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How to Write a Powerful MBA Essay—With Examples

The MBA essay is critical to your business school application. Read our guide to writing the perfect MBA essay, with successful admit examples.

Posted April 4, 2024

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Table of Contents

What is the mba essay.

The MBA admissions essay.

Those words alone are enough to make most MBA candidates run screaming. Writing in general is hard enough. Writing about why you want an MBA? Your short-term goals and career aspirations? What matters to you most, and why? Forget it.

Of course, you still have to write these essays.

The MBA essay is perhaps  the most important part of the business school application. (It's also getting more and more important by the day, with some business schools moving away from traditional, quantitative measuring sticks, like the GMAT and the GRE.) Every other part of the application — your GPA, your test scores, your letters of recommendation — are quantified, cut and dried, or out of your control. The essay is your chance to show up as a fully realized MBA candidate, with hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. Admissions committees are not simply assessing your candidacy as a future leader — they're looking to admit human beings. That's where the MBA applicant essays come in.

That being the case, rather than being intimidated by it, treat the essay like the opportunity that it is — the chance for you to highlight your unique, iridescent self; the only moment in the MBA admissions process (prior to the interview) when you can speak directly to the admissions officers; the time when you'll show them who you really are. It's not easy to write something that will do that, of course, but with the tips and tricks in this guide, and some help from one of Leland's vetted, world-class admissions coaches, we know you can do it. Give the essay the time, attention, and respect it deserves, and you'll be on your way to an offer of admission at your dream school.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

Ultimate MBA Essay Guide

See the MBA essay prompts, top tips from experts, and real examples from admits with this comprehensive guide.

How Long Will My MBA Essay Take?

First thing's first: let's talk about timing.

The MBA application is a behemoth; between exams, resumes, gathering your official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and the applications themselves, there's a lot to juggle. That being the case, we suggest you give yourself ample time to draft, write, and revise your essays. The last thing you want is to be rushed to the finish line.

So, give yourself  at least three months to write your MBA essays. That should allow you ample time to draft, write, and edit. For more information on timing your entire b-school application, click here for  A Comprehensive MBA Application Timeline--With Chart .

Now, on to the critical question:

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What Makes a Great MBA Essay?

At the highest level, the answer is the one that is truest to you. The whole point of these essays is to shine through as an authentic, vibrant human being, so the best essays are the ones that cut through the clutter, and allow you do to that.

Which begs the question — how  do you cut through the clutter and shine through as a vibrant human being? Here are four critical tips to follow as you begin thinking about your essays.

1. Answer the Question

This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many applicants launch into their story, get carried away, and forget to answer the question. Follow the prompt, and answer the question the admissions committee has asked you. Those prompts can actually be very useful when writing your essays — it's a great deal harder to write when you have no guidance or guardrails. With the MBA essays, you have a very specific question you need to answer. So answer it!

2. Be Specific

Another mistake some MBA applicants make is to stay at a high level in their essays, keeping their writing abstract and therefore inaccessible to the admissions committee. If at any point, an admissions officer could replace your name with the name of another applicant, then your essay isn't getting deep enough. It's not enough, for instance, to say that you suffered adversity in high school, or that you really, really want a Wharton MBA. You need to explain, in detail, the adversity you faced, and give concrete and unique reasons why you think Wharton is the right program for you. The best essays offer hyper-specific examples and anecdotes, with details and anecdotes that no other candidate could bring to the table. To get those anecdotes, we recommend using the STAR template, as explained below:

• Situation : What was the situation you were facing? Where were you? How old were you? If you were in a professional role during this anecdote, what was the role, and how long had you been in it? If you were volunteering, at what organization? How long had you been volunteering there? Why did you start? Offer all the relevant information that the admissions readers will need to understand your story.
• Task : What was the task at hand? What went wrong? In your professional role, what was the challenge you faced? In that volunteering experience, what were the hurdles you had to overcome? You can't have a good story without conflict or tension, so after you set up the anecdote, explain what that conflict or tension was (and remember, be specific!).
• Action : What was the action you took to resolve the problem? What did you have to do to fix that issue at work? How did you clear that hurdle in your volunteer experience? Again, be specific about how you came through on the other side of that conflict/tension — and while you're doing it, highlight your leadership capabilities as much as possible! Remember that top MBA programs are looking for future leaders who can assess a situation and decisively take action. (We'll say a bit more about this below, in the Personal Statement section.
• Result : What was the result of your action? If you were facing a growth problem at work, were you able to increase sales? If so, by what percentage? If you were advocating for diversity and inclusion at your local charity, what new programs did you implement to help with that effort, and what was the enrollment like in those new programs? Detail what happened in your anecdote with as much specificity as possible — and quantify, quantify, quantify!

3. Get Vulnerable

Most MBA admissions essay prompts are written with the goal of getting to know as much about you as possible in the shortest number of words. To do that, you're going to have to share real things from your life — to get personal, intimate, and vulnerable. Do not shy away from this. If you're starting to get emotional during the reflection, drafting, and writing process, good — that means you're on the right track. Keep going. Pro tip: If it’s making you cry, it will make them cry. Another good rule of thumb is to put something real and true on the table. Admissions officers have to read literally thousands of applications from thoroughly qualified individuals, some of whom might come from similar roles to yours, with letters of recommendation from equally impressive supervisors. In order to cut through that noise, you'll have to share something honest. If you're doing it right, this can feel risky. At some point, you’ll likely think to yourself: “Can I say that?” The answer is: “Yes.” Of course, there is a line, you don’t want to be crass or offensive but err on the side of being open and authentic. The very worst thing you can do is be overly cautious, and write something you think will please the admissions committee. These poor people have to read thousands of essays. If yours is just like everyone else’s, they’ll fall asleep. Don’t let that happen. Wake them up by putting yourself —your true, bright, vibrant, quirky self—on the page.

4. Don't Exaggerate

Finally, do not exaggerate, over-inflate, or lie. This goes without saying, but admissions committees are looking for honest candidates. The surest way to get rejected is to lie about something. (Business schools do a background check on you before you're properly admitted, so they will find out.) Don't be the person who over-inflates on their essays, then has their offer letter rescinded.

The Types of MBA Essays

All right — since we've covered high-level approaches to the MBA essays, it's time to dig into the various types.

There are three general categories of MBA essays you'll see across the board.

1. Personal Statement

These questions ask you to offer up something sincere about yourself. They'll often touch on such things as your values and your character. In these, you'll want to be as authentic as possible, while also highlighting attributes like leadership, intellectual vitality, and teamwork, that business schools are looking for. Here are a few examples of personal statement essays:

• 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? (HBS)
• What matters most to you, and why? (Stanford GSB)

2. Why an MBA/Why This School

The next category of essays is the "Why an MBA" / "Why This School" set.

In these, schools first want to hear about how an MBA will fit into your career, both short and long term. Top MBA programs are looking for candidates who will: first of all, be gainfully employed upon graduating, second of all, have an illustrious career that will make their institution look good and encourage future generations of applicants to apply, and third, be consistent and generous donors. That being the case, they want to know about your career trajectory, and how an MBA will fit into it.

Pro tip: Here, you want to be ambitious and inspiring in laying out your future career, but not naïve. Walk the line between shooting for the stars and sounding dreamlike and uninformed.

In this set of questions, you'll also encounter questions geared at figuring out why you would want to attend a specific school. MBA programs want to know that you're serious about attending their school — yield, or the percentage of admitted candidates who accept their offers of admission, is an important metric for them — but they also want to envision how you'll contribute to their admitted class. What will you uniquely bring to the table, the things that you'll do that the other candidates wouldn’t be able to offer?

We've heard former deans of business schools say that, in choosing a class, they're curating a world-class dinner party, and that each person invited to the dinner party has to bring something different. What will you bring to the dinner party?

Pro tip: To demonstrate that you've done your research, and to help the admissions committee envision you in their program, indicate which classes you might take when earning your MBA and why, which professors you might hope to study with, and in which clubs you might participate.

Here are a few examples of "why MBA / why this school" essays:

• How is a Columbia MBA going to help you? (Columbia)
• What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (Wharton)
• Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Stanford GSB)

3. Behavioral/Other

Finally, most other essays will either be behavioral, asking you about experiences, traits, strengths, weaknesses, and achievements. There's a wide variety of topics here, but all the guidelines from above apply, with the final note to always prioritize authenticity (as mentioned in the Personal Statement section) and leadership ability (remember, business schools are choosing future leaders). Here are a few examples of behavioral/other essays:

• Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. (Yale SOM)
• Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song and why it resonates with you. (Columbia)
• Think about times you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others? (Stanford GSB)

Top MBA Program Essay Prompts (Updated 2022)

To help you get started, we've compiled the required prompts from a few top MBA programs below:

1. Harvard Business School (HBS)

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? (900 words)

For more information, visit A Guide to the HBS Essay .

2. Stanford Graduate School of Business

What matters to you most, and why? (650 words)

Why Stanford? (400 words)

Read What Matters Most When Writing the GSB Essays.

How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

For Wharton-specific advice, visit A Guide to the Wharton Essays .

4. Columbia Business School

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a new co-curricular program designed to ensure that every CBS student develops the skills to become an ethical and inclusive leader. Through PPIL, students attend programming focused on five essential diversity, equity, and inclusion skills: Creating an Inclusive Environment, Mitigating Bias, Communicating Across Identities, Addressing Systemic Inequity, and Managing Difficult Conversations. Tell us about a time you were challenged around one of these five skills. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome. (250 words)

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams , an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program .Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

5. Chicago Booth

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250-word minimum)

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 your career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (250-word minimum)

Read more at A Guide to the Booth Essays .

6. Kellogg Northwestern

Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)

Values are what guide you in your life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

Read How to Nail Your Kellogg MBA Application Essays

7. MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity, respect, and passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)

Applicants are required to upload a 1 minute (60 seconds) video as part of their application. In your video, you should introduce yourself to your future classmates, tell us about your past experiences, and touch on why MIT Sloan is the best place for you to pursue your degree.

How to Start Your MBA Essay

So you've read about the types of essays, and seen some of the prompts from top MBA programs. Now it's time to actually start diving into the essay.

The very first thing to do, before putting pen to paper, is to look inward.

Why do  you want an MBA? What role will this degree play in your professional growth? How do you imagine it will shape your life? What do you want out of your career? What is the most important thing in the world to you?

Yes, these are life’s deep-end questions, but you’ll need to tackle them in these essays, so before you start writing, take the time to think through them. Go for a run, swim some laps, bake a cake—however you get into the flow — and start a dialogue with yourself. Put down your work, turn your phone off, and give your mind permission to go to the places it usually avoids. That’s a good place to start. That’s where the answers are.

Pro tip: The first sentence is the hardest one to write. When you're starting out if it can intimidating and anxiety-producing. The trick is to simply put  anything  down — and don't look back. Keep putting one sentence after the other. You can edit later: let whatever comes to you out onto the page. If you’re struggling with self-critique, dim your computer screen until you can’t even see the words you’re typing. Then keep going.

Additional Tips & Tricks

Once you've started your essay, it's a matter of persistence: keep writing, then keep drafting and editing until you have something you're really proud of.

To help you with that process, here are a few more tips and tricks:

• Take Breaks

When you hit the wall — you will hit the wall — stop. This is your brain telling you it needs to do something else. Walk your dog. Take a lap around your room. Eat some cheese. Your body needs sleep every night to function; your mind is the same way. That next leap of inspiration will come exactly at the moment when you’re least expecting it.

• Read it Out Loud

When you finally have a draft, print it and read it out loud to yourself. Your ear will catch things your eyes miss. Reading out loud is the best way to pick up on spelling errors, clunky transitions, and paragraphs that still need ironing out. It’s also a good way to envision how the admissions committee will experience your essay.

Don’t be precious with your essay. Send it to anyone willing to read it. Solicit as much feedback as you can. If you don’t like what people have to say, you don’t have to incorporate it, but you need an impartial third party to give notes on what they’re seeing, thinking, and feeling. (You’re too close to things to do it for yourself.) This is where a Leland coach comes very much in handy!

• Complete Everything Early

This is more of a timing consideration, but you do not want to trip at the finish line because your internet went down the night before the deadline, or your credit card was denied when paying your application fee (it's happened before). Don't let that be you!

Here is another article to get you started, written by an expert essays coach: 7 MBA Essay Tips to Make You Stand Out in 2022 .

Example MBA Essays

Finally, here are two essays to help inspire you. The first, a personal statement essay, was submitted by an admit to Berkeley Haas' Executive MBA program; the second, a career goals / why MBA essay, was submitted by an admit to Chicago Booth's deferred MBA program.

