Should I do the optional MBA essay?

That’s a question MBA candidates ask me all the time. This “extra” essay often feels like even more work, given how cumbersome the MBA application process can feel at times. But I am here to tell you that this is the wrong question to ask. The right one is this:

How could I use the optional MBA essay to strengthen my candidacy?

OK, first things first. Let’s get one thing very clear. I am not advocating for abusing the precious real estate that is the optional essay to convey information that is redundant or irrelevant. Rather, I am suggesting you should strongly consider how to use the optional MBA essay smartly to enhance your MBA profile. 

Before we dig into the framework that will help you decide when and how to opt into the optional MBA essay, I have a tip to share with you. It’s based on my many years of working in MBA admissions, including being the head of an MBA adcom. 

It’s a simple rule that many candidates overlook when they craft their MBA application: don’t ever let the adcom guess or expect them to fill in the blanks for you, especially on parts of your background that might raise a concern. 

Here’s an example. If you think that it’s better to stay mum on that one semester where your transcript is dotted with Ws and Fs and hope the MBA adcom will blink, let me assure you – they won’t. Rather, they will immediately check if you used the optional essay to address the issue and make them less worried that your academic performance may be at stake again, in their MBA classroom. 

What should be in an optional MBA essay?

There are three critical functions the optional essay serves – it should be used to explain, mitigate or enrich certain aspects of your candidacy.

The explanation part must be transparent, authentic, and clear. Tell the story of what was going on in your life, studies, and work that impacted your ability to perform. You can also talk about your specific circumstances, for example how and why you are a poor test taker. 

 The parts of your candidacy that need an explanation will almost always require mitigation as well. Let’s use an example. I recently worked with a candidate who had a low undergraduate GPA due to undiagnosed mental illness. This is actually a fairly common scenario. In this candidate’s essay, the focus was on explaining how challenging her first years in college were and how she was able to overcome this and improve her academic performance. However, she went beyond explaining, pointing to her successful professional track record in a high-pressure job that served as evidence of her ability to handle the demands of an MBA program. 

Another successful recent admit to a Top 15 program explained his history of poor performance on standardized tests and offered examples of his success in a consulting job that required daily use of quantitative skills to successfully alleviate concerns. 

Are optional essays really optional? 

Yes, they are. You may think I am contradicting myself but if there is nothing in your background and academic performance that is concerning or unclear, then you are better off being respectful of the time of the MBA adcom reviewer and not cramming something irrelevant or redundant just because you can.

Also, the optional essay is not the place for excuses, complaints, or trying to convince the MBA adcom how much you love their program. 

Wait! But what about the Stanford GSB Optional Essays? 

A couple of years ago, Stanford added a new feature to its MBA application. As outlined in the Stanford MBA application, the Stanford GSB admissions team provides you “an optional opportunity for you to discuss some of your contributions and background more fully.”

These Stanford GSB optional short answer questions are obviously not required. But what is the reason behind them?

As Stanford outlines, “What do we mean by “optional”? We truly mean you have the opportunity to choose. In evaluating your application, we want to know about who you are, what you have done, and how your background may have influenced your experiences. If you feel that you’ve already addressed these questions well in other areas of the application, congratulations, you’re done! If not, feel free to use this opportunity to tell us more by answering one or both questions.”

When an MBA candidate asks me if they should answer these questions, I always tell them that not doing that may be a lost opportunity. They provide a valuable space to add more strong examples of your contributions and impact, and paint a picture of your unique background beyond your resume and the required essays. When answered thoughtfully and with substance, these vignettes can be a powerful way to augment your MBA story and stand out among one of the most competitive MBA pools on the planet. 

But what to do if you are unsure how to create the strongest possible MBA optional essay? 

Now, I know that even the clearest, most specific framework for what to include in the optional MBA essay cannot cover every single set of personal circumstances. This is why I created MBA Application Boost Camp – so MBA candidates such as you can have a space where they can go beyond knowing the rules and can ask questions about how these rules apply to their specific situation. 

This is exactly what we do in our MBA ABC session. We go beyond discussing how to think about the optional essay in theory. One of the Sprinters was worried about a semester with lower than usual grades. Another one wanted to make sure to shed light on a work gap appropriately. In that group session, they each got specific guidance on how to talk about this in their optional essays.

This is the power of MBA ABC – you can get expert guidance and unparalleled MBA adcom insights in the one-of-a-kind membership-based community I am building, at a small fraction of what it costs to work with a former Dean of MBA Admissions, dedicated to creating MBA success stories. 

Come joins us! It’s a special opportunity to walk the path to application submissions, empowered by expertise and community. 

Onwards and upwards,

Petia

Is this helpful? What else would you like to know as you work on your MBA application? Get in touch and let me know. I respond to all emails personally and promptly. And if you need me to be your second set of eyes, I have made appointments available every day this week.