mba essay why this school

I've spent the last five years working in operations. I’m ready to make a pivot in my career so that I will be in a position to affect organizational decisions and implement improvements.

Due to my obligation to the United States Merchant Marine Academy, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to numerous places during my short five year career. I've worked in nine countries on three continents and sailed the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Working in these different places has been an incredible experience. Even more incredible are the people with whom I’ve been able to work.

While seeing a foreign land and learning the culture are invaluable experiences, nothing compares to what you learn when you work with someone from another culture. This is a time when you learn how people truly act and feel. From the Philippines to Poland and the Ivory Coast to name just a few, I have had the pleasure to work with a truly diverse group of people. The most important thing that I’ve learned from them, something I could never have learned on my own, is perspective.

Pins on your travel map mean nothing if you don’t take the time to talk to the people who live there. Working and of course living onboard a ship in such close proximity to diverse individuals allowed me the opportunity have in depth conversations with them and understand why they feel the way they do.

The Navy has taught me many great lessons about leadership and allowed me to practice them on a daily basis, but it is my time in the private sector around the world that's truly shaped how I am as a leader. I know that these experiences have given me the empathy to be able to step back and consider all of the factors when confronted with a problem, not just the quick and easy solution. I believe this is my greatest strength to bring to Tepper.

Kelly R. Wilson, executive director of masters admissions at the Tepper School of Business, says this essay is excellent because it demonstrated that Strickhouser would have an interesting perspective to share and the capacity to learn from his classmates.

Wilson says that MBA applicants shouldn't worry about responding to a short-answer essay prompt correctly. "What I think is important for the candidate to remember is that there is no single right answer to these short-answer questions," she says. "Too often, the candidate thinks that there is the perfect answer and that there is a single ideal candidate. Neither of those is true."

Soojin Kwon, the managing director of full-time MBA admissions and program at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor's Stephen M. Ross School of Business , says that B-school hopefuls can use short-answer essays to demonstrate their ability to write concisely.

Kwon says MBA admissions officers like to see evidence that MBA applicants can communicate succinctly and clearly, because MBA courses usually require brief, straightforward essays as opposed to lengthy, abstract treatises.

[Read: Learn From an Accepted MBA Applicant's Resume .]

"It's business writing," Kwon emphasizes. "It's getting to the point quickly, doing it clearly and having a good structure."

But Kwon warns that, even in very short MBA essays like the 100-word essays her school requires, it's important for MBA applicants to not only describe events in their lives, but also explain the lessons they have learned.

Some applicants make the mistake of simply recounting a life event without reflecting on why the event matters, Kwon says. "It will almost be like a grade-school essay," she warns.

Applicants should go beyond mere description and explain the significance of their experience, Kwon says. She suggests that MBA applicants write something along these lines: "This happened and here is what I learned from it, or here is how it has shaped me today.'"

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The MBA Essay is Usually Not Optional: Why You Should Write It

Lana Silanteva - 700+CLUB

Lana Silanteva is an mba.com Featured Contributor and the Co-Founder and Head of Verbal at 700+CLUB .

You’ve already spent weeks preparing your application for business school – not to mention the months you put into studying for the GMAT exam.

Now, you have all the mandatory components of your application ready: a thorough required essay, a great GMAT score you’re happy with, a recommender who can tell a compelling story of why you’re a strong candidate, and a top-notch CV to boot.

All that’s left is the optional essay.

Before you get started on crafting your optional essay, you need to know whether the optional essay is – or isn’t – right for you, the purpose of the optional essay in the first place, and how to write a strong essay that will get you admitted into your dream business school.

All of your questions – and concerns – will be answered below.

Is the optional MBA essay really optional?

Well, it depends.

For some prospective business school students, the optional essay is a chance to explain any shortcomings in your application. For others, the optional essay can help set you apart from other applicants and strengthen your candidacy.

Part of determining whether an optional essay is right for you depends on what type of essay the admissions committee is looking for. There are two main types:

Explain extenuating circumstances

Some business schools ask applicants whether they should be aware of any extenuating circumstances that could affect a student’s application. Here, an applicant could address potential weaknesses, such as a low GPA, low GMAT score, employment or education gap, or an unlikely choice of recommender.

