MBA Essay Prompt Tracker, 2025-2026

Chicago Booth appreciates the individual experiences and perspectives that all of our students bring to our community. This respect for different viewpoints creates an open-minded environment that supports curiosity, inspires us to think more broadly, and take risks. At Booth, community is about collaborative thinking and learning from one another to better ourselves, our ideas, and the world around us.

The photos below represent some of the values described above that we uphold at Chicago Booth. Select one and share how it resonates with one of your own values.

Link to selection of photos

Share how the photo resonates with one of your own values. (Text box, 250 words minimum/no maximum)

What is your immediate post-MBA career goal? (Text box, 250 characters maximum)

Is there anything about your upbringing or family/household circumstances that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (Text box, no word limit)

How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (Text box, 250 words minimum/no maximum)

What is your long-term post-MBA career goal? (Text box, 250 characters maximum)

Upon reflection, how has your perspective regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Chicago Booth: Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

Please upload a 1-2 page professional resume. (Upload file)

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

How do you plan to spend the summer after the first year of the MBA? If in an internship, please include target industry(ies) and/or function(s). If you plan to work on your own venture, please indicate a focus of business. (Text box, 50 characters maximum)

Columbia: Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (Text box, 50 characters maximum)

Essay 2: Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long term post-MBA professional goals. (Upload file, 500 words maximum).

Please provide a current resume or CV. (Upload file, 1-2 pages)

What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (Text box, 50 characters maximum)

How have you enhanced your candidacy since your previous application? Please detail your progress since you last applied and reiterate how you plan to achieve your immediate and long term post-MBA professional goals. (Upload file, 500 words maximum).

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Essay 2: Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (Text box, 50 characters maximum)

Examples of possible responses:

• “Work in business development for a media company.”
• “Join a strategy consulting firm.”
• “Launch a data-management start-up.”

Please provide a current resume or CV of 1 to 2 pages. (Upload file, 1-2 pages)

Optional Essay: You may use this space to explain gaps in your resume, call attention to items needing clarification, or provide additional details about any aspects of your application that do not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson. (Text box, 350 words maximum)

The Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program is a two-year, full-tuition fellowship award for domestic Two-Year MBA candidates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership potential and who are committed to making an impact within their communities. Each year, fellowships are awarded to up to 25 incoming students with the expectation that they will participate in additional leadership and personal development activities outside of our regular curriculum, serve in leadership roles within the school, and complete a public service project by the time they graduate. The Park Fellowship is only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents applying for the Two-Year MBA program.

Candidates being considered for the Roy H. Park Leadership Fellowship will be notified after their admissions interview with an invitation to join us for one of our virtual Leadership Exploration and Assessment Day (L.E.A.D.) events. Candidates invited to attend a LEAD event will be required to submit a response to the Park Fellows Essay.

Park Leadership Fellows Program Essay Prompt (500 word limit):

Describe a past formal or informal leadership experience and how it informs your goals for growth as a leader. How would the Park Leadership Fellowship assist with these goals?

Choose from one of the following two essays:

• Impact Essay – At Cornell, our students and alumni share a desire to positively impact the organizations and communities they serve. How do you intend to make a meaningful impact on the Johnson community?
• The Unique Trait that Defines Me Essay – What is something unique about you that others will remember you by?

A statement of your goals will begin a conversation that will last throughout the admissions process and guide your steps during the MBA program and experience. To the best of your understanding today, please share your short and long term career and professional goals by completing the following sentences and answering the enclosed short answer question.

1. Immediately post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) ____(Role)____ at ____(Company)____ within ____(Industry)____ industry.
2. In 5-10 years post-MBA, my goal is to work as a(n) ____(Role)____ at ____(Company)____ within ____(Industry)____ industry.

REAPPLICANT ESSAY: Since you last applied, indicate how your application has been strengthened. You may also provide details about any aspect of your application that does not accurately reflect your potential for success at Johnson. (Text box, 350 words maximum)

Darden’s Career Center delivers personalized career searches, support, and resources to empower students in their goals to create value as transformational leaders. The team of dedicated, expert career coaches spans every major industry, function and geography and collectively represent over one hundred years of coaching experience. Coaches are prepared to support students wherever they are in their search, as career goals shift and evolve while pursuing an MBA. Through a wide variety of career-related programming, students gain the skills to convert personal purpose into professional success. This support continues after graduation with access to complimentary career support for life through Darden’s Alumni Career Services.

At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Darden community members love our city. Watch the video to learn why we love Charlottesville!

What are you excited to explore in Charlottesville? (Text box, 25 words maximum)

The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship provides all Darden students in our Full-Time MBA program with an opportunity to participate in a Darden Worldwide Course, exchange program with one of our partner schools, or global client project.

• Darden has an incredible network of alumni and partners around the world, and, in a typical year, the School connects with over 80 countries. What location would serve as an impactful catalyst to your development during your MBA program?(Text box, 5 words)
• And why? (Text box, 50 words maximum)

The Darden School of Business seeks to improve the world by developing and inspiring responsible global leaders. We believe all key stakeholders – students, faculty, staff, alumni – play a critical role in cultivating a learning environment and supportive community, and every action in service of this goal is important.

Please describe an example of building community within your personal or professional life. What impact did this have on you and those around you? How will this experience contribute to the way you will build community at Darden? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Additional Comments. If there is further information you believe would be helpful to the Admissions Committee, please provide it. (Text box, 250 words maximum)

What have you done to improve your candidacy since you last applied? (Text box, 100 words maximum)

As part of the admissions process, we consider the holistic context surrounding each applicant’s narrative and the impact of each person’s unique life experiences, identities and circumstances. Please use this optional section to add additional nuance to your narrative. (Check boxes or pick in drop down menus for the questions below)

• If you were raised in one of the following household types, please indicate:
• If you have you ever been responsible for providing significant and continuing financial or supervisory support for someone else, please indicate:
• Are you a first-generation college student? (A first generation college student is defined as an individual for whom neither parent or guardian completed a Bachelor’s degree or Bachelor’s degree equivalent).
• What were the primary languages spoken in the home in which you were raised?

