Первые дедлайны не за горами, однако написание эссе не стоит откладывать на потом. А если вы планируете поступать в первом раунде, то июль – самое подходящее время для того, чтобы подробно изучить темы эссе и приступить к их написанию.

Duke / Fuqua

 

Темы для эссе идентичны прошлогодним. Хотя количество слов не указано, эссе не должно быть больше 2 страниц не менее чем 10 шрифтом с полуторными междустрочными интервалами.

 

Essay 1: Describe your vision for your career and your inspiration for pursuing this career path.

 

Essay 2: How will your background, values, and non-work activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to Fuqua’s diverse culture?

 

Essay 3: Why Duke? (If you are interested in a specific concentration, joint degree, clubs or activities, please discuss how you would contribute to these in this essay.)

 

Northwestern / Kellogg

 

Четыре из шести тем для эссе остались идентичными прошлогодним. Kellogg снова акцентирует внимание на вовлеченности студента в жизнь комьюнити, а также на уникальных личных качествах, делающих его ценным участником MBA программы.

 

Essay 1: MBA Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)

Essay 2: Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences (600 word limit).

Essay 3: Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit).

 

Essay 4: Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.

 

a) Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group…

b) People may be surprised to learn that I…

c) The riskiest personal or professional decision I ever made was…

Harvard Business School

 

В сезоне 2011-2012 поступающим в HBS необходимо ответить на четыре вопроса. В отличие от предыдущих лет, когда кандидатам предлагался выбор, сейчас абитуриенты должны ответить на все представленные вопросы.

 

1. Tell us about three of your accomplishments. (600 words)

 

2. Tell us three setbacks you have faced. (600 words)

 

3. Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)

 

4. Answer a question you wish we’d asked. (400 words)

 

Dartmouth / Tuck

 

Эссе для школы Tuck в этом году продолжают традицию предыдущих лет, делая акцент на лидерство и уникальные характеристики кандидата. Вопросы 1, 2 и 4 не изменились, а для третьего эссе немного расширили спектр, сделав его более общим. Четкого лимита по словам школа не ставит, но дает понять, что эссе должно приближаться к 500 словам, с двойным междустрочным интервалом.

 

Essay 1: Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)

 

Essay 2: Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

 

Essay 3: Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

 

Essay 4: Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

 

Penn / Wharton

Качественных отличий от прошлогодних тем в вопросах этого сезона почти нет. Разница в количестве. Если раньше кандидаты могли выбрать три эссе из четырех, то теперь выбор уменьшился до двух из трех возможных. Меньше пространства, чтобы показать себя, больше давления.

 

Required Question:
What are your professional objectives? (300 words)

 

Respond to two of the following three questions:

 

Option 1: Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today? (600 words)

 

Option 2: Discuss a time when you faced a challenging interpersonal experience. How did you navigate the situation and what did you learn from it? (600 words)

 

Option 3: “Innovation is central to our culture at Wharton. It is a mentality that must encompass every aspect of the School – whether faculty research, teaching or alumni outreach.” – Thomas S. Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School
Keeping this component of our culture in mind, discuss a time when you have been innovative in your personal or professional life. (600 words)

 

INSEAD

 

Семь обязательных эссе (из которых 5 не предполагают вариантов выбора) делают MBA программу INSEAD одной из самых трудоемких в подготовке. Однако, это также дает абитуриентам пространство для самовыражения. Три карьерных и четыре личных эссе позволят поступающим показать себя в полной мере.

 

Job Description Essays

Essay 1: Briefly summarise your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/ products and results achieved. (250 words maximum)

 

Essay 2: Please give a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words maximum)

 

Essay 3: If you are currently not working, what are you doing and what do you plan to do until you start the MBA programme? (250 words maximum)

 

Personal Essays

Essay 1: Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (600 words maximum)

 

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date (if possible specify one personal and one professional), explaining why you view them as such. (400 words maximum)

 

3. Describe a situation taken from your personal or professional life where you failed.  Discuss what you learned. (400 words maximum)

 

Essay 4: a) Discuss your short and long term career goals. (300 words maximum) and b) How will studying at INSEAD help you achieve your vision? (250 words maximum)

 

Essay 5: Please choose one of the following two essay topics:
a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What insights did you gain? (250 words maximum) or
b) Describe the ways in which a foreigner in your country might experience culture shock. (250 words maximum)

 

Stanford GSB

 

Стэнфорд не изменил формат эссе за последние несколько лет, предлагая поступающим ответить на четыре вопроса: два открытых, развернутых и два коротких, ситуативных. Для каждого эссе есть рекомендуемый объем, но его разрешено варьировать, пока общее количество слов не превышает 1800.

