Emory Goizueta MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines 2017-2018

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Emory Goizueta 2016-17 MBA Application Deadlines:
Application Deadline Decision Notification
Round 1 October 6, 2017 December 1, 2017
Round 2* November 11, 2017 January 26, 2018
Round 3** January 3, 2018 March 9, 2018 (Domestic )
March 16, 2018 ( International)
Round 4 March 9, 2018 Rolling (One-Year)
May 4,2018 (Two-Year)

For more information about applying for the Emory MBA, visit the Goizueta admissions website.

The essay prompts for this year's application remain unchanged from the prior year. Like last year, applicants are asked to respond to four brief required prompts. about career goals, leadership experiences , a 4 option short answer prompt, and 25 word fun fact prompt. They can also write an optional essay. However, re-applicants are asked to answer two additional essay prompts (one less than last year).

These short essay questions cover a lot of ground: your professional path and goals, your alignment with the program's core values, and who you are as a person. So you will need to do a lot of reflection to be able to choose the right stories/ examples to showcase your candidacy in the best manner. Make every word count and be as succinct, clear, and concise as you can.

Let's take a closer look at each of these questions:

Essay 1. Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience, and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)

This is pretty straightforward career goals essay question with emphasis on short term post MBA goals. You should begin the essay with a clear statement of your short term career plans. Please be specific about the position/ job title and industry that you plan to seek immediately after MBA. Also, consider naming 1-2 firms that you aim to join after MBA. Even though the question doesn't ask you to discuss your long term, goals you may still briefly mention (if space permits) how you plan to progress from your short term goal to a long term vision.

Then go ahead and address the second part of the question explaining how your professional experiences and strengths are aligned with this short-term goal, Discuss how your professional experiences and the skills acquired have propelled you to your desired career path. While detailing your professional experience, make sure to focus on your specific professional strengths (quantitative skills, communication skills etc.) and personal attributes (cultural flexibility, perseverance, etc.). Then you can wrap up the essay with a comment on how the specific resources of Goizueta MBA program will help you achieve your post MBA aspirations.

How to structure your essay?
1. Short term goal (approximately 100 words)
2. How your professional experiences and strengths are aligned with these goals (approximately 175 words)
3. How will Goizueta MBA program bring you closer to your post MBA aspirations? (approximately 50 words)
Example: "Post MBA, I wish to join a reputed Technology and Strategy consulting organization, such as Deloitte or Ernst & Young as an IT Strategy Consultant. My passion for technology, my experience in corporate and business leadership, my childhood vision to be a global business leader and continue my family legacy have defined my goal. They have also fueled my vision to lead my family business into the world of Technology and Consulting by opening a new division in technology & strategy firm. To realize my entrepreneurial dream, I need an MBA."

Essay 2. The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta's core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise.
Provide an example of your leadership- professional or personal- and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 words)

Every year Emory's leadership essay question centers round former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company Roberto C. Goizueta's leadership style. However, this question is tweaked a little bit every year. In 2013-14 application, through this essay question the applicants were asked to discuss their potential 'contribution' to Emory 'as a student and as an alumnus'. In 2015-16, applicants were required to explain the 'good' they have done to an organization and 'the impact of their actions'. This year's leadership question remains unchanged from last year wherein the candidates were asked to share their leadership experience (personal or professional) and what they learned about themselves through that experience.

Through this straight forward leadership question ,the Emory Ad Com expect you to recount a personal or professional leadership experience and explain the learnings you have gleaned about yourselves through the experience. The prompt offers you a broad choice as you can choose your stories/ examples from your professional life, personal life or community involvement. Still, I would prefer a professional leadership experience, unless you think your example from personal realm or community involvement is really an outstanding one.

To select story/ experience, read carefully the first part of the essay prompt about Roberto C. Goizueta's leadership and vision about extending his organization's "global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth" and identify an experience/ story that will allow you to showcase one of the above mentioned abilities. Look for examples when you stepped out of your comfort zone and took initiatives that brought about some change or resulted in the improvement of processes subsequently followed by an organization or group over a long term. Make sure to select recent experience where you made a clear impact.

How to structure your essay?

