examples of personal statements for mba graduate school

• Meet Dean Anil Menon, Ph.D.
• Compare Programs
• Executive MBA
• Early-Advantage MBA
• Executive Doctorate
• Accelerated Management Program
• Graduate Certificates
• Advanced Entrepreneurship
• Center for Leadership Development
• Management & Executive Education
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership

How to Write a Top MBA Personal Statement (With Examples)

Working on your MBA application? You aren’t alone. In 2021, over 200,000 students graduated with an MBA degree making it the number one choice for graduate students for the 10th year in a row. And there’s good reason for this. According to the National Center for Education Statistics , post-MBA, grads can earn significantly more at work—experts estimate an additional $20,000 each year depending on the industry. 

During the application process, you’ll want to stand out. A well-crafted personal statement will help distinguish you from other applicants. It serves as a powerful tool to showcase your unique experiences, skills, and aspirations to admissions committees. To make a lasting impression, tailor your personal statement to each MBA program you’re applying to, highlighting how your background aligns with their values and goals. For additional support, keep reading for some MBA personal statement examples and guidance. 

Understanding the Foundations – Word Count, Templates, and Pricing

When you start your personal statement, keep the word count in mind. Make sure to write your statement succinctly. Templates can give crucial structure to a first draft and make sure you hit necessary points. Finally: is it worth it to hire a professional proofreader? We break down the pros and cons. 

Word Count Considerations

A well-written personal statement is often the deciding factor in the business school admissions process. Conveying your thoughts concisely is a crucial skill in the business world, and future peers will be grateful for your brevity.

One strategy is to start with a longer draft and edit it down when revising. Remove unnecessary details and tighten wordy language. Focus on improving the quality of your content over meeting the maximum word count. 

Templates as a Starting Point

Templates can help to organize your thoughts. Use them to provide structure and give your writing direction. By planning ahead, you can decide how much space you want to dedicate to each element—this can also help you meet the word count.

Remember: popular templates are popular for a reason, and following them too strictly can make your statement feel rigid and unoriginal. To avoid that pitfall, personalization is key. Your individual experiences, goals, and perspectives are all unique. What would a Master’s in Business Administration mean to you? Don’t be afraid to customize any template to fit your voice. 

Professional Proofreading

Graduate schools know what a well-written personal statement looks like—and so do professional proofreaders. Experts can help catch small grammatical errors and improve clarity in your writing. It can be challenging to review personal writing from an objective standpoint. A good proofreader will streamline your writing and ensure overall coherence, improving your odds with your preferred school of business. 

Unfortunately, this can be expensive. Pricing for these services can easily cost hundreds of dollars. If hiring one isn’t in the budget, here are some alternatives: 

• Find writing groups online or in person. Not only will you receive feedback, you’ll get a better idea of what other personal statements look like. Be prepared to help edit other statements.
• Reach out to peers and mentors. Turn to people who know your voice and can tell when your writing is authentic. Make sure they aren’t afraid to give negative feedback.
• Utilize free online resources. Writing tools like Grammarly or Hemingway help check grammar and sentence structure. They won’t help with essay format and aren’t infallible; double-check any changes they might suggest.
• Read your statement out loud. This can help make sure your statement has a good rhythm and flows naturally.
• Take breaks. Be your own set of fresh eyes. When you’re in the thick of writing, you might glaze over easy-to-spot details while you’re thinking of the big picture. Allow yourself to recharge and clear your head before you get back to it. 

Tailoring Your Personal Statement to Top MBA Programs

Make sure to personalize your essays to specific MBA programs . Include details about specific classes and faculty, unique opportunities, and the strengths that make this program stand out. 

Then, tie yourself into the narrative. What role would you fill as a graduate student or an alumnus? Consider your own strengths and where they align with this specific program. What career goals could this opportunity help you achieve? 

Remember to mention your soft skills and other details that may not show up elsewhere on your application. Finally, shine a spotlight on your unique contributions in past roles. 

Write a Captivating Introduction

A beautiful personal statement will be overlooked unless the introduction captivates the audience. You can begin with compelling anecdotes, personal stories, or influential quotes. Tie this introduction into your reason for pursuing an MBA. Make the reader care before launching into your achievements. Then, clearly state why you’re pursuing an MBA. Example: “From the dynamic intersections of global markets to the intricate strategies driving corporate success, the realm of business has always beckoned to me as a realm of boundless opportunity and perpetual evolution..” 

Discuss Academic and Professional Background

Now it’s time to discuss what you’re bringing to the table. It’s okay to brag! Think about any key achievements or acquired skills that are transferable to an MBA program. What motivated you to apply? Example : “As a project manager at XYZ Corp, I navigated intricate challenges, demonstrating resilience and strategic thinking – skills I am eager to refine in a top-tier MBA program.” 

Answer the Questions: Why an MBA? Why Now? 

What does an MBA mean for your career goals ? Break down your short and long-term goals to answer this essay question. How do the skills you gain from earning an MBA connect to your plan? Research the program you’re applying for and use examples from the curriculum. Example : “My immediate goal is to transition from project management to strategic consulting, and Crummer’s MBA program’s focus on experiential learning and global business strategy perfectly complements my aspirations.” 

Emphasize Soft Skills

Think about moments you demonstrated personal growth or teamwork. Are there any moments you stepped up to lead a project or team? Your past experiences will influence your habits in a graduate school setting. Example :  “Leading a cross-functional team on a high-stakes project not only honed my leadership skills but also taught me the importance of collaborative problem-solving, a cornerstone of Crummer’s MBA program. “

Spotlight Unique Contributions

What sets you apart from other applicants? Moreover, what impact will your unique perspective bring to the MBA cohort? Explain how your background will enrich the learning environment. Detail personal qualities and experiences that showcase your value. 

Key Elements for a Powerful Personal Statement

Take a holistic approach to strike the right chord in your personal statement. Give admissions committees a more concrete impression of you. Weave in your qualifications, experiences, and aspirations. Don’t just mention your professional achievements—detail all of your positive qualities. 

Showcase Work Experience 

Be strategic when discussing your real-world work experience. If you can, including measurable results is a great way to show your professional impact. Earnings numbers, statistics, and other metrics will show off your professional experiences. 

Articulate Career Goals and Aspirations

When discussing career goals for an MBA application, detail your short and long-term objectives clearly. Ambiguity can weaken your statement’s impact. Whether you’re joining a family business, starting your own business, or looking to go abroad for international business you should discuss how you see yourself navigating the business world. Connect these career aspirations to the MBA program. 

Incorporate Extracurricular and Real-World Experiences

Touch on any extracurricular experiences like internships or entrepreneurship. Explain how these real-world experiences impacted your analytical skills, business acumen, and decision-making. If you’re an entrepreneur, touch on your journey or discuss the vision for your next startup. 

You can also talk about moments where you demonstrated leadership and communication skills. Teamwork is critical to business leaders. Reflect on your leadership experience—the successes you’ve won and the lessons you learned. 

Maintain Authenticity

Write authentically. Admissions officers want genuine stories. Give readers a reason to empathize with you. Overly formal and generic language can depersonalize your statement and keep readers at arm’s length. 

Also, use conversational language. If something sounds clunky or unnatural, it probably also reads that way. Plus, the way you speak naturally showcases your personality. While you should always use proper grammar, don’t suck the life out of your statement in the name of sounding more “academic.” Use this opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills. 

Navigating Common Challenges

Crafting your personal statements can be challenging! Let’s answer some FAQs. 

How Do I Balance the Personal and Professional Aspects?

Be intentional about what you choose to mention from your personal life. Use elements that either contrast or emphasize your professional experience. How does your background influence your business philosophy? Make sure to keep a professional tone and align your statement with the admissions committee’s expectations and be prepared for any questions the interviewer could ask.

How Do I Handle Sensitive Topics?

If you’re writing about a sensitive topic, do so thoughtfully. You don’t know what type of people will be reading your statement, so be considerate and intentional about any details you choose to share. 

However, your application essay should be a reflection of you. Sensitive subjects often play a major role in personal growth and development. Discuss what you learned from this challenging experience and how it influenced you. 

How Do I Make My Writing Stand Out? 

We’ve touched on all of the story elements you need—now trim the fat. Avoid common clichés and generic statements. Common phrases will dilute the unique perspectives in your personal statement. Make sure the language aligns with you. Avoid language that could apply to everyone when possible. 

Other MBA Application Process Essentials – GMAT Score, GPA, and Statement of Purpose

The MBA application process is multifaceted and holistic. Alongside your statement, admissions committees also consider your GMAT scores and GPA. GMAT scores are used to gauge applicants’ aptitude for business studies, while GPA showcases your readiness for MBA rigor. If you have a lower score in either category, address these challenges by highlighting your other strengths, relevant experience, and resiliency. Remember: committees consider the entire application, not just scores. 

The other factor in the application process is your Statement of Purpose or SOP. This will complement your personal statement. Make sure your SOP articulates your academic and career goals without echoing your other application essay. Avoid redundancy. Focus on the future: link the MBA program to your long-term plan. Take a forward-looking perspective and demonstrate how the MBA will work as a natural progression in your life. 

Your personal statement should be as unique as you are. Start with a compelling narrative and a plan. Proofread your essay, and don’t be afraid to seek help from peers or professionals. Explain how your personal and professional life gives you the necessary skills to thrive at your desired program and be specific about what you want to do there. This is your chance to differentiate yourself from other applicants—take advantage!

Crummer is the #1 ranked MBA program in Florida. You can learn more about what we offer and when you’re ready, start working on your application . 

Related Articles

Discover the essential tips, strategies and examples for crafting a compelling MBA personal statement in this comprehensive guide.

What Does a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) Do?

Curious about what a chief revenue officer does? This post breaks down the responsibilities and roles of a CRO in today's business world.

21 Common Entry Level Jobs for MBA Graduates

Looking for entry-level MBA jobs? This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the landscape and find the best career opportunities for your skillset.

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

Inspira Advantage

Outstanding MBA Personal Statement Examples

Introduction.

Applying to an MBA program is a lengthy process that involves multiple steps and numerous requirements. Some parts of the process are relatively simple, such as academic transcripts or test score submissions. 

Other parts are more complex and require more from you, such as the MBA essay(s) that you’ll likely have to submit. Of course, every bit of information you include in your application is vitally important because your application will be considered in its entirety before any decisions regarding your candidacy are made. 

However, certain portions of your application may hold more weight than others. There is no doubt that grades are important, and having a high GPA or an exceptional GMAT score certainly helps improve your chances of acceptance. 

Yet, numbers don’t leave much room for standing out, which is necessary when considering the sheer amount of applications MBA admissions committees have to sort through. However, writing an outstanding MBA personal statement is your chance to do precisely that. 

An exceptionally well-written personal statement could be the gateway to your success and could land your name on a shortlist for an interview invitation to the business school of your choice, getting you that much closer to an acceptance to a future MBA program. 

On the other hand, “ An essay that reveals any weakness in your candidacy could quickly put you in the reject pile,” so the stakes are high when you get to this point in your application. To learn more about where you should start, how you can ensure that your MBA personal statement makes you stand out, and what kinds of things you should avoid writing about - read on.

