Sloan MIT MBA admissions : program : application : course : students : alumni : faculty

Sloan MIT MBA Essays 2006-2007

Sloan MIT MBA Essays 2007-2008

Sloan MIT MBA Essays 2008-2009

Sloan MIT MBA Essays 2009-2010

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Sloan MIT 2009-2010 essay tips

An entirely new set of essays for MIT Sloan this year (though the cover letter is retained as is). Do take the instructions from the Sloan admissions committee to heart: "We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Please limit the experiences you discuss to those which have occurred in the past three years."

Sloan has retained a three year time-frame from which the stories can be chosen - since increasing it from two years in 2008. While a five year period would have been welcome, even this seemingly small expansion, would considerably widen the scope of choice for most applicants.

Sloan MIT Cover Letter

Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.

Sloan MIT Cover Letter Tips

Write a formal sales document in cover letter format which highlights your key achievements, includes a leadership or team impact example,  explains why you should be admitted to MIT Sloan and also mentions why you are interested in Sloan MIT...gasp.. And yes, this will also act as your "goals essay" (unless you plan to use the fourth Sloan essay to that purpose).

Now, what could be simpler?!

The "impact impact on a group or organization" portion is new this year and tries to compensate for editing out last year's first Sloan essay question: "Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a group or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did."

Since this is an all-purpose essay (oops.. cover letter) a holistic picture of your candidature needs to be presented. Choosing an "impact example" that merges with the overall theme of your cover letter content would help things.

Sloan MIT Essay 1

Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan MIT Essay 1 Tips

Try to identify the times when you found yourself fighting popular opinion, introducing an innovative concept, taking a principled yet unpopular stand stand or implementing an out-of-the-box solution. The context can be professional or personal.

Apart from your motivations for the action, it might be useful to show how you (tried to) win over unenthusiastic or hesitant stakeholders, since your action would/should not have been easy to accept by everyone. While it is not essential that this be a "success" story where ultimately everyone agrees with your point of view, it won't serve you ill if you showcased your diplomatic communication, persuasive skills and reasoning abilities - AND end the story with overall consensus (everybody lives happily ever after!). A display of your strength of character, robust value system, and/or intellectual courage might be adequate to polish off the essay.

Like in all essay packages, but even more so in this Sloan application, make the final choice of the example keeping in mind the content, theme and examples you have picked for the other three essays.

Sloan MIT Essay 2

Please describe a time when you coached, trained, or mentored a person or group. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan MIT Essay 2 Tips

Each person has knowledge and qualities that grant him or her the potential to lead in extraordinary ways. Leadership is the most focused-on single trait that almost all Business Schools look for: Sloan is no exception. This essay prompt demands a sharp focus on the coaching/teaching/mentoring aspect of your leadership.

Choosing the appropriate story from your life is a key ingredient of success in most MBA "story" essays. Selecting the story for this one should be easy. Search out a story that shows you impacting an individual or a group (preferable) through exceptional training/mentoring/coaching. Select an instance in which your ability to coach, guide and/or impart knowledge made a significant difference.

As usual apart from describing the story and celebrating your success, the objective of the essay is also to uncover your attitude and approach towards leadership/mentoring/coaching/training. The story therefore will also act as a preview of how you might be able to coach/mentor individuals or teams at Sloan or in your post-Sloan career.

Go for it!

Sloan MIT Essay 3

Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan MIT Essay 3 Tips

Once again a new essay prompt, it is similar to this question from 2008-2009 : "Please tell us about a time when you executed a plan."

Describe in detail the process, actions and steps that you took to achieve your objective and to convert an idea on paper into tangible actuality. While you could achieve the objective individually, one in which you had a leadership role will almost always have greater value. In addition the initiative you took to grab this particular opportunity might be an added dimension in this essay.

The heart of the essay would be your approach to executing ideas - how you visualize, manage, organize, plan, synchronize, and execute.

Like in all the Hallmark Sloan essays the purpose is to judge your approach and attitude in a previous situation since that might be reflection of your manner and method in future situations (at Sloan and later) as well.

Sloan Supplemental Information Essay

You may use this section to address any specific circumstances related to your academic background. (250 words or less, limited to one page)

Sloan Supplemental Information Essay Tips

Use this optional essay to address areas of concern in your academic background that might be detrimental to your Sloan MIT candidature. Academic underperformance, gaps in your academic resume, an earlier MBA etc. are some potential weaknesses that you might want to tackle.

However, as I keep saying, attempt the optional essay only if you feel that it will improve the factual and material strength of your application. If you cannot give convincing, non-trivial reasons for the supposed weakness areas - DO NOT submit your Sloan supplemental information essay. Seek to submit truly enhancing perspectives or information that might make a difference to your application.

One other situation when this essay is acceptable is to describe an extraordinarily positive information related to your academics that CANNOT be accommodated anywhere else in the Sloan MIT application.

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