Build a Strong Foundation for Your MBA Application (and Beyond) with a Brainstorm Document

Before you begin work on your business school application, we recommend that you create a brainstorm document where you will explore your formative experiences—what you thought, felt, said, and did. This brainstorm will be your touchstone for everything about this application process. It will help you discover what meaningful experiences and qualities you want to highlight in your essays and discuss during your interviews. 

Putting meaningful experiences into different "buckets" helps a lot. You might have some crossover with experiences technically fitting into two buckets or more—don't worry about that; put them in one bucket, for now, to keep things grouped. Maybe write: "This is also a leadership experience" or "Innovation/Critical Thinking" in your notes.

An important note: Eighty percent of these experiences should be from adulthood (college and beyond). Twenty percent can be from before then if they established foundational skills or led to evolutions in perspective. For example, if a family member’s illness inspired you to quit investment banking to pursue a healthcare start-up. 

Bucket 1: A-ha Moments. What meaningful experiences changed your mind about or expanded your perspective on something? Some could be spectacular successes, others, catastrophic failures. Have you learned from a mistake? What skills of yours did you discover in a challenging time? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? (Prepare yourself, we're going to ask those last two repeatedly.) 

Bucket 2: Leadership. In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 3: Teamwork and Collaboration. During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 4: Innovation. In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Bucket 5: Experiences that Reinforced Your Commitment to an MBA. What meaningful experiences reinforced your commitment to pursuing an MBA and your post-MBA goals? Was it meeting a professional you admired? Was it accomplishing something at work or in a volunteer setting? What did you think of these things at the time? How did you feel?

Bucket 7: Miscellaneous. What experiences have you had that you can't quite categorize? What else should we know about you? What do you think we don't necessarily have to know? Don’t be afraid to expose some vulnerability and use everything you’ve got. You should even include things about yourself and what you care about that you don't imagine will be a factor in an essay (e.g., your quest to make the perfect chocolate cake, your passion for wordle). You might be able to weave aspects of your personality or some fun facts into your essays and interviews to add some color—or something even better.

Stanford is Back on Top Alongside Penn’s Wharton in U.S News’ 2024 Best MBA Ranking

The U.S. News and World Report has posted the 2024-2025 Best MBA rankings. Stanford GSB and University of Pennsylvania Wharton are tied for the top spot, followed by a tie for third rank between Northwestern Kellogg and Chicago Booth.

Notable changes to the top 25 from the last year’s rankings include: 

• Stanford’s five-rank jump, which moved it from 6th in 2023 back to 1st, a position it also held in 2021 and 2022. 

• Harvard, which has spent the past two years in 5th, dropped one spot into the 6th position in 2024.

• The biggest increases this year, apart from Stanford, were Vanderbilt Owen, which moved up seven ranks to the 20th spot, and Berkeley Haas and UVA Darden, which both moved up four positions to take 7th and 10th, respectively.

• Dartmouth Tuck and Michigan Ross experienced the largest declines from 2023, both falling four positions. Tuck now shares the 10th spot with Darden, while Ross joined Columbia and Duke in a three-way tie at 12th. 

According to Poets & Quants, U.S. News acknowledged that its addition of a new post-graduate salary metric explains some of the movement seen within this year’s ranking. The addition of the metric de-emphasizes post-graduate starting salary/bonus slightly, incorporating MBA graduates’ starting salaries based on the field in which they’re entering. A description is available here. 

Rank School Name, Change from 2023

1 Stanford University (tie), +5

1 University of Pennsylvania, Wharton (tie), +2

3 Northwestern University, Kellogg (tie), -1 

3 University of Chicago, Booth (tie), -2

5 MIT, Sloan, -1

6 Harvard University, -1

7 New York University, Stern, (tie), +3

7 University of California–Berkeley, Haas (tie), +4

7 Yale University (tie), +1

10 Dartmouth, Tuck, (tie), -4

10 University of Virginia, Darden (tie), +4

12 Columbia University (tie), -1 

12 Duke University, Fuqua (tie), -1

12 University of Michigan, Ross (tie), -4

15 Cornell University, Johnson (tie), – 

16 Carnegie Mellon, Tepper (tie), +2

16 University of Texas–Austin, McCombs (tie), +2

18 Emory University, Goizueta (tie), -1

18 University of Southern California, Marshall (tie), -3

20 Indiana University, Kelley (tie), +2

20 University of California–Los Angeles, Anderson (tie), -1

20 University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler (tie), +2

20 Vanderbilt University, Owen (tie), +7

24 Georgetown University, McDonough, –

25 Georgia Institute of Technology, Scheller, +1

Your MBA Application: Tips for the Early Birds

There are still a couple of months before business schools release their 2024 MBA submission dates. But if you know you’re interested in applying for a spot in the Class of 2027 (matriculating in fall 2025), it’s never too early to get started. In fact, we encourage it! Here are a few tasks you can undertake now that will save you time later, when things are more hectic. 

Document Your Experiences. In addition to seeking out high quality and challenging professional and extracurricular experiences you’re interested in, you should keep a brainstorming document where you will explore your formative experiences—what you thought, felt, said, and did. This brainstorm will be your touchstone for everything about this application process. It will help you discover what meaningful experiences and qualities you want to highlight in your school-specific essays, share with your recommenders, and discuss during your interviews (now and in the future!). 