Darden seeks to facilitate a welcoming application process. You may use this opportunity to expand, for example, on family, medical, financial or other circumstances that will help us understand your opportunities, achievement, resilience, and impact within context. (Text box, 150 words maximum)

At Darden, learning is personal. Students bring their whole self to the Darden classroom, and who you are, your interests, your passions, your curiosities, your thoughts, your ideas, all matter here. With the case method, students’ personal and professional experiences shape not only their learning but also the learning of their classmates. Darden’s collaborative approach creates space for students to share their expertise and insights but also their perspectives and points of view. We are a community of learners and aspiring professionals but also so much more

What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Dartmouth Tuck 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

The following short answer prompts are in the Application Specifics: Program Information section of the application:

• Share your short-term professional goals. (Text box, 300 characters maximum)
• Share your long-term professional goals. (Text box, 300 characters maximum)

How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally and how your understanding of Tuck has developed. (Text box, 2000 characters maximum)

Duke Fuqua 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Essay 1: The ‘Team Fuqua’ spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU – beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are.

Please do not copy the essay question in the document you upload with your application, and limit your response to 2 pages (750 words). Present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.

(Upload file, 2 pages or 750 words maximum)

Please provide a completed one-page resume including full-time employment, volunteer work, internships, part-time work experience, and education. For employment and volunteer positions, include the location, title, date, and responsibilities, starting with your most recent position. The education section should include dates of attendance and degrees received.

To upload your resume, choose your file and click the upload button. You will be able to preview your document once the upload has completed successfully. (Upload file, 1 page)

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only. (Upload file, 1 page or 500 words)

You are considered a reapplicant if you submitted an application to the same program in the last two application cycles (in 2023-2024 or 2024-2025).

It is not uncommon for it to take more than one try to achieve a goal. Please share with us the self-reflection process you underwent after last year’s application and how you have grown as a result. How did it shape your commitment to Fuqua and inspire your decision to reapply? (Upload file, 1 page or 500 words maximum)

In addition to the professional recommendation, if you have a Duke alum or current student who would like to submit an endorsement on your behalf, please share this endorsement form link with them so they may tell us why you would be an asset to our program. Include the email address you used to apply so we can more easily match their endorsement with your application. Our alumni know what it takes to be successful at Duke and we welcome alumni endorsements of your candidacy. Please note, endorsement forms are not required and only provide compelling support for a candidate when they are written by an alum or current student who knows you well.

Essay 2: Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? (Upload file, 1 page or 500 words)

What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan. (Text box, 100 words maximum)

Do you have other lived experiences that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee that may give us insight into your opportunities, challenges, and/or achievements? If so, please share 200 words or less explaining how those experiences might affect your contributions to Fuqua. (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Georgetown MBA Essay. Our goal at Georgetown McDonough is to craft a diverse class with people who have had varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select one essay (from a list of three) that allows them the ability to best highlight their experiences, characteristics, and values that showcase the value proposition that they can bring to the McDonough community.

Please select one of the following three essays to complete in 500 words or less (approximately two pages, double spaced). Please include the essay option prompt and your first/last name at the top of your essay.

• Essay Option 1 – Georgetown Community: Our mission is rooted in Jesuit principles of equality and respect for everyone and an ethos of caring for the whole person. Inclusivity and diversity are core to supporting a community of people with an intersectional understanding of themselves and the world around them. Share how your educational, familial, cultural, economic, social, and/or other individual life experiences will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.
• Essay Option 2 – Cura Personalis: As the oldest Jesuit institution in the United States, cura personalis is a Latin phrase deeply ingrained within our community and translates to “care of the person.” It encompasses a profound sense of care and responsibility for one another, rooted in personalized attention to each individual’s needs, unique circumstances, gifts, and limitations, fostering the growth of each person. Please reflect on a specific instance where you exemplified cura personalis by supporting a teammate or coworker. Describe the particular actions you took to guide them, and explain the impact of these efforts. Additionally, discuss how you would leverage these experiences to contribute to the collaborative environment at Georgetown McDonough.
• Essay Option 3 – Achieving Excellence: Georgetown McDonough is committed to achieving greater excellence to enrich the legacies of our students and alumni. Please reflect on a professional experience from your resume where you achieved outstanding results. Describe why this experience exemplified excellence, highlight the strengths or skills you utilized that contributed to this achievement, and share how these qualities will help you leave a legacy at Georgetown.

(Upload file, 500 words maximum)

You may use this essay to provide any additional information that you have not otherwise included in your application. You may address anything in your academic or professional background or anything you feel the admissions committee may need to know regarding your application. (upload file, 300-350 words – appx 1pg double spaced – or less.)

The following questions can be found in the Future Goals section of the McDonough application portal.

Please share your post-MBA goals with the Admissions Committee in a maximum of 3 sentences.

• What is your short-term career goal following graduation from an MBA program? Please share your preference on industry, function, and/or geographic area, if known. (Text box, 3 sentences maximum)
• What is your long-term career goal following graduation from an MBA program? Please share your preference on industry, function, and/or geographic area, if known. (Text box, 3 sentences maximum)

We believe a vibrant community is built on diverse and unique individuals, and we want you to bring your whole self to Georgetown McDonough. We’ve learned about your professional and leadership qualities throughout the application, but now we want to know more about you beyond work. Whether it’s a new hobby, a fun adventure, or a simple pleasure, in one minute, share what has recently brought you joy outside of work.

(Video file upload, one-minute limit)

This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate. (Text box, 300 words maximum)

List up to five significant community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Include the following information for each using the format below:

• Org name
• Role
• Organization Size
• Start Date/End Date
• Hours per Week
• Description of Participation (Text box, 500 words maximum)

Berkeley Haas 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (Impromptu video Essay, 2 minutes maximum)

Your video essay may be recorded on the next page. The video essay can be completed either before or after submitting the application. The latest deadline to record the video essay is 7 days after the round’s deadline. Video essays may not exceed 2 minutes. Applicants may record the video essay up to two times. However, if you choose to use the second attempt, the first recording will be deleted and cannot be submitted.

This section of the application requires a webcam and microphone. Please be sure you are in a quiet and well-lit environment before you begin. You are allowed 2 attempts to record your Video Essay, and your response can be no longer than 2 minutes.

1. Before recording, you will be prompted to test your audio-visual connection. Follow the steps on-screen and check the box to confirm your successful completion of the audio-visual test.
2. You will then be asked to confirm that you are ready to begin recording your Video Essay.
3. Once you click the “Ready” button, the Video Essay question will appear and you will have 20 seconds (on-screen countdown) before recording begins. Once you have finished responding, click the “Stop” button. Note that the recording will end automatically at 2 minutes – the maximum video length – if you do not click the “Stop” button.
4. You will have the opportunity to review your first attempt and choose to submit or discard your recording. If you discard this first recording, you will have a final attempt to re-record your response.
5. Once finished, you will be prompted to continue through the submission process.




