Each person has knowledge and qualities that grant him or her the potential to do extraordinary things. These essays are the place where you put those experiences (or potential) on paper. Excite. Choose incidents, approaches, viewpoints that while representing your personality accurately also excites the readers' imagination and challenges their sleep quotient. That is the first step to a good MBA essay.

Just click on the links below for school specific essay tips. We have just begun this section; as we go along there will be many more hot tips for you from as many b schools as we can manage.

Essays and Essays Tips Archive: this special section has scores of essays and essay tips from years past

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Harvard HBS MBA 2009-2010 essay tips

Except for the two new choice essays the essays questions in this year's HBS application remain substantially the same. An essay package that offers excellent scope to present a multi-faceted candidature to the Harvard admissions committee.

Harvard Essay 1

What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

Harvard Essay 1 Tips

Straightforward question from Harvard. So start off by forming a straightforward note that lists the 5-6 key achievements from your professional, personal or academic life. Having done that, look at the Harvard MBA application essay package as a whole and then revisit the list. Since you might later write essays highlighting aspects of your leadership, undergraduate days, worldview or career vision, ensuring that abilities/skills already highlighted aren't repeated. The rider to that is that since this is Harvard and since this is an MBA application, there is an exception to that rule - leadership. A generous sprinkling of leadership instances across the entire package might be acceptable and this first essay may be the place for at least one.

The final choice can now be made based on the general importance of the achievements, the extent of your contribution to it's success and what the stories tell about you. Choose the qualities that the accomplishments highlight and decide if those are the traits that you want the Harvard admissions committee to remember about you.

Of course the second part of the question "why do you view them as such" is truly where you must start from: clarify your position on the "why" and you will almost automatically arrive at the answer to the first part.

Go for it!

Harvard Essay 2

What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)

Harvard Essay 2 Tips

This is a straight failure essay.

Learning is however the key aspect of the essay, not the failure as such. Think about why you are writing this Harvard essay and find a situation that has created a difference in your thought process, leadership style, behavior or value system. Once you get a substantial "learning" you can go to the printers with the story.

This year the choice of examples and incidents for the Harvard application essays will be extremely difficult as you are presented with a rich collection of choices. Your choice in Essay 2 depends on your preferred essay questions in question 3.

Go for it!

Harvard Essay 3

Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each)

Harvard Essay 3.1

1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?

Harvard Essay 3.1 Tips

As an academic experience preceding the Harvard MBA, your undergraduate academic experience might be a good guide to what you are capable of at HBS. This Harvard essay should speak of that formative phase in your life that has now made you the irresistible applicant that you are today! College is for most applicants a truly memorable and "coming out" experience so have fun with the essay. Talk about all that you found interesting, influential and character-shaping during your undergraduate days. And talk about what YOU helped shape during those years. Examples of your initiatives, creativity or leadership could top the list of what may put in; but remember that we are just at the beginning of a long Harvard essay package and you really don't have to oversell yourself before the audience has settled into their seats. The little problem with the question is that after a substantial work experience period (5+) or following a post graduate academic experience you might find it a little tough to backtrack and look into your undergraduate phase. OK so who said everything was perfect?!

Harvard Essay 3.2

2. Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.

Harvard Essay 3.2 Tips

Have you led or been an important component of an organization or community activity? Do you have significant volunteer activity in your resume? In dealing with a community (in which you might have worked or lived or not) have you exhibited praiseworthy skills and/or attitude that would make the HBS adcom misty-eyed with admiration?

Communication, relationship building, leadership, networking, inclusive world view - any or all of these qualities you possess could be covered to best advantage in this essay.

Harvard Essay 3.3

3. Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision.

Harvard Essay 3.3 Tips

Select a specific situation wherein your decision was difficult - either because it was unpopular or because you stood to lose materially or emotionally. The motivations and reasons that support your decision will be the foundation of this essay.

Recount a dilemma you faced in choosing between diverging options. Your reasoning process, decision making skills, strength of purpose and moral rectitude are some of the possible critical factors that can be highlighted in this essay.

How you make your judgments about events and people, the methods you adopt to understand varied situations and how you balance the various options to make your decision could be your main areas of focus.

Though it is not essential that this be a "success" story where ultimately everyone lives ever after, it would be nice to know that your decision ultimately paid of for everyone involved. A display of your strength of character, robust value system and/or intellectual courage might be adequate to polish off the essay.

Go for it!

