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An Expert’s Guide to Executive MBA Essays

by Eden | Mar 4, 2020 | Executive MBA Admissions

executive mba essays

Our “Expert’s Guide to Executive MBA Essays” may be a pretentious–and perhaps hyperbolic–title, but we hope to offer you our extensive expertise in Executive MBA essays in one all-encompassing article. Before creating Prep Executive, a tutor-led test prep company, we worked with many MBA and Executive MBA applicants over the years. Our experience has taught us that writing EMBA application essays is a big headache for EMBA aspirants.

If that’s you…then this guide is for you.

Unfortunately, the realm of Executive MBA application essay writing is so extensive that it is difficult to put everything into one guide. Therefore, our goals are to orient you to the essays, give you 12 tips to writing essays that will get you in, and describe the writing process that we follow with students as part of the Prep Executive Complete Plan .

Executive MBA Essay Basics

  • 5 Types of Essays and How to Approach Them
  • 12 Tips for Writing Killer Essays

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Let’s get started!

Typically, EMBA programs require between 2 and 5 essays as part of your application. Some “essays” may be extremely short, like this essay from Columbia :

Short-Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

Examples of possible responses:  “Work in business development for a media company.”  “Join a strategy consulting firm.” “Launch a data-management start-up.”

Essay Question 1

Required; 750 word limit

What are your career objectives and how will the Wharton MBA Program for Executives contribute to your attainment of this objective?

Application essays are changed periodically, so your colleagues may have written different essays for the same program.

5 Types of Executive MBA Essays and How to Approach Them

types of executive mba essays

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In general, Executive MBA essays can be grouped into 5 categories. Here are our notes on how to attack each type.

Future goals Previous history Weakness Promise Wild Card

Future Goals Essay

This essay is an Executive MBA standard. There may be one or more questions asking about your short term (immediately after the EMBA), mid-term (3 to 5 years after graduation), and long term (10+ years) goals. Usually, this essay question includes how you expect the program to help you reach these goals.

When writing your future goals essay, keep one word in mind: clarity.

At this point in your career, you should have an extremely clear understanding of the next levels in your organization or profession. Your essay should reflect this clarity and make clear connections between the program and your goals.

We recommend a classic 5 paragraph structure for your future goals essay. Content of the body paragraphs will vary by question, but we have given you some ideas to start.

1. Introduction

3-4 sentences with one sentence that is a specific response to the prompt (the one goal). Preview short, mid, and long term goals or indicate that the program will refine you intellectually, practically, and socially.

2. Body paragraph

Short term goals and how the program will help OR how the program will improve your intellectual understanding of specific topics (focus on courses and electives).

3. Body paragraph

Mid-term goals and how the program will help OR how the program will provide practical learning opportunities (focus on project-based learning and other program elements).

4. Body paragraph

Long term goals and how the program will help OR how the program will improve your network or social skills.

5. Conclusion

2-3 sentences summarizing and making a final pithy statement regarding your fit for the program.

Previous History Essay

Another common EMBA essay question is about your previous history. Think 3 greatest achievements, 3 most significant influences, or 3 events that impacted your life.

The previous history is not about regurgitating your resume’. You must pick 3–and only 3–significant things. Since there is so much ground to cover in your essay, we recommend a classic 5 paragraph structure.

2-3 sentences starting with philosophical reflection or a quote. One sentence must preview the 3 significant things as a direct response to the question.

Professional thing. Tell a short story if you like but be sure to offer at 3 reasons why this thing makes the list of significance.

Personal thing. You can talk about your family, children, or something of personal importance.

Wild card. Discuss a unique something that showcases your personality. Some of our previous students have climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, started a small nonprofit organization, or bought a business.

Another pithy wrap-up.

Weakness Essay

These essays will ask about a time when you failed or received criticism. Alternatively, you may be asked to write about 1 or 3 weaknesses.

No matter how the question asks about the weakness or failure, it needs to be epic and authentic. Everyone can see through the strengths disguised as weaknesses, so you need to tell a story in which you really “screwed the pooch.”

Our favorite format for this essay is as a 3 paragraph story:

1. Paragraph 1

Start with a quote from the person you hurt, offended, or disappointed. Segue into a short background for the reader of what happened.

2. Paragraph 2

Elaborate on the ripple effects of the failure or weakness. Think professionally, socially, etc.

3. Paragraph 3

Discuss how you addressed the failure and improved or moved on from it. This paragraph must be about proactive remedies so that the essay ends on a positive note.