Haas Admit:

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects, including family, culture, personal interests, and surrounding environments. Please share a facet of your identity or story that is essential to who you are. (300 words) My upbringing in India, filled with countless myths and legends, had a profound influence on me. The most formative tale was about a sage who prays for years to the goddess of knowledge, but in vain. In the end, the goddess didn’t appear for the sage because he was turning his prayer beads the wrong way! As a child, this story upset me: the sage worked so hard and had the right intentions. As an adult, though, I’ve come to realize that the goddess of knowledge was right: you can’t succeed unless you do things the right way. Seven years ago, two friends and I started a company, XXXX: a digital health platform that would allow patients to store medical records online and consult doctors remotely. We had early success—we brought on 2,000 patients at XXXX, a gynecology clinic in XXXX—but ultimately we didn’t have the resources to properly scale, and had to shut the company down. Among the many lessons I learned, the most valuable was that ideas and hard work are common; businesses succeed or fail based on execution—on doing things the right way. Two years ago, I relearned this lesson in the most painful way possible: when my marriage ended. My wife and I loved each other, but we weren’t there for each other when it mattered most. Our feelings weren’t enough—we had to back them up with the right actions. It’s disheartening when you have good intentions but still fall short. When this happens, though, you have to keep trying—because eventually you will do things the right way. I carry the story of the sage with me always, not as a harsh lesson, but as a motivating goal: one that keeps me striving towards doing things the right way.

Booth Admit:

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (250 word minimum)

I want to start a geothermal company that will help lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy—by targeting existing oil wells as sites for geothermal plants. Oil fields are close to electric grids and have high nearby subsurface temperatures, making them ideal sites for geothermal plants. By building geothermal infrastructure nearby, my company will produce cleaner, cheaper energy, making it more profitable for operators to switch from oil to geothermal. As oil companies decommission their wells, I’ll negotiate for their land rights, so I can use their existing wells for new geothermal vents. I want my company to prove the case for economically viable, carbon neutral energy production. After getting an MBA I want to start a geothermal company which will help me lead the energy transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. I plan to target developed oil fields in Texas, where, in many places, producing wells are flowing enough hot fluid to generate clean energy. Using this geothermal heat, the carbon footprint of oil and gas extraction will decrease as fewer fossil fuels are utilized to power surrounding infrastructure. As the wells approach their economic life, I will negotiate the lease from various operators, saving them millions in plug and abandonment costs, and retrofit the wells for direct geothermal energy production via closed loop binary fluid systems, bringing emissions to zero. To accomplish this goal, I need to shore up my knowledge of energy economics and entrepreneurial finance, develop a strong sense of leadership, and build a network of like minded individuals that will help me lead the transition and I believe I can get those things at Chicago Booth. My immediate career goal is to develop my first co-production site in Shelby County, Texas at the Blanton well site, which produces abnormally heated fluid from the flanks of an active salt dome. Before investing in capital expenditures, developing a strong sense of energy economics and broader markets is necessary to verify financial feasibility. University of Chicago, through the Graduate-Student-At-Large: Business program, is already allowing me to accomplish this goal with my enrollment in “Microeconomics” with Professor Andrew McClellan. His instruction helped me understand the impact taxes and subsidies have on market equilibrium, an important aspect of renewable energy as green energy tax incentives continue to change on a yearly basis. As my company continues to grow, having a strong finance and accounting foundation is imperative to building and sustaining a healthy company. Electives such as “Accounting for Entrepreneurship: From Start-Up through IPO” will provide the skills I need to be successful by following the life-cycle of a business that originates as a start-up, and covers topics such as building an initial accounting infrastructure. I understand that execution of the business is as important as developing the idea and proof of concept, and Booth is the best place for me to develop financial fluency. Leading the energy transition will require a strong sense of leadership. Not only will I need to lead those I get to work with over my career, but to lead the energy transition, and reverse the impact fossil fuels have had thus far, I must have the emotional intelligence to inspire others to join me in my journey. The “Interpersonal Dynamics” course at Booth will allow me to develop my communication skills and better understand the emotions and perceptions of my colleagues. These skills, synthesized with leadership development acquired in “Leadership Practicum” will prepare me to act as a relational leader, who understands the needs of others. As a relational leader I hope to foster an environment which promotes happiness, and maximizes efficiency, not only to make our efforts in changing the world more successful, but to excite other people to join our cause.

To find the greatest chance of success in leading the energy transition, I will need a network of like-minded individuals who can provide a diversity of thought. Chicago Booth provides the opportunity to develop that network through different community experiences. The Energy Club’s “Energy Forward” conference, which designates time to topics in oil and gas and renewable energy will allow me to hear from industry leaders, build meaningful relationships with peers and contribute my sector experience to the public forum as I learn from those around me. Opportunities through the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Group such as “SeedCon” will help me connect with successful entrepreneurs and early-stage investors whose ideas and funding might change the course of my venture’s trajectory. Even in the GSALB program I have had the opportunity to connect with other students in various sectors, including the energy industry. I hope to continue to strengthen those connections and continue building new ones with matriculation into the full time program.

Here are several other articles that you may find helpful as you put together your MBA application:

• The Most Frequently Asked Questions on MBA Applications
• How to Answer the "Why an MBA?" Essay Question
• My Top Piece of Advice for MBA Applicants
• How I Nailed My MBA Interview and Gained Admission to Top 10 Business Schools
• 4 Expert Tips on Paying for Business School

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MBA Essay Tips: The 4 Admissions Essays You’ll Likely Encounter When Applying to Business School

It can seem like there are an infinite variety of MBA admissions essays. With famous examples, like the Stanford GSB application’s “What Matters Most to You, and Why?” or the Duke Fuqua application’s “25 Random Things”, it is easy to get overwhelmed thinking that you will have to write a completely different essay with a different subject for every question on every one of your business school applications. While each type of MBA essay does need to be tailored to each b-school, you can simplify and streamline the process of essay writing by embracing the idea that most admission essay prompts can be categorized into core themes.

Let’s get to know them below:

MBA Application Essay #1: The Personal Statement

MBA admissions committees care about your core values, your moral character, and the passions that motivate you. For example, UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School has four stated defining principles :

• Question the Status Quo
• Confidence Without Attitude
• Students Always
• Beyond Yourself

Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business is interested in accepting genuinely nice people . Duke’s Fuqua School of Business is interested in people’s “ decency quotient .” These business schools look to recruit people with worldviews that are compatible with these values and it is your job, in this category of essay, to make sure that comes across.

Luckily, you can talk about almost anything in these personal essays. Applicants will often discuss relationships with friends and mentors. Others might talk about the hardships they overcame or difficult experiences. However, there are some things to avoid which we discus here: 4 Mistakes Applicants Make when Writing the Personal Essay .

At the core, your business school personal statement should serve to illuminate who you are as a person and demonstrate that you live according to a code that is in line with your target business school’s own approach to education.

Yaron Dahan on the Importance of Your Story:

Mba application essay #2: the career goals essay.

Business school admissions committees want you to have a good job when you graduate from their MBA program. This is for three reasons:

• Business schools want their employment report to look good! That means that a very high percentage of graduates receive job offers (currently 98.4% at Wharton , for example), and those jobs have high compensation.
• Business schools want you to get not just “a job”, but a job that you really want. Satisfied students who achieved their goals are likely to promote the school to other potential students and speak well of the program.
• Business schools hope for (some of) their graduates to make enough money to eventually become donors.

Even though getting a good job is important, this isn’t everything. In order to stand out from other candidates, the job needs to be a bit inspiring as well. If you are not ambitious enough in outlining your goals and the impact you want to make in your future career, it is possible to come across as a boring candidate who is more or less content to stay in their current position with slightly better pay. Business schools will likely take a hard pass on those applicants. That said, if you are not somewhat realistic with what you want to accomplish, you can end up sounding naïve or unserious.

The goal here is to walk the line between the two. It is your job to convince the school that you have goals which are meaningful, but also grounded in your past experiences and considered enough that your success is assured.

To hear more on this, check out: Career Goals for MBA Essay Writing and More .

Demonstrating School Fit

After you state your goals, you’ll also need to explain how the MBA is a necessary part of achieving those goals. This is a chance to show that not only do you need an MBA , but that the particular program you’re applying to is exactly the right fit with your development needs.

What MBA programs really want to know is that you have done your homework and researched the school in detail. Admissions officers DON’T want to see copy/paste from the course catalogue. It is important to network with schools beforehand and then use what you learned to show that only their institution really has the resources to make your goals a reality.

Rebecca Heath Anderson on Researching Career Goals:

Mba application essay #3: school participation essay.

Business schools are selfish! They want to know that you will add something to their institution by attending. Schools rely on students to run many programs, such as professional clubs, and want to know that you will be an active participant in the campus culture. In fact, MBA programs tend to do almost every class and activity in groups.

In order to answer questions like these effectively, you will need to map out the kinds of school-sponsored clubs, conferences, and activities in which you are interested in participating. Consider where you can make helpful contributions to campus life: how can you benefit your classmates as well as the school as a whole?

MBA Application Essay #4: Behavioral Essays

An MBA program might ask about your previous experiences, both to gauge whether you’re ready to benefit from the school’s leadership development programs and to know your moral values as a leader. These questions can come in a number of forms.

They might prompt you by saying “Tell us about a time when you led a team” or even “Tell us about a time when you failed.”

What schools really are looking for, in this instance, is some sign that you are self-reflective. They want to understand that you have experienced some leadership setbacks that have made you interested in and prepared to take in the knowledge they have to offer.

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MBA Leadership Essays and How to Write Them

What makes you a strong leader? This can be a difficult question to answer. If you have a lot of leadership experience, your challenge is to tell your story in a compelling and authentic way. And if you don’t have a lot of leadership experience, your task is to be creative about how you answer the prompt, so that you can demonstrate to admissions committees the type of leader you’ll be.

In both cases it’s important not to exaggerate the truth. As soon as you inflate what your actual experience was, you call into question not only your response to the leadership question, but also the truthfulness of the rest of your application.

When shaping a response to the leadership question, you should first think about all of the people you interact with at your job: your manager, colleagues, team members of other departments, office staff, and HR. Consider your role on this team, and what your contributions were.

If you truly had a leadership role, reflect upon your experiences—good and bad—in leading a team. Admissions committees want to see not just your successes, but also your resilience and ability to learn from mistakes. If you weren’t the leader, you can pull from examples of good leadership that you have encountered, and demonstrate how you embody those skills, perhaps by describing non-work-related leadership positions you have held.

Questions to Consider for Leadership Essays

When developing your response to the leadership question, it is important to provide as many specifics as possible—particularly in your earliest drafts. Here are some questions that can help you make your essay convincing and engaging. (You don’t necessarily need to answer all of them; they are just a starting point.)

• What did you do in your role to fix problems?
• How did you handle situations where you had to escalate the issue to management?
• How did you work with people who weren’t members of your team? How did you get what you needed, even from people who couldn’t care less about you?
• If everyone in the office was down, what did you do to perk people up?
• Did you ever informally mentor junior colleagues?
• What fears or problems did you overcome in order to lead successfully?

Writing about Difficulties, Failures and Weaknesses

A common question in MBA essay prompts concerns a failure or setback in your career. These are a few examples of essay prompts that top MBA programs have used to ask about this topic:

• Tell us three setbacks you have faced.
• Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed. Discuss what you learned.
• Discuss a time when you faced a challenging interpersonal experience. How did you navigate the situation and what did you learn from it?

These can be unpleasant topics to write about. How should an applicant respond to questions like these?

Pick a Genuine Failure or Weakness

Although it may seem tempting to tell a story in which your own failures are minimized, this type of response is unlikely to be effective, because it does not give you the chance to show self-reflection and personal growth. Moreover, an example where you give a ‘faux failure’ is much less likely to engage the reader than one where you describe a genuine failure of setback.

For example, imagine that you decided to write about an important project that failed due to an error by someone in the team you supervised. You may be tempted to write that “the team member was unable to take the responsibility and should have been monitored more closely.” Although this may be part of the story, a better response would include some reflection on your personal contribution to the problem. Instead of giving the trite insight that you should have monitored the team more carefully, you could write about the shortcomings in your management style and ability to motivate the team. By doing this, you show that you are honest and able to to reflect on failures, and you give yourself the chance to go on to describe what you have learned.

Don’t Turn a Failure Essay Into an Achievement Essay

For instance, in the above example, do not draw the attention away from your failure in managing the team by pointing out how hard you worked on the project yourself. You do not want to give the application committee the impression that you only want to talk about your successes, but are reluctant to reflect on your weaknesses.

Describe What You Learned

End your essay by describing what you have learned from your failure or setback and give an example of how you used your new insight. This is an expected topic even if it is not mentioned in the text of the prompt.

An average essay draws trite lessons. Sticking again with the example above, you might write that “each team member has a unique style and should be motivated accordingly.” A better response includes more details: Why did you fail to connect with the problem team member? Were there warning signs that you could have seen? A great response includes an example where you put your fix into action: you can mention, for instance, how you worked successfully with the same team member on a later project or were able to spot a potential problem early on in another team you managed afterwards.

By taking the courage to write honestly and directly about your failures, and then showing how you have put your learnings into action after the failure, you will have tackled this difficult essay topic successfully.

Now that we have looked at the main categories of MBA essays, let’s talk about one of the persistent myths about the MBA application process: using example essays and templates.

MBA Essay Examples and Templates–A Bad Idea

It is tempting to think that you can model your business school essay off of someone else’s successful essay. People spend time and money searching for “the perfect MBA essay sample” to use as a guide. First, you may hope to avoid the effort of having to write the essay yourself. Second, this is the sort of cargo cult thinking that says: if I copy what a successful applicant did, then I will also be admitted.

