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20 Must-Read MBA Essay Tips

Business school admissions committees care about more than (just) your  GMAT scores and GPA —they want to know who you are and why you belong in their program . Your MBA essays are your best chance to sell the person behind the résumé. They should tie all the pieces of your business school application together and create a comprehensive picture of who you are, what you've done, and what you bring to the table.  Here's a roundup of our best MBA essay tips to keep in mind as you begin to write.

How to Write an Unforgettable B-School Essay

1. communicate that you are a proactive, can-do sort of person..

Business schools want leaders, not applicants content with following the herd.

2. Put yourself on ego-alert.

Stress what makes you unique, not what makes you number one.

3. Communicate specific reasons why you're great fit for each school.

Simply stating "I am the ideal candidate for your program" won't convince the admission committee to push you into the admit pile.

Read More: Find Your Business School

4. Bring passion to your writing.

Admissions officers want to know what excites you. And if you'll bring a similar enthusiasm to the classroom.

5. Break the mold.

Challenge perceptions with unexpected essays that say, "There's more to me than you think."

6. If you've taken an unorthodox path to business school, play it up.

Admissions officers appreciate risk-takers.

7. Talk about your gender, ethnicity, minority status or foreign background....

But only if it has affected your outlook or experiences.

8. Fill your essays with plenty of real-life examples.

Specific anecdotes and vivid details make a much greater impact than general claims and broad summaries.

9. Demonstrate a sense of humor or vulnerability.

You're a real person, and it's okay to show it!

BONUS: Don't Make These MBA Essay Mistakes

1. write about your high school glory days. .

Admissions committees don't care if you were editor of the yearbook or captain of the varsity team. They expect their candidates to have moved onto more current, professional achievements.

2. Submit essays that don't answer the questions.

An off-topic essay, or one that merely restates your résumé, will frustrate and bore the admissions committee. More importantly, it won't lead to any new insight about you.

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3. Fill essays with industry jargon.

Construct your essays with only enough detail about your job to frame your story and make your point.

4. Reveal half-baked reasons for wanting the MBA.

Admissions officers favor applicants who have well-defined goals. However unsure you are about your future, it's critical that you demonstrate that you have a plan.

5. Exceed the recommended word limits.

This suggests you don't know how to follow directions, operate within constraints or organize your thoughts.

6. Submit an application full of typos and grammatical errors.

A sloppy application suggests a sloppy attitude.

7. Send one school an essay intended for another—or forget to change the school name when using the same essay for several applications.

Admissions committees are (understandably) insulted when they see another school's name or forms.

8. Make excuses.

If your undergraduate experience was one long party, be honest. Discuss how you've matured, both personally and professionally.

9. Be impersonal in the personal statement.

Many applicants avoid the personal like the plague. Instead of talking about how putting themselves through school lowered their GPA, they talk about the rising cost of tuition in America. Admissions officers want to know about YOU.

Read More: How to Ace Your MBA Interview

10. Make too many generalizations.

An essay full of generalizations is a giveaway that you don't have anything to say.

11. Write in a vacuum.

Make sure that each of your essays reinforce and build on the others to present a consistent and compelling representation of who you are, what you've done, and what you bring to the table.

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7 tips for writing a winning mba application essay.

Nervous about your MBA admissions essay? You’re not alone! Many applicants wonder how to put their best foot forward in a business school entrance essay.

In this article, I’ll tell you what admissions committees look for in application essays and offer MBA essay tips on how to make yours stand out. We’ll also take a look at the different kinds of business school essays and a few examples of MBA essay prompts.

Why Do Business Schools Ask for Essays? What Do They Look For?

Business schools ask for essays for several reasons, all of which help admissions committees determine whether you have the skills and traits to succeed in an MBA program.

First, MBA admissions committees want to see how you write. Communication skills—including concision, clarity, style, and fluency in English—will be essential to your success in business school. One way of discerning your level of writing ability is to require an original writing sample. In an MBA essay, you have to get your point across straightforwardly, elegantly, and concisely; being able to do this is a key element of succeeding in business school and the world of business in general.

Also, MBA admissions committees want to get a sense of who you are on a more personal level. MBA application essays tell admissions officials about you not only through what you say, but in how you say it. Are you self-aware, for example, and can you reflect on past challenges or mistakes in a thoughtful way? Do you demonstrate insight into who you are and your goals? How you answer questions about yourself, your career, and your journey can help MBA admissions officials discern your level of critical thinking and personal insight.

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You can have countless accomplishments, but to succeed in business school, you’ll also need to fit in with the campus climate, work well with your peers, and contribute to campus diversity in a meaningful way. The MBA essay is a place for you to talk about the background or experiences you have that are unique to you and that you believe could differentiate you from your colleagues and/or provide a fresh perspective to campus.

Finally, essays are a way for you to showcase the qualities that most MBA programs say they are looking for in applicants, such as leadership skills, community involvement, problem-solving skills, communication skills, clear goals, and a strong sense of ethics. Some of these traits might not be readily apparent from a resume alone, and an MBA essay can be a place for you to elaborate on how you’ve cultivated them in yourself.

MBA Entrance Essay Sample Prompts

Most MBA entrance essays ask you about one of several things. Many of them are variations on similar questions: the open-ended question, the leadership question, the personal growth question, questions on short- and long-term academic and career goals, and the diversity question. For each one, I’ll give an example of a real MBA essay prompt from 2016 or 2017.

#1: Open-Ended

The open-ended MBA application essay question is just that: open. It allows you to tell your own story, giving you quite a bit of freedom but also little to no guidance. For that reason, many applicants find it to be the most challenging MBA essay prompt.

Harvard Business School has only one essay for its MBA application, and it’s the quintessential open-ended MBA essay question. This is the prompt for 2017-2018 applicants.

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?

Note that, as in other open-ended MBA admission essay prompts, this question asks you to decide what you’ll write about. Successful Harvard applicants and HBS admissions counselors have advised applicants to use the prompt as a chance to demonstrate their past use of an especially desired trait, such as problem-solving skills. For example, many successful applicants use the prompt to describe a scenario in which they faced and overcame a challenge, especially as a leader or alongside a team.

Notably, Harvard also doesn’t list a word limit, so you can decide the appropriate length for your essay. However, most admissions counselors will advise you to keep it concise and straightforward.

#2: Leadership

Another common MBA essay prompt asks you to demonstrate your experience and skills as a leader. Leadership qualities are listed by nearly all MBA admissions counselors as fundamental to a career in business and, thus, to a successful business school application.

Let’s look at a sample leadership MBA essay prompt from Kellogg.

Leadership and teamwork are integral parts of the Kellogg experience. Describe a recent and meaningful time you were a leader. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn? (450 words)

In a response to this kind of prompt, you should be as specific as possible. Name the company you were working for or specifically describe the project you were heading. Who was on your team? What were your objectives? Did you meet them? How could you have done so more effectively?

While you shouldn’t be overly self-deprecating, don’t be afraid to address the challenges you met and how you overcame them (or would overcome them now, with more experience and knowledge). Remember that one important aspect of leadership is accountability, so if there were problems, don’t solely blame your team for them. Instead, reflect on how you successfully worked with your team to solve the problems, and/or on how you could have done so more effectively or efficiently.

#3: Personal Growth

The personal growth MBA admission essay prompt will ask you how you’ve changed in the past and how you want to grow in the future. Here’s one example from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg? (450 words)

Don’t be afraid to get a bit personal with these kinds of prompts . They’re meant to gauge something about your personality and who you are, rather than only what you’ve done.

Many successful MBA admission essays that respond to these kinds of questions follow a past/present/future format. Ask yourself what traits you’ve gathered over the years that have benefited you personally and professionally, how you’ve improved, and what you’ve learned. What experiences have shaped you? Be as specific as possible.

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Then, take stock of yourself now: your career, your education, and where you see yourself in the future. What do you need in order to get there?

Finally, most essay MBA prompts in this vein (like Kellogg’s) will ask you how they can help you move towards that personal or professional goal. Be as specific as you can, focusing on the particular strengths of the prospective MBA program and how they match up with what you want to improve about yourself as a person, colleague, and leader.

#4: Your Plan

Some MBA application essay prompts will ask you about your career goals and how attendance at a particular business school will help you to achieve them. Let’s look at one from the USC Marshall School of Business.

Essay #1 (Required) – What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (word limit: 100)

As you can see, questions like these often request brief responses. So get straight to the point, and give details. Name a specific job you’d like to hold, what you’d like to do there, and even particular companies if you can.

Questions like this one will require some research. Research alumni from your prospective business school who’ve ended up in positions comparable to ones you’d like to hold in the future, particular companies and positions that match up with your personal and professional goals, and specific coursework or industry experiences offered by your prospective business school that would help you get there.

#5: Diversity, Culture, and Community

Finally, some MBA essay prompts will ask you how your unique background and experiences would contribute to the overall diversity and collegial atmosphere of a school’s campus climate and community. Here’s one example from USC.

Essay #2 (Required) – At Marshall, we take pride in the fact that our students work collaboratively, both inside and outside the classroom, to create a culture, a community, and an environment that truly defines what we call the Trojan Family. Please describe the contributions you expect to make to your classmates during your time at USC. How will they benefit from your presence in the program? (word limit: 500)

You can respond to questions like this, depending on the wording of the original prompt, by discussing your cultural background, identity, and/or personal experiences that have given you particular insight into a given community or that have lent you a unique perspective that could be valuable to your colleagues as you collaborate.

You can also discuss past community service projects or issues you’re passionate about and how you plan to carry those experiences and passions into your work at your prospective MBA program.

7 MBA Essay Tips

Writing MBA essays takes a particular skill set. Let’s go over the top seven MBA essay tips for making your application essay shine.

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#1: Write Early and Often

Even though MBA entrance essays are brief, they take a lot of polishing. Writing MBA essays takes time.

Don’t expect to write yours at the last minute or knock out a quality essay in a day. Most students need several drafts to make sure they’re getting their points across as elegantly and clearly as possible.

Start your essay well before the application deadline, when you don’t yet feel any pressure. For several weeks, don’t try to write at all. Instead, before crafting your essay for MBA admission, take notes on your past, present, and future. What have you learned? What unique experiences have you had? What have been the most meaningful projects you’ve undertaken? Ask friends, family, and mentors to tell you what they value most about you or what they see as your greatest personal and professional assets.

Only once you’ve gathered this material should you begin your first draft of your MBA application essay. Start with an outline for each one that includes the story you want to tell and the main points you want to get across.

Once you have a clear outline, you can start drafting. Taking the writing process seriously from start to finish will give you a much better product in the end than trying to write something hastily right before the deadline.

#2: Show, Don’t Tell

MBA admissions committees want to be able to tell that you have the qualities that are necessary to succeed in business school, such as leadership skills and integrity.

Your MBA admissions essay can be a great place to showcase those qualities. However, remember to show, not tell. Saying “I have strong leadership skills” doesn’t tell an admissions committee much. Through an anecdote about, say, meeting a difficult deadline or overcoming an obstacle, a reader should be able to tell that you have the qualities of a strong leader without your having to say so explicitly.

#3: Research Your Goals

When describing your future goals, be as specific as possible. Business schools know that your goals may change in the future, but stating specific goals now will show that you’ve done your research and have an idea of what you want and how an MBA program can help you get there.

Before writing your essay for MBA admission, research the ins and outs of the industry you want to enter, the position you’d like to have, companies you might like to work for, and coursework and internships or fieldwork that could aid you on your way to those goals.

#4: Keep It Concise

Never, ever go over a stated word count limit when you’re writing your essay for MBA admission. It might be tempting, but business schools want to see that you can get your point across concisely and straightforwardly.This rule goes for MBA essay prompts that don’t have specific word counts, too: sometimes, less is more.

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make in writing an essay for MBA admission is to use too much flowery language to come across as more professional. If you do this, it can be distracting and cause the admissions committee to miss the main points you’re making.

Bottom line, trim anything extraneous from your essay —that is, anything that doesn’t actively support the main point(s) you’re trying to get across.

#5: Show Self-Awareness

It might feel tempting to use the MBA admission essay as a space to list all of your accomplishments (and since your resume is already part of your application, this is unnecessary), but MBA admissions committees would rather see that you have insight into both your strengths and weaknesses. No one is perfect, and in your essay for MBA admission, you shouldn’t try to come across as if you’ve never made a mistake or faced a challenge that you’ve had to learn from.

Also, in business school and the business world at large, bouncing back from failures, being flexible, and problem solving are all essential skills. All of them require a thick skin and awareness of what you could do better.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t showcase your achievements, but if you’re asked about personal growth or an obstacle you’ve overcome, be clear about what you could have done more effectively in the past (at a job or in your education, for example) and the steps you’ve taken or will take to sidestep that mistake in the future.

#6: Share Your Personal Journey

Many applicants would prefer to focus only on their professional backgrounds and goals in their MBA essays, but you shouldn’t be afraid to get personal in your essay. You don’t need to tell your whole life story, but especially in response to questions that ask about your growth over time, you should showcase your personality and give the admissions committee an idea of your personal background and experiences.

#7: Ask for Edits

It might seem obvious, but many applicants don’t do it: proofread your work! When writing MBA essays, revision is key. Turning in an MBA essay with typos and other errors will come off as thoughtless and unprofessional.

You should also get a second (and, perhaps, a third and fourth) pair of eyes on your essay to make sure it’s coming across as you want it to. Going through several rounds of drafts is a necessary part of the writing process to ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward in your MBA entrance essay.

What’s Next?

Worried about how your GMAT score matches up to other applicants’? Find out more in our list of average GMAT scores by school.

