A simple exercise that can be quite helpful in addressing your strengths and weaknesses is reviewing previous applications to programs that you are certain you will apply to in the future. While the essays may change in the coming year, you can still learn a great deal by reviewing the questions and anticipating how you might have answered them. By contemplating your profile, you should come to a better understanding of your distinctiveness and marketability and target areas for improvement.
- What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience? (400-word limit)
- What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
- Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses as a leader? (400-word limit)
- In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively? (400-word limit)
- What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you? (400-word limit)
- What other information do you believe would be helpful to the Board in understanding you better and in considering your application? (400-word limit)
After taking some time to consider your answers to these (or any other school’s) essay questions, consider whether you are offering a diverse picture of your own experiences; try to understand whether you are able to offer something new and interesting in each essay; try to understand the entirety of your profile. It is possible that if you are lacking certain dimensions, repeat certain stories or are forced to place too much emphasis on one area of your life, you can target certain weaknesses and improve upon them going forward by taking on new activities.
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