Harvard Essay 3.4

4. Write a cover letter to your application introducing yourself to the Admissions Board.

Harvard Essay 3.4 Tips

Write a formal sales document in cover letter format which highlights your main qualifications to be part of Harvard Business School that explains why you should be admitted to Harvard and mentions why you are interested in HBS. And yes, this will also act as your "goals essay", unless you plan to use essay 3.5 to that end.

Since this is an all-purpose essay (oops.. cover letter) a holistic picture of your candidature needs to be presented, including your career progression, your personal achievements/interests, your expectations from Harvard and your "fit" with HBS. How you contribute to the Harvard MBA class would be an underlying overt or subliminal theme.

Harvard Essay 3.5

5. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

Harvard Essay 3.5 Tips

A leading MBA essayist recently told me that she felt dizzy every time she tried to imagine the number of applicants who want to graduate from a leading Ivy League B School, join McKinsey (or another leading Management Consultancy) and then found their own company. If you imagine the career track in your Harvard essay to be similar to that, perhaps you should think again. Not that there anything intrinsically wrong with the idea (or with McKinsey or with entrepreneurship) but that is certainly not a differentiating or different answer. Some lucid thinking and creativity will go a long way in transforming this from a well-disguised sleeping pill to the high point of your Harvard application. Harvard gives you greater scope than in a usual "what is your career goal" question. Define the goal and explain your vision. Show how it makes sense for you and for HBS. Strategic thinking, passion and intelligence: show these in the essay and you'll have my vote.

INSEAD MBA 2009-2010 essay tips

INSEAD Job Essay 1

(Required) Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved. (250 words)

INSEAD Job Essay 1 Tips

This INSEAD application question is clear enough and the space short enough to create a simple, strong essay. Answer all seven parts of the question. If you have a technical job profile specify what the job means in  a larger context. If possible, bring in your people management responsibilities and (shortly) your achievements thereof.

"Results achieved" should be a key ingredient of this INSEAD Job essay. Have you done a great job or performed superlatively? tell them how. If you present your job achievements convincingly you are on the road to a good INSEAD essay.

INSEAD Job Essay 2

(Required) Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)

INSEAD Job Essay 2 Tips

Your objective in this INSEAD essay can be to discern and showcase a logical progression in your career path. On the other hand you can simply use this essay as a straight job profiles essay and leave the logical career progression approach to Personal Essay 4. Either way do not forget to mention the basics for each job - designation, company, period, responsibilities, achievements.

INSEAD Personal Essay 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. (400 words approx.)

INSEAD Personal Essay 1 Tips

You can use this INSEAD application essay like an introduction plus life story essay ("personal development"), or a strengths and weaknesses encapsulation or an anecdotes driven development and success story. There are umpteen approaches to this essay - choose the one that suits you best. Whichever route you take, the essay should touch upon definite strength areas that you want the INSEAD admissions committee to notice you for and definite weakness areas that, while not debilitating, are not superfluous either.

Clearly the person most qualified to give you clues to this INSEAD essay is the one you see in the mirror. Ask yourself what you consider to be your main strengths and weaknesses. Look at personal and professional situations and find out which characteristics or qualities you most obviously exhibit (or lack). You could refer past performance-appraisal forms and pick some relevant points.

Generally stick to weaknesses you can eradicate or improve upon - after all the purpose of mentioning weaknesses is not to convince the INSEAD admissions committee that you are thoroughly unfit to be a part of the institution! Finally, treat each point in this INSEAD application essay in relation to the rest of the essays and the recos. Your application should be a single unified package - there is no room for internal contradictions.

INSEAD Personal Essay 2

Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)

INSEAD Personal Essay 2 Tips

OK, so here INSEAD gives you the opportunity of choosing two stories from your life. The choice should be made based on the general importance of the achievement, the extent of your contribution to its success and what the story tells about you. Your leadership skills, initiative and teamwork are three obvious qualities that the incident could reflect on. The incidents can be from professional, academic or personal spheres of life. The second part of the INSEAD question "why you view them as such" is actually where you must start from, and you will automatically arrive at the first part.

INSEAD Personal Essay 3

Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)

INSEAD Personal Essay 3 Tips

Once more begin your thought process from the second part of the question and the first will be much easier. Think about why you are writing this INSEAD essay (no wisecracks from you on that!). Find a situation that has created a difference in your thought process, behavior or value system. Once you get a substantial "effect" you can go to press with the story.

While INSEAD does say "school" a non-pre-historical incident is definitely preferable.

And never forget that the failure INSEAD essay is in reality meant to be a success story where you learnt, improved and readied yourself for a future success. Let that show.

