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Writer's pictureFiona Tang

2024 MBA Application Time and Essay Requirements

To learn more about how to get started for 2024 MBA applications, email rittenhousemba@gmail.com to schedule your free consultation.

School

Application deadline

Decision date

Essay topics

Harvard Business School

Round 1 - Sep 6, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 3, 2023

Round 1 - Dec 6, 2023

Round 2 - Mar 24, 2024

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?

Wharton

Round 1 - Sep 6, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 4, 2023

Round 3 - Apr 2, 2024

Round 1 - Dec 14, 2023

Round 2 - Mar 26, 2024

Round 3 - May 13, 2024

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

Essay 2: Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Stanford

Round 1 - Sep 12, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 4, 2023

Round 3 - Apr 9, 2024

Round 1 - Dec 7, 2023

Round 2 - Mar 28, 2024

Round 3 - May 23, 2024

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives?


Essay B: Why Stanford? Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs.

Chicago Booth

Round 1 - Sep 21, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 4, 2023

Round 3 - Apr 4, 2024

Round 1 - Sep 18, 2023

Round 2 - Oct 18, 2023

Round 3 - Jan 18, 2024

Round 4 - Apr 18, 2024

Essay 1: How will a Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals? (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.)


Essay 2:An MBA is as much about personal growth as it is about professional development. In addition to sharing your experience and goals in terms of career, we’d like to learn more about you outside of the office. Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are… (Minimum 250 words, no maximum.)

NYU Stern

Round 1 - Sep 18, 2023

Round 2 - Oct 18, 2023

Round 3 - Jan 18, 2024

Round 4 - Apr 18, 2024

Round 1 - Dec 1, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 1, 2024

Round 3 - Apr 1, 2024

Round 4 - Ongoing

Short Answer: Professional Aspirations (150 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) What are your short-term career goals?

Essay 1: Change: _________ it (350 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font) In today’s global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern’s brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern? Examples: Change: Dare it. Change: Dream it. Change: Drive it. Change: Empower it. Change: Manifest it. Change: [Any word of your choice] it.

Essay 2: Personal Expression (a.k.a. "Pick Six") Describe yourself to the Admissions Committee and to your future classmates using six images and corresponding captions. Your uploaded PDF should contain all of the following elements: A brief introduction or overview of your "Pick Six" (no more than 3 sentences). Six images that help illustrate who you are. A one-sentence caption for each of the six images that helps explain why they were selected and are significant to you. Note: Your visuals may include photos, infographics, drawings, or any other images that best describe you. Your document must be uploaded as a single PDF. The essay cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website. Essay 3: Additional Information (optional) (250 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

Kellog

Round 1 - Sep 14, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 10, 2024

Round 3 - Apr 5, 2024


Round 1 - Dec 14, 2023

Round 2 - Mar 28, 2024

Round 3 - May 10, 2024


Essay 1: Kellogg’s purpose is to educate, equip and inspire leaders who create lasting value. Provide a recent example where you have demonstrated leadership and created value. What challenges did you face and what did you learn? (450 words)


Essay 2: Values are what guide us in our life and work. What values are important to you and how have they influenced you? (450 words)

MIT Sloan

Not announced yet

Not announced yet

1. Video statement: .Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you! Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

  • No more than 1 minute (60 second) in length

  • Single take (no editing)

  • Speaking directly to the camera

  • Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only.

2. Optional short answer question: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

Columbia

Round 1 - Sep 13, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 5, 2024

Round 3 - Apr 3, 2024


Round 1 - Mid Dec

Round 2 - Late Mar

Round 3 - Early May


Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

Example of possible responses

  • “Work in business development for a media company.”

  • “Join a strategy consulting firm.”

  • “Launch a data-management start-up.”

Essay 1: Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)


Essay 2: The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, the goal is for students to explore and reflect during their educational journey on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one or more of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)


Essay 3: We believe Columbia Business School is a special place. CBS proudly fosters a collaborative learning environment through curricular experiences like our clusters and learning teams, an extremely active co-curricular and student life environment, and career mentorship opportunities like our Executives-in-Residence program.

Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you academically, culturally, and professionally? Please be specific. (250 words)

Michigan Ross

Not announced yet

Not announced yet

1. Short answer questions: Select one prompt from each group of the two groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less (<100 words each; 200 words total).

Group 1 I want people to know that I: I made a difference when I: I was aware that I was different when:

Group 2 I was out of my comfort zone when: I was humbled when: I was challenged when:


2. Short answer question: Pick one thing from your resume and tell us more. (100 words)


3. Career goal: What is your short-term goal? (25 words)

Why is this the right short-term career goal for you? (150 words)

Yale

Round 1 - Sep 12, 2023

Round 2 - Jan 4, 2024

Round 3 - Apr 9, 2024


Round 1 - Dec 5, 2023

Round 2 - Mar 26, 2024

Round 3 - May 16, 2024


Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.


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