Admission Essays - What They Are?
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Are you are planning to pursue MBA or a related course from a university abroad? As the title of this article suggests, Admission Essays are essays sought by universities abroad to consider your candidature for specific courses. While there is no rule of thumb for the kind of essays that universities might ask for, we will discuss the question-answer type essays in this section.
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What are Admission Essays?
Admission essays are, essentially, written statements, submitted by prospective students as part of their application to universities and schools. They provide applicants with an opportunity to demonstrate their personality, experiences, achievements, and aspirations, allowing the admissions committee (Ad Com) to evaluate their suitability for admission. These admission essays often require self-reflection and articulate the applicant’s reasons for pursuing the chosen program; they also discuss his academic and professional goals, how the program and the university are an ideal fit for him, and how he would be able to add value to the department and the institution.
For example: a university may look for good leadership qualities in the applicants, thus they would have specific questions that require you to discuss various facets of leadership that you have demonstrated in the past. Similarly, a prompt for Management Information Systems (MIS) may be aimed at finding out if the applicant is innovative or has an agile mind. Therefore, to summarise, admission essays may make or break your chances of getting into a particular program and university.
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Are Admission Essays and the Statement of Purpose (SOP) the same thing?
There is a difference between admission essays and the Statement of Purpose. While the SOP covers a broader range of your personality, admission essays require you to respond to specific questions asked. You need to stick to the question asked and not include other topics apart from what is required in the prompt.
Here are some SOP samples based on different countries:
Types of Admission Essays
Admission essays are of different types. Thus, the applicant must understand the different types of admission essays to write the appropriate response. Admission essays can be divided based on various criteria such as:
Specific Word Limit - the length of the essay
- Very Short Answer questions/prompts (30 – 200 words)
- Short Answer Questions/ Essays (200 – 500 words)
- Long Answer Questions/ Essays (More than 500 words but less than 800 words)
- Full-Length Essays (More than 800 words)
Content - what are the admission essay questions about?
- Goals Essay: These are basically to know what your academic and professional goals are in pursuing a particular program at the university
- Leadership Essays: Here, the Ad Com wants to know if you have leadership traits/ potential to become a future leader, or if you have taken up leadership positions in the past.
- Career Progression Essays: These essays are mostly asked by business schools to understand the applicant’s professional development, experiences, achievements, and goals.
- Ethical Dilemma Essays: This essay aims to understand your value systems.
- Achievements Essays: This is not only a chance to showcase your achievements but also to demonstrate what, according to you, is an ‘achievement’.
- Failure Essays: In this, the university will be able to gauge if you can reflect and analyze your failures, handle them with strength, and learn from them.
- Situation Essays: This typically involves writing about a specific scenario or a set of circumstances; the aim is to assess the applicant’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and the ability to articulate his/her thought.
- The ‘Why’ Essays (why this program/course/university?): In the ‘why’ essay, the applicants are asked to provide their reasons for choosing a particular program or university. This will ascertain if the program/ university is the right fit for you and vice versa. This will show your motivation, commitment, and preparedness for the chosen program/ university.
Reated Read:
- Importance of Vocabulary in your Admission Essay
- Importance of Grammar in your Admission essays
- Word Limit and Essays: How important are they
- Sample Essays for Study Abroad
How to Write Winning Admission Essays
There are thousands of applicants, and to distinguish yourself from others, you are required to write convincing admission essays. Writing winning admission essays calls for research about the intended program and university, clarity of thought, effective communication skills, and preparation. For instance, in a top MBA program or B-school, you must ensure that your admission essay gives the edge to your application. You need to learn how to write a winning essay.
The admission essays are subjective so one can only guess what a winning document looks like. However, there are some set standards such as adhering to the word limit, answering the question completely making sure that no part of it has been left out, usage of correct grammar, and an engaging writing style. Make sure that the content is not copied or plagiarized. Read: MBA Essays: Top University Essays in 2024
Shiksha Guidelines for Admission Essays
In case you are confused about what admission essays are, Shiksha has you covered. Shiksha has also made a separate set of guidelines that an applicant can refer to for writing his/her admission essays. To know more, read Shiksha Guidelines for Admission Essays.
Related Links
- A Complete Guide on Date Formats
- How to Write a Leadership Essay
- How to Write a Goals Essay
- How to Write a Career Progression Essay
- How to write a Scholarship Essay
How to Write Admission Essays FAQs
Q. Do all universities require admission essays?
A. Most universities require the applicants to write essays on the prompts that they provide. Admission essays help the Ad Com to learn about the personality and other qualities of the candidate that are not reflected anywhere else in the application.
