APPLICANT RESOURCES

Admissions Director Q&A (New!) Below are links to Clear Admit's exclusive admissions director Q&A sessions.
Dawna Clarke (Tuck)
Rose Martinelli (Chicago)
Judith Hodara (Wharton)
Sarah Neher (Darden)
Soojin Kwon Koh (Michigan)
Randall Sawyer (Cornell)
Beth Flye (Kellogg)
David Simpson (LBS)

Clear Admit School Guides
Eighteen titles available! Understand how the leading programs compare and learn more about the MBA experience in and beyond the classroom through Clear Admit School Guides. As featured in the Economist.

Clear Admit Interview Guides
Be as prepared as possible for your MBA interviews this season with the Clear Admit Interview Guides! School-specific sample questions and in-depth strategy, campus visit details and places to stay.

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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CATEGORY - ESSAY TOPICS

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Q&A With Chicago GSB Admissions Director Rose Martinelli

~ A CLEAR ADMIT EXCLUSIVE ~

Today marks the debut of a new content series here at Clear Admit – Admissions Director Q&A. In our first installment, Rose Martinelli, director of admissions at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (GSB), shares her thoughts and insights on the upcoming application season.

Read on to learn about some of the features that makes Chicago’s MBA program unique, as well as just what process the school’s admission committee follows when reviewing prospective students’ applications. Our warm thanks to Rose for taking time out of her busy schedule to participate in this Clear Admit exclusive!

Later this week, we’ll feature our next installment in the series, a similar question-and-answer exchange with Dawna Clarke, director of admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. So be sure to check back!

Clear Admit: What is the one area of your program that you wish applicants knew more about?

Rose Martinelli: One of the most common misperceptions about Chicago GSB is that our flexibility and commitment to individual choice has an adverse impact on our community. I think it is important for prospective students to understand that our community is strong, and student commitment to this school and one another is a direct result of the flexibility we provide.

At Chicago GSB you create your own community – you develop and cultivate relationships that mean something to you as a student and future professional. Because of the flexibility in our curriculum your classmates will change regularly, causing your networks to constantly change.

At Chicago GSB you will develop vast networks and meet people from all different walks of life who share the same belief … that each path to an MBA is a personal one and success is predicated on leveraging a strong community, not competing against it. At Chicago, ideas compete, people collaborate and community, like our curriculum, is not dictated but rather facilitated through the classroom, student groups and the vibrant diversity of the city of Chicago.

CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks ‘submit’ and the time the committee offers a final decision (e.g. how many “reads” does it get, how long is each “read,” who reads it, does the committee convene to discuss it as a group, etc.). 

RM: First it is important to note that Chicago GSB’s full-time program office does not start reading applications until the application deadline, and although we do not encourage you to wait until the last second to submit your application, we do encourage you to take your time to prepare the best application you possibly can.

Once you have submitted your application our operations team makes sure it is complete, prints the entire application and then passes your file to one of our admissions fellows (hired, second-year students) who reads your application. Admissions fellows make a recommendation to the committee to either invite you to an interview or not. The application is then passed on to an admissions director who goes through the exact same process. If decisions match and both members of the committee agree, a mid-decision is released to the applicant. If they do not agree, the dean of admissions reviews the files and makes a tie-breaking decision.

At mid-decision, an applicant is either invited to interview or denied admission. If you are invited to interview you are given an opportunity to sign up for an interview with an alumnus in your area or come to campus to meet with one of our admissions fellows. Interviews are standardized, and all are weighted the same regardless of who you interview with.

Once the interview is complete and the interview feedback is submitted, the complete file is given to an admissions director who has not previously reviewed the application. She or he makes a decision to admit, committee or deny the candidate.

Similar to the first phase of the process, if all decisions match a final decision is made. If there is disagreement, a file goes to committee, where a group of admissions directors debate the file and make a final recommendation to the dean to either admit, waitlist or deny the applicant.