Concerned about your chances of getting into an MBA program? Our guide to business school acceptance rates will help.

Ready to apply to business school? Check out our top eight tips for applying to MBA programs here.

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Author: Laura Dorwart

Laura Dorwart is a Ph.D. student at UC San Diego. She has taught and tutored hundreds of students in standardized testing, literature, and writing. View all posts by Laura Dorwart

How to write powerful MBA essays that actually work

Candidates often wonder what it takes to write strong MBA essays that work. It can be a scary and confusing process. Let’s try to figure out a step-by-step process to write a great MBA essay.

For many of us, writing an essay brings back memories of a hot, stuffy classroom on a sleepy summer afternoon, a strict English teacher keeping watch with hawk-like eyes, a mostly blank sheet of paper with the words “My Best Friend” written on top.

And in the middle of it all, you looking desperately at your friend seated next to you, hoping for some inspiration to strike. Or at the very least, for the school bell to strike, lest the English teacher see your as-yet blank sheet of paper and strike first.

In other words, you think of essays as boring. Perhaps even traumatizing, depending on how strict your English teacher was, and how inspiring your best friend was.

We’re here to tell you that that’s not what an essay should be.

An essay should be educating, entertaining, inspiring, thrilling, humorous, and heartbreaking.

Basically, anything but boring.

So if you’re writing boring essays, or if you think essays are boring, you’re doing them wrong.

What is the purpose of writing an MBA essay?

Everybody has seen The Wolf of Wall Street . Remember that famous scene where Leonardo di Caprio pulls out a pen from his coat pocket and tries to sell it to a spellbound, captivated audience hanging on to every word of his?

That’s how an essay should be.

Instead of the pen, you’re trying to sell your story. Your audience is the MBA admissions committee of your dream B-school, and at stake is your MBA dream.

But first, a word of caution – channelling your inner wolf of Wall Street does not mean that you throw form and formality to the wind. This is a B-school, and you’re still expected to wear a suit and tie.

An essay could be like a piece of classical music with multiple layers that merge seeamlessly. Or it could be like hip-hop with a catchy vibe and an impactful message.

But if you can demonstrate that you possess an aesthetic palette eclectic enough to accommodate both Beethoven and Busta Rhymes, that is impressive.

If however, you’re more of a Bollywood and Bhangra person with no appreciation or flair for classical music or hip-hop, you can still write a rocking MBA essay.

The point being, there’s no formula to create successful MBA essays. But you can still improve your odds of creating an essay that you’re proud of, if you follow these simple tips.

Here are 6 steps to writing an impressive MBA essay.

• Start early
• Understand the MBA essay prompts
• Demonstrate your fit with the MBA program
• Stick to the word count
• Add a little X factor to it
• Get someone to look over your essay

Let’s delve into each of them to understand the finer nuances.

How to write powerful MBA essays

1. start early.

Writing takes time. A slow cooked dish brings out the flavors of the food being cooked by allowing the spices to percolate, the aromas to emerge, and the textures to develop.

It’s the same with writing.

You need to let the thoughts in your head marinate on low simmer for days for them to develop into well-formed sentences that will delight your reader. Even if you think you’ve got it all sorted out in your head, putting it on paper is a different challenge altogether.

You’ll need a few days of contemplation to come up with points you want to put in. Jot these down as they strike you. Next, brainstorm with friends, foes, family – anyone willing to provide feedback, and whose judgement you trust.

Next, organize your ideas in a structured framework. What this means, in plain English, is that you need to be able to weave your ideas into a story your readers would love.

No, you don’t need a degree in creative writing to be able to do that.

It’s actually pretty simple. Every story has 3 parts – a beginning, a middle, and an end. In theater and film-making jargon, this is called the 3-act structure.

Act 1 is the set-up.

This is where we get to meet the protagonist (you!), and what is called the “inciting incident”, which is something that incites our protagonist into action. ( the need to do an MBA/ get into your dream B-school)

At this point, the stage is set for an exciting journey. The reader is now expecting an adventure of Tolkien-esque proportions. ( we’re kidding, this is an MBA application, not the Lord of the Rings)

Act 2 is the conflict

This is where our protagonist runs into challenges and obstacles. Their attempt to overcome these is the beating heart of the story. It’s the action that the reader started reading the story for, in the first place.

In your MBA essay, this is where you explain why you want to do an MBA, and why specifically from the B-school you are applying to, and how this will help you in achieving your career goals.

Act 3 is the resolution

This is the happy ending of the story. This is where you tie all the lose ends together, and the reader realizes that the protagonist has been transformed by the quest.

Remember that the journey from act 1 to act 3 is not any series of random actions strung together – it needs to be transformative. At the end of the story both the protagonist and the reader of the story get a sense of a change that has happened.

In the case of MBA essay, what this means is that your essay should convey a clear sense of how the MBA (and only this particular MBA from this particular school) will help you overcome the challenges you foresee in your career, and will thus be transformative.

Also keep in mind, that while it is important for your essay to be engaging, this does not mean by any stretch of imagination, that you invent incidents merely to spice things up. Always state facts and facts only.

Remember, facts are stranger than fiction, and the simplest stories are the most beautiful The novelist John Updike once said that the purpose of art is to give the mundane its beautiful due.

Any story can be made beautiful and exciting with the 3-step act. The journey of the caterpillar from egg to butterfly is a classic 3-step act.

There is no need to go chasing fantastic beasts and inventing imaginary islands; all the magic ingredients you need to write that rockstar MBA essay are already within you in the form of your own unique and wonderful life journey. Let the world hear it.

In the interest of time, some applicants may be tempted to use ChatGPT to write their MBA essays. Find out what should and shouldn’t be done if you are planning to use it, here .

2. Understand the MBA essay prompts

Most things in life come with user manuals. It’s the same with B-school essays.

Your school will usually provide instructions of what kind of essays they want, and what they are looking for in an essay. Make sure you follow these instructions to a T.

For instance, some B-schools might want one long essay, while others might want two to three shorter essays.

Often the essay would come with a question, or an essay statement, such as “state your short-term and long-term career goals, or “why do you want to pursue an MBA at this particular stage in your career”, and so on.

Pay close attention to what is being asked as what you write will depend on the question.

Unfortunately, most of us have a habit of tossing the user manual into trash unopened, and then call customer care when we can’t figure out how to operate the washing machine. Let this not be the case with your MBA essay.

Here’s an introduction to the most commonly used MBA essay questions

Why MBA now? MBA Essay question: Why this school? Long-term and short-term career goals essay Leadership in MBA essays Optional MBA essays – Career failure essay – career break , education gap, low GPA or any other aspects.

3. Demonstrate your fit with the MBA program

This is an exercise you need to perform as much for your own benefit, as for the admission committee’s. First and foremost, convince yourself that the particular MBA program is exactly what you need to meet your career goals.

Because MBAs are expensive, and confirmation bias is real.

Just because someone put it into our heads when we were 16 that xyz is a great B-school, it is entirely possible that we will psych ourselves into believing that this school is the perfect fit for us, even if it is not.

Then, at the other end of the spectrum are the cases where we just want to get into any B-school at all, and never really give a good thought into why we want to do an MBA.

If you’ve got USD 150,000 lying around the house, and all you want is to make more money, you’d be better off opening a post office savings account and living off the 7.5% interest you get on it.

An MBA is a different beast. It’ll take from you not just your money, but also two years off the prime of your life, a lot of energy (read pulling off all-nighters trying to crack case studies and making presentations), and time spent away from your loved ones.

If you’re going to be investing all this into an MBA, you need to be very sure of two things – why you want to do an MBA, and why you want to do it from the particular school you are applying to.

Once you have it all figured out, put it down in your MBA application. Remember, if you’re not convinced yourself, you will most certainly not be able to convince the admissions committee either.

Our MBA MAP process is a helpful tool used by many applicants to select the right business schools.

Read this: – How to write business school specific MBA essays – How to evaluate ‘Fit’ with MBA program

4. Stick to the word count

There’s an old bit of Jewish wisdom which says that a proverb has 3 characteristics – few words, good sense, and a fine image.

While the adage may be about proverbs, it is the hallmark of all good writing.

There’s a reason people remember proverbs but forget stories. Proverbs speak to us less with words, and more with sense and images.

Word counts exist for a reason. One of which, of course, is that admissions committees have to wade through a ton of applications, and their time is limited.

But, equally importantly, a word count tests your ability to communicate ideas effectively. If you can’t get your message across in a 1000 words, you definitely will not get it across in 10,000.

And a good manager is nothing if not a good communicator. So take the word count of your essay as another test that you must pass on your way to your dream B-school.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you obsessively start counting words after every sentence you type. A margin of (+/-) 5% to 10% is acceptable in most cases.

But even if the b-school’s online application form does not enforce a hard cut-off, we’d recommend erring on the conservative side and staying below the word count.

Try to fit in all you need to say within this. You really don’t need anything more than that to tell your story. You’re writing an essay, not an autobiography.

Oscar Wilde famously said that brevity is the soul of wit, and we have since come to accept that brevity is pretty much the soul of most forms of communication, MBA essays included. Be frugal with your words and fathomless in your meaning.

Read: How important is the word count for MBA essays

5. Add a little X factor to it

This one is a little difficult to pin down, since what this X factor means will differ from one candidate to another.

That little magic dust that you sprinkle on your application to make it stand out from the crowd.

This become more important when you’re fighting in very competitive applicant pools and your resume doesn’t have much that automatically grabs the admission officer’s attention.

Here are some examples of what you can look at.

A small aspect of your life-story that you may have overlooked could provide that X factor that converts a regular story into a memorable masterpiece.

Or it could be related to your extracurricular activities where you achieved or experienced something remarkable.

Or it could be your unique writing style, or the way you use analogies to bring your ideas to life.

With the right, structured introspection, you’ll find that there are several avenues to highlight that makes the essays unmistakably reflect the real you.

This is one of the reasons we strongly discourage MBA applicants from using sample MBA essays that worked for others.

At first glance, they may look impressive to a new applicant, but they weren’t designed for recycling.

Using sample MBA essays will kill the uniqueness of your essays and consequently the crucial X factor.

Read why sample MBA essays don’t work .

Before we share our 6th and final tip, let’s first delve a little into the reasons we kept it for the end.

Despite their best efforts, even the strongest applicants tend to make mistakes in their application. We invited a special guest from a top school to list them down.

Top 5 mistakes to avoid while writing MBA essays

By rebecca loades, director, career accelerator programs, esmt berlin.

Unfortunately, the following 5 mistakes are all too common:

• Not being authentic . No matter how qualified you may be on paper, authenticity counts. The biggest mistake we see is when applicants tell us what they think we want to hear, rather than showing us who they actually are.
• Not answering the question or going beyond the word count . There’s a reason we ask the questions we do and limit the word count. Ignoring the prompt makes you stand out for the wrong reasons
• Not trying . You might have stellar credentials and a super high test score but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a place. Being successful in an MBA program requires more than pure academics. The essays are where you can help us see beyond your CV so that we get a sense of you, the unique perspective you will bring, and what you want to achieve.
• Spelling and grammar errors . Spellcheck is there for a reason, use it! Ditto for making sure that you’ve spelled the school’s name properly and/or are calling us by our name vs the last business school you applied to.

  With that context, it becomes apparent why this final tip is so important.  

6. Get someone to look over your essay

Once you’re done writing, take a break and get some one you trust to have a look at your essay.

Having a fresh set of eyes go over your writing is always helpful. This is the reason why editors even exist.

Even the most gifted writers – the madcap literary geniuses and the Nobel Prize winners – relied on editors to polish their rough drafts into the enduring literary classics we know them as today.

The thing with writing is that when you’ve been living with the ideas in your head for so long, and then you begin the long, slow, painful process of putting those ideas on paper, you become just too familiar with them to be your own critic.

Those words have been a part of you for so long, you can no longer tell whether they’re good or bad.

It’s like how when we stare at a screen too long without blinking we begin to see the fine pixels and dots that make up the picture, but lose sight of the picture itself?

That sort of a thing.

A good editor can make that draft shine like a lapidary polishes a rough diamond to brilliance.

A “good editor” does not mean you need to get in touch with the New York Times to ask if they can loan out their literary editor for a day.

Here’s a candidate who got a USA MBA admit despite a big mistake in application .

A friend or a mentor with the experience and knowledge of the admissions process can help.

If you don’t have anyone like that in your life, and if all this sounds a little overwhelming, consider hiring a good MBA application consultant .

MBA Crystal Ball has highly experienced admission consultants who can help you polish your application. Read more about our MBA essay editing services .

Drop us an email when you’re ready: info [at] mbacrystalball [dot] com

That’s all folks. Make sure you follow these steps, and we’re confident that you will be able to write an amazing MBA essay that with the potential to impress the admissions committee and to get you that elite MBA seat that could change your life.   Also read: – Top MBA application tips – Sample Harvard Stanford MBA essays using ChatGPT

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Mba essay guide 2024 | how to write a winning application essay.

Register to download the free BusinessBecause MBA Essay Guide 2024 | How To Write A Winning Application Essay

How do you write an MBA essay that lands you a place at business school? Find out in the BusinessBecause MBA Essay Guide 2024

Tue Oct 17 2023

In the BusinessBecause MBA Essay Guide 2024: How To Write A Winning Application Essay , find out why the MBA essay is important and what to include in your writing. Also, we’ve included MBA essay questions from top business schools such as Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business, Harvard Business School, and Stanford Graduate School of Business—providing insight into the different types of essay questions that you might face.

We also share tried-and-tested MBA sample answers from admits of MBA admissions consultancies, including application essays for Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. 

