mba optional essay example

Should you complete the optional essay on your MBA application?

Prodigy Finance - May, 20 2024

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If you’re just beginning to work on your MBA admissions essays, you’re likely filled with a combination of trepidation and optimism.

That makes perfect sense.

After all, there’s a lot riding on those words; your GMAT score is only a foot in the door, and your CV will prompt admissions officers to take another look. But once you’ve got their attention, your MBA essay can make all the difference between an interview request and the dreaded rejection letter. Writing the optional essay for MBA applications might seem unnecessary, but it can be used to your advantage. Your essay may convince business schools that you’re a worthy applicant, and encourage them to give you a seat.

So, should you complete that optional MBA essay?

Shouldn’t you make sure you do all you can to demonstrate your strong candidacy?

Unfortunately, this is another one of those blurry spots in the application process that you’ve got to consider quite carefully; there’s no blanket answer that works for everyone. On the other hand, there are a few guidelines you can use to help you decide whether to complete the optional MBA essay.

MBA application factors

Business schools consider various factors while deciding whether or not to accept you. They consider your GMAT or GRE scores, your GPA at the undergraduate level, your work experience, and your MBA application essay . Your MBA application essay is important because that is where your individuality will shine through. When you want to provide additional information or clarity on any part of your application, you should consider writing that optional essay. Through your MBA application, you need to convince the admission committees that you deserve a place at your desired university.

When to complete the optional MBA essay question

The optional MBA essay is your chance to explain any discrepancies in your application. If you’ve got a perfectly clean CV that you’re proud of and a GMAT to die for, then you probably don’t need to complete the optional essay. (Feel free to exhale now.)

4 reasons to complete the optional MBA essay question

However, if there are any inconsistencies, you’ll want to give that optional MBA essay a second chance. These are a few of the troubling areas to consider writing about:

• Low marks in your undergraduate studies , or any educational opportunities undertaken since then. There are many reasons this could have happened, but if you don’t spell it out for the admissions team, they’re free to think the worst. For example, it is quite possible that you scored a low GPA, but have been performing extremely well in a sport or in some other extracurricular activity. You’ll want to highlight that in your optional MBA essay.
• Low GMAT results . This test isn’t the end-all, be-all of MBA admissions, but a low score will raise more than eyebrows unless you explain the reasons behind it. If you’re wondering how to overcome a low GMAT score, writing that optional MBA essay is your solution.
• A missing reference from your current employer . There are a few reasons why you’d choose not to request a reference from your boss ; it’s most likely that you don’t want your company to know you’re leaving. But if you don't explain this in your MBA essay, the admissions board might believe you’ve not behaved adequately in your present position.
• Gaps in employment or education should be addressed in this essay. If you don’t mention that you were travelling the world, the board could assume the worst. And, even if it is the worst thing you can imagine – you can always turn it around to your advantage by demonstrating what you’ve learned.

How should you answer the optional MBA essay?

The optional essay is there for you to acknowledge the gaps in your application and to provide additional information to avoid lingering questions. You can’t assume that you’ll have a chance to clarify a gap when you get to the interview phase – you won’t get the invitation to speak if they can’t make heads or tails of your application.

Your MBA essay is not a place for emotion, however.

For example, if your final semester as an undergrad was marked by terrible grades that brought down your entire GPA, you want to let the admissions committee know why. If your dog was sick or you were consumed by your job search, say so in your MBA essay; whatever the reason, take responsibility for it.

What do admission committees want to see in an optional essay?

Any applicant completing an optional MBA essay should keep it as short and to the point as humanly possible.

It may not feel like an essay at all. If you only need two or three sentences to get your point across, then do so. Never expound because you think it’s too short; it’s not.

And, don’t tell the admission committees how they should look at it or feel about it. Indeed, you shouldn’t even mention how you feel about it. You should, however, explain what you learned from the experience and how it shaped you as a human being or a business leader.

Optional MBA application essay examples

To address the low GPA example, you could simply say, “My final term marks were lower than average as I was coping with an illness in the family. The experience taught me about dealing with unavoidable situations and my instinctive reactions to overwhelming factors. While it didn’t assist with my GPA, I was able to use this understanding to more successfully navigate the challenges when faced with a similar situation during my time with AB Company, where I employed better communication and delegation skills to overcome the shortfalls previously experienced.”

It’s less than 100 words, answers the why question, demonstrates that you recognise where you may have gone wrong, shows what you learned from it, and provides proof that you’re not stressed about what the low GPA could mean for your entire application.

Now, if you have a few gaps to address, it’s time to get cracking with that additional essay. If not, perhaps it’s back to revising your CV.

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The MBA Essay is Usually Not Optional: Why You Should Write It

Lana Silanteva - 700+CLUB

Lana Silanteva is an mba.com Featured Contributor and the Co-Founder and Head of Verbal at 700+CLUB . 

You’ve already spent weeks preparing your application for business school – not to mention the months you put into studying for the GMAT exam.

Now, you have all the mandatory components of your application ready: a thorough required essay, a great GMAT score you’re happy with, a recommender who can tell a compelling story of why you’re a strong candidate, and a top-notch CV to boot.

All that’s left is the optional essay.

Before you get started on crafting your optional essay, you need to know whether the optional essay is – or isn’t – right for you, the purpose of the optional essay in the first place, and how to write a strong essay that will get you admitted into your dream business school.

All of your questions – and concerns – will be answered below.

Is the optional MBA essay really optional?

Well, it depends.

For some prospective business school students, the optional essay is a chance to explain any shortcomings in your application. For others, the optional essay can help set you apart from other applicants and strengthen your candidacy.

Part of determining whether an optional essay is right for you depends on what type of essay the admissions committee is looking for. There are two main types:

Explain extenuating circumstances

Some business schools ask applicants whether they should be aware of any extenuating circumstances that could affect a student’s application. Here, an applicant could address potential weaknesses, such as a low GPA, low GMAT score, employment or education gap, or an unlikely choice of recommender.

An applicant should write this type of optional essay if circumstances or challenges in a candidate’s life affected the strength of their application. For example, working part-time during school to support your family or dealing with an illness are extenuating circumstances that could have affected an applicant – such challenges could have lowered your GPA or GMAT score, or caused education or employment gaps in your CV. In such cases, the optional essay would allow the admissions committee to assess you more fairly.

If an applicant did not experience difficult circumstances that affected their application, then the optional essay is not necessary – instead, an applicant will be assessed purely on the merits of their application.

Provide additional information

Other business schools ask applicants open-ended questions about any other information that would be helpful for a student’s application. Essentially, business schools are asking if there is anything else they should know.

With this type of optional essay, applicants have the opportunity to tell their story. Every student is more than just numbers on a page – while a high GPA and GMAT score are impressive, business schools want to know more about why you want to attend their business school and how you can contribute to the learning community.

You can share achievements in your life, experiences, skills, or personality traits that haven’t yet been revealed in the other components of your application. Sharing these additional details will strengthen your application by painting a fuller picture for the admissions committee of more reasons to consider you as a future student.

It is highly recommended for all applicants to write the optional essay if the admissions committee is requesting additional information – after all, this type of essay is giving you the chance to shine and tell your story on your terms.

I’ve already taken my GMAT exam and submitted my CV, why should I write an optional essay?

There are many reasons to write the optional essay, depending on the type of information the admissions committee is looking for. Here are some reasons you should consider:

Academic weakness

A grade of C or lower on your academic record or a low GPA should be explained to the admissions committee. The optional essay is your chance to share why you may have academic weaknesses and, most importantly, how you worked to improve your academic performance.

Low GMAT score

The GMAT is a critical component of your application, but you can still be admitted if you provide a clear explanation for a lower score.

Any circumstances that made it challenging to excel at the GMAT should be discussed in your optional essay. Also, be sure to highlight how your other achievements and skills continue to make you a strong candidate.

Education gap

Taking time off during your studies won’t stop you from being admitted. With the right explanation for the admissions committee, you can show them why you would be a great fit for the MBA program.

Explain why you may have spent time on academic probation, for reasons such as personal hardship or family difficulties. 

