MBA Admission Essays for Top Universities in 2024

MBA Essays are an integral part of the MBA admission process. While writing an Essay Prompt could be time-consuming, however, the MBA Admissions Essay is an opportunity to showcase to the MBA admissions committee your personality, uniqueness, share your goals and discuss your future contributions to the dynamic community of your target business school. In short, the MBA essay holds about 15% weightage in your MBA admission process and allows you to showcase all that is not present in your resume.

MBA Essay Samples

MBA essay examples: Each year universities require candidates to attempt MBA essays as part of the MBA admission process. The MBA admission essay helps candidates to add credence to their MBA application process.  For the benefit of our readers, we have provided MBA essay samples that were part of the admission cycle 2023-24 across top universities offering MBA. Along with MBA examples we have also provided students with suggestions on how to attempt each MBA example.

US News & World Report 'Best Global Universities Ranking 2022-2023': Top 11

Harvard MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:1)	MIT Essays in 2024 (Ranking:2)	Stanford MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:3)
Columbia MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:7)	Cambridge MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:8)	Yale MBA Essay in 2024 (Ranking:11)

Types of MBA Essays

Broadly speaking, there are different types of MBA essay questions that candidates would be required to attempt as part of the MBA admission process. Candidates can identify the type of admission essay through the keywords used in the essay question. All types of essays would have a pre-defined length requirement which the candidate should adhere to.  Please note this is not an exhaustive list of MBA essay types but talks about the most frequently asked essay-type of questions.

1. Goals: For the MBA admission essay on Goals, the candidate would be required to detail his/her personal and professional motivation to attend business school and what thereafter. MBA essays on Goals are classified as all essay questions that ask you about your ambitions or what you hope to gain from an MBA programme.
2. Self-Reflection: These are MBA essay topics that would require candidates to look within. The MBA essay on Self Reflection could ask candidates to introduce themselves to a classmate or talk about how they handled a personal moment in their life. Both essay topics would require the candidate to do some deep reflection to answer the prompt.
3. Contribution Essay types are simply a way for MBA schools to understand how you would be adding value and contributing to the MBA programme of the university. It is simply an opportunity for universities to find out what the candidate is bringing to the table.
4. Leadership MBA essay basically allows the candidate to describe a moment from the past that required the candidate to showcase his leadership impact. This would allow the admissions committee to assess your future leadership potential and the impact you could have on their MBA programme. READ: How to Write a Leadership Essay for MBA Admissions Abroad
5. Video Essay: Many universities have transitioned from conventional essay submissions to requesting video essays from candidates. These video essays may include concise introductions to more complex, multi-component questions. This approach allows the admissions committee to evaluate not only academic qualifications but also softer aspects of your candidacy, such as body language, communication skills, and quick-thinking abilities.

MBA Essay Examples of Top 12 - 35 Best Global University Rankings 2022 - 2023 by US News

Michigan University Essays in 2024 (Ranking:19)	Cornell MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:21)	Northwestern Essays in 2024 (Ranking:24)
Duke MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:25)	NUS MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:26)	UBC Essays in 2024 (Ranking:35)

Related Reads

• Top MBA Universities in the World
• Eligibility for MBA Abroad
• MBA Abroad Entrance Exam - Requirements and Eligibility
• Top Countries to Study MBA Abroad

MBA Essay Examples of Top 51 - 100 Best Global University Rankings 2022 - 2023 by US News

McGill Essays in 2024 (Ranking:54)

University of Manchester Essays in 2024 (Ranking:63)

MBA Admission Essays Dos & Don’ts

Writing MBA essay: It is always important to put your best foot forward. The Admissions Committees are looking for leaders and not applicants following the herd. In this section, we are going to be talking about a couple of pointers that would help you in shaping your MBA Admission Essays. These are simple Dos and Don’ts that will help you make your MBA essay topics stand out.

Writing MBA Essay Dos

1. It is important for candidates to stress what makes him/her exclusive and not the number one candidate in the batch.
2. Applicants should be enthusiastic in their approach. The Admissions Committee are looking for candidates who are passionate about their approach in their classrooms.
3. It is always good to have essays that reflect real-life experiences. Candidates should avoid general claims and broad summaries.
4. It is always a bonus to demonstrate a sense of humour or vulnerability. This helps the candidate to come across as a human and not a resume.
5. Pay Attention to your essay structure. It is easy to drift from the topic or go overboard with the word count. Candidates should stick to the topic and not exceed the prescribed word limit.
6. It’s important to be genuine while writing MBA essays. The Admissions Committee want to know about you as a person and they will be able to tell if you are being insincere in your approach or simply writing what you think they want to hear from you.

MBA Essay Examples of Best Global University Rankings 2022 - 2023 by US News (101+)

Carnegie Mellon MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:118)	Brown Essays in 2024 (Ranking:129)	Purdue Essays in 2024 (Ranking:140)
Rice University Essays in 2024 (Ranking:147)	Arizona State University Essays in 2024 (Ranking:156)	LBS MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:554)
INSEAD MBA Essays in 2024 (Ranking:730)	n/a	n/a

Writing MBA Essay Don'ts

• Plagiarism in your Admissions Essay is a big NO. Candidates should always make sure that their admissions essay is real. Any hint of plagiarism will lead to a rejection of your MBA application.
• It is easy to digress from the real topic. Candidates should stick to the MBA essay topic that is required of them and answer well within the prescribed word limit.
• Be personal in your MBA admission essay approach. Candidates should have a strong reason to pursue MBA. Half-baked reasons will lead to candidates providing generalized answers to their prompts which would obviously have a negative impact on your whole MBA admission process.

Also Read

• Cost of Studying MBA Abroad
• Scholarships for Study MBA Abroad for International Students
• 10 Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Candidates looking for assistance with university admissions can get in touch with our Shiksha Topper Counselling services on our website. For other queries feel free to get in touch with us in the comments below.