MBA Sample Application Essays

MBA Sample Application Essays

Sample Grad School Essay: MBA Sample Application Essays

Another excellent free grad school application essay designed to help inspire aspiring MBA students with your graduate application essays.

MBA Sample Application Essay #1

What have you learned from a mistake?

One of my most noteworthy mistakes was accepting a position that did not suit my interests or desired career path.

After earning my bachelor's degree, I immediately began seeking job opportunities, applying to practically every available position for which I was even remotely qualified. When I began receiving offers, I had to make a decision regarding where I actually wanted to work. With little research, I settled on a seemingly ideal role: consulting within a group that specialized in financial advisory services. The group's representatives emphasized that the job would include high-level accounting, finance, and litigation functions, including buy/sell side valuations, business plan feasibility analyses, and forensic accounting.

Within a week of starting my new job, I was assigned to assist a litigation assignment that involved little use of my accounting or finance skills. This assignment dragged on for seven months. When the case finished, I expected to finally begin my envisioned role as an accounting and financial consultant. Since I had done so well in my previous function, however, my managers suggested that I be placed on additional litigation assignments; I could feel the proverbial pigeonhole begin to tighten.

I requested assignment on a project similar to what had been discussed during my interview, but was told that our division was attempting to gain recognition in the profitable and fast-growing litigation consulting arena. Therefore, it was distancing itself from traditional transaction service work. At that point, I fully realized my mistake: while interviewing for positions, I did not properly or comprehensively investigate the company.

I should have approached my job search with patience and scrutiny, instead of accepting the first seemingly appealing position. This would have involved speaking with employees, researching company publications, and seeking advice to gain a comprehensive understanding of my anticipated role.

Following this experience, I began a job search that lasted three months and spanned fourteen companies. I spoke with many different levels of staff and pored over all available information, finally deciding to take a position with another consulting firm that better fit my interests and desired career. Over a year later, I still love my job working alongside an impressive group of professionals on a variety of interesting topics for many complex companies.

MBA Sample Application Essay #2

What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?

Odd as it sounds, "The Brady Bunch," was responsible for me receiving a C-minus in one of my undergraduate classes.

It's not that Florence Henderson wrote my professor a scathing letter on my behalf, or even that I spent too much time watching "Nick at Nite" instead of studying. Instead, my story begins during summer vacation of fourth grade, when I became absolutely enthralled with "The Brady Bunch." After seeing an episode where Mike Brady tells Greg (or possibly Bobby), that an architect has one of the most important jobs in the world, I decided that I wanted to be an architect.

As the years passed, I developed more rational reasons why a career in architecture was right for me: architecture infused a creative mindset with mathematical precision, and the results of architects' efforts were literally set in stone. I acknowledged that I did not possess the inherent artistic abilities of a Claude Monet (or even a Bob Ross), but I felt certain that my desire to be an architect would overcome any of my shortcomings. I was therefore dismayed to find, upon completing my first architecture course, that my grade was based entirely on the artistic quality of my work. Having never received such a low mark, I consulted my professor, who straightforwardly informed me that she did not believe I had a future as an architect. Determined to prove her wrong, I sought the advice of other architecture faculty. Although sympathetic, they invariably agreed: my work was unsalvageable.

I took the summer to plot a new course of action, speaking with friends, classmates, and advisors while searching for a field that combined quantitative analysis with creative concepts. After much deliberation, introspection, and even an auto shop class at the local community college, I finally decided to major in business. To my surprise, my first semester of classes made me forget all about golden ratios and ionic pillars; my eyes were opened to the ways that business could provide the variety and depth of curriculum I desired. I began loading my schedule with business classes, participating in business-related extracurriculars, and subscribing to the Wall Street Journal and The Economist.

Today, I consider that C-minus to be one of the best grades I ever received. It opened a door to a field of study, and ultimately a career, that I would have otherwise never discovered.

For access to 100 free sample successful admissions essays, visit EssayEdge, the company The New York Times calls "the world's premier application essay editing service." You'll also find other great essay and editing resources (some free and some fee-based) at EssayEdge.

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