The uglier the story the better. Some of our previous students wrote about getting into a screaming match with a manager, losing thousands of dollars in a poorly researched business deal, and almost ruining 2 subordinates’ careers. Epic…

Promise Essay

The promise essay is a new essay type that has shown up in recent years. The basic idea is that the EMBA program wants you to think about an important commitment you will have in the near future and plan (or promise) what you will do.

Two common themes are how you will balance the demands of the program with your existing commitment and what you will contribute to the program. Questions regarding the program may include during class discussions, to your classmates, or as alum (the program needs alumni who will show up).

Promise essays can be difficult to write because you do not want to commit yourself to something you do not intend to do. Our advice is to focus on concrete, doable promises. Here are some examples:

How you will contribute:

  • In class: unique perspective to discussions, team spirit to projects, professionalism to international assignments
  • Outside of class: represent the program well, blog about your experiences (if you are an influencer)  
  • As an alum: speak with applicants with a similar profile (e.g. women, entrepreneurs), attend a coffee chat or networking reception

How you will balance the program with current commitments:

  • Class time: inform employer, delegate more responsibilities
  • Study time: schedule weekly study time,  inform family and friends, reduce social commitments, talk extensively with spouse about responsibilities
  • Travel time: get more vacation time by employer, restructure work travel schedule

If possible, provide examples of how you have completed a similar action in the past. For example, if you say you would be willing to speak with applicants who are women entrepreneurs, talk about how you already attend a women’s business meetup and have contributed to that organization. As much as possible, try to back up the promises with concrete examples.

Structurally, the promises essay can be classic 4 or 5 paragraphs.

Wild Card Essay

We call this essay type the wild card because it’s an off the wall question designed to learn more about you as a person. We recommend showcasing your true personality and using the wild card essay as an opportunity to differentiate yourself from other candidates.

Here are some wild card essay examples:

From New York University Stern:

NYU Stern is committed to helping students develop a deeper set of professional skills, and a broader perspective of the role of business in the world. (approximately 500 words, double-spaced)

a) What is a significant contemporary issue on which you, as a business leader, would like to have an impact?

b) Why is it important to you?

c) How could you leverage your skills and resources to address the issue?

Previously from London Business School:

If you could choose any three people who have ever lived to join you for dinner, who would you invite and why?

If you were on the cover of any publication in 10 years, what would be the headline and the content of the article be?

12 Tips for Writing Killer Executive MBA Essays

executive mba essay editing

Now that we’ve have explained the 5 main types of Executive MBA essays and how to attack them, here are our 12 tips for writing essays that will get you in.

Outline the essay first. 

Use one of the general structures I have given you as a starting point. As a person that has read many, many essays, I can tell you that there is an OBVIOUS difference between an essay that was outlined first and an essay that was written almost as a stream of consciousness.

Be sure to answer the question.

After you have outlined the essay, ensure that your main points provide a list or reasons answering the question. When writing the introduction, make sure there is one sentence that is a direct answer to the question. After you have written the first draft of the essay, check again that you have answered the question.

Stay away from controversial topics.

Even if you think Donald Trump would make a fabulous dinner guest for your wildcard essay, do not list him. He is too polarizing of a public figure to risk your EMBA essays on.

Show don’t tell.

Within your body paragraphs, you need to substantiate your reasons or list with details AND examples. Use short stories from your past to illustrate and liven up your body paragraphs.

Be personable not personal.

Reveal some but not all of who you are. Your essays should reveal your perspective, humanity, and experience, but not tell your secrets and be too intimate. 

Abusive parents? Gave a child up for adoption? Wish you had studied something totally different in undergrad? These topics may be slightly too personal for your EMBA essays.

If there’s a weakness/failure question, talk about a really epic failure, not a fake one.

We can’t stress this enough! Be authentic (but not personal or controversial).

Don’t talk too much about your family or ethnic/cultural background.

While these are important components of who you are, they should be mentioned in only one essay and, preferably, not the same essay. Too much discussion of family or culture makes you seem obsessed or overly concerned with them. Remember that you’re applying to a professional program.

Follow the maximum word count.

If the requirement is 700 words, get as close as you can to 700 without going over. Traditional advice is that you can go 10 percent over the maximum word count, but we think smart editing demonstrates your humility and ability to adhere to the program’s rules.

Don’t forget about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Use Grammarly or ask your favorite grammarian to review the essay.

Only have someone you think is really smart review your essay.

Since the final audience is a group of smart professionals, find another one to take a preliminary look at what you consider the final draft.

Think of the essays as 3 stories in the same book. They should flow and not be redundant.