CA: How does your team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read the essays? Are there common mistakes that applicants should try to avoid? One key thing they should keep in mind as they sit down to write them?

RM: One thing many applicants miss in the essay section is that success in this section is dictated more by strategy than creativity. When applying to a top business school it is very hard to find something that can truly differentiate you amidst an elite group of applicants. So spending time thinking about that one creative truly unforgettable detail or topic that is going to move that committee is not realistic. Instead, think about who you are and why your life experiences to date are a good fit for that particular institution.

Realize that each part of the application should reveal something different about your qualifications, and you do not want to use multiple sections revealing the same information. Therefore think strategically. Ask yourself, “What do I want the committee to know about me?” and “How and where do I best communicate that in the application?” If you can map that out on paper, chances are your essays will be meaningful and direct.

For Chicago GSB it is always about substance and analytical thought. How cohesive is your application? How on point and logical is your thought process? And do we understand your goals and how they fit with our culture when we’re done reading your application? If you can feel confident that you addressed these questions through the entire application you will be taking a big step in the right direction.

Essays are not an island in the application. They make up a part of the continent. Do not think of them in isolation, but rather think about how they might provide greater depth about who you are. Finally, creativity is great but to quote one our faculty, it will never trump strategy.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Georgetown / McDonough School of Business Essay Topics 2008-2009

For interested applicants, the Georgetown/McDonough School of Business essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season are as follows:

Essay 1:
Briefly state your short-term and long-term career objectives. How have your prior professional, academic, and personal experiences influenced your career plans? Specifically, how will your participation in Georgetown’s MBA Full-Time Program contribute to your career objectives? (750 words)

Essay 2:
In your own words, how do you define leadership? Please provide a specific example (professional or personal) of a time when you embodied the characteristics of a leader. Be sure to highlight the challenges you faced and the results you achieved. What areas do you wish to develop in order to become a more effective leader? (750 words)

Essay 3:
What is the most significant change you have made to any organization with which you have been recently affiliated? Please describe how you identified the need for change and how you managed the process of implementing change. What were the results? (750 words)

Essay 4:
Community contributions, personal interests, and affiliations. List in order of importance all community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, and average number of hours spent each month (one-page limit).

More information about the essays, as well as the school’s deadlines and application process, visit McDonough’s admissions site.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Cornell/Johnson Essay Topics 2008-2009

Cornell/Johnson has released its 2009 application and with it the essay topics for this coming season. The topics are below:

Essay 1:Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you were able to add value to your organization. (400 word limit)

Essay 2: What career do you plan to pursue upon completion of an MBA degree and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal? (400 word limit)

Essay 3: You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the Table of Contents for the book. (400 word limit)

Essay 4: 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) does not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School. (Optional; 400 word limit)

Essay 5: Describe the measures you have taken to strengthen your application since you last applied to the Johnson School. (Required for all re-applicants; 400 word limit) :

The complete Cornell/Johnson application can be accessed here.

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.

Friday, August 22, 2008

London Business School Essay Topics 2008-2009

Following the recent announcement of the 2008-2009 application season deadlines, the London Business School essay topics for this year have been released.  The topics are as follows:

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?

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?

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?

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

Interested applicants should visit the school’s admissions site for additional information.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

UNC / Kenan Flagler Essay Topics 2008-2009

The UNC/Kenan Flagler essay topics for the 2008-2009 have recently been formally announced, as the school’s application has gone live as of today. The essay questions for this year’s application are as follows:

Essay 1 (required): 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? (500 words)

Essay 2 (required): 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. (500 words)

Essay 3 (required): What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to Kenan-Flagler? (500 words)

Essay 4 (required): What do you expect from your MBA program? How and when will you measure the return on your investment in the MBA? (500 words)

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)

Essay 6 (optional): Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you in order to evaluate your candidacy? (300 words)

To view the live application and learn more about the UNC/Kenan Flagler essay topics, interested applicants should view the school’s application site.