Employment gaps or career changes

You may need to explain to the admissions committee why there are gaps of several months between experiences on your CV. Make sure to highlight positive experiences that you had during your time off, such as professional development courses, volunteer opportunities, or extenuating circumstances like having to care for a family member.

If you’re transitioning to the business field from another profession, the admissions committee will want to be sure you made a careful, thoughtful, and considered decision. Use the optional essay to explain why you think an MBA is right for you.

Recommender choice

Not all MBA applicants can comfortably approach their current employer for a recommendation. Perhaps your employer isn’t aware of your MBA plans yet or you haven’t worked at your present company for a long enough time to receive a stellar recommendation.

The optional essay can prevent the admissions committee from making negative assumptions about your relationship with your employer.

MBA preparedness

Not all applicants come from a business background. In fact, business schools would love to hear about the diverse experiences that draw applicants to their MBA program.

The admissions committee, however, still wants to be sure that you are prepared for the academic rigor required of an MBA program. Discuss courses that you took to get ready for business school, like calculus, economics, and statistics.

Additional valuable experiences

Beyond your GPA, GMAT score, and CV, you may have valuable personal experiences that make you stand out as a candidate.

Volunteer experiences, leadership roles, and other accomplishments might not fit into the other application components. The optional essay is your opportunity to add more value to your application and create a narrative of how your experiences brought you to the MBA program.

Delayed MBA

The MBA program attracts students with a wide array of experiences. For personal or professional reasons, some applicants only realize an MBA is right for them later in their careers – and that’s okay.

In the optional essay, show the admissions committee why you believe an MBA is the next step for you, regardless of where you started.

Can optional essays hurt my chances of being admitted?

As long as you’re providing the admissions committee with an honest picture of who you are as a candidate, then an optional essay will not hurt your chances of being admitted.

In most cases, an optional essay can strengthen your application, because it can explain any weaknesses and highlight additional skills or experiences that make you a top applicant. 

If your weaknesses are explained and all your strengths are communicated in your application, then your optional essay will serve to complement your candidacy.

How do I succeed at the optional essay?

The optional essay is a chance for you to explain any discrepancies and add value to your application by revealing more strengths and experiences.

To write a successful optional essay, make sure to leave it for last when you are preparing your application. Once all your other application components are ready, you can better assess whether you need to address weaknesses or give more details about why you belong in an MBA program.

Once you determine that an optional essay is going to help your application, ensure that the additional details you are providing can’t be included elsewhere in your application. The admissions committee has a lot of applications to consider, and you must be sure to include all the necessary details in each component of your application.

If instructions are provided, be sure to follow them. Each school may have a different word count or other expectations for the optional essay, so writing a different optional essay for each school is recommended.

Keep your essay focused and don’t use excessive space to get your point across. Add insights you gained from the experiences you are including and if discussing your weaknesses, explain how you worked to address them.

In writing your optional essay, it is vital to be as clear and concise as possible. You should avoid unnecessary details and information that is included in other parts of your application. Instead, focus on key points that make your application stronger.

The bottom line

The optional essay is – usually – not optional.

Most applicants will want to consider writing it to explain extenuating circumstances, address potential weaknesses, or add valuable details that strengthen their chance of being admitted.

The optional essay is your opportunity to shine – make sure the admissions committee knows all the facts to make the case that you are the MBA applicant that they’re looking for.

Lana Silanteva is an mba.com Featured Contributor and the Co-Founder and Head of Verbal at 700+CLUB . 700+Club is a student-centric, venture-backed online test prep and admission consulting company. Every year they help thousands of students achieve their best scores and get admitted to the top B-schools around the world. At 700+ Club, they believe that test preparation should be fun, engaging, innovative and result-oriented. With 99%-ile teachers, innovative  and digital learning tools, and a comprehensive methodology, they are certain that you will achieve your best test score. They say about themselves: "We are not a test prep company, we are your test prep support system."

MBA Resources

How to tackle optional essays in your MBA Application?

MBA & Beyond Team

17/12/2023 | 3:05 pm

When assessing a candidate’s profile for admission to a business school, adcoms evaluates an individual on different parameters. They take your GMAT/GRE scores, undergraduate GPA, professional experience, MBA application essays, and many other aspects of your profile into consideration. Each of these aspects has a role to play in presenting your applications; essays present your personality, resume exhibit your professional achievements and career progression, LORs provide a viewpoint on who you are, and scores help understand your academic rigor.  

In all the profile evaluations we did, there is one aspect that baffles almost all the applicants with low GPA/GMAT- how to compensate for/defend it and present a strong narrative. Assuming you pay for it well, defending is where the MBA optional essay comes in and plays a critical role; writing an MBA optional essay helps an applicant give more information or clarity on the areas of the application that you couldn’t defend anywhere. The MBA optional essay aims to address your profile gaps and make a strong case for your candidature.

Learn how you can compensate for a low GPA/GMAT

The purpose of MBA optional essays is to offer you (the applicant) the benefit of the doubt rather than leaving questions totally up to the interpretation of an admissions officer. The MBA optional essay allows you to clarify any flaws in your application. Be it your low GPA in undergraduate, low GMAT, second MBA, education, job experience gaps, also if you have had any academic or legal misbehavior in the pastor or any other gap in your story such as why would you quit your current startup when your long term goal is to start a venture of your own. This article will help you understand how to defend your gaps in your MBA optional essays, thus presenting you as a strong applicant.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MBA OPTIONAL ESSAYS?

MBA Optional essays are another opportunity for applicants who have gaps in their application that could not be clarified in other parts of your MBA application; this MBA optional essay allows you to address those gaps and increase your chances of admission to the B-school.

Along with managing the reasons for gaps in your profile, in this MBA optional essay, you can discuss what makes you a strong prospect in further detail. You can showcase your preferred talents, experiences, or background components by answering MBA optional questions. This will provide the admissions committee with a complete picture of who you are as a candidate and how you will contribute to the incoming class.

You don’t always need to write optional Essays. As the name suggests, they are optional, and hence write them only if you have apparent gaps in your profile that you would like to explain or you want to exhibit some strong aspects of your profile that you could not talk about in other parts of your application.

TYPES OF MBA OPTIONAL ESSAYS.

There are two forms of MBA optional essays that a school’s admissions committee may commonly request.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MBA OPTIONAL ESSAY STRONGER?

USE THE OPTIONAL ESSAY TO DISCUSS RECOMMENDER CHOICE – It’s very common for employees to be hesitant to tell their present bosses about their plans to quit the company to pursue an MBA. Furthermore, many businesses oppose their employees’ decision to continue their education. In this circumstance, candidates seek recommendations from other sources, such as their clients, acquaintances in other firms, or mentors in different industries, which might backfire and negatively impact the situation.

LOW SCORE, GMAT/GRE – If your score falls below the school’s average or does not accurately reflect your ability, the optional essay is the chance to remedy it. You can also write an extra essay to explain why your verbal or quantitative score is so low. You might also emphasize how you have succeeded in other areas. Multiple promotions, leadership, innovations, and performance at work, substantial community service, or brilliance in extracurricular activities are just a few examples of how you might make up for a poor GMAT score.

EMPLOYMENT GAP – It’s possible that being fired isn’t the sole cause of a career history gap. You’re young and carefree, and it’s conceivable that you’ve been bitten by the travel bug and decided to take some time off to see more of the world and do new things. There can be many different reasons for gaps in your work experience but if it’s considerable, do not leave them unexplained. 

LOW GPA – You don’t want to leave anything to guesswork or make your argument for a low GPA weaker.

Avoid putting things under the rug or being evasive. Assume you had a low GPA in your first two years because you suffered from over-committing and poor time management. In such a scenario, it’s fine to confess that mastering your time management abilities and learning to prioritize successfully takes some time. However, it indicates a great level of maturity and self-reflection.

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Explain why a drop in grades is due to considerable hardship: you should not be embarrassed to mention if your grades are poor owing to exceptional circumstances, such as working part-time because a parent lost a job.

TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING AN MBA OPTIONAL ESSAY

Stay as succinct as possible, if you can express your message in 50 words don’t drag your optional essay further. Come straight to the point.