INSEAD Personal Essay 4

Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career? (500 words approx.)

INSEAD Personal Essay 4 Tips

INSEAD places great import on your work experience. Try to supplement Job Essays 1 and 2 with a clearly delineated presentation of Pre-INSEAD, INSEAD and Post-INSEAD phases of your career. Find and express a logical, credible link between the three phases. Also uncover other motivations that have made you choose your particular career goal.

"Why INSEAD" is an important part of the question, so handle it with moderation and realism. Be specific, both about the industry and the role you are seeking, and why. If your goals are more than ordinarily ambitious say why specifically you are qualified to make it a reality.

INSEAD Personal Essay 5

Please choose one of the following two essay topics:

a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.)

or b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)

INSEAD Personal Essay 5 Tips

INSEAD has a strong international student mix and has a stronger international focus. Whichever question you choose, your outlook and maturity in cross-cultural interactions forms the core of this INSEAD application essay. Typically, "culture shock" makes for a better story while "home country" allows you greater freedom of subject matter.

Go for it!

INSEAD Optional Essay

Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (200 words approx.)

INSEAD Optional Essay Tips

As usual an optional essay requires effort even if you don’t write it. The main question in any optional essay is to decide whether you need to write it at all. Attempt the INSEAD optional essay only if you feel that it will improve the factual and material strength of your application.

Do not submit your INSEAD optional essay as an addendum to any of your essays. Do not submit your optional essay because you feel that the quality of your earlier essays is improvable – in that case simply redouble your efforts in those essays and leave the optional essay alone.

Use the INSEAD optional essay to explain shortfalls in your application which you feel are truly detrimental to your candidature. Areas of underperformance (academic or professional or GMAT) or events which stick out (gaps in your resumes or second MBA) can be commented on if you have an explanation that is intelligent, interesting and credible.

One other situation when the INSEAD optional essay is acceptable is when you need to describe at length an extraordinarily positive information that CANNOT be accommodated in the other INSEAD essays – a VERY strong reason for your INSEAD admit that absolutely requires another essay. In case you find any of the above applicable, note down the options and then consider again if the optional essay is a robust constructive addition to your candidacy. If yes, start working on the INSEAD optional essay.

INSEAD Reapplicant Essay

In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application. We would also like you to explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. This essay should not exceed 400 words.

INSEAD Reapplicant Essay Tips

INSEAD's position is blunt but clear. We rejected you last time; so what has changed?

The aim is to present the professional, academic and personal improvements in you that make you a stronger candidate for an INSEAD admission than in your last application. State compelling reasons why you deserve a second chance. What steps have you taken to strengthen your INSEAD application. Stronger work experience, professional achievements, better GMAT, international exposure or academic accomplishments can all find place in the INSEAD reapplicant essay. Proactive INSEAD-specific steps taken by you, perhaps based on direct or indirect feedback from INSEAD, might prove a trump card.

Go for it!

ISB MBA 2009-2010 essay tips

ISB Essay 1

Give 3 reasons as to why you should be selected to the class of 2011. These reasons should ideally differentiate you from the applicant pool and should be backed with some data. (300 words max)

ISB Essay 1 Tips

The real question that is asked here is - why should Indian School of Business Hyderabad bother with you when there are a hundred other applicants with a comparable GMAT score or work experience or academics or whatever? ISB is seeking your USP in this essay. Your primary aim in this essay will be to explain to the ISB Adcom the factors that make you different, unique and distinct. Your task in this ISB Essay is to answer this question with three distinct points and within 300 words.

This essay repeats itself in one form or another most years because it is a simple method for the ISB admissions committee to assess how desirable a candidate you are for ISB. The essence of the prompt in this essay can be better understood through previous ISB application essay questions.

2008-09: Please give three reasons why ISB should admit you into the class of 2010. These reasons should ideally differentiate you from your competition.

2007-08: The ISB culture stresses on a diverse mix of students; life at the ISB is a unique experience for the students. How will your candidature contribute to this culture at the ISB?

To write credibly about the differentiation you bring, the value you add to the Indian School of Business and where/why you fit in you will require some knowledge of ISB and the ISB student profile. Since this year the question specifically mentions "the applicant pool" applied research to place you within an applicant pool and to differentiate yourself within that pool will be essential.

Ask yourself what genuinely sets you apart. What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest achievements? What are the characteristics that you believe will differentiate you in a group of high-reaching professionals? What are the qualities that have aided most in your past personal/professional accomplishments? Choose from your achievements, your hobbies, your academics, your personality traits, your passions, your work experiences, your life experiences, your attitude. Sell whatever you feel can sell well - and credibly. Even if the Adcom had not requested that your assertions be "backed with some data" you should sustain all your claims with credible supporting information.

