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A Comprehensive
Admissions Essay Help Course (with samples):
Lesson One: Business
School Essay Question Help
Brought to you by EssayEdge.com
“The world's premier college application essay editing
service” -New York Times
Please
select from the following common MBA question topics:
Note: The below essays
were not edited by EssayEdge Editors. They appear as they were initially reviewed
by admissions officers.
Why
M.B.A.? Questions
Discuss the factors that influenced
your career decisions to date. Please describe your professional goals for the
future. How will the M.B.A. experience influence your ability to achieve your
goals? (Wharton)
Discuss your career progression
to date. Why do you want an M.B.A.? How do you envision your career progressing
after receiving the M.B.A.? (Tuck)
Specifically address your
post-M.B.A. short- and long-term professional goals. How will Darden assist you
in attaining these goals?
Briefly assess your career
progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for
pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg.
What are your post-M.B.A.
career plans? (Harvard)
This is the most common
type of essay question, asked on virtually every business school application.
This question asks you to present, clearly and coherently, your all too familiar
reasons for wanting an M.B.A. The questions usually consist of a few distinct
parts. Most will ask about your past (How has your career progressed to date?
What has motivated you thus far?), your future (How do you envision your career
progressing? What are your goals for the future?), or both. All of them expect
you to relate the information to your present desire to attain an M.B.A.
Since this is usually the
first question asked, this essay will be the first one the officers see when they
get your file. Let it create your first impression. It is similar to the moment
in an interview when you shake the interviewer's hand and smile. Similarly,
your first essay needs to be confident, direct, and to the point. The admissions
committee uses this question to ascertain your motivation, maturity, and focus.
While undergraduate application essays are understandably fuzzy about career choices
and goals, graduate essays should, in contrast, be crystal clear. If you have
vague reasons for pursuing an M.B.A., you need to reconsider your decision to
apply. Giving a vague response to this question is akin to having a weak handshake
and not looking the interviewer in the eye.
You must accomplish a lot
in this essay, so pay special attention to structure. You can tackle the question
by dividing your answer into three separate pieces. The first can be about your
past professional experience. The second can discuss your future career goals.
The third can be about the school's particular program. At each step, demonstrate
why and how these experiences, goals, or attributes motivate you to get your M.B.A.
Limiting yourself to one
career goal is best, if it is general. If you have a couple of different jobs
in mind, that is all right, too. However, your reasons for them should be easily
inferred or specifically stated. If you are truly unsure of what your goals are
(and we cannot talk you out of applying) always admit so honestly rather than
make up something. At the very least, though, give credible reasons for your indecision,
and explain why you believe that this school's program will help you overcome
your ambivalence.
Even if the question does
not specifically ask for it, articulate why the particular program makes sense
for you given your unique professional and personal goals. To do this well, you
must spend the necessary time in introspection and also research the school. When
you understand the school's program and positioning, use what you have uncovered
only if you can apply it to yourself. Do not write what you think they want to
hear. Admissions officers can spot this kind of insincerity from a mile away.
They also seek a heterogeneous mix of backgrounds and experiences. Therefore,
trying to fashion yourself after your conception of a typical applicant can hurt
you even if you do it well. The truer you are to your real motivations and desires,
the better your essay will be.
SAMPLE ESSAY:
Discuss the factors that
influenced your career decisions to date. Please describe your professional goals
for the future. How will the M.B.A. experience influence your ability to achieve
your goals? (Wharton)
"Stop foolin' around,
old boy. How would an M.B.A. help you? Better get on with your career." That's
what they say. Friends, colleagues, others.
I 've heard it all before.
"If I were you, I would not do it. Don't waste your time, get ahead with your
studies as quickly as possible", my professor for experimental physics told
me. That was back in '88, and of course he was not talking about my M.B.A.,
but about my intention to go to China: Take a special scholarship and go-for a
year, to study Chinese, and physics, in China. Get in line, professor. He was
just one of many who did not approve of my idea.
But for me, my plan clearly
was: A chance, a challenge, and a choice. A chance to open my intellectual door
to the world Europeans consider the (psychologically) most distant one from Western
culture, and to broaden my view well beyond the usual. A challenge to learn a
language Westerners see as one of the most difficult in a compressed timeframe
and to adapt to a completely unfamiliar environment-while not letting this impact
my overall physics studies timeline. A choice to diverge from the mainstream path
to exclusive specialization in a single intellectual realm, not just on a spare
time basis-but with serious commitment.
Looking back after seven
years, I could not feel more assured that at that time, I made the right choice.
My unusual combination of experiences sets me worlds apart from my physics-only
ex-fellow students. Working for (Big Consulting Company), (so far) exclusively
on international assignments in high tech industries, is the kind of job I had
envisioned at that time. I could not have come here without that choice I made
back then.
Now I am-on a higher playing
field, though-back to square one: Once again, about to make an academic detour
form the prescribed path. An unnecessary delay for my career progression.
