This Year’s Essays Demand Authenticity

Dartmouth   

1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you, and what will you uniquely contribute to the community? If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals. (500 words.)

2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience? (500 words.)

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience? (500 words.)

UC-Berkeley

1. If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (250 words.)

2. What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 words.)

3. Describe a time in the last three years when you overcame a failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 words.)

4. What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals? How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (750 words.)

Virginia (Darden)

1. Share your thought process as you encountered a challenging work situation or complex problem. What did you learn about yourself? (500 words.)

Michigan (Ross)

1. Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates. (100 words.)

2. a. What about your professional experiences has led you to determine that business school is the right next step? (150 words.)

b. As you have researched MBA programs, what actions have you taken to learn more about Ross and what has led you to believe that Ross is the right MBA program for you? (150 words.)

c. What career do you plan to pursue after business school and why? (150 words.)

3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What advice would you give to a colleague who was dealing with a similar situation? (400 words.)

New York (Stern)

1. Why pursue an MBA (or dual degree) at this point in your life? What actions have you taken to determine that Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience? What do you see yourself doing professionally upon graduation? (750 words.)

2. Option A: Describe two different and distinct paths you could see your career taking long term. How do you see your two paths unfolding? How do your paths tie to the mission of NYU Stern? What factors will most determine which path you will take? (500 words.)

Option B: Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative. (500 words.)

Yale   

1. What motivates your decision to pursue an MBA?  (300 words.)

2. The Yale School of Management provides leadership education for broad-minded, rigorous, and intellectually curious students with diverse backgrounds; a distinctive integrated curriculum; connections to one of the great research universities in the world; and the broad reach of an innovative and expanding global network of top business schools. What motivates you to apply to the Yale School of Management for your MBA? What will you contribute to Yale and Yale SOM? (450 words.)