What is an MBA Personal Statement?

An MBA personal statement introduces you to the school’s admissions committee that you’re applying to. It is also an opportunity for you to show them what you could potentially contribute to the community that exists at their school.

For most schools, your chance to write a personal statement comes with your responses to the MBA essay questions. Each school has its own requirements when it comes to the MBA essay. There is only one essay prompt for some schools, and for others, there are multiple questions that you must answer. 

Similarly, some schools have word requirements that limit either the minimum or maximum word count that you can use for your answers, whereas others provide the question and let you decide how much to contribute.

Although each school has topics they typically like to cover, many schools change their questions from year-to-year, but some general themes tend to reoccur quite often in these kinds of prompts. One theme that often comes up has to do with your interest in the school or how you envision yourself fitting into the school’s program. 

For example, the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania requests their applicants to answer “What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?” They also ask “how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?” 

Other schools are more interested in the theme of self-reflection. The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business , for example, wants to learn “more about you outside of the office,” and they request that you take their essay as an “opportunity to tell us [them] something about who you are.” 

For many schools, the theme of goals and ambitions is a popular topic. At NYU Stern , they ask applicants, “What are your short and long-term career goals?” and  “how will the MBA help you achieve them?”Another major theme shared by many schools is that of leadership. 

Berkeley Haas requires that applicants consider how “the definition of successful leadership has evolved over the last decade and will continue to change,” and they’re interested in knowing “What do you need to develop to become a successful leader?” Although some schools branch away from these general subjects, these themes tend to be the most common, so the chances are good that you may have to write about one or more of these topics in your MBA personal statement.

Top Tips on Writing an Outstanding MBA Personal Statement

Focus on the question.

You’re going to want to keep in mind several things while you’re writing your MBA personal statement. One of the things is that you maintain a steady focus on the actual question(s) asked throughout your essay. Of course, the questions are often very open-ended and allow you to answer them in a variety of ways. 

Once you’ve chosen a path, try your best to stick with it and continuously remind yourself of the task at hand, so you can question whether you’re straying too far from what you’re trying to write about. Staying on topic and focusing on the question at hand will also help prevent you from wasting space and time on irrelevant information. 

Although the admissions committee probably doesn’t have a distinct black and white answer to the question that they’re asking, they are still looking for an answer, so make sure that you’re not just providing them with an autobiography. 

Writing about your strengths and experiences is still necessary, so make sure you cover any  relevant strengths and experiences in accordance with the theme and question. Although admissions committees are generally interested in applicants who write unique content, it is important to avoid getting too far off track with your MBA personal statement. There is still a question at hand to answer, with directions that must be followed, so don’t write about whatever you please.

Show Your Passion

A good, compelling MBA personal statement is chalked full of passion. If you let your passion shine through in every line, you’re bound to grab the attention of the admissions committee that reads your application. No business school is interested in an applicant that lacks passion and enthusiasm. 

The main goal of each school is to fill their cohort with future leaders, who are passionate and driven to succeed. Let them know what kind of  business goals you have in mind and give them an idea of your ultimate ambitions. Whether you want to create a startup, start a nonprofit, or even move up within the ranks of the company that you’re already working for, let the admissions committee in on how you view your future in the business world.

With that said, make sure it's overtly clear why that envisioned future has ignited a passion inside of you that has pushed you to apply for an MBA program. Ensure that you go back to the source of your ambitions and give them an idea of where your passion originally stemmed from. Doing this will help them understand your aspirations better, and it will also give them a better overall understanding of who you are at your core.

Get to Know the School

It should also be evident in your MBA personal statement that you’ve invested time into getting to know the school that you’re applying to. Schools differ from each other in varying ways, and each of their MBA programs have distinct features that set them apart from one another. 

If you can demonstrate an understanding of the school’s missions, values, and goals in your personal statement, it will let the admissions committee know that you’ve done your research. Knowing these things will also help you tailor your MBA personal statement to meet some of the school’s criteria. 

Once you know the goals of a school, you can detail various ways that you’re capable of contributing to them. Once you know their values, you can show them various traits, which you possess, that align with those values. Once you know what their mission is, you can highlight ways in which your mission is similar. 

Of course, it isn’t necessary to reflect every single virtue that the school values in your MBA personal statement, but if you’re able to make enough of these connections between yourself and the school, they’ll see that you’re a good fit for a future cohort, increasing your chances of acceptance into one of their programs. 

Let the admissions committee know why you feel their MBA program is the best fit for you. If you can think of some specific things that their program provides, such as experiential learning or internships, mention why these opportunities excite you. Additionally, if a particular member of their faculty or a specific course interests you, explain where your appeal is coming from. 

There are many ways for you to gain more information about a school that will be useful during this portion of your personal statement. You can check out the school’s website, reach out to department heads, look into previous or current students’ profiles, look at the school’s online forums and social media groups, and even attend their events scheduled for prospective students.

Highlight Your Leadership Qualities

Upon closer inspection of some business school websites, it will be apparent that most of them value leadership above all else. Essentially, all business schools are looking to fill their cohorts with students who will become global leaders in the future. 

If you can show a school’s admissions committee that you have leadership qualities and that you have the potential to be a great leader, it will undoubtedly pique their interest in you. The best way to do this is by providing an insight into your motivations, strengths, and capabilities by emphasizing experiences that you’ve had, which present you as a proactive person who takes charge of the situations. 

You don’t need to describe some grand situation where you made a global impact. However, if you’ve taken the initiative to lead a local fundraiser, or you’ve started a club and led them to a set goal, these are the kinds of experiences that are worth mentioning because they will portray you as a leader.

Back-Up Your Claims

It is of vital importance that you don’t merely tell admissions why you’re a good fit for their school, or that you’re a strong leader, or that you have what it takes to make it in the world of business. Instead, you must show them all of these things by backing up your claims with examples. 

Your claims will feel empty and baseless if you don’t have real-life examples to back them up. Rather than telling a school how resourceful or imaginative you are, tell them an anecdotal story that helps them independently draw this conclusion . 

You can describe a situation when you made use of connections you have within your community to get something done that would benefit everyone or a time when you had to come up with a creative solution to a setback that you were facing. 

Unlike general statements, stories are memorable and will be hard for admissions committees to forget about you if you tell them a story that shines a light on your best side. Keep your stories brief and to the point, but include the necessary details to illustrate the points you’re trying to make.

Mistakes to Avoid While Writing an MBA Personal Statement

Don’t be too eager to please.

Many people make a common mistake when writing their MBA personal statement by focusing too much on writing exactly what they believe the committee wants to hear. In other words, trying too hard to please the admissions committee can sometimes have the opposite effect. 

When taking on an MBA essay, if you write what you think the admissions committee is expecting, you’ll waste a perfect opportunity to show them your actual value to their program, and you’ll likely blend in with the rest of the applicants. 

Each admissions committee has boxes that they are looking to tick, and the overall goal is for you to tick as many or all of those boxes as possible in a natural manner. If your aim is fitting the bill, it will be obvious and will detract from your chance to come across as unique. 

It will also make for a dull and underwhelming MBA personal statement. Beyond fulfilling specific requirements, you should demonstrate that you have character. Don’t be afraid to break the mold, at times, if it will allow you to open up more and share something genuine about who you are. 

Diversity is essential at any business school because diverse perspectives are what make a cohort attractive and interesting. So, think of how you can contribute to this diversity and embrace your authentic self when you craft your MBA personal statement.

Avoid Summarizing Your Résumé

By the time that an admissions committee gets to your MBA personal statement, the chances are good that they’ve already read through your résumé . Thus, there is no need for you to restate information directly from your résumé during your MBA personal statement. 

The admissions committee has that information already, and you can trust that they will not forget it if it is worth remembering.  By the time they get to your personal statement, they are craving something original and fresh. 

The purpose of a résumé is to list your relevant experience, but the purpose of an MBA personal statement is to show why that experience matters and why it sets you apart from all the other applicants. 

If you want your essay to be captivating, you must draw the admissions committee in with your storytelling skills. Use vivid descriptions to bring the stories that you’re telling to life and take the admissions committee on a journey that demands their attention.

No Need to Apologize

A general rule to keep in mind when writing your MBA personal statements is to avoid making any apologies. If there is a portion of your application that you aren’t feeling overly confident about, don’t draw attention to it. 

It might feel like you must explain yourself, whether this means justifying a lower than average GPA or test score or why there is a gap in your employment. 

However, your MBA personal statement is a limited opportunity for you to convince an admissions committee of your candidacy for their program, so spending time on things that don’t accentuate your best side is a waste of valuable time and words. Rather than apologizing for your potential downfalls, draw the admissions committee’s attention away from those parts of your application. 

Give them a good reason to naturally forget those things by wowing them with an MBA personal statement that highlights all of the reasons you are the ideal choice for their next cohort. The only time it is acceptable to explain your shortcomings is if the essay question specifically asks about them.

Outstanding MBA Personal Statement Examples 

Goals essay example.

Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

Sample Introduction:

Prior to COVID, I dreamed of a future as an entrepreneur building on my mother’s example of using business to make a difference in local communities. 2020, however, afforded me the opportunity to simultaneously begin pursuing the impact I hoped to make, even without my own venture, by participating in [Name] and [Name] recruiting efforts, while pausing to reflect on those aspirations.

Though I would still like to build on my mother’s legacy of community-minded entrepreneurship, I believe I will be able to make the most direct impact by founding my own venture capital fund that incubates companies from seed to late stage. My three years at [Company] have helped me develop analytical and operational skills necessary to be a thoughtful founder, but a Wharton MBA will help me refine my leadership style, as well as help me adopt the mindset of a community-minded investor.

Sample Body Paragraph:

With a flexible core foundation, I will use my time at Wharton to focus on classes that will uniquely help me achieve my goal. As a double major in Business Economics and Public Policy and Entrepreneurship & Innovation, I will not only understand the best way to use business to improve a community with classes like “Urban Public Policy and Private Economic Development,” but I can also study different methods to bring solutions to life with classes like “Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Management” and “Finance of Buyouts and Acquisitions.” Best of all, I can begin applying and practicing what I have learned in the classroom by working with the [Company] or spending a semester in [Place] with the robust [Community] in the [Area].

Sample Conclusion:

After graduating, I intend to be an active alumni, joining the Alumni Angel group, as well as serving as a mentor for Wharton students. Bolstered by my experiences inside and outside the classroom, I will be ready to make my mark on the Venture Capital world, bringing more equitable access to financial resources for entrepreneurs of color. When I do, I know that I will have the support of my Wharton community behind me.

Why it Works:

This is a fantastic sample of a MBA personal statement for many reasons. Firstly, the applicant doesn’t waste any time and gets right into an explanation of their personal goals and aspirations at the beginning of their essay, which then ties into a brief explanation of the source of their inspiration. 

They also highlight their opportunistic nature by showing how they took advantage of the situation when COVID began. They consistently reference specific parts of the Wharton MBA program they’re interested in, such as some specific classes they intend to take. They also mention how they plan to use their experience at Wharton to make their dream a reality.

