2010-2011 European MBA Essay Questions

CASS

1. Why have you applied to the Cass MBA? How will you contribute to the course? What will you do if you are not accepted to the Cass MBA?

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ESADE

1. Which aspects have you improved on during your academic and professional career so far? Which tools or values have helped you achieve this?

2. How will your background, values and non work-related activities enhance the experience of other ESADE MBA students and add to the diverse culture we strive for at ESADE? (Note: The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have accomplished)

3. What are your motivations in pursuing a full-time MBA at this point in your life? Describe your mid-term and long-term visions for your post-MBA career path. What is it about ESADE you think will help you reach your goals?

4. Complete two of the following four questions or statements

a) I am most proud of...

b) People may be surprised to learn that I...

c) What has your biggest challenge been and what did it help you learn about yourself?

d) Which historical figure do you most identify with and why?

5. Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include gaps in employment, your undergraduate record, plans to retake the GMAT or any other relevant information.

HEC (Paris)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Please describe your current position (200 words)

CAREER GOALS

Please describe your immediate career goals following your MBA (200 words)

ESSAYS

1. Why are you applying to the HEC MBA Program now? What is the professional objective that will guide your career choice after your MBA, and how will the HEC MBA contribute to the achievement of this objective? (500 words)

2. What do you consider your most significant life achievement? (250 words)

3. Leadership and ethics are inevitably intertwined in the business world. Describe a situation in which you have dealt with these issues and how they have influenced you. (250 words)

4. Imagine a life entirely different from the one you now lead, what would it be? (250 words)

5. Please choose from one of the following essays: (250 words)

a) What monument or site would you advise a first-time visitor to your country or city to discover, and why?

b) Certain books, movies or plays have had an international success that you believe to be undeserved. Choose an example and analyse it.

c) What figure do you most admire and why? You may choose from any field (arts, literature, politics, business, etc).

6. Is there any additional information you would like to share with us? (900 words)

IMD

Essay 1: Two situations of importance to you

Essay 2: Failure to reach objective

Please comment on a situation where you failed to reach an objective and what you learned from it.

Essay 3: Leadership

Describe a situation where you had to demonstrate strong leadership skills. Explain how effective you were and what you learned.

Essay 4: Describe yourself

How do you imagine your superior would describe your strengths and weaknesses to someone who does not know you?

Essay 5: International Exposure

Describe a situation where you successfully worked across cultures and/or nations.

Essay 6: Differentiators

IMD receives numerous applications per year. Give us four bullet points that clearly differentiate you from this applicant pool.

Essay 7: Alternatives

If you are not admitted, what alternatives will you consider?

Essay 8: Finance

Please explain how you intend to finance your studies at IMD. What would be your budget?

Essay 9: Disability / illness

Do you have a disability or illness that could affect your performance at IMD? If so, please explain.

Essay 10: Additional Information

Optional question: Is there any additional information that is critical for the Admissions Committee to know which has not been covered elsewhere in this application?

Application Questions:

Most important achievement

What do you consider to be your single most important achievement and why? (maximum 1230 characters)

Position sought after graduation

Please give us your short term career goal post MBA (up to 5 years). Describe how the IMD MBA will help you achieve this goal and how you will approach your job search.(maximum 2000 characters)

INSEAD

Job Essay

1. Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved. (250 words)

2. Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)

Essay

1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (400 words approx.)

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)

3. Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)

4. Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career. (500 words approx.)

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics:

a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.), or

b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions

Committee to know? (200 words approx.) This essay is optional.

7. In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application. We would also like you to ex