Give short (300 words cannot support long stories) examples whenever possible. To get information for the essay you should not mind knocking at many doors. Your friends, colleagues and family are excellent sources for giving you obvious answers which you might have easily overlooked. But the person who knows you best will always be the one you see in the mirror.

As always remember that this essay is part of a bigger package and write accordingly. While you are trying to convincingly portray a picture of a person who can add definite value to ISB do not overdo it because we are only at our first essay. Make sure that you leave enough room for the strengths/stories mentioned in this essay to be complemented by the other essays.

Go for it!

ISB Essay 2

Describe a challenging assignment you have handled (at work or outside) to date. What were the challenges and how did you handle them. What were the personal learnings you derived from this assignment. (300 words max)

ISB Essay 2 Tips

The objective of the essay is to demonstrate that you 1. are a good learner. 2. can handle pressure. 3. possess x,y,z qualities that make you quite a catch for the ISB Class of 2011.

From the several accomplishments in have in your roster - personal, professional and academic - choose one based on the general importance of the achievement, the extent of your contribution to its success and what the story tells about you. Your leadership skills, initiative, learning capacity and teamwork are just some of the qualities that the challenge could reflect on.

Ensure that your story includes identifiable and obviously substantive challenges that you successfully tackled (the reader should not feel - "You did that. So??!!") and specific learnings/lessons that you took away from the story.

Irrespective of whether you choose a professional or a personal example stick to stories that are not too far back in time.

BTW if someone can tell me why "to date" is necessary in the question I'll be the wiser ;-)

Go for it!

ISB Essay 3

Briefly assess your career progression till date along with your assessment of your future career goals. Discuss how your career goals will be met by the ISB’s one year program. (300 words max)

ISB Essay 3 Tips

A straightforward career progression, career goals and "why ISB" essay from ISB! Surprise!

This is a simple and important essay that will put your career - past, present and future - into perspective and explain why you are writing this application to ISB in the first place. The task here is to clearly delineate your career development in the context of your career goals, while also linking the ISB MBA with your present and future. Finding and expressing a logical, credible link between your career thus far, your goals and ISB would be the key to this essay. If possible blend in non-career aspects that are relevant to your story since your career is intricately connected to your personal life and personal goals.

Be realistic and be as specific as you need to be while detailing your post-ISB goals. While credibility, logic and realism are critical the magic element that will transform your essay from a statement into a pledge would be - passion. Pour it in!

"Why ISB" is a critical component of the question and should be dealt with application, research and intelligence. Look beyond cutting/pasting info gleaned from the ISB website. Personalize your answer as much as possible and find as many matches between what ISB specifically offers you and your future goals.

Having done all of the above you greatest challenge in this essay will perhaps be space - or lack of it. The Goals Essay, which various b-schools expect between 500-1500 words, will have to be completed in just 300 words. So be very stingy with words.

Go get 'em!

ISB Optional Essay

Please provide additional information, if any, that will significantly affect the consideration of your application to the ISB. Please do not repeat information which has already been stated elsewhere in the application. You may use this to clarify any breaks in education/work, inform about any other item which you think has not been covered elsewhere etc. (300 words max) Optional

ISB Optional Essay Tips

You have to seriously address this essay even if you don’t write it. The main question in optional essays is to decide whether it has to be written at all. And ISB is quite emphatic that they do not want their time wasted with repetitive information or insignificant details.

In the ISB application, attempt the optional essay only if you feel that it will improve the factual and material strength of your application. Do not submit your ISB optional essay as an addendum to any of your essays. Do not submit your optional essay because you feel the quality of your earlier essays is improvable – in which case redouble your efforts in the earlier essays and leave the optional essay well alone. Since ISB has just 3 small essays on which your candidature will be judged, contrary to my usual position I actually encourage you to look for truly enhancing perspectives or information that might make a difference to your application.

Use the optional essay to address areas in your ISB application which you feel are detrimental to your candidature. Areas of underperformance (academic or professional or GMAT) or resume areas which stick out (gaps in your employment/academics or earlier MBA) can be commented on if you have an explanation that is intelligent, interesting and credible.

One other situation when the optional essay is acceptable is when you need to describe at length some extraordinarily positive information that CANNOT be accommodated anywhere else in the ISB application. In case you find any of the above applicable, note down the options and then consider again if the optional essay is a strong constructive addition to your candidacy. If yes, then start working on the essay.