But stop! Is that at all
true? Getting an M.B.A. makes perfect sense for a consultant-after all, most consultants
are M.B.A.s. Getting an M.B.A. makes even more sense in my particular case: it
is the perfect academic supplement to my physics background-the one I need to
become a leading edge high tech consultant. Detailed technology understanding
plus profound business and group skills, that is a rare combination which really
gets the career rocket roaring. This is certainly true for me, and I think that
this is one of my most important and convincing reasons for an M.B.A.
Having spent considerable
time and energy studying Chinese and traveling in Asia (and the rest of the world),
an exclusively German career certainly is the opposite of what I am interested
in. No cozy, warm place in an easy, totally predictable environment. Guaranteed
career progression when the guy above me retires. Getting a dog at 35 and the
BMW and house that go with it. No thanks.
So what is it I am interested
in? I want to be where the guerilla wars of business are fought (the shoestring
traveller resurfaces). Where global language and intercultural/personal skills
make the difference. Where intelligence translates into quantum leaps (courtesy
of the physicist). This is where I can make my best contribution. In short, I
want to be where the action and the challenges are.
For the late 20th and early
21st century, this means, in terms of topic, clearly one industry: High Tech (just
watch the stock market). I am well equipped for this with my physics background.
In terms of region, it clearly means Asia. Through language study and travel exposure,
I have come a long way in getting myself prepared. In terms of function, it clearly
means strategy consulting. If there is any place better for this than (Big Consulting
Company), please let me know.
Thus the reasons why I want
to go back to university and do a dual degree in business and East Asian studies
are: Get myself a thorough business background to put all the pieces of case experience
I have accumulated during my (Big Consulting Company), life in their right places
and understand their context. Do the same with all my pieces of Asian studies
and travel experiences. Get ready for the real action I want to be a part and
a driver of-and satisfy academic ambitions lurking beneath the surface of the
"hands-on" consultant.
The knowledge I will gain
should help facilitate a career change. After extensive work in European High
Tech industry, I want to transfer to Asia. Completion of my desired academic program
should give me perfect preparation, some initial contacts, and, through a summer
internship in Asia, a clear idea of what to expect from working there (in contrast
to studying and traveling).
Of at least equal importance,
the Lauder/Wharton dual degree program will also give me a clear view on all the
options that I have with my very special combination of skills. While I currently
cannot imagine going anywhere else but to one of the Asian offices of (Big Consulting
Company), after my graduation, I am also realistic enough to understand that there
certainly is a number of other opportunities out there which I would be attracted
to, but just know nothing about at this time. I am a firm believer in having many
options and in exploring quite a few in detail-whatever position you're in,
there may always be one which is an even better fit with your ambitions and capabilities.
I think it is obvious why
I apply to the Wharton School. Among all the leading business schools, Lauder/Wharton
is one of the very few offering a serious joint-degree program that makes sense.
With its strong international orientation, Lauder/Wharton offers the type of courses
I am looking for. With my diverse set of unusual ideas, experiences and capabilities,
I would make a most valuable and colorful addition to the student body of Wharton.
So what are my concrete
plans for the time after my graduation? Where in Asia can I be a driver the way
described above? One extremely attractive option for me would be helping to set
up the (Big Consulting Company), office in (Asian Capital). Or one in (Other Asian
Capital). Or in Saigon (Cantonese and Vietnamese are no more different than Swedish
and German). But frankly, these are just a few options I can pinpoint now-and
I am sure that many more will become apparent during my Wharton experience.
After all, my desire to
come to Wharton is just another manifestation of the characteristics that made
me go to China a couple of years ago: Take the chance to widen your scope. Accept
the challenge that goes with replacing narrow security by broad uncertainty. Make
the choice to put all your effort into fully developing and playing out your talents.
So I am not going to take
my friends' advice. They have their dogs already, and the BMW is ordered. Sorry-I
am not ready for that.
COMMENTS:
The writer of this essay
begins painting a picture of himself by discussing his trip to China. The fact
that he took the trip instead of heeding all the advice others gave him shows
determination, maturity, and character without him ever having to say the words.
He clearly demonstrates why an M.B.A. makes sense for him generally (as a consultant)
and specifically (to supplement his technical background). He pointedly bucks
the usual stereotype of, "Getting a dog at 35 and the BMW and house that go
with it." Instead, the essayist makes his reasons personal and unique by relating
them directly to his professional goal of high-tech consulting in Asia. He then
spends a paragraph specifically addressing the Wharton program. To demonstrate
the sincerity and focused nature of his goals further, he lists a few very specific
options that will be available to him once he graduates.
Certainly, his background
and experience make him unusual. However, his style makes him stand out. The essayist
consistently uses questions to transition to each new point without being distracting.
He begins with a question. "Stop foolin' around, old boy. How would an M.B.A.
help you?" Then he carries the theme throughout, "But stop! Is this all true?"
and "So what is it I am interested in?" Finally, he writes, "So what are
my concrete plans for the time after my graduation? Where in Asia can I be a driver
the way described above?" To every question he asks he gives a succinct and
pointed answer. He concludes by subtly reiterating his main points of chance,
challenge, and choice. His last sentence adds the final stylistic touch by referring
back to the question posed in the first sentence. In doing this, he effectively
nails down the impression we have formed about his character-without him ever
having to espouse his own virtues directly.