For structure, I recommend following the same 4 part structure:

1. The situation/ the challenge: What was the context? Who were the players involved? What you needed to accomplish in your leadership role? What were the challenges? (approx. 60-70 words)
2. The action: What initiatives/actions you took? How did you deal with the challenges? How did you process your thoughts and took your decisions? (approx125- 130 words)
3. The outcome/result: What were the results of your efforts? What was the resolution of the story? (approx. 40-50 words)
4. The significance: What did you learn about yourself? What lessons you learned during that leadership experience? How these lessons (1-2 only) have helped you since then? (approx. 60-70 words)

You may wrap up the essay with a final comment on how you are now in a position to contribute to the Emory community.

Example:"Today, I recall this experience as one of the most meaningful life experiences. It helped me overcome my inability to collaborate. I now try to foster a positive collaborative environment within the teams. Also, this experience revealed to me my ability to take initiative, which has helped improve my productivity and develop solutions that have benefited the organization. Further, this experience has taught me the value of practicing a flexible approach while leading a team."

Essay 3: Complete one of the following statements. (250 words)
I am passionate about...
The best piece of advice I've received is...
The best day of my life was...
A personal goal I want to accomplish is...

Before selecting one of these 4 options, first you should consider which option will add the most value to your application. Indeed, this essay question is an opportunity to provide the Ad Com additional information about who you are. It is also an opportunity to showcase that aspect of your candidacy that will enable you to add value to the school and make an impact. This question should best complement the rest for your application. If the first two questions showcase your professional excellence, let this question and the last one reveal your personal side- a hobby or interest you are passionate about or a personal goal you want to accomplish, or the best day of your life that has shaped your personality.

Here is an example of option #1 "I am passionate about...."

"I am passionate about community service as I believe that I have an obligation to give back to the community I live in. I belong to a family of radical thinkers who were pioneers in education and business. Inspired by them, especially my grandfather, a self-made man and a philanthropist, I championed causes of child education and the environment since childhood......."
Here is an example of option #3 "The best day of my life was...."

"The skills I developed as a Boy Scout help me succeed at work. When my team risked losing an $80M partnership due to resource constraints, I immediately volunteered to research solutions. My proposal to contract resources was approved and we continued the partnership with minimal expense. Thus, becoming an Eagle Scout was the best day of my life because it signifies a decade of effort and is a tangible reminder of the foundation upon which I base my personal and professional success."

Essay 4. Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit)

Again, this short 25 words essay is also an opportunity to round out your profile. I encourage you to have some fun with this item and share something not covered anywhere else in their essays. You should consider something that would genuinely interest your future classmates. It can be about an interesting hobby (music, car racing, cooking, travel etc.). You can also choose some interesting work related fun or noteworthy fact, if you want. Please make sure that your tone is not too serious. Here are some samples fun facts.

Example #1: My singing can be quite entertaining; I have been known to shamelessly sing at the top of my lungs during 3-hour karaoke session.

Example #2: My future classmates will be delighted to learn about my excellent culinary skills which I will demonstrate in class parties with my specialty- Brazilian barbecue.

Optional Essay: If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues or areas of weakness in application). Please limit your response to 250 words.

This question provides you an opportunity to explore an important aspect of your candidacy, or other significant achievements/ strengths not mentioned in other essay responses. You can choose examples from your work (if you have more than one equally outstanding professional accomplishment or leadership story to share), community service, education, travels, or any other hobbies. You may also share a life- experience that has greatly influenced your personality or life.

As directed in the essay prompt, you should use this essay question to address a weakness in your profile, such as a gap in work or low GPA or GMAT. Your weakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality.

Please refer to the following example of a candidate whose grades dropped because of his military service.

Example: "Although my leadership experiences in the military taught me many valuable lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and management, through all my responsibilities, it impacted my grades. Thus, I do not view my undergraduate performance as an accurate representation of my academic abilities. However, I hope the above reasons will assist you in understanding my particular situation. I grew from this experience and took a dedicated approach to professional education . I would respectfully ask the admission committee to consider this when reviewing my application."

Re applicant Essay 1: Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit)

This is the same goals essay question as above. Please see tip for Essay 1 above. If your goal has changed since your previous application, you will need to explain why.

Re- applicant Essay 2: Explain how you have improved your candidacy for Goizueta Business School's MBA Program since your last application. (250 word limit)

This is the key question for all MBA reapplicants . Goizueta just asks it explicitly. A response to this question should include the steps you have taken to be stronger candidate and the new skills and knowledge you have gained. You may also reflect on how you will better contribute to the student community at Emory.

Since 2011, MER has helped many applicants get accepted into full time MBA program of Emory Goizueta. You may be interested in a chat with an Emory admit.
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