Chicago  

1. What are your short- and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)

1a) Re-applicants only: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words)

2. At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)

3. Considering what you've already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.

Question 3 Guidelines

We have set forth the following guidelines:

• • The content is completely up to you. There is no right, or even preferred, approach to this presentation.
  • There is a strict maximum of four pages, though you can provide fewer if you choose.
  • Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint or PDF.
  • The document will be viewed electronically, but we cannot support embedded videos, music, or motion images. Additionally, all content MUST be included in the four pages; hyperlinks will not be viewed.
  • The file will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise or presentation.

Columbia

Short Answer
What is your post-MBA professional goal? (Maximum of 200 characters.)

1. 1. Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (Maximum of 750 words.)
   2. Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Maximum of 500 words.)
   3. Essay three has three options (please choose one of the following):

• • Option A: The annual A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Competition is a student initiative managed and run by the Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO). The competition encourages Columbia MBA students to explore creative entrepreneurial ideas that are sufficiently ambitious in scope and scale to be considered “outrageous.” Students explore these ideas while learning firsthand what goes into the development and presentation of a solid business proposal.

Develop your own “outrageous” business idea. In essay form, compose your “elevator pitch.” (Maximum of 250 words.)

• • Option B: Columbia deeply values its vibrant student community, the building of which begins at orientation when admitted students are assigned to clusters of 65 to 70 fellow students who take most of the first-year core classes together. During the first weeks of school, each cluster selects a Cluster Chair. Further strengthening the student community are the over 100 active student organizations at Columbia Business School, ranging from cultural to professional to community service-oriented. Leadership positions within the cluster and/or clubs offer hands-on management and networking opportunities for students as they interact with fellow students, administrators, faculty members, alumni, and practitioners.

• • Option C: Founded nearly three decades ago, the Executives in Residence Program at Columbia Business School integrates senior executives into the life of the School. Current executives in residence include more than a dozen experts in areas ranging from media and investment banking to private equity and management. A hallmark of the program is one-on-one counseling sessions in which executives advise students about their prospective career choices.

Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. Compose each of your answers offline in separate document files and upload them individually in the appropriate spaces below. Although there is no restriction on the length of your response, most applicants use, on average, 500 words for each essay. There are no right or wrong answers.

Please double-space your responses.

1. 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? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please

explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)

2. Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own

individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?  

3. Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What

actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

4. Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our

community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute

to the culture at Tuck?

5. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not

addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual

choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or

changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented

by this application.

6. (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since

you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

Duke (Fuqua)

Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing. Your response to each question should be no more than 2 pages in length, with a font size no less than 10-point.

Required Applicant Essays: Answer all 3 essay questions below.

Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence, and business acumen. Thus, Duke is in the midst of an ambitious global venture that will embed and connect us around the world, and we are seeking future leaders of consequence, who value diversity and collaborative leadership, and who aspire to impact the companies and communities of which they are a part in a lasting and positive way.

In an effort to identify, engage, and foster the development of future leaders of consequence, the Admissions Committee would like to get to know you in a more holistic manner. We would like to know who you are, what has shaped you into the person you are today, and how you hope to impact both Duke and the communities of which you will be a part in the future. The essays are your opportunity to convey that to us. Please be open, genuine, and passionate. Share with us what makes you a dynamic, multi-dimensional person.

1. Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.

2. How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua's diverse culture?

3. Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)

Optional Essay

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weakness in your application). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Essay is intended to provide the Admissions Committee with insight into your extenuating circumstances only. Please limit your response to two pages.

Re-applicants

Candidates who applied to the Daytime MBA program between September 2010 and May 2011 are considered re-applicants. All re-applicants are required to complete the Re-applicant Essay in addition to the 3 required Applicant Essays. For the Re-applicant Essay, please limit your response to two pages. Write an essay describing how you are now a stronger candidate for admission compared to the application you submitted the previous year.

Harvard
1. Tell us about three of your accomplishments. (600 words)
2. Tell us three setbacks you have faced. (600 words)
3. Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)
4. Answer a question you wish we'd asked. (400 words)

Note: All application questions above require a response.

3. If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme? (250 words maximum)

Personal Essays:

1. 1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words maximum)

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date (if possible specify one personal and one professional), explaining why you view them as such. (400 words maximum)

3. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed.  Discuss what you learned. (400 words maximum)

4. a) Discuss your short and long term career goals. (300 words maximum) and b) How will studying at INSEAD help you achieve your vision? (250 words maximum)

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics: a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What insights did you gain? (250 words maximum) or b) Describe the ways in which a foreigner in your country might experience culture shock. (250 words maximum)

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in your application that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (350 words maximum) This section is optional.

1. Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.

2. Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? What is your vision for how you can make a unique contribution to the Ross community? (500 word maximum)

3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)

4. Select one of the following questions:
• What are you most passionate about? (300 word maximum)
• Describe a personal challenge or obstacle and why you view it as such. How have you dealt with it? What have you learned from it? (300 word maximum)

5. Optional question: Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (500 word maximum)

We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Please limit the experiences you discuss to those which have occurred in the past three years.

In each of the essays please describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did.

• • Essay 1: Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

• • Essay 2: Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

• • Essay 3: Please describe a time when you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Supplemental Information (Optional)

You may use this section to address whatever else you want the Admissions Committee to know. (250 words or fewer, limited to one page)

Essay #1
a) MBA Program applicants - Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)
b) MMM Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. How do the unique characteristics of the MMM Program meet your educational needs and career goals? (600 word limit).

Essay #2 

Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences (600 word limit).

Essay #3

Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit

Essay #4

Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit) 
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.

a) Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.
b) People may be surprised to learn that I…..
c) The riskiest personal or professional decision I ever made was….. 


Required essay for re-applicants only – Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

Essay 1. Professional Aspirations 

(750 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) 

Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Answer the following: 

(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?

(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?

(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?

Essay 2. Your Stern Experience 

(500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) 

We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions: 

(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.

(b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.

(c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.

Essay 3. Personal Expression 

Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative. 

If you submit a non-written piece for Essay 3 (i.e., artwork or multimedia) or if you submit Essay 3 via mail, please upload a brief description of your submission with your online application. 

Please note the following guidelines and restrictions:

• Your submission becomes the property of NYU Stern and cannot be returned for any reason.
• If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font. If you submit a video or audio file, it should be five minutes maximum.
• If you prepare a multimedia submission, you may mail a CD, DVD or USB flash drive to the Admissions Office. These are the only acceptable methods of submission. Please do not submit an internet link to any websites or to a video hosting service such as YouTube.
• The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request an alternate Essay 3 if we are unable to view your submission.
• Do not submit anything perishable (e.g. food), or any item that has been worn (e.g. clothing). 

Essay 4. Additional Information (optional)

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE and/or TOEFL or any other relevant information. 

If you are unable to submit a recommendation from your current supervisor, you must explain your reason in Essay 4. 

If you are a re-applicant from last year, please explain how your candidacy has improved since your last application. 

If you are applying to a dual degree program, please explain your decision to pursue a dual degree.

REQUIRED QUESTION:

What are your professional objectives?

RESPOND TO 2 OF THE FOLLOWING 3 QUESTIONS:

1. Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today?

2. Discuss a time when you faced a challenging interpersonal experience. How did you navigate the situation and what did you learn from it?

3. "Innovation is central to our culture at Wharton. It is a mentality that must encompass every aspect of the School - whether faculty research, teaching or alumni outreach." - Thomas S. Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School

Keeping this component of our culture in mind, discuss a time when you have been innovative in your personal or professional life.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION FOR REAPPLICANTS:

All reapplicants to Wharton are required to complete the Optional Essay. Please use this space to explain how you have reflected on the previous decision on your application and to discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any extenuating circumstances.

OPTIONAL SECTION FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application).

Tell us in your own words who you really are. Answer essay questions 1, 2, and two of the four options for essay 3.

• • 
    
  • Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why?

• • The best examples of Essay 1 reflect the process of self-examination that you have undertaken to write them.
  • They give us a vivid and genuine image of who you are-and they also convey how you became the person you are.
  • They do not focus merely on what you've done or accomplished. Instead, they share with us the values, experiences, and lessons that have shaped your perspectives.
  • They are written from the heart and address not only a person, situation, or event, but also how that person, situation, or event has influenced your life.
• 
  
• Essay 2: What do you want to do-REALLY-and why Stanford?
• Use this essay to explain your view of your future, not to repeat accomplishments from your past.
• • You should address three distinct topics:

• • • your career aspirations
    • the role of an MBA education in achieving those aspirations
    • and your rationale for earning that MBA at Stanford, in particular.
  • The best examples of Essay 2 express your passions or focused interests; explain why you have decided to pursue graduate education in management; and demonstrate your desire to take advantage of the opportunities that are distinctive to the Stanford MBA Program.
• 
  
• Essay 3: Answer twoof the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.
  • Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
  • Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
  • Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.
  • Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined or established.

Essay Length

Your answers for all of the essay questions cannot exceed 1,800 words.

You have your own story to tell, so please allocate the 1,800 words among all of the essays in the way that is most effective for you. We provide some guidelines below as a starting point, but you should feel comfortable to write as much or as little as you like on any essay question, as long as you do not exceed 1,800 words total.

