This blog post is part of our "Application Insider" blog post series that provides insider information, tips, and advice about applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program.
APPLICATION INSIDER TOPIC:
ESSAYS
In 2017, we made some changes to our Essay section for new applicants. As a reminder, these are the essay requirements for the 2017-18 application cycle:
NEW APPLICANTS
- Essay Question: Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. How can the UCLA Anderson experience add value to your professional development? (500 words max)
- Short Answer Question: Describe how you would contribute to the UCLA Anderson community. (250 words max)
REAPPLICANTS
Reapplicants are those who submitted a completed MBA application within the previous two years (those who applied for the MBA program starting in 2016 or 2017). If you applied three years or more prior, then please answer the "New Applicant" questions.
- Reapplicant Essay Question: Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words maximum)
OPTIONAL
As in previous years, we also have an optional question for those who need some additional space to explain extenuating circumstances that are not evident in the application. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit a response to the optional question. The optional question can be answered by either new applicants or reapplicants.
- Optional Question: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
You may be thinking...What is the best way to approach answering the essay and short answer question?
The essay and short answer are designed to allow you to share different aspects of your profile and background with us.
The essay is more professionally focused so here are some tips:
- The skills you gained and the qualities you've learned about yourself in your past career experiences will often influence your future professional goals; so take the time to self-reflect on what you liked and didn't like in your past job(s) to help understand where you see yourself in the future. It's important that we understand how your past experiences and transferable skills fit into your future goals.
- With this better understanding of your past, you can start by thinking about your long-term goals and work backwards to short-term goals, and then work backwards even further to what you would do at UCLA Anderson to achieve those goals.
For the short answer question, you might think about your areas of interest beyond work, past organizations and/or groups you have been involved in and see if you can continue and share those interests in the UCLA Anderson community, or perhaps explore new areas you'd like to get involved in as a part of your MBA journey. You can connect with our students and check out our Club Webpages to explore how our student club leaders can make an impact on campus. We pride ourselves on our student-led culture and the Admissions Committee looks for qualities of student contribution potential in applicants.
What if my career plans change once I start school?
The Admissions Committee understands that our MBA program may expose you to other professional opportunities that, in turn, may change your goals. But for the purpose of the essay, we need to know that you can set a goal, research the paths to get there and develop a well-articulated plan on how you will leverage and grow your skills with an MBA from UCLA Anderson to help you get there.
When should I use the optional essay? Is it really optional?
For those of you that may have additional situations to address (for example, an unexplained leave of absence from work or context to the reason for a less-than-stellar course grade in college), you might consider using the optional essay to address those situations. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit an optional essay. The essay is truly optional and should only be used to explain situations not evident on the application, not act as an extension to the main application essay.
How do I know my essay is ready to submit?
Once you are satisfied with a draft, it is advisable to have at least two people read and review it. You may also choose to share the essay prompt with them or not to see if they can guess the topic solely from your response. Here are our recommendations on who you should ask:
- A person who knows you very well and can quickly conclude if the essay faithfully represents you, your values and your goals.
- A person who may not know you as well. This person should be able to give you an objective perspective on how the essay may come across to the admissions committee, who are unlikely to have met you before. Are your goals clear and concise? Can they tell how excited you are about UCLA Anderson? Is it evident that you've done the work to get to know the school?
By getting insights from people with varying levels of knowledge about you, you should be able to refine your essay(s) further. After another review for clarity & conciseness, typos, grammar, etc., you'll be ready to press submit!
Check back for more "Application Insider" blog posts that will cover information and tips on the many aspects of applying to the UCLA Anderson MBA program!
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