An applicant should write this type of optional essay if circumstances or challenges in a candidate’s life affected the strength of their application. For example, working part-time during school to support your family or dealing with an illness are extenuating circumstances that could have affected an applicant – such challenges could have lowered your GPA or GMAT score, or caused education or employment gaps in your CV. In such cases, the optional essay would allow the admissions committee to assess you more fairly.

If an applicant did not experience difficult circumstances that affected their application, then the optional essay is not necessary – instead, an applicant will be assessed purely on the merits of their application.

Provide additional information

Other business schools ask applicants open-ended questions about any other information that would be helpful for a student’s application. Essentially, business schools are asking if there is anything else they should know.

With this type of optional essay, applicants have the opportunity to tell their story. Every student is more than just numbers on a page – while a high GPA and GMAT score are impressive, business schools want to know more about why you want to attend their business school and how you can contribute to the learning community.

You can share achievements in your life, experiences, skills, or personality traits that haven’t yet been revealed in the other components of your application. Sharing these additional details will strengthen your application by painting a fuller picture for the admissions committee of more reasons to consider you as a future student.

It is highly recommended for all applicants to write the optional essay if the admissions committee is requesting additional information – after all, this type of essay is giving you the chance to shine and tell your story on your terms.

I’ve already taken my GMAT exam and submitted my CV, why should I write an optional essay?

There are many reasons to write the optional essay, depending on the type of information the admissions committee is looking for. Here are some reasons you should consider:

Academic weakness

A grade of C or lower on your academic record or a low GPA should be explained to the admissions committee. The optional essay is your chance to share why you may have academic weaknesses and, most importantly, how you worked to improve your academic performance.

Low GMAT score

The GMAT is a critical component of your application, but you can still be admitted if you provide a clear explanation for a lower score.

Any circumstances that made it challenging to excel at the GMAT should be discussed in your optional essay. Also, be sure to highlight how your other achievements and skills continue to make you a strong candidate.

Education gap

Taking time off during your studies won’t stop you from being admitted. With the right explanation for the admissions committee, you can show them why you would be a great fit for the MBA program.

Explain why you may have spent time on academic probation, for reasons such as personal hardship or family difficulties.

Employment gaps or career changes

You may need to explain to the admissions committee why there are gaps of several months between experiences on your CV. Make sure to highlight positive experiences that you had during your time off, such as professional development courses, volunteer opportunities, or extenuating circumstances like having to care for a family member.

If you’re transitioning to the business field from another profession, the admissions committee will want to be sure you made a careful, thoughtful, and considered decision. Use the optional essay to explain why you think an MBA is right for you.

Recommender choice

Not all MBA applicants can comfortably approach their current employer for a recommendation. Perhaps your employer isn’t aware of your MBA plans yet or you haven’t worked at your present company for a long enough time to receive a stellar recommendation.

The optional essay can prevent the admissions committee from making negative assumptions about your relationship with your employer.

MBA preparedness

Not all applicants come from a business background. In fact, business schools would love to hear about the diverse experiences that draw applicants to their MBA program.

The admissions committee, however, still wants to be sure that you are prepared for the academic rigor required of an MBA program. Discuss courses that you took to get ready for business school, like calculus, economics, and statistics.

Additional valuable experiences

Beyond your GPA, GMAT score, and CV, you may have valuable personal experiences that make you stand out as a candidate.

Volunteer experiences, leadership roles, and other accomplishments might not fit into the other application components. The optional essay is your opportunity to add more value to your application and create a narrative of how your experiences brought you to the MBA program.

Delayed MBA

The MBA program attracts students with a wide array of experiences. For personal or professional reasons, some applicants only realize an MBA is right for them later in their careers – and that’s okay.

In the optional essay, show the admissions committee why you believe an MBA is the next step for you, regardless of where you started.

Can optional essays hurt my chances of being admitted?

As long as you’re providing the admissions committee with an honest picture of who you are as a candidate, then an optional essay will not hurt your chances of being admitted.

In most cases, an optional essay can strengthen your application, because it can explain any weaknesses and highlight additional skills or experiences that make you a top applicant.

If your weaknesses are explained and all your strengths are communicated in your application, then your optional essay will serve to complement your candidacy.

How do I succeed at the optional essay?

The optional essay is a chance for you to explain any discrepancies and add value to your application by revealing more strengths and experiences.

To write a successful optional essay, make sure to leave it for last when you are preparing your application. Once all your other application components are ready, you can better assess whether you need to address weaknesses or give more details about why you belong in an MBA program.