If you find yourself mentioning the same stories or points in different essays, you have to broaden your thinking.

executive mba essay experts

Executive MBA essay writing can be complicated and full of uncertainty, especially if you don’t think you are a good writer. That’s why we included essay help in our Prep Executive Complete Plan . Here’s the process we follow during essay help. You should follow the same process if you are working on your own.

1. Create a detailed outline of each essay.

We call you on Skype and ask you questions about each essay. We take notes then send them to you with a recommended writing structure.

2. Write the first draft.

You write the first draft from our notes. Since we have captured your phrases and ideas, you will have no problem turning the notes into sentences.

3. Revise the first draft.

We take that first draft and review it for the big ideas. Did you stay on topic? Are your examples robust? Is the structure reader-friendly? We provide comments in track changes and send the essays back to you.

4. Revise the second draft.

You make changes based on our comments and send the essays back to us. For the second draft, we look the structure within each paragraph and go through each sentence word by word. If your essay is over the word count, we cut, cut, cut. If revisions are needed, we provide comments in track changes and send the essays back.

5. Revise the third draft.

As part of the revision for the last draft, we look at grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and diction. We will let you know if anything else needs to be changed.

If you and your editor are both happy with the essays, you’re done!

Final Thoughts on Executive MBA Essays

Before you start working on Executive MBA essays, make sure you have:

  • Accessed your “fit” for the program
  • Rebuilt your resume’
  • Attended an info session
  • Opened and maintained a dialogue with admissions staff

Each of these activities will give you key information that will make writing your essays easier as well as increase your chances of getting accepted into your chosen program. If this process seems overwhelming, reach out to us and we will help you!

Free 7 Day Executive MBA Strategy Course

Want to know how to get into any Executive MBA program? Take our free 7 day email course to learn a proven strategy, complete with tips, examples, homework and more. Sign up now to start the course today.

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Executive MBA Application Requirements

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Executive MBA Essay Examples: Learn from Successful Applicants

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The Executive MBA application process is a daunting task. Every year, thousands of applicants across the globe apply for this prestigious program. In addition to the Executive Assesment test score, one of the most critical components of any EMBA application is the essay. It is your chance to showcase your personality, leadership skills, and professional achievements. But, how do you write a compelling essay that stands out from the crowd? The answer is simple: by learning from successful applicants who have already been through the process. In this blog post, we will provide you with some Executive MBA essay examples, tips, and tricks that can help you craft an essay that wins the hearts of admissions committees.

Tell your unique story:

Admissions officers read hundreds of essays every year. To stand out from the crowd, your essay should tell a unique and compelling story. This story should provide insights into your personality, values, and professional journey. It should also demonstrate how you have overcome challenges, learned from failures, and developed your strengths. To tell your unique story, you could use anecdotes, personal experiences, and examples from your professional and personal life that highlight your most significant achievements and challenges. Below are a few executive MBA essay examples that work!

Start with a clear introduction:

Your EMBA essay should begin with a clear introduction, detailing your motivation for pursuing an EMBA and the reasons why you are applying to this specific program . Be as specific as possible, highlighting areas of the curriculum that appeal to you, the research centers or faculty members you are interested in working with, and any other unique attributes of the program that you find attractive.

Your essay’s opening is crucial. It should grab the reader’s attention and make them interested in reading more. Start with a clear introduction highlighting your experience and the reasons why you want to pursue an Executive MBA. Let the reader know your goals, and ambitions, and how this program fits into your career objectives.

Take a cue from this opening paragraph: “I have always been passionate about healthcare, and since graduating from college, I have worked in various roles to gain experience in this field. I am seeking an Executive MBA program to sharpen my leadership and managerial skills to make a positive impact on the industry.“

Or, rather than simply stating that you are interested in the EMBA program at XYZ University, provide specific reasons such as “I am applying to the EMBA program at XYZ University because of its outstanding reputation for developing executives in the healthcare industry.”

Female CEO looking for Executive MBA essay examples on her phone

Emphasize career goals:

The admissions committee will want to know what career aspirations motivated you to pursue an EMBA. Therefore, it is critical to emphasize your career goals in your essay. Outline your goals as they relate to your current position, your industry, and the overall job market. Additionally, explain how the EMBA program will help you achieve these goals.

Among many executive MBA essay examples that work, you could discuss how “A focus on leadership development in the EMBA program at ABC University aligns with my goal to become a Chief Operating Officer of a Fortune 500 company in the next five years.”

Showcase your personal attributes:

Your essay should also highlight your personal characteristics or attributes that make you a desirable candidate. Emphasize characteristics such as dedication, innovation, resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. These qualities will help establish your readiness to engage with the EMBA program.

