Michigan Ross 2012 - 2013 Essay Tips

Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.

• This is your elevator pitch.  The best advice I can offer here is – KEEP IT SIMPLE.  Give your reader a few clear signals to remember you by – “he’s the Peace Corps guy from NC”, or “he’s the marathon runner from McKinsey” or “she’s the professional dancer from India”, or “she’s the Indonesia Govt emissary..”.  You get the message.
• Keep your “change the world” ambitions out of this one – how would you really introduce yourself to other classmates?  Where you’re from, where you grew up, what your professional experiences have been, what your goals are, what your interests and hobbies are – that’s it!

Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? (300 word maximum)

• Spend about 250 words describing your short term and long term career goals, including post-MBA next steps and your career vision; use the rest to answer how the MBA from Ross will help you, and how you will help the Ross community
• You may have to describe your past experiences when you start this essay to set the context – it’s okay to do this, but don’t use up too many words doing this

Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What advice would you give to a colleague who was dealing with a similar situation? (500 word maximum)

• Please, try to avoid blaming someone else through this essay – a large number of candidates will write about a co-worker who let them down or a horrible boss – remember, this is an essay about you, not them!
• A lot of candidates also think “what you learned from the experience” actually means “how did you fix the problem” – please don’t fall for this trap.  It’s okay just to describe a setback or challenge, and what you took away from it – you don’t have to describe how much better you were the next time you faced the same issue or how you resolved it.

What are you most passionate about and why? How will this passion positively impact Ross (300 word maximum)

• Can be a cause, a hobby, a sport, a professional objective, a personal goal, etc.
• If you don’t have a passion, it’s okay.  A lot of people don’t.  Don’t force one, think of a strong interest that you have that you can bring to Ross.