Once you determine that an optional essay is going to help your application, ensure that the additional details you are providing can’t be included elsewhere in your application. The admissions committee has a lot of applications to consider, and you must be sure to include all the necessary details in each component of your application.

If instructions are provided, be sure to follow them. Each school may have a different word count or other expectations for the optional essay, so writing a different optional essay for each school is recommended.

Keep your essay focused and don’t use excessive space to get your point across. Add insights you gained from the experiences you are including and if discussing your weaknesses, explain how you worked to address them.

In writing your optional essay, it is vital to be as clear and concise as possible. You should avoid unnecessary details and information that is included in other parts of your application. Instead, focus on key points that make your application stronger.

The bottom line

The optional essay is – usually – not optional.

Most applicants will want to consider writing it to explain extenuating circumstances, address potential weaknesses, or add valuable details that strengthen their chance of being admitted.

The optional essay is your opportunity to shine – make sure the admissions committee knows all the facts to make the case that you are the MBA applicant that they’re looking for.

Lana Silanteva is an mba.com Featured Contributor and the Co-Founder and Head of Verbal at 700+CLUB . 700+Club is a student-centric, venture-backed online test prep and admission consulting company. Every year they help thousands of students achieve their best scores and get admitted to the top B-schools around the world. At 700+ Club, they believe that test preparation should be fun, engaging, innovative and result-oriented. With 99%-ile teachers, innovative and digital learning tools, and a comprehensive methodology, they are certain that you will achieve your best test score. They say about themselves: "We are not a test prep company, we are your test prep support system."

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Sample MBA Essay for Wharton

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MBA essays can be hard to write, but they are one of the most important parts of the MBA application process . If you need help getting started, you may want to view a few sample MBA essays for inspiration. The sample MBA essay shown below has been reprinted (with permission) from EssayEdge.com . EssayEdge did not write or edit this sample MBA essay. It is a good example of how an MBA essay should be formatted.

Wharton Essay Prompt

Prompt: Describe how your experiences, both professional and personal, have led to your decision to pursue an MBA at the Wharton school this year. How does this decision relate to your career goals for the future? Throughout my life, I have observed two distinct career paths, my father's and my uncle's. My father completed his engineering degree and secured a government job in India, which he continues to hold to this day. My uncle's path began similarly; like my father, he earned an engineering degree. My uncle, on the other hand, continued his education by moving to the United States to earn an MBA, then started his own venture and became a successful businessman in Los Angeles. Evaluating their experiences helped me understand what I wanted from my life and create a master plan for my career. While I appreciate the excitement, flexibility, and independence my uncle has in his life, I value my father's proximity to his family and culture. I now realize that a career as an entrepreneur in India could provide me with the best of both worlds. With the objective of learning about business, I completed my bachelor's degree in Commerce and joined KPMG in the Audit & Business Advisory Department. I believed that a career with an accounting firm would serve me in two ways: first, by enhancing my knowledge of accounting -- the language of business -- and second, by providing me with an excellent introduction to the business world. My decision seemed to be a sound one; in my first two years at KPMG, I worked on a wide variety of assignments that not only strengthened my analytical and problem-solving skills, but also taught me how large businesses managed their sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution functions. After enjoying this productive and educational experience for two years, I decided I wanted greater opportunities than what the audit department could offer. Thus, when the Management Assurance Services (MAS) practice was established in India, the challenge of working in a new service line and the opportunity to help improve the risk management mechanisms of businesses influenced me to join it. In the last three years, I have improved risk management capabilities of clients by addressing strategic, enterprise and operational risk issues. I have also assisted the MAS practice in tailoring our international portfolio of services to the Indian marketplace by conducting risk management surveys, interacting with professionals in other developing economies, and conducting interviews with senior client management. Besides becoming skilled at process risk consulting, I have also significantly improved my project management and new service development abilities in the last three years.