The truth of the matter is that sample essays don’t work. People get admitted to MBA programs for many reasons. Menlo Coaching has bought and reviewed several editions of the Harbus Essay Guide , which contains a number of successful HBS essays… and some of the essays therein are absolutely terrible. One essay spent its entire length bragging about the writer’s vast family wealth and all the celebrities the writer knew. Clearly, that applicant did not get in on the merits of their essay-writing skills.

Former HBS director of admissions Dee Leopold famously said that “Applying to Harvard is not an essay writing contest.” As per our MBA applications and admissions guide , people are accepted to MBA programs not on the quality of the writing, but on the quality of the thinking that went into the essay. As a result, “the perfect essay” is actually the one that answers the question based on your perspective and experiences.

By focusing on these broad categories, you can avoid some of the pitfalls of the essay writing process. Try to keep in mind what your overall MBA story is and don’t get lost in some of the things that don’t matter, such as “sample essays” or figuring out the exact language you are going to use.

Remember, the best application essay is the one that addresses the question in a way that is tied in to your personal experience.

Discover what sets standout MBA application essays apart from the crowd with expert guidance from our experienced MBA admissions consulting team .

Read more on MBA essays

• Taking the Stress out of the MBA Essay Writing Process
• Best strategies for the Harvard MBA Essay
• What Matters Most: Conquering the Stanford GSB Essay A
• Give & Take in the Wharton MBA Essays

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7 Common MBA Essay Questions and How to Tackle Them

There are a handful of business school essay questions that seem to capture the heart and imagination of many an MBA program.

It seems that, across the board, admissions committees feel these queries offer the best insight into the minds of their applicants. You are likely to see a version of one or more of these common MBA essay questions on your b-school application . These tips will help you craft the perfect answer.

1. Describe your specific career aspirations and your reason for pursuing an MBA.

This may be the most important essay question you tackle. You must convince the admissions committee that you deserve one of their few, cherished spots. Reference your background, skills, and career aspirations, demonstrating how this degree is a bridge to the next step in your professional life. Be sure to speak to how this particular program will help you realize your potential.

It's okay to present modest goals. Deepening your expertise and broadening your perspective are solid reasons for pursuing this degree. If you aspire to lofty goals, like becoming a CEO or starting your own company, be careful to detail a sensible (read: realistic), pragmatic plan.

Read More: Find Your Business School

2. What are your principal interests outside of work or school? What leisure and/or community activities do you particularly enjoy?

There's more to b-school than the library. The best programs buzz with the energy of a student body that is talented and creative and bursting with personality. These students are not just about case studies and careers. Describe how you will be a unique addition to the business school community.

B-school is also a very social experience. Much of the work is done in groups. Weekends are full of social gatherings or immersion experiences, and the networking you do here will impact the rest of your career. Communicate that people, not just your job, are an important part of your life.

3. Who do you most admire?

The admissions committee wants to know the qualities, attributes and strengths you value in others and hope to embrace. Drive, discipline and vision are fine examples but try and look beyond these conventional characteristics. Tell a story and provide specific examples. If you choose someone famous (which is fine), remember that you risk being one of many in the pile. Instead, consider a current boss, business associate, or friend. Know that your choice of person is less important than what you say about him or her.

4. Describe a situation in which you led a team. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

The committee isn't looking to see how you saved the team through your heroic efforts (so put yourself on ego alert). They want to see how you helped foster an environment in which everyone contributes, illustrating that the sum is greater than its parts. B-schools like leaders, but they like leaders who can help everyone get along and arrive at a collaborative solution.

You should shift gears for this question. Almost the entire application process thus far has asked you to showcase "me-me-me." Now the focus of your story needs to be on the "we" and how you made the "we" happen.

5. Our business school is a diverse environment. How will your experiences contribute to this?

This essay gets at two concerns for the admissions committee: (1) how will you enrich the student body at this school and (2) what is your attitude toward others' diverse backgrounds?

Diversity comes in many shapes. If a grandparent or relative is an immigrant to this country, you can discuss the impact of his or her values on your life. Perhaps you are the first individual in your family to attend college or graduate school. Maybe you are involved in a meaningful or unusual extracurricular activity. Whatever you choose to write, it's vital that you discuss how it contributes to your unique perspective.

6. Describe a personal achievement that has had a significant impact on your life.

Don't pull your hair out just because you haven't founded a successful start-up or swum across the English Channel. Smaller accomplishments with a lot of personal significance are just fine if they demonstrate character, sacrifice, humility, dedication, or perseverance. A good essay describes how you reached a personal objective and what that meant to you. Maybe you didn't lead a sports team to a victory. Maybe the victory was that you made it onto the team .

Read More: 20 Must-Read MBA Essay Tips

7. Discuss a non-academic personal failure. What did you learn from the experience?

Many applicants make the mistake of answering this question with a failure that is really a positive. Or they never really answer the question, fearful that any admission of failure will throw their whole candidacy into jeopardy. Don't get crafty. You should answer with a genuine mistake that the committee will recognize as authentic.

Write about a failure that had some high stakes for you. Demonstrate what you learned from your mistake and how it helped you mature. This is a chance to show b-schools your ability to be honest, show accountability, and face your failures head-on.

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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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20 Great MBA Application Essay Samples (With Links)

Want to ace your MBA application? A stellar essay can be your golden ticket.

With elite business schools like Harvard and Stanford boasting acceptance rates as low as 10% and 6% respectively, every aspect of your application counts. While GPA and GMAT scores matter, your essay can be a game-changer. Recognizing its weight, we’ve gathered top-notch MBA essay samples, endorsed by admission committees from premier institutions. Dive in and let’s craft that standout application!

What is an MBA Application Essay?

An MBA application essay is a detailed write-up about your personal and professional goals and aspirations. It also explains how the MBA program will help you attain your objectives for the future. Your essay is your one shot to convince the admission committee to consider you for the initial interview.

What Admission Committee Look for in an MBA Essay?

• Academic ability
• Impressive work experience
• Career Course
• Authenticity of goals
• Competencies, leadership , dedication, challenges, and growth
• The right reason for pursuing an MBA
• Your compatibility with the culture in which the program is being offered

If you want to learn more, here is the complete guide on how admission committees process MBA applications.

20 Great MBA Applications Essays Samples

Now you have known that what makes a great MBA admission essay, the next step is to write one for yourself. Before writing, check out this list of expert-vetted MBA application essays that secured admissions to top-rated business schools in the world. Admission consultants have shared these samples and they can be helpful if you read and analyze them carefully. If you’re completely unsure about how to get started, there are also custom essay writing services that can help you structure your essay with the help of professional editors.

Sample 1: Leadership-focused MBA application essay

This sample is particularly focused on leadership traits. If your essay is about explaining your leadership quality experience, this sample is right up your alley. The best thing about the essay is that it is written in a simple, engaging, and humorous style. It defines a great experience in a very conversational style.

Sample 2: Self-focused MBA application essay 

If you are asked to write about your strengths, weaknesses, aims, and goals in your application essay, this sample will help you. The applicant who wrote this got accepted to the INSEAD business school. It doesn’t merely describe her strengths and weaknesses, but it presents a complete picture of herself as a person. It highlighted the events and incidents that shaped her personality.

Sample 3: Life-hardships-focused MBA application essay

If you want to explain your life’s hardships and the events that turned you into an ambitious person, this sample is for you. In this application essay, the candidate has defined three phases of his life and how he survived through each adversity. He beautifully explained why the MBA program is important to his future.

Sample 4: Continuous growth and learning-focused MBA application essay

This essay was submitted to Harvard Business School. The best thing about this piece is that the writer has explained her learning and professional development journey in a very sequential and engaging manner, which is truly admirable. A useful thing to remember about the MBA essays included in this list is that you can merge them into a single printable and perfectly formatted file with Sodapdf or another PDF editor. Having all of them stored in a single PDF is going to be quite helpful when it’s time to write your piece. But guess what? There are more examples to explore below, so let’s keep going…

Sample 5: Best MBA application essay for low scorers

Have a low GPA? What would you write about academics in an MBA essay to convince the admission committee? Do not overthink! MBA essay is not all about high achievements and sterling background. It is also an opportunity to atone for your past mistakes. This MBA essay was written by a student who obtained very low academic grades, yet got admitted to her desired business school. Her turning point? A powerful application essay.

Sample 6: A guitarist’s application essay for the MBA program

Suppose you are ambitious in a skill or profession that has nothing to do with the MBA program, yet you need the degree for certain reasons. How would you showcase that irrelevant skill in your MBA application essay? This sample essay will show how you how. A guitarist who got selected for the MBA program wrote this one. The applicant has intelligently defined his passion for guitar as a way of developing discipline, determination, leadership, and success. He explained how his passion affected his academics and how the guitar helped him cope with the challenges.

Sample 7: An engineer’s essay for MBA application

If you come from a technical or engineering background and have the ambition to pursue an MBA degree to boost your engineering career, this sample essay will help pave the way for you. This essay was submitted by a mechanical engineer to Harvard Business School. The writer explained how his engineering experience motivated him to pursue an MBA and how the program is important to his long-term goals.

Sample 8: Harvard Business School MBA essay

This essay was written by a candidate who got accepted to Harvard Business School. Check it out to know what the prestigious academic institution looks for in your essay.

Sample 9: Wharton Business School MBA essay

This essay has been honored as one of the best MBA essays ever received by the Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania. Check out the structure, organization, and flow, and adapt the same to your essay.

Sample 10: Columbia Business School MBA essay

The Columbia Business School’s admission committee shared this MBA essay. They explained why the applicant who wrote this was instantly accepted to the program and why they appreciated its content.

Sample 11: Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA essay

This essay was written by a candidate who got accepted to Stanford Business School for an MBA. If you are aiming to get your MBA at Stanford, this sample will give you a deep understanding of what convinces the esteemed school’s admission committee to accept applicants into their fold.

Sample 12: University of California Business School MBA essay

This sample was taken from a pool of successful MBA application essays submitted to the University of California business school. Read it carefully and analyze its structure, words, and substance before you compose your own fantastic MBA essay.

Sample 13: University of OXFORD business school MBA essay

If Oxford Business School is your target destiny for earning your MBA, then check out this outstanding application essay. The person who wrote it managed to grab the admission committee member’s attention.

Sample 14: London Business School MBA essay

This essay was written by a candidate who got accepted to the London Business School. The school’s admission consultant shared this sample as a reference to other MBA aspirants. This piece will specifically help you understand the tone, writing style, formatting, and overall flow of the MBA application essay that meets the school’s standards.

Sample 15: A goal-oriented MBA application essay

Sometimes the MBA admission portal may demand an essay specifically focused on your future goals. In such a case, you must be very sure about yourself and must convey your goals and future directions based on your experiences and planning. Check out this sample to get an idea of how a successful candidate writes about personal goals.

Sample 16: Executive MBA essay

This successful MBA application essay was submitted to the MIT Sloan Executive MBA Program. EMBA essay requires you to show strong potential, impact, leadership, and the ultimate need for the program. Read this essay if EMBA is on your horizon.

Sample 17: MBA video essay

Many business schools are turning to video-based essays for MBA applications. A video-based essay is a better option to express yourself directly to the admission committee. A successful candidate for the Kellogg School of Management submitted this sample. Listen to the video and appreciate how beautifully the applicant has explained his journey from beginning to end. Want to learn more about video MBA essays? Here is a complete guide.

Sample 18: Short-answer-based MBA application essay

Some business schools require candidates to respond to short questions to get insights into their personalities and suitability for the MBA program. More or less, most of the questions revolve around the same theme. The key to success is to grasp the intention of the admission committee behind the questions and to stick to your identity . These successful answers submitted to the Tepper School of Business will help you in formulating your answers.

Sample 19: MIT Sloan School of Management

This essay was submitted by a successful candidate for the MIT Sloan School of Management MBA program. See how this applicant smartly answered the essay questions.

Sample 20:  Michigan Ross School of Business MBA program

The Michigan Ross Business School asks a diverse range of questions from candidates to analyze their competencies from multiple perspectives. If Michigan Ross is where you intend to get your MBA, this essay submitted by a candidate who got admitted to the school’s MBA program will help keep you on track.

What Should be Included in the MBA Application Essay?

• Your background: What shaped you into what you are now? Including ethnicity, obstacles, and struggles.
• Self-reflection: Your values, characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Your goals : How do you envision your future?
• Aspirations: Why MBA is important to you and how this program will help you in shaping your future?
• Justification: If you have low academic grades, explain the reasons you did not do well and what you learned from it.
• Experience and achievements: What have you achieved so far?

These are the significant components of an MBA essay. Just adjust the sequence, play with words, and come up with a persuasive yet realistic picture of yourself.

What Makes a Great MBA Application Essay?

