Kaneisha Grayson's Blog, page 29
December 7, 2016
How to Decide Whether You Should do a Dual Degree in Graduate School
Guest Post from Elisa, Consultant for The Art of Applying
Dual Degree Programs:
To Dual or Not to Dual?
Spending a full two years out of the workforce to receive an advanced degree is a huge decision to make for any young professional. Adding another degree and more time out of the workforce can make it even more difficult.
Attending a dual degree program has advantages. You gain two areas of deep expertise and understand how they work together, from engineering and management, to public policy and management, and beyond. It also opens up another network of professionals that are subject matter experts in their fields that you can work with in the future.
So why consider a dual degree?
I can’t comment on everyone’s case, but I can share my story and why I chose to pursue a dual degree.
After graduating from Bryn Mawr College, I worked in Washington, DC for a small corporate human resources-focused lobbying firm. As I learned more about law, lobbying, the U.S. government, and human resources, I saw the influence the private sector has on education, healthcare, and other policy areas. I wanted to be on the side of the table that was writing checks, not herding cats.
I looked at a few programs at different schools, some with MBAs, some with masters in HR or Operations, and some dual degree programs. I wanted a short, focused list of schools, so I looked at what I’m good at, what I wanted from a school, and what I wanted in my career.
What I’m Good At
What I Want From My School
What I want for my Career
Communicating with diverse groups of people, written and oral
Problem solving with applying research methodology
Teaching others how to do things
Learning quickly
Personalized experience
Ability to grow a strong network
Provide diverse range of experiences
Small class size
Solve big, ambiguous problems that impact society as a whole
Use my interest in organizational psychology/human resources to build or support a business
Be as well versed in other parts of the business as HR, and gain a leadership position somewhere
Based on this criteria, I was able to whittle down my list of schools to six. I applied to MBA, Masters of HR programs, and dual degree programs. It wasn’t until I went through the application process that I realized that I wanted to go to a dual degree program over the Masters-only or MBA-only programs.
I wanted to be a T-shaped professional, not an I-shaped professional. In other words, I wanted to have broad knowledge across a business and deep expertise in Organizational Psychology. I was lucky to be accepted into Cornell’s MBA/MILR dual degree program (MBA & Masters in Industrial and Labor Relations). Thus began my journey through graduate school.
Focus your learning, but be open to new experiences
Graduate school is more focused than undergraduate and it’s also a place where you can continue to test different areas of interests. I learned my first year at the Industrial School for Labor Relations that I was really interested in organizational structure, communications, and culture. This helped me direct how I would spend the next year and a half in the MBA program. I focused my MBA studies on marketing and consumer behavior. I was able to marry two different specializations in psychology through two different business disciplines, which served me well during my internships and career.
Because I was T-shaped, I have been able to move to different parts of large enterprises and play different roles in startups. My two internships during graduate school were with IBM, one as an internal human resources consultant, and one in enterprise sales. I had two very different experiences, which would have been impossible as an MBA or Masters in HR.
From these, I was accepted into a management rotational program at IBM, where I held roles in HR, Marketing, and Finance. It is rare for someone like me to have such different roles at IBM, and I credit my ability to move across departments to my dual degree. I was able to speak the language of a variety of functions, because I had the strong foundation from the dual degree.
The past few years, I’ve been working at tech startups in a variety of roles. I’ve helped build a culture and processes around recruiting and talent management for two different companies. In my roles, I have hired over 70 people. I’ve also helped build two brands through content, social media, and direct sales. Without my broad base of knowledge from my dual program, I don’t think I could have been as effective in my performance. Throughout my post-grad career, I’ve been able to use my network of subject matter experts in human resources, marketing, and other areas as sounding boards for career and project advice.
How to know if a dual degree is worth pursuing:
Looking back, I believe that most of my experiences in my career thus far would have been impossible without having both the MBA and Masters.
If you are considering a dual degree, I’d encourage you to consider a few things:
What advantages will the dual degree give you over just an MBA or Masters?