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Contribution
and Diversity Questions
Your background, experiences,
and values will enhance and diversify Kellogg. How? (1-2 double-spaced pages)
The Darden School seeks a
diverse and unique entering class of future managers. How will your distinctiveness
enrich our learning environment and enhance your prospects for success as a manager?
Every essay question on
the admissions application is geared toward the same thing. Committee members
want to find out who you are, what makes you different from everyone else, and
how you will contribute to the school if accepted. This question asks these things
outright. Because it asks so directly what the admissions committee wants to know,
this is one of the most common questions you will find. The question has a structure
similar to the Why M.B.A.? question. It asks both Why us? and Why you? However,
the nature of this question lends itself to a more personal response. Whereas
the Why M.B.A.? question asks what you have done, what you want to do, and how
that relates to the school, this question asks about who you are and how it relates
to the school. The Why M.B.A.? question asks about your experiences, and this
question asks about your qualities.
Just as you brainstormed
about your experiences, actions, and goals for the first question, brainstorm
about your qualities and characteristics for this one. What sets you apart from
everyone else? What words do friends and family use to describe you? For some
people, the focus of this question will come easily. A minority can choose to
focus on their racial or ethnic differences. A person with an unusual professional
background may use this question to turn this potential weakness into a strength.
Anyone with a particular talent or calling, such as an athlete or a musician,
can use that as a topic. Less obvious characteristics can work just as well. Are
you one of those people who are forever getting tagged with an identity? Do people
say, "You know Chuck, the funny one," or "There's Jane, the history buff."
If you consider yourself
to be a fairly typical candidate with a broad range of interests, you may feel
nervous about not being able to identify yourself with any one particular activity
or defining trait. You should not be worried. Listing the combination of qualities
that make you unique is perfectly acceptable. None of your qualities has to be
particularly unique by itself-whatever is real and true will work perfectly. What
words do people use to describe you? Are you a risk taker? An academic? A leader?
Unusually goal oriented? Dedicated? Ethical? A good team player?
The qualities you choose
to describe are not nearly as important as how well you back them up. Because
this answer tends to contain many adjectives, you absolutely must provide solid
examples demonstrating each quality you have listed. You can take examples from
either your work or your personal life. You can even be creative and take an example
from your childhood, if you wish, as long as whatever you choose effectively proves
that you are what you say you are.
Because this question asks
"How will you contribute to our school?" it provides you with a perfect opportunity
to prove that you have researched and targeted yourself to the particular school.
Match your distinctiveness in whatever way is natural to the distinctiveness of
the program. Show the admissions committee that you are not just perfect for business
school in general, you are perfect for their business school.
SAMPLE ESSAY:
Your background, experiences,
and values will enhance the diversity of Kellogg's student body. How?
During my senior year in
college, my father was diagnosed with terminal skin cancer. Like most cancer patients,
he spent the majority of his time in the hospital; he often spoke of how nice
the staff was, and how much his stay was enriched by the services offered by the
volunteers. I felt a great debt to those people who helped my father and mother
during that difficult time, and I wanted to do the same for other people in similar
situations.
When I moved to New York
after graduation, I decided to volunteer at the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Hospital
until I found a job. Over the next few months, I worked thirty hours a week helping
patients and their families. One of the most rewarding experiences at the hospital
was organizing patient voting for the 1992 Presidential election. I was responsible
for coordinating the procurement and distribution of absentee ballots with nurses,
patients, hospital staff, and the various voting administrations within the five
boroughs of New York City.
The response was overwhelming.
The patients were overjoyed to be included in the voting process. I knew from
my father that the most demoralizing circumstance of a prolonged hospital stay
was the feeling that the world was passing you by. On that November day, however,
I was able to help those patients feel like part of society again. I will always
be grateful for that.
Once I found a job, I had
to curtail my hours at the hospital, but I did not stop my volunteer work. And
although my job prohibits me from volunteering as much as I'd like, I still
try to find the time. My volunteer work has allowed me to help others cope with
the terrible pain of illness, which I have experienced first-hand and through
my family. The satisfaction that I gain when I help patients and their families
is unlike any other feeling I have ever had in my life.
I've found that my work
also helps me to deal with and accept the loss of my own father. If it were not
for him, I never would have started volunteering. The good work I do is a constant
tribute to his memory.
As an individual, I have
learned the benefits of altruism, and I firmly believe that companies should also
take an active role in philanthropy. I was pleased to see in the admissions brochure
that other Kellogg students feel the same, as demonstrated by their Business with
a Heart program. I know that my unique perspective and experiences would contribute
to this group, and enable me to enrich the lives of the community as well as those
of my fellow students.
COMMENTS:
This essayist is a good
example of someone who chose to focus on one trait rather than several. By choosing
only one quality, her essay is concise, to the point, and easy to read. She also
leaves a strong impression by introducing only one theme. This essay is particularly
strong because the writer does not simply label herself as a volunteer and leave
it at that. She makes the topic personal. First, she walks us through her motivation,
then through the experience itself, and finally through how it has affected her
and made her different. She gives details to bring each of these steps alive but
manages to do so in a very short amount of space. She even specifically details
how this experience will help her contribute by listing the name of the program
she has targeted.