During my tenure with the MAS department, I have encountered challenges that have motivated me to seek a management degree . For example, last year, we conducted a process risk review for a cash-starved Indian auto ancillary that had expanded capacity without assessing sources of competitive advantage. It was clear that the company needed to rethink its business and operational strategy. Since the MAS department lacked the necessary skills to execute the project, we hired consultants to assist us in the assignment. Their approach of reviewing both the strategic and operational aspects of the business was an eye-opener for me. The pair of consultants used their knowledge of international business and macroeconomics to evaluate key industry trends and identify new markets for the company. In addition, they employed their understanding of supply chain management to benchmark key capabilities with competition and identify opportunities for improvement. As I witnessed the progress made by these two consultants, I realized that in order to achieve my long-term professional goals, I needed to return to school to expand my understanding of the fundamentals of corporate and industry analysis. I also believe that management education can help me develop other vital skills essential to my standing as a professional. For example, I will benefit from the opportunity to further polish my public speaking ability and hone my skills as a negotiator. Also, I have had limited experience working outside India, and I feel that an international education will equip me with the skills necessary to deal with foreign suppliers and customers. After graduating from Wharton, I will seek a position in a strategy consulting firm in its business building/growth practice. In addition to providing me with an opportunity to apply what I have learned, a position in the growth practice will expose me to the practical issues of new business creation. Three to five years after earning an MBA, I would expect to establish my own business venture. In the short-term, however, I may explore exciting business ideas and examine ways to build a sustainable business with the help of the Wharton Venture Initiation Program. The ideal education for me includes the Wharton Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management majors coupled with unique experiences like the Wharton Business Plan Competition and the Wharton Technology Entrepreneurship Internship. Perhaps even more importantly, I look to benefit from the Wharton environment -- an environment of boundless innovation. Wharton will give me the opportunity to apply the theory, models and techniques I learn in the classroom to the real world. I intend to join the 'entrepreneurs club' and consulting club, which will not only help me form lifelong friendships with fellow students but also give me exposure to top consulting firms and successful entrepreneurs. I would be proud to be a part of the Women in Business club and contribute to the 125 years of women at Penn. After five years of business experience, I believe that I am ready to take the next step toward my dream of being an entrepreneur. I also am confident that I am ready to participate actively as a member of the incoming Wharton class. At this point I am looking to gain the requisite skills and relationships to grow as a professional; I know that Wharton is the right place for me to accomplish this objective.