Monday, August 18, 2008

UVA / Darden Essay Topics 2008-2009

UVA/Darden’s essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have recently been released. This year’s questions are as follows:

1.    What pivotal choices have you made in your life that have influenced your decision to pursue an MBA?  (500 words)

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)

3.    Describe how you are a fit with the case study method.  (250 words)

Interested applicants should refer to the school’s admissions site in order to view the complete application.

NYU / Stern Essay Topics 2008-2009

Following the release of its deadlines late last week, NYU/Stern’s essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have also been announced. This year’s questions are as follows:

Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (750 words, double-spaced)
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?

Essay 2: Fit with Stern (500 words, double-spaced)
The NYU Stern collaborative community is one of our strongest assets. We seek individuals who are passionate about our community and committed to growing as leaders at Stern. Please answer the following questions:

(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?

Essay 3: Personal Expression (500 words, double-spaced, if written)
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 Essay 3 with your supplementary materials, please include a brief description of it here. Please do not submit anything that must be viewed or played electronically (e.g. CDs, DVDs, mp3s, online links), that is perishable (e.g. food), or that has been worn (e.g. used clothing).

Essay 4: Additional Information (optional)
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 and/or TOEFL, or any other relevant information.

Interested applicants should note that NYU/Stern’s application has gone live, and can be viewed on the admissions site.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

UCLA Anderson Deadlines and Essay Topics 2008-2009

The UCLA Anderson 2008-2009 deadlines have been announced! The three deadlines are as follows:

Round 1:
Deadline: October 9, 2008
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: September 30, 2008
Decision released: January 8, 2009

Round 2:
Deadline: January 8, 2009
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: December 31, 2008
Decision released: March 26, 2009

Round 3:
Deadline: April 2, 2009
GMAT/TOEFL taken by: March 31, 2009
Decision released: June 4, 2009

Interested applicants should note that all applications much be submitted by 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and that applications in any round will only be evaluated after the previous round’s decisions are completed. The second deadline is the priority deadline for fellowship consideration.

The UCLA Anderson 2008-2009 essay questions have also been released, and can be viewed by logging in to see the recently completed application. This year, there are five questions for applicants interested in the full-time MBA program, one of the essays being an audio response. The questions are as follows:

Essay one: How has your family and/or community helped shape your development? Please include information about where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (750 words)

Essay 2: What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

Essay 3: Discuss your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now at UCLA Anderson? (750 words)

Essay 4: Audio or Text

Select and respond to one of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute). For applicants unable to submit a response via audio, there is an option to submit a written response instead (250 words).
a) What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
b) What global issue matters most to you and why?
c) What is something people will find surprising about you?

Essay 5: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

Reapplicant Essays: Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2007 or 2008 class are required to complete the following three essays.

1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. (750 words)

2. What experience has had the greatest impact on who you are today and why? (500 words)

3. Select and respond to one of the following questions. We would like you to respond to the question by recording an audio response (up to 1 minute). If you are unable to submit your response via audio, then please upload a written response instead (250 words).
a) What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?
b) What global issue matters most to you and why?
c) What is something people will find surprising about you?

For further information regarding UCLA’s deadlines or essays, or to view to completed application for the 2008-2009 season, those interested should visit the school’s admissions site.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Duke / Fuqua Deadlines and Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Duke / Fuqua deadlines and essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have been announced. Check them out below!