^Back
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Accomplishment
Questions
Describe the two accomplishments
that occurred in the last five years of which you are most proud. (Columbia)
Describe your three most substantial
accomplishments, and explain why you view them as such. (Harvard)
Describe your achievements
within the last five years that are good indicators of your potential for a successful
management career and why you view them as such. (Michigan)
What is your most valued accomplishment?
Why? (Kellogg)
Your answer to this question
will say a lot more about you than simply what you have accomplished. It will
show the committee what you value, what makes you proud, and what you are capable
of accomplishing. Applicants make a common mistake when answering this question-they
repeat information found elsewhere in the application. A good student, for example,
will be tempted to fall back on stressing his or her high G.P.A. or G.M.A.T. score.
A person who has won a number of awards or acknowledgments will try to include
all of them and end up turning their essay into little more than a prose list.
Many of the questions specify that you choose one, two, or three specific accomplishments
as a way of avoiding this kind of response.
If you do choose an accomplishment
that the committee is already aware of-such as your induction into Phi Beta Kappa
or a promotion that appears on your resume-then bring the experience alive. Demonstrate
what it took to get there and how it affected you personally. Do not be afraid
to show committee members that you are proud. This is not the place for modesty.
However, do not fall to the other extreme either-you can toot your own horn, but
do it without being didactic or preachy. You will not have to worry about either
extreme if you keep your essay short and to the point. Spend the bulk of your
essay simply telling the story.
If you are having trouble
choosing something to focus on, then remember that the best essays are often about
modest accomplishments. What you accomplished does not matter as long as you found
it personally meaningful and can make it come alive. Unless specified, the accomplishment
can be professional, personal, or academic. Did you get a compliment from a notoriously
tight-lipped, hard-driving manager? Did you lose the race but beat your own best
time? As an English major, did you work around the clock to bring a C in physics
up to an A? Do not think about what they want to hear-think about what has really
made you proud.
SAMPLE ESSAY:
Describe the two accomplishments
that occurred in the last five years of which you are most proud. (Columbia)
Strategic Advisory for American
Savings Bank
In January 1994, my group
was engaged by Robert Bass' Keystone Partners to evaluate their investment in
California company, the culminating point of a five-year banking relationship.
Keystone Partner however, engaged Goldman Sachs as co-advisor, thereby infuriating
the Lehman team. We swore to keep control of the valuation process by solely handling
the modeling work including complex simulations and projections, which I was solely
responsible for. I quickly drafted a couple of pages that I distributed to both
teams. Overnight, the Goldman team reproduced them line by line and sent them
directly to the client as their work. It was a great strike against our team.
I decided to design a completely different model, and to draw upon the information
that I could gather from a long and fruitful client relationship with Lehman Brothers.
I convinced the senior vice president, vice president and associate who had covered
the company for years to pass on their knowledge, persuaded them to be available
for 36 hours straight to answer all my questions, and for four more hours to be
trained by me on the model. I designed a 23 page model, stuffed with information,
that we presented to the 42 person working team, gathered at our request. The
presentation, led by myself for technical explanations and the senior vice president
for strategic conclusions, was a great success. The Goldman Senior Partner, recognizing
the "excellency" of our model, proposed that I remain in charge of "all
the number".
I value this experience
because I gained respect from the senior executives at all three firms. But most
of all, although one of the most junior banker, I was able to inspire a cohesive
spirit to our team in pursuing our goal to produce a high quality presentation.
Learning to Surf
My move to Los Angeles in
August 1992 represented not only a great professional challenge-to work with only
two senior bankers and cover all California financial institutions-but also a
personal opportunity, a chance to broaden my horizons. I grew up in Paris and
lived in the capital for 21 years before moving to New York; I definitely was
a city girl! Los Angeles demanded however that I adapted to a whole different
world, where sport rather than opera rhythms the season. I knew that my first
year in the Los Angeles office would be extremely busy due to the small size of
my group. In fact I averaged 90 hours of work per week that year. To keep my sanity
and maintain a good spirit, I resolved to try and learn a sport that had always
fascinated me: surfing. Thus I bought a brand new wetsuit and longboard and started
the experience bright and early on a sunny Saturday afternoon under the merciless
scrutiny of the local surfers, all males, who did not hide their contempt for
my pale skin and weak arms so typical of investment banking Corporate Analysts.
Surfing seemed at first an impossible mission: my board always mysteriously rebounded
on my head, while the waves would break exactly where I was paddling. At work,
there was an explosion of laughter when I proudly exposed my (only) personal project:
why, a twenty-six year old Parisian, surfing? This had to be French humor! I resolved
however to practice every week-end before coming into the office. Last summer,
I finally stood up on my board and rode the wave to the beach. It was one of the
most exhilarating moments of my life and although I still surf regularly, nothing
matches my first wave nor the pride that I felt. Because I received little help
and encouragement but prevailed, I cherish this experience which was actually
a tremendous confidence builder.
COMMENTS:
The writer demonstrates
a nice balance between her professional and her personal achievements. Her first
accomplishment shows the essayist to be a savvy business professional and highlights
her good political sense, dedication, and technical skill. The second accomplishment
rounds out the image by painting a picture of a young, healthy, active woman willing
to take risks and learn new skills at the expense of laughter and embarrassment.