• Be school-specific. Explain why you are passionate about the MBA program of the school to which you’re applying.
• Avoid edition. Write simply and engagingly. Let the reader read a meaningful story about you.
• Make it 100% typo-free. Grammatical errors and typos will ruin your essay. Apply standard essay format and structure guidelines , scan your piece several times for errors, get it reviewed by an expert, and present a very professional piece to the admission committee.
• Be original. Do not copy-paste from any source. Strictly follow plagiarism guidelines.
• Write an overwhelming introduction to urge the reader to keep reading and conclude your essay with a strong declaration.
• Be authentic. Write what you are, not what the committee wants to read.
• Be concise, as many schools impose a limit on the essay word count .

Do you want more tips? Here is a complete guide to writing a compelling MBA application essay.

The application essay is a core part of the admission process in the increasingly competitive MBA program. If you do not want to miss the chance of getting selected, you need to know what will make your essay stand out . The expert-vetted list of MBA application essay samples we cited here worked for the top business schools. Learn them by heart, and who knows, it may work for you too. Put your other activities aside, read and analyze the list carefully, and start writing your MBA essay to land in your dream business school.

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50 MBA Essays That Got Applicants Admitted To Harvard & Stanford

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What Matters? and What More? is a collection of 50 application essays written by successful MBA candidates to Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business

I sat alone one Saturday night in a boardroom in Eastern Oregon, miles from home, my laptop lighting the room. I was painstakingly reviewing a complex spreadsheet of household energy consumption data, cell by cell. ‘Why am I doing this to myself? For remote transmission lines?’…I felt dejected. I’d felt that way before, during my summer at JP Morgan, standing alone in the printing room at 3 a.m., binding decks for a paper mill merger that wouldn’t affect my life in the least.

That’s how an analyst at an MBB firm started his MBA application essay to Stanford Graduate School of Business. His point: In a well-crafted essay, he confronts the challenge of finding meaning in his work and a place where he can make a meaningful difference. That is what really matters most to him, and his answer to Stanford’s iconic MBA application essay helped get him defy the formidable odds of acceptance and gain an admit to the school.

Getting into the prestigious MBA programs at either Stanford Graduate School of Business or Harvard Business School are among the most difficult journeys any young professional can make.

NEARLY 17,000 CANDIDATES APPLIED TO HARVARD & STANFORD LAST YEAR. 1,500 GOT IN

This collection of 50 successful HBS and GSB essays, with smart commentary, can be downloaded for $60

They are two of the most selective schools, routinely rejecting nine or more out of every ten applicants. Last year alone, 16,628 candidates applied to both schools; just 1,520 gained an acceptance, a mere 9.1% admit rate.

Business school admissions are holistic, meaning that while standardized test scores and undergraduate transcripts are a critical part of the admissions process, they aren’t the whole story. In fact, the stories that applicants tell the schools in the form of essays can be a critical component of a successful application.

So what kinds of stories are successful applicants to Harvard and Stanford telling their admission officers? For the first time ever, a newly published collection of 50 of these essays from current MBA students at these two schools has been published. In ten cases, applicants share the essays they wrote in applying to both schools so you can see whether they merely did a cut-and-paste job or approached the task anew. The 188-page book, What Matters? and What More?, gains its title from the two iconic essay prompts at Harvard and Stanford.

THOUGHTFUL CRITIQUES OF THE ESSAYS

Stanford can easily boast having the most difficult question posed to MBA applicants in any given year: In 650 words or less, candidates must tell the school what matters most to them and why. Harvard gives applicants ample room to hang themselves, providing no word limit at all, “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?”

One makes this unusual collection of essays powerful are the thoughtful critiques by the founders of two MBA admissions consulting firms, Jeremy Shinewald of mbaMission and Liza Weale of Gatehouse Admissions. They write overviews of each essay in the book and then tear apart portions by paragraphs to either underline a point or address a weakness. The book became available to download for $60 a pop.

As I note in a foreword to the collection, published in partnership with Poets&Quants, the essay portion of an application is where a person can give voice to who they are, what they have achieved so far, and what they imagine their future to be. Yet crafting a powerful and introspective essay can be incredibly daunting as you stare at a blank computer screen.

APPLICANTS OPEN UP WITH INTIMATE STORIES THAT SHOW VULNERABILITY

One successful applicant to Harvard Business School begins his essay by conveying a deeply personal story: The time his father was told that he had three months to live, with his only hope being a double lung transplant. had to undergo a lung transplant. His opening line: “Despite all we had been through in recent years, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I asked my mother one summer evening in Singapore, ‘What role did I play during those tough times?’”

For this candidate to Stanford Graduate School of Business, the essay provided a chance to creatively engage admission readers about what matters most to him–equality-by cleverly using zip codes as a hook.

60605, 60606, 60607.

These zip codes are just one digit apart, but the difference that digit makes in someone’s life is unfathomable. I realized this on my first day as a high school senior. Leafing through my out-of- date, stained, calculus textbook, I kept picturing the new books that my friend from a neighboring (more affluent) district had. As college acceptances came in, I saw educational inequality’s more lasting effects—my friends from affluent districts that better funded education were headed to prestigious universities, while most of my classmates were only accepted by the local junior college. I was unsettled that this divergence wasn’t the students’ doing, but rather institutionalized by the state’s education system. Since this experience, I realized that the fight for education equality will be won through equal opportunity. Overcoming inequality, to ensure that everyone has a fair shake at success, is what matters most to me.

HOW AN APPLICANT TO BOTH SCHOOLS ALTERED HIS ESSAYS

Yet another candidate, who applied to both Harvard and Stanford, writes about being at but not fully present at his friend’s wedding.

The morning after serving as my friend’s best man, I was waiting for my Uber to the airport and—as usual—scrolling through my phone,” he wrote. “I had taken seemingly hundreds of photos of the event, posting in real time to social media, but had not really looked through them. With growing unease, I noticed people and things that had not registered with me the night before and realized I had been so preoccupied with capturing the occasion on my phone that I had essentially missed the whole thing. I never learned the name of the woman beside me at the reception. I could not recall the wedding cake flavor. I never introduced myself to my friend’s grandfather from Edmonton. I was so mortified that before checking into my flight, I turned my phone off and stuffed it into my carry-on.

The Stanford version of his essay is more compact. In truth, it’s more succinctly written and more satisfying because it is to the point. By stripping away all but the most critical pieces of his narrative, the candidate focuses his essay entirely on his central point: the battle of man versus technology.

Even if you’re not applying to business school, the essays are entertaining and fun to read. Sure, precious few are New Yorker worthy. In fact, many are fairly straightforward tales, simply told. What the successful essays clearly show is that there is no cookie-cutter formula or paint-by-the-numbers approach. Some start bluntly and straightforwardly, without a compelling or even interesting opening. Some meander through different themes. Some betray real personality and passion. Others are frankly boring. If a pattern of any kind could be discerned, it is how genuine the essays read.

The greatest benefit of reading them? For obsessive applicants to two of the very best business schools, they’ll take a lot of pressure off of you because they are quite imperfect.

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Mba entrance exams: which should you take.

Are you planning on applying to business school? Are you wondering which MBA entrance exam you should take to increase your chances of admission to the programs you’re applying to?

In this article, I’ll discuss the most common MBA entrance exams that business schools require applicants to take. First, I’ll discuss why schools care about MBA entrance exam results. Next, I’ll discuss the main MBA entrance exams, which schools require them, and the basic content and format of each. Finally, I’ll help you decide which entrance exam you should take if you’re applying to business school.

Why Do Admissions Committees Care About MBA Entrance Exams?

As an applicant, you may be wondering why admissions committees care about your scores on an MBA entrance exam. After all, admissions committees review lots of data about your academics, extracurricular activities, prior professional experience, and other qualifications. So why is there so much emphasis placed on MBA entrance exam scores?

Your MBA entrance exam score helps admissions committees easily compare you to all their other applicants, since you all took the same (or a similar) test.   It can be difficult for admissions committees to compare grades in prior undergraduate coursework, because different undergraduate institutions have different ways of grading students, different curricula, and different levels of rigor in their testing and grading. Standardized tests, like MBA entrance exams, have the same questions and performance assessments for all test-takers.

While there are many different MBA entrance exams out there, they’re all intended to measure your analytical, quantitative, verbal, reading, and writing skills . In short, an entrance exam for MBA programs assesses your readiness to complete the rigorous coursework you’ll encounter as a student.

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The 5 Most Common MBA Entrance Exams

In this section, I’ll cover the basic content and format of the most common MBA entrance exams.

The GMAT is the most common MBA entrance exam in the world. Last year, a total of 247,432 people across the world took the GMAT. Like other MBA entrance exams, the GMAT is designed to measure your reasoning, quantitative, verbal, and writing skills to see how you measure up to other applicants and predict your success in business school.

The GMAT is a computer-based test with four sections: quantitative, verbal, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing assessment. The quantitative and verbal sections are both adaptive and multiple-choice, meaning the difficulty level of the questions changes as you take the test based on your performance. The GMAT has four different sections: analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning, quantitative, and verbal.

The GMAT is designed specifically for entrance into business school.  If you’re applying to a full-time MBA program in the United States, you’ll almost certainly have to take the GMAT, unless the school also accepts GRE scores. Some schools in Europe and Asia also require GMAT scores for business school applicants.

Increasingly, more and more business schools are accepting GRE score for the MBA entrance exam requirement. Typically, the GRE is taken by anyone who plans to attend grad school, which includes students applying for master’s degrees, PhDs, MBAs, and more. Unlike the GMAT, the GRE isn’t specifically designed for MBA admissions, but it tests many of the same skills. The GRE has three sections: analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

Students who struggle with the quantitative section of the GMAT and/or consider themselves stronger verbal test-takers may want to consider taking the GRE instead.  Like the GMAT, GRE scores are mainly accepted at business schools in the United States.

Executive Assessment

The Executive Assessment is a standardized test designed by GMAC, the writers of the GMAT. Like the GMAT, the Executive Assessment is designed specifically for admission into business school. Unlike the GMAT, the Executive Assessment is designed to be taken by test-takers who have years of professional experience under their belt for admission into executive MBA programs.

The Executive Assessment is shorter in format and content covered than either the GMAT or the GRE. There are three sections on the Executive Assessment, each of which take 30 minutes: integrated reasoning, verbal, and quantitative.

The Executive Assessment is accepted by some of the most competitive business schools around the world for admission into executive MBA programs, including Columbia Business School, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and the University of Hong Kong Business School.

Common Admission Test

The Common Admission Test is the most popular entrance exam for MBA students applying to school in India.  The CAT is used for admission at 19 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), as well as other management schools offering MBA programs throughout India. Like the GRE and GMAT, the CAT is an online test.

The CAT consists of four content areas which are grouped into three tested sections. The four content areas are verbal, quantitative, data interpretation and logical reasoning. On 2015’s CAT, those content areas were tested in three different sections: quantitative aptitude, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and verbal and reading comprehension.  The Common Admission Test consists of 100 questions, which students must answer in 180 minutes. More than 200,000 students take the CAT in India each year.

Common Management Admission Test

The second most common entrance exam for MBA students in India is the Common Management Admission Test, which is taken by over 150,000 students each year. Over 500 MBA programs across India accept CMAT scores for admission.  Unlike the CAT, which has a history dating back to 1950, the CMAT is a new MBA entrance exam which debuted in 2012. However, it’s quickly gained popularity among students applying for business school in India.

Like the CAT, the CMAT is a 180-minute computer-based exam. It has four main sections: quantitative technique, logical reasoning, language comprehension, and general awareness.

Other MBA Entrance Exam Options

If you’re applying to business school in India, there are a number of other MBA entrance exam options besides the CAT and the CMAT. Check out the list of other exams below:

• Xavier Aptitude Test:  The XAT is a pen and paper test that qualifies students for courses with the Xavier Labour Relations Institute.
• Symbiosis National Aptitude Test:  The SNAP is a national-level management entrance examination in India, used for admission to 15 different schools under the Symbiosis International University, as well as select other MBA colleges.
• NMAT by GMAC:  The NMAT by GMAC is a computer-based test that’s used for admission to the following schools in India: Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Students, Ansal University, Alliance University, SRM University, VIT University, and ICFAI Business School.
• Management Aptitude Test:  The MAT is a popular MBA entrance exam in India. Over 600 Indian management schools accept MAT scores for admission.
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade Exam:  The IIFT is the admissions test used for admission to the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.
• AIMS Test for Management Admissions:  The AIMS is a national-level management test, used at a handful of management programs in India.
• ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test:  The IBSAT is used for admissions to MBA programs at nine campuses of ICFAI: Pune, Mumbai, Jaipur, Gurgaon, Dehradun, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
•  MICAT:  The MICAT is the online entrance test used for MICA’s specific post graduate degree in Management – Communications.
• KIITEE Management Admission Test:  KIITEE is a national computer-based exam used for entrance at two MBA programs: the MBA program at the KIIT School of Management and the MBA in Rural Management at the KIIT School of Rural Management.
• Odisha Joint Entrance Examination MBA:  The OJEE is an MBA entrance test conducted by the government of the state of Orissa. Scores from the OJEE are used to gain admission to MBA courses in Odisha.
• Karnataka Management Aptitude Test:  The KMAT is another state-level test, used for entrance to MBA programs and business schools in the state of Karnataka.
• Andhra Pradesh Integrated Common Entrance Test:  Another state-level test, the APICET is used for admission to business schools and MBA programs in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Which Entrance Exam for MBA Programs Should I Take?