For Instance, you could discuss “ I possess a strong work ethic, quickly adapt to new environments, and welcome a challenge, which will lead me to succeed in the EMBA program.”

Female executive calling an executive MBA consultant to get help.

Emphasize your achievements

The admissions committee is interested in your achievements, both professional and personal. Highlight significant milestones in your career and any leadership roles that you’ve taken on. Use metrics to show how you’ve contributed to your organization’s success. You can include projects you’ve led, revenue growth, or any honors you’ve received. But keep in mind, it’s important not to boast or exaggerate your successes. Be specific and honest about your achievements, and back them up with evidence.

For example, you could introduce how “As the Director of Operations at LMN Inc., I have implemented production process improvements and saved the company over $1 million in costs.” It’s essential to demonstrate how these experiences will help you contribute to the EMBA class and how they have shaped you as a person.

Share challenges and how you overcame them

The road to success is rarely a smooth one. Share some personal and professional challenges you’ve faced and how you overcame them. It shows that you’re resilient and can adapt to changing circumstances. You can talk about how you learned from failure and how it helped you become a better leader.

For example, “One of the biggest challenges I encountered was managing a team with diverse personalities and working styles. Through collaboration and an open-minded approach, I learned how to better understand and work with each team member, boosting their morale and productivity.“

Showcase your leadership skills:

Leadership is one of the key qualities that Executive MBA programs look for in their applicants. Your essay should demonstrate your aptitude to lead, influence, and manage people and processes effectively. One way to do this is by highlighting your past leadership experiences.

For example, you could talk about a time when you led a team to achieve a challenging goal, resolved a conflict within a team, or took a tough decision that had a significant impact on your organization. Use these experiences to showcase your leadership style, your ability to communicate effectively, and your capacity to build consensus.

Mature CEO of color thinking.

Demonstrate your passion for learning:

Executive MBA programs are rigorous and demanding. They require a high level of academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and commitment. Your essay should demonstrate your passion for learning and your willingness to go the extra mile to acquire new knowledge and skills. One way to do this is by discussing your academic achievements, such as your GPA, any advanced degrees or certifications you may have earned, and the courses you have taken that are relevant to your field. You could also talk about your extracurricular activities, such as attending industry conferences or participating in professional development workshops. These experiences show that you are committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.

Highlight your fit with the program

To get accepted into the Executive MBA program, you need to show that you’re the right fit for the program. You need to highlight your strengths and skills that align with the program’s values and curriculum. Based on your research, write about the classes and professors you’re interested in and why. Share your interest in a particular industry or functional area and how the program can help you achieve your goals.

An excellent example of this is, ”As someone who is passionate about sustainability, I am excited about XYZ school’s focus on developing leaders who are passionate about creating ethical and sustainable business practices. I am confident that this program will help me develop the skills needed to become a leader in this field.”

Picute of young executive who got admitted to MBA programs t

End with A strong conclusion

Lastly, your conclusion should summarize your main points and leave a lasting impression on the reader. End with a statement that shows your enthusiasm and commitment to the program. Emphasize how the Executive MBA program aligns with your long-term goals and how you’re excited to contribute to the program.

For example, ”In conclusion, I am thrilled about the prospect of joining XYZ school’s Executive MBA program as it aligns perfectly with my long-term goals in the healthcare industry. I look forward to contributing to the school’s vibrant and diverse community of leaders, learning from their experiences and expertise, and making a meaningful impact on the industry.”

Write with clarity and precision:

Your essay is a representation of your communication skills. It’s essential to write with clarity, precision, and coherence. Use simple language, avoid jargon, and structure your essay logically. Remember to proofread your essay to ensure there are no grammatical or spelling errors. You could also ask a mentor or professional to review your essay and provide feedback and draw inspiration from executive MBA essay examples.

Edit and review your essay:

Finally, after writing your essay, make sure to edit and review it thoroughly. Take the time to read it aloud, correct grammatical errors, identify any inconsistencies, and refine your phrasing. Make sure your essay reflects a genuine and honest representation of yourself, and don’t forget to have someone else proofread your essay.

