Michigan Ross’s essay topics remain unchanged this year. The school again requires applicants to complete the standard “career goals,” “significant accomplishment” and “challenging time” essays, as well as the slight off-the-beaten-path essay asking candidates to describe the profession they would pursue were they not striving to receive an MBA. Here are some tips to consider when tackling each of these topics.
Essay 1: Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice for you at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross?
This is a variation of the typical Career Goals Essay. For Ross’s essay of only 500 words, applicants are not explicitly asked to describe their careers to date. Instead, applicants might consider ways in which their work histories have led them towards pursuing an MBA at this time. In the 2006-2007 application season, the wording of this essay question gave applicants a helpful clue about how Ross’s adcom characterizes its school’s program. Though this hint does not appear in this year’s question, “action-based learning” remains a distinguishing element of the Ross education. This essay provides a great chance for applicants to demonstrate their understanding of this school’s unique approach, and doing so effectively will make a positive impact on the adcom. In specifically asking “What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross,” the essay also invites applicants to highlight any notable business relationships they may have. This is a good opportunity for candidates to illustrate their interpersonal skills and capabilities as both a leader and a team member.
As is the case with most schools, demonstrating an understanding of the unique merits of Michigan’s program is crucial to an effective response to this question. Taking the time to learn about this school’s curriculum, special programs and extracurricular activities—whether through a visit to campus, conversation with alumni —will pay dividends here.
Essay 2: Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization.
Applicants debating how to answer this question should think about several key elements of their professional accomplishments, identifying which of the projects demonstrate the most impressive aspects. Essay writers might examine the scope of their leadership responsibilities, the degree of innovation they brought to the project, the knack for strategic analysis that they demonstrated or the revenue they generated for an organization, to name a few. In addition, one should evaluate how relevant the accomplishment was to his or her current work and future goals. Remember that specific anecdotes will make a stronger impression on the reader than generalizations, and that an account of the steps you took which led to your accomplishment is just as interesting as the results.
Essay 3: If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (for example, teacher, musical, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multi-disciplinary problems?
One could approach this question from two different angels. An applicant might describe an alternative career that is closely related to the one he or she identified in Essay 1, but devoting this essay to more of a “fantasy” career is another great option. While some applicants may be in a position to debate two very similar career paths in an interesting way (while still coming across as fully committed to the goals put forth in Essay 1), for most applicants the second of these two options will be the more effective approach.
Taking the first cue from the examples Ross provides in the parentheses, it seems as though the admissions committee is interested in applicants’ passions, whether they are creative, idealistic, etc. Following this line of reasoning, this is a great opportunity for applicants to discuss their extracurricular activities while still communicating their professional strengths. An investment banker who signs in a choir might make a great band manager in another life; an IT consultant who dreams of opening her own restaurant could let the adcom that she founded a culinary club as an undergraduate and plans to do the same at Ross.
Essay 4: Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it.
Applicants can answer this question with a story about a challenging episode in either their personal or professional lives. The choice between these two options depends largely on Essay 3; if that essay focuses on a personal interest, Essay 4 could round out the application by delving into a professional experience, and vice versa.
Whether the story is personal or professional, the major themes of growth and learning remain the same. After describing the initial challenge in detail, the applicant should comment on both his or her thoughts and actions in response. It’s very important to present both one’s internal and external reactions in creating a full picture for the adcom. This could be a story about recognizing a professional opportunity and struggling to bring others on board, or the challenge of leading a dissonant team. For those who are more inclined to tell a personal story, remember that no matter what the topic, the goal is to demonstrate one’s maturity and sincere interest in improvement.
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