How do you value those advantages in the long term?
How does the dual degree align with your career goals?
What career do I want to have, and how will the dual degree help me get there?
How open am I to pursuing a different path if my current plans don’t work out? How flexible is my future career path?
How focused am I on my career goals?
Will the dual degree still be useful if I discover another career path?
If you still find yourself drawn towards a dual degree after you answer these questions, I know that you will be happy spending the extra time in graduate school to specialize in a specific area of study in addition to your MBA.
Best of luck with making your decision!
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December 1, 2016
How to decide if you should apply for a joint degree program in graduate school
Guest post by Catherine, Consultant for The Art of Applying
Should you apply to a joint degree program?
With job applicants these days racking up more and more credentials, many applicants are seeking multiple degrees. A joint degree, also sometimes called a dual degree or concurrent degree, can be formal or informal but they always require a lot of advance planning. Every school, and every program, has different requirements. If you have the time, energy, and intellectual curiosity, the rewards can be great.
Career Benefits
A joint degree can provide skills and connections that give you an advantage on the job market. Adding a substantive degree, such as an M.A. in Middle East Studies or M.S. in Bioengineering, to a more general degree, such as a JD or MBA, demonstrates to employers that you have both the quantitative or legal skills they are looking for and expertise in a particular region or field.
Intellectual Benefits
Even if the immediate career benefits are not entirely clear, a joint degree may still be the right choice for you if your intellectual curiosities and passions fall at the intersection of two fields. Higher education is, after all, about more than career prep. And who knows? You may blaze a new trail with your innovative use of a joint degree. These programs encourage you to approach problems from multiple angles, teach you diverse styles of professional writing, and force you to navigate different sets of goals, assumptions, and styles of inquiry. Those skills will serve you well in any field.
Cost
Often, a joint degree will require additional tuition funds or an additional year of study, which could have a short-term impact on your earnings. However, creative applicants may be able to earn a second degree without spending any additional money! Some top JD programs, for instance, offer scholarships and financial aid that can be used to pay for a three-year JD/MA. Some funded PhD students may be able to get a second degree without paying anything at all. The best way to get this information is to talk to current and former joint degree students and others who know the specifics of your target schools, because each program is idiosyncratic.
Time
Occasionally, you will be able to complete an additional degree without spending an extra year in school, especially if both programs will cross-count course credit. This is most likely to be the case if you are adding a one-year master’s degree onto another program. However, most joint degrees will require an additional year or more. This may not seem like a big deal when you’re applying, but it can be a downer when your friends and classmates move onto ‘real’ jobs and you are still in the classroom. At the same time, it’s important to invest in yourself.
Logistics
For some people, pursuing a joint degree means dividing time between two different schools, which may be in different cities or even on different coasts. This is manageable, but know going into it that you’re committing to moving across town or the country once (or more). If this is not feasible family-wise or financially, consider limiting your scope to programs within the same metropolitan area.
If a joint degree isn’t right for you, you may still be able to take advantage of flexibility in your graduate program to take courses in another department and achieve some of the some benefits.
Wondering if a joint degree is right for you?
Discuss your situation in-depth and create an application game plan during a Deep Dive.
November 23, 2016
Checklist for Finalizing Your Grad School Application Before Submission
Use the checklist and questions below to make sure that your application is submit-ready.
Finalizing Your Resume
Is my resume the correct length? We recommend 1-page resumes for MBA programs. MPP resumes can be 2-4 pages, unless the school explicitly states otherwise (like Princeton WWS, which requests a maximum 2-page resume).
Is it well formatted? A well-formatted resume has lots of white space on the page; it is not overly cramped. The resume does not rely on a lot of design elements like background shading, swirls, or “fancy” bullets. You maintain consistency for how you format the titles of organizations, your job titles, etc.
Have you quantified the results of your efforts well? Use numbers such as the number of people on your team, how frequently you did something, numbers of pages, dollars saved, budget managed, etc.