Executive on their road to success thanks to their EMBA

Conclusion:

In conclusion, writing an effective EMBA essay takes time, effort, and attention to detail. By following these tips and referencing the executive MBA essay examples shared in this blog, you will be better equipped to write a comprehensive, well-crafted essay that highlights your strengths, experiences, goals, and potential as an executive leader. Need help with your essays? The Admit Lab offers MBA essay service packages that help you with the entire writing process, or an hourly service that can provide you with feedback on your existing drafts. Remember that the essay is an opportunity to present yourself fully and differentiate yourself from other applicants – so take your time and put your best foot forward! Remember to stay true to yourself, align your goals with the program, and tell a unique and compelling story. Good luck with your essay! Got questions? Sign up for a consultation , or send us your draft for an estimate. It’s FREE!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Dr. Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab . As a tenure-track professor, Dr. Barr spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s and Ph.D. programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

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How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

Posted March 12, 2024

essays for executive mba

Featuring Avi L.

Case Studies of Winning M7 MBA Essays

Wednesday, march 27.

6:00 PM UTC · 60 minutes

What is the MBA Essay?

The MBA admissions essay.

Those words alone are enough to make most MBA candidates run screaming. Writing in general is hard enough. Writing about why you want an MBA? Your short-term goals and career aspirations? What matters to you most, and why? Forget it.

Of course, you still have to write these essays.

The MBA essay is perhaps  the most important part of the business school application. (It's also getting more and more important by the day, with some business schools moving away from traditional, quantitative measuring sticks, like the GMAT and the GRE.) Every other part of the application — your GPA, your test scores, your letters of recommendation — are quantified, cut and dried, or out of your control. The essay is your chance to show up as a fully realized MBA candidate, with hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. Admissions committees are not simply assessing your candidacy as a future leader — they're looking to admit human beings. That's where the MBA applicant essays come in.

That being the case, rather than being intimidated by it, treat the essay like the opportunity that it is — the chance for you to highlight your unique, iridescent self; the only moment in the MBA admissions process (prior to the interview) when you can speak directly to the admissions officers; the time when you'll show them who you really are. It's not easy to write something that will do that, of course, but with the tips and tricks in this guide, and some help from one of Leland's vetted, world-class admissions coaches, we know you can do it. Give the essay the time, attention, and respect it deserves, and you'll be on your way to an offer of admission at your dream school.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

essays for executive mba

Ultimate MBA Essay Guide

See the MBA essay prompts, top tips from experts, and real examples from admits with this comprehensive guide.

How Long Will My MBA Essay Take?

First thing's first: let's talk about timing.

The MBA application is a behemoth; between exams, resumes, gathering your official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the applications themselves, there's a lot to juggle. That being the case, we suggest you give yourself ample time to draft, write, and revise your essays. The last thing you want is to be rushed to the finish line.

So, give yourself  at least three months to write your MBA essays. That should allow you ample time to draft, write, and edit. For more information on timing your entire b-school application, click here for  A Comprehensive MBA Application Timeline--With Chart .

Now, on to the critical question:

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What Makes a Great MBA Essay?

At the highest level, the answer is the one that is truest to you. The whole point of these essays is to shine through as an authentic, vibrant human being, so the best essays are the ones that cut through the clutter, and allow you do to that.

Which begs the question — how  do you cut through the clutter and shine through as a vibrant human being? Here are four critical tips to follow as you begin thinking about your essays.

1. Answer the Question

This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many applicants launch into their story, get carried away, and forget to answer the question. Follow the prompt, and answer the question the admissions committee has asked you. Those prompts can actually be very useful when writing your essays — it's a great deal harder to write when you have no guidance or guardrails. With the MBA essays, you have a very specific question you need to answer. So answer it!

2. Be Specific

Another mistake some MBA applicants make is to stay at a high level in their essays, keeping their writing abstract and therefore inaccessible to the admissions committee. If at any point, an admissions officer could replace your name with the name of another applicant, then your essay isn't getting deep enough. It's not enough, for instance, to say that you suffered adversity in high school, or that you really, really want a Wharton MBA. You need to explain, in detail, the adversity you faced, and give concrete and unique reasons why you think Wharton is the right program for you. The best essays offer hyper-specific examples and anecdotes, with details and anecdotes that no other candidate could bring to the table. To get those anecdotes, we recommend using the STAR template, as explained below:

  • Situation : What was the situation you were facing? Where were you? How old were you? If you were in a professional role during this anecdote, what was the role, and how long had you been in it? If you were volunteering, at what organization? How long had you been volunteering there? Why did you start? Offer all the relevant information that the admissions readers will need to understand your story.
  • Task : What was the task at hand? What went wrong? In your professional role, what was the challenge you faced? In that volunteering experience, what were the hurdles you had to overcome? You can't have a good story without conflict or tension, so after you set up the anecdote, explain what that conflict or tension was (and remember, be specific!).
  • Action : What was the action you took to resolve the problem? What did you have to do to fix that issue at work? How did you clear that hurdle in your volunteer experience? Again, be specific about how you came through on the other side of that conflict/tension — and while you're doing it, highlight your leadership capabilities as much as possible! Remember that top MBA programs are looking for future leaders who can assess a situation and decisively take action. (We'll say a bit more about this below, in the Personal Statement section.
  • Result : What was the result of your action? If you were facing a growth problem at work, were you able to increase sales? If so, by what percentage? If you were advocating for diversity and inclusion at your local charity, what new programs did you implement to help with that effort, and what was the enrollment like in those new programs? Detail what happened in your anecdote with as much specificity as possible — and quantify, quantify, quantify!