Early Action
Application Deadline: October 15, 2008
Decision Notification: November 14, 2008

Round One
Application Deadline: October 27, 2008
Decision Notification: December 19, 2008

Round Two
Application Deadline: January 7, 2009
Decision Notification: March 10, 2009

Round Three
Application Deadline: March 16, 2009
Decision Notification: April 23, 2009

Short Answer Essays
1. What do you hope to gain from The Duke MBA? How does it fit into your short- and long- term goals? If you are interested in a joint degree or the Health Sector Management program, please address in this response. (required, single page limit, 1.5 line spacing)

2. How will you contribute to the overall experience of your peers at The Duke MBA? (required, single page limit, 1.5 line spacing)

3. Discuss a person, event or experience that has significantly shaped your life and explain why. Note: The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (required, single page limit, 1.5 line spacing)

Long Essay
1. 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, and emotional intelligence as well as business acumen.

Upon graduation, a Duke MBA will be a leader of consequence - able to deal simultaneously with complex matters and engage skillfully with colleagues, clients, and community. What impact do you hope to have as a leader of consequence? (required, two page limit, 1.5 line spacing)

Optional Essay
1. If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application).

Reapplicant Essay
All reapplicants are also required to complete the Reapplicant Essay below. Essays should not exceed two pages.
1. Write an essay describing how you are a stronger candidate for admission compared to the previous year’s application.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Columbia Business School Essay Topics 2008-2009

Columbia’s essay topics for the 2008-2009 season are quite similar to this year’s J-term application essays, with one notable exception: the removal of the fourth essay about applicant’s passions. Though the information isn’t yet available on the school’s website, an admissions representative discussed this on the Business Week forum, and we have confirmed it with the Columbia Admissions Office.

Essay 1 (Required): What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals? (Recommended 750 word limit)

Essay 2 (Required): Master Classes are the epitome of bridging the gap between theory and practice at Columbia Business School. View link below. Please provide an example from your own life in which practical experience taught you more than theory alone. (Recommended 500 word limit)

1. View with Real Player: http://merlin.gsb.columbia.edu:8080/ramgen/video1/faculty/MasterClass-promo.rm
2. View via Google: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4698876883776961370&hl=en

Essay 3 (Required): Please provide an example of a team failure of which you’ve been a part. If given a second chance, what would you do differently? (Recommended 500 word limit)

Essay 4 (Optional): Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? (Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.)

Friday, July 18, 2008

Yale SOM Deadlines and Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Yale SOM deadlines for the 2008-2009 application season have recently been released!

The deadlines for the upcoming season are as follows:

Round one:
Deadline: October 22, 2008
Notification: January 16, 2009

Round two:
Deadline: January 7, 2009
Notification: April 10, 2009

Round three:
Deadline: March 18, 2009
Notification: May 8, 2008

Although the application itself will not go live until August, the Yale SOM essay topics for the 2008-2009 application have also been announced and are as follows:

1: Why a Yale MBA?
What is the impact that you wish to have on the world? How will your previous experiences and a Yale MBA enhance your ability, in the short-term and long-term, to pursue a career that will allow you to achieve this impact? (500 words maximum)

2: Leadership Example
Describe a professional accomplishment that exhibits your leadership style. The accomplishment should include evidence of your leadership skills, a description of the actions you took, as well as the impact you had on your organization. (500 words maximum)

3: Personal Statement 1
Choose one of the following topics and answer it in essay form. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)

(1) A central premise of our teaching about leadership at the Yale School of Management is that true leadership – leadership that helps to address a significant problem in a new way – is necessarily personal. It is only when personal passion aligns with meaningful aspirations that individuals are able to inspire others to act in support of an important goal or cause. What are you most passionate about, and how have you demonstrated a commitment to this passion?

(2) What personal achievement are you most proud of and why?

(3) Describe a situation in which your values were challenged. How did you respond to the situation and what did you learn from it?

(4) A phrase often heard among SOM graduates is that they aspire to lead a life that is an “SOM Story” – that of a broadly engaged, values-based leader who owns and solves hard problems that matter. How will you create your own SOM Story? Describe a situation in which you devised and implemented a creative or innovative solution to a difficult problem. What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them?

(5) The Yale School of Management is a community of individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests. What unique attributes would you bring to the Class of 2011?