In short, you should take the MBA entrance exam that’ll help you get into the business schools you’re applying to. To that end, consider the following factors.

First, you need to make sure that you’re taking whatever MBA entrance exams are required at the business schools you’re applying to. So, if the school you’re applying to requires the GMAT, you should take the GMAT. If the school requires the CAT, you should take the CAT. Do your research to make sure that you’re taking the correct exam.

If the schools you’re applying to accept more than one type of score, consider your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. For instance, if the school you’re applying to takes both GRE and GMAT scores, you’ll want to think about which exam better fits your abilities. The GMAT has a notoriously difficult quantitative section, while the GRE quantitative section is less challenging. If verbal is your strong suit, then, you’ll probably want to take the GRE instead of the GMAT. Consider these factors when deciding which test to take.

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There are many different exams used for entrance to MBA and business programs around the world. The GMAT and the GRE are the main exams used for admission to US programs, while the CAT and the CMAT are the most common tests accepted in India.

When applying for business school, it’s important to know which exams you have to take for admission to your selected school. You should also consider your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker to choose the test that best shows off your skills (if you’ve got the option of choosing between two or more tests).

What’s Next?

Now that you know why taking the GMAT is important, let’s talk more about what’s on the test. As I mentioned in the article, the GMAT is specifically designed to measure preparedness for business school. But what does that mean? Check out our What is the GMAT guide to learn more about the structure and history of the test.

Wondering what makes a good GMAT score? Well, the answer varies depending on your goals. In our guide to what makes a good GMAT score , we’ll walk you through the possible ranges of GMAT scores and tell you how to interpret whether or not your GMAT score is “good.”

Concerned about the other parts of your MBA application? In our guide to what makes a good GPA for business school , we’ll talk about what grades you should have to get into the business school of your dreams. We’ll also offer tips for ways that you can boost your application if you’re worried that your GPA won’t be good enough to get you into the business school of your choice.

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Author: Hayley Milliman

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. View all posts by Hayley Milliman

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The Art of Effective Essay Writing

Evaluation Parameters for an Essay

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Preparation strategy for essay writing tests.

• To start with, you are required to follow a classical Introduction-Body-Conclusion Structure while writing an essay. Introduction of the essay must express a broad view of the topic, which gives the examiner an impression of your understanding of the topic The body of the essay should focus on analyzing the topic from as many different perspectives as possible by neatly dividing the essay in points or paragraphs. Ideally, one paragraph should contain only one idea. The conclusion should end with your own opinion, ideas and suggestions which are forward looking and optimistic..
• Your essay must be content-rich and relevant. To achieve this quality in essay, you must read on a regular basis. You can go through newspapers, current affairs magazines, fiction and non-fiction books. It would be wise to read articles of reputed writers/ journalists. This will aid you in forming an independent opinion on current issues of national and international importance which in turn, help you in suggesting new solutions and ideas. On the whole, a good reading routine arms you with necessary facts, examples and information to strengthen your viewpoints and fetch you an excellent score.
• You must understand that examiners are evaluating future managers. As managers interact with people from all walks of life, any prejudiced attitude is not suited for their position. Hence, make it a point to exhibit your opinions rationally and logically.
• As far as grammar proficiency is concerned, we suggest that you re-visit Standard English Grammar books studied in school. Also, you may refer to "Word Power Made Easy" by Norman Lewis to review basic grammar rules. Remember, impressive essays do not always have excessive jargon or atypical words. Essays written in simple and lucid language, with due regard to grammar and punctuation rules will always stand you in good stead.

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XAT Essay Writing 2024, Important Topics and Tips

XAT Essay Writing 2024 – The Xavier Admission Test (XAT) is a widely-known exam for MBA entrance, just after CAT. Many good MBA colleges accept XAT scores to decide who moves forward in the admission process. What makes XAT different is that everyone taking the test has to write an essay on a given topic. This part is often seen as the toughest by most students. In this article, we’ll share a simple strategy on how to get ready for the XAT Essay Writing 2024 and handle the topic you get in the exam.

XAT Essay Writing 2024 – Overview  

Here is an overview about XAT exam 2024 given in a table below                    

XAT Essay Writing 2024

The XAT Essay is quite similar to the WAT test in the IIM Selection Process. However, a crucial difference is that, in WAT, only those candidates shortlisted for the GD-PI round participate in the WAT round. On the other hand, in XAT Essay Writing, all candidates must tackle this section during the XAT Exam, but the evaluation happens later if they make it to the next selection rounds. The essay holds a certain weight in determining the final merit, and this weight varies among different colleges.

XAT Essay Writing 2024 – Previous Year Topics

In the previous XAT exams, the essay topics were mostly abstract ideas, social issues, or sometimes based on current events. While the essay topics may appear simple, candidates are frequently unaware of how to articulate their ideas in 200 words within the time limit when writing an essay.

The XAT essay subjects were twisted, and they appeared to be abstract topics that asked for your opinion rather than concrete facts. XAT Essays intended to touch the lives of ordinary people and the difficulties they faced regularly.  The following are some XAT Essay Topics that have appeared in prior years’ XAT exams:

How To Write Essay For XAT Exam

Besides content knowledge, Essay Writing is an art that includes writing flow, grammatically accurate composition, and creating meaningful words in simple and clear language. The primary abilities required for writing a decent essay are subject knowledge, clarity of thought, correct use of vocabulary and grammar, the flow of ideas, and illustrations based on facts. The following are some of the most crucial XAT essay writing tips:

• Analyse the subject and choose a direction for your essay.
• Make a rough draft of the topic you’ll be writing about.
• Make sure to write in short paragraphs so that it seems and sounds engaging to read.
• Make a list of the ideas you wish to offer in your essay in the right order, and back up your points with facts and information, examples, and so on.
• Each paragraph should represent a new notion contributing to the main theme, and paragraph flow is essential. The words must have definite meanings and no ambiguity.
• The first paragraph should serve as an introduction to the topic, with succeeding paragraphs expanding the idea.
• Candidates must conclude the essential point in the last paragraph.
• You can write an essay in either deductive or inductive style.
• Read the directions attentively, concentrate on the main point rather than the details, and keep count of your, so you don’t go over your allotted time.

Jargon, slang, clichés, and abbreviations should all be avoided.

• Candidates should carefully structure the essay. It must not go above the required words.

We hope this post has helped you with all the necessary information and subjects for  Essay Writing in the XAT Exam  section.

XAT Essay Writing 2024 – Frequently Asked Question

How can i improve my essay writing in the xat exam.

Reading newspaper editorials, online articles, non-fiction books, and engaging in meaningful debates with friends can all help you enhance your essay writing skills.

What should I avoid in my Essay Writing in XAT exam?

What are some important topics for xat essay writing.

Some crucial topics for XAT Essay Writing are mentioned above. Candidates should review and practice these topics adequately to perform well in the XAT Essay section.

I love writing and learning. I write well-researched articles that are informative and interesting. I'm also preparing for the CAT exam. Combining my passion for writing and studying, I create engaging content that blends knowledge and storytelling.

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What You Need to Apply

Applying for the wharton mba: application & admission requirements, below you will find full details on prerequisites, application fees, essay topics, gre/gmat test scores, references and other details you’ll need to satisfy the wharton mba admission requirements. however, the most detailed instructions are included in the application itself. remember, you must complete the online application to be considered for the mba program. if you’re looking for deadline information and an overview of the application process, please see application timelines and deadlines ., mba application checklist & prerequisite requirements.

A complete application will consist of the following items:

Background Information

Application fee.

• Transcripts (unofficial or official)
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• GMAT or GRE Score
• English Language Test Score

Essay Questions

Transcripts, letters of recommendation, english language test.

• Contact information (e.g., mailing address and phone number)
• Date of birth
• Beginning with your high school, please complete the Education and Transcript section for all of your academic experiences, including your bachelor’s or bachelor’s-equivalent degree, study abroad, summer school, and post-baccalaureate classes. If you have more information than the three forms will allow, please use the Microsoft Excel  Multiple Transcript Template  to record your additional education.
• To ensure the quick processing of your application, we are no longer accepting mailed transcripts at the time of application. Instead, please submit your transcript(s) as a scanned document or use the Transcript Template  found here. Use the upload feature, provided at each school listing, to submit your self-reported transcript(s).
• If admitted, you will be required to provide official transcripts of all previous academic work to verify the information provided in the uploaded documents. If there are discrepancies between the self-reported academic work and official records, your offer of admission will be withdrawn. Offers of admission are not binding until academic records are verified.
• Beginning with your most recent position, please complete the Employment section with your full-time experience, including military and entrepreneurial experiences. You can also include any significant part-time or summer employment since the beginning of college.
• The Employment section allows you to list your four most recent employments; however, all employment experience is important to us. Feel free to use the optional essay to explain any gaps in employment.
• Please note that we will see all of your answer to the Reason for Leaving question, whether or not it is fully visible on your application when you print it using Adobe Acrobat PDF.  This field is fully visible in our review system.
• Family information
• If you have ever been convicted of or plead guilty or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations), you must report this information. Failure to disclose this information may result in the withdrawal of any possible offers of admission. Answers will be reviewed by the Wharton MBA Admissions Review Officer. This information will not be provided to the admissions committee as part of the regular academic review process.

The application fee for Wharton’s MBA program is $275 and non-refundable. It can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), with your application.

Essays for the 2023-2024 Application Cycle

The Admissions Committee wants to get to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself. For additional essay writing resources, see the  essay tips article!

Essay 1 : How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Essay 2 : Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Required Essay for all Reapplicants:  Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

Please note:

• First-time MBA applicants and re-applicants are required to complete essays 1 and 2.

Transcripts of all academic work completed at the baccalaureate/undergraduate level and beyond, whether or not for credit or a degree, are required to apply for the MBA program. When submitting your transcripts, you can do one of the following:

• Upload unofficial transcripts OR
• Self-report grades on our Online Transcript Template

Please note: Official documents are required upon admission and matriculation .

The Letter of Recommendation component of our application will be broken into two sections:

• A selection of positive personality characteristics. Recommenders will be asked to choose two characteristics from a list of ten that best describe the candidate they are recommending.
• Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success in the Wharton MBA classroom. (Word count: 300)
• Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success throughout their career. (Word count: 300)

We require two letters of recommendations from individuals who are well acquainted with your performance in a work setting, preferably from a current or former supervisor.

The title or position of the recommender is not as important as his/her ability to comment knowledgeably and specifically about you. Submit recommendations from people who can speak directly about your aptitudes and capabilities.

We require all recommendations to be submitted electronically. After you have contacted your recommenders, please complete the form on the Recommendations page.

After selecting your recommenders, it is possible that you’ll need to alter this selection. If a recommender has not begun their recommendation, you can delete them and assign another recommender.  Please note that your new recommender will not appear on the recommendation page of your application, however we will see the new listing when you submit your application.

If you or a recommender have questions, please reach out to [email protected] .

All applicants must submit results of either the Graduate Management Admission Test (older version or Focus Edition, both now referred to as GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

We accept scores from tests taken at a test center or at home/online. All at-home tests are monitored by a human proctor online. Scores may be self-reported; when self-reporting your score(s) in the application please list your highest score first. Should you receive an offer of admission, official scores will then be requested for verification.

The GMAT code for the Wharton MBA Program is G56-97-73.  The GRE code is: 6802.

Results from one of the following tests is required for non-native English speakers with limited exposure to English:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE)
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

All international applicants whose native language (language first learned and spoken at home) is not English, or who did not complete a degree from an institution where English was the language of instruction, are required to take the TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS. If you earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, the test may be waived.

TOEFL –  The code for the Wharton MBA Program is: 2926.

PTE –  Report your scores directly to The Wharton MBA Program

Please upload a one-page resume. We are interested in your functional job skills, breadth and depth of experience, demonstrated leadership and management skills, and your potential for growth. We are more concerned with what you have learned in your positions than we are with the length of time you’ve been in the workplace.

• Only scan the important parts of your document. Do not scan pictures, graphics and unnecessary text.
• Save the scanned object as a .pdf file with the proper 3-letter extension. Please do not attempt to upload a document that is password-protected or that contains macros. This will cause the process to fail.
• Close the .pdf file.
• Check the size of your file. It should not exceed 10 MB.
• Upload your file using the buttons.
• Make sure scanned documents are clearly legible. Illegible documents will not be accepted and will delay the evaluation of your application.

Francis J. & William Polk Carey JD/MBA Program Requirements

The Carey JD/MBA Program is a joint-degree program and therefore shares admissions requirements with the Wharton MBA Program. In addition to the elements of the full-time MBA application, the Carey JD/MBA application includes a Law School section that requests additional information specific to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School JD program.

Note: You may not apply to the Carey JD/MBA Program and simultaneously apply individually to the Wharton MBA Program and/or the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School JD Program in the same application cycle. Once you have submitted an application for the Carey JD/MBA Program, you cannot switch to the other degree programs or vice versa.