Do adhere to the word limit (if none exists, it should not exceed the length of your statement). Usually, 250 words will be enough.

 If you want the admissions committee to spend more time reading it, you should attempt to present your case thoroughly.

Use the optional essay to convey information not conveyed in your primary essay or application, giving you an edge.

Share no information that appears (or may appear) elsewhere in your application (data forms, short answers, etc.). You will just bore the hell out of the adcoms!

EXAMPLE OF A LOW GMAT OPTIONAL ESSAY SAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

In the Essay given below, the applicant has clearly explained how he has a strong academic rigor and given the pieces of evidence for the same.

There is no particular format to be followed in the MBA Optional essays. You can simply talk about the particular gap and explain it and present evidence that irrespective of the gap, how you still have the respective quality in your profile which makes you a strong applicant for the targeted B-school.

Hope this article helped you understand better how you can tackle MBA Optional essays (if you should). MBA applications can be very confusing and sometimes, scary too. But with the right people and strategy, you can ace them with beautiful colors

If you’d like, we are happy to get on a one-on-one Profile evaluation call with you and help you understand your strengths, and weaknesses and create a roadmap for you to tackle MBA applications! 

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How to Tackle MBA Optional Essays in Your Business School Application?

After months of polishing your MBA application essays, you are faced with the optional essay dilemma. Should you hastily toss a few points into the MBA Optional Essay (s)? But here’s the problem: you’re clueless about its actual value. You’ve consulted experts and other applicants and even tried to gauge the mood of admissions officers through YouTube Videos. Some seem oddly excited about the optional essays, while others can barely hide their impatience. Well, if you ask us, it’s really up to you to decide whether you’ll shine with an extra essay or bore the admissions officers to death.

B. The “Should Definitely Write” Arguments:

What do b schools ask in the mba optional essays.

Every business school allows applicants to submit an optional essay or additional information of some kind. Schools may narrow the focus by suggesting that you address areas of concern, extenuating circumstances, or aspects that need explanation. They may also steer you toward specific topics that are relevant to your application.

NYU Stern MBA invites you to elaborate on ; “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 the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information.”

Wharton MBA offers an optional essay to explain; “extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc”

Should You Write the Optional MBA Essays or Should You Not

A. the don’t write argument.

Applicants who don’t write the optional essay(s) see these essays as only for explaining excuses- bad grades, test scores, or other issues. After pouring your heart into the main essays, who has the energy for an optional one? Plus, spare a thought for the poor admissions officers—do they really need yet another essay to read? Why risk annoying them when you’ve already worked hard on the main essays?

• Business school applications have seen a trend of fewer essay questions and smaller word limits per question. Despite this, applicants are as multidimensional and accomplished as ever. As space for storytelling diminishes, the optional essay becomes more valuable in conveying a fuller picture.
• Many schools explicitly invite applicants to provide additional information they consider necessary, indicating that optional essays are valued. While poorly written essays may exhaust admissions officers, a well-structured and coherent essay can leave a positive impression.
• Admissions officers are professionals seeking unique and qualified applicants. The optional essay offers another chance to highlight your distinctive qualities and stand out from the crowd.
• Highly selective schools may presume that applicants have more to share. Schools encouraging applicants to skip the optional essay might inadvertently suggest a lack of accomplishments or distinctive experiences.

7 Topics To Address In The MBA Optional Essays

What should you write about.

There are two main camps when it comes to optional essays: the negative and the positive. The negative includes all those topics that you’re probably only discussing because not doing so might raise eyebrows with the admissions officers. The positive, on the other hand, encompasses everything else—the topics you choose because they offer valuable insights into who you are. Whichever category you fall into, remember that readers might approach the optional essay with slightly less enthusiasm than your main ones, so keep it direct and to the point.

Here are some topics that applicants must address in the Optional MBA Application Essay;

1. The Obvious Weakness

If you’ve spotted a clear flaw in your profile, you can mitigate its impact by presenting evidence that suggests it’s not as detrimental as it seems. Acknowledge the weakness, but provide evidence of how you’ve grown and moved beyond it. Provide convincing explanations for any challenges you’ve faced. Some schools might even throw scholarships your way for a killer turnaround story. Keep your essay concise and focused. Wrap up with one or two examples illustrating how you’ve overcome or are currently addressing the issue, whether it’s a low GPA, a gap in employment, or even a past conviction. It’s all about showing your recovery game strong!

2. Address Low GMAT Scores In The Optional MBA Essay

In the MBA Optional Essay, discussing a disappointing GMAT score may not offer much help, as admissions committees have seen such tactics before. You may mention personal challenges, like health reasons but it won’t change the score’s impact. Keep your explanation brief and outline your plan for retaking the test .

We have seen some applicants citing a mismatch between their academic capabilities and ability to succeed in standardised tests. This is a daring argument for an optional essay and requires strong proof through previously taken standardised tests and proof of academic success. If you have been a school topper or a class valedictorian but still struggled with your SATs , the AdComs might see some sense in your argument.

But if your grades or test scores contradict this argument, it’s best to avoid it. If your quantitative and verbal scores are unbalanced, focus the optional essay on showcasing relevant skills and experiences to reassure the committee. If your quantitative and verbal scores are imbalanced, consider using your optional essay to demonstrate why this should not worry the committee. For instance, if you have a low quant score, you could highlight your experience with quantitative models and data analysis in your finance role. Similarly, if your verbal score is low, you might discuss your written and oral communication skills, such as writing white papers or delivering presentations. Your recommenders can also support your case by emphasizing your strengths in their letters of recommendation.

Your recommenders can also support your case by highlighting your strengths in their letters of recommendation.

3. Address Poor Grades In The Optional MBA Essay

Dedicate MBA optional essays to poor grades only if you have a series of Ds and Fs during a difficult semester or in core business courses. There is no need to explain non-business education relevant courses and rather use that space to bring forth new stories .

But if you had a lower grade point average in the last two years compared to the first two years, it’s better to explain. A common excuse we see is the argument of lack of concentration. But why were you unfocused? It’s one thing if you struggled because you were the first in your family to attend college and needed time to adjust. But it’s another thing if you spent your freshman year goofing around and having a blast. The most effective justifications come from specific circumstances beyond your control.

If you were faced with particular challenges or unavoidable commitments, such as demanding extracurricular activities or working full-time to fund your studies, admissions officers are likely to show some leniency.

4. No Recommendation From Current Supervisor

If you have skipped a recommendation from your current boss., this omission, akin to dodging poor grades or test scores, might raise eyebrows among admissions committees, hinting that maybe your supervisor doesn’t think highly of you. Many applicants dodge including a letter from their boss to avoid risking their job if they’re not admitted. Business schools understand you are treading on thin ice. If you’ve been with your current boss for less than a year, slipping in a letter from a previous boss is totally fine. Just a quick note in your application does the trick, freeing essay space to add other interesting details.

For self-employed/ family business candidates-

Another valid reason for omitting a current supervisor’s letter is if you’re self-employed or work for a family business (letters from family are not considered credible). Inform the school you’re submitting letters from clients, colleagues, or vendors. If unemployed, explain your activities during the gap period in your essay.

5. Address Employment Gaps In The MBA Optional Essays

You should explain the circumstances behind your current unemployment positively to do damage control. Short-term unemployment, like two months, may not require a detailed explanation. If you were terminated for cause, decide whether to explain fully in an optional essay or briefly in the application’s data section based on your situation. If the termination was due to company-wide downsizing, there’s no need to be defensive; many others are in the same position. Negative circumstances like these won’t necessarily be seen as deal-breakers by schools. Use the optional essay to highlight the activities you’ve been involved in since losing your job.

6. Address Weak Extracurriculars in the MBA Optional Essays

Business schools hold extracurricular activities and community involvement in high regard. If these areas are not your strong suit, you have a couple of options: either avoid drawing attention to it and rely on other aspects of your application to shine, or provide a detailed essay explaining your other specific commitments. This could include your involvement in college, mentoring juniors at work, or examples from your family life that demonstrate similar traits to community work, such as being a single parent or providing extensive care for family members.