The latter may have been a personal achievement, but these translate into very
lucrative professional skills as well.
^Back
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Leadership
Ability Questions
Describe a situation that
tested your leadership skills. How did you manage the situation? (Harvard)
Discuss two situations in
the past four years where you have taken an active leadership role. How do these
events demonstrate your managerial potential? (Anderson)
This question is similar
to the accomplishment question. You can employ similar tactics to answer it. Choose
situations that are real and meaningful to you, not what you think will impress
the committee the most. Do not limit yourself to using situations from only your
career, especially if the question asks you to give more than one example.
This question shares common
ground, surprisingly, with the ethical dilemma question because ethical dilemmas
often call on leadership abilities for resolution. Keep this in the back of your
mind so you can strategize if one of your applications asks both questions. On
the other hand, be careful not to bring unnecessary attention to questionable
situations when not absolutely necessary. Ethical dilemma questions are notoriously
difficult, this question does not have to be.
SAMPLE ESSAY:
Discuss two situations in
the past four years where you have taken an active leadership role. How do these
events demonstrate your managerial potential? (Anderson)
Wellwork Action Team
After working nearly a year
as a production engineer, one morning I experienced a kind of epiphany. I realized
that our profit center had effectively gained manpower and resources in the form
of increased attention from vendors with whom we had recently formed strategic
alliances. By improving communication between these vendors as well as between
our profit center and these companies, I envisioned a unified approach that could
improve and expedite our production operations. With the encouragement of the
operations superintendent, I arranged a brainstorming session for supervisory
level personnel from our operations staff and our new alliance partner's companies.
From that session, a "Wellwork Action Team" was created with the specific
purpose of improving and streamlining our operations procedures in order to reduce
the cost of increase the quality of our projects in the field.
After being chosen facilitator
for our Wellwork Action Team, I set for myself two personal goals: first, to maintain
enthusiasm among team members and second, to implement the ideas and concepts
brought forth by our team into our everyday procedures. To ensure continued involvement,
I first convinced myself that the potential benefits that might be gained from
having this team merited the time and energy of its participants. Next, I personally
committed myself to the project and firmly discussed my commitment with each of
team members. Third, I led the team in drafting a mission statement and clearly
defining our goals. We identified measurements by which we could evaluate our
progress. Finally, I promised the team members that we would keep meetings to
a minimum and re-evaluate the usefulness of our team in eight weeks.
From June 1995 to the present,
our Wellwork Action Team has successfully increased efficiency in our oil pumps,
reduced electrical costs by 6 percent, and nearly doubled the production of three
oil wells. As our team continues to evolve, we envision reducing our wellwork
budget from $5.0 million/year in 1995 to $4.6 million/year in 1996 while maintaining
oil production and reducing operating expenses. Our current challenges include
overcoming conflicts in the schedules of our team members and providing for long-term
oil recovery as well as short-term cost reduction.
Applying New Technologies
When most people envision
an oil well, they picture ten-foot-high rod pumping units, the kind common to
Los Angeles and West Texas because of their durability, availability, and efficiency.
With 300 wells on a mere 10 acre island, however, these units are impractical
for our use; a less efficient, higher cost and lower-profile type of centrifugal
pump is employed by our company. Recently, a small L.A. firm invented a new method
of using common rod-type pumps without the bulky surface equipment. This marriage
of new technology with old rod-style pumping appeared to have significant potential
for reducing costs on our island. Although I do not normally design our pumping
equipment, I assumed active project leadership when deciding to install the first
unit and apply the new technology.
Because our operations personnel
and vendor partners were unaccustomed to handling hundreds of 30-foot long rods
and putting them into use, I met with the inventor of the new subsurface equipment
and two related vendors who would supply the rods. Rather than provide specifications
to each vendor for a bid as is customary, I chose one vendor from the onset and
entrusted him with the project. I assigned him to work with the inventor of the
new equipment and asked them to together devise a low cost, high quality engineering
design for us. In doing so, the possibility existed for them to overdesign and
overprice the equipment, reducing efficiency and thus defeating our purpose. Nevertheless,
a tremendous upside potential existed in allowing the vendors to harmonize their
efforts and experience. I hoped to receive a superior product born from the sweat
equity of their two companies.
My strategy was tested in
November 1994 when two units were installed. They have operated without failure
since installation and have reduced operating costs by 38 percent on those wells.
In this instance, my management challenge was to delegate non-traditional responsibilities
to our vendors. I feel that this experience has improved our business process
and taken us further down the path towards mutually beneficial business relationships
with our vendors. I will continue to work in this manner, keeping a careful eye
out for the abuse potential created when allowing a vendor to design and price
their own equipment for our applications.
COMMENTS:
These two examples have
several positive qualities. First, they are concise and well structured. Second,
although both situations come from the professional sphere, they balance well
with each other. One focuses more on office policy and stresses the applicant's
ability to see the big picture in management. The other deals with an in-the-field
hands-on engineering solution and stresses his inventiveness, attention to detail,
and technological skills. Third, these examples stress unique background-not many
business school applicants would understand how to design oil-pumping equipment.
