MBA Admissions Advice: The MBA Essay

MBA Sample Essays

Whew! You're in the midst of applying to business school, and it's time to write your MBA application essays. But first, before you start ruminating about that first MBA essay, take a deep breath. Let's assess your status: You have your GPA. You studied for and took the GMAT. You've worked for a few years after graduating college. Hopefully you have even carved out time for community service and your own recreational interests. Now you are about to begin the last stage - writing your essays and completing your b-school applications - the only one over which you still have any influence. You can't change your competition, and you can't change what you've done to date, but you can make sure that what you submit in the future is your best

The importance of a powerful and original personal essay cannot be underestimated. While your GMAT score, academic record and employment history give admissions officers vital, yet dry, information about your achievements, skills and experiences, it is the essay that reveals your personality. It is no wonder then that literally all MBA programs require applicants to submit a personal writing sample in one form or another. This gives you a chance to present aspects of your unique individuality, explain your motivation and aspirations and otherwise compel the admissions committee to accept your candidacy

A good essay takes a great deal of time and thought, followed by hard work in composing and writing. The first step involves much thinking and re-thinking in order to determine what information and ideas are relevant and important enough to be included. It also takes time to decide how to make one’s essay stand out enough to attract the attention of admissions officers. Then, there are questions of structure, style, word choice and grammar

MBA Sample Essays

You want to present a compelling essay that puts you ahead of the applicant pack at your target MBA program. But how can you do so – without spending tons of time writing

Sample MBA Essay

Personal Background

Everyone was Korean in Seoul. No one was Korean in Prichard. Motorcycles and mopeds crammed Seoul's roads. Trees and flowers lined Prichard's streets. In cosmopolitan Seoul, I was a favorite son showered with attention from a large circle of extended family. In suburban Prichard, knowing no one but my parents, I was the only Asian child in the neighborhood. Indeed immigrating to the U.S. from Korea and settling down in a suburb of Mobile as a twelve-year old child dramatically changed my life. Uprooted from the people I knew and the things I was used to, I felt lonely, helpless, and uncomfortable in my new surroundings. However, I redirected the negative feelings into a force of strength that propelled me to excel in academics. Furthermore, the immigrant experience gave me adaptation skills that helped me as a foreign exchange student in Japan and as a businessman working with people of different cultures and backgrounds

Pampered materially and nurtured emotionally in Seoul, I lived with relatives close by and a helping hand available whenever I needed it. My school, while stiflingly competitive and committed to regular doses of corporal punishment, presented a system which I understood and was familiar with. Although the neighborhood lacked open areas, it was a close-knit community where children addressed the lady next door as "aunt" and housewives frequently shared recipes. I was completely at home, ethnically, linguistically, and in every other respect

My new life in Prichard contrasted sharply with my old one in Seoul. The neighborhood, while serene, lacked the extended support network of friends and family I had back home. School frustrated and demoralized me because I had learned only the first fourteen letters of the English alphabet and a few basic words before our arrival. After a fourteen-hour workday in the family restaurant, my exhausted parents were unable to help me. Further compounding my difficulties, I experienced racial bigotry for the first time in my life. Ethnic slurs and insults, which I managed to understand with rapidity, made me painfully aware I was different from others

In the face of these obstacles, I started to question the purpose behind immigrating to the U.S. Seeing my parents' exhausted silhouettes seven times a week, I began to understand the motivation behind the move that forever altered my life: a chance at a brighter future in the U.S. Because no one could help us, we had to help ourselves. Armed with this reinvigorating realization, I began to hoist myself out of loneliness, helplessness, and discomfort

Since my school did not offer remedial English classes for immigrant students, I began studying with only the help of an English-Korean dictionary. Although I was focused and determined, streams of below average grades accompanied my first year in school. Nonetheless, by expending two to three times the effort of others, I started to notice signs of improvement. A well-timed vote of confidence came from my seventh-grade reading instructor, Mr. John Smith. In his class, the highest possible grade — a B — was given to only one student per school year. Aiming for that coveted prize, I managed to improve my grades from a D in the first semester to the B in the final semester. At the year-end award ceremony, Mr. Smith specifically commended my achievement in front of the student body. While I received many other academic accolades in later years, no one validated my efforts and boosted my self-confidence more than that short yet significant praise

Although it has been fourteen years since I arrived in Prichard, the immigrant experience has strengthened my character in ways that will be professionally and socially beneficial for years to come. As an immigrant child, I learned how to transition from one culture to another. This skill helped me when I had to make that transition again as a foreign exchange student in Japan. Additionally, having experienced the degradation of ethnic bigotry, I have learned to be sensitive toward different people and cultures

Sample MBA Essay

Goals Essay

It is critical in the goals essay found in almost every MBA application to show that you have clear direction and purpose based on experience and planning. Business school is not another opportunity to "find yourself."