Contributions Essay Example

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)

While I may have a few years before launching my own fund to transform local communities, during my time at Wharton, I intend to be an active participant in Wharton’s Anti-Racism goals, fighting to bring equity and inclusion with the same passion I have brought to my office and B/LX network. I want to help usher in a new era at Wharton focused on today’s business concerns where diversity and inclusion are top of mind.

I plan to be an active member of whatever initiatives are formed with student involvement seeking to effect that change, such as the Wharton Graduate Association (WGA). As a member of the [Organization], I can work with my peers to network in our hometowns to increase [Ethnicity] participation in MBA programs, which has been historically under-represented, as well as welcome prospective students as a host during [Initiative], to ensure that all who are interested feel welcome the moment they approach this school.

I have learned through my work at [Company] that one needs to bring in allies to improve diversity - cultivating a strong affinity group is a start, but not enough. As a member of the [Group], I will support Wharton founders, specifically ones with social ventures addressing poverty and inequality in the greater [City] community, thus growing student-funded entrepreneurship with a social benefit. As a fellow, I will also be able to further hone my own sense of leadership to understand the best way to motivate people to prioritize community benefit.

When not focused on ventures and leadership, I plan to school fellow students in the Tennis Club, share meals with the Wharton Food Club, and continue bragging about California’s Cabernet Sauvignons to the Wine Club. I envision my Wharton experience moving beyond the classroom to build an alumni cohort to last a lifetime, supporting each other to overcome the challenges we will inevitably face as we become next generation leaders.

This MBA personal statement is yet another strong sample. This applicant has clearly done their research and has discovered that they have a goal in common with the school they’re applying to. They focus on this shared goal and highlight how they intend to achieve progress towards it by working together with the school and its community. 

They make sure to back up their claims with examples of relevant work experience  that is in line with this vein of thought. Doing this demonstrates focus and shows that they are serious about their passions. 

Their conclusion further reinstates the fact that they are familiar with what the school has to offer, and it also flushes their personality out a little more. It also helps the admissions committee to envision the applicant fitting into the school’s community in various ways.

Self Reflection Essay Example

Essay 3: 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?

Disability has always been close to home; my family and community have a long and painful history of degenerative disease. I often think of my uncle, who steadfastly refused to let others help him eat meals following a string of kidney surgeries, and to my grandfather, suffering from neurodegenerative decline, who would rather exert excruciating effort to walk up a flight of stairs than ask me to get reading glasses from his bedroom.

It dawned on me that a reliance on others to move through daily life slowly chips away at one’s humanity; that lost independence is a common denominator of disability, and it impacts people almost as meaningfully as the underlying medical condition does. While various technologies and medical subspecialties exist to ease physical suffering, there is woefully little out there aimed to mitigate this deeper psychological problem. What’s more, the data and tools to solve this issue do exist, but millions continue to suffer.

I’m driven by finding answers to the most complex, most challenging problems faced by humanity; the ones that are too daunting, or those that go unrecognized. I felt a moral obligation to intervene. What followed would help me discover my life’s mission – building AI-driven tech to improve healthcare.

Sample Body Paragraphs

I rallied a friend, and together we built an AI-driven, low-cost speech-recognition platform that enabled voice-activated control over electronic systems in a household, thus empowering individuals suffering from ALS and multiple sclerosis. It was an exercise in creativity and persistence. It was quite daunting at the outset - I still have scars from initial circuit prototypes exploding in my hand. But, in the end, our solution worked, and cost a fraction of a now commercially available solution like Alexa.

As I think back to my core questions of independence, disability, and the juxtaposition of

medical and psychological suffering, I see increased life expectancy as a testament to modern advances in medicine. I now want to start the conversation around ensuring that people like my uncle or grandfather live not just longer, but happier, more dignified lives.

In the long run, by proving the benefits of AI-driven healthcare to the world, I want to build an enterprise that not only continues to develop sophisticated technologies, solve complex medical challenges, and change lives, but also improves the underlying fabric of healthcare policy. Like Uber and Airbnb, my dream is to eventually create an organization that fundamentally shifts the contemporary regulatory paradigm in healthcare to one that evolves and appropriately reflects both the medical and psychological needs of the modern patient.

The more I study disability, disease, impairment, and their implications on the human psyche, the more I appreciate the power of community - the feeling that there are people who fearlessly stand with you as you look to defy the odds. As I look to achieve my life’s mission and create a better healthcare system, I can’t think of a stronger, more supportive, and more inspiring community than Harvard.

The general management toolkit, network, and leadership skills that I develop will stay with me long past my time at HBS. I am confident in finding co-founders, collaborators, and investors who are as passionate as I am about solving entrenched challenges in healthcare. I plan to engage in cross-disciplinary inquiry through the [Initiative], and strive to develop a deft understanding of the interplay between the business, policy, and technological aspects of healthcare, something made uniquely possible through close collaboration with HMS and HKS.

I am more inspired than ever to realize my dream of restoring the lives of millions who suffer through no fault of their own, and the Harvard MBA will enable me to achieve exactly that.

This essay manages to take a very broad MBA essay question and turn it into a highly focused and genuine personal statement. The applicant doesn’t merely state their goals, but paints a delicate picture of their very personal inspirations that have become their driving force. 

This MBA personal statement includes numerous details, while refraining from including irrelevant ones. Each part of the narrative that they’ve told is necessary and is carefully woven together to provide an accurate background of where their motivation stems from and how it has led them to apply to this school. 

They also reference relevant achievements and experiences that they’ve had that indicate a strong sense of leadership within them, making them an attractive candidate for the school they’re applying to.

1. What is the purpose of an MBA personal statement?

The general purpose of an MBA personal statement is to show the admissions committee a little more about who you are and why they should consider your candidacy for their program. It is also a chance for you to show your goals and ambitions, while demonstrating how they pertain to the specific MBA program you’re applying to.

2. How long should an MBA personal statement be?

Some schools have specific minimum or maximum word counts for their essays, while others don’t. A school will typically list these kinds of requirements together with the essay questions.

3. What should I focus on with my MBA personal statement?

Your MBA personal statement should focus on answering the question(s) that the school has provided. These questions vary from school-to-school, but are usually found on the applications page of a school’s website, along with all of the other information relevant to your application. In conjunction with your answer to the prompt, you may focus on describing experiences, skills, and goals of yours that are relevant to the MBA program you’re applying to.

4. Should I write a different personal statement for each school that I apply to if I’m applying to multiple schools/programs?

Yes. Not only does each school have their own essay questions, but each school also has its own set of values, missions, and interests. Thus, your MBA personal statement isn’t easily transferable from one school’s application to another. 

If you want to maximize your chances of getting accepted into a school’s MBA program, you must carefully craft a unique MBA personal statement for each school that you apply to.

5. What should I research before writing my MBA personal statement?

Some research into a school is necessary before you can begin writing an MBA personal statement to submit to them. You may want to research a school’s mission statement, curriculum, faculty, extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information related to their MBA program. 

It will be necessary to reference these kinds of things throughout your MBA personal statement when you explain why this particular school is the best option for you and why you are the best fit for their next cohort.

6. Should I mention my GPA or GMAT/GRE scores in my MBA personal statement?

No. Your academic transcripts and test score submissions will be part of a different section of your application. The admissions committee does not need to see the same information in two places. 

Use the MBA personal statement as an opportunity to improve your candidacy for the school’s program in fresh, new ways by discussing things that would not be possible to include in your transcripts or on your résumé.

Your MBA personal statement is a vital part of your MBA application, and, as such, it requires that you approach your writing process with careful consideration. Your personal statement is a significant opportunity to make a good impression on the admissions committee by showing them who you are and why you deserve a coveted spot in their program. 

Plan out what you want to say, and take your time organizing exactly how you’d like to say it. Remember that every word counts, so make sure that you stay focused and don’t get off-topic. Once you’ve written an outstanding MBA personal statement that you feel packs a punch, proofread your essay, and, if possible, have others proofread it as well to ensure that there are no errors that will detract from the content.

You should also make sure that your writing conveys a sense of confidence, creativity, and passion. If you account for all of these things, and you let your true self shine through in your MBA personal statement, then there is no reason why an admissions committee wouldn’t be interested in having you join their next cohort of students.

About Inspira Futures

Schedule a free consultation, you may also like.

UVA MBA Acceptance Rate + How To Get In Guide (2024)

NYU Stern Part-Time MBA Program - The Complete Guide

MBA Personal Statement Tips and a Sample Essay

December 7, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

“What are your goals, and why do you need an MBA from our school?” Virtually all MBA programs ask some version of this question, which is typically referred to as a personal statement. And you must answer this question thoughtfully and with detail. So, what should you write to achieve this?

Why Do So Many MBA Programs Require a Personal Statement?

Let’s start with why business schools ask this type of question of its applicants. Simply put, MBA admissions committees want to know, without a doubt, that you have a clear plan for your future and that their school can get you there. Revealing that “fit” with your target MBA program is absolutely critical. Admissions committees want to protect their yield – the number of acceptances divided by the number of offers they give out. In other words, how confident are they that you will accept their offer if it is given? You need to show the admissions committee that you really fit with their program through your personal statement—or they just might give your place to someone else who is able to prove that fit!

What Are The Components of an MBA Personal Statement?

While every MBA personal statement will vary slightly, the general components will be the same across the board. In a way, each personal statement will include something about your past, present, and future, which we’ll dive deeper into later in this post.

First, you need to include some context. Even if a business school does not ask about your professional or personal history, you still need to explain where you are coming from in order to explain where you are going…this is your past. Next, your goals are a key element of a personal statement. You need to share your plan for the future. In some personal statement prompts, you will be asked specifically about short AND long-term goals, and some will only ask for “goals” generally. What is important is that your goals be well thought-out and ambitious but attainable. Lastly, you will need to include why that school can help you reach those goals. This is where you connect your context and goals to reveal how your MBA from that school is what will make those goals happen…your present (or hopeful present, at least!).

How To Write About Your Post-MBA Career Goals

While your short-term post-MBA goals may be clear to you, the long-term often trips applicants up. How do you know what you really want to do so far in the future? As someone who has helped countless applicants perfect their MBA personal statement, I can tell you that admissions committees know your actual goals may change during your time at business school, and that is OK! However, what is important is that your short-term goals are clear AND that your overall goals are plausible. You need to share goals that you can reasonably achieve – there must be a path between where you have been and where you are going. Unclear or improbable goals are a major reason MBA applicants get dinged, so do your homework and make sure that path is crystal clear in your personal statement.

As an example, if you are an operations analyst and would like to move into consulting, you can share how you want to join a rotational management program, or how you plan to launch a search fund focused on operationally challenged businesses. Both of those paths seem plausible.

An important note: MBA admissions committees actually have no preference for one path over another. They just want to learn that you are passionate about your chosen path, that their MBA program can help you on that path, and that you will be successful after your MBA is over. 

When it comes specifically to long-term post-MBA goals, you only need to consider an ideal. If everything works out, this is where I would like to be. These goals should not be wildly ambitious or out of reach – again, you need to prove to the admissions committee that your goals are attainable – but they do need to be exciting.

Conducting Research On Your MBA Programs

In order to write about why a particular MBA program will help you attain your goals, you must conduct extensive research on your target schools. If a school asks “why us” you MUST be able to answer thoughtfully and specifically.

