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Sample MBA Essays and School Specific Tips

Duke Sample Goals and Alternative Plan Essay (IB to Entrepreneurship)

Q) What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

It could be an engagement with a non-profit or exposure to a client’s specific needs; applicants often encounter interesting career paths that are in stark contrast to what they are currently doing.

Duke Goals and Alternative Plan Essay (Finance to Consulting)

Q) What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

Another show but don’t tell approach, is to mention the on-job opportunities you had maximized. Applicants who voluntarily take on more responsibilities across functions – working on extra-curricular initiatives for the company (events, trekking trips, and volunteering) and shadowing for a cross-functional or leadership role are examples of those who maximize on-job opportunities.

Duke Fuqua Sample Goals Essay (Bulge Bracket to FinTech Startup)

Q) What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan.

Without an MBA, most applicants reach a team lead or equivalent position in 3-5 years. For those who switched jobs 2-3 times, they could maximize their title with a Project Manager role, but the transition is likely to be in a start-up where the years of experience is not a restriction in taking over the managerial position.

How should I capture vulnerability in Wharton and Stanford Essays?

Q) When I attended the info sessions for Stanford and Wharton, the panelists mentioned that I should show vulnerability in my essays. Can you elaborate on what the admissions team expects?

Atul Jose (MBA Admissions Consultant, F1GMAT): The best way to measure what the school wants is to look at their essays and whether they have changed the format.

Sample LBS MBA Goals Essay: Wealth Management to Product Management

In this example, we look at the fictitious profile of a Wealth Manager, who started her career in a renowned private banking company in London. The traditional career path received a big pivot when a friend was starting a venture in the corporate education market and wanted a person who had the vision to find opportunities in a highly competitive market.

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