8:00 AM. July 1, 2010. The 23^rd floor of the Bank of China building in Hong Kong. A woman sitting behind the mahogany desk calls a Shanghai trader to buy 200,000 shares of China Telecom's stock. Moments later, she dashes into a teleconference with Tokyo analysts. When the teleconference finally concludes two hours later, the woman rushes down the stairs, hails a taxi to the Chek Lap Kok Airport, catches a flight to Thailand, and ends her day with a meeting with the CFO of DynaTech Computers. I look forward to maintaining this busy schedule as a portfolio manager of an international equity mutual fund about ten years after obtaining my MBA. The Top School academic experience can build on my public accounting training and my multi-cultural and multi-lingual background to prepare me for work first as an equity analyst in the mutual fund industry and ultimately as a portfolio manager specializing in Asian Pacific equities

As a CPA and staff accountant with Big 6 for the past two and a half years, I have developed a solid foundation in teamwork, analytical, and problem-solving skills. As a bilingual associate of the Asia-Pacific Business Group, I specialize in auditing the financial statements of in-bound Asian businesses. However, while Big 6 provides expansive career opportunities in public accounting, I have reached a plateau in developing the analytical and management skills necessary to achieve my ultimate career goal of money management. In public accounting, we measure and examine financial transactions of the past. In contrast, money managers examine the current attributes of securities and attempt to predict their future performance; unfortunately, this forward-looking focus is absent in public accounting. Unable to delve into financial areas beyond accounting and limited in obtaining more challenging analytical experiences, I am also constrained by the compliance nature of public accounting. I cannot acquire the advanced financial skills necessary to understand how financial assets are created and traded and how they are leveraged in national and international capital markets

Furthermore, an effective manager in the 21^st century must be well-versed in international business transactions. Unfortunately, my desire to gain this broader understanding of the increasingly interdependent global economy remains unsatisfied at Big 6. Although I have utilized my Chinese language skills in servicing our Asian clients and engaged in comparative technical analysis of U.S. GAAP and French, Taiwanese, and Japanese financial reporting requirements, my exposure to and knowledge of broader transactional issues such as international transfer pricing has been limited. Finally, as our audits focus mainly on the clients' compliance with U.S. GAAP and foreign accounting and reporting requirements, they provide few opportunities to appreciate the "big picture" of international business

A background in financial reporting and servicing Asia-Pacific business clients. The ability to converse fluently in Chinese. An understanding of Chinese, Japanese, and American cultures. I will bring these qualities to the Top School program and ultimately to my career in international investment management. As a first step toward achieving my career goals, I have registered to take level one of the CFA examination in June 1993 and plan to complete the entire examination series upon graduation from Top Ten. Armed with the CFA certification and Top School's international bent, strength in finance and management training, I will be ready to place that call to the trader in China, conduct the teleconference with Tokyo, and visit the CFO in Thailand

Sample MBA Essay

The Guitarist

This applicant puts his youthful academic difficulties in a context of developing determination, discipline, success, and breadth

The lights dimmed; the crowd began to hush. As I walked onto the stage, I saw that the club was packed with people. The butterflies in my stomach awoke and began fluttering about, and I felt the urge to turn and run off. In a dreamlike trance, I picked up my bass guitar and strapped it around my neck. A spotlight cut through the darkness and focused upon the stage, blinding me momentarily. I heard the drummer begin a four count. Suddenly the club came alive, and resounding music filled the Whisky-A-Go-Go, where twenty-five years earlier, The Doors had begun their musical career. An exhilarating sense of humility and wonder came over me as I thought, "How did I get here

My career as a bass guitarist in a rock and roll band has had the greatest impact on my life. Playing in a band was important to me because it represented a challenge: transcending the familiar confines of my life and entering completely unknown territory. I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds and go to places that I might never have gone otherwise. The dark, mysterious atmosphere of a Hollywood night club was a far cry from the neat and tidy math and engineering classrooms I had been accustomed to.

A year and a half before our appearance at the Whisky-A-Go-Go, bass guitar was about as familiar to me as Swahili. When I started playing, it was hard for me to believe that I would ever play for anyone outside of a garage, much less at a world-famous Hollywood club. I began playing bass at the age of twenty, with only a rudimentary knowledge of music theory. My only experience playing any kind of musical instrument was limited to two years of piano and one year of violin during elementary school. When some of my friends formed their band, they convinced me that I would make a fine bass player. (I believe their assessment was based more on our friendship than on any real evaluation of my musical ability.) I consented, and we started our first band

We rehearsed in a friend's garage. Learning to play an instrument was difficult; learning to play an instrument while learning how to play with a band was a test of sheer endurance and willpower. However, through persistence, patience, and constant, never-ending practice, my playing ability developed rapidly. We would practice three to four nights a week as a band, and I would practice at least six nights a week individually for several hours. We played mostly original music -- a creative challenge that required a great deal of teamwork and interaction

My participation in "Hipbone" is an example of my determination to be well-rounded and to improve myself continually in different areas: academics, the arts, and athletics. During college, I took classes in math, economics and computers alongside classes in theater arts and English. Prior to playing in a band, I had had only modest academic success. I initially entered college as an electrical engineering major, but soon discovered I did not enjoy the heavy emphasis on science. As a result, I was unmotivated, disillusioned, and found it hard to concentrate on any of my studies. I was reluctant to change majors for a long time because, being an extremely persistent person, I did not want to feel as though I had given up. At the beginning of my junior year, I finally changed majors and coincidentally began playing bass. The end result of these two changes re-emphasized the importance of having a well-balanced life and pursuing activities that I enjoy. My grades developed a steady upward rhythm, averaging 3.5 for my last two years