Key facts about the MBA essay: 2-4 essay-type questions  are usually asked on MBA applications   10-20 is the average number of essay drafts MBA applicants write on average before submitting their applications to top MBA programs   6 images are required as part of NYU Stern’s ‘Pick Six’ visual essay component

Top MBA essay writing tips:   - Research the values and USPs of your target business school - Always bring your essay back to your goals - Identify and communicate your personal brand

Download the MBA Essay Guide 2024 for more tips and useful information from experts such as Lindsay Lloyd, executive director of MBA admissions at NYU Stern School of Business and J.R. McGrath, executive director of masters admissions at Tepper School of Business.

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How to write mba application essays.

Learn about some of the do's and don'ts of essays straight from the people who are going to read them

You've heard them all: “Why do you want to do an MBA?” Or, “explain your greatest weakness.” Application essay topics may seem somewhat banal, but they're actually extremely important in the MBA application process. This is where business schools learn about who you are.

“We find that they're integral to us finding out more about the applicants,” says Lucy Reynolds, an admissions officer at the University of Strathclyde Business School.

According to Andrew Lord, the senior director of admissions at the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business Administration, although GMAT scores, work experience, and undergraduate GPA are all extremely important, the essays are where you can let your personality shine through.

“You want to see well-roundedness in somebody,” says Lord, “so that they're not just academic- or career-focused. Do they play music? Are they involved in sports? Do they like to have fun outside of a very busy life?”

Why this school?

The essays can come in a variety of different forms, depending on the school. Many ask why an applicant wants to do an MBA, and why at that particular school. In general, admissions committees do understand that applicants might be applying to multiple schools, but that's no excuse for making easily-correctable mistakes.

“A funny thing is whenever somebody uses the wrong university in their essay question,” says Lord.

You should make sure you adapt your essays to specific schools, rather than sending one generic essay.

“We know that students are applying to other programs, says Strathclyde's Lucy Reynolds, “but you have to show some commitment to our course.”

This can mean doing some research to understand the culture of the business school you're applying to. Newton Campos, the director of admissions for blended programs at Spain's IE Business School, says that IE values some fairly specific traits in applicants, including international experience, social consciousness, and humility. So, if an applicant appears over-confident in an essay, this can be a major turn-off.

“Perhaps in some schools, this is positive,” says Campos, “but in our case, since we are so low-profile, it can be a bad thing.”

Tweet this essay

Beyond the basics, some business schools are beginning to ask students to answer more specific questions, and sometimes, they can be answered in unique forms. For example, one of the University of Florida's MBA essays asks potential students to explain what makes them different from other candidates, in 125 characters.

“It really comes across as a Tweet,” Andrew Lord says.

The Twitter-like application essay format is also being adopted by other schools. Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and Arizona State's Carey School of Business also have MBA essay questions that must be answered in a Tweet-like length of 140 characters or less.

>  Acing the MBA Admissions Essay

Other schools use unconventional questions to get applicants to reveal more about who they are. UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, for example, asks applicants to “choose a song that expresses you.” And Stanford Graduate School of Business' MBA application asks “what matters most to you, and why?” to get at applicants' values and life experiences.

Not playing it safe

Two years ago, IE Business School completely reformulated the admissions essay section of its MBA applications. In the past, students had to answer three fairly standard essays; but now, they can choose three from a list of over a dozen questions. In the current form, only one answer has to be written; for the other two, an applicant can choose to respond in a variety of different forms. They “can answer it by singing, or playing an instrument, or making a video, or making audio, or making a sculpture, or dancing,” among others, says Newton Campos.

Campos says that IE is seeing an increasing number of students who use video in lieu of written essays, and some have even responded by dancing. Although dancing a response may seem a bit out there, if it's done right, it can have more impact.

“It brings in a different angle,” Campos says. “It definitely helps us to understand the candidate better, compared to three texts.”

Likewise, Florida's Andrew Lord says that he prefers application essays that don't always play it safe. “I've been an admissions director for about ten years now,” he says, “ and those are the ones that always stand out in my mind: the ones that are entertaining, or take risks.”

“You want to be able to identify personality with these.”

“Let it all hang out”

Effective application essays can make a difference for a candidate who has other issues with his or her profile. According to Lucy Reynolds, Strathclyde has had some “really bright applicants that have come through with just the minimum level of work experience, but demonstrate through their essays and through their interviews that they're very keen to progress their career.”

“That can make the difference,” she adds.

The University of Florida's Andrew Lord would agree.

“If you're right on the fence with your GMAT or work experience, this is definitely your opportunity to take advantage of essays, and let it all hang out.”

Grammar and spelling: For international applicants, admissions committees will often be somewhat flexible when it comes to an essay's level of written English. For qualified candidates with imperfect English, admissions staff might suggest taking classes before school starts.

“We'll go back to the applicant and discuss any issues we might have with their language ability,” says Strathclyde's Lucy Reynolds.

Native English speakers usually have less leeway.

Plagiarism: Admissions staff have ways of detecting whether you've copied your essays from somebody else or from the internet, so don't even think about doing it.

Length: Try to stick to what the business school recommends. If they're expecting a one-page essay and you give them ten pages, this will probably be an issue.

Optional essays: These are where you can explain negative parts of your application, like a poor undergraduate GPA, or give perspective about your life through a personal story.

Keep it simple: Think about structure, and plan to have a beginning, a middle, and an end. According to IE's Newton Campos, “a lot of people get lost trying to communicate too many things at once in an essay.”

Photo: M. Filtz 

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How to Write a Killer MBA Essay

Introduction.

Writing a great MBA essay is a crucial component of applying to business school . According to Lisa Koengeter , the Director of Admissions at Booth School of Business , your essay provides them with “a better understanding of you, your self-assessment and your aspirations.” 

This article will outline what MBA admissions committees look for in your essays, show you how to write a killer MBA essay, and tell you what mistakes to avoid.

Types of MBA Essays

There are a few different types of MBA essay questions you will answer as part of your MBA application. The type of essay can be determined through the keywords used in the essay question. Each type of essay will have its own length requirements, depending on the business school.

This type of essay asks you to detail your personal and professional goals and how attending business school will help you achieve them. An essay question that asks about your aspirations or what you hope to gain from an MBA program is classified as a goal essay.

For example, Wharton is one of many schools that ask for a goal essay from applicants using the question: “What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?” Columbia , NYU Stern , Darden , Dartmouth Tuck , and McCombs are some of the many other schools that ask about your goals.

Self-Reflection

A self-reflection essay is an opportunity for you to showcase the values and characteristics that make up your personal identity. It also requires you to discuss how you handled a failure at some point in your life or how you would approach an ethical dilemma.

Yale School of Management is one business school that uses self-reflection questions in its MBA essays . They want to know what the biggest commitment you have ever made is, including why you chose it and how you went about making it. 

Answering this question will require you to do some deep reflection in order to answer it thoroughly. 

Contribution

The objective of this type of essay is to show an admissions committee how you will add value and contribute to their MBA program. 

Booth School of Business poses this question: “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.” 

Booth clearly wants you to elaborate on who you are, what you value, and how you live those values in your everyday life.

Some business schools want to know about the impact you will have on their program and pose a question that asks you to describe a time when you demonstrated leadership. This will involve discussing why you took on the leadership role in your chosen situation and your leadership impact.

Darden School of Business poses essay questions designed to gauge your leadership capabilities and the impact you’ll have on the program. As Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke states, they are interested in “cultivating high impact leaders.” 

It’s no surprise that one of their essay questions from a recent application cycle was, “Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact.”

Instead of writing a traditional essay, some business schools ask you to submit a video essay. The types of questions asked for a video essay can range from a short introduction to longer, multi-component questions.

Kellogg is one business school that uses video essays . They will ask you three questions. First up is an introduction, and the second is about your career goals and how Kellogg will help get you there. 

The third question varies annually and is generally more randomized, so you and all the other applicants won’t necessarily respond to the same question. 

How to Write a Great Business School Essay

Successfully writing business school essays is tricky. Many factors go into constructing a successful one. However, the top tips we’ve provided below outline how to write an MBA application essay that stands out from the crowd. 

Pay Attention to Your Essay Structure

Blair Mannix , the Admissions Director at Wharton, noticed successful essays all had the same structure: the setup, the pivot point, and the future. 

The setup is the opening of your essay, where you tell the admissions committee about who you are, what you do, and what you have learned so far. 

The pivot point is where you shift from discussing what you already know and do to talking about what you would like to learn and how that will help you succeed. Mannix also describes this as a lightbulb moment, where something clicks, and you realize that if you had more education in one or two areas, you would be better at your job. 

The final section of your essay is your opportunity to describe how gaining knowledge and skills in the area(s) you identified in the pivot point will help your career and why that specific MBA program will make this possible.

For essays that ask you to describe how you will contribute to the institution’s MBA community, Mannix states successful essays are personal, set up as a story, and show how your experiences resonate with the community.

Consider the Tone You Use While Writing Your Essay

It’s important to be genuine in your essay. Admissions committees want to know about you as a person and know if you’re being insincere or simply writing what you think they want to hear. 

As Laurel Grodman from Yale School of Management states, your essay is an “opportunity to speak in your own voice about something meaningful and distinctive in your life.” Don’t waste this opportunity by writing about something you think will make you look better. 

Write something that actually matters to you.

Authenticity is another key element to incorporate in your essay. Clarke recommends integrating aspects of your personality into your essay. For example, she suggests showcasing your creativity, humor, or any other attributes you possess. This allows admission committees to get to know you even better.

The Best MBA Essays Are School-Specific 

At first, this seems like an obvious one; of course, writing a business school essay means writing about the business school itself. However, this is a great opportunity to show off your research and explain why you specifically want to attend this institution. 

Have you looked into the school’s curriculum? Have you found which extracurricular opportunities you want to pursue if you are admitted? Are there any research centers that you want to become involved in? 

Show how this school is the ideal stepping stone to help you achieve your future ambitions. The University of Cambridge Judge Business School provides two MBA application essay examples that highlight the importance of this: 

Example 1 - “The programme will equip me with an entrepreneurial toolkit, allowing me to efficiently evaluate and capitalise on future business opportunities, further bolstering my credibility with future stakeholders.”

Example 2 - “Upon completion of the MBA programme at Cambridge Judge Business School I want to be a decisive and successful business professional.”

The first example is far more compelling; it explains what the student will gain from the program and how they will use it to achieve future success. 

Pick an Event or Situation That Matters to You

When you select your topic to write about in your MBA essay, you need to make sure it is something that had a significant impact on your life and resonates with you personally. This will help ensure your authenticity shows through.

Kellogg Director of Admissions Jennifer Hayes , says that “the best essays [she has] read have heart, are not over-edited, and let the applicant’s personality emerge.” This is best done when you do not force yourself to write something you think admissions directors want to read, but rather tell an organic story that carries significant personal meaning.

The Importance of Storytelling in MBA Essays

Business school admissions officers want to see how you approach traits like leadership and commitment in your MBA application essay. Yet, if you describe an experience and don’t reflect upon it, you will not highlight your mindset, dedication, and motivation. 

The best writers outline the traits that business schools want to see by telling personal stories and anecdotes. But how can you do that? It’s simple — show how your experiences impacted you. Don’t just tell us about it. 

Indeed, to use the idea of commitment as an example, Yale’s admissions committee “cares less about the commitment you choose and more about the behaviors surrounding the commitment.” They want to “come away learning something new about you as a person that helps us understand your values and motivations.”

Illustrating how your experiences affect your values and motivations is difficult; this process requires a lot of introspection and self-reflection. The trick is to use plenty of real-life examples and explain how they embody your values. 

One way to successfully do this is to use the STAR technique . The STAR technique is split into four distinct steps: 

• Situation - Describe the situation and when it took place.
• Task - Explain the task and what was the goal.
• Action - Provide details about the action you took to attain this.
• Result - Conclude with the result of your action.

Using the four steps outlined above, you can create concise, compelling answers to your essay prompts. Let’s use one of the Berkeley Haas essay prompts as an example for an MBA essay outline:

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum) . 

We can split this prompt into two sections: 

• Describe an activity, hobby, or anything that makes you “feel alive” when you do it. 
• Explain why you find so much enjoyment in this one thing. 

Storytelling is key here, and the STAR technique can help you break down exactly what you want to say. Remember, it is important to reflect upon your experiences and, in this case, show why you enjoy something. 

If you manage to do this in your essays and show how you achieved results along the way, you will submit a strong MBA application essay. 

Plagiarizing Your MBA Essay 

Plagiarism is a big deal. 

Even if a student doesn’t intend to plagiarize someone’s work, colleges can and will detect it. If colleges detect plagiarism, they will likely reject the application outright; UCLA’s Anderson School of Management rejected 52 MBA hopefuls for application plagiarism. 

Applicants can easily and accidentally plagiarize someone else’s work by following MBA essay examples too closely. Essay examples are useful, as they can inspire you and give you an idea of how you can reflect upon your experiences. However, someone has written that example about their own experience in their own words, and you can’t copy it. 

If you are worried about plagiarism, the simple fix is to be original. After all, admissions committees want to hear about your experiences, motivations, and opinions. 

Authenticity is also an extremely important part of writing well; you will come across as more genuine writing about your genuine thoughts and experiences. If you want to check your work, you can use reliable and low-cost plagiarism checker tools like PrePostSEO and Copyscape .  

MBA Essay Examples

US News wrote an article on what makes for a successful MBA essay. They provided the following MBA entrance essay sample essays written by applicants recently admitted into highly reputable business schools.

This sample was written for Fox School of Business at Temple University .

This essay was well-received by the admissions committee because it was written clearly and concisely, free of grammatical errors, and told a story. The candidate showed their personality and explained why a Fox MBA would help them achieve their career goals. 

