Most schools require at least one essay with each application. The essay is your opportunity to present a clear picture of yourself, your motivations, and your abilities. It also offers an important example of your written communication skills. The best application essays not only answer the question as asked, they also reflect your “voice.”

Your essay should articulate how attributes of the school to which you are applying fit with your abilities and interests. This will show that you have done thorough research and self-assessment. You should also explain your interest in a particular course of study, as well as its relevance to your post-MBA career plans.

Essays should:

• always answer the questions asked
• be reasonably specific
• be concise (stay within the word limit if one is given)
• reinforce the other parts of your application
• address the particular school and program in question

• Pay close attention to content, delivery, and grammar. It is a good idea to have someone else read your essay before you send it to a school. It is often easier for another person to critique your work and catch any mechanical errors than it would be for you to do these things yourself.
• The admissions committee does not know you. Information that is obvious to you or your friends will not be obvious to them. Draw the parallels for them.
• Although it is helpful to have a second reader of your work, it is important that you write your essay yourself. You can best articulate your viewpoints, goals, and experience and tie together your application as a coherent representation of who you are, what you have to offer, and what you hope to gain from a graduate management program.