Get Vulnerable

Most MBA admissions essay prompts are written with the goal of getting to know as much about you as possible in the shortest number of words. To do that, you're going to have to share real things from your life — to get personal, intimate, and vulnerable. Do not shy away from this. If you're starting to get emotional during the reflection, drafting, and writing process, good — that means you're on the right track. Keep going. Pro tip: If it’s making you cry, it will make them cry. Another good rule of thumb is to put something real and true on the table. Admissions officers have to read literally thousands of applications from thoroughly qualified individuals, some of whom might come from similar roles to yours, with letters of recommendation from equally impressive supervisors. In order to cut through that noise, you'll have to share something honest. If you're doing it right, this can feel risky. At some point, you’ll likely think to yourself: “Can I say that?” The answer is: “Yes.” Of course, there is a line, you don’t want to be crass or offensive but err on the side of being open and authentic. The very worst thing you can do is be overly cautious, and write something you think will please the admissions committee. These poor people have to read thousands of essays. If yours is just like everyone else’s, they’ll fall asleep. Don’t let that happen. Wake them up by putting yourself —your true, bright, vibrant, quirky self—on the page.

4. Don't Exaggerate

Finally, do not exaggerate, over-inflate, or lie. This goes without saying, but admissions committees are looking for honest candidates. The surest way to get rejected is to lie about something. (Business schools do a background check on you before you're properly admitted, so they will find out.) Don't be the person who over-inflates on their essays, then has their offer letter rescinded.

The Types of MBA Essays

All right — since we've covered high-level approaches to the MBA essays, it's time to dig into the various types.

There are three general categories of MBA essays you'll see across the board.

1. Personal Statement

These questions ask you to offer up something sincere about yourself. They'll often touch on such things as your values and your character. In these, you'll want to be as authentic as possible, while also highlighting attributes like leadership, intellectual vitality, and teamwork, that business schools are looking for. Here are a few examples of personal statement essays:

  • As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (HBS)
  • What matters most to you, and why? (Stanford GSB)

2. Why an MBA/Why This School

The next category of essays is the "Why an MBA" / "Why This School" set.

In these, schools first want to hear about how an MBA will fit into your career, both short and long term. Top MBA programs are looking for candidates who will: first of all, be gainfully employed upon graduating, second of all, have an illustrious career that will make their institution look good and encourage future generations of applicants to apply, and third, be consistent and generous donors. That being the case, they want to know about your career trajectory, and how an MBA will fit into it.

Pro tip: Here, you want to be ambitious and inspiring in laying out your future career, but not naïve. Walk the line between shooting for the stars and sounding dreamlike and uninformed.

In this set of questions, you'll also encounter questions geared at figuring out why you would want to attend a specific school. MBA programs want to know that you're serious about attending their school — yield, or the percentage of admitted candidates who accept their offers of admission, is an important metric for them — but they also want to envision how you'll contribute to their admitted class. What will you uniquely bring to the table, the things that you'll do that the other candidates wouldn’t be able to offer?

We've heard former deans of business schools say that, in choosing a class, they're curating a world-class dinner party, and that each person invited to the dinner party has to bring something different. What will you bring to the dinner party?

Pro tip: To demonstrate that you've done your research, and to help the admissions committee envision you in their program, indicate which classes you might take when earning your MBA and why, which professors you might hope to study with, and in which clubs you might participate.

Here are a few examples of "why MBA / why this school" essays:

  • How is a Columbia MBA going to help you? (Columbia)
  • What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (Wharton)
  • Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Stanford GSB)

3. Behavioral/Other

Finally, most other essays will either be behavioral, asking you about experiences, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and achievements. There's a wide variety of topics here, but all the guidelines from above apply, with the final note to always prioritize authenticity (as mentioned in the Personal Statement section) and leadership ability (remember, business schools are choosing future leaders). Here are a few examples of behavioral/other essays:

  • Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (Yale SOM)
  • Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (Columbia)
  • Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (Stanford GSB)

Top MBA Program Essay Prompts (Updated 2022)

To help you get started, we've compiled the required prompts from a few top MBA programs below:

1. Harvard Business School (HBS)

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (900 words)

For more information, visit A Guide to the HBS Essay .