This particular candidate was honest in their essay about their weaknesses and professional growth, which is generally well-received by admissions committees. The candidate detailed the initiative they had taken in learning about the MBA program at Fox and why they decided to apply.

This next successful essay sample was written for the Yale School of Management.

Similar to the previous example, this essay told a compelling story through a clear narrative. This particular essay began with an anecdote that demonstrated the candidate’s work ethic, initiative, leadership, and resourcefulness.

This show-don’t-tell essay displayed what was important to the applicant and offered the admission committee insight into their personality and values. It also provided as much detail as was possible, given the 500-word limit.

Don’t Rely Too Much on MBA Essay Examples 

While MBA essay examples are valuable tools to see what got applicants into business school, they all have one problem: They are not yours. Other peoples’ essay examples don’t focus on your achievements, values, motivations, or experiences. 

In their essays, originality and authenticity are two critical themes that business schools look for because your life is unique. Remember, MBA essay writing is all about getting to know you , and your essays should truly reflect who you are as a person. 

MBA essay examples are useful. They can provide you inspiration, an idea of what can work, and outline how to discuss your own experiences. However, you need to draw a line in the sand and write your own essay at some point. 

People are admitted to particular schools for a wide variety of reasons. While their essays are one of those reasons, what works for one person might not work for you. Try not to overthink it — write about your experiences, background, and, most importantly, opinion. 

Mistakes to Avoid While Writing Your MBA Essay

In addition to following the steps for writing a great MBA essay outlined above, there are also some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid while writing your essay. These mistakes are listed below, along with solutions to fix them.

Submitting an Overly Complex Essay

Admissions committees don’t want to know how many buzzwords and how much industry-related jargon you know. They’re looking to find out about you as a person, not solely as a business person. 

Committees may become frustrated if they have to decipher what you’ve written in your overly complicated essay, especially since your application isn’t the only one that needs reviewing.

The fix : Use your own words and write as if you were talking professionally to a coworker. That way, your essay will sound more straightforward and personal and allow you to make a better connection with your reader.

Not Reading the Essay Question Closely or Misunderstanding the Question

You need to know how to answer MBA essay questions. Misreading or misunderstanding the question will lead you to write an essay that completely misses what the admissions committee wants to learn about you. 

This can lead to your application being discarded.

The fix : Find the keyword(s) in the question first. This will provide you with what the admission committee hopes to learn about you in the essay. 

In the Types of MBA Essays section above, identifying terms such as “contribute,” “gain,” and “lead” shows what the admissions committee is looking for you to answer. It is also a good idea to seek clarification if you find the question confusing. 

Restating Your Resume or Letters of Recommendation

Admission committees don’t want your essay to be a restatement of what’s already outlined in your business school resume and letters of recommendation . Your MBA essay should be unique and should tell a story that can’t be found elsewhere in your application.

The fix : Take some time to think about what you want to write about that answers the essay question and isn’t detailed anywhere else in your application. But suppose the moment or experience you want to write about is already included. 

In that case, you could instead focus on a particular project and describe some of the challenges you encountered, how you overcame them, the project’s outcome, and what you learned from the experience. 

Starting Your MBA Essay Close to the Deadline 

Starting too close to the deadline means you won’t have enough time to put together a clear, concise, and expertly written narrative. If you’re rushed, you’re more likely to make simple mistakes.

The fix : Start planning your essay(s) as soon as the essay questions are made available. Take time to create an outline for each essay so you have a solid plan for when you start to write your draft. 

By starting well ahead of the application deadline, you’ll give yourself plenty of time to write and revise without being crunched for time and stressed.

Giving Half-Baked Reasons for Attending Business School  

Business school admissions committees use your essays to gauge your interest in their program and institution. So, if you are vague about your career plans and why you should get an MBA at a specific school, take the time to outline them. 

Admissions officers want to see applicants who demonstrate clear and well-defined goals. So, do your college research and explain why you want to attend their program. 

1. How Long Should My MBA Application Essay Be?

The length of your MBA essay will depend on the specific school; some schools allow up to 500 words, while others want a very short and to-the-point response of 150 words. 

The length set out by the MBA program you’re applying to is an important consideration, and it is not a good idea to go over the word limit. Admissions committees want to see that you can follow instructions and are capable of writing succinctly. It will not reflect well on you to go over the allowed word count.

2. Is the MBA Essay Less Important Than My GPA and GMAT Score?

No, your MBA essay is at least equally as important as your GPA and GMAT score . While your GPA and GMAT scores are good indicators of your academic abilities, the MBA essay is the admission committee’s first opportunity to get to know you personally. 

This is also the first impression you will make on the committee, so it’s imperative that you write a strong and compelling essay. Most business schools use a holistic approach to assessing applications, and your response to the essay question can determine whether you are a good fit for their program.

3. Is There an MBA Essay Guide for Reapplicants?

Many schools will require or suggest that reapplicants submit an additional essay. 

This will vary by school, and it is important to check with each school’s website for the exact details of what’s expected of reapplicants. If it’s optional, it is a good idea to submit one because it allows you to explain how you’ve grown personally and professionally since your previous application. 

4. Can I Use the Same Business School Essay if I’m Reapplying?

It’s unlikely you’ll be successful using the same essay since your response could have been the reason you were rejected the first time around. 

It’s best to consult with an MBA admissions expert or mentor to find out where you went wrong and what you can do to make your reapplication essay strong and stand out in the best way possible.

5. How Do I Edit My MBA Essay Draft to Make It Better?

First of all, make sure there are no errors with your spelling, grammar, and syntax. Business schools want students with superb communication skills, and having basic errors in your MBA essay does not demonstrate that you have strong communication skills. 

Then, you should go through the common mistakes outlined above and make sure those are not present in your essay; if they are, fix them. Seeking a second opinion from a friend, mentor, colleague, or MBA essay editing expert will also help locate errors or improvement areas.

6. How Can I Ensure My Business School Essay Stands Out?

Whether you are faced with the Wharton MBA essays , Harvard Business School essay , or Booth MBA essays , to name a few, there are a few things you can do to make your essay stand out. 

The event or experience you choose to write about should be something you are able to write about in a compelling narrative. It should also be something you can write about with passion, which will allow the admission committee to see your genuine and authentic voice. 

Your strengths should be woven in with the story you’re telling. These things will make your essay stand out to the admission committee and help them remember you.

Unlock Your Future with the Perfect Business School Essay

Knowing how to write a great MBA essay can be a challenging component of the business school application process. 

But, if you know where to start, make an outline for each essay, and get expert assistance, the process becomes significantly more manageable. Following these steps will help you write a killer MBA essay.

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Table of Contents

Applying to business school is extremely taxing. Submitting a successful application requires thought, discipline, and the ability to juggle multiple projects at once. Sometimes, it's hard to even know where to begin. We know—we've been there.

To help you through this difficult process, we put together this comprehensive guide. Below, we've gathered common questions about the MBA admissions process, laid out the tasks you'll need to complete, and specified a timeline for when you'll need to complete them—complete with a helpful chart. We've pressure-tested this timeline with hundreds of applicants, and we're confident it will work for you.

Of course, this is only a guide—the surest way to nail your MBA application is to work with a coach who can help you complete your application materials. You'll find dozens of world-class admissions coaches, with experience at programs like Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton, and more, on  Leland .

How Much Pre-MBA Work Experience Do I Need?

One of the first things to consider when applying to business school is how many years of work experience you should have. On average, applicants to top MBA programs have  4 to 5 years of work experience . Some will have fewer, of course, like management consultants from top firms, and some will have more, like military veterans, but 4 to 5 years is the norm.

Top business schools tend to favor MBA students with several years of work experience because they have accrued unique personal and professional experience, have more to contribute in the classroom, and have acquired more leadership experience, which sets them up for success both during their MBA and in the future.

Take this into account when deciding when to apply for your MBA.

*Note that if you’re a deferred MBA candidate, you won’t have any work experience, only internships!

How Long do MBA Applications Take? When Should I Start Applying?

The MBA application process can be grueling. You'll have to juggle standardized exams like the GMAT and GRE, successfully secure recommendation letters from mentors or supervisors, craft your MBA resume and essays, and submit everything on time.

To set yourself up for success, give yourself  at least six months (including the time you'll give yourself for standardized test prep). if you're going to put your best foot forward and earn that coveted offer of admission at your dream school, the last thing you want to be is rushed. We've seen successful applicants go through the process in less time, but we don't recommend it. The application process is stressful enough—don't add the burden of a time crunch on top of it!

Start your application  at least six months before the deadline.

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Which MBA Application Round Should I Target?

Most business schools have three application rounds:

• Round 1 — with deadlines in September/October
• Round 2 — with deadlines in January
• Round 3 — with deadlines in April/May

*Note that Round 3 is also when deferred MBA candidates will apply.

The exact dates may vary, but generally speaking, these three application windows will be roughly the same year after year. That being the case, you should be able to outline the optimal MBA application timeline well before your targeted schools release their official dates.

Round 1 vs. Round 2

Now, the big debate: should you apply in Round 1, or Round 2?

Generally speaking, if you have the time, apply in Round 1. Top business schools accept the majority of their applicants in the first round. Admissions committees have a limited number of spots, so applying in Round 1 will give you an advantage, particularly if you're applying from an overrepresented background—i.e. from a traditional background like finance or management consulting.

That said, if you're crunched for time, either because of a project at work, or due to other extenuating life circumstances, then don't hesitate to apply in Round 2. On the whole, it's better to take your time and submit a thoughtful, well-considered application in Round 2 than it is to dash off a quick, poorly-crafted application in Round 1. Don't have time to boost your GMAT score, make your campus visits, or draft your essays by September / October? Apply in Round 2.

What Are the Steps of the MBA Application?

Here are the key steps of the MBA application, and when you should start each one:

• GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment (as well as the TOEFL, if applicable) — start studying 6 to 12 months before deadlines
• Choose a coach to help guide you through the process — 3 months before deadlines
• Select which MBA programs you'll apply to, and outline your Application Strategy — 3 months before deadlines
• Secure your MBA recommendation letters — start 3 months before the deadline
• Write powerful MBA essays — start 3 months before deadlines
• Craft your resume — start 1 month before deadlines
• Fill out the applications themselves — start 1 month before deadlines
• Practice for your MBA interviews — start 1 week before the interview

Below, we'll walk through each step in detail.

Prepare for the GMAT/GRE

Standardized tests are a staple of the MBA application. Boosting your test scores, even by a few points, can raise your profile and help you stand out in the admissions office.

These tests are notoriously difficult, so start as early as you can! Many strong applicants budget  six to twelve months  for test prep. Further, we recommend completing your exams at least a month before your MBA application deadlines.

If you're struggling to nail your standardized test and could use help putting together a study plan, consider working with one of Leland's expert GMAT tutors and GRE tutors .

Choose an MBA Application Coach

One of the best investments you can make as a prospective MBA is to work with a coach who can help you through the application process. It's extremely difficult, and nobody goes through it alone—we all have friends, family, and mentors who help us along the way.

When searching for a coach, consider your target schools, the coach's background, their experience, and your budget. Click here to learn more about How to Choose the Perfect MBA Coach, and here to browse  Leland's world-class coaches .

Choose Your MBA Programs, and Outline Your MBA Application Strategy

Once you've decided on a coach, it's time to pick the MBA programs you'll apply to, and the Application Strategy you'll use to tackle those schools. Start this step  three months before deadlines .

Selecting your programs will require deep investigation into what makes each business school tick—their academic offerings, faculty, and staff, access to top recruiting opportunities, on-campus extracurricular groups and clubs, student life, location, personality/character, and so much more. Doing in-depth research at this early stage will not only help you pick the right programs to apply to, but it will pay off later, as well, when you have to write essays specifying your interest in particular schools. So don't skimp here.

Then, once you've chosen your schools, you can put together an application strategy. This entails laying out your personal and professional achievements, strengths and weaknesses, leadership experience, and more, and expressing it all in a single, cohesive statement. This isn't easy to do, so click read about it here: What is MBA Application Strategy?

Secure Your MBA Letters of Recommendation

The letter of recommendation. This is one of the trickiest parts of the MBA application because it's the sole thing you don't have complete control over. Don't procrastinate on this one!

Given requirements at top business schools, you'll likely be asking for recommendation letters from an influential mentor or professional supervisor. These are busy and important individuals, and you'll need to give them ample time to write your letters—out of consideration and to ensure you get the best recommendations possible.

We recommend making your initial ask  three months  before your deadline. When making the ask, we also suggest sending your recommenders a preparation packet to help them write fantastic letters. You can then follow up with them at several points as you approach the application deadline: six weeks before the deadline, to check-in, and one week before the deadline, to ensure timely submission.

Click here to read more about How to Get the Perfect MBA Recommendation Letter .

MBA Recommender Prep Doc

Download our free recommender prep doc used by thousands of applicants to get the strongest possible letters of rec

Write Powerful MBA Essays

Ah—the infamous MBA essay. For many, this is the hardest part of the application. It requires introspection, emotional intelligence, and editing, editing, editing.

Top business schools are looking for candidates who are smart, driven, and on a successful trajectory, but who can also articulate their career goals and aspirations within a concise set of prompts. To do this, you'll need to budget significant time to outline, draft, and revise your essays. We recommend  at least three months , depending on the number of schools you're applying to. Most MBA programs release their essay prompts, along with the rest of their application, in June, so this should give you the runway you need to succeed.

The essays are the toughest nut to crack. If you need a practiced guide to help you, you'll find dozens of MBA essay experts on Leland .

