurricular activities - whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni or reading the Clear Admit School Guide to London Business School - will pay dividends here.

Question 5 (150 words)
Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country. What did you gain from these?

This question allows applicants the opportunity to showcase their international experience, both professionally and personally, and is designed to gauge the applicant’s ability to navigate unfamiliar terrain and resolve cross-cultural issues. The word limit does not afford much room for detail, especially for applicants with extensive experiences abroad to recount, so a sound strategy might be to focus on providing detail about the lessons and skills gained from these situations.

Question 6 (300 words) (This question is optional)
Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

This optional question provides a nice opportunity for applicants to introduce one or two key details about their candidacy that were not covered by the required topics. As is always the case when responding to optional questions, applicants should keep in mind that they are essentially creating extra work for the adcom, so it’s important that they make their answer count and share information that is of direct relevance to their application. While there will certainly be a number of items on which a given applicant could comment in this response, keep in mind that a detailed discussion of just one or perhaps two will be more effective and memorable than a long list of facts. Therefore, in thinking about which to mention here, we’d recommend taking a look at the subjects covered in the balance of the essays and considering an element of your background or personality that hasn’t yet been covered or fully represented.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Clear Admit Launches Admissions Director Q&A Series

We are excited to announce the rollout of a new content series here on the Clear Admit blog. In the weeks ahead, we will feature interviews with admissions directors from top business schools around the globe answering questions that are sure to interest potential MBA applicants.

Specifically, we’ll ask admissions directors to highlight any new developments, events or changes to expect at their schools or to describe lesser-known components of a given school’s program. We’ll also delve into the application process itself – letting the admissions director guide us through the life of an application, from the time an applicant clicks the “submit” button right through to when the admissions committee issues a final decision. We’ll also drill down on the topic of essays – what, exactly, is the committee looking for, are there common mistakes applicants should seek to avoid, etc.

Our series will debut early next week. In our first installment, Rose Martinelli, director of admissions at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, will share her thoughts and insights on the upcoming application season.

Many thanks to the admissions directors who have agreed to take time out from the important work of reviewing applications to contribute to this special series.

Prospective applicants, be sure to tune in. After all, who better to provide application advice than admissions directors themselves?

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Cornell / Johnson Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

Following the announcement of Cornell’s essay questions for the 2008-2009 admissions season, we wanted to offer our thoughts on this year’s topics.

Though Johnson has added a new question this year, bringing the total number of required essays to three, its application remains relatively short as compared to most other schools.  Thus, some will find it challenging to present a comprehensive and truly rounded picture of one’s candidacy.  It is therefore important to approach these essays carefully and arrive at topics that are truly representative of your most important qualities.  Fortunately, the new prompt offers applicants an opportunity to exercise balance and creativity in presenting the big picture of their candidacies.

Essay 1: Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you were able to add value to your organization (400 words)
This is your fairly standard workplace achievement question. When selecting a topic, make sure that you are choosing a story that highlights your interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in addition to your capacity to effect positive change. Keep in mind that there are two main points you’ll need to cover: the impact you made on your organization and the process by which you brought this about. It’s important that you provide quantifiable details and present the reader with a before and after picture in order to really illustrate the significance of your contribution. In addition to this, you’ll want to explain the thought process behind your approach and the steps you followed, as the explanation of your reasoning is really what’s going to show the adcom that you possess the skills and knowledge that would enable you to replicate this level of impact in another job and make a valuable contribution to the business school itself.

Essay 2: What career do you plan to pursue upon completing the MBA and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal? (400 words)
This typical MBA career goals essay requests that you articulate your professional objectives and reasons for your interest in the school, and poses the added challenge of doing so in 400 words. Economy of language will be key here, as you may need to provide a very brief overview of your career to date in addition to the requested information, so as to establish a basis for your goals and demonstrate that you would bring a valuable perspective to the MBA classroom. There won’t be any room for a discussion of the general merits of a business education here - it will be crucial to include a significant amount of school-specific information to prove that you’ve done your homework on Cornell and are sincerely interested in the program.

