LBS asks only two questions as part of its application. These are questions that are fairly common across different school’s MBA applications, making it challenging to know how best to approach these essays so that yours stands out. That being said, do not fall into the trap of copying and pasting an essay from another school! Doing so usually feels awkward and the reader will sense that the essay does not quite belong here.
What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School program contribute towards these? (500 words)
This question has 3 components and make sure to answer all three.
Your post-MBA goals: this should be a realistic goal given your background. Your goal should tell a cohesive story that relates to your brand and career experience thus far. Be cautious about a common MBA application pitfall: choosing a goal where you would be required to makes a triple jump. A triple jump refers to a person who wants to make three changes with their post-MBA career choice: a change in role, a change in industry, and a change in location. Admissions committees are nervous about people who want to do this. Even though many MBA students are successful at making the triple jump, when it comes to your application, simpler is better. Save the exciting career plans for after you get your offer letter.
How will your prior experience contribute to your goals? This portion of the question is incredibly important. The admissions committee wants to be confident that you will be hirable after the MBA program, as this directly impacts the school’s standing in business school rankings. Your goals should be achievable given your past experience and this is the time to share how you will leverage your current skill set and your network to be successful.
How will attending the program contribute to your goals? Make sure to weave in the research that you have done into the program. Have you attended an information sessions, talked to current students or faculty or staff? What programs are you most interested and why? Be careful to not spew a list of things that you are interested in. Try to craftily insert your ideas into the essay. It takes care and attention to do so but it makes for a more interesting read.
Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (Optional) (500 words)
You need to give this question proper thought. What else do you feel is relevant to your application? How else can you be memorable for the admissions committee?
This essay should tell a story about who you are as a person and some possible topics are about a leadership experience, an extracurricular where you invest a significant amount of time, a failure and what you learned from it, or a personal experience that helped to shape your career path.
This is also a space to address any weaknesses in your application, gaps in your work history, or any unusual choices in your career. It is always better to provide your own explanation then to leave it to the admissions committee to make assumptions on their own. Discussing any weaknesses should be kept concise and I would not have it be the only topic of this essay.
I have helped many candidates get admitted to London Business School and other top MBA programs in the US and internationally. If you would like to know more about my services and how I can help you with your applications, please contact me at rona@orieladmissions.com for a free consultation.