Q. What should be the length of the admission essay?
A. The word limit is specified by the university along with the question/ prompt. The word limit can be anywhere between 100-1000 words, depending on the university. The candidates must strictly adhere to the word limit specified.
Q. How many admission essays does one need to write for MBA schools?
A. The number of admission essays required may vary from university to university. The applicant must attempt all the essays.
Q. What mistakes should be avoided in writing an admission essay?
A. The applicant must avoid grammatical mistakes, incoherent language, exceeding the specified word limit, and not answering the question properly. You should also avoid repetitive information and copying from the internet, in your admission essays.
Q: Is university of West of Scotland good for international students?
Q: What rank is Wolverhampton University in UK?
The University of Wolverhampton is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The university is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. For nearly 200 years, the University of Wolverhampton has been consistently providing a quality of education to students and producing highly skilled graduates. The national rankings of the University of Wolverhampton are given below:
| Ranking Body | Ranking |
|---|---|
| The Guardian University Guide 2024 | #101 |
| The Complete University Guide 2024 | #117 |
Q: How can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
Q: Is Hertfordshire University hard to get into?
With a 70% acceptance rate, the University of Hertfordshire is not hard to get into and follows easy selection criteria during admissions. This does not mean the university accepts all the students applying for different programs. The selection is based on academic performance, English language requirements, references, and many more. Some of the programs at Hertfordshire even demand an experience of 4-5 years. Students must fulfill the eligibility criteria to enroll in any programme at Hertfordshire University. In addition, students with average performance can showcase their relevant experience or extracurricular activities participation to increase their selection probability.
Q: How much IELTS score is required for Hertfordshire University?
International students coming from diverse backgrounds must prove their English language proficiency by submitting the scores of IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo at Hertfordshire University. The university demands an IELTS score of 6 from the students. Along with the IELTS scores, students can refer to the table below for all the required English proficiency score:
English language test | Minimum Score required UG | Minimum Score required PG |
|---|---|---|
6 or above | 6 or above | |
59 or above | 58 or above | |
105 or above | 120 or above |
Q: How long does Hertfordshire University take to reply?
After applying to Hertfordshire University UK, the applicants are going to receive an initial decision about their application within 2-3 working days. After the submission of the application and documents, the applicants are required to pay their tuition deposit. Then, complete the Sponsorship interview and the financial declaration. International students are required to pay a deposit of £5,000 before registration. The balance can be paid in line with the liability dates related to the year and entry of the semester.
Q: What are the entry requirements for Bedfordshire University?
International students can check below the University of Bedfordshire entry requirements for undergraduate and graduate admissions:
Undergraduate Admission Requirements
· 2 A level passes (minimum C and D)
· Year 12 60% overall
· 70% English to waive IELTS
· Must meet the English language requirements
· A recognised Foundation degree
· Submit additional test scores for ACT/SAT (if applicable)
· Additional course requirements if any
Graduate Admission Requirements
· Bachelor's degree (55% or more)
· UK Bachelor's degree with Honours
· Additional course requirements if any
· Must meet the English language requirements
· Submit additional test scores for GMAT/ GRE (if applicable)
Q: What is Hult International Business School - UK famous for?
Hult International Business School, UK, is famous for its global perspective and multicultural environment. The school is known for its focus on practical education, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education programs across multiple campuses located in prominent cities around the world, including Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, Shanghai, and New York. It is also recognised for its diverse student body, with over 128 nationalities represented among its students. The school has received positive reviews for its competent faculty, practical approach to business education, and the opportunity for students to interact with a wide network of contacts
Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio
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Comments
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a year ago
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6 months ago
K
a year ago
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a year ago
Hello Kingsley, you can narrow down the universities you wish to apply to in the US and check their respective deadlines, course fees, scholarship availability and the program commencement dates. Masters admission applications are usually filed through the official website of the US university. If
G
2 years ago
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a year ago
Hello Gursimran, you are eligible to apply for admission to these universities. You have an added advantage of the apps that you have created which you can mention in your essays. Thus, you can apply, you want to get more info you can get in touch with our counsellors at - https://studyabroad.shiks
M
2 years ago
2 years ago
The University of the West of Scotland has five modern and diverse campuses in United Kingdom. The University has welcomed more than 3,000 international students which are representing 1/3 of the globe. They also have 130 European partners who are actively in global study and exchange options through the Commonwealth universities programmes. The University also offers study abroad opportunities for UWS who are eligible for the same and also have more than 20 transnational education partners worldwide which helps them deliver UWS Bachelors and Masters Degrees around the world.