They show that he is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Finally, the essayist
gives very detailed proof of tangible results.
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Hobby
and Extracurricular Questions
What one nonprofessional activity
do you find most inspirational and why? (Wharton)
For fun I . . . (Kellogg)
Outside of work, I most enjoy
. . .
What interests do you have
outside your job and school? (Tuck)
This question offers a prime
opportunity to differentiate yourself by presenting a vivid description of your
life outside of work. Business schools are interested in balanced, likable applicants.
Your professional life is only part of an interrelated whole. Business schools
expect you to demonstrate the same level of dedication and passion in outside
activities as you do in business. They are also well aware that many of the best
business-related ideas occur when people are not at work, so what you do out of
the office has a measurable impact on what you can do on the job. Besides, funny,
offbeat, interesting people make work, school, and essays more exciting. Communicate
feelings of passion, commitment, and devotion. Wherever possible, demonstrate
the leadership abilities you have developed in these activities.
SAMPLE ESSAY:
What one nonprofessional
activity do you find most inspirational and why? (Wharton)
A little over two years
ago I began tutoring high school students in several types of mathematics, including
preparation for the S.A.T. Test. While I did this initially to earn money, I have
continued to tutor (often pro bono) because I enjoy the material and the contact
with the students.
I have always enjoyed math
tremendously. I can remember riding in a car for long distances as a child and
continuously calculating average speeds and percentages of distances covered as
we traveled. In college I took upper division math classes such as Real Analysis
and Game Theory (and placed near the top of the curve) though they were not required
for my major. All this time spent playing with math has left me with a deep understanding
of the way numbers work and the many ways in which problems can be solved.
When I first began tutoring
I was stunned to find that most of the kids I worked with, although very bright,
not only lacked the ability to solve complex problems, they were very uncomfortable
with some of the basic principles of math. This discomfort led to fear and avoidance,
and the avoidance led to more discomfort. A vicious cycle began. Instead of seeing
math as a beautiful system in which arithmetic, algebra and geometry all worked
together to allow one to solve problems, they saw it as a bunch of jumbled rules
which made little sense that they were forced to memorize.
As a tutor, I found that
it was important when starting with a new student to find out where his/her discomfort
with math began. Often, this meant going back several years in their education
to explain important basic concepts. For some students, fractions and decimals
were the point at which math stopped making sense. For many others, it was the
introduction of letters to represent numbers in algebra. Some students found that
identifying their weaknesses was an embarrassing process. I explained to them
that it was not their fault. Everyone comes to understand new concepts in math
in a slightly different way, and the problem was that no teacher had taken the
time to explain their "problem area" in a way which would make sense to them.
Since math was a system, once they missed out on that one building block, it was
not surprising that the rest of it did not make sense. Our mission together would
be to find the way in which the system worked for them.
Once we had identified the
initial "problem area," I would spend a lot of time getting the student to
play with questions in that area from a lot of different perspectives. For example,
if fractions were the problem, then I would create games to get the student to
think of fractions in terms of division, ratios, decimals or other equivalent
systems. This would often be a fairly unstructured process, as I wanted to see
how the student's mind worked and keep them from feeling any anxiety. Usually
it did not take long for the concepts to start becoming clear to the student,
as he/she played with the numbers in the absence of the pressure of school. My
goal was to not just white wash over a students weaknesses with a few rules which
would be quickly forgotten, but to help them develop an understanding and an appreciation
for the underlying principles.
I found this process to
be very satisfying for both myself and the young men and women that I taught.
It was a wonderful feeling to have a student laugh out loud with relief as a principle
which had been unclear and causing anxiety for years suddenly made sense. Once
these old "problem areas" were cleared up it was usually quite simple to make
clear the subjects that they were working on at the time, especially since I already
had an understanding of how they were best able to understand new concepts. Again,
I found it important to get the student to play with the new material and look
at it in several ways so as to develop a true understanding of the material.
I was quite successful as
a tutor. One young man increased his Math S.A.T. by 150 points. Another student
improved so dramatically in geometry, her test scores jumped from about 55 percent
to over 90 percent, that her teacher kept her after class and asked if she was
cheating. Although most of my students did not improve this dramatically, I walked
away from every lesson that I gave feeling that I had helped someone understand
and enjoy math. I hope to be able to continue teaching, if only for a few hours
a week, for the rest of my life.
COMMENTS:
This essay shows that this
applicant is dedicated not just to helping people, but to academics, learning,
and math. His tutoring does not make us believe his sincerity; the thoughtfulness
and detail with which he describes it do. He has put obvious time into developing
an effective method of teaching. The writer shows that he is result-oriented by
measuring his success in terms of real numbers and percentage increases. Someone
who applies such standards of accountability to his extracurricular life is sure
to bring the same standards to school and business.
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Role
Model Questions
Describe the individuals that
you look up to as role models in your professional work. (Michigan)
Describe the characteristics
of an exceptional manager by examining someone whom you have observed or with
whom you have worked. Illustrate how his or her management style has influenced
you. (Tuck)
If you could walk in someone
else's shoes for a day, whose would you choose and why? (Chicago)
Business schools learn a
lot about your professional development through your description of your mentors.