• Essay 1: 750 words
• Essay 2: 450 words
• Essay 3: 300 words each

At Berkeley-Haas, our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles — question the status quo; confidence without attitude; students always; and beyond yourself. We seek candidates from a broad range of cultures, backgrounds, and industries who demonstrate a strong cultural fit with our program and defining principles. Please use the following essays as an opportunity to reflect on and share with us the values, experiences, and accomplishments that have helped shape who you are.(Learn more about Berkeley-Haas' Defining Principles).

Essays

1. What brings you the greatest joy? How does this make you distinctive? (250 word maximum)
2. What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 word maximum)
3. Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization. How did your actions create positive change? (250 word maximum)
4. Describe a time when you were a student of your own failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 word maximum)
5. Describe a time when you led by inspiring or motivating others toward a shared goal. (250 word maximum)
6. a. What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals? b. How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (1000 word maximum for 6a. and 6b.)

Optional Essays

1. Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven't addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)
2. If not clearly evident, please discuss ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities, or plan to strengthen quantitative abilities. You do not need to list courses that appear on your transcript. (250 word maximum)

All responses to essays must be on double-spaced pages that are uploaded in document form. Please note the word limits indicated in parentheses below.

First-time applicants -- 2 required essays:

REQUIRED ESSAYS:

Please be introspective and authentic in your responses. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn about your life experiences, aspirations, and goals.

1. What event or life experience has had the greatest influence in shaping your character and why?   (750 words)

2. Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. What is your motivation for pursuing an MBA now and how will UCLA Anderson help you to achieve your goals? (750 words)

OPTIONAL ESSAY:

The following essay is optional. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit an optional essay.

1. Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words)

REAPPLICANT ESSAY QUESTIONS

REQUIRED ESSAY:

Reapplicants who applied for the entering Fall 2010 or 2011 class are required to complete the following essay. Please be introspective and authentic in your response. Content is more important than style of delivery. We value the opportunity to learn more about your aspirations and goals.

1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words)

Question 1 (500 words)

Please discuss your career progress to date and explain why now is the right time to undertake an MBA at London Business School?

Question 2 (300 words)

Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?

Question 3 (250 words)

Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and team working skills. Given this experience what role will you play in a first year study group?

Question 4 (300 words)

Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London Business School MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus.  Please describe how you will contribute to student clubs and the community and why?

Question 5 (250 words)

London Business School offers a truly global and diverse experience. Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country or culture. What did you gain and how will your experience contribute to London Business School?

Question 6 (250 words)

Considering what you have already included in the application, what else would you like to tell us about yourself?  You can approach this question however you like.

Question 7 (300 words)

(This question is for re-applicants only)

How has your candidacy for the London Business School MBA improved since your last application? Have your views of London Business School or the MBA programme changed since you last applied?

The following is the essay question for the Darden MBA 2011−2012 application cycle:

Share your perspective on leadership in the workplace and describe how it has been shaped by the increasing influence of globalization. (500 words maximum)

Short Answers

Please answer each of the four (4) questions below with a short paragraph of no more than 150 words.This is an opportunity to distill your core ideas, values, goals and motivations into a set of snapshots that help tell us who you are, where you are going professionally, and why. (600 words total)

1. What are your professional goals immediately after you receive your MBA?

2. What are your long-term career aspirations?

3. Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA? (If you plan to use your Yale MBA to make a significant change in the nature of your career, please tell us what you have done to prepare for this transition.)

4. The intentions of our students to engage in a broad-minded business school community and to connect to an eminent and purposeful university greatly influences the Yale MBA experience. How do you plan to be involved in the Yale SOM and greater Yale communities as a student?

Personal Statement 1

Choose one (1) of the following topics and answer it in essay form. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)

1. At the Yale School of Management, we believe the world needs leaders who:

• Understand organizations, teams, networks and the complex nature of leadership;
• Understand markets and competition in different contexts; and
• Understand the diversity of economies throughout the world and the relationships between business and society.

What experiences have you had that demonstrate your strength in one or more of these areas?

2. What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you perceive in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?

3. Imagine yourself meeting your learning team members for the first time in Orientation. What is the most important thing your teammates should know about you?

4. Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

Personal Statement 2

Choose one (1) of the following topics and answer it in essay form. You must choose a different topic than you chose for Personal Statement 1. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)

1. At the Yale School of Management, we believe the world needs leaders who:

• Understand organizations, teams, networks and the complex nature of leadership;
• Understand markets and competition in different contexts; and
• Understand the diversity of economies throughout the world and the relationships between business and society.

What experiences have you had that demonstrate your strength in one or more of these areas?

2. What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you perceive in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?

3. Imagine yourself meeting your learning team members for the first time in Orientation. What is the most important thing your teammates should know about you?

4. Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

Optional Essay

Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., choice of recommender(s), academic background or performance, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not otherwise fully represented by this application. (250 words maximum)