7. Other Challenges to Explain:

Situations worth explaining could be dropping out of college early or taking longer to finish your degree than normal. If you have been unhappy with a first MBA or a MiM, explain why you are so enthusiastic about pursuing a second management degree. If you are so enthusiastic but applying in round 2, that could call for an explanation. If have had plenty of applicants explain why they applied in late rounds! Keep it short, though, so you can focus on the good stuff.

Sometimes, the optional essay can help you explain less common issues, like how being in a wheelchair or dealing with depression doesn’t stop you from flying and aiming high. It’s also a chance to show how you’ve changed since past mistakes, like facing disciplinary action in school.

5. The Good Stuff: Positive MBA Optional Essays

As we’ve seen, many B schools are receptive to optional MBA essays that offer new insights or details not included in your main application. So, what should you focus on? One strategy is to showcase a different side of yourself that hasn’t been fully highlighted in your other essays. For instance, if you’re known for your coding or analytical skills but also have a passion for cooking, your optional essay could delve into how you’ve honed your culinary expertise through experimentation and hosting cooking workshops for friends and family.

Perhaps you wanted to highlight your passion for photography or your involvement in a local theater group but didn’t find the right opportunity in the main essays. Your optional essay could be the ideal platform to shine a spotlight on these unique interests or pursuits.

Alternatively, if you’re an avid hiker or nature enthusiast, you could share anecdotes about memorable outdoor adventures that have shaped your perspective and leadership abilities. The key is to choose an aspect of your personality or experiences that adds depth and richness to your overall profile, while also aligning with the values of the school you’re applying to.

Confused about your chances to top 20 B Schools? Get a free one-to-one personalized MBA Consultation and advice tailored to your specific situation. We do not cap discussion hours with our applicants.

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• Sep 1, 2022

How to explain your low GPA in the MBA optional essay

Updated: Feb 1

I speak to hundreds of MBA applicants every year. One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How do I justify my low undergrad GPA in my MBA applications?”

The good news is that a low GPA isn't a death sentence for your application. But you MUST be able to clearly explain it. Most likely, you’ll explain it in the optional essay of the MBA application portal.

This is how Yale SOM phrases the prompt:

Optional Essay: If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation (unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, promotions or recognition, etc.), please provide a brief description here. (200 words maximum)

In this blog we will address how you can justify your low undergrad GPA through your optional essay. Along with this, we’ll discuss other aspects of your profile that you can discuss in the optional essay.

Every year, top business schools publish details regarding their class profiles. These reports include average GPA, GMAT/GRE score, years of experience, demographics and industry information for the incoming class. So, for prospective applicants, this report becomes a useful blueprint for identifying how they compare to their would-be classmates and whether they stand a chance of getting into this school.

From this report, we know for example that the undergrad GPA range for the Chicago Booth class of 2023 is 2.7 - 4, with the average being 3.54. The undergrad GPA range for the Northwestern Kellogg class of 2023 is 2.4 - 4, with the average being 3.7.

This means that candidates who made it to the Booth class of 2023 had undergraduate GPAs between 2.7 and 4.

So I get lots of questions from applicants whose GPA is at the very bottom of the range asking whether they have a chance. And honestly, most often the answer is No, unless your profile is absolutely exceptional.

If you belong to an overrepresented group such as an Indian male or north american investment banker, you won’t be successful if your GPA is at the bottom of the range unless you’ve got an exceptional GMAT score and an incredible story.

Applicant: “Can I get into Booth with a 2.8 GPA?”

Sam: “Not unless you threw javelins in the Olympics or distributed polio vaccines in Afghanistan.”

To get in with a lower GPA, you need an exceptional story. One like Raveena ’s, who got into Wharton with a low GPA, a below-average GMAT score in Round 3 and (drum roll) with $160,000 of scholarships.

How to explain a low GPA

Points to bear in mind while writing your optional essay as you discuss your low GPA:

1. Valid reasons for having a low GPA: Some reasons for having a low GPA are more valid than others. Partied to hard and failed exams? Nope. Better reasons include health issues, family issues such as parents getting divorced, or entering the course academically underprepared.

2. How to explain it: Focus very clearly on what happened, how you rebounded, and what you learned from the experience.

3. Avoid using long-winded stories. Storytelling can be super effective for the rest of your MBA essays, where you’re trying to demonstrate a strong narrative. However , that’s not the case with optional essays. Since this is not a mandatory part of the application, the Adcom is “doing you a favor” by reading it. So be short, tight and direct.

4. Steer clear of incorporating any stories or fluff. Instead, be direct in putting your point across to the Admissions Committee. If you have a low undergrad GPA, that’s a fact. So, say it like it is, add the reason behind it and discuss what you’ve done to compensate for it.

5. Don’t fill up space for the word limit. If you can explain a low GPA in 150 words, do it. As an extreme example, Rice Jones’ optional essay has a limit of 750 words. Unless you have something to say about every single possible optional essay topic, you won’t need anything like 750 words!

6. Don’t add repetitive content. Make sure nothing you write about in your optional essay has been repeated from any other part of the application. Repetition here is punishable by DING!

7. Don’t make excuses! Instead, highlight the reasons for this gap in your profile objectively and spin it positively. For example, if you have a low GPA because of your parents’ divorce, discuss how you handled it. If you have an employment gap in your profile, point to extracurriculars or a side hustle you pursued during that time.

8. Don’t be tempted to demonstrate the fit. The school has already offered you space to discuss your alignment with the school and/or program in your MBA application. So don’t ignore their instructions and include unnecessary detail in your optional essay.

9. Don’t brush your gaps under the rug. It might seem enticing to take the risk and not address your weaknesses in the hope that the AdCom miss it. In my experience, adcoms don’t miss these things. So don’t leave it to chance. If your focus wavered because of a lack of prioritization, or poor time management, or a genuine personal issue, admitting it will demonstrate maturity.

Example: Yale SOM

I don’t believe my GPA of 2.7 is representative of my academic abilities. My parents got divorced during my undergraduate studies. Since the rest of my siblings had left the country, I was forced to manage their divorce negotiations and my academic performance suffered heavily as a result.

After the divorce was settled, I attended extra classes to catch up on missed material and my grades rebounded. My final year GPA was 3.4, with my last semester being 3.6, which I believe better demonstrates my academic ability.

Unsatisfied with my poor grades, I took on additional academic challenges after my undergraduate studies were complete. For example, diving straight into the CFA level 1.

When should you write an MBA optional essay?

Aside from explaining your GPA, these are the other points you may want to address in your optional essay:

Educational or Professional Gap

Usually, candidates have an educational or professional gap because -

They wanted to figure out their passion

They were preparing for a certain exam

They had a physical or mental health condition

Extenuating personal circumstances

So, if you had to take a gap or got laid off and found yourself in this situation, use this space to offer your explanation to Adcom. Focus on how you used your time productively.

If you were running a side hustle during school or worked two jobs or did night shifts through your undergrad due to some financial issues, that’s something worth discussing in your optional essay. Otherwise, an outsider won’t be able to make sense of it just by looking at your resume.

Masters or Management degree in your home country

Many candidates go for a Masters in a specific subject or a Masters in Management (MIM) degree immediately after their undergrad. However, to pivot into senior executive roles, they need a formal management degree and apply for an MBA. If you fall into that category, you should offer context in your optional essay.

If you think your current score is an inaccurate representation of your profile, provide evidence of how you can add value to your target school’s MBA class. For example, if you’ve got your GMAT booked for a specific date post the deadline, you can say,

“My current GMAT score doesn’t reflect my academic ability aptly, and I have booked the exam for a specific date.”

Recommender

If you don’t have a recommendation from your current manager, it’s worth highlighting why. Maybe because you can’t tell your current company. Maybe because you haven’t been at your current company very long. Simply offer a crisp explanation and get your point across to the Admissions Committee.

Struggling to write your optional essay? Get in touch.