ISB Scholarship Essay [Optional]

Why do you think that the ISB Scholarship Committee should consider you for scholarship? (300 words max)

ISB Scholarship Essay Tips

Applying for a scholarship is almost always advisable - you have little to lose and something to gain. A scholarship essay should tie in with your application and essay package, without contradicting any part of what you have already written about yourself. As the scholarship process is usually separate from the admissions process in most schools do not be afraid of repeating information that defines your strong candidature.

The ISB scholarship essay can essentially take two approaches – merit based or need based. Though merit based ISB scholarships are automatically considered, the crux of the need based essay would still need merit! The merit based approach can explain why and how your candidacy is superior to the average ISB candidate’s. It might be a recap of parts of Essay 1 and Essay 2 with additional points which might tie in with ISB’s stated aims (come on! go refer their website. now!). As the ISB admissions process is separate from the scholarship decision your scholarship essay can repeat information already mentioned in mandatory essays. The need based approach reviews your financial position and explains the strain that the ISB fees would be on you and your immediate family.

If you have more ideas I am waiting to hear them!

ISB Reapplicant Essay

How has your profile changed from the time you last applied to the ISB? (300 words max)

ISB Reapplicant Essay Tips

Apart from an extremely low applicants versus accepted ratio, ISB applicants are almost fully Indian. So the ISB Adcom is under great pressure to select the best candidates from a limited applicant pool. But there's still a door open for rejected candidates (even more so for waitlisted candidates). If you were rejected (or waitlisted) last time, use these 300 words to tell the ISB Admission Committee that there have been enough changes in your profile to justify a revaluation of your candidature.

Your aim will be to present the professional, academic and personal improvements that make you a stronger candidate for an ISB admission this year. State compelling reasons why you deserve a second chance. What steps have you taken to strengthen your ISB application? Stronger work experience, professional achievements, better GMAT, personal achievements, accomplishments on the social front, international exposure or academic accomplishments can all find place in the ISB reapplicant essay. Proactive ISB-specific steps taken by you, perhaps based on direct or indirect feedback from ISB, might prove a trump card.

Go for it!

2009-2010 Kellogg Northwestern essay tips

We are glad to note that Kellogg has introduced word length limits instead of page lengths; we are also a little tickled that the approximate word lengths we had recommended last year are exactly the lengths recommended by Kellogg for 2009-2010!

Kellogg Essay 1

A. Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at the Kellogg School. (600 word limit)

Kellogg Essay 1 Tips

The Kellogg admissions committee is extremely interested in EACH part of this flagship application essay question: your past, your future and Kellogg.

Your objective here is to assess and evaluate your career progress while also addressing the relevance of a Kellogg MBA to your future career goals. Describe your career progression, and the reasons that connect Kellogg with your past, present and future. As usual in an MBA "goals essay", if you can establish a logical and credible link between your past, present and future, this Kellogg essay almost writes itself.

Delve into the Pre-Kellogg, Kellogg and Post-Kellogg phases of your career (and life) to explore and reveal your personality to the Kellogg admissions committee in a manner that incites an interview invitation. If you can add a dash of passion as well, you have the recipe for a great essay. Blending key non-career aspects that are relevant to your story will only add to the strength of your application. "Why Kellogg?" (and not any other business school) needs to be explicitly addressed here with application, research and intelligence. Look beyond cutting/pasting info gleaned from the Kellogg website. Personalize your answer as much as possible.

Be realistic and be as specific as you need to be while detailing your Post-Kellogg career goals (both about the industry and the functional role). Find as many matches between what the Kellogg MBA specifically offers you and your future goals. Having said that please remember that perfect links of professional and personal "fit" are acceptable but not at the expense of credibility.

Perhaps if you can convincingly accomplish all of the above you may have got it made.

Kellogg Essay 2

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

Kellogg Essay 2 Tips

Leadership is the most focused-on single trait that almost all Business Schools look for: Kellogg is no exception. This essay replaces and rephrases the leadership focused question from 2008 & 2009 applications: "How have your past and current leadership experiences prepared you for Kellogg? What leadership areas are you hoping to develop through your MBA experience?"

This is a straightforward essay that calls for an revelation of your leadership qualities. Assemble your most significant leadership experiences till date and portray your leadership capacity in the best light. While you can go back in time in case you want to show leadership progression, do not be stuck way back in time. Try to focus a substantial portion of the essay on recent experiences. If the essay also uncovers your attitude and approach to leadership, the Kellogg adcom will not complain.