Log details while they're fresh in your mind. Did you have a meaningful conversation with a colleague or mentor at work? Demonstrate leadership in an organization you’re involved with? Develop an innovative solution on a team project? How did those interactions feel? What actions did you take, if any? Are there results to share? Pay particular attention to those experiences that prompted an evolution in your perspective and reinforced your interest in an MBA, as well as those that could show the reader your abilities in leadership, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration. 

Secure the Right Rec in a Timely Manner. If you have a professional contact who you’ve worked closely with and who you'd love to support your candidacy for business school, ask for the letter of recommendation early. An early ask will give you plenty of time to meet and discuss your goals and for you to prepare a portfolio of information personalized for each recommender that includes Illustrative anecdotes from your work together. Alternatively, if you would prefer to wait, stay in touch and keep them updated on your accomplishments. We recommend giving them at least eight weeks prior to your submission deadline. 

Start Preparing for the GMAT/GRE/Executive Assessment. A long lead-time before you apply to business school allows you to adjust your schedule to accommodate studying and taking the GMAT/GRE/EA. Consider when you can most easily make the time for prep. Will it be during the summer when you have a lighter client load? Do you plan to take a test prep course that meets on weekends? 

Standardized test scores are valid for five years. If you can take the test earlier, you will have space to focus on developing other components of your application later. Additionally, taking the GMAT/GRE/EA early leaves you with more options if your initial score doesn’t meet your expectations.

Network and Research. Take the opportunity to visit as many of the MBA programs as you are able to. Meet with the students and professors, attend a class, and visit the career center. Understanding exactly how each program can support you in meeting your goals will help you to strengthen your case for admission. 

Related:

MBA Application Tips—Letters of Recommendation

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Compatibility in Close Knit and Collaborative Communities

More Prospective MBAs Prioritize AI

Interest in AI has surged among prospective MBAs, according to this year’s GMAC Prospective Students Survey. 

Globally, 40 percent of respondents selected AI as an essential topic (29 percent in 2022), and in the U.S., 34 percent (22 percent in 2022) did. Millennials were more likely to express interest in AI (44 percent, globally) than Gen Z (38 percent), which the report notes is consistent with millennials’ stronger interest in the tech sector. And men (42 percent) were more likely than women (37 percent) to deem AI essential.

Below, we highlight a few business schools that are integrating AI coursework into their MBA programs. 

American University’s Kogod School of Business: Kogod recently announced that they were undergoing a “makeover” to integrate AI skills and concepts throughout the school’s curriculum, operations, and philosophy. This includes bringing in experts from the private sector to ensure faculty and staff have the training and knowledge they need. Additionally, starting in Fall 2024, every student will learn how to use AI as a tool for business deliverables, as well as to navigate AI platforms. 

Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business: The school considers the use of AI and preparing students to engage with this technology as a key component of future-preparation. With faculty already involved in the research and development of AI tools, the school has also sought to embed it within the student experience. Tepper offers new courses specific to AI, and has also integrated AI content into existing courses in other topics, such as ethics. 

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School: Carey has included a mandatory AI class in its core curriculum for all FT MBA students since 2021. The course, Data Science: Artificial Intelligence, includes three main components: a foundation in the math and technology underscoring AI, a computational foundation (python), and instruction on using AI for business insights. 

Related: Trends in Business: MBA Programs Prepare Students for Leadership Roles in Technology

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Compatibility in Close Knit and Collaborative Communities

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated your academic readiness and high quality and quantity of professional experience, one question will remain in the minds of admissions committees: Will this applicant be compatible in our program’s collaborative and close-knit community?  

To answer this question the admissions committee will pay particular attention to:  

• Essay responses. Do not use your essay and/or short answer responses as additional resume space. Instead go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now. Keep in mind that listing off your qualities is meaningless if you're not backing them up with real-life examples.

Review our blog on using lessons from memoir to write your personal statement.

• Interview responses. Use nearly every response to tell a story, rather than making general claims about your abilities. Anyone can speak in generalities. How boring! But no one has your set of unique experiences. Through anecdote, your values and character will come alive.   

Review our blog series on the MBA interview. 

• Recommendations. While these responses are not within your control, they are within your influence. Provide each of your recommenders with a portfolio of information that includes illustrative anecdotes that will show your ability to thrive in a collaborative environment and grow from constructive criticism.  

Review our blog on obtaining high-quality recommendations.

Related:

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

After you’ve demonstrated academic readiness, the MBA admissions committee will assess the quality and quantity of your full-time, post-baccalaureate work experience. They want to know: Does this applicant have the professional experience they need to accomplish their short-term post-MBA goals? 

To get their answer, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your:

• Resume and Essays. Think of your resume as a general overview of your life from the start of college until today, that articulates clearly the results you’ve achieved and impact you’ve had in each role or involvement. In contrast, your essay responses should be deep dives that will show the reader, through anecdote, your abilities in the areas of innovation and/or leadership and/or teamwork. On average, business school matriculants have about four years of work experience. If you’ve spent less than four years working, provide an explanation as to why you want to get your MBA now. 

Review our blog on crafting a results-driven resume. 

Review our blog on key mistakes to avoid when writing your MBA application essays.

• Your stated career goals. Provide the admissions committee with specific short-term, post MBA goals that make sense given what you’ve done in the past. This will convince them that you will hit the ground running securing an internship and job as soon as you enter the program.

