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Reviews - F1GMAT's MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide (2023 Entering Class)

"The structure of this book is surprisingly useful. The first chapter is an exercise on doing a life audit and shortlisting events that could be broken down into achievement overview, specifics, and impact on the team. The impact table demonstration in the essay guide help breaks down each impactful life and career event into a table format. This exercise helped me explore and compare projects that I had trouble coming up with a narrative for. The details of each project in a table helped me find the 'W' pattern of the narrative (a brilliant chapter). The cover letter samples were unique and different from each other, opening up the possibilities and combinations that work for MIT Sloan. Most essay guides I've read only focus on written essays, but the guide also had scripts for the Video Essay." - Verified Purchase (MIT Sloan MBA 2023 Entering Class)

"The essay guide has a wealth of insight on shortlisting events that are essential for the 300-word cover letter. The interesting arguments on choosing the best project not just by revenue but by impact changed my strategy for the Sloan application. The power of the guide lies in the writing tips and overall storytelling that follows the MIT Sloan essay tips. The Storytelling and Leadership chapters are absolutely essential. If you have the time, study the chapters on editing and reviewing. It is powerful. " - Verified Purchase (MIT Sloan MBA 2023 Entering Class)

"The first two chapters on the IMPACT table, cover letter writing, and the chapters on leadership & editing are where the goldmine is for me. It’s not prescriptive; instead, the author offers a cohesive argument as to why certain achievements don't deserve space in the cover letter. I had to unlearn a lot about writing and capturing the essence of who I am in a cover letter format. The guide alleviated my struggles with storytelling, which I used to script my answers for the video question. As someone who struggled with MBA application essays in general, the essay guide goes beyond the MIT Sloan MBA application. " - Verified Purchase (MIT Sloan MBA 2023 Entering Class)

"I read the entire book, which I felt made me think about cover letters from a new angle. My job application had several templates that worked for the Big 4, but for the MBA application, I knew the competition was different. The structuring exercise and step-by-step instructions on improving the examples by listing them in a table format resonated with me the most. This book makes a lot of sense once you are ready with a draft and need that sparkle. It is specifically for MIT Sloan applicants but broadly covers tips for Essay writing as well." - Verified Purchase (MIT Sloan MBA 2023 Entering Class)

"A wonderful book on writing a cover letter for MIT Sloan. The author discusses how to create an IMPACT table - an exercise that changed my idea of what was impactful in my life. I included a volunteering experience in the cover letter for this very reason, which turned out to be a big USP for my application. Some tips on including 6 obstacles felt too specific, but overall the tips forced me to brainstorm examples that I otherwise would have ignored. Also interesting were the scripts included for the video prompt that set the tone on how to approach the answer. " - Verified Purchase (MIT Sloan MBA 2023 Entering Class)

Download F1GMAT's MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide

 

MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide

Cover Letter Question: 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).

Short Answer Question: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background. (250 words or less.)

Video Questions

Question 1: Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Question 2: All MBA applicants will be prompted to respond to a randomly generated, open-ended question. The question is designed to help us get to know you better; to see how you express yourself and to assess fit with the MIT Sloan culture. It does not require prior preparation.

Video Question 2 is part of your required application materials and will appear as a page within the application, once the other parts of your application are completed. Applicants are given 10 seconds to prepare for a 60-second response.

The following are examples of questions that may be asked in the Video Question 2:
•    What achievement are you most proud of and why?
•    Tell us about a time a classmate or colleague wasn’t contributing to a group project. What did you do?

Download F1GMAT's MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide

 

Atul Jose F1GMAT's FounderAbout the Author 

I am Atul Jose, Founding Consultant of F1GMAT, an MBA admissions consultancy that has worked with applicants since 2009.

For the past 15 years I have edited the application files of admits to the M7 programs: Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School, MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, Kellogg School of Management, and Columbia Business School, together with admits to Berkeley Haas, Yale School of Management, NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, SDA Bocconi, IESE Business School, HEC Paris, McCombs, and Tepper, plus other programs inside the global top 30.

 

My work covers the full MBA application deliverable: career planning and profile evaluation, application essay editing, recommendation letter editing, mock interviews and interview preparation, scholarship and fellowship essay editing, and cover letter editing for funding applications. Full bio with credentials and admit history is here.

 

I am the author of the Winning MBA Essay Guide, the best-selling essay guide covering M7 MBA programs. I have written and updated the guide annually since 2013, which makes the 2026 edition the thirteenth.

 

The reason I still write and edit essays every cycle: a good MBA essay carries a real applicant's voice. Writing essays for F1GMAT's Books and Editing essays weekly is how I stay calibrated to what current admissions committees respond to.

 

Contact me for school selection, career planning, essay strategy, narrative development, essay editing, interview preparation, scholarship essay editing, or guidance documents for recommendation letters.