MBA Essay Tips

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COMMENTS

2 Great MBA Admissions Essays and Why They Worked
"As applicants begin to write their MBA applicant essays, it's important for prospective students to share who they are as an individual," Bell wrote in an email. "The essay allows MBA...
Why MBA? and Why Our School? Essay Samples
The "Why MBA" Essay is your chance to convince admissions officers that their school is the perfect fit for what you are looking for in an MBA program. The best essays are both personal and specific. You need to effectively convey what you are seeking from an MBA program and tell the admissions committee why their school will best meet your needs.
20 Must-Read MBA Essay Tips
Here's a roundup of our best MBA essay tips to keep in mind as you begin to write. How to Write an Unforgettable B-School Essay 1. Communicate that you are a proactive, can-do sort of person. Business schools want leaders, not applicants content with following the herd. 2. Put yourself on ego-alert.
MBA Personal Statement Examples for 2022 Applicants
Your academic record, GMAT scores, and GPA are important factors in the MBA application process. But, more than that, business schools ultimately care about who you are and whether you would be a good fit for their program. This is where your application essays come in. The goal here is to complete the picture that your scores and stats began ...
"Why do you want to pursue MBA?" Essay Examples for 2023
At this point, you're probably wondering why business schools even bother with such an essay. Well, there are many reasons, including: How an MBA will help your career goals Universities don't want to waste their time and resources on candidates who can't fully commit to their studies.
Sample MBA Essay
Why MBA - Wharton Business School? Wharton consistently seeks balanced and community minded applicants that can demonstrate innovative thinking, a record of accomplishment, and very solid career goals. The essays this year are consistent with the admissions goals, though very different from the previous years' essays.
MBA Essays: Everything You Need to Know
Why do I need an MBA essay? Beyond the obvious answer that nearly all schools require you to write one in order to be admitted, the MBA essay is your chance to show MBA admissions committee members who you are BEYOND the facts and figures.
Why MBA Essay Examples ? Top Ranked MBA Essay Samples
Essay Example #1---Question: Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? 'Why MBA?' Essay Example #2---Question: Professional Aspirations: (750 word maximum) Think about the decisions you have made in your life.
20 Great MBA Application Essay Samples
MBA application essay is a detailed write-up about your personal and professional goals and aspiration. It also explains how the MBA program will help you attain your objectives for the future. Your essay is your one shot to convince the admission committee to consider you for the initial interview. What Admission Committee Looks for in MBA Essay?
MBA Essay Samples by School
MBA Essay Examples for top ranked Business Schools | ARINGO Sign Up For a Free Consultation 00:00 00:14 MBA Essay Samples by School Click on a school logo to see samples of real essays that helped ARINGO clients get accepted to that school.
Essays
Begin work on the essays early to give yourself time to reflect, write, and edit. Feel free to ask friends or family members for feedback — especially about whether the tone and voice sound like you. Your family and friends know you better than anyone. If they think the essays do not capture who you are, what you believe, and what you aspire ...
Top Insightful Strategies to ace your "WHY MBA essay"
This essay is significant since it informs the adcom about your reasons for pursuing an MBA and about your employability to the employers who come to a business school to hire. If your 'Why MBA' does not have conviction, collinearity, or a strong fit, you will not get admitted, no matter how exceptional your achievements are.
WHY MBA?? How to answer this common MBA essay question
Here is a good example of a "why MBA" essay: ... We help our candidates think and write new, original and most importantly unique essays about: why MBA, why a specific school, most impressive achievement, what matters most to you and why etc. GOOD LUCK! MBAbot Non-Human User. Joined: 01 Oct 2013 . Posts: 855. Own Kudos ...
How to Write and Format an MBA Essay
Your MBA essay tells the admissions committee who you are and helps to set you apart from other applicants. Why You Don't Need to Write an Essay Not every business school requires an MBA essay as part of the admissions process. For some schools, the essay is optional or not required at all.
Why MBA Essay
4 250 Words Essay Example of MBA Essay On Why MBA. Today, the economy and working environment have become highly competitive. To stay in the running, one needs to have a strong academic background. As a result, many people opt for a master's in business administration. It helps create a balanced foundation for a person irrespective of the ...
MBA Essay Tips: 4 Most Common Essays in Business School Applications
MBA Application Essay #1: The Personal Statement. MBA admissions committees care about your core values, your moral character, and the passions that motivate you. For example, UC Berkeley's Haas Business School has four stated defining principles: Question the Status Quo. Confidence Without Attitude.
Reflective Essay on MBA Program
Cite This Essay. Download. I was searching for the complete online program and CMU stuck out. My Web-based learning involvement with CMU has been positive. The MBA program coursework has been careful and has surpassed my desires. The staff and educators have been proficient and accommodating with opportune supportive responses to questions.
MBA essay
Here are the 5 types of MBA essays typically asked in a business school application: MBA essay 1 - Goals MBA essay 2 - Self-reflection MBA essay 3 - Contribution MBA essay 4 - Leadership MBA essay 5 - Video Let's look at each one of these five types of MBA essays: Goals Essay
How to Write a Killer MBA Essay
Introduction. Writing a great MBA essay is a crucial component of applying to business school.According to Lisa Koengeter, the Director of Admissions at Booth School of Business, your essay provides them with "a better understanding of you, your self-assessment and your aspirations.". This article will outline what MBA admissions committees look for in your essays, show you how to write a ...
Crafting Your Admissions Essay
Helpful Hint #6: Refine your essay, and don't be shy about getting some assistance. Once you've written your essay, put it away for a day or two. Then come back and try reading it like it was written by someone else and see how it strikes you. Fix what you don't like. Read it out loud and see how it sounds.
2 Clever Responses to MBA Short-Answer Essay Prompts
Here is how Strickhouser responded to an essay prompt asking how he would introduce himself to an MBA admissions officer if he was sitting next that officer at an airport during a layover. The ...
How to Answer Why this School in MBA Applications Essays
One very efficient method of presenting strong reasons is to link your career goals, learning needs and inspiration with the strengths of the MBA program. This method grounds your desire to pursue an education from that business school in terms of concrete requirements, strengthening your response.
The MBA Essay is Usually Not Optional: Why You Should Write It
The MBA program attracts students with a wide array of experiences. For personal or professional reasons, some applicants only realize an MBA is right for them later in their careers - and that's okay. In the optional essay, show the admissions committee why you believe an MBA is the next step for you, regardless of where you started.
Inspiration: Sample Essay for MBA Application
It is a good example of how an MBA essay should be formatted. Wharton Essay Prompt Prompt: Describe how your experiences, both professional and personal, have led to your decision to pursue an MBA at the Wharton school this year. How does this decision relate to your career goals for the future?