Business School Stories

Many prospective applicants count themselves out of the MBA game because they have too many career changes. But not everyone follows a direct path to business school. Businessweek.com currently features A Mistake Leads to Business School one woman’s reflection on how her twists and turns from HR to freelance marketing to yoga instructor to Whole Foods led her to Cornell.

Of course, it is a realistic concern that business schools will think you lack focus if you have jumped from job to job or industry to industry. The key to telling this type of story in your application is to explain yourself. Schools want to understand why you have made these decisions and why business school fits into the plan now. Some of the most interesting and inspiring essays come from applicants with complicated job histories provided they show insight and self-awareness.

For ideas on how to talk about your background, be sure to check out our essay tips for UCLA, Yale, Kellogg, Darden, MIT, Ross, Tuck, Columbia, Haas, Wharton, Chicago, Stanford, and HBS.