For additional questions about the Carey JD/MBA Program, please contact [email protected]  or visit the Carey JD/MBA Program website .

Application Eligibility Requirements

All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree to be eligible to enroll in the Juris Doctor (JD) program. Applicants who are admitted to the Carey JD/MBA Program are admitted for the fall semester on a full-time basis only. All applicants must take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is not required. If an applicant takes the LSAT, they must also take the GRE or the GMAT. Regardless of test format, all applicants must register with the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and all test scores must be reported. (See Standardized Tests and LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) information below.)

Regular Decision

If you submit and complete an application for Round 1 or Round 2, you will receive a decision according to the Wharton MBA Admissions decision release timeline. Regular Decision applicants who are taking the LSAT should take the LSAT no later than September of the application year for Round 1 and November of the application year for Round 2.

Early Decision (Binding)

The Carey JD/MBA Program’s Early Decision option is designed for applicants who have thoroughly researched their law school options and determined that the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School is their first choice. Our Early Decision program is binding. Applicants who wish to be considered for early decision must commit to matriculate in the Carey JD/MBA Program if admitted. If admitted, you must withdraw your applications from all other law schools and refrain from initiating new applications. You may not submit an early decision application to more than one law school.

Note: Applications must be submitted through Wharton no later than September 6, 2023, for Early Decision Round 1 and no later than January 4, 2024, for Early Decision Round 2. Early Decision applicants who are taking the LSAT should take the LSAT no later than September of the application year for Round 1 consideration and no later than November of the application year for Round 2 consideration.

How to Apply

As an applicant to the Carey JD/MBA Program, you are required to submit your application through Wharton Round 1 or Round 2. Please do not fill out nor submit the Fall 2024 – First Year JD application through the LSAC Electronic Application service. Once you have submitted your application through Wharton, the MBA application process is conducted independently by each school but the evaluation and decision-making are conducted jointly. The Law School will begin processing Carey JD/MBA applications in early October.

You are strongly encouraged to answer the application essay questions in relation to the Carey JD/MBA Program as opposed to only the Wharton MBA Program.

Standardized Tests and LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

All applicants to the Carey JD/MBA Program must take the GRE or the GMAT. We will accept at-home GRE, GMAT, and LSAT scores. The LSAT is not required. If an applicant takes the LSAT, they must also take the GRE or the GMAT. We will accept LSAT results from any exam taken from June 2017 or thereafter for the class entering in fall 2023. GRE or GMAT test dates must align with the Wharton MBA test date requirements for the appropriate application round. If you take a test more than once or take more than one testing format, all scores will be considered and must be reported in the application form. All test scores should be submitted in the JD/MBA application as directed. In addition, you must request GRE and/or GMAT official score reports from ETS and/or GMAC to be sent directly to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s school code is 4122 for GRE score reporting and G56-RV-81 for GMAT score reporting. The Law School will not accept test-taker score reports directly from the applicant nor can we accept score reports transferred from Wharton.

Regardless of the testing format you choose to use, each applicant must also register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and arrange to have all transcripts sent to LSAC from each college or university attended. When the Law School receives your application from Wharton, the Law School will request your CAS report, and LSAC will send it directly to the Law School. Please note that your CAS report will not be released by LSAC until all required transcripts have been received and processed by LSAC. In addition, if you have not or will not take the LSAT, please select the GRE/GMAT only checkbox in the LSAT section of the Test Information section.

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School requires that any international transcripts be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for applicants who completed any post-secondary work outside the US (including its territories) or Canada. You must use this service for the evaluation of your international transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the international work through a study-abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee.

Recommendation Forms and Letters

You must submit two recommendation letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. If you have obtained two letters of recommendation to be used for the Carey JD/MBA application, these letters can satisfy the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School requirement but you must have your recommenders submit duplicate copies of these two letters to LSAC. Your CAS report will not be released to us until at least two letters of recommendation are on file with LSAC and assigned to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. This service is included with your Credential Assembly Service registration. You and your recommender must use the letter of recommendation form available online through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service for each letter submitted to LSAC.  Please do not send letters directly to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.  Note that we will accept up to four letters of recommendation through LSAC; however, your application is deemed complete with two letters of recommendation.

Carey JD/MBA Interview

Carey JD/MBA interviews are granted by invitation only. If you are invited to interview, you are required to complete the Wharton Team Based Discussion as well as a Carey JD/MBA interview.

Application Status/Questions

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Admissions Office is committed to serving our applicants as efficiently and effectively as we can during the MBA application process. Please be advised that it may take approximately two weeks from the date that we receive the Carey JD/MBA application from Wharton to process and complete the applicant file. We will notify you of the date upon which we receive your application from Wharton and inform you of any missing documents upon receipt of your Credential Assembly Service report. We will also notify you of the date upon which your application is complete.

You can check the status of your application at any time using Application Status, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s online status checker. To access the online status checker, please visit https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/ .

For additional Law School application instructions, please visit  https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/how-to-apply.php .

Tuition and Financial Aid

For detailed information on Law School tuition and financial aid, please visit https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/financing/ .

Wharton/Lauder Institute Joint-Degree Applicants

The Lauder Institute offers a joint-degree MA in International Studies in tandem with the Wharton MBA or JD programs at Penn. The Lauder Institute shares MBA program requirements with the Wharton MBA program, and the application is reviewed in its entirety by both the Lauder and Wharton Admissions committees. Accepted Lauder MBA/MA students are admitted jointly into both programs, not independently into each. Lauder applications are accepted in all 3 application rounds.

In addition to the Wharton MBA application, Lauder requires that you complete a language assessment called the Oral Proficiency Interview(s), one Lauder essay, and answers to supplemental questions regarding international/cross-cultural experience. You will be prompted to submit these items in the online application.

For any questions you have about the Lauder/MBA application process, please contact the Lauder Admissions office at [email protected]

Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

An Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is required of all Lauder applicants and must be scheduled and completed with Language Testing International (LTI). To schedule an OPI, complete and submit LTI’s online application . When scheduling your OPI(s), please be sure to register as a Lauder applicant with LTI. There is no need to forward your scores to the Admissions Committee—Lauder OPI scores are available for the Admissions Committee to review through LTI’s online portal.

The OPI may be completed any time after July 1, 2023 to count for the current admissions cycle, but it must be completed by September 6, 2023 for Round 1 applicants or January 4, 2024 for Round 2 applicants. OPI ratings are valid for a single application cycle, and reapplicants to the Lauder program will need to retake the OPI(s). If you have any questions about scheduling the OPI please contact LTI by phone at +1-914-963-7110 (extension 115 or 127) or by email at [email protected] . Please consult with the Lauder admissions office if you have questions regarding the language requirements for Lauder.

For applicants to one of Lauder’s five Programs of Concentration : An OPI in the proposed language of study is required. The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for the OPI range from Novice to Distinguished, and an Advanced rating is the expected level for admission to Lauder.

Educated native speakers of Romance languages* [such as French, Italian, Spanish] will be considered for the Latin America/Portuguese program without prior knowledge of Portuguese. These applicants should test in their native language and are required to submit a Superior-level OPI rating for that language. In addition, educated native speaker applicants who speak some Portuguese should take an OPI in Portuguese even if the expected rating is at or below Advanced.

Educated native speakers in Romance languages* [such as French, Portuguese, Spanish] will be considered for the Europe/Italian program without prior knowledge of Italian. These applicants should test in their native language and are required to submit a Superior-level OPI rating for that language. In addition, educated native speaker applicants who speak some Italian should take an OPI in Italian even if the expected rating is at or below Advanced.

* a person who speaks that particular language as a first language AND whose formal education was delivered in that language through high school.

For applicants to Lauder’s Global program: One OPI in a language other than English is required of all applicants to the Global program. Applicants to the Global Program must test at the Superior level. Applicants may test in their native language provided it is not English.

For applicants to Lauder’s General Track Africa Program  of Concentration:  Candidates applying to the General track Africa Program must demonstrate Superior-level proficiency on the OPI in any language other than English. Applicants may test in their native language provided it is not English.

Lauder Essay

Discuss why you are applying to the Lauder Institute, detailing specific reasons, experiences, and background for choosing your Program of Concentration, as well as your interest in further study in that Program. Applicants to Programs of Concentration involving language study (Africa-French; East and Southeast Asia; Europe; Latin America; South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) should also discuss what they hope to gain from advanced language and cultural education, as well as describe how they have learned the language they will study (e.g. undergraduate courses, undergraduate major, etc.). Finally, please describe how you see yourself benefiting from, and contributing to, the Lauder community.   (800 words)

Lauder Interview

Lauder interviews are granted by invitation-only, based upon a full review of your submitted application. Typically, the Lauder interview is conducted remotely or on-campus with a current Lauder student. If you are invited to interview, you are required to complete the Wharton team-based discussion as well as a Lauder interview.

The Lauder Institute is committed to supporting candidates who are admitted to the Lauder Institute. In fact, nearly all of our students receive some kind of financial support for the graduate degree in International Studies. Please visit our website for more information on Lauder fellowships, tuition and financial aid .

Lauder applicants may also apply for the University of Pennsylvania’s Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships program .

Interviews for the MBA program are offered by invitation only. If you have been invited to interview, then you will participate in the Wharton MBA Team Based Discussion (TBD). Visit the Interview Process for more details and tips.

Admissions Decisions

After you apply to an MBA program, all decisions are released via Online Application System. Decisions released include:

Admission to the Wharton MBA

We offer clear admission to highly qualified candidates pending confirmation of official academic transcripts and test scores. Admissions are made on an individual basis & all applicants are measured against both the MBA admissions requirements & in the greater context of all applicants.

Conditional Admission

We offer conditional admission to candidates who clearly demonstrate significant potential for success both within the Wharton MBA program and post MBA, but whom we feel need additional preparation before beginning the Wharton MBA program. Conditional admission is typically based on the need for strengthening a candidate’s analytical background or improving English communication skills.

Candidates can expect to remain on the waitlist until the previous round of decisions are released. There is no rank order to the waitlist, and we are unable to offer feedback to candidates while they remain on the list.

The committee welcomes important updates that you believe add significant value, growth, or development to  your application since submission.

International Applicants

Requirements for the MBA program are the same for both international students and U.S. citizens. Recognizing the special challenges that international students face, both Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania provide information and resources to help you navigate the MBA application process, and we assist international students with issues like obtaining a visa and relocating to a new country.

Academic Requirements

The MBA Admissions requirements are as follows: a college-level education equivalent to a four-year American undergraduate or baccalaureate degree (the same as a first university degree). Several universities around the world offer three-year undergraduate programs. If you received a bachelor’s degree upon completion of one of these undergraduate programs, you are eligible to apply to the MBA program. Many candidates from three-year programs have a master’s degree as well, but it is not required.

When applying, list all of the post-secondary educational institutions you have attended, including technical and professional schools. Use the full names of the institutions attended, and provide the titles of all diplomas or degrees earned.

Please submit only official academic records from educational institutions. Official records are defined as original documents issued by the institution that bear both the actual (not photocopied) signature of the registrar and the institutional seal. Records issued only once by institutions should be photocopied and certified as official copies by school officials or legal authorities, such as embassies or public notaries. Please do not send the original copy of an academic record that cannot be replaced.

If you have attended more than one institution, submit official records from each institution, except study-abroad programs that are listed on your official undergraduate transcripts. If academic records and diplomas are not issued in English by the institution, submit both the official record and an authorized English translation.

All translations should be complete and literal renditions of the original record. Records should show the date of enrollment, courses taken, units of credit or time allotted to each subject during each term or year, your marks or ratings in each subject, and, if available, your rank in the total class or group.

The institutional grading scale (or other standards of evaluation, including minimum passing and failing marks and the definitions of grades between them) should appear on official records, or you should provide them as an attachment. For more information on the general MBA Application process, see the ‘ Application Checklist ‘ section above.

English Language Examinations

• Pearson PTE

You may waive an English test if you have earned an undergraduate degree or master’s degree in an English-speaking country or from an institution at which English is the language of instruction. You must provide evidence to support the waiver. If your test score is more than two years old (from the date of the exam to the date of application arrival), you must retake the test.

How to take a test:

• The TOEFL iBT is offered at more than 3,000 authorized TOEFL iBT test centers or from the privacy of your own home and monitored online by a human proctor.
• The PTE is offered at 400+ test centers in 117 countries or at home.
• The IELTS is offered in test centers or at home.

Wharton only accepts official scores for English language tests.

Student Visas

Should an offer of admission be extended and accepted, you are eligible to apply for either an F-1 or J-1 visa. To meet the eligibility requirements for a student visa, you must show proof of equivalent academic documents (diplomas), results from the TOEFL or PTE examination, and financial resources to pursue your course of study. Detailed information regarding the requirements and application process to obtain a student visa is sent to admitted students in the spring.

Interdisciplinary Program Applicants

Interdisciplinary study is central to our curriculum, with a wide array of dual and joint-degree options. In general, a dual-degree requires one  less year than it would take to pursue the two degrees separately. Joint degrees are fully integrated with the Wharton MBA curriculum and use a shared application. We offer two joint-degree programs: The Lauder MBA/MA in International Studies and the Carey JD/MBA .