Here are a few ways you can learn more about your target MBA programs:

• Spend a day touring your target program’s campus , attending a class, speaking with professors, and conversing over lunch with students.
• If visiting in-person is not possible, you can learn a lot through attending webinars and online information sessions.
• Reach out to colleagues and/or local alumni. Spend some time on LinkedIn to see if you have colleagues who have attended your target programs or if there are any alumni clubs in your area. Schedule a chat to learn more about classes, clubs, career opportunities, and school culture.
• Follow your target MBA programs on social media. Schools regularly post on all major channels and can really share a lot of great and helpful information.
• Download mbaMission’s Insider’s Guides. This is not a shameless plug – our suite of guides to top MBA programs is extensively researched and informed by direct input from students, alumni and school representatives. We update them yearly and they are free to download.

Every top MBA program offers a variety of in-person and online opportunities to connect and learn more. Check out this blog post for a list of events and programs.

Doing this research will help you write a personal statement that is authentic and specific. Being vague and generic here is NOT the way to go. Consider the following example:

“During my experience at Cornell, I was struck by the easygoing classroom discussion, the warmth of the professors and the time spent by the first-year student who not only toured the facilities with me, but also took me for coffee and asked several of his colleagues to join us.”

While these statements may in fact be true, the text contains no Cornell-specific language. If Yale, Michigan or the name of any other school were substituted for Cornell here, the statement would otherwise not change at all. This statement could be applicable to any other school—and this is not good. In contrast, the following statement could refer only to Darden:

“While on Grounds, I was impressed by Professor Robert Carraway’s easygoing and humorous style, as he facilitated a fast-paced discussion of the ‘George’s T-Shirts’ case. Although I admittedly felt dizzied by the class’s pace, I was comforted when I encountered several students reviewing the finer points of the case later at First Coffee. I was impressed when my first-year guide stopped mid-tour to check in with her learning teammate and reinforce the case’s central point. It was then I recognized that this was the right environment for me.”

If you were to substitute the Darden name and even the professor’s name with those of another school and professor, the paragraph would no longer work. The Darden-specific information regarding the day’s case, First Coffee and learning teams ensures that these sentences have a sincere and personal feel—showing that the candidate truly understands what the school is about, and necessary for a compelling personal statement that will catch the attention of the admissions committee. 

MBA Personal Statement Example and Analysis

Now it is time to put all these tips into practice. Here I will dissect an actual successful personal statement essay from a past applicant so you can learn some of the “dos” and “don’ts” in revealing your fit with your target MBA program. One quick note—this sample essay is not meant to be used as a template. I suggest that you use it as a resource, but do not copy it! Everyone has their own stories and nuances, and you need to focus on sharing yours in your own personal voice and style.

The essay I analyze here is in answer to the following question from Wharton’s 2022–2023 application, but the advice I give is applicable to any school’s required personal or goal statement:

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)

This essay has our three key personal statement elements: past, present, and future. Let us unveil and examine each one.

The writer starts, logically, with the past, which is discussed in the first part of the paragraph.

Transitioning from banking to private equity, I initially found the faster pace and expanded scope startling, but ultimately, it was invigorating. Shifting from agent to principal, I joined the VP Product at a Japanese industrial firm in repricing one hundred, long-ignored products, and shepherded the acquisition of the rotational-molding division from a Korean chaebol. While I had neither pricing nor manufacturing experience, all that mattered was that I could learn, adapt, and contribute. At KJIP, I came to appreciate the “messiness” of investing and the opportunities to create value via ingenuity and collaboration.

No matter what the word limit is for the essay you are writing, you must give the admissions committee some indication of where you have been to provide context for where you want to go. The author here could not have just written, “I plan to accelerate my development at Wharton before returning to investing….” He needed to give the admissions reader a sense of his experiences and background before introducing his goals. While he will not be the only private equity (PE) associate to apply to Wharton, he offers a window into how his time in PE was his own—he invested in Asia, gained experience working with portfolio firms on a repricing project, completed an industrial acquisition, and so on. And beyond his discussion of his actual work, he gives an honest view into what he enjoys about the experience—the “messiness,” as he calls it. He discusses the challenge of adjusting and the rewards of creating opportunity. He demonstrates that he is authentic and capable and does so in just 90 or so words. He has not shared anything earth-shattering, but he has created an identity for himself and done enough to grab the reader’s attention and distinguish himself ever so slightly from other, similar candidates. He has also set the stage for the next section of his essay.

In the next roughly 90 words, the writer tells us that he plans to return to investing back home in America, sticking with industrials. He even names firms.

Now, I plan to accelerate my development at Wharton before returning to investing to drive change on a greater scale. While I had a tremendous experience in Asia, I am eager to return home and would seek to join a middle-market, PE firm, like BZPD or PowerStrat, which focus on industrial innovation to the benefit of all stakeholders. Longer term, as I develop my leadership skills and breadth of industrial experience, I aspire to become a partner at a PE firm or to a CEO position with a larger industrial firm, where I can truly lead change. 

The author does not need to “save the whales” or shift into tech to excite the admissions committee. He just needs to show that he has clear goals and that those aspirations make sense for him—and that ultimately, his MBA will be the bridge to get him there.

He can go from PE pre-MBA to PE post-MBA, no problem, or he could suggest that he wants to transition into industry right away. He could probably find ways to shift into other careers as well. What is important is the logic behind the career goals, not the target industry. And in this case, this applicant’s path makes sense. In addition, his long-term goals naturally extend from his short-term goals. His logic continues, and his objectives, while unrevolutionary, are, importantly, significant, ambitious, and prestigious. In short, the admissions committee can see a credible path for him to be a successful alumnus. Of course, all this logic and “pathing” is critical. For the applicant to say that he wants to go from industrial PE into sports management or into leadership of a consumer marketing business would sound strange with the information we have, so again, the focus is on being logical, credible, and ambitious.

If I were to critique this portion of the essay, I would say that he might give another sentence of depth here. His goals are possibly a little thin. Maybe he could elaborate on the work he would seek at his post-MBA firm or offer an intermediary goal that would lend more credibility to his long-term aspiration of landing that C-suite position. Of course, if he did so, he would need to find space to do so elsewhere in his essay, because Wharton has a hard limit of 500 words. You literally cannot enter even one word more into the space allotted for this essay on the school’s application. Not a word! At some other programs, you do not need to worry so much about being a few words over, though we always recommend that applicants not exceed an MBA program’s stated word count by more than 5%, tops.

The Present

Finally, the bulk of his essay is on Wharton—approximately 60% of it. The admissions committee wants to know that you have done your homework on their school because they have thousands of applicants and do not need to accept anyone who lacks a complete understanding of what their program has to offer. To be a successful applicant, you really need to prove that you have done your homework. 

Assessing areas for development, I recognize that I need to grow beyond the financial plain and will pursue Wharton’s Strategic Management major, both to expand my ability to advance my future firm’s strategic rationale and to quickly grasp the challenges faced by management at portfolio firms. After taking core courses like “Operations, Information, and Decisions” and “Foundations of Teamwork and Leadership” to deepen my managerial point of view, I would specialize via electives like “Managing Organizational Change,” “Corporate Diplomacy,” and “Advanced Global Strategy.” Of course, beyond Wharton’s course options, I find the opportunities to unify theory and practice to be incredibly compelling. In particular, I would pursue the Advanced Management Practicum, so that I could collaborate with classmates by providing actionable solutions for a specific management problem, while gaining the enduring benefit of a consultant’s perspective. And a Global Modular Course, like “Supply Chain Management in Mexico,” will introduce me to our most vexing global business issue, while expanding my network within industry and with classmates. 

I feel fortunate to have already witnessed the role my diverse and dynamic Wharton classmates will play in my education; I recently visited my cousin, Tarek Masoud (W ’22) and observed his “Managerial Decision Making” class, also attending that week’s Pub. Both class and Pub revealed a community that comes together to share ideas— and even laughs together amid the intensity of the experience. Indeed, this reflective aspect is deeply appealing; by pursuing a Leadership Venture, I would work with peers to better understand myself and hone my leadership style. Meantime, through my Learning Team experience, I will be constantly adapting as I seek to contribute to a unit that Tarek described as his “lifeline.” I would come to Wharton ready to listen, absorb, and share, knowing that by bringing the entirety of my energy, I will confidently embark on the next phase of my career.

Has our applicant proven that he has done his research on the school? Unequivocally, yes! He has visited the program, sat in on a class, selected an appropriate major, reasoned through the courses he wants to take, noted experiential opportunities, and familiarized himself with the school’s Learning Team model. And he does not just present a list—he is able to show how these resources will help shape his experience.

I want to highlight a few specific details. The writer does not just say that he visited his cousin at Wharton and had a great time; he visited his cousin with a sense of purpose and absorbed the experience both academically and socially. He has takeaways about the Learning Team experience. If I were to critique this section, I would focus on the Leadership Venture element. Which one would he want to pursue? Why? Would any Leadership Venture work to help him gain what he needs? Small details like this add to the sincerity of the essay, thereby making it more convincing.

The brevity of this essay—at a mere 500 words—could always leave us second-guessing the writer. In this case, though, the applicant delivers a fairly straightforward story, identifies some nuances within his experience, offers clear and connected goals, and is able to identify with Wharton as his target. He does a very solid job and generally makes the most of his space. Again, do not just try to copy this sample essay. Use the tips in this post to make your essay truly your own. I hope this has helped you understand the depth that is necessary in your writing and the logical connections you need to make. This should launch you on your journey.

If you have questions about your application essays or wonder which schools you would be competitive at, sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with an mbaMission consultant.

Tags: business school essay MBA application essays personal statement

A first-of-its-kind, on-demand MBA application experience that delivers a personalized curriculum for you and leverages interactive tools to guide you through the entire MBA application process.

Get Started!

Upcoming Events

• Aug 20, 2024 The Last-Minute MBA Application (Online)
• Sep 6, 2024 Decoding the HBS Interview (Online)
• Sep 24, 2024 Choosing the Right B-School (Online)

Upcoming Deadlines

• Aug 15, 2024 Columbia J-Term (Round 2)
• Aug 27, 2024 Cambridge Judge (Round 1)
• Sep 4, 2024 HBS (Round 1)
• Sep 4, 2024 Penn Wharton (Round 1)
• Sep 5, 2024 Notre Dame Mendoza (Early Decision)
• Sep 5, 2024 Virginia Darden (Early Decision)
• Sep 9, 2024 Michigan Ross (Round 1)
• Sep 10, 2024 Columbia (Round 1)
• Sep 10, 2024 INSEAD (August Intake)
• Sep 10, 2024 Stanford GSB (Round 1)
• Sep 10, 2024 Yale SOM (Round 1)
• Sep 11, 2024 Northwestern Kellogg (Round 1)
• Sep 12, 2024 Berkeley Haas (Round 1)

Click here to see the complete deadlines

2024–2025 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

Which program are you applying to?

Mba personal statement examples.

Get accepted to your top choice business school with your compelling essay.

