Business school admissions committees care about more than (just) your GMAT scores and GPA —they want to know who you are and why you belong in their program .
Your MBA essays are your best chance to sell the person behind the résumé. They should tie all the pieces of your business school application together and create a comprehensive picture of who you are, what you've done, and what you bring to the table.
Here's a roundup of our best MBA essay tips to keep in mind as you begin to write.
Business schools want leaders, not applicants content with following the herd.
Stress what makes you unique, not what makes you number one.
Simply stating "I am the ideal candidate for your program" won't convince the admission committee to push you into the admit pile.
Admissions officers want to know what excites you. And if you'll bring a similar enthusiasm to the classroom.
Challenge perceptions with unexpected essays that say, "There's more to me than you think."
Admissions officers appreciate risk-takers.
But only if it has affected your outlook or experiences.
Specific anecdotes and vivid details make a much greater impact than general claims and broad summaries.
You're a real person, and it's okay to show it!
Admissions committees don't care if you were editor of the yearbook or captain of the varsity team. They expect their candidates to have moved onto more current, professional achievements.
An off-topic essay, or one that merely restates your résumé, will frustrate and bore the admissions committee. More importantly, it won't lead to any new insight about you.
Construct your essays with only enough detail about your job to frame your story and make your point.
Admissions officers favor applicants who have well-defined goals. However unsure you are about your future, it's critical that you demonstrate that you have a plan.
This suggests you don't know how to follow directions, operate within constraints or organize your thoughts.
A sloppy application suggests a sloppy attitude.
Admissions committees are (understandably) insulted when they see another school's name or forms.
If your undergraduate experience was one long party, be honest. Discuss how you've matured, both personally and professionally.
Many applicants avoid the personal like the plague. Instead of talking about how putting themselves through school lowered their GPA, they talk about the rising cost of tuition in America. Admissions officers want to know about YOU.
An essay full of generalizations is a giveaway that you don't have anything to say.
Make sure that each of your essays reinforce and build on the others to present a consistent and compelling representation of who you are, what you've done, and what you bring to the table.
Take a GMAT practice test with us under the same conditions as the real thing. You'll get a personalized score report highlighting your strengths and areas of improvement.
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