2. Stanford Graduate School of Business

What matters to you most, and why? (650 words)

Why Stanford? (400 words)

Read What Matters Most When Writing the GSB Essays.

How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For Wharton-specific advice, visit A Guide to the Wharton Essays .

4. Columbia Business School

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a new co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias, Communicating Across Identities, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Managing Difficult Conversations. Tell us about a time you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

5. Chicago Booth

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-word minimum)

An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of your career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (250-word minimum)

Read more at A Guide to the Booth Essays .

6. Kellogg Northwestern

Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Read How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays

7. MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity, respect, and passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)

Applicants are required to upload a 1 minute (60 seconds) video as part of their application. In your video, you should introduce yourself to your future classmates, tell us about your past experiences, and touch on why MIT Sloan is the best place for you to pursue your degree.

How to Start Your MBA Essay

So you've read about the types of essays, and seen some of the prompts from top MBA programs. Now it's time to actually start diving into the essay.

The very first thing to do, before putting pen to paper, is to look inward.

Why do  you want an MBA? What role will this degree play in your professional growth? How do you imagine it will shape your life? What do you want out of your career? What is the most important thing in the world to you?

Yes, these are life’s deep-end questions, but you’ll need to tackle them in these essays, so before you start writing, take the time to think through them. Go for a run, swim some laps, bake a cake—however you get into the flow — and start a dialogue with yourself. Put down your work, turn your phone off, and give your mind permission to go to the places it usually avoids. That’s a good place to start. That’s where the answers are.

Pro tip: The first sentence is the hardest one to write. When you're starting out if it can intimidating and anxiety-producing. The trick is to simply put  anything  down — and don't look back. Keep putting one sentence after the other. You can edit later: let whatever comes to you out onto the page. If you’re struggling with self-critique, dim your computer screen until you can’t even see the words you’re typing. Then keep going.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Once you've started your essay, it's a matter of persistence: keep writing, then keep drafting and editing until you have something you're really proud of.

To help you with that process, here are a few more tips and tricks:

  • Take Breaks

When you hit the wall — you will hit the wall — stop. This is your brain telling you it needs to do something else. Walk your dog. Take a lap around your room. Eat some cheese. Your body needs sleep every night to function; your mind is the same way. That next leap of inspiration will come exactly at the moment when you’re least expecting it.

  • Read it Out Loud

When you finally have a draft, print it and read it out loud to yourself. Your ear will catch things your eyes miss. Reading out loud is the best way to pick up on spelling errors, clunky transitions, and paragraphs that still need ironing out. It’s also a good way to envision how the admissions committee will experience your essay.

Don’t be precious with your essay. Send it to anyone willing to read it. Solicit as much feedback as you can. If you don’t like what people have to say, you don’t have to incorporate it, but you need an impartial third party to give notes on what they’re seeing, thinking, and feeling. (You’re too close to things to do it for yourself.) This is where a Leland coach comes very much in handy!

  • Complete Everything Early

This is more of a timing consideration, but you do not want to trip at the finish line because your internet went down the night before the deadline, or your credit card was denied when paying your application fee (it's happened before). Don't let that be you!

Here is another article to get you started, written by an expert essays coach: 7 MBA Essay Tips to Make You Stand Out in 2022 .

Example MBA Essays

Finally, here are two essays to help inspire you. The first, a personal statement essay, was submitted by an admit to Berkeley Haas' Executive MBA program; the second, a career goals / why MBA essay, was submitted by an admit to Chicago Booth's deferred MBA program.

Haas Admit:

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects, including family, culture, personal interests, and surrounding environments. Please share a facet of your identity or story that is essential to who you are. (300 words) My upbringing in India, filled with countless myths and legends, had a profound influence on me. The most formative tale was about a sage who prays for years to the goddess of knowledge, but in vain. In the end, the goddess didn’t appear for the sage because he was turning his prayer beads the wrong way! As a child, this story upset me: the sage worked so hard and had the right intentions. As an adult, though, I’ve come to realize that the goddess of knowledge was right: you can’t succeed unless you do things the right way. Seven years ago, two friends and I started a company, XXXX: a digital health platform that would allow patients to store medical records online and consult doctors remotely. We had early success—we brought on 2,000 patients at XXXX, a gynecology clinic in XXXX—but ultimately we didn’t have the resources to properly scale, and had to shut the company down. Among the many lessons I learned, the most valuable was that ideas and hard work are common; businesses succeed or fail based on execution—on doing things the right way. Two years ago, I relearned this lesson in the most painful way possible: when my marriage ended. My wife and I loved each other, but we weren’t there for each other when it mattered most. Our feelings weren’t enough—we had to back them up with the right actions. It’s disheartening when you have good intentions but still fall short. When this happens, though, you have to keep trying—because eventually you will do things the right way. I carry the story of the sage with me always, not as a harsh lesson, but as a motivating goal: one that keeps me striving towards doing things the right way.