They can determine not only what you have learned but the types of people from
whom you have learned. However, like the accomplishments question, this question
shows a lot about your values and standards. It is a little like getting to know
a person by the people with whom he or she chooses to spend time. If you are skeptical,
consider the different impression you would have of the candidate who admires
a dynamic, colorful, public leader compared with someone who looks up to an accomplished
but soft-spoken academic.
Who you chose is more important
than how you portray that person. In other words, do not choose a person because
you think it will impress the committee. Name dropping is not only obvious, it
is ineffective. If your mentor is a public figure, be sure to demonstrate that
you have a real, direct relationship with and that you learned tangible lessons
from the person. Keep your essay short and simple. Never elevate your mentor at
the expense of yourself. Show admiration, not awe. In other words, choose a mentor,
not a hero. A mentor is someone whom you realistically aspire to emulate, whereas
a hero's qualities are beyond our reach.
If the question calls for
more than one mentor, try comparing two very different people or people from two
unrelated areas of your life. Show how you incorporated the best pieces of wisdom
from both. As always, use concrete examples both when describing these people
and when demonstrating the effect they have had on you. Do more than list their
qualities-tell a story that shows how they have put these qualities to use.
You can follow these steps
to structure this essay:
- Introduce the person and
the context in which you know him or her.
- Describe a few of the mentor's
key qualities that you most admire.
- Relate one or two particular
scenarios that demonstrate these qualities.
- Describe what you have
learned from the person. What do you now do differently as a result of having
known your mentor? How have you or your actions changed?
- Be concrete. Cite specific
examples of things that you have learned. Describe the situations in which you
learned these things. Show how you have used this knowledge to your professional
advantage.
A variation on the question
is, "If you could walk in someone else's shoes for a day . . . ." This is
a cross between an ideal career question and a role model question. Whereas the
other role model questions ask for mentors, this question asks for heroes. You
do not need to make your response as realistic-feel free to loosen up and have
fun. However, always consider what committee members will infer from your choice.
Answer this question more concisely than you would the role model one. Simply
state who you would choose and answer why. Did you choose this person because
he or she is similar or dissimilar to you? Did you do choose your mentor for what
you can learn from that person or to effect a change? Would you ever seriously
consider this person's life as a career, or are you just having fun?
SAMPLE ESSAY:
Describe the characteristics
of an exceptional manager by examining someone whom you have observed or with
whom you have worked. Illustrate how his or her management style has influenced
you. (Tuck)
In management consulting,
strong analytical skills are valued as much as, if not more than, effective managerial
and leadership skills. Unfortunately, for some consultants, these characteristics,
at times, are mutually exclusive. I was fortunate, however, to work with [name]
on my first major project at [consulting firm]. As my project manager, he demonstrated
a superior combination of leadership, managerial, and communication skills. As
a result of our interaction, I learned several important lessons and tools that
I used on subsequent projects to improve my effectiveness as a team leader.
To begin, [name] is a true
leader who exhibits courage and dedication. A powerful trait rarely found in the
realm of business, courage is unique in its ability to unify and motivate people.
Moreover, his courage is balanced appropriately with professionalism, strong values,
and humility. He is sensitive to others' feelings and recognizes that different
people require different types of direction and treatment. Although he often works
with diverse and difficult groups, he always seems able to reach consensus and
create a shared vision and purpose. Furthermore, he excels at establishing priorities
and proactively setting direction.
As an effective manager,
[name] also is able to translate his broad direction into discrete, tangible tasks.
Since consultants often use difficult or creative analytical approaches, clearly
articulating tasks and defining outputs is very important. In addition, he exercises
the appropriate level of supervision. Rather than micro-managing his team members,
[name] establishes clear accountabilities and expectations and pushes work down
to the correct level. As a result, he creates a strong sense of ownership and
leverages the skills of his team members. Furthermore, he excels at creating a
supportive environment and, when necessary, coaching team members to help them
develop new skills.
Finally, [name] is a masterful
communicator. He is the only project manager I have had who gave me consistent
and constructive feedback, importantly, both positive and negative. Such feedback
not only provides clear developmental objectives, but also signals to others that
he values their contributions. This type of balanced and open communication quickly
forms the foundation of mutual trust and respect. Furthermore, [name] excels in
the art of negotiation and debate. He states his points with remarkable precision
and is expert at remaining objective and recognizing all sides of an argument.
And, regardless of the volatility of a situation or the strength of his feelings,
he always listens to all positions patiently and effectively controls his demonstration
of emotion, thereby gaining the respect of others and lending additional credibility
to his positions.
Given my limited experience
managing teams, my exposure to [name] was central to my early success at [consulting
firm]. For example, although I had considered myself a leader in athletics, I
had not learned to translate those skills into the business arena. [Name] taught
me several effective methods to lead teams. Admittedly, as a highly motivated
young analyst with very high work standards, I also lacked many of the skills
required for effective team leadership. However, I quickly learned the importance
of flexibility and became more comfortable providing feedback and directing the
work of others. Furthermore, through his example, [name] taught me the importance
of objectivity and the utility of several effective communication techniques.