You can tackle the second Kellogg link in this essay - what leadership areas are you hoping to develop through your MBA experience - by matching the areas of special focus that Kellogg delivers in aiding leadership development with your own leadership traits/focus-areas that you find improvable.

Kellogg Essay 3

Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would your peers select you to become a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit)

Kellogg Essay 3 Tips

Each MBA applicant is unique. But every admissions committee hungrily awaits candidates who can actually display that uniqueness in their essays. All MBA essay packages are basically about selling YOU: this Kellogg essay is an explicit expression of that. What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? What sets you apart?  Why should Kellogg bother talking to you when there are hundreds of other applicants with a comparable GMAT score or work experience or whatever? What value do you add to the Kellogg class?

A repeat question from previous years 2008/2009 might help: "Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experience of other Kellogg students."

To get info for this Kellogg application essay you should not mind knocking at many doors. Now you have a legitimate defense when you bug your friends, peers, spouse for insights to write all those overlong MBA essays! Your friends, colleagues and family are excellent sources for giving you obvious answers which you might have overlooked; but the best source is always going to be the one you see in the mirror. Ask this person about you at work, play and studies to uncover traits, situations, values, distinctions, hobbies, passions and skills that set you apart. In addition to integrating this Kellogg essay with the ones that follow, all you have to do (!) is to portray a convincing picture of a person who can add definite value to Kellogg and the Kellogg student community.

Umm... please read up on Kellogg - the school, student activities, class profile etc. before you write this essay.

Kellogg Essay 4 Complete one of the following three questions or statements. Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required. (400 word limit)

Kellogg Essay 4a

Describe a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.

Kellogg Essay 4a Tips

Moral courage. Decision making skills. Vision. Communication abilities. Strength of character. Reasoning power.

These are just some of the qualities that you can base this essay on.

For selecting the particular situation/story for the essay, look back to identify professional or personal circumstances in which you found yourself making an unpopular decision which you had good reasons to make. The objective is to describe why and how you went about and write in a manner that underlines you as Kellogg leadership material. Though this cannot be a fairy tale, please understand that a long-term positive conclusion to the story would help.

Kellogg Essay 4b

b. People may be surprised to learn that I….

Kellogg Essay 4b Tips

Show differences.

Show uniqueness.

Write about a quality, trait or achievement that has not been covered in the other essays. Hobbies, interests or social activities that highlight qualities like leadership, initiative, creativity, innovation, teamwork, courage etc. that make you a strong Kellogg applicant could be chosen. Though we do not have space for rambling stories one or two succinct anecdotes would help the cause.

Beware of overlaps with the other Kellogg essays especially essays 2 and 3.

Kellogg Essay 4c

c. I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me…

Kellogg Essay 4c Tips

Mouth watering stuff! Write on ANYTHING you want to tell the Kellogg admissions committee. Preferably use this essay to traverse an area in your personality or life that has not been covered in the other essays.

Kellogg Reapplicant Essay

Required essay for re-applicants only: Since your previous application, what are the steps you’ve taken to strengthen your candidacy?

Kellogg Reapplicant Essay Tips

They can't be clearer than that. It would make a great difference if you have any objective or subjective feedback from Kellogg about your last application (though I doubt it). Seek out specific areas of critical weaknesses in your last Kellogg application and illustrate how they have been neutralized. Specific achievements - academic, professional or personal - that have occurred after your last Kellogg application should also find a place here.

Go for it!

Sloan MIT essay tips 2009-2010

An entirely new set of essays for MIT Sloan this year (though the cover letter is retained as is). Do take the instructions from the Sloan admissions committee to heart: "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."

Sloan has retained a three year time-frame from which the stories can be chosen - since increasing it from two years in 2008. While a five year period would have been welcome, even this seemingly small expansion, would considerably widen the scope of choice for most applicants.

Sloan MIT Cover Letter

Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.

Sloan MIT Cover Letter Tips

Write a formal sales document in cover letter format which highlights your key achievements, includes a leadership or team impact example,  explains why you should be admitted to MIT Sloan and also mentions why you are interested in Sloan MIT...gasp.. And yes, this will also act as your "goals essay" (unless you plan to use the fourth Sloan essay to that purpose).

Now, what could be simpler?!

The "impact impact on a group or organization" portion is new this year and tries to compensate for editing out last year's first Sloan essay question: "Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a group or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did."

Since this is an all-purpose essay (oops.. cover letter) a holistic picture of your candidature needs to be presented. Choosing an "impact example" that merges with the overall theme of your cover letter content would help things.