(6) What is the most difficult feedback you have received and how did you address it? Looking forward, what skills are you most eager to build or improve upon in business school?

(7) Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

4: Personal Statement 2
Choose one (1) of the topics listed in Essay 3, or create a topic of your own about a subject that is meaningful to you, and answer it in essay form. Please indicate the topic number (or state the topic if it is not one of the ones listed) at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Chicago GSB Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Chicago GSB essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have been released! Although the school’s completed application will not be available until late July, the early release of the essay questions gives potential applicants time to begin thinking about and drafting their responses.

Here are the essay questions for the 2008-2009 application season:

Question 1: Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? (750 word maximum).

Questions 2: Please select one of the following two questions to answer. (1000 word maximum)

1a) Please provide an example of a time when you had to make a choice between two equally important obligations. How did you decide which obligation deserved your attention? b) Did you try and predict other people’s reactions to your decision? If so, how accurate were you? Why do you think you were or were not accurate in your prediction? c) Reflecting on this experience, how do you think an MBA from Chicago GSB might have aided in your decision making process?

-or-

2a) Have you ever made a decision that caused you to go against popular opinion? Please describe that situation and your rationale for you decision. b) Did you feel at any point that people misperceived your motives? Explain? c) In retrospect, how do you think an MBA from Chicago GSB would have affected your decision?

Slide Presentation: We have asked for a great deal of information throughout this application and now invite you tell us about yourself. Using four slides or less, please provide readers with content that captures who you are. (For guidelines to consider when approaching the slide presentation, candidates should visit the school’s application site.)

Friday, July 11, 2008

Dartmouth / Tuck Essay Topics 2008-2009

Although Dartmouth/Tuck’s online application will not be completed and live until later this month, an email from the admissions committee confirms that the essay questions for the 2008-2009 seasons will remain unchanged from last year’s. This allows interested applicants additional time to begin thinking about and drafting responses.

Dartmouth/Tuck’s essay questions for the upcoming application season are as follows:

Essay 1
Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you?

Essay 2
Tuck defines leadership as “inspiring others to strive and enabling them to accomplish great things.” We believe great things and great leadership can be accomplished in pursuit of business and societal goals. Describe a time when you exercised such leadership. Discuss the challenges you faced and the results you achieved. What characteristics helped you to be effective, and what areas do you feel you need to develop in order to be a better leader?

Essay 3
Discuss the most difficult constructive criticism or feedback you have received. How did you address it? What have you learned from it?

Essay 4
Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

Although there is no formal word limit for these essays, the school recommends that applicants aim for an average of 500 words per response. Applicants should also note that essays are expected to be submitted in a double-spaced format.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Michigan / Ross Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Michigan/Ross essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have been released! Below are the required and optional essays for those applying to the full-time MBA program.

MBA Full-time Essay Questions

Long Essays (500 word max)

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?
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.

Short Essays (300 word max)

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 multidisciplinary problems?
4. Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it.

Optional Question: Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?

Monday, July 07, 2008

MIT Sloan Essay Topics 2008-2009

The MIT Sloan essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have been posted. The questions are as follows:

All applicants:

Cover Letter:

Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.

Essay 1: Please tell us about a challenging interaction you had with a person or group. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Essay 2: Please tell us about a time when you defended your idea. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Essay 3: Please tell us about a time when you executed a plan. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Essay 4: Please tell the Admissions Committee whatever else you would like us to know. (250 words or less, limited to one page)

LFM applicants only:

Essay 5: Why do you wish to pursue the LFM Program? How does this fit into your future plans? (250 words or less, limited to one page)

Essay 6: Why do you wish to pursue the engineering field and specialty area you have selected? (250 words or less, limited to one page)

Wharton Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Wharton essay topics for the 2008-2009 season have been posted. Below are the mandatory questions for first-time applicants and reapplicants, as well as the optional essays:

First-Time Applicant Questions

1. Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words)