Note: this is an impromptu video recorded through the Haas application portal and NOT a video to be recorded in advance.

What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals? (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations.

In addition to the work experience section, upload a one page resume in a standard business format. A second page may be used if you have extensive business or research experience. (Upload file)

At Berkeley Haas, we consider “distance traveled” as the contextual information that helps us understand the unique circumstances, challenges, or influences that have shaped your personal and professional journey.

We invite you to share aspects of your background, personal circumstances, or significant experiences that have meaningfully impacted who you are today and how you’ve reached this point. Please tell us how these experiences have influenced your perspectives, decisions, and aspirations, and how they contribute to the person you are becoming. (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Please share additional information here if you need to clarify any information provided in the other sections of your application. This is not meant to be used as an additional essay. Please limit your additional information to the space in this section.

We know you’ll be tempted, but please don’t send us any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios). To be fair to all applicants, extra materials won’t be considered. (Text box, 75 words maximum)

Please provide a current resume or CV. Ideally, this would be about 1-2 pages in length and include dates and locations of your employment. (Upload file, 1-2 pages)

HBS 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Briefly, tell us more about your career aspirations. (Text box, 500 characters maximum)

Please share additional information here if you need to clarify any information provided in the other sections of your application. This is not meant to be used as an additional essay. Please limit your additional information to the space in this section.

We know you’ll be tempted, but please don’t send us any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios). To be fair to all applicants, extra materials won’t be considered.. (Text box, 75 words maximum)

Please provide a current resume or CV. Ideally, this would be about 1-2 pages in length and include dates and locations of your employment. (Upload file, 1-2 pages)

HBS 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (Text box, 250 words maximum)

How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (Upload file, recommended length: 400 words)

Briefly, tell us more about your career aspirations. (Text box, 500 characters maximum)

Video Essay: You will be required to complete a Video Essay as part of the application. Once you submit the written application and pay the application fees, you will receive a Kira Video Essay link (within 24-hours) to be completed by the Application Round Deadline. The link will expire in 48-hours after receipt, hence to provide yourself with adequate time we recommend submitting the written section a few days ahead of the deadline. There will be three video essay questions that you will be required to complete. We will consider your application as complete and ready to be reviewed only once we have received your answers to the video questions. All instructions for this section will be shared with you along with the link.

Source here.

In the Finance section of the application fill in the following:

• Please specify how you plan to finance your MBA and cover living costs during the period: Savings (%); Loans (%); Other (%, please specify what it is). The total of these three items should be 100％. Example: Savings (30%) Loans (10%) Other (60%, partial sponsorship by my employer)
• Do you wish to apply for scholarships offered by IESE? (Yes/No)
• If Yes, Please select the 3 scholarships that best represent your candidacy:
• Why do you think you deserve a scholarship? (Text box, 450 words maximum)

Tell us what has changed since the last time you applied. (Text box, 200 words maximum)

What would you like to highlight about yourself or your journey which may have not been captured in your application? (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Career Goals Essay: What are your immediate career goals after graduation and your mid-term career goal 5-10 years after graduation? How will the IESE MBA program help you achieve them? (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Please upload your updated CV or resume. Include a description of your responsibilities, your career progress and achievements. Please limit your CV to 1 or 2 pages maximum, one page is preferable. It must be in English. (Upload file, 1-2 pages)

Describe a highly stressful situation you faced and how you managed it. What did this experience teach you about yourself and your interactions with others? (Text box, 400 words maximum).

As you begin reviewing prompts and preparing to write your application essays, you may want to revisit our INSEAD school profile page and related content:

• Program Overview
• Admissions Director Virginie Fougea on INSEAD’s MBA Application
• A Look Inside the INSEAD Admissions Decision Process
• INSEAD Dean Ilian Mihov on Sustainability and Future of the MBA
• Diversity in the INSEAD MBA Class Profile
• Who is INSEAD Admitting?
• INSEAD’s Campuses and the One Year MBA
• Employment Opportunities with an INSEAD MBA
• European Showdown: INSEAD vs. LBS

You can use this content to help finalize your brainstorming: What specific offerings (classes, professors, conferences, treks) does INSEAD have that you can touch on in your essays?

Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (Text box, maximum 300 words)

Provide a summary of your career since graduating from university, explaining the rationale behind your key decisions and career progression. Include a description of your current (or most recent) role, covering the scope of your work, major responsibilities, employees under your supervision, budget size, clients/products, and any notable results achieved. (Text box, 500 words maximum)

After submitting your online application, you will receive an email from Kira Talent with a unique link to complete a video and written assessment. You must complete this step within 48 hours of your application deadline.

You will be asked four video questions. For each, you will have 45 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to respond. The final question is written, with five minutes to submit your answer. The full assessment takes approximately 15–20 minutes.

Read more and see tips here on INSEAD’s blog.

Give a candid description of yourself as a person and a leader, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses you recognize in yourself. Explain how you are actively working on your development, sharing key experiences that have shaped you, providing specific examples where relevant. (Text box, 500 words maximum).

Describe your short and long-term career aspirations, including your target geography, industry, and function. How do you plan to bridge the gap between your current position and these goals, and how will INSEAD help you achieve them? (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Please list significant extracurricular/extra-professional activities in which you are/have been involved, starting with your most recent activities (i.e. sports, performing arts, associations, club memberships, hobbies, community activities, etc.) (Dropdown selections for: Activity, Duration (from and to), and Position/Level)

Describe the activities you listed above and explain how they have enriched your life (e.g., skills developed, personal growth, community impact). (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Video: Shortly after submitting this application form, you will receive a link to a video interview. This video component is required to start the evaluation of your application. Please submit the video interview at your earliest convenience and no later than 48 hours after the deadline to which you are applying. Once submitted, the video interviews cannot be modified. Therefore, please ensure that you carefully test your devices before starting the exercise.

We are keen on getting to know you better and believe that through a video you can come to life, so be spontaneous, be creative and be yourself!

We look forward to virtually meeting you.

Activities list: Please list significant extracurricular/extra-professional activities in which you are/have been involved, starting with your most recent activities (i.e. sports, performing arts, associations, club memberships, hobbies, community activities, etc.)(Dropdown selections for: Activity, Duration (from and to), and Position/Level)

Short-answer question: Describe the activities you listed above and explain how they have enriched your life (e.g., skills developed, personal growth, community impact). (text box, 300 words maximum)

Provide a summary of your career since graduating from university, explaining the rationale behind your key decisions and career progression. Include a description of your current (or most recent) role, covering the scope of your work, major responsibilities, employees under your supervision, budget size, clients/products, and any notable results achieved. (text box, 500 words maximum)

Describe your short and long-term career aspirations, including your target geography, industry, and function. How do you plan to bridge the gap between your current position and these goals, and how will INSEAD help you achieve them? (text box, 300 words maximum)

Describe a highly stressful situation you faced and how you managed it. What did this experience teach you about yourself and your interactions with others? (text box, 400 words maximum)

Is there anything else that was not covered in your application that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee? (text box, maximum 300 words)

Give a candid description of yourself as a person and a leader, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses you recognize in yourself. Explain how you are actively working on your development, sharing key experiences that have shaped you, providing specific examples where relevant. (text box, 500 words maximum)

Please explain any gaps in your CV. (Text box, 200 words limit)

What has been your most significant professional challenge? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Essay question 3. Provide an example of when someone else positively impacted your life. What did you learn from this experience? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Work experience. Primary responsibilities. Describe your primary job responsibilities;

1. type and size of internal and external teams with which you work or supervise
2. type and number of clients or projects you manage;
3. size of budget or revenue for which you are responsible;
4. international experience or exposure

(Text box, 250 words maximum)

Please provide details of your post-MBA career plans. The statement should not exceed 500 words and must address the following:

• What are your short and long-term career objectives? How will the Cambridge MBA equip you to achieve these?

• Looking at your short-term career goal, describe the research you have done to understand how this industry/role/location recruits MBA talent and what they are looking for in a candidate?

• How confident do you feel about meeting your short-term career goal? What skills/characteristics do you already have that will help you to achieve them, and what preparation are you doing now?

Career objectives (Text box, 500 words maximum)

Essay question 4. Additional question for re-applicants. Describe any relevant developments since you last applied to the Cambridge MBA? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Essay question 1. Tell us about a time when you made a professional mistake. How could it have ended differently? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Essay question 2. Tell us about the best team you worked with. What made the team successful? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

What has been your most significant professional achievement? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Previous roles/promotions at your current company – including dates. (Text box, 150 words maximum)

Northwestern Kellogg: Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

Essay 1. Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (Text box, 450 words maximum) *text box allows 480*

Essay 2. Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (Text box, 450 words maximum) *text box allows 480*

Please tell us about your career goals. You’ll also have the opportunity to expand on this in other parts of the evaluation process.

Industry desired after Kellogg (Dropdown menu)
Functional area desired after Kellogg (Dropdown menu)
1. Share with us the motivations behind your desired industry/function after graduating from Kellogg. (Text box, 500 characters maximum)
2. What does a successful career look like five years after you graduate from Kellogg? (Text box, 500 characters maximum)

Information via Kellogg’s Application Requirements page. See “Essays” > “Video Essays”

We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words.

The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.

Some things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

• Video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.
• A video essay link will appear on your Application Status Page after you submit your application and payment.
• You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam and microphone.
• The video should take about 20-25 minutes to complete, which includes time for setup.

Here are some additional tips:

• There are practice questions that you may complete as many times as you like to get comfortable with the format and technology. The practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay experience to help you prepare.
• We encourage you to practice so you are comfortable with the format once it is time to complete the official questions. You will not have an opportunity to re-do the answer to the official video essay questions.
• You will have a brief moment to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.

Please upload your resume. (Upload file)

Information via Kellogg’s Application Requirements page. See “Essays” > “Video Essays”

Video essays

We’ve read your essays, we’ve read your resume — now we want you to bring all that to life in a video. Show us the person behind all those carefully crafted words.

The video will be comprised of three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you here today.

Some things to keep in mind as you prepare to complete this section:

• Video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.
• A video essay link will appear on your Application Status Page after you submit your application and payment.
• You will need an internet-connected computer with a webcam and microphone.
• The video should take about 20-25 minutes to complete, which includes time for setup.

Here are some additional tips:

• There are practice questions that you may complete as many times as you like to get comfortable with the format and technology. The practice questions and experience will simulate the actual video essay experience to help you prepare.
• We encourage you to practice so you are comfortable with the format once it is time to complete the official questions. You will not have an opportunity to re-do the answer to the official video essay questions.
• You will have a brief moment to think about the question and up to one minute to give your response.

Essay 1. Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe a deferred enrollment program is the right fit for you. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here. (Text box, 450 words maximum) *text box allows 480*

Northwestern Kellogg: Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

Additional Information. We know that life is full of extenuating circumstances. Whether you want to explain gaps in work experience, your choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance or something else, you can use this section to briefly tell us anything we need to know about your application. (Text box, 280 words maximum)

1. Share with us the motivations behind your desired industry/function after graduating from Kellogg. (Text box, 500 characters maximum)
2. What does a successful career look like five years after you graduate from Kellogg? (Text box, 500 characters maximum)

Essay 2. Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional or extracurricular experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style. (Text box, 450 words maximum) *text box allows 480*

Connect the dots. How have the influences in your life shaped you? (Text box, 550 words maximum)

Describe your short term and long term academic and professional intentions. (Text box, 250 word limit)

Your one-page resume frames your intellectual, personal, and professional background and accomplishments. It is fine to include information that is duplicated in other sections of your application (e.g., Academics, Employment, Activities, Awards). Think of your resume as introducing the “headlines” of your experiences to date and providing context that helps us evaluate the rest of your application materials. Please see our website for more information about what should be included in your resume.

If you’ve worked for more than a decade, you may add a page to your resume for additional context and depth. Otherwise, please limit your resume to one page. Additionally, please do not include external links on your resume as we will not review materials external to your application.

(Upload file, 1 page)

One Last Thing.

While we believe that we get to know you well through your application, we recognize that no application can fully capture all elements of your life.

You may use the space below to share essential information not conveyed elsewhere in your application (e.g., a factor affecting your academic performance).

Do not include essays, additional recommendation letters, portfolios, etc.

(Text box, 750 characters maximum)

Please tell us when you:

• Engaged with someone with a different perspective
• Acted with courage
• Fell short of expectations

1. List any academic honours, award, or scholarships previously received. (Text box, no word limit)
2. Do you feel that your academic performance so far gives an accurate indication of your potential for success on the programme? If so, why? If not, why not? (Text box, no word limit)*
3. Have you ever received formal disciplinary action from an academic institution, been forced to withdraw from a course of study, or failed to graduate? If so, you must declare that information here. (Text box, no word limit)*

You must complete fields marked *

Essay Question 2: What makes you unique? (200 words maximum)

For Reapplicants only. How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please comment on how you have grown personally and preofessionally. (300 words maximum)

Essay Question 3: (Optional) Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (500 words maximum)

Current employment.

1. What’s your organisation’s main area of activity? (Text box, no word limit)
2. Tell us about your responsibilities. Describe your day-to-day role, details of any clients you work with/for, the level/title of the person you report to, the size of budget for which you are directly responsible and the number of people in your team. (Text box, 400 words max)
3. Reason for taking on this role (Text box, 255 characters maximum)
4. If you’ve now left this job, please tell us why (Text box, 255 characters maximum)
5. If you are currently not working, or if you plan to leave your current employer more than three months before the programme starts, please explain your activities between leaving your last role and the start of the programme.(Text box, 300 words maximum)
6. Is your employer willing to support you? In what way – time, tuition, or both? (Text box, no word limit)
   

Essay Question 1. What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500 words maximum)

Short Answer Prompt 1. Imagine yourself at the completion of your MBA journey. Why was pursuing your MBA at Texas McCombs the right decision for your personal and professional growth? Reflect on how you made the most of your time in the program—academically, through hands-on learning opportunities, and within the McCombs community. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

Short Answer Prompt 2. Reflect on a core value that defines you. Share a specific example of how it has guided your decisions and actions, and explain how it will shape your contributions and growth as a McCombs MBA student. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

All applicants will be required to complete the Video Assessment shortly after submitting an application. Applicants have 7 days to complete the assessment upon receiving access to the video submission platform.

There will be 5 question prompts and applicants will have 1-3 minutes to answer each prompt.

Read more here.

Optional Statement. Please explain any gaps in work experience, choice of recommender, and/or academic performance issues that may help the admission committee in reviewing your application. (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

The following prompts can be found in the Employment History section of the McCombs application portal:

• Self-Characterization: Choose one… Career Enhancer, Career Entrepreneur, Career Explorer, Career Switcher
• Short-term: Immediately after graduation, what are your short-term career goals? (Text box, 140 characters maximum)
• Long-term: Ten years and beyond graduation, what are your long-term career goals? (Text box, 140 characters maximum)

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and can be addressed to:

Admissions Committee

50 Memorial Drive

Cambridge, MA 02142

(Upload file, 300 words maximum)

The World That Shaped You: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity to share more about your background.

Please do not include any links in your response. (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Note: This video question needs to be recorded in the MIT Sloan application portal, you will need to use a computer with a webcam and a browser that supports media recording (Chrome and Firefox).

• Please make sure you are using a working internet connection not wireless or shared wireless connection. If your internet is not a strong signal you will not be able to upload. Please also make sure you have the most up-to-date browser.
• This question is designed to capture your authentic response. It is strongly advised that you are NOT reading your response.
• You will need to use an internet-connected computer with a webcam and microphone.
• We suggest using Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser.
• If using Google Chrome – please click the camera icon in your browser to allow the site to access your microphone. If you are having issues with your microphone, please re-start your computer for Google Chrome to access your microphone.
• Once the video statement question is viewed you will have 10 seconds to prepare, and then 60 seconds to record your answer

(Record in application portal, 10 seconds to prepare for a 60 second video)

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face to your name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, and be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length
• Single take (no editing)
• Speak directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only.

(Upload file, 1 minute video)

MIT Sloan Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

Please let us know what has changed since you last applied. (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Our goal is to learn about you and your professional background. Your current employer’s organizational chart will help us better understand the role you play within your organization, who you report to, who reports to you and the impact you might have on your department or company.

Some important details:

• Please provide as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.), but you may redact names if necessary.
• Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.
• Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
• If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
• Review our sample organization chart here.

Special Considerations:

• If you are a consultant, we prefer that you submit a chart displaying the structure of a recent project you were staffed on rather than the overall consulting firm. Highlight the role you played on that team. 
• If you are an entrepreneur, place yourself at the center of the chart, then make branches representing the various constituents and stakeholders you interact with (for example, clients, suppliers, investors, and board of directors).
• Military applicants who have held a full-time post graduate civilian job, may submit two organizational charts, one outlining their most recent civilian role and one representing the position they most recently held while serving in the military.

Please submit a one-page resume. This will help us easily track your academic and career paths. Try to focus on your work results, not just your title or job description.

Provide the following information in reverse chronological order:

(Upload file, one page)

We want to make sure we give you the best chance to show us your strengths. If we still have questions after reading your application, we might reach out to your additional references. Similar to your recommender, these additional reference contacts should be able to speak to your professional and/or academic background.

Some important details:

• All MBA applicants must provide contact information for two additional references.
• References should be different from your recommender.
• Please enter the names and contact information (phone and email) for each additional reference as well as where they work and their relationship to you.
• We do not accept references from family members.
• If the Admissions Committee would like to speak with one of your references, we will contact them directly to arrange a convenient time to connect.

Text boxes to fill in:

• Prefix
• First Name
• Last Name
• Organization
• Position/Title
• Relationship
• Telephone
• Email
• Is this reference proficient with speaking English? Y/N

Part 2: Making an impact.

• What makes you unique?
• Can you provide a specific example of how you’ve overcome a personal challenge?
• What makes you excited to get up each morning?
• Describe a time when you made a difference in your community or with an individual.

Please upload a one-page resume that highlights your education, academic experience and honors received, professional accomplishments, and organizational affiliations. You may also want to list extra-curricular activities, specific skills, and personal interests. Including both month and year is recommended when listing employment. (Upload file, 1 page)

Part 1: Career Aspirations

What is your short-term career goal, and how will Ross’ philosophy in Action-Based Learning help you achieve it? Please be specific. Please answer both parts of this question. (Upload file, 300 words maximum)

As a reapplicant from last year’s application cycle, you are required to provide an additional essay with updates since last year’s application. You are not required to submit the other essays unless you choose to do so.

Post-MBA Plans – Option 1 “Employment”.

i.e. working as an employee of a company or partnership, for which you will be paid a salary and other benefits, but in which you would not hold any significant shareholding. This could include returning to your current employer.

• Describe below your immediate plan after graduating from the MBA: (Text box, 1250 characters)
• How does your preferred sector in your preferred location recruit MBA talent and what do they look for in a candidate? Describe the research you have done so far. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• Reflecting on your answers above, how do you meet these requirements and what obstacles stand as barriers? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximise your chances of success? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• Should you not be successful in securing your first choice of role, what is your alternative? (Text box, 1250 characters)

You will need to complete three questions via our online assessment platform.

To virtually meet you, get a sense of your personality and see how you think on your feet, you will need to complete an online assessment as part of your application. You will be asked to answer three competency-based questions – this will be randomised.

The competency-based question lets you demonstrate certain leadership the skills and qualities we look for, such as integrity, vision, self-awareness, decisiveness and collaboration.

Once you have submitted your application for either the Oxford MBA or Oxford 1+1 MBA you will see a link in your application status portal. This will enable you to register with Kira Talent, our online assessment platform, and complete your assessment. This link will appear up to 24 hours after you have uploaded your CV and added the details of your two referees. We therefore strongly encourage you to leave yourself enough time to practice and complete the online assessment by the deadline in which you are applying.

You will be provided with preparation time and practice sessions before going live with your real responses. The whole online assessment should only take up to 30 minutes for you to complete. All you need is a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning webcam, microphone and internet connection.

Post-MBA Plans – Option 2 “Entrepreneurship”.

• Describe your business idea including details of your business plan and the steps you have taken so far to develop or launch your business idea.
(Text box, 1250 characters)
• How will the MBA help you start, or further develop, your own business? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximise your chances of success? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• Should you not be successful in developing or launching your own business, what is your alternative? (Text box, 1250 characters)

Post-MBA Plans – Option 5 “Other”.

• Describe your plan after graduating from the MBA. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• How does the MBA fit in your plans and how will it enhance your short-term direction? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• How will you develop your career goals before starting your MBA? (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What research have you already conducted? What further research will you do?(Text box, 1250 characters)
• How will the MBA help equip you for the future? (Text box, 1250 characters)

You should have at least two years of previous full-time work experience, detailed on a 1 page CV. Please use the following template as a guideline to provide a comprehensive 1 page CV. (Upload file, 1 page)

Post-MBA Plans – Option 3 “Family Business”.

• Describe the scale and scope of your family business. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What role do you currently play in the business. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• Describe the main differences between the role that you hold now and the role that you’ll be occupying once you return. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What are your immediate future plans for developing the family business? Describe how the MBA will help you achieve them. (Text box, 1250 characters)
• What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximise your chances of success. (Text box, 1250 characters)

Employment History. If you are in full-time employment, define your current role.

Please list your main responsibilities, your most significant challenges and greatest achievement. (Text box, 5000 characters maximum)

Re-applicants only: What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA programme? (Upload file, 250 words maximum)

Post-MBA Plans – Option 4 “Returning to current employer”.

Describe the role you will be returning to and provide any other pertinent information. (Text box, 1250 characters)

Define your current role. Please list your main responsibilities, your most significant challenges and greatest achievement. (Text box, 1250 characters maximum)

Please provide an up-to-date copy of your CV. You may find this optional CV template useful to help you set out the relevant information. (Upload file, no word limit)

Please provide information regarding any relevant professional qualifications that you hold including the professional firm or educational institution attended, qualification, subject, year achieved and result. (Text box, 500 characters maximum)

AND

Please upload any certificates relevant to your professional qualifications. (Upload file, no word limit)

Essay 2. If we asked your closest associates to describe you, what would they say? Which adjectives would they use and why? What would they say are your strengths and weaknesses? (Upload file, 500 words suggested)

As part of your application, you must submit a video essay that complements your written essay 3. Before recording your video essay you will need to submit the following essay on the Essays page:

Essay 3: Describe an aspect of your organisation which could be viewed as ‘problematic’. Briefly outline three different action plans which could be implemented to deal with the issues involved, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each. * Suggested 2,000 words

In your video essay you will present and pitch for up to two minutes on the three action plans you have outlined and explain which action plan is the best solution for the problem you have addressed, as though you are presenting this to senior leaders within the organisation.

To submit the video essay follow these steps:

1) Write essay three and upload to the Essays page. The essay question is:

Essay 3: Describe an aspect of your organisation which could be viewed as ‘problematic’. Briefly outline three different action plans which could be implemented to deal with the issues involved, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each. * Suggested 2,000 words

2) Select below to begin your video recording. You will first be required to test your camera and microphone to confirm both are working. Once you confirm you will have 20 seconds preparation time before recording your video essay.

3) Once you start recording your pitch you will have up to two minutes to describe the issue, present the three action plans and conclude which action plan is the most effective solution.

(Live recording in the application portal)

Describe an aspect of your organisation which could be viewed as ‘problematic’. Briefly outline three different action plans which could be implemented to deal with the issues involved, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of each. (Upload file, 2000 words suggested)

Essay 1. Please outline your career objectives and explain how the Executive MBA would help you achieve them. (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Explain the most significant goals you think you have achieved so far and the reasons for their importance in your personal growth. (Text box, 280 words)

Resume (Upload file)

Where do you wish to pursue your profession after receiving the MBA?

Where? (Choose one: “Italy”, “My home country” or “Abroad”)

Why? (Text box, 280 words maximum)

How do you expect to finance your Program studies? (Text box, 280 words maximum)

Please describe your current or last work experience. Please only include your main occupation (i.e. no advisory or investor roles). If you haven’t had any job experience, please contact us.

What other possibilities have you seriously considered, apart from the Program, for reaching your goals of personal and professional growth? (Text box, 280 words maximum)

The pre-interview video integrates your written application form, providing us a better understanding of your profile. You will be asked to answer a series of questions while recording a video of yourself; the on-line platform will guide you through the easy steps.

The link to the platform will be available online with the application form. The pre-interview video is a preliminary requirement that precedes the admission interview. You should upload it during the application process and in any case no later than one week after submitting the online application.

https://admissions-help-files.unibocconi.it/eng_20…

Describe your strong points, personal and professional, explaining why you see them as such. (Text box, 280 words maximum)

Think about a time in the last five years when you’ve created a significant positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, civic, or academic settings. What was the situation, what did you do, and what was the impact? (Text box, 1200 characters maximum) (Please note: you can enter 3 separate examples, 3 x 1200 characters)

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?

For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives? (Text box, 650 words maximum)

Stanford GSB 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Post-GSB Aspirations. Briefly share your short- and long-term professional aspirations after graduating from Stanford GSB. (Text box, 100 characters maximum)

Additional Context. We know that each person is more than a list of facts or predefined categories. With this space, we provide you with an optional opportunity to elaborate on how your background or life experiences have helped shape your recent actions or choices. (Text box, 800 characters maximum)

Additional Information. We are deliberate in the questions we ask. We believe that we get to know you well through all of the elements of your application. Complete this section only if you have critical information you could not convey elsewhere on your application (e.g., extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance). This section should not be used as an additional essay. (Text box, 1200 characters maximum)

Essay B: Why Stanford?

Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Text box, 350 words maximum)

Essay B: Why Stanford?

Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. (Text box, 350 words maximum)

If you have completed or are in the process of completing any additional coursework not shown on your transcripts (e.g., professional certifications, MBA prep classes, English enrichment classes, etc.), provide relevant information here. (text box, 320 characters remaining)

Stanford GSB 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Briefly share your short- and long-term professional aspirations after graduating from Stanford GSB. (text box, 100 characters maximum)

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?

For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives? (Text box, 650 words maximum)

What are your plans between graduation and enrollment at Stanford GSB? (text box, 255 characters)

Introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. The Pick Six is a way to share more about the qualities you will bring to the Stern community, beyond your professional and academic achievements. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements:

• A brief introduction or overview of your “Pick Six” (no more than 3 sentences).
• Six images that help illustrate your interests, values, motivations, perspective and/or personality.
• A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you.

Provide a current resume, including professional and educational information.

Change: Dare It. Dream It. Drive It. In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? Examples:

• Change: Dare it.
• Change: Dream it.
• Change: Drive it.
• Change: Empower it.
• Change: Manifest it.
• Change: [Any word of your choice.]

(Upload file, 350 words maximum)

Additional Information (optional)

If you are a reapplicant, please utilize this optional essay to highlight any changes since your last application.

(Upload file, 500 words maximum)

What are your short-term career goals? (Upload file, 150 words maximum)

NYU Stern 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee and/or give context to your application. This may include important aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, including but not limited to: hardships you have encountered, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake a standardized test or English proficiency test, or any other relevant information.

If you are a reapplicant, please utilize this optional essay to highlight any changes since your last application.

(Upload file, 500 words maximum)

If you wish to provide additional information about academic or personal circumstances not included in your Optional Essay or elsewhere in this application, please do so here. (Text box, 1000 characters maximum)

Describe your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals. (Text box, 150 words maximum)

Why is the MBA the right degree for you to pursue both personally and professionally? (Text box, 150 words maximum)

Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Essay Section:

If you are reapplying, please answer the essay questions below and update the reapplicant fields in the Program section of the application with any new test scores, career progress, or other significant changes since your previous application. Reapplicants are those who have applied within the last two admissions cycles; if your last application was three or more years ago, you will be considered a new applicant.

—

Program Section:

• Are you a reapplicant? (Please select Yes if you applied to the same program in the last two years.) (Yes/No)

As a reapplicant, please update the fields below with any new test scores, career progress, or other significant changes since your previous application. Please note that you are also required to fill out the three short answer prompts on the Essays page; these prompts may have changed since the last time you applied.

Please indicate the areas in which you have updates to share with the Admissions Committee about changes since you last applied, and provide details in the corresponding text boxes.

• New Test Score: Please add your new score(s) on the Test Scores page, and provide any comments here if needed. (1000 characters maximum)
• Employment: e.g., new employer, role, projects, responsibilities, promotions, raise, etc. (1000 characters maximum)
• Academics: e.g., new courses, grades, completed degrees, etc. (1000 characters maximum)
• Activities: e.g., new extracurricular activities, roles, responsibilities, accomplishments, leadership, etc. (1000 characters maximum)
• Other: (1000 characters maximum)

UCLA Anderson 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

What makes UCLA Anderson a top choice for you, and how will you engage with and contribute to the community? (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Essay #2 (Optional for New Applicants) – Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your candidacy for the MBA program. (Reapplicants should provide any profile updates since your previous application.) (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Essay #1 (Required) – What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from USC Marshall help you achieve those goals? Short-term career goals should be those you want to achieve within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term career goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations. (Upload file, 400 words maximum)

Essay #2 (Required for Reapplicants) – Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your candidacy for the MBA program. Reapplicants should provide any profile updates since your previous application. (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Foster Mission Statement. TOGETHER – WE FOSTER LEADERS, WE FOSTER INSIGHTS, WE FOSTER PROGRESS – TO BETTER HUMANITY. This is the Foster School’s mission statement, and it serves as the north star for how we do business here. Please select one part of our mission statement and describe how it resonates with you in your personal or professional life. (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Tell us your ideas about what lies ahead for you in your career. What are the gaps or deficiencies currently preventing you from pursuing these potential career paths? How do you plan to use your time in the Foster Full-time MBA Program to fill these gaps and advance your career? (Upload file, 750 words maximum)

Please share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements, etc.). (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Essay: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to add meaningful value to the Wharton community? (Text box, 350 words maximum)

Wharton Short Answer Questions 2025-2026

Supplemental: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application. This space should be used to clarify information provided in the application or address extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps or inconsistent performance in academic career, choice of recommenders, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. Please note that this section is not intended to be an additional essay. (Text box, 500 words maximum)

Short Answer 1: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (Text box, 50 words maximum)

Short Answer 2: What are your career goals for the first three to five years after completing your MBA, and how will those build towards your long-term professional goals? (Text box, 150 words maximum)

You should upload a current, one-page resume that highlights your functional job skills, breadth and depth of experience, leadership and management skills, and your potential for growth. (Upload file, 1 page)

You should upload a current 1-2 page, resume that highlights your functional job skills, breadth and depth of experience, leadership and management skills, and your potential for growth.

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application. This space should be used to clarify information provided in the application or address extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps or inconsistent performance in academic career, choice of recommender, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. Please note that this section is not intended to be an additional essay. (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Essay 1: What is your career objective and how will the Wharton MBA Program for Executives contribute to your attainment of this objective? (Upload file, 500 words maximum)

What have you been doing since you previously applied for admission and what impact have your activities had on the clarification of your goals? Include any steps you have taken to enhance your preparation for admission to Wharton. (Upload file, 300 words maximum)

Please indicate in brief the nature of your experience in the following categories, e.g. Colombia (study abroad, summer 2019); Ethiopia (UN Economic Commission, summer internship 2018), etc.

• A. Countries in which you have lived for 3 or more months.
• B. Countries in which you have worked for 3 or more months.

Imagine you’re in a classroom and a fellow student makes a statement you find offensive or problematic. How would you respond? You may use a real experience you’ve had or outline how you’d approach the situation. What principles would guide you, and what would you hope the outcome would be? (Text box, 200 words)

Discuss why you are applying to the Lauder Institute, detailing specific reasons, experiences, and background for choosing your Program of Concentration, as well as your interest in further study in that Program. Applicants to Programs of Concentration involving language study (Africa-French; East and Southeast Asia; Europe; Latin America; South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) should also discuss what they hope to gain from advanced language and cultural education, as well as describe how they have learned the language they will study (e.g. undergraduate courses, undergraduate major, etc.). Finally, please describe how you see yourself benefiting from, and contributing to, the Lauder community. (Text box, 500 words)

Please share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, extracurricular/volunteer engagements, etc.). (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application. This space should be used to clarify information provided in the application or address extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps or inconsistent performance in academic career, choice of recommenders, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. Please note that this section is not intended to be an additional essay. (Text box, 500 words maximum)

Short Answer 1: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (Text box, 50 words maximum)

Short Answer 2: What are your career goals for the first three to five years after completing your MBA, and how will those build towards your long-term professional goals? (Text box, 150 words maximum)

Essay: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to add meaningful value to the Wharton community? (Text box, 350 words maximum)

Yale SOM is committed to continuous innovation in the ways we identify future members of our community. The Behavioral Assessment might be the most unique of these innovations.

The Behavioral Assessment is an online exercise administered by ETS, the testing service behind the GRE. But unlike the GMAT and the GRE, which are tests of certain cognitive abilities, the Behavioral Assessment is a non-cognitive instrument that measures a set of inter- and intrapersonal competencies that are associated with academic success in business school. We look at it alongside, and sometimes as a counterpoint to, traditional academic metrics. And much like any other piece of the application, the Behavioral Assessment will never be the deciding factor for admission but will instead be used in combination with the rest of a candidate’s profile.

The exercise itself should take about 25 minutes to complete. You will receive 130 pairs of statements, one pair at a time, from which you’re asked to select the statement that best aligns with your own behaviors. The assessment is adaptive, so no two candidates will receive the exact same set of statements. No preparation is necessary to take the assessment, and no special knowledge is required.

Know that our use of this assessment is meant to be additive–it’s geared towards allowing the Admissions Committee to take more chances on candidates whose traditional metrics may not be the best predictors of success. To truly fulfill Yale SOM’s mission of educating leaders for business and society, we need a community of students whose backgrounds, experiences, and interests are diverse and expansive. If we limit ourselves only to applicants who perform best on traditional academic measures like the GMAT, the GRE, or undergraduate GPA, we may miss out on candidates with extraordinary professional experience or personal backgrounds that would add vital perspectives to the classroom. At the same time, it’s our responsibility to ensure we bring students into the program who will succeed in the classroom—we don’t want to set up students for failure. The Behavioral Assessment gives us an additional piece of information to use in assessing who will perform effectively in the curriculum, specifically by helping us predict who will perform better than their academic history would suggest.

Have you had any post-undergraduate employment gaps in full-time employment of greater than three months (other than for graduate study), or are you currently unemployed?

If yes, please use the space below to provide more information. (Text box, 250 words maximum)

List any undergraduate activities. (Text boxes and dropdown menus)

Supplemental Detail. If you would like to elaborate on any of your responses within this section, or any other aspect of your background, we encourage you to do so here. (Text box, 250 words maximum)

Please respond to one (1) of the three essay prompts below. The word limit (though not necessarily the goal!) is 500 words.

1) Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?

2) Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?

3) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?

(Upload file, 500 words maximum)

Please upload a copy of your current resume. You may use any resume format of your choosing. If you are looking for a place to start, we offer this version of the official Yale SOM resume template, which all students use once they begin the program. We strongly recommend that you limit your resume to one page.

This resume should reflect your academic and professional background and achievements, as well as activities and interests, and should highlight any leadership and team roles you have undertaken. (Upload file, 1 page)

Briefly describe your career interests and how you arrived at them. What have you already done to pursue these interests? What do you need to do going forward? (Text box, 200 words maximum)

Like the Behavioral Assessment, you’ll complete the video questions after you submit your application and pay the application fee. The video questions are not a substitute for the interview. Instead, they provide a unique way for us to assess your communication and English language skills, and enable us to create a more dynamic, multi-dimensional portrait of your candidacy.

To complete the video questions, you will receive a set of two previously recorded questions asked by admissions team members. The questions are similar to typical interview questions. There are no “trick questions;” we’re not trying to stump you. For each question, you will have 60 seconds to deliver your response. The responses do not require any specific knowledge or preparation beyond the practice tool you can use before answering the questions, and your responses will be used with a “light touch,” as we say–they won’t make or break your application.

To prepare for the video questions, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the 60-second time frame for delivering your response. You don’t want to feel rushed, and you don’t want to run out of time getting to the heart of your answer. Also, be sure you have a good internet connection and are in a quiet, private space. While it is fun for the Admissions Committee when the unexpected colleague, partner, or pet joins your session, you will undoubtedly feel better about the exercise if you eliminate any potential for surprises!

If you require accessibility accommodations, please contact [email protected].

https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions/application-information/application-guide

Yale SOM 2025-2026 Short Answer Questions

Short essay 3: Tell us a story about a defining moment in your life and how that has shaped who you are today. (Text box, 300 words maximum)

The mission of SOM is to educate leaders for business and society. Yale EMBA students are experienced leaders who seek to have a broad impact on the world around them and are determined to expand their leadership and their legacy.

To give us a better sense of your candidacy, we will ask you several questions that require short verbal responses. These questions are for you to tell us more about your background, your experiences, and yourself in your own voice. There are no wrong answers.

The system allows for unlimited practice sessions but once you start the formal interview questions it is intended to be completed in one sitting. We do not expect extensive preparation or special knowledge to answer these questions. For your responses, you are not required to use the entire time and can stop the recording when finished by clicking on the “stop” button on your screen.

Please note that imperfectly worded but genuinely delivered responses won’t harm your candidacy. It gives the admissions committee a more multi-dimensional view of the individual that we hope to welcome into our community. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your video question responses, please reach out to us at [email protected].

If you select yes below, you will receive an email within 24 hours with a link to the video questions. You can complete them at any time prior to the application deadline for the round to which you are applying. If you have not received the email within 24 hours, please make sure to check your spam folder and let us know if you are unable to locate it. Once you complete the video questions, it may take a few hours for your checklist to reflect their submission.

Will you complete the optional video questions?

• Yes
• No

Short essay 1: Imagine that you have just completed your EMBA program. Write a letter to yourself reflecting on your experience and the legacy you hope to leave behind. (Text box, 300 words maximum)

Optional Information: If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation (unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, promotions or recognitions, etc.), please provide a brief description here. Please note that this section is truly optional – if no aspect of your application requires further explanation, you do not need to include an essay. (Text box, 200 words maximum)