Tips for Writing a Strong Goals Essay

The goals essay plays an important role in articulating the “why” behind your MBA pursuit. Having a strong goals essay can convey to admissions officers that you can build a plan to reach a goal.

Melisa Prevost, an MBA admissions counselor at Stratus Admissions Counseling, recently offered a few tips on how to write a standout goals essay for your MBA applications.

FOCUS ON THE “WHY”

If you’re struggling to put words onto the paper, Prevost says it can be helpful to first pick a specific example or story that encompasses the “why” behind your goals.

“A story that articulates what has inspired your goals—for example, your experience working on a consulting project or a passion that until now has only been a part of your extracurricular life—can be a compelling way to begin a goals essay,” Prevost says.

CONNECT THE STORY TO YOUR LONG-TERM GOAL

After you’ve determined the “why,” make a connection between your story and your long-term goal.

“Your long-term goal can be directional—if we’ve learned anything in the past couple of years, it’s that things can change,” Prevost says. “What role do you ideally see yourself in 20 years from now, and how would it help you achieve your aspiration? This role can be your long-term goal. What is your target industry? In what kind of company or industry do you want to work? A startup? Something midsized? A large and established corporation? CPG? Finance? Tech?”

When determining long-term goals, be sure to pick ones that have a direct correlation to your past experiences.

“It’s hard to make the case that you want to pursue a certain path if you haven’t had even a touch of exposure to it in the past,” Katie McQuarrie, an MBA admissions consultant at Vantage Point MBA, says. “For instance, if your pre-MBA career is in investment banking, it would be hard to justify a long-term goal as the founder of a nonprofit.”

SHOW YOUR RESEARCH

When reading your essay, admissions officers will be assessing your potential fit to their MBA program. Thus, it’s important to demonstrate that you’ve done specific research on their B-school.

After determining your goals, be sure to research the MBA program and find what classes, experiential learning opportunities, clubs, or professors can help you reach your goals.

“It is much more valuable to speak in depth about a couple of resources than it is to include a laundry list,” Prevost says. “Show you’ve taken time to think about what you can learn from each one—and how you can contribute.”

Sources: Stratus Admissions Counseling, Vantage Point MBA

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