Sloan MIT Essay 1

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

Sloan MIT Essay 1 Tips

Try to identify the times when you found yourself fighting popular opinion, introducing an innovative concept, taking a principled yet unpopular stand stand or implementing an out-of-the-box solution. The context can be professional or personal.

Apart from your motivations for the action, it might be useful to show how you (tried to) win over unenthusiastic or hesitant stakeholders, since your action would/should not have been easy to accept by everyone. While it is not essential that this be a "success" story where ultimately everyone agrees with your point of view, it won't serve you ill if you showcased your diplomatic communication, persuasive skills and reasoning abilities - AND end the story with overall consensus (everybody lives happily ever after!). A display of your strength of character, robust value system, and/or intellectual courage might be adequate to polish off the essay.

Like in all essay packages, but even more so in this Sloan application, make the final choice of the example keeping in mind the content, theme and examples you have picked for the other three essays.

Sloan MIT Essay 2

Please describe a time when you coached, trained, or mentored a person or group. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan MIT Essay 2 Tips

Each person has knowledge and qualities that grant him or her the potential to lead in extraordinary ways. Leadership is the most focused-on single trait that almost all Business Schools look for: Sloan is no exception. This essay prompt demands a sharp focus on the coaching/teaching/mentoring aspect of your leadership.

Choosing the appropriate story from your life is a key ingredient of success in most MBA "story" essays. Selecting the story for this one should be easy. Search out a story that shows you impacting an individual or a group (preferable) through exceptional training/mentoring/coaching. Select an instance in which your ability to coach, guide and/or impart knowledge made a significant difference.

As usual apart from describing the story and celebrating your success, the objective of the essay is also to uncover your attitude and approach towards leadership/mentoring/coaching/training. The story therefore will also act as a preview of how you might be able to coach/mentor individuals or teams at Sloan or in your post-Sloan career.

Go for it!

Sloan MIT Essay 3

Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan MIT Essay 3 Tips

Once again a new essay prompt, it is similar to this question from 2008-2009 : "Please tell us about a time when you executed a plan."

Describe in detail the process, actions and steps that you took to achieve your objective and to convert an idea on paper into tangible actuality. While you could achieve the objective individually, one in which you had a leadership role will almost always have greater value. In addition the initiative you took to grab this particular opportunity might be an added dimension in this essay.

The heart of the essay would be your approach to executing ideas - how you visualize, manage, organize, plan, synchronize, and execute.

Like in all the Hallmark Sloan essays the purpose is to judge your approach and attitude in a previous situation since that might be reflection of your manner and method in future situations (at Sloan and later) as well.

Sloan Supplemental Information Essay

You may use this section to address any specific circumstances related to your academic background. (250 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan Supplemental Information Essay Tips

Use this optional essay to address areas of concern in your academic background that might be detrimental to your Sloan MIT candidature. Academic underperformance, gaps in your academic resume, an earlier MBA etc. are some potential weaknesses that you might want to tackle.

However, as I keep saying, attempt the optional essay only if you feel that it will improve the factual and material strength of your application. If you cannot give convincing, non-trivial reasons for the supposed weakness areas - DO NOT submit your Sloan supplemental information essay. Seek to submit truly enhancing perspectives or information that might make a difference to your application.

One other situation when this essay is acceptable is to describe an extraordinarily positive information related to your academics that CANNOT be accommodated anywhere else in the Sloan MIT application.

Penn Wharton MBA 2009-2010 essay tips

Wharton Essay 1

As a leader in global business, Wharton is committed to sustaining “a truly global presence through its engagement in the world”. What goals are you committed to and why? How do you envision the Wharton MBA contributing to the attainment of those goals? (750-1000 words)

Wharton Essay 1 Tips

Though it has a slightly different prompt this year this first Penn Wharton essay remains a standard "goals essay" wherein you have to combine your career goals and "why Wharton MBA?" into a wholesome write-up. Some lucid thinking and creativity will go a long way in transforming this from a well-disguised sleeping pill to the high point of your Wharton application. So make this opening essay a tour-de-force that sets the tone for your Wharton application.

With “a truly global presence through its engagement in the world” Wharton challenges you to define your goal and explain your vision in a larger context than of an individual's career. Strategic thinking, passion, vision and intelligence: show these in the essay and you'll have my vote.

Though not specifically asked a brief, well defined career progression can be used to logically lead to the Wharton and Post-Wharton phases of your career and life. Be credible in mentioning your career goals; uncovering and expressing a logical link between the past, present and future is a critical element in this essay. While the essay asks about your career plans do not be afraid to bring in non-career aspects that have influenced your choices.

