I'm finishing up an application that has three essays. The first is your standard goals essay and the second is the "why this school?" essay. My answer to both has a similar background story. My question is, is it ok for me to write about this background in the first essay and then refer to it (the first essay) in the second?

Both of these have a word limit that yields about half of a page and I could easily write much more. The (similar) background to my essays will show a "progression" towards my future goals post MBA and also shows why I want to go to this school because they have programs that will help me in preparation for my goals.

The third essay is a "wild card" type of essay and does not have anything to do with the first two essays.

Thanks!