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Lesson
One: Business School Essay Question Help
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.
Back to Top
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 to Top
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 to Top
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.
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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:
1. Introduce
the person and the context in which you know him
or her.
2. Describe a
few of the mentor’s key qualities that you
most admire.
3. Relate one
or two particular scenarios that demonstrate
these qualities.
4. 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?
5. 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.
Back to Top
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:
1. Choose
something that has happened recently. Delving too
far into your past is an obvious cop-out.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Back to Top
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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