Do you use easy to understand language? Avoid insider jargon that only people familiar with your industry would understand. Define any possibly unclear terms in parentheses after you mention the term.
Need help with making your resume shine?
Send it to The Art of Applying team for rush editing.
Click here to purchase rush resume editing.
Finalizing your essays
Formatting: Is the essay well formatted? If the school does not specify between single-spacing and double-spacing, we suggest you submit a single-spaced document that has a line of white space between paragraphs. We do not recommend using “justified” alignment as it can cause some weird spacing within your lines.
Word limit: Are your essays within the required word limit?
Prompt: Have you thoroughly responded to the essay prompt?
Specific & Detailed: Have you been specific and detailed when discussing your career plans and goals? Have you shared your short-term, medium-term, and long-term career goals, listing specific places you’d like to work, what you’d like to learn, and what you’d like to be working on?
Juicy Stories: Are you telling memorable, juicy stories? Have you shared what you and other characters in the story thought, felt, said, and did?
Correct school name: Make sure that you haven’t mentioned the wrong name of the school in your essay. I see this mistake every year when I am reviewing near-final drafts for clients.
Not feeling great about your essays?
Send them to The Art of Applying so we can whip them into shape!
Click here to purchase rush essay editing.
Finalizing the Application
It’s easy to miss small typos and errors in your application. For the areas where you have to fill in your data, keep these points in mind:
Check for typos and omissions.
Check that you’ve checked all boxes that should be checked. Example: “Check this box if you are a reapplicant.”
Check the time of the deadline for your school. I don’t recommend waiting until the same day of the deadline to submit your application as you could run into technical issues or other unforeseen delays. However, if you do find yourself submitting your application the same day your application is due, check the time and time zone that your application is due.
Want the “green light” on your application before you submit it?
Let’s have an Application Intervention!
Click here to learn more about an Application Intervention.
Print your entire application out, review it on paper, and have a trusted person review it on paper as well before you submit. Then go celebrate!
November 16, 2016
MBA Rankings for Consortium Schools
Below is a helpful list of The Consortium of Graduate Study in Management member schools and their rankings according to various outlets. Use the table below to figure out which Consortium member schools to apply to. You can sort the table based on the ranking of your choice.
Business School
(Consortium Member School)US News & World Report Ranking (2016)Forbes Ranking (2015)Bloomberg Business Week Ranking (2015)Average Ranking
Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business18191818
Cornell University, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management14101613
Dartmouth, Tuck School of Business85149
Emory, Goizueta Business School19251520
Georgetown, McDonough School of Business22412630
Indiana University, Kelley School of Business22202823
New York University (NYU), Stern School of Business20182421
University of North Carolina, Kenan–Flagler Business School16131715
University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business16142117
University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business7898
University of California Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management15171315
University of Michigan, Ross School of Business12151012
University of Rochester, Simon School of Business39443640
University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business 31381026
University of Virginia, Darden School of Business11161213
Wisconsin School of Business27294634
Wash U St. Louis, Olin Business School21311422
Yale School of Management8111110
November 13, 2016
Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) 2016 MPP, MPA2, MPA/ID, and MPA/MC Application Essay Prompts
Below are the 2016 essay prompts for the Harvard Kennedy School application.
Source: Harvard Kennedy School Admissions Blog
All Programs – Optional Statement
If you have any concerns about your prior academic, professional or personal background you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, please provide an explanation.
word limit: 250 words
MPP and Non-Degree Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: Describe a professional or academic episode that gave you a chance to use personal strengths, and/or revealed personal weaknesses. Then explain specifically how the MPP curriculum (or overall curriculum for Non-Degree applicants) at HKS would leverage your distinctive abilities and/or fill gaps in your skill set as you equip yourself for your career goals.
word limit: 600 words
MPA2 Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: There are many pathways one can pursue in order to make a difference in the world. Why is the MPA Program at HKS an appropriate pathway to achieving your goals?
