How To Write A Good Business School Admission Essay: 3 Tips For Students

The admission essay acts as a kind of business school applicant’s calling card. When writing the essay, such a question as “What do they want from me?” flows into questions “What should I show them?” and “What should I refrain from when writing my paper?”. 

Some schools, like Insead and Columbia Business School, still ask applicants to write an admissions essay on a number of specific topics. For example, what they aspire to do when they finish their MBA. Harvard Business School, on the other hand, has reduced the number of short essay topics to one: “What else do you want to tell us about yourself?”. However, if you have absolutely no idea how to write an essay for MBA, you can use an essay writing service to get expert help. 

Many schools now don’t require applicants to write at all. The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business application form for the 2016-2017 academic year contained 10 pictures, from a stack of textbooks to a group of smiling students sitting in the back of a truck somewhere in Columbia. The entrant was asked to choose a picture and describe what it was associated with. They could do it in any format, such as a PowerPoint presentation. Kurt Alm, deputy dean of Booth, explains the goals: to communicate the school’s culture to applicants and to select appropriate applicants.

1. Video Essays

Video essays are another popular trend. The MBA video essay is thought to help assess whether a candidate’s written story about himself or herself is true. So, say, the Yale School of Management asks applicants to submit both a written essay and a video presentation. Chioma Isiadinso, the co-founder of the consulting firm Expartus and former member of the admissions committee at HBS, advises applicants to write an admissions essay as candidly as possible while taking into account the characteristics and culture of a particular school.

Some MBA students who write blogs on FT.com have shared their experiences with successful admissions essays.

Sylvia Simoes, a student at IMD Business School in Lausanne, recalls how upon admission she was asked to write an essay in the form of a speech that could have been delivered by one of her close friends at her 75th birthday celebration. That essay helped her define her goals for her MBA studies.

2. “Who are you?”

The admissions essay for Booth was the most challenging yet the easiest one Julia McInnis has ever had the privilege of writing. “Who are you?” – was the question she had to answer. The essay was due at the end of September, and Julia began thinking about it in June. The concept of the essay suddenly occurred to her one afternoon while she was at work. The vagueness of the question posed allowed Julia to discover her strengths. When writing essays for MBA programs, she advises applicants to make a list of the distinctive features of the program they are applying to, identify a plan for taking required and elective courses, and describe how the program will help in their careers.

Sonny Sheng of Copenhagen Business School wrote four short essays – about his interests, his understanding of leadership, his attitude toward key areas of the program, and his career plans after graduation. According to him, introspection during the admission process was the key to understanding his own strengths and goals, which the MBA training should help to achieve.

3. Personal Experience

Warwick Business School student Brian Parsons had to write several written papers when he applied. The length requirements are very strict, limiting the depth of analysis of the chosen subject and forcing you to focus on the essentials. In Parsons’ opinion, these requirements are intentional: there is a trade-off between demonstrating a breadth of knowledge and detailed knowledge of the subject.

Karun Jain of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad wrote an introductory essay on leadership skills. Leadership is often confused with simply managing a large group of people, he explains, whereas real leadership involves the ability to lead a group through a crisis, influence people, and help everyone bring out their best. Jain says he wrote the essay about his own personal and professional experiences and how he learned to take the initiative and manage people without turning into a despot.

Bio: Rebecca Carter works at StudyEssay.org as an essay writer. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and during her study developed an enthusiasm for writing articles about her experience. When she is not writing Rebecca enjoys being in the mountains, gym, and volunteering.