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Updated November 28, 2014
Updated November 28, 2014
Guest blogger, Ryan Hickey, shares some excellent tips about making your MBA application essays a cohesive part of your application to top business schools.
"Why on earth do graduate business schools ask for so many essays?" If you're asking yourself this question as you review MBA application essay requirements, you are not alone. It's rare for top business schools in America program to only ask for one MBA essay, although this is a little more common for those outside of the US. Three is the norm, but some schools ask for four or more.
Why? The simple answer is that the admissions officers want to learn more about you and your background. So, why not just ask for one long essay? This is mostly because MBA admissions officers want far more than just your résumé in narrative form. They want you to write about the challenges and victories that have been most meaningful to you thus far and your reasons for choosing to apply to an MBA program at this point in your career.
Here are five tips for creating an ideal set of essays for your MBA applications.
1. Your MBA essays should work together, like chapters in a biography
All of your essays should have a similar writing style and tone. However, that is not to say that they should read like a novel. Don't write in the third person. Don't write something that looks more like a poem than an MBA application essay. And don't use your MBA essays as an opportunity to wax philosophical about all of the wrongs that you see in the world – including the world of business. Instead, choose the prompts that will best allow you to introduce yourself and your background to the top business schools where you are applying .
2. Know your purpose
Think of an elevator pitch for your MBA essays as a whole. What do you most want the admissions officers to notice? What aspects of your leadership style, character, and background will set you apart from other applicants? Knowing the answers to these questions can serve as a guide as you choose which prompts to write about for your MBA application essays.
3. Choose essay prompts where you can write about dissimilar projects in order to avoid overlap
If the MBA program is giving you some options on which essay prompts to address, brainstorm before you start writing to make sure that you have the opportunity to write about different projects or different assignments. Let the admissions directors from the top business schools read that you have participated in projects that have a variety of scope and team members where you drew upon numerous skills in order to achieve success.
4. Always choose essay prompts where you can be positive, even if the school requires you to write about an ethical dilemma, accepting tough feedback or a past mistake
In their essay prompts, many MBA schools specifically ask you to write about challenges that you have encountered. They want to know that you have the maturity and resilience to excel in their program. If you choose to respond to essay prompts concerning an ethical dilemma, state the facts clearly and quickly. Don't dwell on the bad behavior of others. If you are writing about a personal mistake, don't spend too much time in the MBA essay writing about feeling like a failure. Instead, respond to essay prompts by focusing on your personal and professional growth.
5. If there is a total word count to the essays, avoid the temptation to submit unbalanced essays
Some top business schools will offer a total word count for the package of MBA application essays instead of requirements for individual essays. However, avoid the pitfall of writing one very long essay and then not leaving much space available for the other prompts that are required. The school required you to write on those other prompts because they find them important. Because of this, you need to take them seriously, too. Leave enough space for the shorter essays so that you can still tell a meaningful story.
About Ryan Hickey
Ryan Hickey is the managing editor of Peterson's & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.
Ryan Hickey is the managing editor of Peterson's & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.
How to Pick the Right Mix for Multiple MBA Application Essays
By Ryan Hickey
Updated November 28, 2014 Updated November 28, 2014"Why on earth do graduate business schools ask for so many essays?" If you're asking yourself this question as you review MBA application essay requirements, you are not alone. It's rare for top business schools in America program to only ask for one MBA essay, although this is a little more common for those outside of the US. Three is the norm, but some schools ask for four or more.
Why? The simple answer is that the admissions officers want to learn more about you and your background. So, why not just ask for one long essay? This is mostly because MBA admissions officers want far more than just your résumé in narrative form. They want you to write about the challenges and victories that have been most meaningful to you thus far and your reasons for choosing to apply to an MBA program at this point in your career.
Here are five tips for creating an ideal set of essays for your MBA applications.
1. Your MBA essays should work together, like chapters in a biography
All of your essays should have a similar writing style and tone. However, that is not to say that they should read like a novel. Don't write in the third person. Don't write something that looks more like a poem than an MBA application essay. And don't use your MBA essays as an opportunity to wax philosophical about all of the wrongs that you see in the world – including the world of business. Instead, choose the prompts that will best allow you to introduce yourself and your background to the top business schools where you are applying .
2. Know your purpose
Think of an elevator pitch for your MBA essays as a whole. What do you most want the admissions officers to notice? What aspects of your leadership style, character, and background will set you apart from other applicants? Knowing the answers to these questions can serve as a guide as you choose which prompts to write about for your MBA application essays.
3. Choose essay prompts where you can write about dissimilar projects in order to avoid overlap
If the MBA program is giving you some options on which essay prompts to address, brainstorm before you start writing to make sure that you have the opportunity to write about different projects or different assignments. Let the admissions directors from the top business schools read that you have participated in projects that have a variety of scope and team members where you drew upon numerous skills in order to achieve success.
4. Always choose essay prompts where you can be positive, even if the school requires you to write about an ethical dilemma, accepting tough feedback or a past mistake
In their essay prompts, many MBA schools specifically ask you to write about challenges that you have encountered. They want to know that you have the maturity and resilience to excel in their program. If you choose to respond to essay prompts concerning an ethical dilemma, state the facts clearly and quickly. Don't dwell on the bad behavior of others. If you are writing about a personal mistake, don't spend too much time in the MBA essay writing about feeling like a failure. Instead, respond to essay prompts by focusing on your personal and professional growth.
5. If there is a total word count to the essays, avoid the temptation to submit unbalanced essays
Some top business schools will offer a total word count for the package of MBA application essays instead of requirements for individual essays. However, avoid the pitfall of writing one very long essay and then not leaving much space available for the other prompts that are required. The school required you to write on those other prompts because they find them important. Because of this, you need to take them seriously, too. Leave enough space for the shorter essays so that you can still tell a meaningful story.
About Ryan Hickey
Ryan Hickey is the managing editor of Peterson's & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.
This article was originally published in November 2014 .
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Ryan Hickey is the managing editor of Peterson's & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.
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