2009-2010 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. Write a brief explanation of your most important professional and personal achievements to date (2000 characters maximum, 30 lines approximately)

2. What do you consider your most powerful strength or asset? Describe a situation where you demonstrated this strength or asset? (2000 characters maximum, 30 lines approximately)

3. If you could pick the one quality that characterizes a good leader, which would you choose and why? (2000 characters maximum, 30 lines approximately)

4. What are your mid- and long-term goals after doing the MBA? (2000 characters maximum, 30 lines approximately)

5. Is there anything you have not mentioned in the essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (2000 characters maximum, 30 lines approximately)

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

(each question only allows 1230 characters)

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?

INSEAD

Job Essays

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)

Personal Essays

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.),

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 explain your motivation for reapplying to INSEAD. This essay should not exceed 400 words.

You must answer each question in a