 

Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why? (Recommended 750 words)

 

Essay 2: What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford? (Recommended 450 words)

 

Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years. (Recommended 300 words each)

 

Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.
Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.
Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.
Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined or established.

 

 

Michigan / Ross

 

 

Ross не изменила формат вопросов с прошлого года. Это все те же четыре эссе: краткое вступление, два основных вопроса по 500 слов и более краткое личное эссе, где школа дает два вопроса на выбор.

 

Essay 1: Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.

 

Essay 2: Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? What is your vision for how you can make a unique contribution to the Ross community? (500 word maximum)

 

Essay 3: Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)

 

Essay 4: Select one of the following questions. (300 word maximum)

What are you most passionate about?

Describe a personal challenge or obstacle and why you view it as such. How have you dealt with it? What have you learned from it?

Chicago / Booth

 

В этом году Booth заменила второе эссе о рисках не менее интересной темой о стиле управления. Это единственное, что изменилось за последние несколько лет – первое эссе, как и раньше, является типичным объяснением необходимости MBA в кратко- и долгосрочной перспективе, а третье представляет собой небольшое «слайд-шоу на вольную тему».

 

Essay 1: What are your short- and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)

Essay 1 a) Re-applicants only: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (300 words)

 

Essay 2: At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)

 

Essay 3: Considering what you’ve already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.

 

Yale SOM

 

Общий формат эссе у Yale остался таким же, как и в прошлом году: четыре кратких эссе о карьере и MBA по 150 слов, и два ответа (выбор из четырех) по 500 слов. Хотя в этом году появилось несколько новых тем, Yale сохранила традиционный акцент на лидерстве, самопознании и активном участии в комьюнити.

 

Short Answer

Please answer each of the four (4) questions below with a short paragraph of no more than 150 words. This is an opportunity to distill your core ideas, values, goals and motivations into a set of snapshots that help tell us who you are, where you are going professionally, and why. (600 words total)

1. What are your professional goals immediately after you receive your MBA?

2. What are your long-term career aspirations?

3. Why are you choosing to pursue an MBA? (If you plan to use your Yale MBA to make a significant change in the nature of your career, please tell us what you have done to prepare for this transition.)

4. The intentions of our students to engage in a broad-minded business school community and to connect to an eminent and purposeful university greatly influences the Yale MBA experience. How do you plan to be involved in the Yale SOM and greater Yale communities?

Personal Statements

Choose two (2) of the following topics and answer them in essay form. Please indicate the topic number at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)

Essay 1: At the Yale School of Management, we believe the world needs leaders who:
- Understand organizations, teams, networks and the complex nature of leadership;
- Understand markets and competition in different contexts; and
- Understand the diversity of economies throughout the world and the relationships between business and society.
What experiences have you had that demonstrate your strength in one or more of these areas?

Essay 2: What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you perceive in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?

Essay 3: Imagine yourself meeting your learning team members for the first time in Orientation. What is the most important thing your teammates should know about you?

Essay 4: Required for reapplicants: What steps have you taken to improve your candidacy since your last application?

 

Columbia Business School

 

Первые два эссе Columbia Business School несколько отличаются от прошлогодних. Третий вопрос в этом году предлагает студентам возможность не только раскрыть характер, но и продемонстрировать свои знания о программе школы.

Essay 1: Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why you are pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (Maximum 750 words)

 

Essay 2: Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Maximum 500 words)

 

 

Essay 3: Select and answer ONE of the below questions

 

 

Option A:

The annual A. Lorne Weil Outrageous Business Plan Competition is a student initiative managed and run by the Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO). The competition encourages Columbia MBA students to explore creative entrepreneurial ideas that are sufficiently ambitious in scope and scale to be considered “outrageous.” Students explore these ideas while learning firsthand what goes into the development and presentation of a solid business proposal.