MBA Personal Statement Sample Essays & Tips

Your academic record, GMAT scores, and GPA are important factors in the MBA application process. But, more than that, business schools ultimately care about who you are and whether you would be a good fit for their program. This is where your application essays come in. The goal here is to complete the picture that your scores and stats began sketching. Take your time when writing these essays. They will form the image the admissions committee will see before they meet you at your interview. Write, edit, and edit again. Be sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors in your essay. You want your portrait to be clean and clear. Once you are satisfied with your essay, ask a trusted friend, mentor, or admissions pro to read it. A fresh pair of eyes can often see things that you can’t.

7 tips for creating the best MBA essays

Here are some important things to remember when writing your MBA essays.

• Show who you are in a background essay Use this opportunity to reveal your values and personality, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the seminal experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. No two people have the same history. Use stories and examples to make your background bright and stand out to demonstrate what makes you special. Discuss how your history has brought you to this point. What is there in your background that compels you to pursue an MBA at this time?
• Show your direction in the goals essay Use this opportunity to show that you have clear direction and purpose based on experience and planning. Business school is not another opportunity to “find yourself.” Even if you have had one career path and will use your MBA to launch another career, this essay must describe the reasons behind your career-change, your new goals, and how the program will help you achieve them.
• Use your optional essay to explain negatives in your stats If your GPA was lower than you would have liked early in your undergraduate education, use your essay to show how you learned from this experience. Everyone makes mistakes. How you deal with your mistakes shows a lot to the admissions committee – determination, discipline, success, resilience, and breadth of experience are qualities that will serve you well in your MBA studies and later in life. Be sure that you explain your negatives and don’t try to justify them. Show that you understand the mistake you made, learned from it and changed as a result of processing the experience. That response shows maturity. Justifying – instead of learning or changing – is a sign of immaturity. MBA programs want mature adults. Almost all of them have made mistakes.
• Say what you mean, and mean what you say Admissions committees read thousands of essays during each admissions round. A concise, well thought-out essay will have them reading yours to the end.  You need examples and stories to support your statements and make your essay interesting and readable. Each of these needs to be to the point. These professionals are trained to spot an essay that is full of fluff and without substance.Avoid rambling and the use of keywords that you think the reader wants to see. A non-substantive essay will lead the reader to conclude that you, too, are without substance.
• Find your passion This relates to tip #4 above. You want to grab the reader right away and create an essay that will keep their attention to the very end – and leave them wanting to meet you and get to know you even better. In other words, offer you a coveted interview! Find a theme, and weave it throughout your essay. If you can identify a passion that you had from an early age and follow it through the different stages of your life, you will have an interesting, readable essay. Connect your passion to your childhood and you professional and extracurricular experiences and accomplishments. Demonstrate how your passion will influence your future career and serve the community at the school you want to attend.
• Focus on your professional experience and achievements Not everyone has a passion that they have carried with them throughout their life. However, since you are planning on attending an MBA program, you must have had professional and personal achievements. Highlight your professional skills and successes, as well as personal accomplishments. Show how these experiences and achievements have brought you to this point, and how they have influenced your long-term plans and reasons for pursuing an MBA.
• Highlight your experience in your EMBA essay An applicant to an Executive MBA program is an executive or manager currently in the workforce, usually with at least eight years of business experience. As an EMBA student you will be expected to excel in your coursework while continuing to hold down your full-time job. You must demonstrate significant leadership, impact, potential, and the legitimate need for the degree to be accepted. Highlight your current responsibilities and recent achievements, as well as your skill sets. Discuss your goals and how an EMBA will help you reach them. Include how you will positively impact the community at the program you are applying to.

Read MBA Personal Statement Examples

Now that you have the tools to write your compelling essay, check out our sample MBA application essays to see what you will be able to accomplish.

GET ALL THE SAMPLE ESSAYS IN ONE CONVENIENT PDF!

BONUS: You'll also receive a free copy of our popular guide,  5 Fatal Flaws To Avoid in Your MBA Applications Essays.

Get Expert Help With Your MBA Application

Our world-class team helps you stand out from the competition and get accepted.

APPLICATION STRATEGY /  ESSAY REVIEW / INTERVIEW PREP

TOP 10 BUSINESS SCHOOLS

HAVE AN AVERAGE ACCEPTANCE RATE OF  10.25%. 

A STRONG BUSINESS SCHOOL APPLICATION ESSAY WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

You want to get into a top business school, but you need to stand out from the tens of thousands of other impressive applicants. According to US News, the average top 20 b-school acceptance rate is 12.37%, but our MBA clients enjoy an 84% ACCEPTANCE RATE . How can you separate yourself from the competition successfully? By crafting an excellent application essay.

Our clients gain acceptance to... 

MIT, Kellogg, HAAS, Tuck, Columbia, NYU and many other business schools.

Get Accepted! Speak with an admissions expert today!

• How to Write a Great MBA Personal Statement

B-School Search

For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 118 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.

For many candidates, writing essays for business school applications can feel intimidating because of the slim margin for error. Admissions officers at highly selective business schools look for justifications to reject candidates, and when they cannot find those justifications in work experience, undergraduate grades, or admissions test scores, they search for them in application essays. “Your personal story is what will set you apart from other applicants,” according to Poets & Quants contributor and Personal MBA coach Scott Edinburgh.

Best practices in application essay writing indeed exist, although some of them are not obvious and a few may seem counterintuitive. BSchools editors reviewed the analysis, advice from several authorities, and essay examples from admitted students. Although this information is mainly sourced from essays submitted to the Harvard Business School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business , the principles outlined below apply to any top MBA program, whether on-campus, executive, or online.

Before discussing the findings, it should be noted that schools have shifted from experimentation to implementing high-tech replacements for their written application essays, according to Poets & Quants . Since 2020, most business schools require video submissions of essay questions in the application process, including London Business School and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. MIT’s video essay gives candidates sixty seconds to present themselves in one shot, while New York University asks for six captioned images describing candidates.

Below is an overview of the most frequent application essay prompts or discussion topics and best practices for writing.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN Southern New Hampshire University Online MS - Construction Management

Common mba application essay prompts.

Most application essay prompts can be divided into five categories: introduction, career objectives, school selection motivation, achievements and setbacks, and additional optional essays.

Introduction (“Introduce Yourself”) Prompts

These prompts ask applicants to introduce themselves to the admissions committee members. Here the actual class of 2023 required essay prompt from Harvard:

You’re applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores, and what your recommenders have to say about you. 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?

A variant includes a previous Harvard prompt asking candidates what they would say when introducing themselves to other new students on the first day of classes. Stanford’s famous embodiment of this prompt simply reads:

“What matters most to you and why?”

Career Objective Prompts

These prompts ask applicants to explain their career goals and why they believe an MBA is necessary to accomplish those goals.

School Selection Motivation Prompts

These prompts ask candidates to discuss why they want to attend that particular business school and the benefits the school and classmates will receive should they win admission. Experts believe this topic is highly significant to admissions officers and needs to be incorporated into most essays—especially introduction essays—in some fashion.

Achievements and Setbacks Prompts

These prompts request discussions of inflection points in an applicant’s career. The questions seek to uncover what contributed to these accomplishments, how they recovered from setbacks, and what candidates learned from them.

Additional Optional Essays

This last prompt typically asks applicants to discuss any additional topics about which admissions committees need to know before rendering decisions.

Essay Writing Best Practices

Essay structure.

Writing expert and admissions consultant, Sandy Kreisberg, offers a great deal of insight about successful application essays. In an interview with Poets & Quants , she points out that many successful HBS essays follow a typical structure. First, they state the applicant’s goals, then identify three or four crucial experiences that helped shape those goals. Frequently, candidates also include how those experiences helped form their values. Another admissions consultant argues that emphasizing values is necessary within any approach or structure.

Frequent Essay Themes

Admissions consultant Stacy Blackman advises clients to select themes that will enable them to display qualities HBS highly values , especially drive, accomplishment, and leadership:

We have found that both personal and career-oriented topics can work, and most candidates tell more than one story in the essay. In the past, we have observed that successful HBS essays also demonstrate a core driving passion […] HBS has always been highly focused on leadership and really loves candidates with a track record of leadership impact and a success trajectory that indicates upper management potential. Accomplishments have traditionally been a strong focus of HBS essays, and using at least one accomplishment story in this essay may be a good strategy.

According to Kreisberg, frequent themes include overcoming adversity, helping others overcome adversity, overcoming victimization, or assisting others in overcoming victimization. In fact, he argues that this theme accounted for as much as 70 percent of recent Stanford Business School essays. In addition, Kreisberg says absent parents, especially absent fathers, embody themes in many successful Harvard essays from 2014 and 2015.

Voice Is The Most Important Factor

By saying that “voice trumps everything,” Kreisberg points out that the voice with which candidates speak through their essays can be more important than any other aspect of application essay writing. Characteristics of a “good voice” include :

The essay must convey that, above all, the candidate seems like a genuinely likable person. If it does not, the piece can render an otherwise outstanding candidate vulnerable to a “ding,” which is business school lingo for a denial. According to Kreisberg, the critical test the HBS admission committee reportedly relies on is this question: Is this someone you would want to sit next to in a case method class?

Authenticity, Sincerity, and Vulnerability

All experts agree that authenticity is a necessary winning essay hallmark. Admissions consultant Eric Allen states, “The key character traits built from your personal, professional, and community stories and experiences that provide a unique and authentic story differentiating you from other applicants.” It may be surprising how many MBA application essays display vulnerability because this quality is not generally associated with business leaders.

Reflectiveness

Candidates need to present examples demonstrating their introspection and self-awareness.

One of the most difficult challenges of application essay composition is figuring out a balance between presenting a string of impressive accomplishments while also being humble. Unfortunately, any form of bragging in an essay amounts to self-sabotage.

Thoughtfulness

Candidates must show careful attention, especially to other people’s needs.

Cohort-appropriateness

Ideally, candidates need to sound like previous applicants from the same industry. For example, applicants with work experience in investment banking need to sound like students the school accepted with investment banking experience, applicants with military experience need to sound like students the school admitted from the armed services, and so on.

Writing Quality

Many experts suggest that effective application essays do not need to be exceptionally well-written. They contend that admissions committees overlook less-than-perfect writing as long as applicants deliver compelling pitches. Business schools are interested in selecting and training future business leaders, not Pulitzer Prize-winning writers.

Moreover, the reviewed HBS essays do not appear to be particularly well-written. The errors and defects found in the samples suggested that the authors won admission because of other factors, like their work experience, undergraduate grades, or admissions test scores. Nevertheless, the most successful essays appear to demonstrate many characteristics of good writing, such as:

Powerful, Compelling, and Sometimes Shocking Introductions

“In all essay writing, of course, you learn that a lead, the way you entice a reader into your writing, is all-important, in part, because it should generally be compelling enough to grab someone and make them want to read on. In that regard, there are some fairly grabby leads,” according to Byrne , who knows how a significant lead reads; he was a magazine editor at BusinessWeek and FastCompany.

Consider for a moment why a powerful lead can be critical in this kind of essay. A typical admission committee member might review as many as 30 or 40 of these essays within candidate files on average. A compelling lead not only differentiates an article in the mind of that reviewer, but also grabs their attention.