Two programs combine the Wharton MBA with graduate study at other institutions; others combine a Wharton MBA with University of Pennsylvania biotechnology, design, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, and social work masters degrees.

Applying for Interdisciplinary Programs

You must apply to both Wharton and the second school or program. This means that the appropriate standardized test scores (e.g., LSAT, GRE, or MCAT), a completed application form, your transcript(s), and your letters of recommendation must also be sent to the partner school.

Admission decisions are made independently by each school, and you may pursue a dual-degree program only if admitted to both schools. Unless otherwise indicated, you may apply to both programs simultaneously. However, if you are admitted to both programs and do not want to begin at Wharton, you will need to request a deferral and will be subject to our deferral policy.

If you are already enrolled in a program, you may apply to Wharton in the fall semester following commencement of study in the co-sponsoring school. If you are applying to a three-year program, you may apply in the fall of your second year. If you are enrolled in the MD, DMD, or VMD program, you may apply to Wharton to start during any August up to and including the August following the third year of enrollment in the medical program.

To satisfy the MBA program requirements of the dual-degree program, you must take at least 15 courses at Wharton. Courses taken at Wharton prior to admission and matriculation into the Wharton MBA program may not be applied toward the degree requirements of the MBA.

Applicants to the three-year Carey JD/MBA Program must apply via a shared application. Given the unique nature of the program, applicants may not, after receiving an offer of admission, decide to enroll in one school and not the other (i.e., an applicant may not choose to only attend Wharton and not Penn Law, or vice versa, after a joint decision has been rendered). Applicants are encouraged to apply prior to matriculation in the Law School. However, since the first year of the three-year JD/MBA program takes place at Penn Law, Penn Law students have the option of applying during their 1L year, during Round 1 or Round 2 of the Wharton MBA admissions timeline.

Also, the joint-degree Lauder Program application is reviewed in its entirety by both the Lauder and Wharton Admissions Committees, and you must apply via a shared application. Accepted MBA/MA students are admitted jointly into both programs, not independently into each.

Reapplication

If you applied to a program and were not admitted, we encourage you to reapply for the next academic year. Reapplications make up approximately 10% of our applicant pool in any given year. The most important thing is that you demonstrate through essays, subsequent career growth, and/or academic preparation that you are a stronger candidate. We recommend you review the MBA Prerequisites before re-submitting an application to ensure they have not changed since you last applied.

Reapplication Essays

If you are reapplying, you are required to complete the requisite application essays plus the optional essay. Please use this space to explain how you have reflected on the previous decision on your application and to discuss any updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). You may also use this section to address any applicable extenuating circumstances. (250 words)

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100 Essay Topics for 2024

• Government’s Vision of Amrit Kaal
• Central Bank Digital Currency by RBI
• How important is flow of money for the economy?
• Need of the Hour is to Maximize Possibilities of Agriculture in India
• 50 Crore Jan Dhan Accounts: Giant leap towards financial inclusion
• Privatization in Defence Manufacturing
• RBI’s strategies to tackle inflation in Economy
• Non-Performing Assets and their impact on economy
• India to be the world’s third largest economy
• Global Recession and shapes of Economy
• India becoming a leader in Renewable Energy
• Is a 70-Hour Work Week Healthy?
• Crypto-currency and issues related to it
• Growing trends of Privatisation
• Fugitive Economic Offenders and the need to bring them back

EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES

• Higher Education versus skill acquisition
• Entrance exams versus Qualifying exams - what is the relevance of entrance exams for admissions to UG and PG courses in India?
• Online schooling, can it be the future of education?
• New Education Policy: A Progressive Policy with Diverse Challenges
• Skills or knowledge: What matters more in today’s world?

ENVIRONMENT

• Biodiversity Conservation– Our Solutions are in Nature
• Hyper-globalism is threat to human prosperity
• Net Zero Carbon Emission
• Shifting of Earth's Geo-Magnetic field and its impact
• Money Laundering and Illegal Wildlife trade
• Ban on plastic: Environment vs. Economy
• Seed Bombs: Solution to Man-Animal Conflict
• Growing Pollution in Rivers
• Organic Farming in India
• Merger of Project Tiger and Project Elephant: Pros and Cons
• Growing Intolerance in the world
• Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy
• Role of kindness in an utterly competitive world
• Is defection becoming the new norm in Indian politics?
• New India @75
• Supreme Court Judgment on Jammu and Kashmir
• Pro poor policies of Modi Government
• Controversies surrounding the Present-day NDA government in India
• Supreme Court Judgment on Demonetisation
• India China border issues – Where is it headed?
• Too much Democracy is Detrimental to Development
• India needs aggressive and pragmatic neighborhood policy
• Today India Needs ‘Harmony in Diversity’, Not Unity in Diversity
• Atmanirbhar Bharat
• India and SDGs
• India’s Neighbourhood Policy
• India’s Participation in Central Asian Region
• India’s claim to UNSC permanent membership
• Presidential vs Parliamentary form of government: which one India should go for?
• India’s deepening malnutrition
• India as the World’s fifth largest economy
• One nation one election
• Falling parliamentary morals in India
• Is the era of coalitions over?
• GST growth indicates India’s growth
• Compatibility of the Contempt of Court with International Standards
• Decisive Interview, GD & Essay prep
• 100 Most Important Essay Topics for 2021
• Essay Writing for B-schools
• Top 100 Abstract Topics
• Essay Writing: Stepwise Approach
• Essay Writing: Grammar and Style
• Common Mistakes in Essay Writing

Precis Writing

• Actual Essay/ WAT topics
• Top Factual Essay Topics
• Essay Writing: Brainstorming Techniques
• Essay Writing: Sentence Structure
• Essay Writing: Do’s and Don’ts

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

• Russia-Ukraine War and its impact on geopolitics
• India: From SAARC to BIMSTEC
• Israel-Hamas Conflict and Operation Ajay
• Has UNSC become redundant?
• 10 years of One Belt One Road (OBOR) Policy and India's Counter
• Democracy in its neighbourhood is in India’s interest
• Importance of regional trade blocs like NAFTA, RCEP etc.
• G20 New Delhi Summit
• SCO and its evolution
• Rising Chinese hegemony in Indo-Pacific and implications for India
• Climate Diplomacy and COP 28
• NASA’s Artemis Program
• IMEEEC and its prospects

PHILOSOPHICAL/ ABSTRACT

• A smooth sea never makes a good sailor
• Hour work week
• Light at the end of the tunnel is not an illusion, the tunnel is.
• Is humanity enough to handle crises and serve people in need?
• Is being vegetarian the way to go for the world?
• Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.
• Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
• War is the ultimate Price we pay for lasting Peace
• Artificial Intelligence is Not All Evil – It can Promote Social Good Too
• Our World is in a Surplus of Multilateral Challenges and a Deficit of Solutions.
• The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Does India need more missiles or more industries?
• Genetically Modified Crops
• National Infrastructure Pipeline
• How will the FASTag project help in improving the logistics and transport sector?

SOCIAL ISSUES (Society, Gender, Caste)

• Lack of civic sense among Indians is pushing the country backwards
• Media’s duty is to inform public, not manufacture opinion
• Urban exclusion of migrant workers in India is a reality and needs urgent robust policy measures.
• Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition
• Economic Growth and Development are shaped by the societies in which they operate.
• Social media is the fourth pillar of democracy
• How does a leader impact the destiny of his country?
• The Cry of Transgenders
• Caste Census: Equity or casteism?
• One Nation, One Ration Card
• Legalizing Betting in India
• The ‘Dunki’ route to illegal migration
• Elderly Population in India
• Transparent Taxation- honoring the honest platform
• Sub-categorisation of castes in India
• Group Discussions
• Personality
• Past Experiences

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Essay Writing/Written Ability Test (WAT) for B-schools

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JAIN Entrance Test 2024

About Jain Entrance Test (JET) for MBA 2024 Admissions

• Candidates are required to qualify Jain Entrance Test (JET) process to avail admission to MBA programs offered at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), CMS Business School
• Written Test
• Personal Interview
• However, candidates with the following competitive exam scores / percentile are exempted from the Written Test and can directly appear for Personal Interview (PI)
• The 1 st round of JET for MBA admissions 2022 will be held on January 20 to 24, 2022
• JET Written Test or Minimum score in MAT/CAT/XAT/NMAT/GMAT
• Essay Writing
• Presentation
• Candidates shortlisted in the JET written test are qualified for Essay Writing, Presentation and Personal Interview.
• Essay Writing: the candidate(s) should write an essay on a given topic for a maximum duration of 10-15 minutes.
• Topics for presentation will be updated on the student dashboard.
• The Personal Interview will focus on subject knowledge, goal clarity, communication skills, attitude, academic credentials, work experience and achievements.
• The final result will be based upon the performance in Essay Writing, Presentation and Personal Interview.
• The Extempore and Personal Interview is for 10-15 minutes.
• Candidates will be given a topic to speak extempore for 5-7 minutes. (For example, speak on the topic “Influence of politics on sports in India”) followed by a Personal Interview.
• The Personal Interview will focus on subject knowledge, goal clarity, communication skills, attitude, academic credentials, work experience and achievements
• The 2nd round of JET for MBA admissions 2022 will be held on April 18 to 22, 2022

Please Note: Upcoming dates for JET for MBA 2024 admissions will be announced on https://www.jainuniversity.ac.in/ , https://bschool.cms.ac.in/ and the university’s official social media channels

Exam Pattern for JET 2024

• Maximum Marks: 120
• Total Questions: 120
• Test Duration: 120 minutes
• Type of Questions: MCQs
• All questions are mandatory and there is no negative marking

System Requirements for Online Test

• Supported Devices – Desktop computers & Laptop computers.
• Non-Supported Devices - iPad and iPhone.
• Operating System - For Desktops and Laptops: Window 7 or above (Windows 10 recommended), Mac OS 10.13 and above, and Linux (Ubuntu versions 18.04, 16.04, 15.04 only) systems
• Browsers - Google Chrome (84.0.4147.135 or later) recommended. N.B. Only Google Chrome Browser needs to be used.
• Minimum Configuration: Processor: Core 2 Duo and above.
• Processor speed: 1.5 GHz and above; RAM: minimum 1 GB.
• Minimum Internet Speed-2 Mbps.
• Pop-up blockers on the web browser must be disabled.
• Webcam and Microphone are mandatory and must remain switched on during the duration of the test.

Attention: This is a Proctored Assessment method i.e. you will be monitored during the assessment.

Online Examination Rules to Remember

Switch Count: The number of times you switch out of the assessment window, the count, and time is monitored by the team. You will be automatically logged out if found switching between windows multiple times.

Multiple Face Detection: Only the authorized candidate is allowed to appear for the assigned evaluation. The tool features face detection functionality. If any other person or candidate impersonates the applicant during the JET test window, the candidate will be logged out of the process.

Earphones: No headphones/earphones allowed. The tool will detect any external object in use during the assessment.

Mobile phone: The usage of mobile phones is strictly prohibited. The tool will detect any external object in use during the assessment.

Please Note: If any other means of malpractices, which are not covered in the above clauses, are detected during the examination process, the candidate will be logged out of the assessment by the Proctor.

Wish you all the best in your JET process!

Students who have secured an aggregate of 50% are eligible to apply for the MBA program. CMS Business School is now accepting applications for the 2024 batch. Apply Here

The admission process consists of the following steps to be followed by the candidate(s).

• Submitting an online application form
• Qualify Jain Entrance Test (JET) process that includes Online Written Test and Personal Interview
• On being selected through JET, the candidate(s) will receive a Provisional Admission Letter (PAL)
• Candidate(s), with a Provisional Admission Letter, will be offered a confirmed seat for the academic year only upon meeting the required criteria for admission as prescribed
• Candidates with a valid CAT/MAT/CMAT/NMAT/XAT are exempted from the Written Test and will directly attend PI

No, CMS Business School doesn’t offer admissions based on management quota, hence JET is mandatory. Also, the university doesn't have any affiliates/consultants/brokers for admissions processes.

Candidates with a valid CAT/MAT/CMAT/NMAT/XAT are exempted from the Written Test (JET) and can directly attend PI.

MBA Entrance Exams - Explore List of Entrance Exams in India

MBA is one of the most sought-after degrees in the present corporate world. With a degree in MBA, individuals enhance their expertise in different fields which helps in the efficient functioning of a company. The demand for MBA graduates in the corporate world has led to the foundation of several management institutes in the country, which include IIMs. Please refer BYJU’S CAT College Predictor tool.

In this Article,

• Why is an Entrance Exam for MBA important?

Top 15 MBA Entrance Exams in India

• Participating colleges for the Top 15 MBA Entrance Exams
• National level MBA entrance exam list with dates
• State level MBA entrance exam list with dates

Frequently Asked Questions on MBA Entrance Exams

The admission process for most of the institutes is similar, i.e. MBA entrance exam is followed by GD or WAT and PI. While some institutes conduct their own admission test, others accept scores of some specific MBA entrance test(s).