To learn more, read these articles:

• How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay
• A Guide to the Booth Essays
• A Guide to the HBS Essay
• A Guide to the Wharton MBA Essays
• The Ultimate M7 MBA Essay Guide

Craft Your MBA Resume

The resume is another critical part of the MBA application. It's your chance to highlight your professional achievements, leadership experience, and extracurricular activities. A well-crafted resume indicates to the admissions committee that you're an accomplished, mature applicant.

The MBA resume, of course, isn't like your typical job recruiting resume, so you shouldn't treat the two the same. You'll need to put ample thought and effort into offering up exactly the information the admissions office wants to see. Give yourself  one month  to do so.

To learn more, read here for How to Craft the Ultimate MBA Resume .

Practice for Your MBA Interviews

Finally, if you're extended an offer to interview at one of your chosen schools, you'll need to prepare accordingly. Typically, interviews are extended 4 to 6 six weeks after the MBA application deadlines. It can take several weeks to schedule those interviews, so you'll have time to practice, but we recommend starting as soon as you've submitted your materials. Give yourself  at least one week to read up on practice questions and do mock interviews.

As part of your practice and preparation, you'll want to shore up your knowledge of the types of interviews:

• Blind vs Fully-Informed
• Admissions Committee vs MBA Alumni
• Group vs Individual

And you'll also want to familiarize yourself with the types of questions:

• Resume-based
• Why an MBA/Why our school?
• Behavioral questions

Your MBA Application Timeline—A Detailed Schedule

Whew, that's a lot to get through!

To make sure you hit all the right steps, here's a helpful chart with all of the MBA application milestones, and our recommended timing for each one:

For a list of all the application deadlines for the top business schools, read this: MBA Application Deadlines of the Top 25 Business Schools (2023-2024) .

Get Into a Top MBA Program With the Help of an Expert

The best way to make sure that your application is competitive is to work one-on-one with an expert Leland coach. Here are several of our highest-rated MBA admissions coaches; browse them all here .

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MBA essays: how’s your way with words?

Quants strengths definitely make a difference when it comes to getting into a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. But don’t just think you can complete applications to top-tier MBA programs “by the numbers”! MBA applications also typically include essay questions that challenge your verbal skills.

Whether you look forward to writing or dread expressing yourself in words, your MBA admissions essays are going to be significant documents to draft. Whether you’re working on personal statements, “short answers” or other types of responses, your essays need to express your motivation, purpose and goals, presenting a perfectly balanced view of you – personally and professionally.

That’s a tall order for what’s often got to be a pretty short piece of writing. Do you know how to write an MBA essay that will wow admissions officers?

How to write a great MBA essay

These MBA essay tips from the admissions experts at The MBA Exchange set you up for compelling essays that won’t exceed word limits.

Pick your targets

You often get a couple of places to express yourself in writing over the course of the MBA application process. You might need to craft a response to a specific question, including “short answer” sections, or include a personal statement with your application materials.

Even if you’re not given a specific essay prompt, make each of your written responses count as part of your overall strategy.

• Complement but don’t repeat your resume
• Coordinate with essays and recommendations
• Use verb-centered language to keep it current and emphasize action

The name of the game is thinking tactically and avoiding repetition across the body of your MBA application.

Keep it personal

Let your words convey your authentic, unique personal voice. That’s not to say you need to include a lot of slang, and rambling on aimlessly in your text submissions is never a good idea. A simple style may be best to convey the immediacy and impact of your story. 

Admissions committee members look at your essay responses to get an idea of who you are, and you want to give them plenty to go on. If you find yourself with a choice between a more middle-of-the-road course and an opportunity for real personal expression when writing your MBA essays, maybe take the risk on the latter. It just might pay off big. That’s also why you should also never buy someone else’s MBA essay. You need your story to be your own.

Edit like your life depends on it

All your eloquence is no good if your spelling and grammar aren’t on point. Watch out for grammatical errors! Length requirements, desired format and writing prompts vary significantly from program to program, so stay on your toes when it comes to double-checking directions, as well.

Your editing process should also check for internal consistency, including across multiple written responses for the same application package. Don’t let little discrepancies or unnoticed typos risk your candidacy. Include only what you could document if asked. Even after acceptance, you’ve still got to get through background verification.

School-specific essays

Essay response processes differ among top-tier business schools. Your application for Harvard asks for 500 words about your career aspirations, while Stanford GSB wants 1500 characters on times you’ve created a positive impact. And then there’s Duke Fuqua, with three required 500-character answers on essay questions related to career goals and goal alternatives. It gets to be a lot to juggle!

For support with following through on these MBA essay tips, all while navigating the business school application process and avoiding risks of plagiarism, contact The MBA Exchange and find out how our admissions services can help you write an MBA admissions essay that opens doors for you.

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June 29, 2023

Harvard Business School MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023 – 2024]

The Admissions Office at Harvard Business School (HBS) has announced updates for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. The most important update is that if you plan to apply to HBS and have yet to take an entrance exam, you should take the traditional GMAT test (including the AWA) or the GRE. HBS will not accept the GMAT Focus Edition exam because it will not be available until after the Round 1 deadline. This will eliminate any confusion that might occur across Rounds 1 and 2. 

The essay prompt and word limit will remain the same, at a maximum (not necessarily a requirement) of 900 words. The team also indicates that if you can tell your story in 500 words, that’s fine too.

• HBS MBA essay tips
• HBS 2023-2024 deadlines
• HBS class profile
• Sample HBS Essay
• More resources

Harvard will continue being one of the few, if not the only, school with just two rounds (September and January). HBS uses an April deadline exclusively for HBS 2+2, its deferred admission program.

Let’s talk about Harvard’s MBA application

On to the Harvard MBA application and essay question itself: HBS clearly likes  the responses it has received  to the past several years’ excellent essay question because this year’s question is identical. The essay is again required, and there is a 900-word limit

Harvard Business School MBA essay tips

There is one question for the HBS Class of 2026:

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?

The website provides the following advice as well: 

We think you know what guidance we’re going to give here. Don’t overthink, overcraft and overwrite. Just answer the question in clear language that those of us who don’t know your world can understand.

Before you begin to complete your application I have two suggestions for you:

• Review Harvard’s criteria for admission , and its MBA Application Tips: Essay video .
• Watch the embedded video on the case method at HBS.

This is a great essay question. It allows you to choose what you want the school to know about you without having to fit that information into a framework required by a question that doesn’t really align with your story. It also allows you to demonstrate judgment and communication skills, which are critical given Harvard’s residential culture , study groups, and case method. Finally, this essay is a chance for HBS to get to know you beyond your resume and the limited (and limiting) boxes. In fact, as Chad Losee says in his essay tip video, they want to get to know you through your essay. That’s the essay’s purpose.

Now THINK. What else – really and truly – do you want Harvard Business School to know about you? The HBS admissions committee has told you what they want to know in the other sections of the application. “What more” do you want the HBS readers to know?

Please note that your essay has to be additive. “What more” are the key words in the prompt. It shouldn’t be a resume in prose. And it shouldn’t be a series of vague generalities and assertions that would apply to many others. Finally, it can’t be a series of anecdotes with no meaning or significance associated with the experiences. It should reflect at least part of your unique story, the part that you want HBS to know. Finally, your essay should reflect your motivations, values, and dreams.

The answer to HBS’ question is not something I can give or even suggest to you in a blog post aimed at the many (for individual guidance, please see Accepted’s MBA Admissions Consulting ). It must be different for each of you. Again, refer to the HBS criteria, as you contemplate possible topics, but the options are infinite. A few possibilities:

• Provide context for events described in the required elements.
• Delve into your motivations for the decisions or commitments you have made.
• Discuss experiences that shaped your dreams for the future, which might just benefit enormously from an HBS education (caveat: HBS doesn’t ask why you want to attend Harvard, so don’t make this a central theme of your essay).
• Examine challenges you have faced. These could be personal challenges, or perhaps interpersonal challenges.
• Envision something you would like to accomplish at HBS.
• Provide more detail about an activity or commitment that is particularly important to you.

Please don’t limit yourself to these suggestions. I am offering them to stimulate your creativity, not to shut it down. 

If one thing is true, it is that HBS has valued concision. And, in today’s tweet- and sound-bite-driven world, it is requiring short responses in the other portions of the application. Don’t take this essay’s generous word limit as a license for verbosity. Make every word count, no pun intended.

A few cautions and warnings regarding this essay – it is NOT:

• Stanford’s “what matters most to you and why?” essay
• The kitchen sink in which you throw everything
• An autobiography
• A resume in prose or a rehash of your transcript and honors
• An ode to the awesomeness of Harvard (The admissions committee doesn’t need you to tell them they have a great institution that you would be honored to attend. They’ve heard it before.)

For expert guidance on your HBS application, check out Accepted’s  MBA Application Packages , which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the HBS application. Looking to score some scholarship money while you’re at it? Accepted’s clients received over $3.5 million dollars in scholarship offers in the most recent application cycle.  Explore our services  for more information on how Accepted can help you get into HBS.

Harvard Business School 2023-24 application deadlines

Source: HBS website

* Applications must be submitted online by 12 noon Boston time.

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

HBS class profile [Class of 2024]

Here’s a look at HBS’s Class of 2024 taken from the  Harvard Business School website :

Number of applications:  8264

Enrolled:  1,015

Countries represented:  

• United States: 62%
• Mexico, Central & South America: 5%
• Middle East: 3%
• Oceania: 1%

Women:  46%

International:  38%

US minorities:  52%

Average GPA:  3.70

Average years work experience:  5.0

Percent of class taking GMAT:  74%

• Verbal range: 29– 51
• Quantitative range: 34 – 51
• Total range: 540–790
• Median verbal: 42
• Median quantitative: 48
• Median total : 730

Percent of class taking GRE:  30%

• Verbal range: 147 – 170
• Quantitative range: 150–170
• Median verbal: 163
• Median quantitative: 163

Breakdown of undergraduate majors (137 domestic universities and 158 international universities)

Breakdown of pre-mba industries, sample harvard business school essays from admitted hbs students, are you considering applying to business school.

We have the resources to help you navigate the options and make the right choice for you:

• M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know
• What It Takes to Get Accepted to HBS, Stanford GSB, and Wharton

Is HBS at the top of your wish list?

Get the competitive edge with HBS-specific advice and inside information:

• “I Wish the Admissions Committee Had Asked Me…” : How to answer open-ended MBA essay questions
• What Harvard Business School Is Looking For: Engaged Community Citizenship
• What Harvard Business School Is Looking For: Analytical Aptitude and Appetite
• What Harvard Business School Is Looking For: The Habit of Leadership
• 7 Important Tips for Your HBS Post-Interview Reflection

Hear directly from Harvard alumni in these inspiring blog posts:

• An MBA Success Story Reflects on His HBS Experience, 7 Years Later, podcast Episode 419
• A Harvard MBA’s Experience & Advice on Writing the Perfect Essay, podcast Episode 375
• Entrepreneurship at HBS: How Stride Will Help You Fund Your Future, podcast Episode 341
• How to Leverage an HBS Education: The Story of LeverEdge, podcast Episode 313
• Ida Valentine: Investment Banker, Inspirational Speaker, HBS 2021, podcast Episode 311
• The Journey from India to Harvard MBA, podcast Episode 220

Do you need help gaining admission to HBS or any other top MBA program? That’s what we do! Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting Services and work one-on-one with an experienced admissions advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED.

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, Kelly Wilson has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management.   Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• What Is Harvard Business School Looking For?
• “I Wish the Admissions Committee Had Asked Me…”
• Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One

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How Long Do MBA Applications REALLY Take?

Let’s cut straight to the chase: how much time does it take to apply to business school? An average application takes a minimum of 10 weeks — and that’s just for one .

Now, we know what you’re thinking...

“I work best under pressure!”

“I’m a great test taker.”

“I’ve always been faster than average.”

Prospective MBA applicants are full of reasons why they are quicker, better, and smarter than the average bear. We hate to break it to you but most of those applying to business school are just as on top of their game.

Also, you probably missed that we said *a minimum* of 10 weeks. Ideally you would get started as early as possible. This will allow ample time for each stage of the application process and leave room for revisions. 

Here’s the breakdown of the stages of the MBA application and a general timeline of how long to can expect to spend in each stage.

MBA Application Timeline

1. gmat/gre: 6-8 weeks minimum..

To kick off the MBA application process, you’ll need to study for the GMAT or GRE. This single test is a preeetty big deal so you’ll want to spend at least 6-8 weeks studying for it. We recommend you dedicate about 12-15 hours a week… approximately 100 hours in total. That’s a lot of hours, we know. And no, it doesn’t matter how good of a test taker you think you are. Properly preparing for your GMAT/GRE will be your best defense against having to retake the test and will save you some time in the long run.

In the case that you do score lower than you were hoping, tack on another four weeks of preparation for your retake. This alone is reason to start the MBA application process as early as possible. Leaving plenty of time for test retakes will keep you from cutting in to the time you need to fill out your actual application.

However, in the case that your test taking absolutely must overlap with the time you need to fill out your business school apps, that’s okay. You’ll just need to refine your multitasking skills. The next step is something you can do while preparing for the GMAT/GRE. Just be sure to dedicate enough time to each individual task!

2. Get to Know Yourself & Get to Know the Schools: 6-8 weeks.

Now’s the time for some soul searching, internet sleuthing, and school visiting. If you want to be accepted to your perfect MBA program, you’ll need to know two things: Exactly who you are and exactly what each school is about. 

