UVA Darden

September 5, 2024
October 2, 2024
January 7, 2025
April 2, 2025

Essay: Community of Belonging

Prompt: What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

This question requires a very short answer. You might think about it this way: What about you might surprise your MBA classmates?

Essay: Inclusive Impact

Prompt: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

For this essay, you should tell a story about an action you took to create an environment that was inclusive. (By "tangible" they mean that you took actual action(s) and got a real result - not something that you planned to do.)

Then tie that to what actions you plan to take at Darden that will help create a community that welcomes all MBA students. As part of this answer, consider what student organizations that you might want to involved with, and where you might want to make an impact.

Whenever possible, show don’t tell. - Darden Admissions

Essay: Careers With Purpose

Prompt: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Darden is very straightforward in asking you to describe your short-term goal.

Then consider how your short-term goal leads to your longer term vision for your career. The word "vision" signals that you are to really convey more than what you want as a job, but what positive impact that you want to achieve in the long term. Remember, Darden seeks to create responsible leaders who act as agents for change.