word limit: 600 words
MPA/ID Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Discuss your decision to choose international development as your professional career. Also, explain how developing your analytic skills relates to your career in development.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe an event or experience in which you exercised a significant decision-making, management, or leadership role.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 3: Describe a public policy or public management problem related to international development and analyze a range of solutions.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 4: At least one college level course in microeconomics, macroeconomics and multivariable calculus must be completed before enrollment. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable, but not required. Explain how you have met these requirements, or how you propose to meet them before enrolling in September. Please include descriptions of mathematics courses you have taken that covered calculus and multivariable calculus, as well as descriptions of any courses whose titles do not clearly indicate the content (e.g. Mathematics II or Advanced Mathematics). Official descriptions copied from your college’s course catalog or on-line course catalog are preferred.
Mid-Career MPA (MC/MPA) and MC/MPA Mason Fellows Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Submit a statement that discusses your career goals, as well as the factors that led you to select the Mid-Career MPA program as a means of furthering your personal and professional goals. Be as specific as possible in describing how your expected course of study will enable you to build on your prior professional experience and achieve these goals.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe your most substantial professional and/or public service contribution in which you exercised a significant leadership role in furthering the public good.
word limit: 750 words
HBS or HLS Joint Degree Essay Prompt (for MPP and MPA/ID applicants only)
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 400 words
Concurrent Degree Essay Prompt
(This essay prompt is for applicants applying to a concurrent degree at one of these programs)
How do you expect the concurrent pursuit of another professional Master’s degree to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 250 words
Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) MPP, MPA2, MPA/ID, and MPA/MC 2016 Application Essay Prompts
Below are the 2016 essay prompts for the Harvard Kennedy School application.
Source: Harvard Kennedy School Admissions Blog
All Programs – Optional Statement
If you have any concerns about your prior academic, professional or personal background you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, please provide an explanation.
word limit: 250 words
MPP and Non-Degree Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: Describe a professional or academic episode that gave you a chance to use personal strengths, and/or revealed personal weaknesses. Then explain specifically how the MPP curriculum (or overall curriculum for Non-Degree applicants) at HKS would leverage your distinctive abilities and/or fill gaps in your skill set as you equip yourself for your career goals.
word limit: 600 words
MPA2 Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: There are many pathways one can pursue in order to make a difference in the world. Why is the MPA Program at HKS an appropriate pathway to achieving your goals?
word limit: 600 words
MPA/ID Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Discuss your decision to choose international development as your professional career. Also, explain how developing your analytic skills relates to your career in development.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe an event or experience in which you exercised a significant decision-making, management, or leadership role.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 3: Describe a public policy or public management problem related to international development and analyze a range of solutions.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 4: At least one college level course in microeconomics, macroeconomics and multivariable calculus must be completed before enrollment. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable, but not required. Explain how you have met these requirements, or how you propose to meet them before enrolling in September. Please include descriptions of mathematics courses you have taken that covered calculus and multivariable calculus, as well as descriptions of any courses whose titles do not clearly indicate the content (e.g. Mathematics II or Advanced Mathematics). Official descriptions copied from your college’s course catalog or on-line course catalog are preferred.
Mid-Career MPA (MC/MPA) and MC/MPA Mason Fellows Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Submit a statement that discusses your career goals, as well as the factors that led you to select the Mid-Career MPA program as a means of furthering your personal and professional goals. Be as specific as possible in describing how your expected course of study will enable you to build on your prior professional experience and achieve these goals.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe your most substantial professional and/or public service contribution in which you exercised a significant leadership role in furthering the public good.
word limit: 750 words
HBS or HLS Joint Degree Essay Prompt (for MPP and MPA/ID applicants only)
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 400 words
Concurrent Degree Essay Prompt
(This essay prompt is for applicants applying to a concurrent degree at one of these programs)
How do you expect the concurrent pursuit of another professional Master’s degree to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 250 words
Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Essay Prompts
Below are the 2016-2017 essay prompts for the Harvard Kennedy School application.
