A Masters in Business Administration (MBA) is considered by many to be the ultimate business qualification. It isn’t hard to see why; this postgraduate qualification is recognised globally and can deliver career success and high level salaries for graduates.
MBA courses are ideal for graduates who want to take studying to another level as well as seasoned business professionals seeking progression or specialisation in their career.
What Do You Need to Study an MBA?
Most business schools expect at least a 2:1 degree from applicants, although some will accept a 2:2, as well as at least three years relevant work experience. . If you’ve got a high level of experience though, you may not be required to be a previous graduate in order to get onto the course. You may also be required to sit the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).
But grades and experience aren’t a complete guarantee of acceptance on an MBA course, there’s still the application process to navigate. And one of the most important aspects of this process is the MBA application essay.
What is an MBA Application Essay?
Anyone who applies for an MBA course is usually expected to write at least one application essay. Be prepared though, as sometimes there will be more than one essay question, for instance the London Business Schools have three essay questions for this year...
- What are your post-MBA plans and how will your past experience and the London Business School programme contribute?
- What specific areas of London Business School life are you most excited about getting involved in and where will you add value?
- Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School?
The essay may sound like a nightmare, but it actually provides you with a great opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and why you should be on their course.
Why is Writing a Good MBA Application Essay Important?
Short of interviewing everyone applying for a place, there is no other way for an admissions committee to really get to know each applicant. The essay questions are designed to elicit a real feel of your thoughts about yourself, the course and your future.
So it’s vital to produce a high quality and thoughtful essay, as it’s the only chance you’re going to get to show the committee how important the course is to you, as well as how vital it is to your future plans.
So how on earth do you do this?
Tips to Remember When Writing an MBA Application Essay
Every application essay is going to be different, but here are some tips that apply to every essay though...
- Word limits should never be exceeded. Go over and it’ll look like you haven’t read or couldn’t be bothered to follow the instructions.
- The question should always be answered. Resist temptation to go off track and try and stay on topic.
- The question should always be answered. Resist temptation to go off track and try and stay on topic.
- The tone should be professional. No lols, omgs or generally overly friendly words.
- Always proof read, proof read again and then ask friends and family to proof read again for you. Just in case.
Examples of Effective MBA Application Essays
It’s always good to look at some examples of successful essays that landed that particular student a place on the course for inspiration and motivation (after all, if they did it, so can you).
Which is why the team at Voucherbin are listing examples, as part of ongoing research, of successful essays submitted to several business schools internationally. Here are just a few of them just for you...
http://www.mbaadmissiongurus.com/sample-essays
http://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/business_essay/
https://aringo.com/mba-essay-examples/
Reading through these essays should give you a good idea of the standard that business schools are looking for as well as showing you how to create an effective essay to accompany your application.