The band progressed and began to play for live audiences. My first experience on stage was nothing short of terrifying. Afterwards, people told me that our performance might have been better had we not looked so much like frightened little children. Fortunately, we began to play for others more frequently and with greater success, and actually began to entertain our audiences as we became more confident in ourselves. As our successes grew, we began to regard our music more seriously and played at literally all the major Hollywood clubs (The Roxy, the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Gazarri's, The Troubadour) and received airplay on several local radio stations. The pinnacle of our career was headlining at Gazarri's for a crowd of over 300 people

Unfortunately, we did not have a long-term plan in mind and the excitement of performing began to wear off. We had succeeded in drawing and entertaining fans, but not in attracting offers from any major record labels. Problems and arguments began to surface, and one of our players left the band. Eventually lingering conflicts broke us apart. We went our separate ways, yet still remained friends

My experiences in "Hipbone" stressed to me the importance of doing things I enjoy and having a balanced life. I hope to realize these lessons at Top 10 B-School while acquiring a well-rounded business education balanced by extracurricular activities and personal development. Playing bass taught me to believe in myself and my ability at a time when my academic record was suffering. Going from complete ignorance of bass guitar to successfully performing for paying audiences in well-known clubs in the span of a year and a half has given me the confidence and knowledge that I can succeed in anything to which I choose to dedicate myself, including obtaining a business education and ultimately running my own business. My GMAT of 700 indicates I have the raw ability to succeed at business school. I look forward to using the creativity and tenacity I demonstrated in my rock and roll career to meet new challenges at the graduate level and later in my career in marketing, consulting, and entrepreneurship

Sample MBA Essay

Don't write like this!

This writer spends enormous amount of time and space saying very little.

I retain information best when I have to apply that knowledge to actual situations. The type of environment that Top School promotes fits the mold of my optimal learning environment. The breadth of knowledge gained from the case method will provide me with an understanding and background of many industries in addition to improving my verbal presentation skills. The daily exposure to the expertise of other MBA’s will help me improve my relative weaknesses through case study groups. I am highly optimistic about the program because of the strength and diversity of the student body

I was fortunate enough this past summer to speak candidly with a local Top School alum who shared with me his experience in the program. Although he focused on a different area of management than I intend to, we shared a similar perspective on the MBA experience. It was refreshing to speak with someone who was deeply involved in the Top School curriculum who wholeheartedly endorsed the program to me based on my background, expectations of the graduate business school experience, and career goals. Like him, I don’t want to be pigeonholed into a narrowly focused technical management career as I am now. Although, I am responsible for the productivity and safety of 100-150 people on large commercial construction projects, which is very fulfilling, my duties are still quite narrow in scope. I want to move into management which may not happen on my current path. Top School will give me the breadth of knowledge that I need to be successful as a manager. The "inside" information I’ve acquired from students and alumni enhances my confidence that the program will provide the elements that I consider essential to a successful and well rounded MBA experience

I want a degree that is both universally respected and one that allows me flexibility and control in choosing my career path. I am not seeking a finance degree despite the obvious strength of Top School’s finance faculty, although that will be my concentration. Rather, I want a general management MBA with a concentration in finance. I plan to use finance as my path through the management ranks. One day I may decide to begin my own firm when a marketable idea comes to me and the timing is correct. Regardless of my ultimate path, the generalist approach will certainly prepare me to capitalize on opportunities as they present themselves

I have become very interested in the field of information technology over the past several years. Doors will open to people like myself as the Internet/PC/software, telecommunication, and cable television industries converge. I feel extremely optimistic about the prospects in these markets because of the increasing stream of new products and ideas flowing into the marketplace. These companies need both financing assistance and management expertise to be successful. The favorable market conditions and the exponential growth of Internet technology indicates that this trend will not only continue, but most likely will accelerate. My experience in making quick changes to adapt to fluid client expectations and general market demands will prove invaluable to my success in this field. The four years I’ve spent in the fast paced, client focused commercial construction industry has prepared me for success in this exciting new venture

I feel confident that my individual strengths and experiences will provide me with a good opportunity for success during and after my time at Top School and will certainly add a unique perspective to the MBA program that cannot be taught in a classroom. The focus on teamwork, which draws high praise from your students, will be a tremendous opportunity for me to learn from and share with the other MBA’s in the program. That contact will result in lasting friendships and essential contacts when we all begin our post-MBA careers. I am satisfied that Top School can provide the opportunities to smooth my transition from my current position to a challenging internship and then into my post-MBA career. The MBA program will not only give me the skills necessary to move into the management role I seek, but will also provide for personal growth. The talents I cultivate at Top School will further sharpen the skills I need to be an excellent manager, and strong leader in the area of information technology. I look forward to the chance to study in a challenging and competitive setting comparable to the one I have become used to at the ABC Company