Source: Harvard Kennedy School Admissions Blog
All Programs – Optional Statement
If you have any concerns about your prior academic, professional or personal background you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, please provide an explanation.
word limit: 250 words
MPP and Non-Degree Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: Describe a professional or academic episode that gave you a chance to use personal strengths, and/or revealed personal weaknesses. Then explain specifically how the MPP curriculum (or overall curriculum for Non-Degree applicants) at HKS would leverage your distinctive abilities and/or fill gaps in your skill set as you equip yourself for your career goals.
word limit: 600 words
MPA2 Essay Prompts
Essay 1: The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your leadership and service.
word limit: 600 words
Essay 2: There are many pathways one can pursue in order to make a difference in the world. Why is the MPA Program at HKS an appropriate pathway to achieving your goals?
word limit: 600 words
MPA/ID Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Discuss your decision to choose international development as your professional career. Also, explain how developing your analytic skills relates to your career in development.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe an event or experience in which you exercised a significant decision-making, management, or leadership role.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 3: Describe a public policy or public management problem related to international development and analyze a range of solutions.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 4: At least one college level course in microeconomics, macroeconomics and multivariable calculus must be completed before enrollment. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable, but not required. Explain how you have met these requirements, or how you propose to meet them before enrolling in September. Please include descriptions of mathematics courses you have taken that covered calculus and multivariable calculus, as well as descriptions of any courses whose titles do not clearly indicate the content (e.g. Mathematics II or Advanced Mathematics). Official descriptions copied from your college’s course catalog or on-line course catalog are preferred.
Mid-Career MPA (MC/MPA) and MC/MPA Mason Fellows Essay Prompts
Essay 1: Submit a statement that discusses your career goals, as well as the factors that led you to select the Mid-Career MPA program as a means of furthering your personal and professional goals. Be as specific as possible in describing how your expected course of study will enable you to build on your prior professional experience and achieve these goals.
word limit: 750 words
Essay 2: Describe your most substantial professional and/or public service contribution in which you exercised a significant leadership role in furthering the public good.
word limit: 750 words
HBS or HLS Joint Degree Essay Prompt (for MPP and MPA/ID applicants only)
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 400 words
Concurrent Degree Essay Prompt
(This essay prompt is for applicants applying to a concurrent degree at one of these programs)
How do you expect the concurrent pursuit of another professional Master’s degree to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level?
word limit: 250 words
November 11, 2016
Some Thoughts on the U.S. Presidential Elections
Photo credit: Daryan Shamkhali
The days following the U.S. presidential election have been challenging for me, as it has been for millions in America and around the world. I personally have vacillated between shock and disbelief to anger and despair. I also feel at times emotionally frozen, fearful for my safety, anxious about what will happen next, and hungry for hope and guidance.
I don’t assume to know how all of you feel about this news. I couldn’t possibly; there are over 2000 people on The Art of Applying’s mailing list, 80% of whom are international. Just as the student bodies of your dream schools aren’t monolithic, neither are the people who seek our guidance and services in getting there.
However, I know that this beautiful community of hopeful changemakers and emerging leaders is comprised of many people who might feel threatened and unwelcome in a post-Trump America: immigrants, women, people of color, people of the Muslim faith, people with disabilities, anyone of any background who speaks up for these people or anyone who is simply “mistaken” to be a member of one of these groups.
To be honest, I don’t know what happens after this. Many are saying, “Everything will be okay.” I’m not here to say that, because I just don’t know what happens next, and I want to respect that “everything will be okay” might be a truer sentiment for some than others.
For the last 6+ years, it has been my great privilege to read many of your admissions essays and to speak with hundreds of you about your current projects and future plans. It is the power of all of your collective action toward a more “just, verdant, and peaceful world” (as the MacArthur Foundation would put it) that gives me hope for the planet and the human race. I will combine this hope with a commitment to finding the best actions I can take to make a positive difference as I find my way forward.