IIMs conduct the CAT exam, and the CAT scores are widely accepted in most of the top MBA colleges. MBA entrance exam dates vary considerably; therefore, management aspirants should maintain track of the exam dates and updates on a regular basis. Stay connected to BYJU’S to receive the latest updates on the exams. Some of the most important MBA entrance tests are given below to help the aspirants get well-acquainted with them.

Why Is an Entrance Exam for MBA Important?

MBA entrance exams are a prerequisite for admission to various management schools. The exams are conducted by the respective institutes, which also frame the selection criteria accordingly. Every year, numerous candidates appear for different management entrance exams with a dream of pursuing a postgraduate degree in management. So, the MBA aspirants are suggested to be prepared to take up different MBA entrance exams in India to diversify their chances of selection in various B-Schools. For example, XAT has a section for Decision Making and Essay writing, and MH-CET, MAT and SNAP have a section called General Knowledge, so the candidates need to be updated with current affairs along with their preparation for  CAT Exam . Here is a comparison of the different sections of other important management examinations and the CAT exam to help MBA aspirants prepare for these exams simultaneously.

Though the CAT exam score is accepted by most of the management institutes in India, other exams are also equally important as some of the best B-Schools conduct these exams for their respective admissions. The scores of some tests like MAT are also accepted by numerous institutes. Details of these exams are given here, which will help the candidates to get well-versed in the respective details and prepare accordingly.

Numerous top B-Schools conduct their own entrance exams every year for their respective admissions. Sometimes, candidates need to tweak their preparation to keep up and stay updated with the other important management exams. The list below provides comprehensive information about the top MBA entrance exams in India.

• CAT  –The CAT exam is no doubt the most popular of all management entrance exams in India. The Common Admission Test is conducted every year, and it serves as a gateway for management aspirants to fulfil their dream of getting into  IIMs . Every year, one of the 20 IIMs conducts the exam on a rotational basis. The CAT is the most sought-after MBA entrance exam so far and is taken by almost over 2.5 lakh candidates every year.
• XAT Xavier Aptitude Test  – It is often regarded as the second most common entrance exam for management aspirants after the CAT exam. XAT is conducted by XLRI – Xavier School of Management for the graduate programmes in management courses in XLRI and 11 XAMI member institutes in India. XAT is usually conducted in the month of January every year. Two sections in XAT that are different from CAT are the Decision Making section and the Essay Writing section. As the Essay Writing section usually throws questions about current affairs, candidates need to get themselves equipped with the current happenings around the world. Apart from Xavier Association and institutes, XAT scores are accepted by S P Jain, GIM, Department of Management Studies, IIT – Madras, Loyola Institute of Management, Great Lakes Institute of Management – Madras, Institute of Public Enterprise – Hyderabad, etc. Candidates can visit the official site for all the information related to XAT.
• MAT Management Aptitude Test  – It is conducted by AIMA for admission to MBA and equivalent programmes of the various participating institutes. The MAT exam is generally conducted four times a year, in the months of February, May, September and December. The test scores cut-off varies from month to month and the Institute. For example, Christ University’s cut-off is 80% for the month of MAT February, while it sometimes changes to 85% for MAT December. The top institutes that accept the MAT scores are Christ University, Galgotias Business School, NIILM Centre of Management Studies, MITCON Institute of Management, Alliance Business Academy, Jagan Institute of Management Studies, and ITM (Navi Mumbai).
• SNAP – Symbiosis National Aptitude  is conducted by Symbiosis International University (Deemed) for admission into their graduate programmes. SNAP has an extra section for General Awareness and has no sectional time limit. So, anyone can set aside as much time or as little time for the respective sections as they want. Conducted in the month of December, this is the gateway to the prestigious Symbiosis Group of Institutions.
• GMAT  – There are more than 2,300 graduate business schools worldwide that accept Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores. Candidates are assessed on their analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning skills. Through GMAT, candidates can get admission to graduate management programmes nationally and globally. A large number of colleges in India accept GMAT scores, in addition to global management schools.
• NMAT – Narsee Monjee Aptitude Test  is usually conducted during the month of October-December every year, in a 75 days exam window. A candidate is allowed to take 3 attempts of NMAT in a year, including no-shows. The only condition is to wait for at least 15 days between two attempts. The results are announced instantly after taking the exam.  NMAT exam  scores are the prerequisite for NMIMS – Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai Campus, ICFAI, Alliance University, ARM University, and BIT University, among other universities. Aspirants can visit the official site to get all the details regarding the exam.
• CMAT – Common Management Admission Test  is approved by AICTE and is a national-level test conducted to get admission to management programmes in the country. It is held in the month of April, and this exam allows a test taker to go for the score in which they have scored better. Since 2015, CMAT has been conducted in foreign countries to facilitate MBA admission of foreign candidates in India. The General Awareness section is included in the CMAT as well. Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Welingkar Institute of Management, Goa Institute of Management, Birla Institute of Technology – Mesra, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore, etc., are some of the institutes accepting CMAT scores. Aspirants can follow the official website for updates on the CMAT exam.
• IIFT  – Itis the test conducted by the  Indian Institute of Foreign Trade  for admission in the MBA programme for their Delhi, Kakinada and Kolkata campuses. Generally conducted in the month of December, this test, like CAT, has no age limit for the candidates who want to take the test.  IIFT  is one of the top-ranked colleges in India for Foreign Business Management. This autonomous public business school was established in 1963 by MoCII (Ministry of Commerce and Industry) to help professionalise the country’s exports and imports and trade management by developing human resources through this Institute.
• MH-CET Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MH-CET) or MH-MBA/MMS-CET  is a computer-based test for admission to two-year full-time Post Graduate Degree Courses in MBA/MMS and PGDBM/PGDM in Government, University Departments, University Managed, and Unaided Institutes in the State of Maharashtra. Conducted in March for two days, the scores are accepted by some of the best-ranked B-Schools like Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, N L Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Indira Institute of Management, PUMBA, and other MBA colleges in Maharashtra.
• TISSNET –  The Tata Institute of Social Sciences conducts this computer-based test to select candidates for its full-time postgraduate degree programmes. This test will consist of three sections, namely, English Proficiency, Mathematical & Logical Reasoning, and General Awareness. Those who pass the TISSNET exam will be required to take the TISSMAT, an additional exam and attend a Personal Interview as well.
• TANCET –  Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) is a state-level exam administered by Anna University for admission to MBA programmes in Tamil Nadu. TANCET scores are also a prerequisite for admission into a few other courses. To be eligible to take TANCET, students must hold a Bachelor’s degree with 50 % marks in the relevant discipline.
• IBSAT –  IBSAT is a computer-based management entrance exam administered by ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. This exam is a prerequisite for admission into all the ICFAI Business Schools across the country. Questions are based on Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, Quantitative Techniques, Data Adequacy and Data Interpretation. ICFAI Business Schools accept GMAT, CAT, and NMAT scores in addition to IBSAT scores.
• KMAT –  KMAT scores are used as an admission criterion by AICTE-accredited B-schools affiliated with universities in Karnataka. KMAT is held in over ten cities across the country and is open to candidates from India and overseas. It is a paper-and-pen exam with 120 multiple-choice questions. 40 MCQs are asked from each section. This exam consists of three sections, such as Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension.
• PGCET  The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) administers the Karnataka PGCET, a state-level entrance exam for admission to MBA and other postgraduate programmes. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or college to apply for the Karnataka PGCET. This is a two-hour exam held in the paper-pen-based mode. A total of 100 multiple-choice questions are asked to evaluate a candidate’s general knowledge, reasoning, English language proficiency, and general quantitative analysis.
• ATMA –  The AIMS Test for Management Admissions, also known as the ATMA, takes place 4-5 times a year. The exam will be held as a computer-based test. It is the management entrance exam for postgraduate programmes such as MBA, MMS, PGDM, and MCA. This objective-type national entrance exam is recognised by both the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the All India Council for Technical Education. ATMA does not demand any prior experience in the field of management. It measures a candidate’s analytical reasoning, language ability and aptitude. The sample tests available on the official website provide a comprehensive understanding of the exam. More than 200 top-ranking institutions in India accept the ATMA score. With over 740 members, AIMS is one of the world’s largest networks of management institutes, with IIMs, ICFAI, Xavier Institutes, NMIMS ISB, Welingkar, MDI, S P Jain, and other notable Indian business schools among its members.

Participating Colleges for the Top 15 MBA Entrance Exams

Entrance exams across india.

National Level MBA Entrance Examinations help you get admitted to top b-schools across the country. The following table lists the MBA Entrance exam names based on the level of competition.

National-Level MBA Entrance Exam List with Dates

State-level mba entrance exam list with dates.

A number of Indian states have their own management admission exams, for which applicants from other states can also apply. The university administering the exam determines the syllabus and structure of the exam.

Stay updated with BYJU’S to receive the latest updates on all MBA Entrance exams

Which MBA entrance exam for MBA is the easiest?

Management entrance examinations such as MAT, ATMA, and TANCET are considered to be less difficult. However, due to a variety of reasons, the level of difficulty varies from year to year. Each exam has its own set of unique advantages and challenges.

What is the qualification to pursue an MBA Degree?

Most management colleges accept applications from students who have completed a three-year degree or equivalent from a recognised board with a minimum of 50 percent to 55 percent or equivalent grades. There is a 5% relaxation for reserved categories.

Can I get admission to an MBA course without an entrance exam?

There are a variety of choices available for management aspirants who want to study an MBA without having to take an entrance exam. However, it is not possible to gain admission into the top B-schools of the nation without passing an entrance examination. This form of course has its own benefits and constraints that candidates need to take into account before applying.

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Choosing Between GMAT and GRE for MBA Admissions

As you embark on the MBA application journey, a pivotal decision awaits: opting for the GMAT or GRE, both of which are gateways to full-time MBA programs. The acceptance of both tests by numerous graduate schools across the United States and Canada marks a shift from the traditional GMAT-centric landscape to a more inclusive one.

Determining the Right Test for You

Both the GMAT and GRE are widely recognized by MBA programs, yet certain factors may influence your choice. For those with a clear vision of attending business school and pursuing conventional post-MBA careers, the GMAT might be the preferred route.

It’s often seen as a testament to one’s dedication to business education and is a trusted measure of one’s academic prowess for MBA studies. Notably, sectors such as management consulting and investment banking may consider GMAT scores during recruitment.

Conversely, if your academic aspirations extend beyond the MBA or remain undecided, the GRE offers flexibility, being applicable to various graduate programs. With no explicit preference from top MBA programs, the decision hinges on which exam aligns with your strengths.

GRE: Scope and Assessment

The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination, gauges candidates across analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. The analytical writing segment assesses your ability to articulate and support complex arguments, while quantitative reasoning challenges you with algebraic and geometric problems.

Verbal reasoning involves scrutinizing written content through exercises like Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence. The GRE’s scoring ceiling is 340 for the combined verbal and quantitative sections, and 6 for analytical writing, with top MBA acceptees typically scoring around 320.

GMAT: Scope and Assessment

The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admission Test, puts test-takers’ analytical, writing, verbal, and reading skills to the test, with a reputation for being more quantitatively rigorous than the GRE. The Analytical Writing Assessment examines your ideation and articulation skills, while Integrated Reasoning assesses your ability to interpret diverse information.

Quantitative Reasoning evaluates data analysis skills, and Verbal Reasoning tests comprehension, argument evaluation, and response formulation. GMAT scores range from 200 to 800.

Although top MBA programs indicate an unbiased approach to test scores, it’s advisable to investigate each school’s stance on the GRE and the average scores for both exams.

This insight enables tailored preparation and potential bolstering of other application facets. MBA admissions consultants can guide you in crafting a comprehensive and academically robust application. Excellence in either test is imperative for admission into premier programs, underscoring the importance of thorough practice and preparation.

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Eduvision Essay Writing Competition 2024

Eduvision announces Essay Writing Competition 2024 for students aged between 14 to 18 years. Students from all over Pakistan can participate in the competition. 600 to 700 words essay on the topic of "What is the greatest virtue" written in Urdu or English may be sent to eduvision through courier or normal post before June 01, 2024.

The result of the competition will be announced on July 01, 2024. The top three position holders will receive an award of PKR: 10,000/-, PKR: 5,000 and pkr: 3,000/- each. An online training workshop will be arranged for the participants. Certificates of honor will be given to all the students who participated in the competition.

• First Prize: Rs.10000
• Second Prize: 5000 rupees
• Third Prize: 3000 rupees

Last date of submission is 01 June 2024.

Terms & Conditions

• Essay should contain 600 to 700 words.
• Essay should be in Urdu or English language.
• Articles must arrive before the due date.
• Essay should be written on A4 size paper

Eligibility

To participate in the competition, the age of male and female students should be between 14 to 18 years.

An online workshop will be conducted exclusively on "Essay Writing" by Career Counselor Yusuf Almas for all the students participating in the competition.

Submission Procedure: Send your essay through Pakistan Post or Courier to the given address to reach the Education Office by the due date.

House: 70, St-92,

G-13/1, Islamabad 

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