"Why Wharton" is to be dealt with application, research and intelligence. Look beyond cutting/pasting info gleaned from the Penn Wharton website. Personalize your answer as much as possible and provide logical and well-supported reasons for how Wharton will make your career dreams come true.

Wharton Essay 2

Tell us about a time when you had to adapt by accepting/understanding the perspective of people different from yourself. (750-1000 words)

Wharton Essay 2 Tips

This spanking new Wharton essay question lays the ground for you to expound on incidents, situations or actions that have enabled you to assimilate cultural variations at work, play or living environments. The essay can explore your outlook and maturity in cross-cultural interactions.

While your international exposure could form the core of this Wharton MBA application essay, with a "culture shock" experience forming the core of the story, "people different from yourself" being a pretty broad term, you can easily choose almost any experience where a set of people shared a viewpoint different from your own.

Leadership, cultural diversity, people skills, adaptability and a broad open outlook are expected to make best use of the MBA program at Wharton, and an essay that illustrates some or all (and more) of these qualities will stand you in good stead.

Wharton Essay 3

Describe a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

Wharton Essay 3 Tips

This is an almost exact replication of last year's question: "Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself?"

That this question repeats itself in one form or another year after year in the Penn application shows how Wharton wants to see how you handle failure and the attendant learning opportunities therein.

As in most failure essays the key to getting it right is to begin your thought process from the second part of the question and then proceed to a significant and credible incident that has left it's mark on you. Wharton, with it's admirable focus on the individual, wants to know your personal reaction to the event and the lessons you learnt from it. Never forget that the failure essay is in reality meant to be a success story where you learnt, improved and readied yourself to be a better professional, better leader and (perhaps!) a better person.

While the qualities that you reflected while fire-fighting the incident or it's aftereffects remain the core reason for the essay, please take care to choose a failure that is "real". A fluffy failure not only makes for a weak essay but will also probably put you on the hot seat during the Wharton interview.

Wharton Essay 4

Choose one of the following questions (500 words):

Wharton Essay 4a

a. Give us a specific example of a time when you solved a complex problem.

Wharton Essay 4a Tips

 A great opportunity to address your skills in problem solving. The story could focus on your innovation and creativity with an apt example that highlights your out-of-the-box thinking. Alternately you can choose a leadership situation where your diplomacy, intelligence and people skills saved the day.

A leadership focused essay that also exhibits innovation and initiative would be the ideal response as long as you do not tread the same path you have taken in the previous two essays.

Ensure that you choose a truly complicated problem since the more complex your problem the more impressive will be your ability to solve it. A trivial problem not only makes for a weak essay but will also probably put you on the hot seat during the Wharton interview.
Irrespective of whether you choose from personal, academic, community or professional experiences, try to give a sense of urgency and a personal tone to the essay.

Wharton Essay 4b

b. Tell us about something significant that you have done to improve yourself, in either your professional and/or personal endeavors.

Wharton Essay 4b Tips

Once again the person most qualified to give you clues to this essay is the one you see in the mirror. Ask yourself what you consider to be your main areas of improvement in the recent past. Look at personal and professional situations in your life/career and identify which characteristics or qualities you have added on or improved most in the recent past. On the other hand the improvement could be an educational/personal/professional initiative that has improved the way you live/think/are.

Whichever be the case choose a momentous change that changed you and and detail how you approached and managed the change. To shortlist your main improvement areas you could refer a few past appraisal forms at work, talk to your colleagues/managers or pick the brains of friends/relatives who have known you for some time.

Wharton Optional Essay

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, TOEFL waiver request, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application) (250 words)

Wharton Optional Essay Tips

Wharton's essay lengths are almost always a threat and a challenge; in this case they are also a guide. Wharton is one of the few B School which gives as much as 500 words for a multiple-choice question. And yet the Wharton optional essay is given only 250 words. Being a card carrying member of the Anti-Optional Essay League I can only warn that unless it is absolutely necessary give this one a miss.

Since Wharton's clear focus is in providing you a chance to present an added perspective to any glaring weaknesses in your application, you might try a defense if you feel that is the case. But once again evaluate if the essay is actually going to make the Admissions Committee feel better about your candidature. If you can give strong, credible, mature reasons to explain the weaknesses and counter it with logic and passion, perhaps you can give it a try.

Then think again if the optional essay is a strong constructive addition to your candidacy. If yes, start working on the essay.

Go for it!

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