For example, I learned to use my sense of humor as an effective tool to persuade,
disarm, or motivate others.
Early in my career at [consulting
firm], I had several rare opportunities to lead client teams. In part due to the
lessons I learned from [name], these projects were a great success. As a result,
I went on to manage a half dozen diverse and difficult client teams that ranged
in membership. With each project, I further refined the lessons I learned from
[name] and developed new techniques for leading and managing teams. Due to my
rapid development, I was promoted to [position], a managerial, post-M.B.A. position
at [consulting firm], signifying that I can progress to the partner level. Although
I realize my tool kit is far from complete, these skills will be invaluable both
in business school and beyond.
COMMENTS:
This is another essay that
stands out because of its solid writing and superior organization. It starts with
a bold assertion to catch the reader's attention and then uses the assertion
to introduce the mentor's most outstanding quality. Each of the next three paragraphs
clearly asserts and describes an additional supporting quality. The essay concludes
with examples of how the mentor's influence has tangibly affected the writer's
actions and work performance, resulting in rapid promotion.
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Failure
Questions
To recognize that effective
managers are able to learn from failure, describe a failure that you have experienced.
What did you learn from the experience? (Harvard)
Any applicant who tries
to claim or assert perfection on the application would, at best, be treated as
a joke. No one is perfect, and no admissions committee expects perfection. Yet,
more than any other question, this one strikes fear into the hearts of applicants.
However, answering this question does not need to be difficult. You must get past
the biggest hurdle-your own reticence.
Failure often results from
good intentions and admirable qualities such as initiative, leadership, and risk
taking. Take advantage of the fact that failure will sometimes result from our
best qualities. Any leader who has tried to forge a new path has made a mistake
somewhere along the way. If you are honest and forthright about the mistake you
made, people will remember the intention over the result. Besides, the committee
is not interested in judging you on your mistake, they simply want to know how
you dealt with it. The only real way to flunk this question is to dodge it. If
you choose a trite or irrelevant topic, the committee will either question your
honesty and your maturity or doubt your ability to lead, take risks, and think
outside the box.
If you are having trouble
choosing a situation, consider the following guidelines:
- Choose something that has
happened recently. Delving too far into your past is an obvious cop-out.
- Do not limit yourself to
professional failures, but do not shy away from them either. Admissions committees
are aware of the risk inherent in choosing job failures and will give you points
for being forthright.
- Do not choose anything
overly dramatic or that would call your morals into question. The reader should
be able to relate to your failure, not be shocked by it.
If you cannot clearly state
what you learned from the incident or the actions that you took to amend it, then
pick something else. When you are writing, take a simple, straightforward, objective
tone. Do not try to excuse your actions. Let your story speak for itself. Keep
your essay as concise as possible.
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Very
Personal Questions
If we had met you five years
ago and then met you again today, how would we say that you have changed? Include
specific examples that characterize your development. (Sloan)
In thirty to forty years,
when you reflect back on your life, what criteria will you use when judging if
you have been successful? What are the main achievements/events that you hope
will have taken place? (Anderson)
Please provide us with a summary
of your personal and family background. Include information about where you grew
up, your parents' occupations, your siblings, and perhaps a highlight or special
memory from your youth. (Anderson)
Each of us has been influenced
by the people, events, and situations occurring in our lives. How have these influences
shaped who you are today? (Stanford)
What seminal influences or
experiences, broadly defined (a book, teacher, friend, relative, sojourn, hobby,
and so forth), have especially contributed to your personal development? What
correlation, if any, does your personal development have to your professional
goals? (Berkeley)
Describe yourself and the
significant events that have shaped you. (Michigan)
All essay questions, as
we have already mentioned, are a way for the admissions committee to learn more
about you personally. The getting personal questions just ask more directly than
others. They give you a direct opportunity to speak for yourself. They can be
tricky, though, because they are often extremely open-ended.
Be selective. You cannot
include every detail about yourself, so you have to pick wisely. Some applicants
want to tell everything, fearful that they will leave out a crucial detail on
which their acceptance, and future, could hinge. Do not give in to this temptation.
Instead, focus on one or two significant qualities or characteristics that give
the admissions committee genuine insight into you.
Many of the questions in
this category are worded creatively or ask you to use your imagination. This is
intended to get you to loosen up and be yourself. If the question takes you off
guard, let it-it means the committee is looking for an unguarded answer. This
makes many applicants uncomfortable. They try to present themselves objectively
but end up distancing themselves from the subject matter with overly long words
and a dry, academic tone. This is a grave mistake since the whole point of this
essay is to reveal something about yourself. Therefore, put your heart into this
essay.
This category does not have
one standard question-every school asks it in a different way. Although each school's
question will differ from the next, most of the personal questions still fit into
one of three categories: personal development, personal goals, or personal background
and influence.
^Back
to Top
For tips
on answering general application questions, click
here.
Move on to Lesson Two: Brainstorming a Topic
From
ESSAYS THAT WILL GET YOU INTO COLLEGE,
by Amy Burnham, Daniel Kaufman, and Chris Dowhan. |
Copyright
1998 by Dan Kaufman. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational
Series, Inc. |
|
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