A Thought Experiment To Transform Your MBA Essays

Every year, as I work with candidates applying to top schools like Harvard, INSEAD, Wharton, and Stanford, I observe the same pattern: smart, accomplished individuals trying to summarize their life’s journey on paper – yet struggling to determine what truly matters. Which moments? Which decisions? Which parts of their story will reveal the qualities schools are looking for?

That’s where this simple thought experiment comes in. Before you write a single word, imagine this: If a stranger observed you over the past few years – with no access to your thoughts or feelings, only your actions – what would they conclude about you?

• Where did you spend your time and energy?
• How did you interact with others?
• What did you prioritize, pursue, or sacrifice?
• When you faced hard choices, which way did you turn?

This exercise can feel uncomfortable, but it’s profoundly clarifying. It forces you to step outside the version of your story you tell yourself and instead examine the patterns your life shows. And in a process where many candidates get stuck trying to impress, that kind of honest reflection is what cuts through the noise. 

Why This Exercise Works – and How it Shapes Better Essays

One of the most common challenges I see among applicants to top MBA programs is the pressure to figure out what their essays should say. Should they highlight leadership? Show resilience? Demonstrate global experience? There’s an understandable temptation to reverse-engineer the “right” narrative – but the truth is, there is no formula. What distinguishes the most compelling essays is not just what’s included, but the depth of insight behind it. And as my colleague Matt Symonds said, “Each candidate has a deeply personal story to share and it is so powerful when you see the shift from ‘what does HBS or Stanford want to hear?’ to ‘what do I want to say?’”

That’s where this thought experiment becomes so valuable.

By imagining your life as an outsider would see it, you strip away the noise of self-justification or polished explanation and focus on the patterns that reveal who you really are:

• • How you show up in relationships, in work, in moments of challenge
  • What you consistently pursue and why it matters to you
  • When you stretch yourself and what drives that growth

• Where you invest your time, attention, and energy

These are precisely the kinds of signals admissions committees look for. As my former colleagues and I often reflected during my time at INSEAD, the most memorable applications offered a clear, authentic window into the person behind the profile. They showed a story. 

The goal of most top MBA programs is to bring together a class of individuals with momentum, intentionality, and self-awareness who keep evolving. Resumes, of course, assist in their search, but resumes list experiences rather than tell a story. This exercise helps you start uncovering the story behind those experiences, spotting the threads that tie them together – before you ever draft a single word.

Write Honestly, Then Edit

Taking a step back to observe the patterns in your life can help you cut through the two biggest challenges MBA applicants face: figuring out what matters and knowing how to communicate it. I’ve worked with candidates across industries, functions, and geographies, and no matter how impressive their backgrounds, they often hit the same roadblocks:

• Getting stuck in resume mode.
  Many candidates start by rehashing achievements or milestones, not taking into account that the admissions team already has their resume. The essays are your opportunity to go beyond those resume bullet points – to add meaning, context, and personal insight, painting a picture of the human behind the facts and figures of your accomplishments. 
• Chasing what they think the school wants.
  It’s tempting to shape your story around perceived expectations: leadership, impact, ambition. But the most compelling essays don’t aim to impress; they aim to express. They reflect genuine priorities and a personal path.
• Struggling to connect the dots.
  It’s easy to feel like your experiences are disconnected: a career pivot here, an unexpected challenge there. This exercise helps you see the patterns – the through-lines that show momentum, values, and growth.

As someone who’s sat on the admissions side of the table, I can tell you: what the committee is looking for isn’t a perfect narrative, but a coherent, honest one. And that’s what this kind of reflection makes possible.

How Coaching Supports This Process

Doing this kind of reflection on your own can be surprisingly difficult. We all have blind spots in how we see ourselves – habits we take for granted, motivations we haven’t fully named, or patterns we underestimate. 

This is where working with a coach can make a transformative difference.

At Fortuna, our goal is to help you uncover the moments, values, and motivations that already define you – and to bring them forward with clarity and purpose. A good coach asks the right questions. We challenge vague answers, press for specificity, and help you connect dots you might not have seen on your own. Together, we explore:

• What matters most to you and how that shows up in your life
• What decisions shaped your path and what they reveal about your character
• Where you’re heading next and how your past has prepared you for it

In an admissions landscape crowded with polished, predictable applications, the candidates who stand out are those who have done the real work of reflection. Coaching gives you the space, support, and structure to do that work – so that when you sit down to write, you’re not guessing at what to say. You know. You lived it. 

Your Story, With Clarity & Purpose

At its heart, the MBA application process is about demonstrating the self-awareness, resilience, and curiosity that will define you as a student, leader, and alum. Before you dive into essays, take the time to look honestly at your own story. Ask yourself what your actions reveal about your values, where you’ve grown, and how you’ve shaped your path. 

Right now, you’re in a process of becoming. That kind of clarity is what helps admissions committees see the real you – not just what you’ve accomplished, but what drives you forward, where you want to go next, and why you’ll enrich the classroom and community around you.

If you’re ready to do the hard work of reflection and turn it into a powerful application, Fortuna’s expert coaches are here to guide you every step of the way.

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Caroline Diarte Edwards is a Director at Fortuna Admissions and former Director of MBA Admissions at INSEAD. With over 20 years of experience in MBA admissions, she has helped thousands of applicants gain acceptance to the world’s most competitive 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 MBA profile and personalized feedback on your next steps, schedule a free consultation.

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