  A common mistake we see in MBA admissions is applicants who, unknowingly, position themselves as an employment risk. This can happen when you articulate a goal set that is too vague or unrelated to any of your past experiences. Once you are admitted, you will have the opportunity to reevaluate your goals. You’re allowed to change your mind! But your first goal, of course, is getting into business school. 

Related:

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Demonstrate Academic Readiness

In this three-part blog series, we’re taking a deep dive into what admissions committees are looking for in your MBA application. Each post will highlight one question your application must answer effectively for admissions success. 

The first question that an MBA admissions committee will ask when they look at your application is simple: Will this applicant be able to compete in the academic rigor of our program?

Elite MBA programs are academically challenging. You must be able to thrive amidst the inevitable analytical and quantitative challenges. Since the best predictor of future success is how you’ve handled rigorous academics in the past, to answer this question, the admissions committee will pay closest attention to your: 

• Undergraduate (and graduate if you have them) Transcripts. They will consider not only your GPA, but also the quality of your course load. Does your GPA fall into the average range for the schools where you are applying (typically between a 3.3 and a 3.7)? Did you take on challenging courses and do well? Did you succeed in classes that required analytical or quantitative work? 

  If your answer to any of these questions is “no” or even “...maybe,” consider taking an analytical course or two, prior to applying to business school. Succeeding in these additional classes will provide the dual benefit of shoring up your confidence and case for admission, as well as giving you a chance to confirm that you’ll enjoy the MBA curriculum. 

• Standardized Test Scores. Submitting a strong GRE/GMAT/Executive Assessment score will reassure the admissions committee that you have the critical thinking, verbal reasoning, and quantitative skills necessary to succeed in the program. A strong quantitative score is particularly beneficial if your undergraduate major or professional experience did not require much in the way of analytics.

  The good news for business school applicants is that admissions committees will only use your highest submitted score. So, re-take it. You’ll likely do better the next time around.  Not only will a higher score benefit you from an admissions perspective, you will be more likely to get one of those sought after merit-based scholarships. 

MBAs come from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. That’s the fun of business school! Just be sure you can convince them that you’ll thrive in their classroom.

NYU Stern Marks Five Years of Its Endless Frontier Labs

Prospective MBA and entrepreneur? Science and/or tech enthusiast? NYU Stern’s Endless Frontier Labs (EFL) might be of interest to you.

EFL is a dual stream program designed to bolster entrepreneurship in the science/tech space. The program includes an MBA course and an early-seed accelerator program for science and technology startups. Enrolled MBA students, with mentoring and coaching from EFL staff, are paired with a startup to develop a commercialization strategy. Students gain hands-on experience developing and implementing a business model, defining strategy, pulling together financing, and planning for scaling. The startups in the accelerator benefit from the MBA’s consultation on bringing the scientific development(s) to the marketplace, as well as from access to the resources available through the NYU, Stern, and broader NYC communities. 

The program has grown in popularity over its five years. As an accelerator, it now selects about 75 startups each year out of 1500 applications, making it among the most selective of early-seed accelerators. Students are also eager to take part, with about 120 students vying for 75 spots. The course founder and director, Deepak Hegde, stresses that he selects students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity and an ability to thrive in ambiguity, not just those with a background in science or tech. 

To date the program has yielded impressive results. EFL has led to 183 alumni startups, with 83 percent of those garnering at least one successful round of funding. This compares favorably to similar accelerators such as YCombinator and Techstars where 77 percent and 73 percent receive funding, respectively. Additionally, Hegde won the 2022 Innovation in Entrepreneurship Pedagogy Award from the Academy of Management Entrepreneurship Division. And a number of the MBA student participants have continued their work with their startup in a post-graduate position. 

Wharton Claims the Top Spot in Financial Times’ 2024 MBA Rankings

Over the weekend, the Financial Times published its 2024 MBA Rankings. The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton school took the top spot and Columbia Business School tied with Bocconi for the third rank. While just two U.S.-based schools cracked the top five, fifteen U.S. programs placed within the top 25. 

A few notable findings include:

• Wharton’s top rank came as a result of its first-place finish in “research” and its strong performance in “weighted salary” (third, behind only Stanford GSB and Harvard). 

• Stanford GSB came in 23rd overall, but was ranked the highest for “alumni network,” “weighted salary,” and alumni assessment of “aims achieved.” The program also ranked second for “career progress.”

• Harvard Business School, ranked 11th overall, took the second spot for both “research” and “weighted salary,” and fifth for “career progress.”

• University of Georgia’s Terry came in 40th overall, but ranked first for “value for money.” 

The rankings also took into account measures such as gender and international diversity, school environmental policies, and employment data. Check out the full rankings and the rankings for the underlying metrics, here.

2024 Rank / School

1 University of Pennsylvania: Wharton 

2 Insead 

3 Columbia Business School 

3 SDA Bocconi School of Management

5 IESE Business School 

6 Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

6 MIT: Sloan

8 London Business School 

9 Cornell University: Johnson

10 University of Chicago: Booth 

11 Harvard Business School

12 HEC Paris 

12 Dartmouth College: Tuck

14 Duke University's Fuqua School of Business

15 Yale School of Management

16 University of Virginia: Darden 

17 Esade Business School 

18 UCLA Anderson School of Management

19 University of California at Berkeley: Haas 

20 IE Business School 

21 New York University: Stern 

21 Ceibs

23 Stanford Graduate School of Business

24 Shanghai University of Finance and Economics: College of Business

25 ESCP Business School 

Thinking about an MBA Round Three Application? Sometimes it’s Alright.

