Michigan Ross Retools Fall 2018 MBA Essay Questions
The University of Michigan Ross School of Business has introduced a new MBA essay format for the 2017-18 admissions season. The reason for the update? As admissions director Soojin Kwon explains, “We want to get to know more about you than we would in a traditional essay where you’d talk at length about one topic. You’ll get to share different sides of yourself that will be relevant to your experience during business school.”
Part 1: Short Answer Questions
Select one prompt from each group. Respond to your selected prompts using 100 words or fewer (<100 words each; 300 words total).
Group 1
- I want people to know that I:
- I turned an idea into action when I:
- I made a difference when I:
Group 2
- I showed my resilience when I:
- I was humbled when:
- I am out of my comfort zone when:
Group 3
- I was aware that I am different when:
- I find it challenging when people:
- A valuable thing I have taught someone is:
“If you’re interested in an example of how I’d answer these questions, stay tuned for my next video blog,” Kwon suggests.
Part 2: Essay
Please share your short-term and long-term career goals. What skills/strengths do you have that will be relevant to your career goals? How will Ross prepare you for your goals? (300 words)
Kwon says: In previous years, some applicants wrote about their long-term career goals. Others wrote about their immediate plans after B-school. We want to learn about both. So, we thought we’d ask you to spell it out.
In the second part of the career goal essay (re: skills/strengths) you don’t have to show that you have the experience needed to pursue a particular career goal. We want to know that you understand the skills that are important for your desired career. Recruiters assess whether you’re able to bring relevant skills/strengths to the table, so we do the same.
Some of the skills and knowledge you’ll need will be developed during your time in the MBA program, but students are more successful in their career search if they understand the skills required to succeed in their chosen field.
The final part of the question allows you to demonstrate your research on Ross and the experiences, knowledge, and skills you’ll develop here. We want to know how you see Ross helping you achieve your goals.
Optional Statement
This section should only be used to convey information not addressed elsewhere in your application, for example, completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc. Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate.
For more information about the Ross MBA program, please visit the admissions website.