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 separate page with a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 (1.5 line spacing).

A. If you had the opportunity, what would you ask the president or leader of your country, and why?

B. Cite the most difficult situation you have faced in your professional life and how your input helped to resolve it.

C. Cite at least one example in which your leadership impacted or changed a situation and discuss how you think IE Business School will help you refine, focus, or enhance this skill.

LBS (MBA)

Question 1 (600 words) In what role do you see yourself working immediately after graduation? Why? How will your past and present experiences help you achieve this? How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal? Why is this the right time for you to pursue an MBA?

Question 2 (200 words) Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?

Question 3 (500 words) Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life. Include any specific challenges you have faced. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your first year study group?

Question 4 (400 words) Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community event s will you be involved with and why? How will you contribute?

Question 5 (150 words) Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country. What did you gain from these?

Question 6 (300 words) (This question is optional)

Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

Question 7 (300 words)

(This question is for re-applicants only)

How has your candidacy for the London Business School MBA improved since your last application?

Question 8

Please provide a CV/resume. This CV must only be one page in length. If you have any significant gaps in your employment history, please tell us why on a separate sheet.

LBS (MiF)

Question 1 - your motivation and contribution

What has prompted your application to the Masters in Finance? Why do you believe you would benefit from it at this stage in your career? What do you expect you could contribute to the programme? What are your career objectives: what are your career plans immediately after graduating from the Masters in Finance and how do you see your career developing over the next five years? Why do you want to study for a specialist Masters in Finance programme as opposed to a more general masters degree?

Question 2 - your career goals

Why have you chosen a finance career? What are your career objectives: what are your career plans immediately after graduating from the Masters in Finance? Describe how you plan to achieve these goals. How do you see your career developing over the next five years?

Question 3 - commitment and support

(FULL-TIME FORMAT APPLICANTS ONLY). Becoming a full-time student will involve taking a break in employment, and for many participants it will also involve relocating to another country or city. Have you discussed these issues with your partner, family and employer? What were their responses? How supportive are they?

(WEEKEND FORMAT ONLY). Attending the weekend format Masters in Finance represents a very substantial commitment in addition to your existing work and family obligations. Have you discussed this with your employer and family? How supportive are they? What arrangements can you make to your work commitments and lifestyle to enable you to devote sufficient time to your studies?

Question 4 - any other matters

Any other matters you may wish to draw to the attention of the Admissions Committee.

LSE

1. All applicants - please upload a personal statement that describes your academic interests and your purpose and objectives in undertaking graduate study. If you are applying for a Master's or diploma programme this is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the selectors. Please describe your academic background, strengths/interests, ambitions/research interests. If your chosen programme has more than one stream (e.g. MSc Social Research Methods) you should indicate which stream you are interested in following.

RSM

1. How do you see your career developing and how will earning the RSM Erasmus University MBA help you achieve your goals? (Please do not exceed 500 words.)

2. Describe your favorite hobby, pastime or sport and explain how it reflects your personality. (Please do not exceed 500 words.)