If you have thoughts and feelings about the U.S. presidential election that you want to share, I’m here to listen. Just comment below and share whatever you’d like. I’ll do my best to respond to all the messages I receive. I may not have answers for you, but I can at least bear witness to your questions and experiences.
With love and gratitude,
Kaneisha Grayson
Founder, The Art of Applying
November 9, 2016
Quick Tips for the Harvard Kennedy School MPA/ID Application Essays
November 7, 2016
Consortium 2016-2017 MBA Essay Prompts
We at The Art of Applying are huge fans of the Consortium of Graduate Study in Management (we are not currently affiliated with the Consortium). If you are eligible to apply to business school through the Consortium, we recommend you use their streamlined application process to apply to the maximum number of schools that you can via the Consortium (currently a maximum of 6).
To help you be better organized for your Consortium applications, we have created an easy-to-read reference guide for the Consortium essay prompts for the business schools in the Consortium.
Table of Contents
Consortium Membership & Core Essay Prompts
UC Berkeley Haas
UCLA Anderson
Carnegie Mellon Tepper
Cornell Johnson
Dartmouth Tuck
Emory Goizueta
Georgetown McDonough
Indiana Kelley
Michigan Ross
NYU Stern
UNC Kenan-Flagler
Rochester Simon
USC Marshall
UT McCombs
UVA Darden
Wash. U. Olin
UW Madison
Yale SOM
Consortium Essay Prompts:
Consortium Essay Instructions
The following essay questions provide us with an opportunity to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, experiences, and any other traits and abilities that are considered relevant to your educational goals and long-term career objectives.
Please include your full name and date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy) on each page. Also include the essay number, page number and number of pages in the footer for each essay (Example: Essay #1 – Page 1 of 2).
Type your essays in a standard size 8 1/2″ x 11″ MS Word document.
Please limit each essay to no more than two double-spaced pages.
Membership Essay
The mission of The Consortium is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping the serious underrepresentation of African American, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management. What have you done pre-MBA in your business, academic or personal life to demonstrate commitment to this mission? What will you do while enrolled in your MBA program to demonstrate your commitment to the mission? What will you do post-MBA with respect to community service and leadership involvement to demonstrate your continued commitment to The Consortium’s mission of diversity and inclusion? Please provide specific examples of your involvement, actions and results. * (4,000 characters)
Core Essay One
Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. How has your professional experience shaped these goals and influenced your decision to pursue an MBA degree?
Core Essay Two
Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? You may also use this essay to provide further explanation of employment gaps, test scores, etc. (Optional)
UC Berkeley
Instructions
At Berkeley-Haas we seek candidates from a broad range of cultures, backgrounds, and industries who demonstrate a strong cultural fit with our program and defining principles. Our distinctive culture is defined by four key principles – Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. We encourage you to reflect on your experiences, values, and passions so that you may craft a thoughtful and authentic response.
Essay #1
If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why?* (2000 characters)
Your song can be in any language, from any culture, and does not need to contain lyrics. The strongest responses will focus on answering why this song expresses who you are.
Essay #2
Please respond to one of the following prompts: (2000 characters)
Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world and how it transformed you.
Describe a time when you were challenged by perspectives different from your own and how you responded.
Describe a difficult decision you have made and why it was challenging.In your response, clearly indicate to which prompt (1, 2, or 3) you are responding. We do not have a preference among the prompts and suggest that you select the one for which you can share a specific experience, professional or personal.
Optional Essay
Why Haas? (2000 characters)
UCLA Anderson
UCLA Supplemental Essay
We believe that the best results are achieved when you share success, think fearlessly, and drive change. With this in mind, what are your goals at UCLA Anderson and in your short-term and long-term career? (4,000 characters)
Carnegie Mellon Tepper
Essay #1
(Maximum 300-350 words): Imagine that you meet up with a member of the admission committee at an airport while on a layover. You have an opportunity to make a memorable impression. Use this essay to introduce yourself. Include any information that you believe is important for the committee member to know about you both professionally and personally.
