A compelling MBA application essay can help set you apart from hundreds of other candidates and boost your chances of admission to your preferred business school, experts say.
“We use the essay here to really get to know the student, what makes them tick, what they’re excited about, what their professional and personal goals are for their time in the MBA program and beyond,” says Gale Gold Nichols, executive director of the full-time and flex MBA program at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
With good preparation and execution, a successful business school essay will help you communicate these points and stand out during the admission process.
Here’s what to know about writing MBA application essays.
MBA Application Essay Prompts
Because there is no Common Application for MBA programs, you should expect to answer different prompts for each program.
Most will ask why you want to pursue an MBA. Even if the prompt is broad, you should demonstrate that you’ve researched the school by explaining why you want an MBA from that particular program, says Susan Cera, MBA admissions director at Stratus Admissions Counseling.
Other prompts may ask about your career goals, leadership experience, backup plans or a challenge you’ve overcome. Some are more creative, like the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University‘s “25 Random Things About Yourself” prompt, which asks for “a list, not an essay” about “what makes you, YOU.”
The Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University asks you to pick six images reflecting your personality, perspective, values or motivations and write a single sentence about each, along with a short introduction. Some programs ask for video responses in lieu of an essay.
The number of essays required also varies. For example, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania requires two essays while Kelley requires three, and both accept an optional essay about anything else you want the school to know.
“That’s a good opportunity for a student to share something they’re very excited about or talk about a weakness they perceive in their application,” Nichols says.
[READ: 3 Factors to Help Find the MBA Program That’s Right for You.]
What Makes a Successful MBA Essay
Aside from an interview, your essay gives schools the clearest picture of who you are, what motivates you and why you belong in their MBA program. Focus on making it memorable and authentic — the most important thing is to be yourself in content and tone, experts say.
Some applicants mistakenly believe an essay should reflect their preconceived idea of a “typical MBA student” — that they should be an investment banker or consultant on the way in, or aim to be one on the way out, Cera says. This often leads them to write about goals they think will impress admissions officers, such as working for industry leaders in consulting or technology.
Admissions officers would much rather learn about your real goals and dreams — whether that’s working for a major company, starting your own venture or returning to your family business with more education.
“If you’ve got a real passion for that and your family business is dear to your heart, you love it and want to get an MBA to have more skills to continue to grow your family business — wonderful,” Nichols says. “Tell us that. That’s exciting.”
MBA programs value building a class of students with different perspectives from life and work experiences, so embrace your unique story in your essays, Cera says.
“The piece applicants often miss is explaining how their presence in that program will add value to everyone else in it,” she says. “Explain what you will contribute to that school. It should be specific and it should be meaningful. Those are the exact words that Wharton asks in one of their essays.”
[Avoid 4 Surprising Application Mistakes Prospective MBAs Make]
How Long Are MBA Essays?
Required lengths vary by program, but most MBA essays are 250 to 500 words. For example, the two required essays for Wharton are 400 and 500 words, respectively.
Kelley requires essays of 300 and 500 words, plus a 25-word fact about yourself.
Pitfalls to Avoid
Experts say you should be mindful of these common mistakes.
Not Fully Answering the Prompt
Business schools craft their essay prompts to find out if you’re a good fit for their program. Failing to clearly answer the question is one of the biggest mistakes applicants make, says Caryn Altman, senior MBA admissions consultant at Stacy Blackman Consulting and former admissions officer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.
“Many times an applicant is so excited to relay a particular story that they don’t step back and strategically think about what the question is truly asking,” Altman wrote in an email. “A successful essay fully answers the essay prompt and looks to give the reader a strategic understanding of who you are. Use all the essays in conjunction with each other to tell the full story.”
[How to Get Accepted to Multiple Top Business Schools]
Failing to Prepare
Essay prompts are typically released in May or June each year. In the months before, take inventory of your interests, passions, motivations, the impact you hope to make on the world, and articulate why you’re the right fit for that program, along with specific post-MBA goals, Cera says.
Make sure you can describe the role, region and industry you aim to work in. “Almost every school wants to know what you are going to be trying to do when you finish your degree,” she says.
Preparing well makes answering a variety of prompts more straightforward.
Failing to Proofread
Preparing the content of your essays early allows more time for proofreading and editing, which experts say can be time-consuming.
It’s wise to enlist friends or advisers who have gone through an MBA program to proofread essays and give constructive feedback. Watch for silly mistakes like spelling errors or including the wrong school name, Nichols says.
“That doesn’t doom the person’s candidacy,” she says, “but it’s not a good look.”
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