As a rule, we do not recommend applying for your MBA in Round Three, but there are a few circumstances when it can be a sound choice for an applicant. 

• You have a competitive application. The third round is among the most competitive because there are fewer seats available. To gain admission, you must submit a strong application. Confirm that your GPA and test scores compare favorably to the school’s average ranges for admitted students. If you have doubts about your test scores or your work experience, or are concerned about getting strong recommendations in a quick time-frame, we recommend that you hold off until the next admissions season.

• You bring a unique value proposition. Admissions committees are looking for applicants who will bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the business school. Applicants who can showcase a unique point of view will stand out even in the competitive third round. Unsure? You might consider holding off on applying while you garner more professional and community experiences.

• You face a professional transition. Were you recently laid off? Did you just return from a military deployment or other overseas work experience? Shutter your startup? If you have a personal or professional reason for submitting an application in Round Three, rather than earlier, we recommend that you include this information in the optional essay space. Providing the admissions committee with an understanding of your timing will help you to build a stronger case for admission. 

• You don’t require merit-based support. If you don’t need financial support in the form of merit-based scholarships, Round Three is fine. Most programs won’t consider applicants for scholarships after the January deadlines.  

Don’t Submit Your MBA Applications Until You Read This

MBA Round One submission dates are upon us. Before you hit “submit,” be sure you’ve avoided some of the most common mistakes applicants make and built your strongest case for the admissions committee.

• Confirm the time (including the time zone) by which you need to submit your application. If you do not submit by the designated time, many schools will move your application to the next round. 

• Read through the entirety of your application. Is it clear why you are pursuing an MBA now? Did you show, through experiences from your life, your abilities in innovation, leadership, and teamwork? Have you highlighted what makes you unique as an applicant, and how you will contribute to your class? 

• Think carefully about any “red flags” that may exist in your application. Did you adequately address any gaps in your work experience or low grades in your transcript? Don’t leave the admissions committee wondering about your MBA readiness. Use the optional essay to explain why certain actions and/or results are not indicative of your abilities. 

• Make sure that each application is customized for that school. Did you address, with specifics, why this MBA program is the right one for you? What specific courses, professors, and experiential learning opportunities appeal to you most?  Why?

• Proofread everything. Again. Editing is never complete. 

Now it’s time to hit submit. Congratulations! The first component of the application process is complete, but your work is not quite finished. 

• Prepare for additional actions you’ll need to take. For example, those applying to the Yale SOM will receive access to their video interview questions only after submitting the application. And video responses for Northwestern’s Kellogg are due within 96 hours of submitting the application. 

• Review your various social media profiles. Do they reflect you as a professional? Are they consistent with your application materials? At the very least, ensure that you have an appropriate level of security around who can view your profiles. 

• Start preparing for interviews. Familiarize yourself with the interview process at all of the schools you’ve applied to. Then start brainstorming ideas for anecdotes you can use in your interview responses. We also recommend reading the news on a regular basis to stay informed.  If you’re asked your opinion on a certain issue during an interview, you don’t want to get caught off-guard. 

• If you haven’t yet, send a thank you note to your recommenders and/or any other contacts who supported your application efforts.

MBA Program Announcements Roundup

We’ve rounded up and summarized this summer’s MBA program announcements below.

• Stanford’s GSB has partnered with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability to launch an “Ecopreneurship” program. This program is designed to support sustainability entrepreneurs by providing mentorship and coaching to help students to secure related internships and fellowships, gain comfort in scaling business ideas, and access venture funding. “The Stanford Ecopreneurship program will support a new generation of sustainability leaders and problem solvers in launching new solutions to the climate crisis,” Marc Tessler, Stanford’s President, wrote.  

  Find more information on Stanford’s “Ecopreneurship” program here. 

• Yale’s SOM announced a new two-year dual-degree program combining its full-time MBA with the STEM-eligible Master of Asset Management program. This program will start with the MBA core curriculum and continue, in the second year, with the asset management curriculum. The STEM designation will allow international students hoping to work in the U.S. post-graduation additional time to find a role. Applications to the joint MBA/MMS open this month. Admissions decisions for the two programs are made independently and prospective students must be accepted into both programs. Students can apply to both programs prior to starting, or MBA students can apply for the MMS program during their first year. 

  Find more information on Yale SOM’s new dual degree program here. 

• Beginning in the Fall of 2024, University of Chicago Booth will offer a 10-month Master in Management program designed for recent college graduates. The program begins with a two-week bootcamp to build foundational skills in accounting, business, statistics, and economics. Students will then turn to job search strategy, which will include networking and storytelling. “We are excited to debut Chicago Booth’s one-year Master in Management, the school’s first new degree program in 88 years,” said Madhav Rajan, Dean of Chicago Booth and the George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting. “We look forward to introducing foundational business skills to a new generation of Booth students, enhancing their impact in that first job and beyond.”

  Find more information on Booth’s new degree program here. 

• Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper and ESSEC Business School are teaming up to launch a dual-degree, international Master’s program starting in the Fall of 2024. Participants will earn a Master in Management from ESSEC (France) and a STEM designated Master in Business Analytics from Tepper. The two-year program will host students at both campuses, Pittsburgh and Cergy, a suburb of Paris, for one academic year each and students will participate in a summer internship. The STEM designation will allow international students hoping to work in the U.S. post-graduation additional time to find a role. "The partnership between the Tepper School of Business and ESSEC is a transformative step forward in shaping the future of business education," said Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Dean of Carnegie Mellon Tepper and the Richard P. Simmons Professor of Finance. "By joining forces, we will position our students for a truly global experience that prepares them to navigate the complexities of an interconnected world."

  Find more information on Tepper and ESSEC’s new program here.

Standardized Testing Continues to Evolve in MBA Admissions

In the world of MBA Admissions, standardized testing has become a lot less, well, standard. Admissions committees used to accept only the GMAT and/or GRE, but more options have opened up in the post-pandemic era including test waivers for past academic or professional performance, and a wider range of accepted tests including the Executive Assessment (EA) and even the MCAT or LSAT. 

The EA is a 90-minute exam, requires minimal preparation, and has historically been used for EMBA admissions. It is a good choice for applicants to full-time MBA programs who have already demonstrated strong quantitative skills through prior academic or professional experiences Today, even some elite schools such as Columbia, Duke Fuqua, and Michigan Ross are allowing students to submit EA scores in lieu of GRE and GMAT scores. 

In addition to the EA, some schools like Virginia’s Darden and NYU Stern are accepting LSAT, MCAT, and Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores. Others, like Georgetown McDonough, will allow applicants to submit expired GRE and GMAT scores. And many top ranked MBA programs are open to accepting the scores from the shorter versions of the GRE and GMAT exams. Chicago Booth, Stanford GSB, and Northwestern Kellogg will all allow applicants to submit GMAT Focus results this year. 

Harvard Business School is one of the few schools that have pointedly said they will not accept GMAT Focus scores for 2023-2024 admissions. And Wharton will accept GMAT Focus test scores dated January 31, 2024 or later, when the GMAT Focus has been merged with the legacy GMAT. 

The chart below shows the standardized tests that each school’s full-time two-year MBA program will accept in 2023-2024. Please note that some schools have not yet commented on when they will start to accept GMAT Focus scores. 

GMAC Survey Finds that Corporate Employers Seek MBAs with Communication, Strategy, and Data Analysis Skills

According to the latest GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, competency in communication, strategy, and data analysis are the most in-demand skills for MBA recruits. And corporate recruiters predict they will only grow in importance over the next five years. The survey includes responses from 1,028 respondents in 34 countries. Over half of the respondents come from Fortune 500 companies.

Within the survey, respondents who named communication and technology as important future skills were also asked to provide detail on the specific areas of expertise that they predict will grow in importance. Within communication, 81 percent of employers selected cross-cultural competence, 77 percent chose multilingualism, and 75 percent chose active listening. Within technology, 80 percent of employers selected Web3/Blockchain/VR, 75 percent selected cloud-based technology, and 74 percent selected data visualization, AI and machine learning, and statistical analysis.

The survey also asked employers to assess graduates’ preparedness in these skills. Among U.S.-based employers, fewer than half agreed that graduates are well or adequately prepared in the areas of active listening, negotiating, nonverbal communication, multilingualism, cross-cultural competence, and conflict resolution. While U.S. companies were slightly more positive on graduates’ skills in technology, they still registered lower than other regions. Only 54 percent of U.S. employers agreed that graduates are adequately prepared, compared to 65 percent globally. 

Essay Tips: The SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University

Cornell Johnson has published submission deadlines for their MBA application. If you’re applying to the full-time program, it’s time to get started on your short-answer and essay responses.

Round Application Deadline Initial Notification Final Notification          

Round 1 20 September 2023 03 November 2023 08 December 2023

Round 2 10 January 2024    15 March 2024 05 April 2024

Round 3 10 April 2024         17 May 2024 31 May 2024

“You’ll combine your own strengths with the strengths of those around you. You’ll learn how to create solutions to business challenges—and to other challenges facing the world at large. The reality is that success is never a solo act.”

This statement from Johnson’s website encapsulates their focus on collaboration. Keep this in mind as you approach their application. Of course, you’ll want to show the strengths, experiences, and unique perspectives you can bring to their community, but they are also looking for you to demonstrate humility and discuss your desire to learn from your fellow classmates.

Goals Statement Prompt:

A statement of your goals will begin a conversation that will last throughout the admissions process and guide your steps during the MBA program and experience. To the best of your understanding today, please share your short- and long-term goals by completing the following sentences and answering the enclosed short answer question (350 words maximum):

Immediately post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [Industry].

Targeted Job Role:

Target Job Company:

Industry:

In 5–10 years post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) [Role] at [Company] within [Industry].

Targeted Job Role:

Target Job Company:

Industry:

How has your experience prepared and encouraged you to pursue these goals?
State your post-MBA goals in precise language that includes your desired role, company, and industry. Ensure that your short-term goal makes sense as an interim step to your longer-term goal. Then make it clear that, given the specific post-baccalaureate full-time work experiences you’ve had, you will be qualified and able to achieve these goals with an MBA from Johnson.

Impact Essay Prompt:

At Cornell, our students and alumni share a desire to positively impact the organizations and communities they serve. Taking into consideration your background, how do you intend to make a meaningful impact on an elite MBA community? (350 words maximum)

Show Cornell Johnson’s admissions officers how you will be a valued member of their community by anchoring your response in experiences from your past that will inform and invigorate your plan. Are you a passionate environmentalist who has spent your career in corporate social responsibility and hopes to spearhead a new sustainability case competition for full-time MBA students? Were you part of a years-long organizational behavior research study in undergrad and hope to find a research mentor in that department at Cornell? Did you start a pro-bono consulting group at your current employer, and you’d like to partner with a local organization to offer similar services alongside a group of your Cornell colleagues? In linking your passions and expertise to your proposed contributions, you will demonstrate to the admissions directors that you are the kind of collaborative, community-minded, and determined student they are looking for.

Optional statement: You may use this essay to call attention to items needing clarification and to add additional details to any aspects of your application that do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson. (350 words maximum)

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Again, do not make excuses. Simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Everyone makes mistakes. Taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

The Writing Process

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in business school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Cornell Johnson MBA program.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize.

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your resume, which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.

Review. Revise. Repeat. Read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection.

Related:

Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Michigan Ross has published deadlines for their MBA application. With a mid-September deadline, it’s time to start planning your submission.

Round Application Deadline Decision Notification

Round 1 14 September 2023 08 December 2023

Round 2 11 January 2024    15 March 2024

Round 3 04 April 2024         03 May 2024

Michigan Ross is looking to build a diverse community of collaborative learners. In reading your essay responses, the admissions committee wants to get to know you as a whole person. They want to learn more about your motivations, meaningful experiences, and abilities, as well as how you hope to contribute to the Ross community both inside and outside of the classroom. While your career goals and resume are important, the admissions committee specifically notes that they hope applicants use their essays to complement, rather than reiterate, other application materials. 

Part 1: Short-answer questions

Select one prompt from each group of the two groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less (<100 words each; 200 words total). 

Group 1 

• I want people to know that I: 

• I made a difference when I: 

• I was aware that I was different when:

Group 2 

• I was out of my comfort zone when: 

• I was humbled when: 

• I was challenged when: 

We encourage you to start this answer with a brainstorm, not by selecting the prompts you will respond to.  Write down stories from your past. A lot of them. (And, bonus! This will serve as an excellent starting point for essay responses for other school applications and/or when preparing for various interview questions.) In particular, think about your most meaningful experiences that changed or impacted your worldview. This may involve key decisions, beautiful and/or catastrophic moments, feelings of pride or shame, times of success or struggle, unexpected discovery, and notable relationships. 

Now that you’ve refreshed your memory and reviewed some of your most pivotal moments, consider each of the prompts. These responses are your chance to show some personality and demonstrate your personal traits and values to the admissions committee. Despite having a limited word count, you’ll want to anchor each response in an anecdote from your past to show the reader your periods of growth and discovery. What did the experience teach you about yourself and others? 

When pondering how to respond to the Group One prompts, keep in mind that Michigan Ross is looking to build a close-knit and cohesive class (and alumni base). Use these questions as an opportunity to show the admissions committee your strength of character, abilities in collaborative leadership and teamwork, as well as your past experiences thriving alongside people unlike yourself.  

For the Group Two prompts, it is important to note that the Ross MBA incorporates a lot of “action-based learning,” which may take you out of your comfort zone. When discussing a particularly challenging or humbling time, remember to spend about 20 percent of the response on the challenge, but the majority (80 percent) on the actions you took, and what you learned and how you grew as a result. 

​Part 2: Career Goal

What is your short-term career goal and why is this the right goal for you? (150 words)

State a specific post-MBA goal, and make it clear that, given various post-baccalaureate full-time work experiences you’ve had, as well as plans to obtain a general management education, that you will be qualified and able to achieve this goal.   

Optional Statement: Is there something in your resume or application that could use some explanation? You might want to discuss the completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc.  Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate.

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Again, do not make excuses. Simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Everyone makes mistakes. Taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

The Writing Process

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in business school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Michigan Ross MBA program.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize. 

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your resume, which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.  

Review. Revise. Repeat. Read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection. 

Related:

Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Yale’s SOM has published deadlines for their MBA application. Let’s get started!

Round Application Deadline Decision Notification

Round 1 12 September 2023 05 December 2023

Round 2 04 January 2024 26 March 2024

Round 3 09 April 2024 16 May 2024

The Yale School of Management has a mission to “educate leaders for business and society,” leaders with varied interests, skills, and ways of thinking and approaching the world. Yale’s admissions committee believes that students learn and grow more from working within diverse groups. So, as you craft your application, think about your unique approach to leadership, demonstrate your ability to work with and learn from others who are different from you, and don’t be afraid to highlight your differences, quirks, and passions.

Written Essay: Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.

We developed this question in collaboration with Amy Wrzesniewski, a professor of organizational behavior at Yale SOM. Your time in business school, and the choices you make thereafter, represent significant commitments. In asking this question, the Admissions Committee is seeking to learn about how you have approached a commitment of importance in your life.

You have just one essay to provide the admissions committee with insight into who you are, so use this opportunity to get deeply personal and share key moments from your life that demonstrate your ability to work towards a commitment. Share moments where you had to overcome doubt and struggle and dig deep to find grit as your motivation waned.

Perhaps you can’t immediately name your biggest commitment or you don’t know how to approach describing it. So, start with a brainstorm. Write down stories from your past. A lot of them. (And, bonus! This will serve as an excellent starting point for essay responses for other school applications and/or when preparing for various interview questions.) Think about the experiences you’ve had that prompted a significant evolution in your perspective. This may involve beautiful and/or catastrophic moments, feelings of pride or shame, times of success or struggle, unexpected discovery, and notable relationships. Did an aha moment bring to light a commitment that you wanted to make or did it solidify a commitment that you already made?