Cornell Johnson
1. Park Fellowship Essay
The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow Program is only available to US Citizens applying for the Two-Year MBA Program. The Park Fellowship is our full-tuition award and we select up to twenty-five Park Leadership Fellows each year.  Park Fellows complete a rigorous leadership program in addition to academic classes. As part of the Fellowship obligations, each Park Leadership Fellow also makes a significant public service contribution to the Johnson community, Cornell University, or the surrounding community.
To receive consideration for the fellowship, you must submit your online application, complete an essay regarding leadership, and attend a Johnson Leadership Exploration and Assessment Day (L.E.A.D.) Event.
If eligible, would you like to apply for the Park Fellowship? Yes/No
If applying for the Park Fellowship, please answer the essay question below.
What is your greatest example of leadership and what personal qualities helped you succeed in that role? (500 word maximum)
2. Table of Contents Essay
You are the author of Your Life Story, please create the table of contents for the book. We value creativity and authenticity and encourage you to approach this essay with your unique style. Alternative submission formats may include a slide presentation, links to pre-existing media (personal website, digital portfolio, YouTube etc.), as well as visually enhanced written submission.
Maximum file size is 5MB.We cannot accept .zip or .exe files. If you choose to submit a written Table of Contents, please limit your submission to 500 words or fewer and use the space provided. If submitting a multimedia essay, please limit entry to 5 minutes.
Your non-written submission should be sent to the Johnson Admissions Team at mba@johnson.cornell.edu, with the following subject line: Consortium Table of Contents Essay
3. Impact Essay
At Cornell, we value students who create impact. Please indicate the opportunities for impact that you have identified through engagement with our community and describe how these interactions have influenced your decisions to apply to Johnson. (500 Word Maximum)
4. Optional Essay
Complete this essay if you would like to add additional details regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate record or test scores) do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson. If you are reapplying for admission, please use this essay to indicate how you have strengthened your application since the last time you applied for admission. (500 word maximum)
Dartmouth Tuck
Instructions
Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay questions. There are no right or wrong answers. We encourage applicants to limit the length of their responses to 500 words for each essay. Please double-space your responses.
Essay One
Tuck educates wise leaders who better the world of business. Please discuss why you are interested in Tuck specifically and how a Tuck MBA will enable you to become a wise leader with global impact.
Essay Two
As a diverse and global community, our students arrive at the same place from many different paths. Tell us about an experience in which you have had to live, learn and/or work with other people very different from yourself. What challenges and/or opportunities did you experience, how did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself as a result?
Essay Three (Optional)
(Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.
Essay Four (to be completed by all reapplicants)
(To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.
Emory Goizueta
Essay #1
The Business School is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 word limit)
Essay #2
Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit)
Georgetown McDonough
Essay One
What matters to you? Please share an experience from your past that illustrates why this matters to you and how it will enable you to contribute during your MBA Program (note: this does not necessarily need to be related to your professional goals). 500 word limit
Optional Essay
If you are not currently employed full-time, use this space to provide information about your current activities. (1,000 characters)
Video Essay
Please introduce yourself to your future Georgetown MBA cohort in a one minute video. You may paste the link to your YouTube or Vimeo video here: (75 characters)
Dual Degree Essay
If you are applying to a dual degree program, please address how the additional degree will help you reach your goals. (2,000 characters)
Reapplicant Essay
How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. In addition, please update the Admissions Committee on your short-term career goals following graduation from the Georgetown MBA program. (4,000 characters)
Indiana Kelley
Essay #1
How did you first learn of the Kelley School of Business? How will the particular attributes of the Kelley MBA Program prepare you to meet your professional goals?* (limit 500 words)
Essay #2
Share a brief fact about yourself that your classmates would find interesting, surprising or noteworthy (limit 25 words).