Essay 3:  You are the author for the book of Your Life Story.  Please write the Table of Contents for the book. (400 words)
This unusual new prompt calls for a high-level and non-narrative overview of an applicant’s life to date.  Of course, there’s still a good deal of room for strategy and creativity; while the structure is set, candidates are free to decide which eras or events to highlight, how to title each chapter, and so on.  Though relying on a list format might be a viable approach, candidates will likely get more mileage out of this essay by structuring information in paragraphs or a series of sub-sections under broad chapter headings, offering a description of that “chapter” in your life and drawing out the important themes of the story.

As for the content itself, the admissions committee is likely looking for a sense of each candidate’s background, as well as his or her trajectory and growth over time.  Touch on those events and accomplishments that are most meaningful and important to you, highlighting the ones that have shaped your personal development.  Remember, though, that this is a b-school application, so you will also want to share information that is relevant to your current work and your future objectives without too much repetition of points raised in your other essays.

Optional Essay: Complete this essay if there is other information you would like to add regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate GPA or test scores) do(es) not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School (400 words)
This essay is set up as a place to address extenuating circumstances or issues with your application.  For further information on how to approach this prompt, please see our general admissions tip: ‘Approaching the Optional Essay‘.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

UT Austin / McCombs Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

We wanted to take some time today to comment on UT Austin’s essay questions for the coming admissions season.  Reflecting an emphasis on applicants who  have contributed to their workplace and the community and who will continue this level of engagement in an MBA program, UT Austin’s questions focus on how candidates might enrich their environments and embody the school’s “pillars of leadership”.

Essay 1: Please define your short- and long-term goals and objectives, your career progression to date, and how an MBA fits in at this time.  What makes the Texas MBA the perfect fit for you? (900 word limit)
McCombs has revised this question for this season; formerly asking about intermediate and long-term goals, McCombs now asks applicants to share their “short- and long-term” career paths: a more standard MBA career goals essay.  In approaching this essay, think about starting off with a statement about your overall goals then moving on to a discussion of your career progress.  As you write about your career and need for an MBA, you will be able to tie the discussion back to your greater professional objectives, indicating how your professional path will help you realize your goals.  Discussing how the Texas MBA fits into the picture will be key, and you can touch on how the McCombs program will provide you with the skill set necessary to begin reaching your objectives.  Taking the time to learn about the school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities - whether through a visit to campus or conversations with members of the community will pay dividends here.

Essay 2:  The Texas MBA is built around four key pillars of leadership.  Describe an experience that you have had that clearly demonstrates your leadership as it relates to one of our four pillars: 1) Responsibility/Integrity; 2) Knowledge/Understanding; 3) Collaborative/Communication; or 4) Worldview of Business and Society. (650 word limit)
A new question this year, this essay topic requires an understanding of the school’s values and a sound argument that you fit with the program in light of prior experiences.  Within this framework, though, applicants have a considerable amount of leeway in what they can discuss; examples can come from the educational, professional or extracurricular realms - so long as they relate to one of the school’s stated pillars.  Demonstrating some sort of contribution to the workplace or community will be helpful in showing how you fit into the larger picture and positively impact those around you.  Regardless of what sort of story you decide to highlight, make sure that the discussion revolves around your style of leadership and how you effectively led and motivated others.  A closing comment on the UT Austin’s program and culture would be a nice touch that ties your values and personality traits to the program’s foundation and offerings.

Essay 3: At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community.  How will you use your personal strengths and unique experiences to enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program? (500 word limit)
Formerly one of several essay options, this prompt now stands on its own as a required question, signaling the value that McCombs places on student contribution and involvement on campus.  A strong essay would be one that touches on several qualities and involvements, illustrating a range of skills and their applicability to the MBA program.  That said, though this prompt invites a rather broad discussion, anecdotal evidence of your positive traits in action will also be important.  For that reason, it will likely make sense to hone in on 3 or 4 examples, linking each to some similar activity or contribution you could make to the classroom or an on-campus club.  Indicating what clubs, organizations, or programs you hope to participate in and how you will take on a leading role will go far in demonstrating your enthusiasm for and commitment to the program.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