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50 MBA Essays That Got Applicants Admitted To Harvard & Stanford

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What Matters? and What More? is a collection of 50 application essays written by successful MBA candidates to Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business

I sat alone one Saturday night in a boardroom in Eastern Oregon, miles from home, my laptop lighting the room. I was painstakingly reviewing a complex spreadsheet of household energy consumption data, cell by cell. ‘Why am I doing this to myself? For remote transmission lines?’…I felt dejected. I’d felt that way before, during my summer at JP Morgan, standing alone in the printing room at 3 a.m., binding decks for a paper mill merger that wouldn’t affect my life in the least.

That’s how an analyst at an MBB firm started his MBA application essay to Stanford Graduate School of Business. His point: In a well-crafted essay, he confronts the challenge of finding meaning in his work and a place where he can make a meaningful difference. That is what really matters most to him, and his answer to Stanford’s iconic MBA application essay helped get him defy the formidable odds of acceptance and gain an admit to the school.

Getting into the prestigious MBA programs at either Stanford Graduate School of Business or Harvard Business School are among the most difficult journeys any young professional can make.

NEARLY 17,000 CANDIDATES APPLIED TO HARVARD & STANFORD LAST YEAR. 1,500 GOT IN

This collection of 50 successful HBS and GSB essays, with smart commentary, can be downloaded for $60

They are two of the most selective schools, routinely rejecting nine or more out of every ten applicants. Last year alone, 16,628 candidates applied to both schools; just 1,520 gained an acceptance, a mere 9.1% admit rate.

Business school admissions are holistic, meaning that while standardized test scores and undergraduate transcripts are a critical part of the admissions process, they aren’t the whole story. In fact, the stories that applicants tell the schools in the form of essays can be a critical component of a successful application.

So what kinds of stories are successful applicants to Harvard and Stanford telling their admission officers? For the first time ever, a newly published collection of 50 of these essays from current MBA students at these two schools has been published. In ten cases, applicants share the essays they wrote in applying to both schools so you can see whether they merely did a cut-and-paste job or approached the task anew. The 188-page book, What Matters? and What More?, gains its title from the two iconic essay prompts at Harvard and Stanford.

THOUGHTFUL CRITIQUES OF THE ESSAYS

Stanford can easily boast having the most difficult question posed to MBA applicants in any given year: In 650 words or less, candidates must tell the school what matters most to them and why. Harvard gives applicants ample room to hang themselves, providing no word limit at all, “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?”

One makes this unusual collection of essays powerful are the thoughtful critiques by the founders of two MBA admissions consulting firms, Jeremy Shinewald of mbaMission and Liza Weale of Gatehouse Admissions. They write overviews of each essay in the book and then tear apart portions by paragraphs to either underline a point or address a weakness. The book became available to download for $60 a pop.

As I note in a foreword to the collection, published in partnership with Poets&Quants, the essay portion of an application is where a person can give voice to who they are, what they have achieved so far, and what they imagine their future to be. Yet crafting a powerful and introspective essay can be incredibly daunting as you stare at a blank computer screen.

APPLICANTS OPEN UP WITH INTIMATE STORIES THAT SHOW VULNERABILITY

One successful applicant to Harvard Business School begins his essay by conveying a deeply personal story: The time his father was told that he had three months to live, with his only hope being a double lung transplant. had to undergo a lung transplant. His opening line: “Despite all we had been through in recent years, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I asked my mother one summer evening in Singapore, ‘What role did I play during those tough times?’”

For this candidate to Stanford Graduate School of Business, the essay provided a chance to creatively engage admission readers about what matters most to him–equality-by cleverly using zip codes as a hook.

60605, 60606, 60607.

These zip codes are just one digit apart, but the difference that digit makes in someone’s life is unfathomable. I realized this on my first day as a high school senior. Leafing through my out-of- date, stained, calculus textbook, I kept picturing the new books that my friend from a neighboring (more affluent) district had. As college acceptances came in, I saw educational inequality’s more lasting effects—my friends from affluent districts that better funded education were headed to prestigious universities, while most of my classmates were only accepted by the local junior college. I was unsettled that this divergence wasn’t the students’ doing, but rather institutionalized by the state’s education system. Since this experience, I realized that the fight for education equality will be won through equal opportunity. Overcoming inequality, to ensure that everyone has a fair shake at success, is what matters most to me.

HOW AN APPLICANT TO BOTH SCHOOLS ALTERED HIS ESSAYS

Yet another candidate, who applied to both Harvard and Stanford, writes about being at but not fully present at his friend’s wedding.

The morning after serving as my friend’s best man, I was waiting for my Uber to the airport and—as usual—scrolling through my phone,” he wrote. “I had taken seemingly hundreds of photos of the event, posting in real time to social media, but had not really looked through them. With growing unease, I noticed people and things that had not registered with me the night before and realized I had been so preoccupied with capturing the occasion on my phone that I had essentially missed the whole thing. I never learned the name of the woman beside me at the reception. I could not recall the wedding cake flavor. I never introduced myself to my friend’s grandfather from Edmonton. I was so mortified that before checking into my flight, I turned my phone off and stuffed it into my carry-on.

The Stanford version of his essay is more compact. In truth, it’s more succinctly written and more satisfying because it is to the point. By stripping away all but the most critical pieces of his narrative, the candidate focuses his essay entirely on his central point: the battle of man versus technology.

Even if you’re not applying to business school, the essays are entertaining and fun to read. Sure, precious few are New Yorker worthy. In fact, many are fairly straightforward tales, simply told. What the successful essays clearly show is that there is no cookie-cutter formula or paint-by-the-numbers approach. Some start bluntly and straightforwardly, without a compelling or even interesting opening. Some meander through different themes. Some betray real personality and passion. Others are frankly boring. If a pattern of any kind could be discerned, it is how genuine the essays read.

The greatest benefit of reading them? For obsessive applicants to two of the very best business schools, they’ll take a lot of pressure off of you because they are quite imperfect.

GET YOUR COPY OF WHAT MATTERS? AND WHAT MORE? NOW

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Optional Essays: To Write or Not to Write?

Do you have to write the optional essay? Our experts give you the honest truth.

In the past, schools asked several essay questions that covered most angles of an applicant’s personal and professional history. Most experts recommended that applicants only use optional essays to inform the admissions committee of extenuating circumstances, anomalies in their backgrounds, or in some rare cases, an extraordinary accomplishment not covered by the required prompts. While we still strongly recommend candidates use the optional essay for this reason (more on that in a bit), the idea that the optional essay be used solely for this purpose is dated.

As of late, the optional essay really ought to be referred to as the “recommended essay.” Over the past few admissions cycles, business schools have reduced the number and length of required essays... But this doesn’t necessarily mean the number of essays included in a completed application should be lower. Instead, most applicants ought to take advantage of the opportunity to share further information with the admissions committee, whether it mitigates a weakness or not.

But what information should you include in an optional essay? Well, it depends. There are two primary approaches applicants should take when determining the topic of their optional essays.

1. Further discuss that which makes you a strong candidate. By answering optional questions, you can highlight your desirable skills, experiences, or elements of your background. This will help the admissions committee get a well-rounded picture of who you are as an applicant and how you will contribute to the incoming class.

2. Mitigate any weaknesses in your application. Pay attention — this is important! If you have extenuating circumstances or other anomalies in your applicant profile, it is imperative you continue to focus your optional essays on those issues. While your experience and accomplishments are relevant and should be mentioned in other areas of your application, you must first make up for any shortcomings that may affect your candidacy. Use your essays to address these inconsistencies and demonstrate the ways you’ve worked to overcome them.

Examples of application weaknesses that should be addressed in the optional essay and how to tackle them:

→ Low GPA or test scores. If you are applying to business school with numbers that aren’t quite as high as the admissions committee would like to see, it’s not the end of the world. Your academic weaknesses may be an opportunity for you to discuss challenges you’ve faced in the past and how you’ve worked to overcome them. Be sure to highlight ways you’ve improved in your later years of college, other academic courses, test scores, and/or work performance. 

→ Non-traditional choice of recommender. Typically, MBA applicants request a recommendation from their work supervisor. Because they work closely with this person on a regular basis, the supervisor is usually able to write a knowledgeable recommendation detailing the applicant’s skills and experiences. However, not all applicants feel comfortable asking their supervisor for a letter of recommendation. This could be due to a number reasons i.e. Not working together very long, clashing personalities, or the applicant not wanting the supervisor to know their plans to get an MBA. These are all justifiable reasons to request a recommendation from another individual, but it is best to tell the admissions committee up front why you made this decision in order to prevent any speculation. 