5 things you’ll need to understand about yourself:

• Your personal strengths and weaknesses
• Your future goals
• Your learning style
• Your experience
• Your applicant profile

5 things you’ll need to understand about each school:

• Campus culture
• Teaching methods
• Extracurricular opportunities
• Career placement assistance and stats
• Acceptance statistics

These ten things just scratch the surface on all there is to know about your compatibility with different schools. To make sure you fully understand all of your options, go on campus visits. This may seem like a no-brainer but make sure to time your visits for while class is in session. Your time on campus won’t be nearly as valuable if you drop in over holiday break or during the summer.

It’s important you allow ample time to do this research so you can make an educated list of where you plan to apply. All MBA applicants should apply to about 5-8 schools: 2-3 reach schools, 2-3 on-par schools, and 1-2 safety schools. Choosing these programs wisely is the only way to ensure your success in business school.

3. Craft Your Resume: 2 weeks.

If you were planning to make minor tweaks to your professional resume and submit it with your MBA application, you’re about to be disappointed. 

It’s essential that you create a brand spankin’ new resume for your b-school applications. Why? Because getting into business school is all about your soft skills. Sure, you’ll need to share your work experience and extracurriculars but the admissions committee is also looking to your resume for skills like leadership, communication, and teamwork.

Remember: this is your chance to make an outstanding first impression. Your resume should paint a clear picture of who you are, demonstrate your career progression, highlight your strengths, and give a peek into your personality… all within the constraints of a single page. This can take some time to master so be sure to plan ahead and give your resume the attention it deserves.

4. Write Your Essays: 6 weeks.

Ah, the most dreaded part of the MBA application: essays. Here’s some good news… If you spend some time in preparation and give yourself the proper amount of time to complete this portion of your b-school app, you have nothing to worry about. 

Writing your essays doesn’t have to require late nights fueled by caffeine. In fact, it’s best to dedicate a few hours at a time to wring out your business school application essays. Pulling a writing marathon will actually make you less productive and negatively impact your writing.

Throughout your essays it’s vital that you show a strong sense of self-awareness. Confidently share the reasons you need an MBA, tell thoughtful and relevant stories about your experience, and don’t be afraid to discuss your mistakes and give examples to show how you’ve grown. As you do this, be careful not to come across as pompous. There’s a fine line between aware and arrogant. Make sure you don’t cross it.

5. Choose and Prepare Your Recommenders: 6 weeks.

If you thought that your letters of recommendation would require little work, think again. The key to getting excellent recommendations is to carefully select your recommenders, provide them with valuable information, and remain available every step of the way. 

Your recommenders will need to know the following:

• Why you want an MBA and what you plan to do with it.
• Why you asked them for the recommendation. 
• What the school is looking for in a candidate + which of your skills, experiences, and capabilities you would like the recommender to emphasize. 
• The qualities you have demonstrated + specific examples the recommender can cite to support them.

Along with all the information above, provide your recommenders with a copy of your resume and clear deadlines. While this will require extra time, it will ensure that your recommendations complement your application and reinforce your personal brand.

6. Complete and Revise: 2 weeks.

Once you’ve completed all of the tasks above, it’s time to fill out the corners of your application and perfect it. Here are a couple more things you must do before you submit:

→ Short Answer Questions

Unfortunately, short answer questions are one of the most overlooked parts of the MBA application. Even though essays are significantly longer and require more time, short answer questions are just as important. The key to providing effective answers is to first understand exactly what each question is asking. Write a thoughtful, lengthy answer and then pare it down so only the most pertinent information remains.

→ Other Application Requirements

No two MBA applications are identical. Each school will require different forms and tasks. Some schools may have additional questionnaires while some may require video essays. Be sure to leave ample time to wrap up these final loose ends.

Newsflash: Reading your application over once for typos doesn’t qualify as a revision. When looking over your application, make sure you’ve embraced a holistic vision throughout, followed all the guidelines, and demonstrated distinct reasons for why you are applying to that school. 

Final Thoughts

As you’ve probably already gathered, some of these steps can be done in tandem, depending on the applicant’s ability to multitask and the amount of time they can dedicate to their applications each week. Because of this, it’s difficult to provide a definitive length of time one should dedicate to their MBA applications. 

We recommend you begin the MBA application process as soon as possible and are honest with yourself about how many of these tasks you are able to tackle at once. Trying to complete too much too quickly will result in a rushed, sloppy application. (And yes, admissions officers can tell the difference.) We understand that this process can be taxing so be sure to pace yourself and stay positive.

Admit.me Expert Staff

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How to Write and Format an MBA Essay

Create a strong essay for your MBA application

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What Is an MBA Essay?

The term MBA essay is often used interchangeably with MBA application essay or MBA admissions essay. This type of essay is submitted as part of the MBA admissions process and is usually used to provide support for other application components like transcripts, recommendation letters, standardized test scores, and resumes.

Why You Need to Write an Essay

Admissions committees sort through a lot of applications in each round of the admissions process. Unfortunately, there are only so many places that can be filled in a single MBA class so a vast majority of the candidates who apply will be turned away. This is especially true of top MBA programs that receive thousands of applicants each school year.

Many of the applicants who apply to business school are qualified MBA candidates —they have the grades, the test scores, and the work experience needed to contribute to and succeed in an MBA program. Admissions committees need something beyond a GPA or test scores to differentiate applicants and determine who is a good fit for the program and who is not. This is where the MBA essay comes into play. Your MBA essay tells the admissions committee who you are and helps to set you apart from other applicants.

Why You Don't Need to Write an Essay

Not every business school requires an MBA essay as part of the admissions process. For some schools, the essay is optional or not required at all. If the business school does not request an essay, then you don’t need to write one. If the business school says the essay is optional, then you should DEFINITELY write one. Don't let the opportunity to differentiate yourself from other applicants pass you by.

MBA Essay Length

Some business schools put strict requirements on the length of MBA application essays. For example, they may ask applicants to write a one-page essay, a two-page essay, or a 1,000-word essay. If there is a desired word count for your essay, it is very important to adhere to it. If you are supposed to write a one-page essay, don't turn in a two-page essay or an essay that is only a half-page long. Follow instructions.

If there is not a stated word count or page count requirement, you have a little more flexibility when it comes to length, but you should still limit the length of your essay. Short essays are typically better than a long essay. Aim for a short, five-paragraph essay . If you can't say everything you want to say in a short essay, you should at least stay below three pages. Remember, admissions committees read thousands of essays - they don't have time to read memoirs. A short essay demonstrates that you can express yourself clearly and concisely.

Basic Formatting Tips

There are some basic formatting tips that you should follow for every MBA essay. For example, it is important to set the margins so that you have some white space around the text. A one-inch margin on each side and on the top and bottom is typically good practice. Using a font that is easy to read is also important. Obviously, a silly font like Comic Sans should be avoided. Fonts like Times New Roman or Georgia are typically easy to read, but some of the letters so have funny tails and embellishments that are unnecessary. A no-frills font like Arial or Calibri is usually your best option.

Formatting a Five Paragraph Essay

Many essays - whether they are application essays or not - utilize a five-paragraph format. This means that the content of the essay is split into five separate paragraphs:

• One introductory paragraph
• Three body paragraphs
• One concluding paragraph 

Each paragraph should be about three to seven sentences long. If possible try to create a uniform size for the paragraphs. For example, you don't want to start with a three-sentence introductory paragraph and then follow up with an eight-sentence paragraph, a two sentence paragraph and then a four-sentence paragraph. It is also important to use strong transition words that help the reader move from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. Cohesion is key if you want to write a strong, clear essay.

The introductory paragraph should start with a hook - something that captures the reader's interest. Think about the books you like to read. How do they start? What grabbed you on the first page? Your essay isn't fiction, but the same principle applies here. Your introductory paragraph should also feature some sort of thesis statement , so the topic of your essay is clear.

The body paragraphs should contain details, facts, and evidence that support the theme or thesis statement introduced in the first paragraph. These paragraphs are important because they make up the meat of your essay. Don't skimp on information but be judicious - make every sentence, and even every word, count. If you write something that doesn't support that main theme or point of your essay, take it out. 

The concluding paragraph of your MBA essay should be just that - a conclusion. Wrap up what you are saying and reiterate your main points. Do not present new evidence or points in this section. 

Printing and Emailing Your Essay

If you are printing out your essay and submitting it as part of a paper-based application, you should print the essay out on plain white paper. Do not use colored paper, patterned paper, etc. You should also avoid colored ink, glitter, or any other embellishments designed to make your essay stand out. 

If you are emailing your essay, follow all of the instructions. If the business school requested it to be emailed with other application components, you should do that. Do not email the essay separately unless you are instructed to do so - it could get in someone's inbox. Finally, be sure to use the correct file format. For example, if the business school requested a DOC, that is what you should send. 

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The Key to Writing Your Best MBA Goals Essay

Understanding what you want to get out of business school plays a larger role in your MBA essay than you may think.

Top MBA programs are looking for applicants who have a clear idea of how a business degree will help shape their future. This is why the MBA goals essay is such an important piece of your business school application.

But how do you write a goals essay if you’re unsure of your post-MBA goals? What if you are changing careers  and know you want to obtain the skills that an MBA program provides , but aren’t sure which career direction you want to pursue after your degree? Should you spend time looking into post-MBA options? Should you try out different jobs or shadow people in different careers, so that you can submit your MBA essay with a secure MBA goal? Or is it better to write your MBA essay with undefined goals?

The role of post-MBA goals in your MBA essay

Your post-MBA goals should guide you in the application process, and at the very least help you decide where to apply. Not only is it worthwhile spending time finalizing a post-MBA direction, it’s required. You need to know why you want to spend a large amount of your time and money before you apply. Not knowing what your post MBA-goals are could turn your MBA investment into a huge debt with no job to pay it off. Think of your goals as a weathervane—if it’s broken, it spins uselessly in the wind, but when working properly, it points you in the right direction.

Still wondering if business school is right for you? Ask yourself these five questions .

Steps to take before writing your MBA essay

When thinking about how to write an MBA essay, you also need to think about how to identify and define your personal MBA goals. Perhaps you already have a good idea of why you want to attend b-school and what it can help you achieve. If not, here are four steps that will help you understand and articulate your post-MBA goals, so you can write an impressive MBA essay:

Determine your likes and dislikes

Think about what you like and dislike about your current and past jobs. Compile a list of what you’d like more of and what you’d like less of. A simple exercise like this will ensure that you’re not just going through the motions, but that your MBA goals will actually bring you satisfaction in your career and life.

Talk to people in careers you want

Talk to people in jobs that appeal to you. Organize informal interviews or email a list of questions to people you know who have positions that you find attractive. While a post-MBA job or career path may seem appealing on paper, you want to ensure you have a full understanding of the positives, negatives, and opportunities that truly exist .

Consider a career counselor

Think about hiring a career counselor. With the right guidance, you can gain a better understanding of what opportunities exist for MBA graduates, and hone your MBA goals so that you can write a more competitive MBA goals essay. This short-term investment will pay off when you are able to get into the b-school you want and land your dream job after graduation.

Establish connections at companies that interest you

Once you have a better idea of your direction, take a look at the career listings for the bigger employers in the field or fields that interest you. Check out profiles of some of the recent MBAs these companies have hired and see if you can arrange to speak to someone in the roles that appeal to you. Talking with people that were once in your position (and who work at a company of interest) is a great way to grow your network and establish connections that can give you the advantage come interview time. However, it’s also a way to learn more about different positions and better define your MBA goals for yourself and your MBA essay.

MBA goals can be flexible

Not having clear goals will leave admissions officers wondering why you’re putting in the time, effort, and money to obtain an MBA. An MBA essay with clearly defined goals, may also concern b-schools that you won’t be able to find an internship, or eventually a full-time job because you don’t know what you want to do. But don’t worry—admissions officers also recognize that your goals may change over the course of your MBA program and that what you say in your MBA essay is somewhat preliminary. It’s okay to be flexible, but not clueless.

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Expert MBA Essay Tips and How to Write a Great MBA Essay

Admit expert.

• MBA Application Tips , MBA Essay Tips
• April 27, 2024

Writing an MBA essay can be a pivotal step in your journey towards earning a coveted spot in a top business school. It’s a chance to let your personality shine, communicate your goals, and explain why a particular institution is the perfect fit for you.

In this comprehensive article, we delve into the importance of MBA essays, the various types you might encounter, expert MBA essay tips, and provide a roadmap for crafting impeccable B-School essays. Whether you’re pondering “Why MBA and Why Now?” or tackling the intricate “Why this Business School?” question, we’ve got you covered. Dive into the world of MBA essays, where your aspirations and abilities find their voice.

The Importance of MBA Essays 

Types of mba essays , how to write a great mba essay, 10 common mistakes to avoid while writing mba essays .

• How we’ll help you write amazing essays 

MBA Essay – FAQs 

MBA essays are a perfect opportunity to showcase your strengths and explain any weak points in your application. A well-written essay can provide context to a low GMAT score or GPA, but strong numbers will never make up for a weak essay.

Renice Jones, Ex. Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions at Schulich MBA program rightly said:

“Candidates who are below average can use the other components of the application, such as the essays, to exhibit why they may be a great fit for Schulich.”

MBA essays also become very important if you are from an over-represented pool of candidates, such as an Indian male IT/software engineer. Like you, many candidates will have similar work profiles and experiences. You cannot change your work experience but can make sure that you portray your spikes to the admission committee through your essays.

Stanford MBA admissions committee gives this advice to its applicants every year,

“There is no typical Stanford MBA student, no ideal for applicants to chase. Our advice is to just focus on you and ensure that your application is a true reflection of yourself.”

MBA Essays – A way to showcase your personality 

A compelling MBA essay helps the Adcoms get a peek inside your personality. Chad Losee, HBS Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial aid, pointed out that their primary goal in the essay is to get to know you better. The decisions you have made, your motivations, or any formative experiences. However, you must not shy away from your personality in the process.