Think also about how you choose to spend your time (or other limited resources). Have you volunteered with environmental organizations since high school, and have recently taken on a significant leadership role, in addition to your full-time job? Did you take an intense investment banking job out of college and give up your social life or key relationships? Alternatively, did you quit a lucrative career to join a political campaign or spend more time with your family? Activities or people who you spend a great deal of time with requires making sacrifices in other areas of your life, and can be useful for pinpointing who or what you are most deeply committed to.

While you’ll want the majority of your essay to reflect your adult life, the origins of your biggest commitment may have occurred at a younger age, so keep your brainstorming broad. After writing these pivotal moments down, see what themes emerge. Remember that while your commitment may be broad in scope, you’ll want your supporting stories to be detailed and specific.

Video Essay Questions

You will receive access to the video questions after you submit your application and pay your application fee. The video questions are not a substitute for the interview. Instead, they provide a unique way for us to assess your communication skills and your ability to think on your feet, and enable us to create a more dynamic, multi-dimensional profile of each candidate.

Yale asks applicants to respond to several short video essay questions, in order to exhibit their personality, communication skills, and ability to think under pressure. The questions are provided after the application is submitted.

Prior to participating in the video essay, review your submitted application and prepare to speak on how your goals and interests align with Yale’s MBA program. You should also review standard interview questions, and think through anecdotes from your academic and professional experiences that can be used to respond to different question types. Pay particular attention to examples that will show your abilities in the areas of critical and creative thinking, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, and collaboration with people different from you. Your brainstorm document from your essay work will be a useful resource for this. Keep in mind that in each and every interview response that you give, you’ll want to share a story from your past that backs up the claim you make.

Yale also provides practice questions that will help you get comfortable with the format and technology. Take advantage of this. And take note of the time restrictions. Practice your responses aloud and confirm that your answers are between 60 to 90 seconds in length.

The Writing Process

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in business school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Yale SOM MBA program.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize. 

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your resume, which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.  

Review. Revise. Repeat. Read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection. 

Related:
Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Medical and Legal Associations Express Disappointment in Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action

Last week the Supreme Court ended Affirmative Action in its 6-3 ruling against UNC and Harvard. The ruling determined that the schools, which used race as a component in admissions decisions, did not adequately justify their use of race and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.”

The court left some room for nuance noting that a candidate may discuss race in terms of how it played a role in their development. “A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” Roberts wrote. “In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.”

Nationally, many in the medical and legal communities shared their disappointment in the decision and noted their belief that it will negatively impact diversity. Below, we’ve provided highlights of some of the statements released after the decision.

• American Medical Association (AMA): “Today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court undermines decades of progress centered on the educational value of diversity, and will reverse gains made in the battle against health inequities. This ruling restricts medical schools from considering race and ethnicity among the multiple factors in admissions policies and will translate into a less diverse physician workforce. Diversity is vital to health care, and this court ruling deals a serious blow to our goal of increasing medical career opportunities for historically marginalized and minoritized people.” Full statement available here.

• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): “We are deeply disappointed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to dismantle its longstanding precedent in the 2003 case, Grutter v. Bollinger, which had recognized student body diversity as a compelling interest permitting the limited consideration of race in admissions. Today’s decision demonstrates a lack of understanding of the critical benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in educational settings and a failure to recognize the urgent need to address health inequities in our country.” Full statement available here.

• American Medical Student Association (AMSA): “In accordance with our Preamble, Purposes and Principles, AMSA remains steadfast in its unwavering commitment to advocating for racial equity in education and healthcare. As future physicians committed to justice and equality, we are profoundly outraged and decry the restriction of affirmative action. We strongly support increased representation of minority students in all levels of education, including colleges and medical schools. By fostering diversity and inclusion, institutions have the power to create more empathetic and inclusive learning environments. Moreover, it has been repeatedly evidenced that diversity within the healthcare workforce and medical education system improves healthcare outcomes.” Full statement available here.

• American Bar Association (ABA): “The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The ABA has a long history of supporting affirmative action and the consideration of race as one of many factors in law school admissions. We believe it is imperative that colleges, universities and state legislatures find alternative ways to create a diverse and talented student body. Law schools are training grounds for lawyers and play an important role to ensure a diverse bench and bar, which are critical to minimizing implicit bias and inspiring greater public faith in the rule of law.” Statement available here.

• AccessLex Center for Legal Education: Executive Director, Aaron Taylor, told Reuters that the decision, "deprives schools of one of the most effective tools for fostering student diversity."

• Law School Admission Council (LSAC): President, Kellye Testy, told Reuters that the decision will negatively impact law schools’ ability to keep up diversity levels. “All of us in legal education, at bar associations, and in practice are going to have to redouble efforts to make sure the entire pre-law to practice pipeline is better,” she said.

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

The full-time MBA program at NYU Stern has released its 2023-2024 application deadlines and requirements. It’s never too early to plan for your best submission!