→ Non-traditional work experience. Whether you have long gaps in your employment or have made a major career change, it’s wise to explain this to the admissions committee. In general, if you have any employment gaps over one to two months, you should use your optional essay to mention what you were doing during that time. If you were continuing your education, volunteering, or gaining new, valuable experience, your employment gap can easily turn into an application strength. If you’ve recently made a big career shift, it’s in your best interest to explain to the admissions committee your logic behind the change and reaffirm the reasons you are applying to business school. No matter what career shift you have made, it is imperative that the admissions committee understands why an MBA is the next best step for you to achieve your goals.

Whatever you do, don’t do this.

Now that you know the reasons why you might want to write an optional essay, its critical you understand some key things you ought not to do in your optional essay. 

First and most importantly: Our advice that you write the optional essay is not a license to engage in frivolity or dysentery of the keyboard. Seriously. Keep your rambling to yourself and remember that the optional essay should present as professionally as your required essays. 

When writing your optional essay, we strongly recommend you adhere to the following guidelines:

• Do not share frivolous information.
• Do not share information that appears (or can appear) elsewhere in your application (data forms, short answer, etc.).
• Only share information that enhances your candidacy.  For example: Wharton’s optional essay question follows a required question about what candidates hope to gain from a Wharton MBA. Therefore, applicants should not use the optional essay to elaborate on reasons for applying to Wharton as those should have been covered exhaustively in the required essay. If not, then applicants should re-examine their response to that essay.

To ensure your optional essay is as effective as possible, consider these potential prompts:

• Write about a formative experience that has shaped you, therefore explaining what you would bring to the incoming class and wider school community.
• Discuss a proud accomplishment and the lessons from it that you can share with classmates.
• Optional essay responses should complement required essay responses.  Using Wharton as an example: If your answer to the required question (Question 1) focused on professional factors, you might consider discussing extracurricular (athletic, community, charitable) or personal information as a response to the optional prompt. You might also take the opportunity to highlight unique aspects of yourself and candidacy. If you have accomplished a truly extraordinary feat (finished a marathon, climbed a significant mountain, played a national level college sport, published research, published a book, helped bring clean water to a village in the developing world, etc.) consider expounding upon that accomplishment. Finally, consider how the answer to this essay question can reinforce your fit with the school.

Branding MBA Personal Brand Essays Optional Essays

Joe El Rady

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4 Cases Where MBA Applicants Should Write an Optional Essay

Our advice? First, complete your entire application package, except for the optional essay. Don’t worry about that piece of the puzzle just yet. Then, review your application to see if there is something extra you would like to communicate that you cannot address elsewhere in the application.

The following advice should be considered within the context of your overall strategy and target business school(s), but these areas are prime material for the optional essay.

Use the Optional Essay to Address Academic Weaknesses

A grade of C or below on your undergraduate transcript will give the admissions committee pause. They will want to know why, and determine whether it’s an outlier in your overall academic record. Strike an upbeat tone here and avoid excuses. Make sure you emphasize your improved performance either later in your college career or in subsequent work or classes since college.

Explain your issue clearly and focus the balance of your essay on looking forward. Explain what have you done in the recent past to prove your skills and intelligence. If you have a new GMAT score or took classes in calculus or statistics, you have a solid case for improved academics.

Use the Optional Essay to Address Employment Gaps or Major Career Changes

You don’t have to explain a short gap between school and a secured job, but something like several months between two jobs should be addressed.

Did you use that time off to do volunteer work in Guatemala, or care for an ailing parent? Maybe you used the time away to focus on an entrepreneurial dream unencumbered by the 9-to-5 grind. Ideally you can point to additional education, training, volunteering or traveling that you engaged in while unemployed.

If you recently switched careers and feel concerned that the admissions committee may not see how you arrived at the conclusion that an MBA would help further your professional aspirations, use the optional essay space to make an airtight case for why you want to go into this new field and show that the decision was reasoned and well-thought-out.

Use the Optional Essay to Address   Choice of Recommender

Not every applicant feels comfortable asking their current employer for a recommendation letter. Perhaps they aren’t ready to let their boss know of their MBA plans, or maybe there is a personality conflict that might not lead to the most glowing recommendation. Sometimes, the issue is that the applicant hasn’t worked with the supervisor long enough for him or her to comment meaningfully on the candidate’s performance.

Whatever the reason, you should briefly address your decision not to seek a recommendation from your current supervisor in the optional essay space. The admissions committee understands the various circumstances which may prevent it, but you need to explain why anyway to eliminate any doubts or wrong assumptions about the quality of your working relationship with your employer.

Use the Optional Essay to Convey  Information That Adds to Your Candidacy

This is where you can introduce information about yourself that you simply couldn’t find a way to incorporate elsewhere. If you are a re-applicant, the optional essay is the ideal place to explain what you have done since your last application to strengthen your case for admission – such as receiving a promotion – which would signal career development and leadership. Even if you don’t have a clear-cut development to describe, you can use this space to explain how you have improved your thinking, career goals or fit.

Finally, if you don’t have a weakness to address and the school has an open-ended optional essay question, this is opportunity to provide information you couldn’t work into the other required essays.

For example, if you have an unusual background, hobby or extracurricular experience, this may be a chance to showcase your unique profile. Check out these “optional essay” videos submitted by past MBA applicants to Babson College and MIT Sloan School of Management for inspiration.

The optional essay truly is optional. So take advantage of it if necessary, but exercise good judgement and restraint.

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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How to approach an optional mba essay.

The optional essay could be a great way to fill in any gaps in your application

Stacy Blackman Consulting explain how to approach an optional MBA essay.

Thu Jun 20 2013

• Complete your entire application before approaching the optional essay. Don’t worry about that part of the application yet.
• Once complete, review your application and ask yourself whether there is some extra part you would like to write about to the admissions committee.
• If there is anything missing, use the optional essay as an opportunity to add what you would like.
• If you cannot think of anything additional you would like to add, do not write the optional essay.

I have seen a number of topics for optional essays for the first scenario where the information included could have been added elsewhere. When the optional essay is approached in this way, the applicant will take what could have been a few sentences and expand it into a full essay. This is a waste of time. Do not forget that the person reviewing your application has a lot of reading to do. When brainstorming thoughts for that optional essay, make sure that you cannot address the material elsewhere in the application.

• Explaining gaps in career experience.
• Explaining choice of recommender.
• Explaining circumstances affecting academic record, GMAT, or other aspects of your profile. This does not mean that you need to explain why you received a 3.4 GPA one semester as opposed to your normal 3.9. Extenuating circumstances implies something that significantly impacted your application. As example, perhaps there was a family crisis, or you were experiencing serious problems.
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Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth – Optional Essay Sample

Pl. provide additional information that you haven’t addressed elsewhere.

I request the admissions committee to consider the following factors linked to the gap between Secondary Schooling and the undergraduation:

Immediately after completing my Secondary Schooling, I had enrolled for an undergraduate degree in Electronics Engineering in month year.  Within the first four semesters, I realized that (while being an engineer is a prestigious career path) my passion definitely lay elsewhere. At the age of 18, the choice was primarily influenced by peer pressure. Halfway through the course, I dropped out of the program in October 2004. Such a move is highly unconventional in my country and resulted in significant disapproval from all fronts.

The early week of December 1998 was a fissure in my career that had so far been a smooth ride.  The fact that I had dropped out halfway through engineering represented an entire two years of “downtime”. It took me an entire month to come out of the situation and gather courage

If I was not the best at engineering, I had to be best at something – and I just had to find it. The problem had opened this door of opportunity.

By January 1999, I was running a small-scale transport business with seven, second-hand transport vans.  Each day in the business taught me powerful lessons in business and man management. After 18  months, I sold all seven vans, booked some overall profit and made a career decision to join ABC. I wanted to experience working in established companies and learning about “big-business.”