Develop your own “outrageous” business idea. In essay form, compose your “elevator pitch.” (Maximum 250 words)

 

Option B:

Columbia deeply values its vibrant student community, the building of which begins at orientation when admitted students are assigned to clusters of 65 to 70 fellow students who take most of the first-year core classes together. During the first weeks of school, each cluster selects a Cluster Chair. Further strengthening the student community are the nearly 100 active student organizations at Columbia Business School, ranging from cultural to professional to community service-oriented. Leadership positions within the cluster and/or clubs offer hands-on management and networking opportunities for students as they interact with fellow students, administrators, faculty members, alumni, and practitioners.

You are running for either Cluster Chair or a club leadership position of your choosing. Compose your campaign speech. (Maximum 250 words)

 

Option C:

Founded nearly three decades ago, the Executives in Residence Program at Columbia Business School integrates senior executives into the life of the School. Current executives in residence include more than a dozen experts in areas ranging from media and investment banking to private equity and management. A hallmark of the program is one-on-one counseling sessions in which executives advise students about their prospective career choices.

Select one of the current executives in residence with whom you would like to meet during your time at Columbia. Explain your selection and tell us how you would best utilize your half hour one-on-one session. (Maximum 250 words)

 

Berkeley / Haas      

  

Бизнес-школа Haas в этом году внесла серьезные изменения в пакет эссе. Школа посвятила каждое эссе одному или нескольким из своих ключевых принципов - Ставить Под Вопрос Статус Кво, Безэмоциональная Уверенность, Вечный Студент и Превышая Себя. Таким образом школа не только раскрывает потенциал студентов, но и проверяет их на соответствие своей культуре. Все эссе, кроме первого, имеют ограничение в 250 слов.

 

What brings you the greatest joy?  How does this make you distinctive?

     

What is your most significant accomplishment?

     

Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization.  How did your actions create positive change?

     

Describe a time when you were a student of your own failure.  What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development?

     

Describe a time when you led by inspiring or motivating others toward a shared goal.

     

What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals?  How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals?  How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals?

 

IE Business School     

  

Список эссе для IE Business School в этом году не изменился. Школа предлагает те же самые 3 основных вопроса, с тем же ограничением - от 250 до 500 слов на эссе. Дополнительную информацию кандидат может предоставить в 9 дополнительных микро-эссе.

 

The main objective of the following questions is to have more information regarding your candidature. Please answer the questions corresponding to you as per the following table. You must answer each question in a separate page with a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 (1.5 line spacing).

 

Q1. Ask the president (500 words)

If you had the opportunity, what would you ask the president or leader of your country, and why?

 

Q2. Difficult situation (500 words)

Cite the most difficult situation you have faced in your professional life and how your input helped to resolve it.

 

Q3. Leadership impacted (500 words)

Cite at least one example in which your leadership impacted or changed a situation and discuss how you think IE Business School will help you refine, focus, or enhance this skill.

 

Additional Information:

For the following questions, please limit your answer to the space provided. (space for approx. 150 words each)

 

Add. Essay 1. What is your motivation for you to study a MBA degree? Describe how you believe a Master degree fits with your future career objectives.

Add. Essay 2. What are your reasons for applying to IE ?

Add. Essay 3.Have you applied to any other schools? If so, please state which ones.

Add. Essay 4. What contribution could you make to a highly dynamic and interactive program?

Add. Essay 5. Which of your personal characteristics could be considered valuable for teamwork?

Add. Essay 6. Which of your personal characteristics would you like to improve through the program?

Add. Essay 7. What, in your opinion, have been your most important achievements?

Add. Essay 8. Please indicate other extra-curricular activities, internships or voluntary work relevant for Admissions.

Add. Essay 9. What are your aspirations ? Personal. Professional. Financial.  (3 lines each; approx. 100 words each)

 

Cambridge Judge Business School     

  

Список эссе бизнес-школы Кембриджа невелик - всего три темы общим объемом 1000 слов. Это означает, что писать придется предельно емко и содержательно, чтобы продемонстрировать необходимые знания и навыки для обучения в этой школе.