Round       Submission Deadline    Decision Notification

Round 1 18 September 2023 01 December 2023

Round 2 18 October 2023 01 January 2024

Round 3 18 January 2024 01 April 2024

Round 4 18 April 2024 Ongoing

Prepare to get creative for NYU Stern’s essays. And allow yourself plenty of time to think through how your previous meaningful personal and professional experiences have inspired your post-MBA goals, influenced how you view change, and helped shape who you are and what you will bring to the Stern community.  

Short Answer: Professional Aspirations

What are your short-term career goals? (150 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

State a clear post-MBA goal using straight-forward terminology. And make it clear how obtaining the Stern MBA will position you, given your previous work and educational experiences, to achieve this goal.

Essay 1: Change: _________ it
In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? Examples: Change: Dare it. Change: Dream it. Change: Drive it. Change: Empower it. Change: Manifest it. Change: [Any word of your choice] it. (350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

So, how do you perceive change? The word you select to fill in the blank is far less important than how you back up that claim with experiences from your life. As we always say, the best evidence that you’ll do something in the future is having already done it in the past. Show the reader that you’ve lived your tagline and will continue to do so at Stern.  

To get started, brainstorm anecdotes about transitional times in your life. What prompted these periods of change? How did you respond? What key learnings about yourself and others came about as a result of experiencing this change? Then, reading through your stories, look for a common theme that will help lead you to a word for your tagline. When you’ve decided on one, choose the most substantial anecdote that supports your claim and take the reader on a deep dive into that experience. Explore how the experience prompted an evolution in your perspective and reinforced your desire and ability to continue to live your tagline at Stern and beyond. 

Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six")
Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:

• A brief introduction or overview of your "Pick Six" (no more than 3 sentences).

• Six images that help illustrate who you are.

• A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.

Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website.

The Pick Six is an opportunity to show some personality and demonstrate your unique interests, abilities, passions, and goals in a visual and cohesive way.

Think of your response to this prompt as you would an advertising campaign or curated art exhibition. Individual pieces should be able to stand on their own, but they must also meaningfully connect and contribute to a larger story. Prior to looking through images, consider first what you want to convey overall. Keep in mind the themes of a successful business school application: innovation, leadership, and teamwork. But also explore aspects unique to you and your story. This might include a passion or hobby, personal mantra, life experiences that have brought you to this point, future goals, and/or how you will contribute to the Stern Community.

After you have an idea of the story you want to tell, consider a cohesive theme that can bind your images together. Could you incorporate stills from films you love to help articulate your passion for collaborative leadership? Are you a glassblower and wish to show your creative side through photographs of your original work? Do you have an interest in modern art and hope to communicate your propensity for strategic thinking through some of your favorite pieces?  If you’re an analytical type, don’t let this exercise overwhelm you. You are not restricted to photographs, so you can consider graphs, maps, or word clouds. Try to find a mix that feels true to you, while ensuring that each image gives the admissions committee insight into your personality and what you will offer the Stern community. And don’t let the captions become an afterthought. While it is easy to get attached to an image, remember that the words and images must work together to tell your story.

Essay 3: Additional Information (optional)

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include important aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Do not make excuses, simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

The Writing Process

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in business school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Stern MBA program.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize. 

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your resume, which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.  

Review. Revise. Repeat. Confirm your word count and read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection. 

Related:

Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

The full-time MBA program at the University of Chicago Booth has just released its 2023-2024 application submission dates and application requirements. It’s never too early to get started!

Round Submission Deadline Decision Notification

Round 1 21 September 2023 30 November 2023

Round 2 04 January 2024 21 March 2024

Round 3 04 April 2024 23 May 2024

*Materials must be submitted by 11:59 pm CST on the designated date.

For Booth’s essay questions, prepare to get a bit vulnerable as you showcase not just what you want to do and how your previous path has inspired your goals, but also who you are outside of the classroom or boardroom.

Essay 1: How will a Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.)

This prompt asks you to explain how a Booth MBA will bridge your past accomplishments and your future goals. To do this, you will want to anchor this essay in the past. Because what you’ve already done, learned, and achieved is far more important than what you haven’t—what you say you want to do in the future. In order to fully satisfy the objective of this prompt, go into your backstory and detail the key moments that influenced you and the formation of your goals. Then transition into what you have yet to learn, and why a Booth MBA is your next step. Prove to them that their program is the perfect intersection between where you’ve been and where you want to go. Which courses, professors, experiential learning opportunities, etc. are most interesting to you? Choose three or four that differentiate Booth from other business schools you’re considering and explain why you’re so eager to engage and participate. This essay is about connecting the dots; once the reader has taken the trip to your past, your proposed path forward will make much more sense.

Essay 2: An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.)

It’s time to show some personality! Booth is looking for students who will be collaborative and form lasting personal and professional relationships, so exposing a bit of vulnerability to show a quirky or sentimental side is a good idea, especially because your other essay delved deeply into your professional and/or academic interests and abilities. You could also write about how you will contribute to the diversity of the class and what you will offer your classmates. Are you a passionate environmentalist who spends weekends leading group hikes? Do you organize food drives with a local non-profit? Do you spend all of your vacation time traveling to a specific region of the world? Are you an avid guitar player? Show the admissions committee who you are and what you are most passionate about.

Optional: Is there any unclear information in your application that needs further explanation? (Maximum 300 words.)

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Again, do not make excuses. Simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Everyone makes mistakes. Taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

The Writing Process

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in business school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Booth MBA program.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize. 

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your resume, which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.  

Review. Revise. Repeat. Confirm your word count and read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection. 

Related:

Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business