In my country, it’s extremely difficult to get a well-paid, intellectually-satisfying job without a Bachelor’s degree. This really hit home on two occasions – in month year while looking for my first job and in year after ABC, my then employer, closed down and I was jobless in a city that I was not too familiar with. After losing multiple opportunities that I was clearly suitable for, I decided to enroll in a distance learning B.B.A program in month year while continuing to look for work. I achieved a breakthrough when I was hired at DEF and I have regularly crossed growth benchmarks ever since.

In retrospect, I realize that my interruption in education could have been averted by a more rational approach. I also realize the importance of quality higher education – the potential reflected so far in my career graph can only be fully realized with a thorough grounding in the principles of management. However, the consequences of my choices did teach me extremely valuable life-lessons of handling adversity, having faith in my abilities and judgment and being resilient.

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The MBA Optional Essay – How to Approach and Tackle it

The MBA Optional Essay is a bit of an enigma to most MBA applicants when they first see it. For most people preparing their MBA applications , the other essays adequately cover the applicant’s career goals, reasons for choosing the relevant school, and key achievements and learning. The optional essay therefore presents an opportunity to provide yet more information, but in most cases, applicants are not clear about what exactly it should contain. As a result, many applicants tend to use this essay to provide random information, extend other essays, or make a further case for their candidature. This article attempts to remove the confusion underlying the content of the optional essay, and presents a few scenarios on how it should be used.

GyanOne is a leading MBA admissions consulting firm with a proven track record of admissions to top MBA programs globally. Knock off all your career and admissions related queries on our exclusively designed platform here. View all posts by GyanOne →

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Kellogg Application tips: Written and video essays

Editor’s note: This article was published during a previous year’s admissions cycle. For the latest information on essay prompts for the 2023–2024 application, please see this post .

By Brittany Wisniewski, senior associate director of admissions    As you move through the application process , one of the most important aspects is telling your personal and professional story as fully and authentically as possible. Each part of the application provides an opportunity for you to share what makes you unique. When you are submitting your written essays and optional video essays, consider examples that demonstrate who you are, what drives you and what you plan to achieve as a future Kellogg Leader .  

Written essays 

The application will give you two prompts for written essays: 

• Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn?  
• Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? 

Today’s changing business landscape demands leaders who possess a blend of analytical, creative and social intelligence and who can uplift teams to their full potential — those are the candidates we at Kellogg are looking for. Know that there are no perfect answers to our essay questions. Instead, when you are writing your essays, think about how you can leave your mark on Kellogg and the world.   

Optional video essays 

New this year, you can complete video essays after you submit your application and payment. While the video is an optional component, this is a great opportunity to tell us more about you  and explain why Kellogg is the right place for you.   

The video portion of the applications will include three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you to where you are today: 

• Introduce yourself to the admissions committee. 
• What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you? 
• This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.  

Learn more 

At Kellogg, we believe in a holistic approach to the application process. We look at all areas of a candidate’s application. For us, this is much more than a test score, essay or job title. All applicants have unique strengths and attributes. Please make sure we see and hear everything that makes you special.   

If you are ready to become a Kellogg Leader, complete your application today . 

To explore more application tips or learn more about Kellogg, visit our admissions site  or sign up for an event to speak to an admissions officer. 

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your application soon! 

mbaMission Optional Essays Guide

Most business school candidates have at least one irregularity in their profile (e.g., a lower-than-average GPA, unbalanced GMAT scores, a gap in work experience) and must consider whether to use the optional essay to explain it. The mbaMission Optional Essays Guide presents a variety of scenarios in which one should—or should not—write an optional essay and explains how best to mitigate your weaknesses and accentuate your strengths in such essays.

The mbaMission Optional Essays Guide explains how and when to properly use the optional essay to address "issues" within your candidacy, and includes more than ten sample essays.

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Optional Short Answer Question

In this section, we provide an optional opportunity for you to discuss some of your contributions more fully.

What do we mean by “optional”? We mean you have the opportunity to choose. If you feel that you’ve already described your contributions well in other areas of the application, congratulations, you’re done! If not, feel free to use this opportunity to tell us more.

In the Essays section of the application, we ask you to tell us about who you are and how you think Stanford will help you achieve your aspirations. We are also interested in learning about the things you have done that are most meaningful to you. Using these optional spaces, perhaps you would like to expand upon a bullet item from your resume and tell us more about the “how” or “why” behind the “what.” Or maybe you have had an impact in a way that doesn’t fit neatly in another part of the application. You are welcome to share up to three examples (up to 1,200 characters, or approximately 200 words, for each example).

Question: Think about a time in the last few years when you’ve created a positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, academic, or other settings. What was your impact? What made it significant to you or to others?

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2024-2025 MIT Sloan MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 27, 2024

• Who is MIT Sloan looking for?
• How should I answer MIT Sloan essay questions?
• Make Sure you Get Into MIT Sloan
• MIT Sloan Deadlines

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on August 27, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

With the Media Lab, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation track, and a motto of “Mens et Manus,” or “Mind and Hand,” MIT Sloan is a hotbed for professionals seeking to work with cutting-edge industries and entrepreneurs alike. 

However, with the number of MBA applicants hoping to land jobs in technology and entrepreneurship increasing every year, landing a spot at MIT Sloan has become more challenging than ever. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Sloan admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to MIT Sloan MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot. 

1. Who is MIT Sloan looking for?

“MIT Sloan students are informed and responsible global citizens with the vision, drive, and practical experience to make significant contributions to their organizations and to the world.” MIT Sloan Admissions Team

As one of the prestigious M7 schools, the average MIT Sloan student tends to have a demonstrated track record of academic excellence and a high GMAT/GRE score. The ~400 admits to the Class of 2025 had a median GMAT score of 730. GRE verbal scores ranged from 157-167 and quant scores ranged from 157-168.

However, with a major focus on diversity (it’s been the theme of Sloan’s interview essay for the past several years), it’s no surprise that MIT Sloan’s admissions team works hard to continually increase the diversity of perspectives present in its class. The Class of 2025 had 60 countries represented (that’s almost as many as London Business School!) and included 28% of students from underrepresented U.S. minority backgrounds and 46% women. 

According to the admissions team, they also look beyond the numbers to ensure applicants fit with Sloan’s values. 

(Source: MIT Sloan’s Website)

In addition, MIT Sloan tends to favor applicants who demonstrate excellence and commitment both at the office and in the community. 

So, if this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll have to think of the ways in which you align with the main characteristics of MIT Sloan’s students. This means forming your business school brand and then focusing on the aspects of that brand that align with collaborative leadership, analytical thinking, and a commitment to solving urgent issues in business and society. 

2. How should I answer MIT Sloan essay questions?

2.1. cover letter.

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 be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

MIT has asked this question for years!

This is not surprising, considering how well the task of writing a cover letter aligns with Sloan’s goal of admitting practical candidates with a demonstrated track record of success. The cover letter, thus, allows you to concisely and pragmatically feature your key accomplishments, demonstrate your career plan, and demonstrate to Sloan’s admissions committee that you “fit” with their program. 

Though it may sound obvious, approach this essay as though you are applying for a new job. A good professional cover letter opens by demonstrating your strengths and creating a strong picture of the value you can contribute to your future organization. 

You should begin your MIT Sloan cover letter by doing the same. First, consider your background and professional history. Which examples show you are an innovator (a core value at Sloan )? What shows that you are passionate about the career you have chosen but are also practical enough to get results day in and day out?

After choosing 2-3 examples that show you thinking outside the box and offering pragmatic solutions to challenging business problems, as well as examples that demonstrate your leadership skills, consider how you might tell these stories in a short yet powerful way .

Then, begin your letter. We suggest you avoid a boring “My name is X, and I am applying to join Sloan” opening. Instead, craft a compelling hook introduction that not only grabs the reader’s interest, but that also sets the stage for the themes you will explore in your letter (opening with a line about teamwork then spending your whole essay talking about innovation, for example, would not be a good match).

TOP TIP : Dedicate roughly 75% of your essay to your past examples. Make sure these are told in STAR format .

