As you fill out your business school applications, you will undoubtedly encounter some very challenging essay questions. To be successful, you will go through a lot of soul searching and self discovery. Most applicants are bound to encounter the “why MBA” question frequently. It is surprising how difficult this relatively straightforward question can be. Applicants who have focused goals and defined reasons for wanting to apply often still struggle.

Demonstrating that you will benefit from the experience offered by your target program is critical to your success. Even if you are not asked the question explicitly, you should be aware that your story needs to illustrate that the program can help you achieve your personal and professional goals.

Every year, I work with reapplicants who solicit feedback on applications they submitted in prior years. Here are some highlights from recent feedback sessions that illustrate the point above:

Applicant A:
GPA – 3.9
GMAT – 680
Experience – 2 years strategy consulting
Goal – career in IT.
Feedback – not clear why you need an MBA. Seems like your goals are more technical than managerial.

Applicant B:
GPA – 3.1
GMAT – 710
Experience – 4 years venture capital
Goal – continuing current career in venture capital.
Feedback – not clear why you want an MBA. Seems that you are gaining relevant experience on the job. What can the MBA provide?

Applicant C:
GPA – 3.6
GMAT – 700
Experience – 3 years strategy consulting
Goal – career in arts management
Feedback – not clear why you need an MBA, the degree is generally not required for Arts Management.

The moral of this entry is – make sure it is clear to the admissions committee that the MBA can help you reach your stated goals in a very specific way. Understand what you will gain from their program and communicate that clearly to them. Your explanation should demonstrate an understanding of what an MBA can provide, and the benefits of their specific program. This can also include insights into their culture, and ways that being immersed in that environment can help you develop.

Most applicants spend a great deal of time agonizing over their school list. This is viewed as a crucial first step that must be finalized before embarking on the process. I read with interest a recent blog entry by applicant Ty Coon, where he discusses the evolution of his list. Ty Coon started with a long list of schools, and as he progresses through the application process some schools are falling off, while others remain, for all kinds of reasons. Time is a big reason, as is the expense of applying. Some schools remain because they are viewed as back ups, others because their programs are a good fit.

One important thing to take away from Ty Coon’s experience is that the school list evolves, as does the applicant’s story. Obviously you need at least one school to start with, but much of your list can be determined as you progress through the process. As you become more invested in going to business school, and your story solidifies, you made decide to add additional schools. As you clarify your goals, you may consider schools that you had never looked at in the past. Similarly, this process may cause you to drop schools.

As you form your list, one important question to ask yourself is: How committed am I to going to school next year? Am I dedicated to one or two top choice schools, or to going back to school – period? Some applicants are content in their careers, and will only go back to school to attend a top choice. This is a fine decision – just realize that applying to one school is a risky strategy, no matter how qualified you may be. Other applicants put together a broader list in order to maximize chances of acceptance. This is a personal decision – just be honest with yourself when assessing where you want to be next year.

A couple of other things to consider:
1) Never apply to a school that you will not be happy to attend.
2) It can be important to keep your dream school on your list – otherwise, you may always wonder what might have happened.
3) Remember that there are plenty of great schools that can help you to reach your goals – don’t get caught up in stereotypes and rumors – approach this with an open mind.
4) If you are interested in working for specific companies after you graduate, call the companies directly and ask them where they recruit.
5) Start with one key school and allow your list to change as you go through this process of self discovery.

When it comes to the optional essay offered by most schools, a frequent question is – is it really optional? Many applicants feel an obligation to write something, and struggle with what that something should be.

My approach to the optional essay is the following:
1) Complete your entire application, except for the optional essay. Don’t worry about that piece of the puzzle just yet.
2) Once complete, review your application and ask yourself if there is something extra you would like to communicate to the admissions committee.
3) If there is something missing, by all means, use the optional essay as an opportunity to say what you need to say!
4) If you cannot think of a topic you would like to cover, do not waste the admissions committee’s time, (or your time, for that matter).

The following is general advice and needs to be taken within the context of your overall strategy and the school that you are looking at. However, in GENERAL, the following topics are good material for the optional essay:
1) Explaining gaps in work experience
2) Explaining choice of recommender
3) Explaining extenuating circumstances effecting GPA, GMAT or other aspects of your profile
4) Introducing information about yourself that you absolutely could not find a way to incorporate elsewhere

I have seen a full range of topics for optional essays and frequently feel that the information included could have been incorporated elsewhere. When the optional essay is approached in this way, the applicant will take what could have been three lines of material and expand it into a full essay. This is a waste of everyone’s time. Remember that the person reviewing your application has a lot of reading to do – so you want to make every word count. When brainstorming ideas for that optional essay, make sure that you cannot address the material elsewhere in the application. I frequently see the topic, “What I can contribute to your program.” This is an example of a topic that really should be addressed all throughout your application, and often fits well into the primary essay about goals and program selection. As a result it feels superfluous and redundant when used for the optional essay.

To answer the question we began with: Yes, the optional essay is truly optional. So, exercise restraint!