 

Essay 1: What are the key issues facing organizations in your sector over the next three years?  What course of action would you recommend to such organizations? (300 words)

 

Essay 2: What did you learn from your most spectacular failure? (200 words)

 

Essay 3: What are your short and long term career objectives?  What skills/characteristics do you already have that will help you to achieve them?  What do you hope to gain from the degree and how do you feel it will help you achieve the career objectives you have? (500 words)

 

HEC Paris     

 

Набор эссе в это году абсолютно аналогичен предыдущему. Состоит он, традиционно, из карьерного эссе на 500 слов, четырех (из семи) личных мини-эссе, по 250 слов каждое, и дополнительного "сочинения на вольную тему" с лимитом в целых 900 слов. Личные эссе разнообразны и дают кандидату возможность показать себя с различных сторон.

 

Essay 1. Why are you applying to the HEC MBA Program now? What is the professional objective that will guide your career choice after your MBA, and how will the HEC MBA contribute to the achievement of this objective? (500 words)

 

Essay 2. What do you consider your most significant life achievement? (250 words)

 

Essay 3. Leadership and ethics are inevitably intertwined in the business world. Describe a situation in which you have dealt with these issues and how they have influenced you. (250 words)

 

Essay 4. Imagine a life entirely different from the one you now lead, what would it be? (250 words)

 

Essay 5. Please choose from one of the following essays: (250 words)

a) What monument or site would you advise a first-time visitor to your country or city to discover, and why?

b) Certain books, movies or plays have had an international success that you believe to be undeserved. Choose an example and analyse it.

c) What figure do you most admire and why? You may choose from any field (arts, literature, politics, business, etc).

 

Essay 6. Is there any additional information you would like to share with us? (900 words)

 

HKUST Business School

 

В этом году список эссе HKUST остался практически неизменным. К семи обязательным вопросам прибавился один дополнительный. Длина эссе не изменилась, и по-прежнему варьируется от 200 до 300 слов.

 

Essay 1. Please tell us the motivations to pursue an MBA program, and why is now the best timing to do one. (~200 words)

 

Essay 2. Please elaborate on your career goals. How will your academic training, professional experience coupled with an MBA education at HKUST help you achieve your goals? (~200 words)

 

Essay 3. If admitted, how could your participation at HKUST MBA enrich fellow students’ experience inside or outside classroom? (~200 words)

 

Essay 4. Please pick and answer ONE of the two topics in the space below. State either 4a or 4b at the beginning of your essay. (~300 words)

 

4a. Describe a situation where your initial attempt to solve a problem failed. Tell us how you get around to finally solve the problem.

4b. Describe a situation where you created opportunities for yourself and led to a favorite outcome.

 

Essay 5. Please pick and answer ONE of the two topics in the space below. State either 5a or 5b at the beginning of your essay. (~300 words)

 

5a. Tell us a situation when you experienced challenges in team setting, and what you have done to help the team achieve its goals.

5b. Describe a situation when you got frustrated over differences in culture or work style. What have you learnt from that experience?

 

Essay 6. Please tell us a situation where you faced an ethical dilemma. How did you handle the situation? (~200 words)

 

Essay 7. What do you want the Admissions Committee to know about you as a person?   (~200 words)

 

Additional Information (optional) Please provide in the space below any additional information which you think will be helpful for the Admissions Committee to evaluate your candidacy. (max 200 words)

 

London Business School          

 

В этом году London Business School представила две вариации на тему эссе сезона 2009-2010, позволяющие кандидату показать динамику своего карьерного роста, построив своеобразный "мост" из прошлого в будущее. Кроме того, LBS больше других школ акцентирует внимание на ценности кандидата для сообщества.

 

Question 1 (500 words)
Please discuss your career progress to date and explain why now is the right time to undertake an MBA at London Business School?

 

Question 2 (300 words)
Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?

 

Question 3 (250 words)
Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and team working skills. Given this experience what role will you play in a first year study group?

 

Question 4 (300 words)
Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London Business School MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. Please describe how you will contribute to student clubs and the community and why?

 

Question 5 (250 words)
London Business School offers a truly global and diverse experience. Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country or culture. What did you gain and how will your experience contribute to London Business School?

 

Question 6 (250 words)
Considering what you have already included in the application, what else would you like to tell us about yourself?  You can approach this question however you like.