The best essays display compelling first paragraphs and lead with first sentences that grab readers’ attention through vivid, shocking images. Here is a remarkable example:

“You are a woman AND a vegetarian! You will never make it at this place”. As a senior midshipman screamed those words at me from across the table, I instantly decided to change the one aspect of that statement within my control. I scarfed down Stouffer’s meat lasagna during my first dinner at the United States Naval Academy and wracked my brain, pondering how the females before me had survived. After leaving the comfort of my childhood home, I found myself blindsided by a brutal indoctrination into the male-dominated military.

The contention and excitement in the first sentence virtually guarantee further reading because it arouses the reader’s curiosity about what sort of place the applicant ended up treating women (and vegetarians) with such disrespect. The writer eventually introduces the controversial topic of male domination of organizations and explains how she adapted to that domination and finally overcame it.

Here is another compelling introduction:

During my first year in college, my parents declared bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was caused by my father’s growing drug addiction and it had a cascading impact on our entire family. Since my parents were co-signers on my student loans, our bank refused to renew them after my first year. I did a number of things to get by, including working three jobs simultaneously to make ends meet. I also tried to support my dad by helping to manage his rehabilitation process as much as a teenager reasonably could.

Displaying vulnerability, this example surprises readers who may not expect an HBS student to have faced damaging family issues like bankruptcy and drug addiction. The lead also arouses the curiosity of readers who want to know how the applicant eventually overcame these traumas.

Active Voice and Verbs

The best essays tend to avoid the passive voice . Notice the active voice and the vivid choice of the verbs in the below essay:

After college, I joined the Ivy Club in D.C., serving as the chair of Young Alums. The club had declining admissions, so I galvanized support by changing its mission and expanding its demographics […] Still, I craved more impact and contribution to a company’s success […] Now I thrive on helping other people and organizations do the same: identify problems, then clarify and meet their goals.

Essay Length and Word Limits

Some universities do not specify word limits for their essays. However, the best pieces display judicious word counts, sometimes in two separate essays. MBA Mission explains in more detail:

In the past, when Chicago Booth required only one essay, we often suggested 1,000 words as a guide; now with two essays, we propose keeping your responses to 500–600 words each. Approximately double the minimum seems to be a reasonable high-end target, though you will not be rejected from the applicant pool for going even higher. That said, we would recommend 1,000 words per essay as the absolute upper limit, and only in exceedingly rare cases.

Stacy Blackman concurs, saying that essays should be under 1,200 words. It is always easier to cut words down than add more during the editing process. A good rule of thumb is to write until the essay feels complete, and then take a second pass through the article essay to cut any unnecessary words.

Sample Harvard Business School Essay

The following outstanding Harvard Business School essay —which was written by a published author—satisfies all of the above criteria. It is an inspiring, compelling, and well-written example that can be read below in its entirety, followed by a brief analysis from Harbus, the essay’s publisher. .

In 2012, I realized a life ambition—I completed my first novel, all while working full time at [Top U.S. Investment Bank]. I could not wait to share it with the world and eagerly went in search of a literary agent. But each agent I contacted declined to represent my novel.

Nevertheless, I was passionate about my work and was determined to put it into readers’ hands. In true entrepreneurial fashion, I self-published my novel through the digital platforms Smashwords and Createspace. I worked with a promotional expert to organize a month-long book tour to promote the book to prominent book bloggers and their readers. The result? My novel has received multiple 5-star reader reviews, from Amazon to Goodreads, and was a semifinalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Storytelling is my lifelong passion; it saw me through a difficult childhood. After my father left, my mother raised me as a single parent in [U.S. City/State], a rural Bible Belt town two hours south of [U.S. State]. We did not have much money and that coupled with my bookishness made me a target for bullies. Books and writing were an escape; they gave me an avenue to articulate the feelings of abandonment and powerlessness I otherwise did not want to express. Writing made me happy and the more I wrote, the more my talent blossomed. I began to win awards and my work was published in youth literary journals. These experiences made me more confident, a key part of my success later in life. It all started with a pen, a notebook, and my imagination.

Stories are an integral part of the human experience. They uplift and inspire, give us permission to dream and to visualize what could be. Storytelling has been an integral part of my career, from building financial models at [Top U.S. Investment Bank] that illustrated my expectations for the companies that I covered to delivering a presentation to [International Daily Newspaper]’s chief revenue officer explaining why reducing ad prices for tender house advertisers would not lead to an increase in revenue.

My passion has also informed my growth as a leader; I believe my most impactful expressions of leadership have been my efforts to help others write the narratives of their own lives and careers. At [Top U.S. Investment Bank], I created an informal mentorship program for female and minority interns and first-year analysts in the research division and led a “soft skills” class to help new analysts handle difficult interpersonal situations. For four years, I’ve mentored a young Hispanic woman through Student Sponsor Partners, a nonprofit that gives low-income students scholarships to private high schools. Being a mentor gave me the privilege of guiding another first generation college student along what I know can be a lonely, difficult path. This fall, she started college with a full scholarship.

Storytelling will be a part of my future career path; as an MBA graduate, my goal is to obtain a position in strategy and business development at an entertainment company that specializes in film or television. Long term, I want to start a multimedia and merchandising company with a publishing arm (books and magazines) as well as film, TV, and digital operations. Using strong, fictional heroines and informative lifestyle content, my company’s goal will be to educate and inspire women to become their best selves. My particular focus is creating compelling, multidimensional characters to inspire young women of color, who are constantly bombarded by negative images of women who look like them in media.

I’m pursuing a Harvard MBA because I want to become a better business strategist and strong general manager. Also, I want to further develop my leadership and presentation skills as I will manage professionals on the content and business side; it will be my task to unite them behind a shared strategic vision. Specifically, I want to learn how to motivate teams and individuals to perform at their highest level, and to become more adept at persuasion and generating “buy-in” from others. Harvard’s unique approach using the case method and emphasis on leadership development will challenge me to grow in both these areas. I also feel that I have much to contribute to Harvard’s community. My varied background in finance and media has given me a unique perspective that will be valuable in classroom discussions and team projects. I want to share my passion for the entertainment industry with my classmates by chairing the Entertainment & Media club and planning conferences, career treks, and other opportunities.

My background gives me the capacity for fearless thinking that is needed to meet the challenges of the entertainment industry’s shifting landscape. A Harvard MBA will strengthen that foundation and help me to become the kind of dynamic leader who can bring the vision for my own company to life and be at the forefront of entertainment’s structural shift.

A brief analysis from Harbus:

The author sets the stage for the remainder of the essay by first presenting a notable accomplishment of hers and then explicitly illustrating the entrepreneurial drive and diligence she used to see it through. More importantly, the author’s opening introduces a theme—storytelling—that is consistently interwoven through different stages of her life. The reader is led through the author’s childhood, professional and extracurricular experiences, along with accomplishments, all the while being reminded of the integral role storytelling has played. Beyond highlighting her gift, or passion for the art of storytelling, the author goes on to connect this theme with her future career ambitions, as well as describe how this could also serve the HBS community.

Douglas Mark

While a partner in a San Francisco marketing and design firm, for over 20 years Douglas Mark wrote online and print content for the world’s biggest brands , including United Airlines, Union Bank, Ziff Davis, Sebastiani, and AT&T. Since his first magazine article appeared in MacUser in 1995, he’s also written on finance and graduate business education in addition to mobile online devices, apps, and technology. Doug graduated in the top 1 percent of his class with a business administration degree from the University of Illinois and studied computer science at Stanford University.

Related Programs

• 1 AACSB-Accredited Online MBA Programs 1">
• 2 ACBSP-Accredited Online MBA Programs 1">
• 3 IACBE-Accredited Online MBA Programs 1">
• 4 MBA in Accounting 1">
• 5 MBA in Construction Management 1">
• 6 MBA in Entrepreneurship 1">
• 7 MBA in General Management 1">

Related FAQs

• 1 How Do I Get into Business School?
• 2 What are MBA Program Yield Management and Yield Protection?
• 3 What are MBA Yield Comparisons, Connotations, and Stakeholders?
• 4 What are the Typical Requirements for Admission to MBA Programs?
• 5 Do I Need an Undergraduate Degree in Business to Pursue an MBA?
• 6 How Do I Secure an MBA Internship?
• 7 How Do I Study for the GMAT?

Related Posts

Guide to mba scholarships for 2024.

Given that higher education has now become the second-largest expense for an individual in their lifetime, only topped by buying a home, it’s no wonder why so many students now look to scholarships and fellowships for help. Fortunately, research compiled for our profiles below revealed many scholarships that can help defray the cost of earning an MBA.

Online MBA Programs Ranked by Affordability (2023-2024)

These online programs ranked by affordability can be a viable alternative to more expensive programs while still receiving an excellent education and providing the flexibility working professionals need to balance work, family, and higher education demands.

Should I Hire an MBA Admissions Consultant? Best Practices for Getting into Business School

Few topics seem as controversial among applicants to MBA programs as the use of graduate admissions consultants. These consultants help optimize the chances of acceptance for their clients, typically candidates applying to highly selective business schools.

Acing the MBA Essay Questions – Tips & Reviews

Focusing on Harvard Business School application essays written by candidates who won admission, our previous guide in this series presented general principles for writing compelling long-form MBA essays. However, this guide takes a different approach. This article presents specific tips for writing short-answer essays constrained by tight word limits.

Personal Reference Letters for Business School – Tips & Templates

A great recommender is an MBA candidate’s champion. They need to fit the profile of the “raving fans” cited by management gurus like Ken Blanchard and Tony Robbins. Because the likelihood of a great recommendation letter mostly depends on whom the candidate selects to write it, their enthusiasm level amounts to a crucial benchmark and a major deciding factor.

Is the U.S. Already in a Recession? An MBA Application Opportunity

Discover new forecasting methods that can provide MBA applicants with earlier awareness of an impending economic downturn, giving them extra time to prepare more competitive MBA applications that can help them win entry at better business schools—where they can ride out a recession predicted by leading economists for 2022.

The Exploding Demand for Online MBA Programs

The number of accredited schools offering fully online degree programs grew by 54 percent worldwide between the 2012-2013 and 2016-2017 academic years.

MBA Personal Statement Examples: Secrets to Standing Out

The pressure to write a perfect MBA personal statement can be overwhelming. After all, your essay is a key factor in your admission to a top-tier business school. With so much at stake, it’s important to know what makes a good essay and how to stand out from the crowd. One effective way to get started is by reading some MBA personal statement examples. These examples can give you a sense of what works and what doesn’t, as well as inspire you to find your unique voice. In this blog post, we’ll share some of the best MBA personal statement examples we’ve come across, and break down what makes them successful.

Tell a story

In the first of our MBA personal statement examples, we want to highlight a personal statement from an applicant to Harvard Business School. The essay tells the story of how the applicant’s upbringing in a small town in the Deep South shaped their perspective and goals for pursuing an MBA.

“I was born and raised in a small town in the Deep South, a place where the concept of business was synonymous with local mom-and-pop stores. I grew up observing the struggles and triumphs of these local business owners and realized the profound impact they had on our community. Their resilience in the face of adversity deeply resonated with me and sparked my curiosity about the world of business.