INSEAD Essay Topic Analysis, 2008-2009

Unchanged since last year, 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:

Job Essays

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

While the essays for most programs begin by addressing the overall progression of the applicant’s career up to this point, INSEAD’s first question requests a snapshot of the applicant’s career at this moment. Even if you have held a number of positions within the same organization, it’s best to maintain focus on your current position and responsibilities. Keeping in mind that this will be the adcom’s introduction to your materials, you might also provide the context necessary for the reader to understand your place within the organizational structure and the work that occupies your days. While there is some room to talk about “results achieved,” there’s no need to get bogged down in the specifics of certain projects or engagements – a good essay will be composed of fairly general comments that are focused on the present. It is fine to incorporate some more specific information about your career’s “greatest hits” later in response to other questions.

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

This is a tall order for a 250 word essay, so brevity and efficient use of language will be key here. The adcom is looking for an applicant who can present her career as a coherent whole, and demonstrate that she has been on an upward trajectory since the outset. While it would be ideal for you to include some comments on lessons learned and skills gained over the course of your career, the primary focus should be touching upon each full-time post you’ve held, explaining the reasons behind each move you’ve made and commenting on increases and changes in responsibility.

Personal Essays

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

It’s important to address the question in full when responding to this sort of essay, but it’s also in one’s best interest to focus as much as possible on the positive. With this in mind, you might lead off with two or three positive qualities and then comment on one or two weaknesses - ideally ones that you’ve already taken steps to address. Whether discussing a strength or a weakness, though, it’s ideal to back up every statement about your character with a brief example as “proof” of the statement. INSEAD’s framework gives applicants free reign to select personal, professional or extracurricular subjects, so try to select your examples with an eye to presenting a balanced picture of your interests and experiences.

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

This is another fairly straightforward question. Though it’s important to reflect and respond candidly with those achievements that have truly been the most meaningful to you, keep in mind that, given the interests and priorities of the adcom in evaluating one’s business school candidacy, it would be beneficial to feature at least one accomplishment from the professional realm. As always, it will be important to ground your comments in specific details and fully explain why these achievements were significant, both in terms of the results you produced and the lessons you learned.

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

To fully address this question, you’ll need to describe the situation and detail, in very concrete terms, what went wrong and why. This essay has a particularly restrictive word limit, making it all the more important for applicants to summarize and explain the failure as concisely as possible. Keep in mind that the reason a school asks this question is to discern whether a student is able to learn from experience and avoid repeating past mistakes. Toward that end, it would be wise to interpret INSEAD’s request for a discussion of the “effect” of the mistake as a chance to talk about personal growth (as discussing the negative consequences of one’s actions would be a less flattering approach). Ending the essay on a more positive note is always a good idea, especially for those who can point to subsequent successes in the same realm.

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

This is the standard career goals essay, with an interesting focus on skills as they relate to INSEAD classes and future goals. The phrasing of this question might indicate that the school is looking for applicants who have really thought through the limitations they face given their current skill sets, and have a clear sense of what they need to learn (and how they will do so through an MBA) in order to be successful in a very specific career path. This underscores the fact that well-defined goals and school-specific detail are essential to a successful application.

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

This sort of question is designed to gauge an applicant’s cultural sensitivity and ability to conduct business in an international setting, and it probably comes as no surprise to applicants who are familiar with INSEAD’s reputation as a highly international program. The first option asks applicants to recount a trying experience in another country or environment, and to explain the resulting personal growth and process of adjustment. Meanwhile, the second asks candidates to reflect on the unique characteristics of his or her own culture and anticipate the issues that a visitor might encounter. In both responses, one has an opportunity to demonstrate cultural flexibility, offering evidence for his or her ability to operate as a global citizen and work in diverse teams. Of course, many of the best essays will manage to incorporate a healthy dose of lessons learned, indicating that cultural adjustment can be fraught with trial and error rather than sugar-coating a response and failing to outline the struggles or periods of adjustment.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Kellogg 2008-2009 Essay Spacing Clarification

Earlier this summer Clear Admit posted Kellogg’s 2008-2009 essay topics and provided our own analysis of each prompt. At the time Kellogg’s website made no mention of spacing requirements for their essays (although the school has historically required double spacing). After contacting the school’s admissions office to clarify this point, we posted our findings: that essays were no longer required to be double spaced.

