Ace Your MBA Video Essays in Three Easy Steps

By now, most of us are Zoom masters, well-practiced at talking into our computer screens. But if you think that your Zoom experience makes MBA video essays — now a common component in many top-tier business school applications — an easy win, think again. Delivering your message feels much harder when there is a clock ticking down every second, and with no human being listening at the other end of the webcam.

Since the first video essays came on the scene nearly a decade ago, Fortuna Admissions coaches have helped hundreds of MBA candidates ace their video essays. We offer three steps you can take to make sure you do the same.

THREE TIPS FOR ACING YOUR MBA VIDEO ESSAY

Don’t just rehearse. Dress rehearse.

Video essays vary slightly school by school. Some schools, like London Business School and Kellogg, let you know some or all of the questions in advance. Others, like Rotman and INSEAD, assign questions entirely at random. Whichever schools you are applying to, match your practice sessions as closely as possible to what your real-life experience will be. This means recording yourself in a single take, within the specified time, with no one else on the other end of the line.

For questions you know you are going to get in advance, you can practice many times until you feel you’ve got your answers down. To practice randomized questions, research for a list of sample questions and answer three at a time. Do not allow yourself to re-record if you don’t like your answers. Instead, send them to someone for feedback — an admissions coach if you are working with one, or a trusted friend or mentor if you aren’t. (If you can’t find a feedback buddy, evaluate yourself, but in that case, it’s best to watch them at least a day after recording.)

Repeat this as many times as is necessary until you feel comfortable, not only answering the questions you practice but thinking on your feet to answer any question that may come up within the allotted time.

Set the stage.

A common question applicants ask is, “Do I need to wear a suit?” The answer is no (although you are welcome to) but appearance does matter (view this related article by Fortuna’s Karen Hamou, What to Wear on Video). Recommended dress is business casual, but on video, your appearance doesn’t stop there; it’s everything that the camera and microphone pick up.

So, before you record, set the stage. Pick a spot to record where your background is uncluttered (a bare wall behind you is often best). Check that you are well-lit. (If lighting is an issue, consider purchasing an inexpensive USB ring light). And, finally, make sure your voice is clear and easy to hear. In most cases, this will mean using an external microphone or headset, as built-in microphones can be insufficient on even the best computers.

Smile like you mean it.

Unless you are already a TikTok star, you are likely to find it a little weird talking to a computer with no one connected on the other end. It’s a situation that naturally lends itself to a somewhat robotic style of communication — after all, you’re talking to a machine.

However, admissions committees are looking to get a sense of your warmth and personality that they cannot glean from your written essays, so it’s vital that you convey enthusiasm and emotive impact. The very best way to do this is with appropriate smiling. Your feedback buddy should tell you if you’re going overboard, but in my experience, applicants are much more likely to underdo it than to overdo it, so when in doubt, err on the side of great, big smiles.

For more advice, please check out Fortuna’s collection of school-specific video tips and guidance on how to nail your video essays and interviews.

Cassandra Pittman is an expert coach at Fortuna Admissions, a team of former admissions directors and business school insiders from top US and European business schools. For more free advice from Fortuna Admissions in partnership with Poets&Quants, check out these videos and articles. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.