I am not a product of privilege or wealth. My childhood was marked by financial hardship, but it was through these challenges that I learned the value of resourcefulness and the importance of community. These experiences have shaped my perspective and solidified my desire to pursue an MBA.

My goal in attending Harvard Business School is not only to acquire a globally recognized business education but to bring a unique perspective to the classroom, one shaped by humble beginnings and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by small businesses.”

What makes this essay stand out is the way the applicant weaves their personal story into a larger narrative about the need for greater diversity in the business world. The essay is well-written, vulnerable, and engaging, while also showcasing the applicant’s strengths and motivations.

Emphasize your career goals

Business schools want to see that you have clear, well-thought-out career goals that align with their program and have the potential to make an impact in the industry. Be specific about the industry, role, and impact you want to make after completing your MBA degree. For example, “After completing my MBA at ABC School of Business, my goal is to launch a start-up that provides sustainable solutions to the fast-evolving tech industry.”

Show your passion

“I’ve always been interested in healthcare, and when I graduated from college, I worked as a nurse for three years. I loved the work, but I could see that there was a tremendous amount of administrative waste in healthcare, which increased costs and reduced quality of care. I left my nursing position to work for a healthcare startup that developed technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs. My time there showed me the value of both business and healthcare, and that’s why I’m applying to MBA programs with a focus on healthcare administration.”

This personal statement does a great job of showing a changemaker who is passionate about their work and has a growth mindset. It also highlights how the writer’s experience in healthcare informs their interest in business administration. Try to incorporate your passions into your personal statement and how those passions connect to your plans.

Demonstrate your unique perspective

The next essay from our collection of MBA personal statement examples is from an applicant to Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. The essay focuses on the applicant’s experience working in a family-owned business in India, and how that has informed their goals for pursuing an MBA.

“Growing up, I was deeply involved in my family’s textile business in India. The sights and sounds of the bustling enterprise; the delicate dance between artisans, managers, and my family members; and the negotiations, compromises, and shared victories all shaped my early understanding of business. This formative experience instilled within me a deep appreciation for the intricate tapestry of business operations and the entrepreneurial spirit. (…) I realize that to take my family’s business to even greater heights and compete in the global market, I need a deeper understanding of international business practices, strategies, and ethics. This realization draws me towards pursuing an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.”

What makes this essay stand out is the way the applicant showcases their unique perspective on the business world, and how their experiences have given them a deep understanding of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. The essay is also well-structured and concise, with a clear focus on the applicant’s goals.

Highlight your achievements

This MBA personal statement example is from an applicant to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The essay highlights the applicant’s impressive track record in finance, including experience working at a top investment bank.

“During my tenure at XYZ Investment Bank, I was fortunate enough to manage several high-profile deals. I led the team that secured a major contract with a well-known tech company, and my strategic insights resulted in a 20% higher-than-expected return on investment. This accomplishment, alongside my other achievements in the finance sector, has solidified my desire to further elevate my understanding of financial strategy and market dynamics. I am convinced that an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business will equip me with the indispensable knowledge and skills to achieve my career objectives in finance strategy and leadership.”

This essay successfully demonstrates the applicant’s professional accomplishments while highlighting their ambition for continued growth. The lucid link between their past achievements and future goals makes a compelling case for their candidature.

What makes this essay effective is the way the applicant uses their experience to demonstrate their skills and abilities. The essay is well-written, with a strong focus on the applicant’s achievements and growth.

Be specific

Admissions committees want to see that you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with an MBA. Instead of making generic statements about wanting to “gain new skills” or “further your career,” give specific examples of the types of roles or industries you hope to work in after graduation. This demonstrates that you’ve thought carefully about your goals and how an MBA will help you achieve them.

“I grew up in a small farming community outside of Seattle and was the first in my family to attend college. While in school, I landed a job with a non-profit that provided financial services to underprivileged communities. I quickly realized that the skills I learned in school – management, finance, and information systems – could be used to make a significant impact in the world and I decided to pursue an MBA. I want to use my education to help others achieve financial stability and provide opportunities to communities that have been historically marginalized.”

This personal statement is great because it highlights one’s unique background and how that experience led to the desire to pursue an MBA. Additionally, it showcases how the writer plans to use their education to make a meaningful social impact. When crafting your own statement, consider outlining your background and how that has influenced your values and goals.

Showcase your qualities and skills

The admissions committee is looking for candidates who will bring something unique and valuable to their program. Take time to reflect on your personal experiences, skills, and perspectives that set you apart from other applicants. Whether it’s your international experiences, leadership skills, or creative problem-solving abilities, find ways to showcase how these qualities would contribute to the program.

“Throughout my career as a marketing executive, I’ve learned the value of effective leadership in achieving organizational goals. My work has involved leading cross-functional teams, conducting market research, and developing strategic plans to enhance brand awareness and revenue. However, I’ve also realized that I have a lot more to learn to become an exceptional leader. An MBA program will expose me to new perspectives and challenge me to develop skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, and social responsibility. I’m confident that the business school’s diverse student body and renowned faculty will provide a valuable network and mentorship opportunities.”

This personal statement highlights the candidate’s strengths in leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving. The language used is professional and well-structured.

Use creativity to showcase your personality

This MBA personal statement example is from an applicant to the MIT Sloan School of Management. The essay showcases the applicant’s creativity and personality, including a clever use of a time-travel metaphor to illustrate their career goals.

“Just as time travel allows us to explore different eras and dimensions, I believe that business leaders must possess the ability to navigate through time, staying ahead of trends and anticipating future challenges. With this mindset, I aspire to be a trailblazer in the world of business, leveraging my creativity and strategic thinking to drive innovation and shape the future.”

What makes this essay successful is the way the applicant takes a risk and shows their unique perspective.

Demonstrate fit

One of the essential aspects of your personal statement is demonstrating why you’re a good fit for the school’s MBA program. Do your research beforehand and highlight what attracts you to the program’s curriculum, faculty, alumni network, or location. Moreover, show how your academic and professional background aligns with the program’s mission, values, and culture.

“My goal is to launch a start-up that leverages technology to promote sustainable practices in the energy sector. The school’s Entrepreneurship Lab and the unique opportunity to work with faculty members on research projects would provide invaluable experiences toward achieving this goal.

Moreover, the school’s diverse and inclusive culture appeals to me. As someone who has lived in several countries and speaks three languages, I value the exchange of ideas from different perspectives. “

Find your voice

While studying successful MBA personal statement examples can provide good general guidelines, it is crucial to tailor your essays to your individual profile for several reasons. It allows you to authentically showcase your personality, thereby differentiating you from other applicants. It also demonstrates your genuine interest in the program, as you’re taking the time to explain how your unique experiences and goals align with the school’s mission and culture.

The most crucial reason to avoid using templates or automated tools to generate your essay responses is the risk of producing a generic-sounding essay. Admissions committees are inundated with thousands of essays, and a generic, ‘one-size-fits-all’ essay will do little to make you stand out from the crowd. They are interested in understanding who you are as an individual – your unique experiences, aspirations, and perspective. A generic essay fails to provide this insight, reducing your chances of being memorable. More importantly, a personalized essay signals investment and effort, demonstrating your genuine interest in the program, a quality highly valued by admissions committees.

Focus on the quality of your writing

Finally, in addition to finding your unique voice, a well-written MBA personal statement is vital for numerous reasons. Firstly, it serves as a testament to your communication skills – an essential competency in the business world. It demonstrates your ability to articulate thoughts clearly, concisely, and effectively. Secondly, a well-crafted statement is a reflection of your professionalism and diligence. It shows that you value precision and quality in your work, suggesting the same approach would be applied to your studies and future professional roles.

In this context, “well-written” means more than just correct grammar and spelling. It encompasses a clear structure, logical flow of ideas, and compelling narrative. It should capture your unique story and journey, highlighting your aspirations, accomplishments, strengths, and how an MBA program aligns with your career goals.

As demonstrated in the series of MBA personal statement examples, the significance of a well-written MBA personal statement can’t be overstated. It’s not merely a formality but a critical tool in painting a comprehensive picture of who you are beyond your academic scores , test scores , and resume . It’s your opportunity to express your motivation for pursuing an MBA, your fit with the program and your potential contribution to the school community. Therefore, it is fundamental to show the admissions committee that you are more than just a candidate – you are a promising future business leader!

The Admit Lab offers MBA essay service packages that help you with the entire writing process, or an hourly service that can provide you with feedback on your existing drafts. Whether you are struggling with crafting an essay or in need of an objective opinion, don’t hesitate to reach out to get the best results and gain a competitive edge in the admission game. Got questions? Sign up for a consultation , or send your draft for an estimate. It’s FREE!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Dr. Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab. As a tenure-track professor, Dr. Barr spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s and Ph.D. programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for tips and tricks on navigating the grad school application process and weekly live Q&A sessions!

Share this:

Join the conversation.

• Pingback: Questions to Ask MBA Interviewers: The Ultimate List -
• Pingback: How Many MBA Programs Should I REALLY Apply To? The Truth -
• Pingback: Statement of Purpose for MBA Applications: Does It Matter? -

Leave a comment

Leave a reply cancel reply, discover more from admit lab.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

ESLDIRECT.COM

ESL Resources for Job Hunters, English Learners, Adult Learners and Tutors

MBA Personal Statement Examples for Graduate Applicants

In this article, we look at MBA personal statement examples for graduate applicants.

How does a focus on challenges enhance your application? Keep reading to find out how a passion for finance, experience of diversity and a dream of running a social enterprise inspired three candidates to apply for an MBA.

Applying to MBA programs can be a challenging task. To be successful, you need to make sure that you have everything in order, from your transcripts to your test scores.

One of the most important parts of your application is your personal statement, which can help you stand out and get into the program of your choice. We have tips on the 8 key elements to include in your statement, as well as some example MBA personal statements.

Table of Contents

What is an mba personal statement, what to include in your mba personal statement, focus on the challenges to make your personal statement stand out, 9 steps to writing your best mba personal statement, mba personal statement example 1 – a passion for finance, mba personal statement example 2 – diversity and leadership, mba personal statement example 3 – a social entrepreneur, faq (frequently asked questions), more personal statement tutorials.

It’s an essay that is required when applying to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program after completing your undergraduate degree. It is a summary of your qualifications and experiences, goals, and reasons for applying to your chosen MBA program.

It’s your chance to demonstrate the skills, experiences, and fresh perspective you can bring to the program. It is also a way for the selection panel to learn more about you.

Overall, a personal statement is an important part of an MBA application as it allows the candidate to demonstrate their strengths and suitability for the program.

This is your ‘why’ – why are you applying to this program?

• Be specific: Instead of simply stating that your goal is to advance your career, be specific about the type of role or industry you hope to pursue after completing the program. For example, you might state that your goal is to become a marketing director for an international non-profit.
• Connect your goals to your past experiences: Highlight how your past experiences have prepared you for your future goals. For example, you might discuss how your experience in sales has given you a strong foundation for a career in marketing.
• Show how the program will help you achieve your goals: Explain how the MBA program will help you achieve your goals, whether that’s through providing you with new skills or knowledge, expanding your network, or giving you access to new career opportunities.
• Discuss your long-term aspirations: While it’s important to focus on your immediate post-MBA goals, it’s also helpful to discuss your long-term aspirations. This can show that you have a clear sense of direction and are committed to ongoing professional growth and development.