The MBA admissions team at Yale School of Management held a webinar , where they talked about what they are interested in knowing through its essay.

How to impress the MBA admissions committee in the admissions events. Here are a few tips in this article .

Yale SoM MBA essays are generally open-ended, like – “Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.” For this essay question, the admissions committee is interested in knowing how you approach commitments and the behavior that supports them. It can be a personal or a professional story, as long as it is something distinctive to your life and helps them know more about your personality. 

It is the story that you put together about your passion, experience, goals, and how business school fits into that mix that sets you apart from other candidates.

Looking for expert help for MBA essays?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

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Although the MBA admissions essay questions differ across schools, they tend to evaluate you based on who you are, what you have done, and what value you can add. 

Thus, there are a certain set of questions that help the Adcoms evaluate your candidacy. The length of an essay can range from anywhere between 200 – 1500 words, depending on the business school. But, remember each question is crafted in such a way that helps the Adcoms to know you better and evaluate your fit with the B-school.

We have helped many students craft their MBA essays and created a list of 6 most common essay questions that you can expect on your MBA application: 

Here are the 6 most common essay questions that you can expect on your MBA application:

• Why MBA and Why Now? 
• Why this Business School?

Leadership essay 

• Video essay 
• Open-ended essay 
• Community/Contribution essay 

Why MBA and Why Now?  

This essay is the most common question, which requires you to logically craft a link between your past experiences, your future aspirations, and how pursuing an MBA fits in. This essay aims to understand your motivation to pursue an MBA. In hindsight, this type of essay question can also incorporate your goals. 

However, you can even get a question that is just focused on what your short and long-term goals are? For example, Tuck MBA question on why MBA and how your prior experience and MBA from Tuck fits in. 

Why this Business School? 

This essay aims to see how your goals fit into applying to XYZ business school. In this essay, you need to state how pursuing an MBA from that particular B-school will enable you to achieve your short and long-term goals. 

The admissions committee wants to know if you have done your research on the business school.

For example, Kellogg is known as one of the best business schools for Marketing. So, if you aspire to become a successful marketer, schools like Kellogg can be a good fit for you. 

Leadership qualities are ones that every top business school looks for in a candidate. This essay aims to know about instances where you have shown leadership.

Remember, you don’t have to be a manager or lead a team to showcase leadership qualities. Cases in which you have changed opinions, shown integrity, take crucial decisions, displayed structured thinking, etc. can also demonstrate leadership skills. 

For example, essay questions that ask you to provide instances where you have shown leadership and challenges related to ethics you have faced (HEC Paris).

ISB also has a question on similar lines –examples of the most important personal quality that will lead you to become a successful leader. 

Video Essay 

The video essay evaluates your language skills, confidence, and capability to think on your feet. It is an opportunity for you to create a good first impression on the admissions committee. 

Moreover, video essays give a chance to the Admissions committee to put a face on the application received. 

Kellogg and MIT Sloan are a few business schools that ask candidates to submit video essays. MIT Sloan asks you for a 60-sec video where you need to introduce yourself to your future classmates. Kellogg’s video essay consists of three questions – An introduction about yourself, the path you are interested in pursuing, and the challenges you have faced.  

Open-ended essay (Value-based/personality)

This type of essay question evaluates your values and personality. For example, describe your biggest commitment (Yale), values that have guided your life and work (Kellogg), or showcase your personal characteristics by providing instances (INSEAD).

Community contribution

Contribution to the community is an integral part of many top business schools. The aim is to reflect upon your unique background and think about the values you can add to the community. For example, the Cornell essay analyzes your desire to impact communities and organizations positively. They want to understand how you will make a meaningful impact on Cornell’s MBA community. 

Do you want to impress the MBA Adcom with your essay?

Crafting a compelling B-School essay can be the key to unlocking the door to your dream MBA program. Here are some expert tips to help you write an unforgettable essay that stands out from the crowd:

1. Showcase Proactivity: Business schools seek leaders who are proactive and innovative. Emphasize your ability to take initiative and drive change.

2. Embrace Uniqueness: Highlight what sets you apart from others rather than focusing solely on achievements. Showcase your individuality and what makes you truly unique.

3. Tailor Each Essay: Provide specific reasons why you’re a great fit for each school. Avoid generic statements and demonstrate your understanding of the program’s unique offerings.

4. Inject Passion: Let your enthusiasm shine through in your writing. Admissions officers want to see what excites you and how you’ll bring that energy to the classroom.

5. Break the Mold: Challenge conventional perceptions with unexpected essays that reveal different facets of your personality and experiences.

6. Embrace Your Journey: If you’ve taken an unconventional path to business school, embrace it. Admissions officers appreciate candidates who have taken risks and overcome challenges.

7. Address Identity and Background: Discuss your gender, ethnicity, or minority status only if it has influenced your perspectives or experiences significantly.

8. Use Real-Life Examples: Enrich your essays with specific anecdotes and vivid details that illustrate your qualities and achievements.

9. Show Your Humanity: Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability or humor. Admissions officers appreciate authenticity and want to connect with the real person behind the application.

10. Be Authentic: Write about what truly matters to you, not what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Your essays should paint a clear picture of who you are, what drives you, and what you’re passionate about.

Kris Mercuri, Director of Admissions, Recruiting and Outreach at the Yale School of Management  states , your essay is an “opportunity to speak in your own voice about something meaningful and distinctive in your life.” Don’t waste this opportunity by writing about something inauthentic that you think will make you look better, but is actually a pretense.

11. Structure Matters: Follow a clear structure for your essays, including the setup, the pivot point, and the future. This helps you present your story cohesively and effectively.

12. Answer the Prompt: Ensure your essays directly address the questions asked. Don’t get sidetracked by showcasing all your achievements; focus on what’s relevant to the prompt.

13. Be Succinct: With word limits becoming stricter, keep your essays concise and impactful. Highlight essential points and let your voice shine through without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.

14. Focus on the Business School: Tailor your essays to each business school, demonstrating your understanding of the program and how you’ll contribute to its community and culture.

The admissions committee reads thousands of essays every year. For your essay to stand out, you must put a comprehensive picture of who you are and how you fit into the B-school program.  Your essays need to be interesting and unique if you want to grab Adcom’s attention. 

Here is a stepwise process that you should follow to write an essay that Adcom would want to read: 

Step 1 – Start Early 

One of the mistakes that candidates make is to start writing their essays near the application deadline. Writing compelling MBA essays needs deep introspection. You need to take a step back and look into various instances in your life, such as:

• Your past experiences that led to where you are today.
• Your future aspirations
• The turning points and defining moments in your life
• Your accomplishments – past, present, future
• The decisions that helped in shaping your core values
• Your learnings from failure
• Your perspective and experiences that shaped your passion 

Jotting down such instances requires you to sit down, clear your mind, and think about everything that has led you to become who you are and what you want to be. Thus, it would be best to give yourself enough time to introspect. Your mind will respond better when you don’t have a deadline to meet. 

It’s recommended that you start your essays at least 5-6 months before the deadline. This way you’ll get enough time to self-reflect and inculcate the process of thoughtful introspection in your routine. 

 Identify incidents around some common skills that Adcoms look for – Academic Excellence, result-oriented, Leadership, Team management, and Learning. 

Step 2: Know your Whys 

You must get familiar with the most common essay questions:

• Why MBA? 
• Why is it the best time to do an MBA? 
• Why XYZ MBA Program?

Although not all business schools ask you these questions, they are bound to come up in the interview if not in your essays. Moreover, answering these questions can help you get clarity and focus on how to position yourself. You must create a logical link between these three questions by connecting your goals and aspirations. 

Tips on answering the ‘Why’ MBA essay questions

Here are a few tips on how you can go about finding the answer to these questions:

• Why MBA? Look into your future aspirations and how pursuing an MBA fits into them. You should establish a clear, logical, and career-oriented reason for pursuing an MBA. 
• Why MBA Now? Look into your past experiences and provide context as to how pursuing an MBA now fits into your plans. You need to make sure that Adcoms understand that it is the right time for you to pursue an MBA.
• Why XYZ MBA Program? Evaluate how aligned the business school is with your career goals. For example, if you are looking for leadership development during the course, check if that B-school offers such a program. You also need to align your values with the school. Go to the selected business school website and see if their values align with yours. For example, ISB values openness, passion for excellence, collaboration, initiative, and innovation. So, if these values are in-line with your values, ISB is a good fit for you. 

Step 3: Decode the essay prompt 

Once you self-reflect and get familiar with the standard essay questions, it’s time to decode the essay prompt. Each B-school has a unique essay question through which Adcoms evaluate a specific set of things. Understand what the Adcoms are looking to know from that particular question. For example, essay prompts such as, “Describe what you learned from your most spectacular failure?” Here, the Adcom wants to know how you overcame your biggest failure and learned something meaningful from that experience.

Step 4: Create a draft and respect the word count 

After understanding what is required in a particular essay question, create a draft within the word limit. Chad Losee from HBS points out that essays should be about the right length. Use your judgment and be clear and concise in your writing. Moreover, you need to make sure that your essay adds new information. What more is there to you apart from your resume, LOR, and numbers? 

Here are a few tips for writing an essay: 

• Provide instances wherever necessary. Write instances in the form of stories. We suggest using a SAR format – Situation, Action, and Result. Start your story by providing a context, and mention the action you took and the results of your actions. 
• Make sure the essay is in a flow. Have your story structured so that it conveys the overall message. 
• Make sure that your essay has correct/genuine content. It should be concise, cohesive, clear, and convincing. 
• Your Essays should be in line with your overall MBA application.
• Do not be afraid to show your vulnerability. Adcoms are more interested in knowing how you tackle them. 
• Invite inputs from others. 

Step 5: Review and Submit 

You must review your application before submitting it. Readout your essay aloud and ask yourself, could this essay also describe someone else? If yes, it’s probably not personal enough to add to your overall application. 

It helps to get a fresh perspective on your essay. Ask your friend, family, or colleague to read it. Their inputs can be valuable as they know who you are and provide characteristic traits that you might have missed. Moreover, they can also help you understand how others perceive you and if it is consistent with what you have written.

Here is a quick overview of mistakes that you should avoid while writing essays:

• Going over the word count. 
• Lack of the 5C’s – Correct content, cohesive, concise, clear, and convincing. 
• Too many instances.
• Not providing something new. Repetitive content. 
• Lack of introspection. 
• Candidates tend to copy/paste the same answer that they used in a different B-school application. 
• Not proofreading.
• Not addressing each part of the question. 
• Lack of flow.
• Lack of reason for why MBA, Why now, and Why XYZ B-school?

We hope that this article provides you with insights into how to write your MBA essay. We can help you write amazing essays.

Our MBA admission consultants have been part of the actual MBA admission team and interview panel at top global B-schools. Therefore, we know what the MBA admissions team actually looks for in a candidate and can guide you accordingly. 

How we’ll help you write amazing essays  

Our MBA admission consulting services are structured considering the above points. Broadly, our services cover the following: 

• Narrative building by a lead consultant, who is a top B-school alum and has got extensive admission consulting experience 
• Identifying your leadership personality trait 
• Identifying and Shortlisting incidents from your personal and professional life having a significant impact and leadership traits 
• Aligning your post MBA career goals with these skills and leadership traits that you have displayed in the above incidents 
• Customizing the narrative by school mentors, who are alumni of the B-schools you are applying to 
• Customizing the narrative by an industry mentor, who is a top B-school alum from your industry/function 
• Essay editing – multiple iterations 
• Essay review by school mentors 
• Resume and Letter of Recommendation guidance 
• Interview prep 

If you follow the above method, you can crack any B-school essay. For more information on our plans and pricing, please visit our  plans and pricing page . For a free profile evaluation, please write to us at  [email protected]  or fill out the  form . 

MBA essays are your chance to showcase your worth to your target business school. They are an excellent means to distinguish your application and let the admissions committee know the real you.  

Yes. Essays are the only place in your application where you can reveal your aspiration, why an MBA makes sense as the next step in your career path, and address any drawbacks in your application. They help the Admission committee know the person behind those facts and figures in your application. Thus, an MBA essay is a crucial part of your application. 

The length of your MBA essay depends on the program, but generally, essays are anywhere between 200-1200 words. The important thing to remember is that you should not go over the word limit and if the limit is not set by the program, make sure your essay is cohesive, concise, and clear. 

To start an MBA essay, make sure that you self-reflect and do some introspection about your life and career. Think about your past experiences and how they have shaped you. Get yourself familiar with the common essay questions like why MBA and why now. It is important that you identify incidents around some common skills that Adcoms look for – Academic Excellence, result-oriented, Leadership, Team management, and Learning. 

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

Take the first step towards your MBA dream and schedule a free 1 on 1 application strategy call with us.

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3 tips for writing your mba admissions essay.

The Admissions Committee is looking to understand more about you and your unique personality and how that can ultimately contribute to the Wharton community. We are a student-driven campus and need each and every MBA to bring something to the table.

If you’re like me, you probably intended to start writing this thing way earlier. You probably intended to think long and hard about it. Complete two drafts. Show 10 friends for feedback. But, alas, life got in the way, as it tends to do. And now, you are stuck Googling, “How to write an MBA admissions essay.” Don’t worry, I got you.

1. Write Out Everything Before You Worry About Word Count

“What do you hope to gain both personally and professionally from the Wharton MBA?” is a lofty question. The Admission Committee is asking you to bridge the last 4-10 years of your life to the goals of your next 30 years, on paper, in under 500 words.

