MBA essay writing is the most important part of the MBA application.
Success in business requires more than just a good resume. That's why business schools make every effort to know you well before admitting you to an MBA program. They look for personal qualities that make a potential leader, as well as for diversity of background so that their students are exposed to different cultures and mindsets. They want to make sure you're a good team worker who is mature, self-aware and articulate. Essays and interviews let business schools analyze your personality. This is why you should take an essay writing requirement for your MBA application seriously.
Promote yourself but don't be arrogant. While you should take this opportunity to market yourself, you shouldn't try to prove that you're the smartest applicant (even if it is true).
Be precise when expressing what motivates you. Tell admissions committee members about a time when you felt motivated to do a specific task. Tell them how you are a high achiever and what inspired you to put forth the effort that made you achieve your goals. This will give them a strong indication of your values and their impact on the MBA program.
Explain clearly what your career goals are and how an MBA can help you reach them. Point out how your background has shaped your career and how an MBA will take it to the next level. Don't forget to explain why an MBA from that specific school will be especially helpful in reaching your goals. You should talk about your long-term and short-term career goals. Long-term goals should tell the admissions committee what you want to be when you are older. Short-term goals discuss your aspirations within five years of graduating from the MBA program.
Think of your essay as a business plan, a presentation in which you're asking the admissions committee to invest in you. Avoid general statements like: "I want a good MBA because it will teach me the required business skills." That's understood, so don't waste limited space stating the obvious. Furthermore, it doesn't differentiate you from other applicants. A good start is to write down four bullet points that differentiate you from other candidates. These should form the outline of the message you are going to convey through your essay. When writing the essay, stress the unique qualities you'll bring to their program.
Make your essay personal and interesting. Admissions committee members read dozens of applications every day. If you don't tell an interesting personal story, they'll go through your application briefly and move to the next one in search of more interesting content. They may not do this intentionally, but human psychology is such that they'll spend more time on something that they find interesting.
Write your essay in a clear tone. The essay should be grammatically correct and to the point. Admissions committee members want evidence that you have invested time in preparing the essay. If they find redundancy and grammatical errors, it will become obvious that you didn't put enough effort into the writing process and will make them think that you don't really care about their program.
Don't claim that you're super-hard, intelligent worker. Tell them through the stories you mention in the essay. Tell them how you led a project where you worked eighteen hours a day and saved your company a significant amount of money. If you provide examples like this, the admissions committee will be more comfortable in believing you than believing in your straightforward claims with no supporting evidence.
The MBA essay is probably the most important part of the application. Start preparing at least seven weeks before the deadline. After writing a draft, show it to a friend, trusted colleague or family member. Get a second opinion. MBA market is very competitive. Professional MBA admission consultants can guide you through application writing process and improve your chances of getting into the MBA program of your choice.
