The Essential Steps for Creating Exceptional MBA Essays

A high stakes circus act! That’s what the execution of your MBA application can feel like sometimes. Before you dismiss this admittedly ridiculous metaphor, consider the similarities. As an MBA candidate, you will need to juggle multiple responsibilities, balance your strengths and weaknesses, and demonstrate adaptability and resilience. Nowhere else in your application will the tightrope be more precarious and intimidating than in your MBA admissions essays. These essays often determine whether candidates thrive or perish.

Together, let’s explore three critical steps that successful MBA candidates have taken to create exceptionally meaningful essays and increase their chances of admission.

Step 1: Self-Reflection

Self-awareness is a trait highly valued by MBA AdComs. It involves consciously recognizing and understanding your qualities, actions, and their impact on yourself and others. To cultivate self-awareness, start by creating a personal inventory. List your accomplishments, leadership experiences, and challenges you have overcome. Next, conduct a SWOT analysis to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to the class profile of your dream MBA program. Finally, examine your "gap" – what is currently missing from your skills, experiences, or network that an MBA can bridge? All this will help you gain clarity on your unique qualities and articulate your motivations for pursuing an MBA.

Step 2: Impact

Your impact is a crucial aspect of your essays. MBA admissions readers want to understand the tangible effects or influences you have had on people, groups, systems, or situations. Reflect on challenging projects you pursued and the leadership roles you played, formal or informal. Consider the initiatives you took and the reasons behind them. Additionally, evaluate the communities you are part of and your role within them. Remember that impact goes beyond measurable achievements; it includes improvements, changes, and advancements that may not be quantifiable. By examining your impact, you can showcase your ability to create meaningful change and demonstrate leadership potential.

Step 3: Avoid Being Too Self-Focused

While MBA essays are about you, it's important to remember that leadership – the number 1 quality MBA AdComs seek in candidates – is inherently about others. What truly matters is how you’ve been part of something bigger than yourself. Don't fall into the trap of becoming overly self-focused in your essays. Balance self-reflection with showcasing the influence you have had on others. If you find yourself veering too much towards talking solely about yourself, revisit steps 1 and 2 to infuse your story with the impact you have made on others. MBA AdComs are interested in candidates who demonstrate leadership and have the potential to make a difference in the world.

Tying It All Together

Mastering the MBA admissions essays is a crucial part of your application process. By following these three key steps, you can strategically approach the essay writing process while maintaining authenticity. Engage in self-reflection to develop self-awareness, evaluate your impact to demonstrate your ability to create change, and avoid being too self-focused by emphasizing the influence you have had on others. By taking these tangible actions, you can position yourself as a strong MBA candidate and increase your chances of admission to your dream program. Remember, self-reflection, self-awareness, and a little less self-focus can be the keys to becoming an MBA candidate who gets admitted.

Onwards and upwards,

Petia

P.S. Hungry for more insights on how to build a great MBA story? I’ve got you covered: MBA Story Differentiation Dos and Don’ts