More recently, it has come to our attention that there was a bit of miscommunication from the admissions office in this regard. If you have had conflicting information from the school’s office and website, Clear Admit would like to help straighten this out. Kellogg does, in fact, require its essays to be double spaced.

If, in the future, you find yourself unsure of the requirements for any school it is always helpful to call or email their admissions office. That being said, it is usually a good idea to double space all your essays to increase the ease one’s eyes feel when reading.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

NYU/Stern Essay Topic Analysis 2008-2009

NYU Stern’s 2008-09 essay topics have changed only slightly since the 2007-2008 season. Most of the prompts are the same as last year, with the exception of Essay 2b. Let’s take a closer look at this essay set:

Essay 1 - Professional Aspirations (750 word maximum):

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?

This is your standard career goals/why MBA essay, with a few interesting quirks. First, note that the initial section requests that applicants reflect on and explain the choices they’ve made to date, placing a bit of extra emphasis on the presentation of one’s career as a coherent and directed whole. While it’s always important to explain the reasons you’ve moved from one company to the next, you’ll also want to think about the more subtle decisions you’ve made to further your professional development. Have you actively sought out more responsibility? Requested an assignment with an eye to gaining a certain skill?

This essay is a great place for you to highlight your initiative and foresight in the process of relating your career progression to the adcom. Within the same theme of deliberate decision-making, the second thing to keep in mind is the prominence of the ‘why now’ issue. A thorough and well reasoned answer to this question will be a must for a solid response. Beyond your career path to date and the ‘why now’ issue, Stern will be looking for a detailed explanation of your short and long-term career plans and interest in the MBA as a means to realize these goals.

This is a lot of information to pack into a 750 word essay, but introducing the central elements of one’s candidacy in such a brief essay is definitely achievable, provided that applicants take their time to compose well-crafted and concise responses.

Essay 2 - Fit with Stern (500 words maximum):

The NYU Stern community is one of our strongest assets. Please answer the following questions about community:

(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? What actions have you taken to learn more about us?
(b) What is the most difficult piece of constructive feedback you have received, and what did you do as a result of it? How will this experience make you a better member of the Stern community?

Sensitive to the fact that applicants targeting Stern may also be applying to other programs that are strong in finance – especially regional peer Columbia – NYU is essentially asking applicants exactly how much homework they’ve done on the school. Obviously, the more information you can provide about trips to campus, visits to classes and conversations with students and alums, the more sincere your interest in the program will seem. You might consider reading Clear Admit’s NYU/Stern School Guide to help you in this area of the essay.

While the first and second parts of question ‘b’ may seem disjointed, the goal of your response should be to illustrate how well you interact with others. You will want to outline the criticism you received and why it was particularly difficult but you will also, as in the case of a failure essay, want to spend more time discussing what you did as a result of the input.

Though this question will elicit a different sort of story from other schools’ prompts about a failure or setback, the major themes of growth and learning are similar. In addition to recounting the steps you took to address the issue that had been raised (and briefly explaining why it was an issue to begin with), commenting on the way you reacted to this difficult feedback could be a great way to demonstrate maturity and a sincere interest in improvement. That is, the element of communication implicit in “constructive criticism or feedback” provides applicants with an excellent opportunity to show themselves interacting with others, perhaps even under trying circumstances. Applicants should also make sure they are addressing every component of this question.

Not only should candidates provide a description of the feedback and their responses, but they should note that the latter portion of the question provides an opportunity to include examples of challenging projects or classes that candidates may participate in while at Stern and how being open and able to adapt will make them stronger overall team and community members.

Essay 3 - Personal Expression (500 words maximum, if written):

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any