To answer your first question, when people say not to use the same essay for more than one school, it's more about not using an identical essay for two different, though similar, questions from two different schools. While you might use much of the same essay for both, you just want to make sure you tailor your response to clearly answer the question asked for each. Among the schools I'm applying to, there are a couple identical questions with the same word limit, and I will be submitting the same essay for those (they're not school-specific questions). But there are only one or two of those among the 20+ questions I'll be answering across all schools!

Most goal essay questions also ask why that school will help you meet those goals. While you'll probably use the same discussion of what your goals are (why reinvent the wheel?), you wouldn't want to just substitute one school's name for another for the "why School X?" portion. You'd need to tailor your response specifically to each school for that part.

Generally, your goals should be fixed, not subject to the school. What you shouldn't do is drop the essay for school A into the application for school B. The questions, while covering similar issues are never exactly the same. School A may say, "what are your short and long term goals? Why do you want an MBA? Why do you want our school?" School B may say "why do you want an MBA?" why do you want our school? What are your career goals and how will an MBA help you meet them?"

The admissions staff reads literally thousands of responses to their essay questions. They know exactly how their essay was worded. They also know exactly how their competitors' essays are worded. The staff expects you to answer their questions in the order stated. If you send in an essays that exactly follows the outline of a school A's essay the staff at school B will likely recognize that and know you have simply copied school A's essay.

More importantly, you will not have answered one of the essays correctly. By dropping A's essay into B's application you will not have answered how an MBA will help you meet your goals. That omission will be noticed.

That doesn't mean that the goals and many of the stories can't be re-used, they simply have to be reworked so that you are answering exactly what the schools are asking. In fact, you might have different goals depending on the school. It is possible that you are thinking that if you get into school A you will concentrate on finance, but if you get into school B you will take advantage of their exceptional accounting curriculum. In that case realigning your goals is certainly valid.

In the end, the key question is "did I EXACTLY answer the question behind THIS essay?"

Good luck,

Thanks, Tani!

I also want to know whether it is better to say that I want to do A, B, and C with my MBA, or better to say that I want to do just A. I want to know if the former shows ambition or lack of focus.

It depends on what you mean by ABC. If you are talking about three different goals in different areas, that looks as though you lack focus. You want clear short and long term goals that relate to your skills and training. I am always concerned when someone tells me he wants to do X for twenty years and then walk away from it and do something entirely different. Does he plan on getting bored? Does he not really want to do X in the first place? Goals should show a clear progression. A mid career change should have a purpose and make sense in terms of where the individual is starting.