Essay: Why an MBA
Prompt: Why are you pursuing an MBA? (150 words maximum)
Here are questions to help you provide a concrete answer:
- What skills and/or knowledge that you lack today that you need to pursue your goals?
- What skills and/or knowledge that you want to build upon that will help you achieve very ambitious goals? (You might achieve your goals on your own, but not as well or as easily.)
- You may wish to add what are Anderson's specific offerings that will help you gain what you lack or wish to build upon? (Choose only a couple of offerings that you will really engage in and benefit from.)
- Alternatively, you may wish to add how will Anderson's offerings and culture prepare you to meet those goals?
You only have 150 words, so obviously you cannot provide a lot of detail. However, you will need to provide a more concrete answer than the generic "world-class faculty" or "global alumni network."
Essay: Goals
Prompt: Describe your short-term and long-term post-MBA career goals. (150 words maximum)
When describing your short-term (immediate post-MBA) and long-term (5-10 years in the future) goals , again consider the three pillars Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. In describing your goals, be aware of how your goals fit with the Anderson culture. Here are some examples of goals that demonstrate fit:
- you want to not only create financial profit but also social profit;
- you want to contribute and make things better;
- you are able to see a future that others can't;
- you demonstrate the courage and persistence to pursue a dream or an opportunity;
- you want to make a significant impact at a local level, state level, national level, world level; and/or
- you want to inspire others to make a change.
Of course, your two answers to the two short essays should complement each other.
Essay: Transformative Leader at Anderson
Prompt: At Anderson, our mission is to prepare transformative leaders by developing students to think innovatively, problem-solve, and adapt to others – all with a driven and purposeful mindset. How do you plan to achieve your goals and develop into a transformative leader during your time at UCLA Anderson? (250 words maximum)
As describe how UCLA Anderson will help you develop into a transformative leader, consider the fact that Anderson was built on three pillars, namely, Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Ideally, your short story will accomplish three objectives:
- Show that you can persevere despite obstacles, difficulties, or complexities (you don't give up), and that you are able to find solutions to problems.
- Show that you are goal-oriented and results-oriented. In this story, you not only tried to reach a goal or milestone, you accomplished it.
- Show that you fit with the Anderson culture's three pillars.
Number 3 is more important than you may realize. Year after year, Anderson has referred to the three pillars, and so your answer should be built upon one or two of those pillars. To that end, below are some questions that your essay might answer (not all of them, but one or two).
Share Success
- As you persevered, how did you help others (for example, team mates) along their way to success?
- During this experience, how did you encourage collaboration among others?
- During this experience, how did you promote ways that allowed everyone (others as well as yourself) to win?
Think Fearlessly
- Your perseverance allowed you to accomplish the goal, but did you also take a new approach that was curious, non-conformist, bold, and/or courageous?
- Was perseverance an integral part of experimentation and independent exploration of new ideas?
- Did perseverance lead to you finding an innovative solution to a problem, and how so?
Drive Change
- Did this experience allow you to make a positive impact on an individual or individuals?
- Did you better your community?
- Did you introduce a positive change in your team / company / organization?
Ultimately, you are not only describing yourself as someone who can persevere, but also describing what valuable experience, approach, background, and/or learning you will be bringing to Anderson.
Optional Essay
Prompt: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
Use to address:
- choice of recommenders (in particular, if your current direct supervisor is not writing your recommendation - which is no big deal!)
- gaps in work experience
- low GPA or inconsistent or questionable academic performance
- interruptions in academic career
- difficult issues (i.e., Driving Under the Influence or other types of arrests)
- areas of weakness (i.e., less than five years work experience)
Use this essay to turn a potential weakness into a strength. Tell the Admissions Committee what happened and why it happened. Be honest in your self-evaluation. Most importantly, tell them what you have learned from the negative experience, and how this learning has influenced future actions.
Essay: Perseverance
Prompt: UCLA Anderson seeks to develop transformative leaders who think fearlessly, drive change, and share success. We believe the ability to persevere is an essential component of effective leadership.
Please share an example from your personal or professional life where you demonstrated perseverance to accomplish a significant goal or milestone. (250 words maximum)
Before you begin thinking of examples from your life when you persevered toward a goal, consider the fact that Anderson was built on three pillars, namely, Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Ideally, your short story will accomplish three objectives:
- Show that you can persevere despite obstacles, difficulties, or complexities (you don't give up), and that you are able to find solutions to problems.
- Show that you are goal-oriented and results-oriented. In this story, you not only tried to reach a goal or milestone, you accomplished it.
- Show that you fit with the Anderson culture's three pillars.
Number 3 is more important than you may realize. Year after year, Anderson has referred to the three pillars, and so your answer should be built upon one or two of those pillars. To that end, below are some questions that your essay might answer (not all of them, but one or two).
Share Success
- As you persevered, how did you help others (for example, team mates) along their way to success?
- During this experience, how did you encourage collaboration among others?
- During this experience, how did you promote ways that allowed everyone (others as well as yourself) to win?
Think Fearlessly
- Your perseverance allowed you to accomplish the goal, but did you also take a new approach that was curious, non-conformist, bold, and/or courageous?
- Was perseverance an integral part of experimentation and independent exploration of new ideas?
- Did perseverance lead to you finding an innovative solution to a problem, and how so?
Drive Change
- Did this experience allow you to make a positive impact on an individual or individuals?
- Did you better your community?
- Did you introduce a positive change in your team / company / organization?
Ultimately, you are not only describing yourself as someone who can persevere, but also describing what valuable experience, approach, background, and/or learning you will be bringing to Anderson.