You’re probably thinking, “How can I possibly convey everything important about me and my career choices in only 500 words?!” The answer is, you can’t. But, you can edit it down to show the highlights.

2. Connect the “Three Career Dots”

What have you done to date, what unique things do you already know, and what do you have still to learn? How can Wharton help you and how can you help the Wharton community? How does that all connect to your goals post-MBA?

I was an engineer who discovered a passion for connecting with consumers and meeting their needs. I’m Hispanic and have a passion for bringing the importance and potential impact of minority groups to the forefront. Although I had good analytical skills, I didn’t know anything about marketing or strategy, and it just so happens that Wharton has the best marketing faculty in the world.

For me, the Marketing and Operations major played to my strengths and developed my weaknesses. And since I feel strongly that good communication makes for great leaders, I wanted a program that taught me how to be a better speaker and developed my soft skills as much as my quantitative ones. Wharton would not only help me learn how to connect with consumers, it would develop me into a strong brand manager who could lead multi-national businesses.

Keep in mind that you are writing your essay for Wharton, not just any MBA program. It is pretty easy to tell if you spent a little time looking into why the school is the right fit, how you can leverage its resources, and how it will transform you as a business leader. Wharton is unique and your essay should reflect that.

3. Be Yourself

The Admissions Committee is looking to understand more about you and your unique personality and how that can ultimately contribute to the Wharton community. We are a student-driven campus and need each and every MBA to bring something to the table. Tell them how you, specifically, will make an impact.

This tip is important for editing as well. Incorporate feedback up until the point that you feel like it diminishes your voice. Don’t let revisions scrub your personality out of your writing. This isn’t an  admissions essay, it’s your  admissions essay.

Now you’re officially out of excuses. And almost out of time. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Posted: January 2, 2016

• Admissions and Applying
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MBA Program

Jordan mock, wg’16.

Currently Assistant Brand Manager – Gain Dish for Procter & Gamble

Major Marketing

Previous Education University of Florida, BS in Packaging Science

Summer Internship  Brand Management Intern – Consumer Relationship Marketing, Procter & Gamble

Before Wharton Packaging Design Engineer for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Packaging Engineer and Procurement Specialist for Colgate Palmolive

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How Much Time Is Required To Apply For An MBA?

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If you’ve been following along with the first two posts in MBA Prep School’s three-part MBA Application Timeline series , you have a checklist of what needs to be completed in the year before you submit your MBA applications. Unfortunately, with a full-time job and a multitude of other responsibilities, it can be difficult to budget enough time to produce strong applications. We’ll take you through the estimated amount of time needed for each part of your application prep based on MBA Prep School’s years of experience gathered while coaching hundreds of MBA applicants.

Here’s the headline: believe it or not, a fully prepared MBA applicant applying to 3 separate business schools spends no less than 154 hours crafting the core components of his or her application. Let’s break that number down.

Here’s how you can best budget time for your MBA application:

Identify your strengths and weaknesses: 12 hours.

In previous posts, we recommended journaling over the year leading up to your MBA application to help you account for your day-to-day responsibilities, strengths, weaknesses, and career goals. Having a realistic view of your strengths and weaknesses early on will give you time to figure out how to best showcase your strengths while deflecting your weaknesses in your application materials. Use this time in the early stages of the application process to identify your key differentiators, leadership capabilities, and unique strengths.

Solidify your career goals: 20 Hours

Most top schools will ask you about your career goals in their essay questions or application forms. You need to prove that you have focused and realistic short- and long-term goals which you need an MBA education to achieve. These goals don’t have to be about saving the world, but they do have to be both ambitious and genuine; they should reflect your real interests and what you’re passionate about. For all these reasons, we recommend that you invest around 20 hours in career planning work over the course of several weeks.

Select your target MBA Programs: 18 Hours

With your career goals in mind, find the schools that will best prepare you to achieve them. Business school rankings have little to do with whether or not a particular business school will help you reach your specific goals – look into the school’s culture, top professors, and career placement statistics for recent graduates in your chosen field. Putting in the time for an in-depth review of the schools that you are interested in via school visits, meetings with current and former students, and desk research will ensure that the school you attend is the best fit for you and your goals.

Match Your Qualities With Each School’s Fit Qualities: 10 Hours

Speaking of “fit,” once you have your shortlist of schools, take some time to research your chosen school’s fit qualities to make sure that you can demonstrate the attributes that the admissions committee will be looking for. Having a clear-eyed understanding of each school’s fit qualities will be invaluable when you are creating your application resume and writing your essays. Use the differentiators and unique strengths from your journaling and self-assessment work to guide you.

Craft Your Application Resume: 12 Hours

A majority of schools will require you to submit either a CV or a one-page resume. Seek out resources (like our next blog post!) that explain what exactly the AdCom is looking for in an MBA application resume. Use those tips on multiple iterations of your resume document to produce a resume that makes your career progression and most impressive achievements crystal clear to the reader.

• Write Application Essays: 60 Hours

The amount of time that we have budgeted for the writing process may seem excessive, but creating strong essays is well worth the time commitment. You should have approximately three to five drafts of each essay by the time each is completed. Don’t know how to start? Add an hour to your essay budget and check out MBA Prep School’s six-part Essay Bootcamp Series for tips on the most common essay prompts.

Work With Your References: 12 Hours

Select references who will be able to write you the strongest possible recommendation letters and collaborate with them (to the extent that they are comfortable with) throughout the letter writing process. Do what you can to make sure that their letters emphasize the same fit qualities that you are trying to highlight in your other application materials so that your combined materials tell a cohesive story of who you are as an applicant.

Complete Your Application Forms: 10 Hours

Take enough time and care in completing your application forms to ensure that you have accurately included all of your awards, achievements, and relevant personal information.

While you’re budgeting time for MBA applications, remember to account for extra time for MBA interview preparations and practice, which can vary based on your current interview skills. Typically, interview prep takes about 20-30 hours.

Investing a substantial amount of time to complete each step of your MBA application will give you an edge over the tough competition and help you present your absolute best self to admissions committees.

If you’re enjoying MBA Prep School’s articles on Poets & Quants , then you’re going to love their 5-Star reviewed eBook entitled How to Apply for an MBA. Download your copy of MBA Prep School’s step-by-step guide on how to earn a spot in the world’s top MBA programs. https://mbaprepschool.com/ebook/

Learn from Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, and the other top MBAs how they wrote essays that got them in!

Tyler Cormney   is the co-founder of  MBA Prep School , a full-service, boutique MBA admissions consulting firm that specializes in helping aspiring MBA candidates realize their dream of attending an elite business school. As a graduate of both Harvard Business School and USC’s Professional Writing Program, Tyler draws upon his unique blend of creative writing, strategic thinking, and coaching skills to help applicants stand out from the competition for a place in the most selective MBA programs, including Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton.

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.

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Everything you need to know about getting an MBA 

By Michael Feder

Reviewed by Kathryn Uhles, MIS, MSP, Dean, College of Business and IT

In this article

A guide on how to get an mba.

• Frequently asked question

Earning your MBA at University of Phoenix

So, you’ve decided the time is right to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Whether you want to grow your earning potential, prepare for new opportunities or simply develop your skills as a leader or manager, an MBA can offer you opportunities that may not exist for those with only a bachelor’s degree.

There are multiple pathways to an MBA for professionals, from traditional tracks at “brick-and-mortar” universities to flexible, online MBA degree programs that allow you to balance work and life with your education. Let’s walk through everything you need to know as you explore this pathway.

What is an MBA? 

An MBA is a graduate degree that many professionals use to prepare them for career growth. The degree program typically emphasizes leadership, management and marketing skills, with courses in MBA programs focusing on critical thinking and effective management practices.

MBAs are valuable credentials that are often helpful to those who want to enhance their knowledge and potential. But what’s the best way to get an MBA, and how long does it take?

Earning your MBA can be transformative for your career, but the steps to this accomplishment might be more complex than you initially thought. As you consider whether an MBA is right for you, remember that it’s often a multistep process with a significant time commitment. That said, if you decide to pursue your MBA, the following process is typical for most candidates:

1. Earn your bachelor’s degree 

The first step toward an MBA is having an appropriate undergraduate degree. While most MBA programs don’t require a specified field of study for a bachelor's degree, backgrounds in business, finance or economics provide a solid foundation for further study. However, the MBA-competency based program at UOPX does require a business-related bachelor’s degree.

2. Gain relevant work experience 

Work experience isn’t just a crucial part of MBA admission, but a sign that you can fully engage with course content. Having at least two to five years of professional experience can help prospective MBA students better understand and interact with an MBA program, but that’s not necessarily a requirement unless pursuing a competency-based MBA program. For those who want to pursue a self-driven, competency-based MBA program, that preexisting experience is critical for demonstrating mastery.

3. Prepare for and take the GMAT or GRE 

While University of Phoenix does not require GMAT or GRE scores for admission, some MBA programs do. Preparation and scoring well on these tests can help you assess whether you’re ready for the rigors of a graduate program.

4. Research MBA programs 

Research potential MBA programs early to understand their requirements and how each program may fit within your priorities. Consider the following aspects:

• Program curriculum
• Faculty expertise
• Alumni networks
• Career services support

When considering an MBA program within the context of your professional goals, think about whether you are pursuing it to meet a requirement for a specific position or for other reasons. Think about whether you plan on attending classes in person, or if an online degree program would make more sense for your lifestyle. Finally, decide whether you want to pursue your degree on a part- or full-time basis.

5. Obtain relevant documents 

What do MBA programs look for?

Depending on the institution, you’ll likely need to have several items in hand as you apply to MBA programs. These are:

• Official undergraduate transcripts
• Letters of recommendation
•  Application essays
• GMAT or GRE test scores

One school that won’t ask for test scores, letters of recommendation or application essays? University of Phoenix. 

6. Apply to appropriate MBA programs 

Once you have the required information in hand, it’s time to apply to the MBA program or programs of your choice. University of Phoenix offers a flexible, simple admissions process that doesn’t rely on test scores or application essays. Enrollment counselors will even help request your prior transcripts.

7. Choose a school and prepare for enrollment 

After you’ve applied and been accepted to the MBA programs of your choice, it’s time to decide. Complete the enrollment process at your chosen school and prepare for the experience by speaking with academic counselors.

8. Balance your coursework with your existing commitments 

Starting an MBA program is only one step. Whether you choose to go with a traditional MBA, pursue an online degree or tackle a competency-based program, you’ll need to balance your schoolwork with your existing commitments. 

How long does it take to get an MBA? 

How long it takes to earn your MBA largely depends on several factors, such as the type of degree you pursue. Traditional MBA degrees generally take up to two years. Competency-based programs can be completed in as little as 12 months. As always, your own experience will depend on the number of classes you’re able to take and how much time you can dedicate to your education.

Professionals who want to earn two master’s degrees at once may need more time. The MBA is sometimes combined with other relevant master’s programs for an enhanced experience, as with UOPX’s MHA/MBA dual degree program. This offering combines a Master of Health Administration with an MBA; students can complete it in as little as 27 months. This program can prepare individuals for a rewarding career in healthcare administration.

Benefits of earning an MBA 

Discovering the potential benefits of earning a graduate degree goes far beyond simply asking what you can do with an MBA . Key advantages for learners include:

• Increased salary potential
• Possible leadership opportunities
• An expanded professional network
• Improved communication skills
• Enhanced professional skills
• Increased credibility among peers and superiors
• Personal growth

Earning an MBA isn’t just about making more money or obtaining promotions, though. It’s also an excellent way to experience personal growth and meet new people. An MBA’s profound, far-reaching impact is one of the best investments you can make in your education, especially if you want to become a stronger manager or entrepreneur.

Frequently asked questions 

What qualifications do i need to get an mba.

No matter where you intend to pursue an MBA, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree to get started.

At University of Phoenix, you’ll also need to be a U.S. citizen or valid permanent resident. Additionally, you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on your official transcript, and you must not have been expelled from a higher education institution. Finally, you will need to meet program-specific requirements.

How long does it take to get an MBA?

University of Phoenix students can complete their traditional MBA in as little as 16 months. Competency-based MBA students can complete their degree in up to 12 months.

Is it necessary to take the GMAT or GRE for an MBA program?

While some MBA programs require you to take the GMAT or GRE to apply, University of Phoenix does not.

Is an MBA worth it?

Many people ask how much it costs to get an MBA. The cost across public and private institutions is broad and typically doesn’t factor in tuition assistance, scholarships or financial aid that students may or may not receive.

University of Phoenix’s MBA carries on the institution’s tradition of barrier-free education. The University strives to offer a fairly priced MBA program and deliver career-relevant skills graduates can apply as they learn them. In addition, UOPX support continues through opportunities such as career services post-graduation.

Earning your MBA is an exciting opportunity that, at University of Phoenix, can happen through two dynamic programs.

• Master of Business Administration : Learn more about business strategies, organizational structure, human resource management, and training and development to build a foundation for leadership in business.
• Master of Business Administration (Competency Based–CB) : While the learning outcomes of the CB program match those of the traditional online MBA, the experience is different. In a CB program, students follow a self-paced program in conjunction with advisors to focus on learning skills they don’t have and demonstrating mastery of the skills they do. In this way, they can complete the program in as little as 12 months at UOPX.

University of Phoenix helps professionals earn their MBA on their schedule. Flexible online courses and student-centered academic support mean you’ll never take the journey on your own.

Request information about an online MBA from University of Phoenix today .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.

ABOUT OUR REVIEWER

Since 2006, Kathryn Uhles has served University of Phoenix in Student Services, Operations, Curriculum and most recently as faculty and Dean of the College of Business and Information Technology.  She oversees the business and IT program and course offerings as well as the college faculty. 

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

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