Michigan Ross
Essay #1
How will the Michigan Ross program help you achieve your personal and professional goals? (up to 250 words)
Essay #2
What are you most proud of outside of your professional life? How does it shape who you are today? (up to 250 words)
NYU Stern
Your Fit with NYU Stern
What actions have you taken to determine that NYU Stern is the best fit for your MBA experience?* (250 words maximum)
UNC Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler
Essay #1 (Optional)
(Optional): What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan- Flagler? (500 words)
Essay #2 (Optional)
(Optional): If you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting) or if your standardized test scores are low, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words)
Rochester Simon
Essay One (Required)
Discuss your specific interest in completing the MBA program at the Simon School. What aspects of the Rochester MBA program make it a good fit for your studies and how do you anticipate contributing to the business school community? (250-500 word limit)
Essay Two (Required)
In 25 words or less, provide us with an interesting fact about yourself not expressed elsewhere in your application. (25 word limit)
Essay Three (Optional)
(Optional): Share any information that you think is important in the evaluation of your application, including any concerns you thing the Admissions Committee may have regarding you application. Discuss any unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic or exam results, etc. (500 word limit)
USC Marshall
Instructions
Please complete both sections in no more than 700 words combined:
1.
What is your immediate short-term goal post-graduation from USC Marshall MBA program? (Please include industry and function information in your answer).
2.
How will USC Marshall enable you to develop or improve your skills in order to reach your goals?
UT McCombs
Essay #1
The University of Texas at Austin values unique perspective and cultivates a collaborative environment of distinct individual contributions. It is the first day of orientation. You are meeting your study group, comprised of five of your classmates from various backgrounds. Please introduce yourself to your new team, highlighting what drives you in your personal and professional life. (250 words)
A) Students can also opt to submit a 1 minute video
Essay #2
Based on your post-MBA goals and what drives you in your personal and professional life, why is the Texas MBA the ideal program for you and how do you plan to engage in our community? (500 words)
Essay #3 (Optional Statement)
(Optional Statement): Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/or address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (examples: unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, or extenuating personal circumstances). (250 words)
UVA Darden
1.
What is your short-term, post-MBA career goal and why? (150 words)
2.
Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you (100 words)
3.
If you could go anywhere in the world with Darden, where would you go and why? (50 words)
4.
Charlottesville has a renowned film festival, book festival, and vibrant music scene. What is your favorite film, book, or song? (15 words)
Wash. U. Olin
Essay:
Please describe why you view the Olin Business School as a good fit for you.
Wisconsin Madison
Fall 2017 Required Application:
Please make sure to answer the question in full.
Why do you want to pursue an MBA at Wisconsin at this point in your life? What actions have you taken to understand your selected career specialization, and why is this the best fit for you? What do you see yourself doing professionally after graduation?
Recommended Application Essay:
You have the option to complete one of the recommended essays. Please use this opportunity to share additional information about yourself with the admissions committee.
1. Describe an experience that has fundamentally changed the way you see the world and how it transformed you.
2. Teamwork and leadership are ingrained in the Wisconsin MBA program; from classes to extracurricular activities and beyond. Describe an impactful time you experienced as a leader. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?
3. Describe an ethical dilemma you experienced at work; what decisions did you have to make and what was the outcome.
Optional Application Essay
Please use this optional essay to communicate additional information about yourself that is not represented in the application you feel would benefit the admissions committee.
Yale SOM
Essay Instructions
Please answer the essay question below within the specified word limit. Your essay must be entirely your own work. Although you may ask others for general feedback on your essay, you may not allow anyone else to edit it for you.
Essay #1
The Yale School of Management educates individuals who will have deep and lasting impact on the organizations they lead. Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.
Optional Information
If you are a re-applicant please answer the following: Since your last application, please discuss any updates to your candidacy, including changes in your personal life, additional coursework, or extracurricular/volunteer activities. (200 words maximum)