2. Describe a setback or a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

3. Where in your background would we find evidence of your leadership capacity and/or potential? (500 words)

4. Please respond to one (1) of the following questions:

a. Describe an experience you have had innovating or initiating, your lessons learned, the results and impact of your efforts. (500 words)

b. Is there anything about your background or experience that you feel you have not had the opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee in your application? If yes, please explain. (500 words)

OPTIONAL: If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, TOEFL waiver request, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words, maximum)

Reapplicant Questions (for candidates who have applied for admission for Fall 2008 or 2007 only)

1. Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? How has your candidacy improved since the last time you applied? (1,000 words)

2. Describe an experience you have had innovating or initiating, your lessons learned, the results and impact of your efforts. (500 words)

3. Please respond to one (1) of the following questions:

a. Where in your background would we find evidence of your leadership capacity and/or potential? (500 words)

b. Is there anything about your background or experience that you feel you have not had the opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee in your application? If yes, please explain. (500 words)

OPTIONAL: If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, TOEFL waiver request, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words, maximum)

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Berkeley / Haas Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Berkeley/Haas essay topics have been released for the upcoming application season! Listed below are the short answer questions, required essays, and optional essays for the Fall 2009 application.

Short Answer:

1. If you could change one thing you’ve done in your life, what would it be, and how would you do it differently? (250 word maximum)

2. Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)

3. At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe an innovative solution you have created to address a specific challenge. (250 word maximum)

4. What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program, and what factors have influenced your decision to apply? (250 word maximum)

Required Essays:

1. Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)

2. What are your short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? Why do you want an MBA from Berkeley at this point in your career? (1000 word maximum)

Optional Essays:

1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

2. If you wish to be considered for the Haas Achievement Award (for individuals who have achieved success in spite of significant economic, educational, health-related and/or other obstacles), please use this space to address the obstacles you have overcome. (750 word maximum)

Kellogg Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Kellogg essay topics for the 2008-2009 application season have been posted! The adcom will again expect applicants to complete three mandatory questions and then select two more from a list of four. This year, the Kellogg adcom still requires its essays to be double-spaced. Although the two-page limit for the mandatory essays remains unchanged, the adcom now asks that applicants limit their additional two essays to no more than two paragraphs, a change from last year’s 2-3 paragraph guideline.

Here are the official Kellogg essay topics for the upcoming season:

1: Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg (1-2 pages).

2: Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experience of other Kellogg students (1-2 pages).

3: Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experience (1-2 pages).

Choose two of the following three essays:

4. Applicants must answer 2 of the below essays (2 paragraphs per question). (Re-applicants must answer question 4D and 1 other essay).

4A - Describe a time when you had to motivate a reluctant individual or group.

4B - I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me…..

4C - What do others admire about you?

4D - For re-applicants only: Since your previous application, what are the steps you’ve taken to strengthen your candidacy?

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Stanford GSB Essay Topics 2008-2009

The Stanford essay topics for the upcoming 2008-2009 application season have been announced. The topics and directions are below.

Essays A and B are mandatory for all applicants, while you have four options to choose from for your remaining two essays. Make sure that you use a 12-point font and double space your work. Also remember to indicate which question you are answering at the top of each essay. Save all essays as one file/document when sending your application and double check your formatting.

Essay A: What matters most to you and why? (750 word maximum)

Essay B: What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them? (450 word maximum)

As a Stanford MBA student, you have a team of advisors who help you make the most of your academic experience and personal development. Your team will include a faculty advisor, a career counselor, and a leadership coach, among others. Use Essay B to help you prepare for your first conversations with these advisors.

Essay C:
Answer two of the questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.

Option 1: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team. (300 word maximum)

Option 2: Tell us about a time when you felt most effective as a leader. (300 word maximum)

Option 3: Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult or frustrating. (300 word maximum)

Option 4: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established or expected. (300 word maximum)

Total word count of all four essays must not exceed 1,800 words.

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