Booth Admit:

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)
I want to start a geothermal company that will help lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy—by targeting existing oil wells as sites for geothermal plants. Oil fields are close to electric grids and have high nearby subsurface temperatures, making them ideal sites for geothermal plants. By building geothermal infrastructure nearby, my company will produce cleaner, cheaper energy, making it more profitable for operators to switch from oil to geothermal. As oil companies decommission their wells, I’ll negotiate for their land rights, so I can use their existing wells for new geothermal vents. I want my company to prove the case for economically viable, carbon neutral energy production. After getting an MBA I want to start a geothermal company which will help me lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. I plan to target developed oil fields in Texas, where, in many places, producing wells are flowing enough hot fluid to generate clean energy. Using this geothermal heat, the carbon footprint of oil and gas extraction will decrease as fewer fossil fuels are utilized to power surrounding infrastructure. As the wells approach their economic life, I will negotiate the lease from various operators, saving them millions in plug and abandonment costs, and retrofit the wells for direct geothermal energy production via closed loop binary fluid systems, bringing emissions to zero. To accomplish this goal, I need to shore up my knowledge of energy economics and entrepreneurial finance, develop a strong sense of leadership, and build a network of like minded individuals that will help me lead the transition and I believe I can get those things at Chicago Booth. My immediate career goal is to develop my first co-production site in Shelby County, Texas at the Blanton well site, which produces abnormally heated fluid from the flanks of an active salt dome. Before investing in capital expenditures, developing a strong sense of energy economics and broader markets is necessary to verify financial feasibility. University of Chicago, through the Graduate-Student-At-Large: Business program, is already allowing me to accomplish this goal with my enrollment in “Microeconomics” with Professor Andrew McClellan. His instruction helped me understand the impact taxes and subsidies have on market equilibrium, an important aspect of renewable energy as green energy tax incentives continue to change on a yearly basis. As my company continues to grow, having a strong finance and accounting foundation is imperative to building and sustaining a healthy company. Electives such as “Accounting for Entrepreneurship: From Start-Up through IPO” will provide the skills I need to be successful by following the life-cycle of a business that originates as a start-up, and covers topics such as building an initial accounting infrastructure. I understand that execution of the business is as important as developing the idea and proof of concept, and Booth is the best place for me to develop financial fluency. Leading the energy transition will require a strong sense of leadership. Not only will I need to lead those I get to work with over my career, but to lead the energy transition, and reverse the impact fossil fuels have had thus far, I must have the emotional intelligence to inspire others to join me in my journey. The “Interpersonal Dynamics” course at Booth will allow me to develop my communication skills and better understand the emotions and perceptions of my colleagues. These skills, synthesized with leadership development acquired in “Leadership Practicum” will prepare me to act as a relational leader, who understands the needs of others. As a relational leader I hope to foster an environment which promotes happiness, and maximizes efficiency, not only to make our efforts in changing the world more successful, but to excite other people to join our cause.
To find the greatest chance of success in leading the energy transition, I will need a network of like-minded individuals who can provide a diversity of thought. Chicago Booth provides the opportunity to develop that network through different community experiences. The Energy Club’s “Energy Forward” conference, which designates time to topics in oil and gas and renewable energy will allow me to hear from industry leaders, build meaningful relationships with peers and contribute my sector experience to the public forum as I learn from those around me. Opportunities through the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group such as “SeedCon” will help me connect with successful entrepreneurs and early-stage investors whose ideas and funding might change the course of my venture’s trajectory. Even in the GSALB program I have had the opportunity to connect with other students in various sectors, including the energy industry. I hope to continue to strengthen those connections and continue building new ones with matriculation into the full time program.

Here are several other articles that you may find helpful as you put together your MBA application:

  • The Most Frequently Asked Questions on MBA Applications
  • How to Answer the "Why an MBA?" Essay Question
  • My Top Piece of Advice for MBA Applicants
  • How I Nailed My MBA Interview and Gained Admission to Top 10 Business Schools
  • 4 Expert Tips on Paying for Business School

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