MBA Application Essays: Content is Key

You've chosen your target schools and you've done your school research; now it's time to sit down and tackle those essays. To some degree, what you write about will represent who you are to the adcoms, which is why it's critical that you put your best foot forward in your MBA application essays.

The following resources will help you create clear, vibrant, and compelling essays that highlight your strengths, convey your skills, and convince the admissions readers that you are a person worthy of a seat in the next top b-school class. The writing techniques discussed in these resources are tried and true—follow these professional tips to create an application essay that will quickly secure its spot at the top of the admissions committee's pile.

School Specific MBA Essay Tips

1. 2013 MBA Essay Tips for Top Business Schools
2. 2013 Executive MBA Essay Tips for Top EMBA Programs

Common MBA Essay Topics

1. Leadership in Admissions, a special report.
2. Why MBA, a special report.
3. Audio & Video in Admissions, a special report.
4. Optional Essays: When and How to Write Them, a video.
5. Approaching Short Essays
6. Those Creative Essays…
7. Creativity Lessons from Pogue’s Wedding
8. MBA Essay Tip: Responding to Criticism
9. What is Fit?
10. How to Display Teamwork in MBA Essays
11. What is an Accomplishment?
12. 4 Things To Do If You Can’t Define Your MBA Goals
13. MBA Admissions: But Why Now?
14. MBA Essays: You've Got Options!
15. The Optional Essay
16. Approaching the "Wild Card" Essay Questions

General MBA Essay Guidance

1. 5 Fatal Flaws: Eliminate the 5 Most Common Flaws in Your MBA Application, a special report.
2. 5 Ways to Make B-Schools LOVE You, a free webinar.
3. Roadmap to Bold and Brilliant Essays, a free webinar.
4. Essays that Stick, a free webinar.
5. Twelve Terrific Tips for MBA Applicants, a special report
6. From Example to Exemplary, a special report.
7. Solving the Puzzle
8. Recipe for Disaster
9. Do's and Don'ts
10. Steve Jobs: 4 Lessons for MBA Applicants
11. Making Your MBA Essays Do "Double Duty"
12. Application Essays: A Balancing Act
13. Essay Writing Tips from Genghis Khan
14. What Should I Write About? Making a Difference
15. Writing Your Human Interest Personal Statement
16. Write Positive for Power and Clarity
17. 4 Application Strategy Tips: Stand Out AND Fit In
18. Generic-itis Prevention
19. I’m About to Make Your Day…
20. Being Yourself
21. I'm Smart, Really I Am! How to Prove Character Traits in Essays
22. Five Keys to Concreteness
23. What is Passion in Admissions
24. How Personal is Too Personal?