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Sample MBA Essays and School Specific Tips

Confronting Xenophobia (275 Words): Tuck MBA Sense of Inclusion Essay

Background Information: The applicant – a white male applicant working with a diverse team from China, South Africa, and India for a technology giant, confronts a peer who makes unflattering comments about his international peers on a visit to the US.

Theme: Inclusion, Courage, Xenophobia

Mentoring Junior Accountant (296 Words): Tuck MBA Sense of Inclusion Essay

Tuck MBA Essay: Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else’s sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community. (300 words) 

Background Information: The applicant proactively offered guidance and mentorship to a junior analyst who was struggling to interpret contracts in an M&A deal

Theme: Inclusion, Mentorship

Theme (Explained): Mentorship to make a peer or a subordinate feel included is the best way to demonstrate your sensitivity to the person’s struggles. 

Second Chance (300 Words): Tuck MBA Sense of Inclusion Essay

Tuck MBA Essay: Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else’s sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community. (300 words)

Background Information: In the applicant in charge of leading a team of 20+ associates for an insurance giant witnessed an error in judgment from one of the 5 team leads. Reversing a decision to let go of the person is the ‘risky’ sense of inclusion narrative.

Theme: Inclusion, Ethics, Courage

Teach for America (687 Words): Chicago Booth MBA Outside Work Essay Example

Chicago Booth MBA Essay# An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office.

Opioid Crisis (598 Words): Chicago Booth MBA Outside Work Essay Example

Chicago Booth MBA Essay# An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (Minimum 250 words, no maximum)?

Background Information: A primary care physician who was shaken by a personal tragedy in rural Iowa starts a non-profit, leveraging connections from her alma mater to fund her venture.

Supporting YouTube Creators (290 Words): Tuck MBA Sense of Inclusion Essay

Tuck MBA Essay: Describe a time you meaningfully contributed to someone else’s sense of inclusion in your professional or personal community. (290 words)

Background Information: A leading YouTube creator in the ‘editing for educational video’ niche narrates a peer’s bout with depression after he faced a stagnation in viewership. The applicant’s encouraging mindset with video collaboration helped the peer feel a sense of inclusion among the creator community.

Theme: Inclusion

Leadership (480 Words): Chicago Booth MBA Outside Work Essay Example

Chicago Booth MBA Essay# An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (Minimum 250 words, no maximum)?

Background Information: A technologist narrates the leadership traits he acquired from his entrepreneur father. 

Value of Mentorship (246 Words) - Columbia MBA Optimal Experience Essay

Columbia MBA Essay Question

We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership--academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words) (Common for both January and August entering class)

Background Information: The Essay is of a Business development person working in Technology. 

Recommending Unionization(250 Words) - Columbia MBA PPIL Essay

Columbia MBA Essay Question

The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Teenage Homelessness: NYU Stern MBA Change Essay Example

NYU Stern MBA Essay: Change: _________ it (350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? Examples: