Wharton MBA Essay Questions for Class of 2014

In this post, I analyze the essay questions for Wharton for Fall 2012 admission. You can find testimonials from my clients admitted to Wharton in 2009, 2010, and 2011 here. My preparation guide to Wharton interviews is here.

NOT SUCH A GOOD SET OF ESSAYS TO START WITH

If you ask generic questions, you get generic answers.   A few years ago, Wharton’s essays had always been one of the easiest for my clients to handle.  In fact, my advice, both in this blog and to my clients, had been to start with Wharton, Kellogg, or Tuck, but not anymore in regards to Wharton.  Unless you are only applying to Chicago and Wharton, I would never start with Wharton because (1) You will have more word count for your goals for almost any other top MBA program and (2) it is advantageous to have a portfolio of content prior to selecting which of the two out of the three optional questions to write. 

In the preface to the Class of 2014 Essay Questions, the following is stated:

The Admissions Committee is interested in getting to know you on both a professional and personal level. We encourage you to be introspective, candid, and succinct. Most importantly, we suggest you be yourself.

This statement is really important because it provides some guidance as to what Wharton wants:

1.  Provide both personal and professional content.

2.  Be personal and analytical, not merely descriptive.

3.  Make sure you are stating things as briefly and effectively as possible.  Don't waste your words.  Use them carefully. Keep your essays within the word count.  That is what "succinct" means! 

THE ELEVATOR PITCH

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

You might think that 300 words is not enough to convey your professional objectives, but if you think that you don’t have to explain why you need an MBA in detail, it is not actually bad length.

If Columbia Essay 1 is an “Extended elevator pitch,” Wharton’s Required Question is an elevator pitch.  I suggest you read my analysis of CBS 1 now.  After you are finished, read the rest of this post.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY IN 300 WORDS?

1.     What do you imagine your professional future will look like?  You need to give Wharton admissions a very clear image of your future.  You may or may not include a chronological framework (Short, medium, and long term), but if you don’t, you better make sure that you are still presenting something that effectively combines both ambition and realism.  A purely abstract dream or visionary statement could easily come across as unrealistic or ungrounded if not handled carefully.  However you write this, have a strong first sentence that immediately answers the question.  For most applicants this probably means either stating your ultimate professional objective or a statement related to your professional vision.

2.     What motivates your professional objectives?  That is to say, why are these your objectives? While the question does not say “What are your professional objectives and why are they your objectives,” if you are going to be “introspective, candid” and “yourself,” as per Wharton’s overall instructions, you had better also explain “why.” Clearly a drawn-out explanation based on a detailed examination of your past experience cannot be conveyed here, so provide a clear analytical answer as why your goals are what they are.

3. Should you mention Wharton or why you need an MBA? Yes, if it helps to explain your professional objectives, but I would certainly keep such “Why MBA?” and “Why Wharton MBA?”  statements to mere logical argument and not focus on the details. Unless it is intuitively obvious why you need an MBA, it may very well make sense to briefly explain why in this essay.  For example, if you are already well on your way along a certain professional path and wish to stay on that path, it does make sense to explain why an MBA is necessary at this point in your career.  If you are changing careers, you might want to briefly mention that you view an MBA as necessary to make this change effectively. Of course a simple analytical explanation is all that I am talking about, not a full elaboration of all the possible benefits of an MBA in general or a Wharton MBA in particular. If you can work something Wharton specific into this essay, great, but don't be surprised if it is rather limited.

Respond to 2 of the following 3 questions:
Wharton is giving you the opportunity to write on two out of three options here. I think all three of these questions are equally difficult, so other than saying something obvious like the importance of using your best stories, I don't have any general advice on which of the two applicants in general should select. That said, if you have entrepreneurial goals, I would suggest selecting Option 3 (For some brief comments on entrepreneurship at Wharton, see here).  Otherwise, it is totally case by case.  One of the best reasons for waiting on writing Wharton is that it is really nice to work on these essays after you have a portfolio content to select form.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS...

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

WARNING: DON'T QUOTE FROM ROBERT FROST'S THE ROAD NOT TAKEN. 
HERE IS THE POEM SO YOU CAN GET THIS POETIC CLICHE OUT OF THE WAY NOW:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;         5 Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,         10 And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.         15 I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.         20

This must be the single most quoted poem in MBA essays. Don't use it.  Don't use any poems, unless you write it.  I have nothing against poetry. I like Robert Frost and even the sentiment expressed in this poem. You might be wondering why I am starting this, especially because the question is focused on an opportunity that you did take. The reason is very simple, if you did not take one opportunity, you had to have taken another. To connect to Frost, you either choose one road or you choose another.


This is really a great question because it can be used in so many ways.
Opportunities take many forms, so to help you focus your thinking about this one:


1. Think about a situation were you really did have a viable opportunity and choose not to take it.  I stress the word "viable." If the opportunity you turned down was not really viable, it will make for an effective topic.
2. Think about why choose not to take this opportunity. You must be able to explain your reasoning very clearly. I would say that a least a third of the essay should focus on explaining your reasoning at the time.
3.  Think about whether you made the right decision.  The interesting thing about this question is that you may or may not have made the right decision. If you think you made the right decision, explain why.  If you think your decision was both right and wrong, be careful because you may find it difficult to provide an effective response in the space provided.


This topic lends itself well to employment, academic, and personal opportunities (I can't suggest covering romantic opportunities that you turned down).  Your answer may very well have an ethical dimension to it.  Also, depending on the situation, it might very well focus on your leadership abilities.


I think Wharton is asking this question so that they can really asses the way you think.  Help them understand that you posses the capability for both explaining your past thought process as well your present perspective.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?

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

I think it is time for a musical interlude.

Just as the title of this classic Jimi Hendrix song, Wharton is asking "Are you experienced?"  If you have never experienced navigating a challenging relationship, you are not actually a human being. Which is it to say, that anyone can answer this question.  To be human is struggle in our relationships with other people.  The topics for this one are too numerous to mention, but here are a few likely themes: trust, empathy, courage, ethics, emotional maturity, stress management, teaching others, learning from others, negotiating, ending a relationship, establishing a relationship, repairing a relationship, working in a team, leading a team, interacting with a subordinate, interacting with a supervisor, and disagreeing with someone.  As with Essay Option 1, I can't recommend writing about a romantic relationships here. 


This question is  a behavioral question.  For a full discuss of such questions as well as some other examples of such questions, please see my analysis of Stanford Essay 3.


This really essay is a great way of focusing on how you interact with other people.  It is perfect designed to highlight soft skills.  Keep the focus of the essay on the relationship itself.  How did you work through whatever personal or professional challenges you faced when dealing with a particular individual or group?  Effective answers will provide a sufficient explanation about who you were interacting with and explain exactly why you found this situation so challenging.


While not applicable to all stories, the leadership grid that discuss in my Stanford 3 analysis is highly to be applicable to this essay.  While you must explain the challenge you encountered, it is equally important that you explain how you worked through the experience.


Finally, you need to explain what you learned  from the experience,  so make sure you are providing a strong interpretation and not just a description. It is critical that you learned something meaningful. Therefore the key constraint of this question is that whatever the interpersonal situation  was, you have learned something important from it. While not stated, you may very well find that one way of showing what you learned is to discuss how you applied your lesson to a new situation.

INNOVATE OR DON'T WRITE ON THIS ONE!
Option 3: "Innovation is central to our culture at Wharton. It is a mentality that must encompass every aspect of the School - whether faculty research, teaching or alumni outreach." - Thomas S. Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School
Keeping this component of our culture in mind, discuss a time when you have been innovative in your personal or professional life.

Being innovative can take many forms. Unlike earlier versions of this kind of question such as CBS for Fall 2008 and Haas for Fall 2010, Wharton's approach to the innovation question is very open ended.  Remember that Wharton is not just asking for examples focused on entrepreneurship or even something work related.  The key consideration is that you conceptualized and implemented some kind of change.  This could take many forms. Here are some examples:
1. A time when you reformed a process or procedure at work that had a positive impact.
2. A time when you invented something new and implemented it. It could be a new product, service, research area, or even a patent.
3. A time when you created a new organization.
4. A time when you changed yourself in some significant way.
5. A time when you helped someone else change themselves.
6. A time when you lead a team to create meaningful organizational change.

The structure of this essay will really vary based on the kind of story you tell, but you should explain what the innovation was and why it was innovative.
When selecting which story to use, ask yourself the following questions:
1.  What kind of innovation am I demonstrating?
2.  How does this innovation relate to my potential to succeed at my post-MBA goals?
3.  What selling points about me are clear from this story?

I think it is interesting that Wharton is focusing on innovation because based on client perceptions that I have collected over a decade, I don't suspect the school is necessarily associated  by applicants with that word.  I am not commenting on the reality of innovation at Wharton, but merely perception.  Is this a sign of a brand trying to reinvent itself?  We can leave that discussion to another day.

Finally, you might have noticed that there is no specific place to discuss why Wharton in this essay set. My assumption is that if they really cared about that, they would ask.  That said, if you find it possible to explain why Wharton in the context of the more  interpretative aspects of your two 600 word essays, feel free.  It is a commonly used strategy to include such content, so only do it if it really works well.  A highly formulaic approach to this issue would be to mention Wharton at the end of each of these essays even if the point mentioned was rather small. Anyway, if they really wanted to know, they would ask just like Chicago, Columbia, and Stanford do.

-Adam Markus
アダム　マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on google docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

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Kellogg 2012 MBA Application Essay Questions

In the post, I analyze Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business 2012 Application Essay Questions for the MBA and MMM programs. I have taken the questions from Kellogg's website.

I had three clients admitted to Kellogg's MBA Class of 2013, You can find testimonials from two of them here.  On my admissions consulting service website there are also testimonials from clients admitted to Kellogg in 2010 and 2009.

Some thoughts on Kellogg's location: A highly biased commentary on why location matters.

Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business has the good fortune to be located in one of the prettiest parts of Chicago. Unlike its neighbor to the south, the University of Chicago, Northwestern is located in the pleasant and safe suburban town of Evanston. If ever there was proof that location impacts an institution, the placement of both of these schools certainly is that. I first became aware of this contrast when my parents moved from LA to Chicago in 1986. Since that time, I lived in downtown Chicago for over a year, in Hyde Park for about six months, and have otherwise frequently visited Chicago.

The University of Chicago is an academic powerhouse located in a not so nice neighborhood with little to do in the way of fun except for buying books (Hyde Park has great bookstores!). Students at the University of Chicago either live around the campus protected by a large private police force or decide to move North. Many of the Booth students live in downtown Chicago. I lived in Hyde Park and I can say that while I did go out at night, there was not much to do, especially once the bookstores closed. Chicago has many fine restaurants, but Hyde Park does not have them. Also, unlike the rest of a city well know for sports, the University of Chicago is not. As to bars, it has one good bar (there were two, but the other one, Cyril's House of Tiki, closed). The University of Chicago is an intellectually serious place and ideal for those who are looking for such an atmosphere. Personally, I like the atmosphere there and always enjoy visiting. One can find some social life at Booth. On my visits to Booth, I found it to be a friendly environment. Like the rest of the University of Chicago, Booth is a great place to study.

Northwestern University is located in an affluent community with a large number of bars, a wide variety of restaurants, nice shopping (but not for books!), and, just for the record, a great dog beach. Evanston is quite a pleasant place, but I never felt like it had the kind of serious academic atmosphere that one could find in Hyde Park, Berkeley, or Cambridge MA. It is too suburban for that. Northwestern, unlike its neighbor to the South, has a huge sports program (For more about that, see NUASports.cstv.com). With more to do, one can imagine it is harder to stay in the library at Northwestern than it is at the University of Chicago.

If you go to Kellogg, chances are extremely high that you will live in Evanston. Social life in Evanston is not limited to campus. The place simply is filled with people who are great communicators, friendly, outgoing, and able to thrive in a socially intense environment. If you are not that kind of person, don't apply there. If you are, it will be heaven. At Kellogg, they call it the "Kellogg Culture":

"Student culture at Kellogg is rich and multi-faceted, but a single principle ties it all together: teamwork.
Our students collaborate in the classroom (and outside it) to meet professors’ exacting standards. They organize conferences, chair student groups and invite distinguished leaders to speak on campus. They travel to nations around the world to complete coursework of their own design.
At Kellogg, you’ll form lasting social, intellectual and professional bonds with your classmates."

It should come as no surprise that Kellogg's essay questions reflect its focus on community.

Kellogg's 2011-2012 Essay Questions for the Class of 2014 are specifically designed to help admissions determine whether you demonstrate the appropriate "scholastic ability, personal character, motivation, leadership ability, interpersonal skills, career performance and management potential."

IT IS ALMOST ALL ABOUT YOU AND KELLOGG AKA "THE KELLOGG LOVE FESTIVAL"

As you will see three out of the four essays in this set make the applicant provide explicit (Essay 3) or implicit (Essays 1 & 2) connections between themselves and the school. It is thus critical to be well informed about Kellogg before trying to write these essays. This school really focuses on fit, so you had better show it in your essays and in your interview. I pity the fool who applies to this school without taking the time to really learn about it. The admissions committee needs to see "big love" here, so make them feel it. Reflect enough on what they have to offer you so that your essay content related to Kellogg does not sound like a bad version of their website or brochure (who bothers with paper anymore?) content. The better informed you are about the school and the more you think about how it will help you grow professionally and personally, the more likely you are to make Kellogg love you back.

Essay #1 –

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

b) MMM Program applicants – Briefly assess your career progress to date. How do the unique characteristics of the MMM Program meet your educational needs and career goals? (600 word limit).

While I think the difference in the wording between a) and b) is worth noting, I think it is possible to essentially write an essay with the same structure for the MBA or MMM program. The difference in wording does not alter the fact that you must clearly connect your career goals and educational needs to either the MBA or MMM program.

Those applying to the MMM should certainly take time to make sure they see a strong fit for themselves. If you think your career goals involve integrating "management, operations and design, from concept to execution," I strongly recommend looking at the MMM site.

GAP, SWOT, AND ROI TABLE FOR FORMULATING GRADUATE DEGREE GOALS
Gap, & SWOT, and ROI analysis are great ways for understanding what your goals are, why you want a degree, and how you will use it.

(To best view the following table, click on it.)

How to use this table:

Step 1. Begin by analyzing your "Present Situation." What job(s) have you held? What was/is your functional role(s)? What was/are your responsibilities?

Next, analyze your present strengths and weaknesses for succeeding in your present career. REMEMBER: WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS DON'T ONLY THINK ABOUT WORK, THINK ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. In particular, some of your greatest strengths may have been demonstrated outside of work, so make sure you are accounting for them.
Strengths: What are you good at? Where do you add value? What are you praised for? What are you proud of?
Weakness: What are you bad at? What are you criticized for? What do you try to avoid due to your own limitations? What do you fear?

Next, analyze the environment you work in right now. What opportunities exist for your growth and success? What threats could limit your career growth?

Step 2. Now, do the same thing in Step 1 for your "Post-Degree" future after you have earned your graduate degree. IF YOU CANNOT COMPLETE STEP 2, YOU HAVE NOT SUFFICIENTLY PLANNED FOR YOUR FUTURE and therefore you need to do more research and need to think more about it.

Step 3. If you could complete step 2, than you should see the "Gap" between your present and your future. What skills, knowledge, and other resources do you need to close the gap between your present and future responsibilities, strengths, and opportunities?

Step 4. After completing Step 3, you now need to determine how an MBA will add value to you. It is possible that an increased salary as a result of job change will be sufficient "ROI" for the degree to justify itself, but you should show how a degree will allow you to reach your career goals. How will the degree enhance your skills and opportunities and help you overcome your weaknesses and external threats? If you can complete Step 4 than you should be ready to explain what your goals are, why you want a degree, and the relationship between your past and future career, as well as your strengths and weaknesses.

The above table will also help you answer such common interview questions as: Where do you want to work after you finish your degree? Why do you want an MBA (or other degree)? What are you strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your goals? Thinking about these issues now will help you to develop a fully worked-out strategy for how you will best present yourself both in the application and in an interview.

WHY MBA ( AT KELLOGG)?
The wording of the MBA Essay Question does not mention Kellogg by name.  Still I would argue that you should certainly answer this question in terms of Kellogg in particular and not an MBA in general. One very strong point of Kellogg is that it can be used for a great variety of purposes and offers a very flexible curriculum. The downside to this is that many applicants just see the options, but don't focus enough on what they need from Kellogg to achieve their goals. Going through a formal process like the one I have outlined above will help you determine what you really need from Kellogg. The more specific you are about that, the better. Japanese applicants to Kellogg, should most certainly make full use of http://www.kelloggalumni.jp/kellogg_life/.

GOALS
You need to make admissions excited about your future. To do so, you should think about whether your goals are compelling. Admissions committees ask applicants to write about their goals after graduate school, but can applicants actually know what will be on the cutting-edge in two or three years? While many applicants will be able to successfully apply with relatively standard goals ("I want to be a consultant because..."), try to go beyond the typical answer to make your goals compelling. For more about writing goals that are both ambitious and visionary, see here.

Be informed. Admissions needs to believe you know what you are talking about. If you are changing careers, no one expects you to be an expert, but you should come across as having a clear plan based on real research into your future. If you are planning on staying in your present industry, you should be well informed not only about the companies you have worked for, but about the industry as a whole. If you are not already doing so, read industry related publications and network.

Those who are changing fields should most certainly read industry related publications in their intended field. Think about conducting informational interviews with at least one peer-level and one senior level person in that field. Conduct a peer-level interview to get a good idea of what it would be like to actually work in that industry. Conduct a senior-level interview to get the perspective of someone who can see the big picture and all the little details as well.

Don't know anyone in your intended field? Network! One great way to start is through LinkedIn. Another is by making use of your undergraduate alumni network and/or career center.

LEARN WHAT IS HOT. No matter whether you are changing fields or not, learn what is hot now and try to figure out what will be hot by the time you graduate. Now, of course, this is just a plan and chances are that what is hot in your industry or field now may very well be cold in the future. The point is to come across to Wharton as someone who is not only well informed, but who has CUTTING-EDGE knowledge related to their goals. Some great general sources for learning what is hot:

From the Business Schools: Feed your brain with cutting-edge ideas from the best business schools in the world. Start with Kellogg Insight. Other great sources of information include Stanford Social Innovation Review, Harvard Working Knowledge, Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business School Publishing, University of Chicago GSB's Working Papers, The University of Chicago's Capital Ideas, Knowledge @ Wharton, and MIT Sloan Management Review.

You may also want to do a search on iTunes for podcasts: In addition to Kellogg Insight,  my favorites are Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (from the Stanford School of Engineering, but totally relevant to MBAs), Chicago GSB Podcast, Net Impact, and Harvard Business IdeaCast. INSEAD, IMD, LBS, and Wharton also have podcasts. 

LinkedIn Answers: I would suggest that everyone join LinkedIn and make use of LinkedIn Answers. LinkedIn Answers is a great way to tap into cutting edge expertise (including my admissions advice!) Follow LinkedIn's rules and you will often be able to obtain excellent information.

Hoovers: For information about specific companies, Hoovers is just a great way to learn about key facts including competitors (a very useful way of knowing who else you might want to work for and to learn about an industry). While primarily focused on the US, Hoovers does have listings for companies worldwide.

Vault: For scope of coverage, this site is a must. Vault includes both career and admissions information. It includes both company specific and industry-wide information.

Other sources: Read magazines, websites, and books that relate to your intended field.

CAREER PROGRESS
I think describing one's career progress is something many applicants actually have a great deal of difficulty with. The primary reason is that they don't actually think strategically enough about what they say about themselves. Interpret your career to connect it to your goals and why you want to go to Kellogg. Your resume will provide Kellogg with a description of your career, but in this essay help them understand what it means by interpreting your career for them.

A NOTE ON THE WORD "BRIEFLY"

You will note that this questions specifically asks that you "Briefly assess your career progress to date." I think that means not spending 50% of your essay analyzing your career progress. I would advise my own clients to limit it to about 100-200 words. There is plenty of space in the other essays to write about the past, so don't do too much of it here. Just provide a very focused answer that connects to your career goals and reason for wanting to attend Kellogg. 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: YOUR STORY
When you initially write Essay 1, you might find that it does not seem to be coming together as a single essay. If that is the case, you might simply not be telling your story in the right way. The way you tell your story will depend on your situation. Applicants with extensive experience whose goals connect directly to their past experience will be telling a story based on continuity, while applicants looking to change careers will be telling a story based on discontinuity. A story based on continuity is often easiest to tell in a fairly linear way because the future is based directly on what happened in the past. By contrast, a story based on a discontinuity should be told to emphasize the need for the change In either case, it is critical to explain why you want an MBA or MMM from Kellogg.

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

Given the importance that Kellogg places on leadership in teams, I think you should think about your leadership capacity and/or potential not only in relation to your future professional objectives, but to your ability to be a leader at Kellogg.

You will need to focus on more than one story as the question specifically asks for you to do so. I suggest focusing on two to three key experiences.

I have developed the following grid to help you outline leadership stories. The categories this grid employs may go beyond any particular schools essay requirements. Filling it out completely will help you write about your leadership in a way that will help convince admissions of your leadership potential.CLICK TO ENLARGE. 

How to use the grid:
1. Decide on a specific story.
2. Identify the most significant things you did in the situation, these are you action steps.
3. For each action step identify:

• What skills or qualities you demonstrated to complete this step.
• The strengths you demonstrated to complete this step.
• The kind of leadership you demonstrated.
• What you still need to learn about leadership.

4. Think about the results and identify how they relate to your action steps. So, at minimum, you should be able to state the impact on others and/or yourself.

5. After completing the chart you will see that some aspects of your action steps may be repeated. If there is a total duplication and nothing new is shown, either you need to redefine the action step or you may decide not to focus on it very much.

6. Once you think you have two to four fully worked-out action steps for two to three stories, start writing your essay.

7. Next start re-writing. Eliminate duplicate points made between action steps. Make choices about what parts of each action to step to highlight. Given that there are usually word limits, you will have to make some decisions about what to include. Simply providing a description of your actions, is not enough. Consider what it signifies about you. Consider what your actions reveals about your leadership potential.

8. Make sure that each story focuses on a different aspect of leadership. By all means, make sure that at least one of your leadership experiences relates to teamwork.

THE HARDEST PART OF THIS QUESTION: "evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences"
Based on working with many clients on this question, I can say that evaluating what leadership areas need to be developed is actually the hardest part of the question for most people. You maybe able to connect your leadership needs very directly to the leadership stories you tell in this essay, but there is a real possibility that you will have to think way beyond those stories.  In particular, I suggest identifying your leadership development needs that Kellogg can help you to address in terms of your future career goals. To minimize duplication between Essay 1 and Essay 2, focus more on your specific leadership needs in Essay 2.

Finally, thinking and writing about leadership is an important part of preparing for interviews because you can be certain that you will have to talk about leadership. So, you might find that the parts of the outline you jettison now will become valuable when you will want to have alternative stories for your Kellogg interview.

Essay #3 – Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community?  (600 word limit)
This question combines the function of the standard contribution question that Kellogg had previously asked for many years with a variation of an old Kellogg question on evaluating your application as though you were a member of the admissions committee (the old question did not specify if it was a student member).

Within the context of the Kellogg application, Essay # 3 is really one of the most important places to show why you will fit into this intensely social environment where both personal initiative and the ability to work with others are highly valued.

Kellogg is looking for students who will make a contribution. And this really makes sense because of the collaborative nature of MBA education. While professors play an important role in the classroom, students learn from each other on a continuous basis both inside and outside of class.

One of the chief functions of an MBA admissions committee is to select people who will be good classmates. The director and the rest of the committee have done their job properly if they have selected students who can work well together, learn from each other, and if these students become alum who value the relationships they initially formed at business school. Students members of the committee bring a peer's perspective to the process. They are also are likely to be the first to read your file: "Files are typically reviewed first by a student member of the admissions committee, then forwarded for additional review by staff members, including the Director of Admissions." 

There are a number of ways of trying to determine whether someone really "fits" at a particular school, but certainly the most direct thing to do is just ask the applicants. One way they ask is by asking applicants why they want to attend as in Essay 1 or in terms of what leadership skills need to be improved as in Essay 2. Another way is to ask applicants what they can contribute.

In the case of Essay 3, you are being asked to critically evaluate yourself as though you were a student member of the admissions committee. Three things to keep in mind:

1. If you cover a topic that is discussed in other essays, it is critical that you provide a new interpretation. There would be little value added if all you do is simply repeat what is covered elsewhere.  By the way, it would be quite reasonable to refer to other parts of the application in Essay 3.

2. For each contribution you can make, be as specific about how this will be a contribution at Kellogg. This essay is really a great test of your knowledge of and commitment to the program. If you can visit Kellogg, do so. If you can't, network as intensively as possible to gain deep inside knowledge about the program.

3. Try to provide unique and interpretations of why you are good fit for the Kellogg community. Market yourself effectively! That is too say, you are your own brand, so sell admissions on why you are unique admissions opportunity for them.

One way I like to think about contribution questions is to use a matrix such as the following:

CLICK ON THE ABOVE TO ENLARGE.

I use the above matrix for all types of contribution questions, modifying the categories to fit the question. When it comes to contribution questions, I think it is important to tell specific stories that highlight specific ways you will add value to your future classmates. Luckily, Essay 3 specifies that you should be looking only for those aspects of your application that really best demonstrate why you should be a part of the Kellogg community.

The number of contributions that can be covered in 600 words will obviously vary greatly.  Consider that some contributions might be fully analyzed and justified in a matter of 20-50 words, while others will require 150-200. I suggest finding something between three and about six (!) contributions to discuss. Just make sure each contribution is meaningful and described effectively enough. Keep in mind that you want admissions to be excited by you, so if you make this a mere summary of why you are good fit, you will be boring them.

Essay #4Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)

Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.

a) Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.
b) People may be surprised to learn that I…..
c) The riskiest personal or professional decision I ever made was…..

Kellogg provides you with three options. Use whichever one you think will add value to your application. Given the open-ended nature of your options, take the time to make this one particularly memorable. Specifically ask yourself, "What  story about me can I tell Kellogg that helps them understand why they should admit me?" Which of these three options will best enable me to tell that story?

a)  Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.
Last year the question was somewhat similar: "Describe an instance where you encountered resistance in a professional team setting. How did you address the situation?"

Kellogg is the kind of place where one can easily find the sort of extroverted people who clearly know how to be popular. While this is certainly not true about all of those who attend or are admitted to Kellogg, it is certainly place for those with a strong interest in teams and leadership in teams. 


Writing on this question gives you the opportunity to show that you can influence others and overcome their reluctance.


Leaders have to be capable of overcoming the deadweight of organizational inertia, the conservatism based on past successful practice, and/or the fear of change. Inspiring minds and organizations is no easy thing.  

Identify the most significant things you did to overcome the reluctance you faced and how you were able to inspire. Try to break your actions down into action steps. For each step

-Explain what skills or qualities you demonstrated to complete this step.

-Clearly state the result of your actions. If appropriate, provide an analysis of what this solution meant to you.


It is also important that each action step reveal something distinct about you: The way you think, the way you interact with others to solve problems, your communication skills, or other abilities or qualities. This essay will become very boring if you simply focus on the details and not your underlying capabilities.  Think about what this essay reveals about your ability to work with other students at Kellogg.


By all means avoid making this merely an essay focused on action. You really should provide admissions with a deep understanding of the way you persuade and inspire other people.

b)  People may be surprised to learn that I….. 
I only suggest answering this one if you actually have something surprising to discuss, but since I really believe that most people have an interesting answer, it is one of my favorite questions. I am glad that they did not change it this year.   I actually like this question quite a bit because it is a great way for applicants to highlight something really unique about themselves. The point is that it should be something that would not be obvious about you. The focus may be on something very specific that you did or something about your character. Whatever it is, it should not simply be surprising, but also relevant. It should be something that will add value to you as student at Kellogg and/or to your future career. If it is highly personal, it should reveal a quality or aspect to you that is not merely interesting, but also something really worth knowing. A good answer here might involve an unusual hobby or experience, but the possibilities are endless.

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

This question is totally new for 2012. Your answer should do the following:

1. Describe the risk you took and explain why took it.
2. State what the outcome was.
3. Explain the significance of the risk and what it means to you.
Your essay will fail if your reader cannot accept that you were taking a risk. Through the process of reviewing my clients' early drafts and working with reapplicants,  I have read many bad versions of this essay. Such essays are usually bad because the decision being made is not a real decision and/or the level of risk involved is too small.

The outcome might be very simple or complex. It might involve a change within you or a change to an organization/group or both. Whatever it is, make sure that you are identifying the outcome as clearly as possible.

Required essay for re-applicants only - Since your previous application, what steps have you taken to strengthen your candidacy? (400 word limit)

Reapplicants should read my previous post on reapplication. Use this space to specifically explain what has improved about you since you last applied. You can certainly mention improved test scores, but I would not use very much of your word count for that. Typical topics include: development of a new skill, promotions that demonstrate your potential for future success, involvement in an extracurricular activity, learning significantly more about Kellogg, and why your goals discussed in Essay 1 now are better than the ones you presented last time.

-Adam Markus
アダム　マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant based in Tokyo, Japan with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on google docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

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GMAT and GRE at INSEAD

One question that I frequently asked is about the minimum GMAT required for INSEAD.

What INSEAD's site says is the following:
While we do not have a minimum score required for admission, we advise candidates to aim for a score at or above the 70-75th percentile for both the quantitative and verbal sections of the GMAT and a percentile of 75-80th or above for the quantitative and verbal sections of the GRE. Please keep in mind, however, that standardised tests are just one of several admission criteria. A high score does not guarantee admission, and a below average score does not eliminate a candidate.

Based on my experience, they are simply hedging this a bit too much because the 70% in the quantitative and verbal sections really is a minimum for a viable application.  I have had two candidates in the last years apply who overall scores over 70%, but verbal or quantitative scores below that and they were both told to retake GMAT,  but that there applications were otherwise great, and once a new score meeting the 70% range requirement was submitted, their application would reevaluated.  One candidate decided to attend another program, the other received the necessary GMAT and was admitted.   If your score is at all under the 70% mark, I highly recommend taking GMAT again.

Keep in mind that at INSEAD, GMAT (or GRE) is the only criteria, aside from English minimums- (TOEFL (iTOEFL: 105, Computer-Based: 260, Paper-Based, 620); IELTS (7.5); CPE (B) and the PTE Academic (72), TOEIC Listening and Reading (950); TOEIC Writing (170); TOEIC Speaking (190)-  for those applicants who need to demonstrate it, that INSEAD applicants have in common.  Given the extremely diverse nature of INSEAD's students in terms of nationality, education, and professional background, this makes perfect sense.  I think the minimums reflect the fast paced nature of a program that requires both solid English and quantitative skills.  Even a bachelor's degree is not required at INSEAD in the case of exceptional candidates.

I have worked with a hugely diverse group of clients who have been accepted to INSEAD, but the only thing they had in common was that their GMAT score met the 70% minimum.

-Adam Markus
アダム　マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant based in Tokyo, Japan with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on google docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

Word Count Later, Ideas and Stories First!

One strategy that I consistently use with all of my MBA, LL.M., MPA, MPP, Ph.D., and other graduate program clients is that I encourage them to initially not worry about word count (or page count, line count, or character count).  The reason to write more than the word count is that the best part of the story, the most compelling part, might simply be edited out or never written at all because the writer is too initially focused on a constraint that only applies to a final draft.  

While there are people who can write first drafts that are near perfect, most cannot.  So it makes little sense to focus initially on word count.

This does not mean that my clients necessarily show me a 2000 word essay when the ultimate essay will need to be 400 words long, but if that is what it takes for them to get a good first draft, it is not a problem.  Most really good initial drafts that I read are 10% to 100% over the limit.   By good initial draft,  I mean one that has within it the potential to become a final draft.  Some first drafts are simply so far from what the applicant needs that there chief function is to serve as a basis for brainstorming what will become a good first draft.  Some first drafts have a key idea or episode, but are so short that the real story is not coming through at all.   Beyond what I might help a client brainstorm, my advice is to always write down anything they think is really useful for the essay.  

Once a good draft is in place,  through the process of revising word count might go down or go up a bit.  As long as the word count is not out of control, say 10% to 30% above what the final version needs to be, I would say not to worry about it until making the final working version.  This final version, is, of course, subject to potential revision, but the point is that it is good to be final.  After all, writing is never finished, one simply just stops revising.

Word count really is the last consideration. It is part of the final editing process for an entire essay set. While some of my clients are great at editing their own essays, many find that killing their own words is something that they don't like to do, which is why editors exist. My own approach to editing is not to rewrite my client's work, but simply to suggest what needs to be cut and/or what the client should better summarize.

My entire approach is based on the idea that in the end, the critical issues are that the reader believe in the authenticity of the applicant's voice, understand what the applicant's essay, and be excited enough by what they read to either offer an interview or, in the case of graduate programs that don't require an interview, accept the applicant. 

-Adam Markus
アダム　マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant based in Tokyo, Japan with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on google docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to.  See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

Wharton's Class of 2014 Essays are up, but...

7/23 Update.  Wharton has added the word counts (300 words for the professional objectives essay and 600 words for the other three).  My analysis will come out next week. Thanks to a reader for letting me know.  

Well, Wharton's MBA Class of 2014  admissions essays are up. Kind of.  Here they are:

"REQUIRED QUESTION:

What are your professional objectives?

RESPOND TO 2 OF THE FOLLOWING 3 QUESTIONS:

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

2. Discuss a time when you faced a challenging interpersonal experience. How did you navigate the situation and what did you learn from it?

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

NOTICE SOMETHING MISSING?

Look closely.

No, I did not miss it.  Maybe they will fix it soon, but as of 6:04pm on July 20th Tokyo time there are no word counts listed for the essays. Of course, I tried to look at the online application, but that is not schedule to go live until August 1st.   I also checked the Wharton  MBA Admissions Blog, but nothing there either.  Oh well.  I guess my Wharton analysis will have to wait for a while.  Chicago Booth will be the next school I focus on.

By the way, unlike the overall set of questions Wharton asked last year, these are very easy to write on, but more about that sometime later.

If you notice that Wharton has posted the word counts, please let me know at adammarkus@gmail.com.

Adam Markus
アダム　マーカス
I am a graduate admissions consultant based in Tokyo, Japan with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form, which is publicly available on google docs here, and then send your completed form to adammarkus@gmail.com.  You can also send me your resume if it is convenient for you.  Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to.  See here for why. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.