After you show MIT Sloan what you’ve already accomplished (and make sure you do this well, MIT Sloan believes strongly that the best indicator of success is past behavior), you might want to mention a bit about your future ambitions if it makes sense in the context of your essay. 1-2 sentences here that focus on your career mission on a very high level works best. You don’t need or want a full, long goals paragraph here and want to make sure you have enough space to discuss Why MIT. 

Then, end the essay by giving a few examples of what kind of student you will be at MIT Sloan and why Sloan is the right choice to help you achieve your goals. You do not want to include a laundry list of classes and clubs, but a few, well-chosen examples and connections to how the MIT Sloan MBA experience will serve you well.

TOP TIP: Format your cover letter essay as a traditional cover letter. Elements like your address, your salutation and your closing do not count towards your final word count. 

Need more guidance? 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of MIT Sloan essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning MIT Sloan essay. 

Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, 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)
• – Speaking directly to the camera
• – Do not include background music or subtitles

Considering the short amount of time you have to make an impression on MIT, your goal with this essay is to introduce yourself to your classmates, and the best introductions usually contain a selection of interesting stories . 

To start brainstorming which topics you might want to include, imagine you’re at your first day of work and need to introduce yourself to your team. What would you want to make sure your new colleagues know about you? Or, better yet, if a new colleague joined and was introducing himself, what would you want to know about him?

Since you’ll have your entire cover letter to discuss your professional achievements, we suggest you focus more here on your personal interests than on examples of big wins at work. 

Of course, in your introduction, feel free to mention what you do for a living and give the necessary context for the experiences you do mention, but spend the majority of the video essay going beyond your profession. 

So think about what makes you YOU beyond what the school has already learned about you in your CV , letters of recommendation, and cover letters. 

You might want to devote your entire minute to one topic (for example, a client this year discussed her passion for fencing and her experience creating the first women’s fencing club at her university). If you do choose this route, you may want to consider filming your video in a creative environment that reflects your interest (the client mentioned above filmed her video wearing her fencing gear). 

However, if you have many different interests and would like to talk about several of them, this approach also works. Make sure you are able to fully describe what you’re interested in and why it’s important to you. A laundry list of extracurricular achievements is not the goal here. If you choose this option, try to record in a somewhat neutral environment so the focus is 100% on you. Nonetheless, we see videos focused on a single topic tend to do better overall. 

Finally, you might want to mention briefly how the theme you have developed connects to MIT Sloan and how you can contribute to the school. They don’t want to see a full-blown “Why MIT” statement, since they have asked you to speak to your classmates! However, if your whole video is about your passion for social impact, you might want to mention how how you’d share this passion of yours with fellow Sloanies. Or, if you use the fencing club example above, you might want to end by mentioning you’d like to create Sloan’s first Fencing Club! You don’t want to overdo it, however! 

TOP TIP : Try to choose a background or setting that complements your video. To again cite the fencing example, this client recorded her video in her fencing uniform, removing her mask right before introducing herself. Another client, who talked about her passion for Italian cooking and her sabbatical year at a cooking school in Rome, filmed from her kitchen. There is no right or wrong answer here, so be creative! 

No matter where you record, check your sound quality and lighting to make sure you will be easy to see and hear. 

Finally, we suggest you write a script and practice recording yourself several times to get just the right take. Usually, clients are able to comfortably fit about 170 words of content into 1 minute. After recording yourself a few times, you may want to send a few options to friends, family, or trusted advisors to get their take on which clip to send. The most important thing is to show MIT your winning personality!

Make sure you do not exceed the 1:00 limit.  

2.3. Optional Short Answer Question

Applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following optional 250 word short answer question:

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 identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

This question is truly optional; applicants will not be evaluated more positively or negatively should they choose to respond. This is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the Admissions Committee, should you choose to do so.

* As of publication, the MIT Sloan online application form was not available. This question has appeared for the past 2 years, but it’s a good idea to confirm once the application opens. 

MIT Sloan values applicants who can contribute to its greater community and the educational experience for all. This question offers you the chance to give the admissions committee more information about what makes you you , as well as show how you will contribute to the overall diversity of the class. 

There is really no “right” answer to this question. We have seen clients discuss how growing up in a low-income context fueled them to overcome adversity and, later, share this success with other people in their communities. Other clients have talked about their varied multicultural experiences gave them a unique view of the world. When considering what to add here, I would suggest you think about what unique perspective you’ll bring to the MIT community and what experiences have shaped you to become this person. 

Though this essay is optional, since MIT’s application is so short, we suggest that you take advantage of it. Just make sure you don’t repeat information that can be found in your cover letter or video. 

2.4. The Interview Essays

MIT Sloan has also long required candidates who are called to interview to submit an additional essay. The questions themselves will be confirmed upon interview invitation. 

3. Make Sure you Get Into MIT Sloan 

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school. 

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner.   

This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program.   

Not only can you take advantage of our iterative feedback process through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . 

Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. MIT Sloan Deadlines

Here are the deadlines for the 2024-2025 season. You can access the MIT Sloan application here .

MIT Sloan Round 1 Deadlines

Application Deadline : September 30, 2024

Interview Notification : Ongoing

Decisions Released : December 12, 2024

MIT Sloan Round 2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 14, 2025

Decisions Released : April 4, 2025

MIT Sloan Round 3 Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 7, 2025

Decisions Released : May 15, 2025

Applications are due by 3 PM Eastern Time on the deadline date. 

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How to tackle optional essays in your MBA Application?

The purpose of MBA optional essays is to offer you (the applicant) the benefit of the doubt rather than leaving questions totally up to the interpretation of an admissions officer. The MBA optional essay allows you to clarify any flaws in your application. Be it your low GPA in undergraduate, low GMAT, second MBA, education, job experience gaps, also if you have had any academic or legal misbehavior in the pastor or any other gap in your story such as why would you quit your current startup when your long term goal is to start a venture of your own. This article will help you understand how to defend your gaps in your MBA optional essays, thus presenting you as a strong applicant.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MBA OPTIONAL ESSAYS?

MBA Optional essays are another opportunity for applicants who have gaps in their application that could not be clarified in other parts of your MBA application; this MBA optional essay allows you to address those gaps and increase your chances of admission to the B-school.

Along with managing the reasons for gaps in your profile, in this MBA optional essay, you can discuss what makes you a strong prospect in further detail. You can showcase your preferred talents, experiences, or background components by answering MBA optional questions. This will give the admissions committee a complete picture of who you are as a candidate and how you will contribute to the incoming class.

TYPES OF MBA OPTIONAL ESSAYS.

There are two forms of MBA optional essays that a school's admissions committee may commonly request.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MBA OPTIONAL ESSAY STRONGER?

USE THE OPTIONAL ESSAY TO DISCUSS RECOMMENDER CHOICE-

LOW SCORE, GMAT/GRE- If your score falls below the school's average or does not accurately reflect your ability, the optional essay is the chance to remedy it.

EMPLOYMENT GAP -There can be many different reasons for gaps in your work experience but if it’s considerable, do not leave them unexplained.

LOW GPA - You don't want to leave anything to guesswork or make your argument for a low GPA weaker.

TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING AN MBA OPTIONAL ESSAY

Stay as succinct as possible; if you can express your message in 50 words, don’t drag your optional essay further. Come straight to the point.

Do adhere to the word limit (if none exists, it should not exceed the length of your statement). Usually, 250 words will be enough.

 If you want the admissions committee to spend more time reading it, you should attempt to present your case thoroughly.

Use the optional essay to convey information not conveyed in your primary essay or application, giving you an edge.

Share no information that appears (or may appear) elsewhere in your application (data forms, short answers, etc.). You will just bore the hell out of the adcoms!

EXAMPLE OF A LOW GMAT OPTIONAL ESSAY SAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

In the Essay given below, the applicant has clearly explained how he has strong academic rigor and given the pieces of evidence for the same.

There is no particular format to be followed in the MBA Optional essays. You can simply talk about the particular gap and explain it and present evidence that irrespective of the gap, you still have the respective quality in your profile, making you a strong applicant for the targeted B-school.

If you need help with your applications, we are happy to get on a one-on-one Profile evaluation call with you and help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and create a roadmap for you to tackle MBA applications! 

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