2. Background

A strong background for a personal statement should include a description of your academic qualifications, particularly your undergraduate degree.

Other knowledge and skills, professional and personal goals, and experiences that have shaped you as an individual are also useful. The challenges section will help you out with some ideas!

It should also include an explanation of why you are the right fit for the program you are applying to.

3. Interests

I am particularly interested in learning more about how to manage a diverse global team, many of whom are still working online and may have never met in person.

Examples of interests that can be included in a personal statement include business acumen, leadership, problem-solving, strategic thinking, and research.

Leadership involves inspiring, motivating, and managing others. Problem-solving requires critical thinking, analysis, and creativity to identify solutions to issues and challenges.

Strategic thinking is the ability to anticipate the long-term implications of decisions and plan appropriately.

Research involves being able to effectively search for, analyze, and utilize information.

When writing a personal statement for graduate business school, it is important to showcase your commitment to academic excellence.

Additionally, it is important to demonstrate your ability to take on challenges, your creative problem-solving skills, and your ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Soft skills such as decision-making, time management, and people management are also extremely important.

Furthermore, an understanding of the goals and objectives of the program and how they align with your own goals and objectives will be beneficial.

5. Learning Experiences

I remain committed to setting the example of lifelong learning as a leader and entrepreneur.

When crafting a personal statement for graduate business school, it is important to include various types of learning experiences. These can be divided into three categories: academic knowledge, work experience, and personal growth.

Academic knowledge refers to the facts and theories you have learned throughout your education. It is important to mention the classes you have taken, the books you have read, and the research you have done in order to demonstrate your commitment to learning.

Work experience is also essential to include in a personal statement for graduate school. It is important to share your experience in the field, highlighting any applicable skills you have gained and any challenges you have faced.

By including these different types of learning experiences in your personal statement, you can demonstrate that you are prepared for the challenges of graduate school and are ready to make a positive contribution to your chosen field.

6. Motivation

Including your motivations in your MBA personal statement is crucial to demonstrate how you are a good fit for the program. Here are some tips to help you include your motivations effectively:

• Share your story: Use your personal statement to tell a story about why you are motivated to pursue an MBA. For example, you could talk about a challenge you faced in your career and how an MBA will help you overcome it.
• Connect your motivations to the program: Make sure to explain how the specific program you are applying to will help you achieve your goals. For example, you could talk about the program’s focus on entrepreneurship and how it aligns with your goal of starting your own business.
• Be authentic: Don’t try to write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Instead, be honest and authentic about what motivates you and how an MBA will help you achieve your goals.

Remember, your personal statement is your opportunity to showcase your motivations, goals, and unique qualities to the admissions committee.

7. Achievements

Including your achievements in your MBA personal statement is an important way to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have the skills and experience to succeed in the program. Here are some tips to help you include your achievements effectively:

• Use numbers and metrics to quantify achievements
• Show your role and impact
• Provide context (You can briefly use the STAR model – outlining the situation, target, action and result)
• Be humble and make it clear that it was a team effort

Use your achievements to demonstrate your skills, experience, and potential for success in an MBA program, but also make sure to include other elements, such as your motivations and goals, to provide a well-rounded picture of who you are as a candidate.

8. Strengths

I am an experienced coach and mentor, with a particular passion for mentoring and supporting other BAME women.

Strengths are an essential part of any successful personal statement and should be included to show any potential employer or academic institution the skills you possess.

Highlighting your strengths in your MBA personal statement is important because it helps the admissions committee understand what you can bring to the program.

Here are some tips to help you highlight your strengths effectively:

• Identify your strengths
• Use specific examples to demonstrate your strengths
• Connect your strengths to the program
• Be authentic

Writing about your life’s challenges is a powerful way to demonstrate resilience, determination, and personal growth. Here are some tips to help you include your life challenges effectively:

• Choose a challenge that is significant, relevant, and has had a meaningful impact on your life.
• Be honest and authentic when describing your challenge. Don’t try to sugar-coat or exaggerate your experiences.
• Explain how your challenge has impacted your life and motivated you to pursue an MBA. Describe the specific ways in which you have grown and developed as a result of your challenge.
• Connect your challenge to the program and explain how your experience will make you a better candidate. For example, if you overcame a difficult personal situation, you can explain how that experience has taught you resilience and determination, qualities that will be valuable in an MBA program.
• While it’s important to be honest about the challenges you’ve faced, avoid dwelling on the negative. Instead, focus on how you overcame the challenge and the positive impact it has had on your life.

Some examples of life challenges that are relevant to an MBA personal statement include:

• Explaining the need to migrate as a political refugee and how that experience has shaped your views on business.
• Overcoming previous personal and professional failures in business. I learned more from a failed business than from 10 years in the industry.
• Describing how you have embraced evolution and responded to the changing needs of society and the world.
• Demonstrating an understanding of business ethics and customer service.
• Articulating your strategy for success and how it has positively impacted your business.
• Highlighting the importance of innovation and how it can move a business forward.
• Displaying your understanding of process improvement and how it can help a business become more efficient.
• Discussing how facing failure can be a learning opportunity. Watching my uncle fight back after a plant closure was inspiring to me.
• Step 1: Start early

Make sure to give yourself enough time to work on your personal statement. You can never be too prepared!

• Step 2: Show your passion

Approach your personal statement with enthusiasm and show your passion for the MBA program you are applying to.

• Step 3: Keep it concise and pleasant

Choose to write only what is relevant and needed and stay away from being overly wordy.

• Step 4: Write within the recommended length

Stick to the word limit specified – check carefully, every program is different.

• Step 5: Write a separate statement for each program

If you are applying to multiple MBA programs, make sure to create a unique personal statement for each one.

• Step 6: Follow the guidelines

Carefully research and read the admission instructions for the university you are applying to.

• Step 7: Highlight key elements

When writing, include content that admissions committees are looking for and keep the reader’s attention with your writing.

• Step 8: Maintain authenticity

Be honest and genuine in your writing. It is important to sound like yourself and not try to be someone else.

• Step 9: Proofread and edit

Make sure to go through your personal statement one last time to make corrections and improvements.

Examples of effective personal statements for MBA applicants

Below we have outlined examples of personal statements for MBA applicants to help you understand what is required.

I am passionate about pursuing an MBA at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business to reach my professional goals. I have always dreamt of having a career in finance and making a meaningful contribution to society by supporting individuals to build individual portfolios of low-cost index funds. My ambition has been fuelled by my experience in the financial sector and the close relationships I have built with mentors and peers in the industry.

I am driven by the idea that I can use my knowledge and skills to create financial solutions that will benefit the wider world. To me, the opportunity to pursue an advanced degree in finance at the University of Virginia is an invaluable opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge I need to make a positive impact in a developing sector.

My passion for finance is bolstered by my commitment to delivering the highest quality of service in my work. I strive to make sure that each decision I make is one that will benefit the client and make them feel secure in their financial decisions. I believe that navigating the world of finance requires a great deal of knowledge and patience, as well as a keen eye for detail and an entrepreneurial spirit. With the right set of skills, I am confident that I can make a lasting contribution in the field of finance.

Steve Jobs said that “you have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right” if you want to stick it out. This statement has resonated with me deeply, and I believe that my passion for finance is precisely what will give me the motivation to stick it out during my studies and beyond. As more and more people embrace the idea of early Financial Independence, they need well-qualified independent financial advisors to support them to achieve their dreams. My ultimate goal is to make a lasting difference in the world of finance and to create meaningful financial solutions that will benefit a broad range of people by setting up my own online consultancy. I am confident that this course will be the perfect stepping stone into this world.

As a first-generation college student from a multicultural background, with Scottish and Nigerian heritage, I have experienced the transformative power of diversity. Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, a community that celebrated and valued diversity, I learned to appreciate the unique perspectives and experiences that individuals from different backgrounds bring to the table. Attending the North Carolina Highland Games and leading a volunteer team annually has led to a wealth of experiences which make me proud to represent my heritage and my community.

My experience with diversity has taught me to be empathetic, open-minded, and adaptable, skills that I believe are essential for success in today’s global business world.

Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have taken on leadership roles that have allowed me to put these skills into practice. For example, in my current role as a project manager at Smithron Company, I lead a team of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures. As a leader, I strive to create a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect where every team member feels valued and heard. I believe that by embracing diversity, we can achieve better outcomes and make a positive impact in our community. I am an experienced coach and mentor, with a particular passion for mentoring and supporting other BAME women.

My experience with diversity and leadership has motivated me to pursue an MBA program that will provide me with the tools and knowledge to lead in a complex and ever-changing business environment. I am particularly interested in the program’s focus on global leadership, as I believe that the ability to lead effectively in a global context is essential for success in today’s interconnected world. I am particularly interested in learning more about how to manage a diverse global team, many of whom are still working online and may have never met in person, as this seems to be a growing trend in hybrid businesses.

In addition to my experience with diversity and leadership, I bring to the program a strong academic record and a track record of success in my professional career. I am confident that my unique background, skills, and experience will make a valuable contribution to the program’s community.

Overall, I am excited about the opportunity to pursue an MBA program that aligns with my personal and professional goals. I believe that the program’s focus on diversity, leadership, and global perspective will help me achieve my full potential and make a positive impact in the business world.

As a creative and independent thinker, I have always been drawn to new and innovative ideas. My passion for originality has led me to pursue a career in entrepreneurship, where I have had the opportunity to create and grow businesses that make a positive impact on people’s lives. My first successful enterprise was an organic food cooperative which partnered with our local women’s shelter and has consistently donated 20% of profits to supporting community charities.

I believe that entrepreneurship is a powerful force for good, and I am committed to using my skills and experience to create innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.

In addition to my entrepreneurial pursuits, I am also deeply committed to giving back to my community. I have volunteered with several non-profit organizations that focus on education and social justice, and I am passionate about using my skills and resources to make a positive impact on the world. While I admire the Microloan model and have seen it have a massive impact in many developing countries I believe it’s important to acknowledge that not everyone is entrepreneurial in nature and it’s also important to provide stable jobs where possible. I feel that by combining my entrepreneurial spirit with my commitment to social responsibility, I can create businesses that not only generate financial returns but also create social and environmental benefits.

My goal in pursuing an MBA program is to gain the knowledge and skills needed to take my entrepreneurial ventures to the next level. I am particularly interested in the program’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, as I believe that this will provide me with the tools and resources needed to create businesses that make a positive impact on people’s lives. I am also drawn to the program’s emphasis on social responsibility, as I believe that this is an essential aspect of creating businesses that have a meaningful and lasting impact on the world.

Overall, I am excited about the opportunity to pursue an MBA program that aligns with my personal and professional goals. I remain committed to setting the example of lifelong learning as a leader and entrepreneur and believe that my originality, creativity, and commitment to social responsibility make me a strong candidate for the program, and I look forward to contributing to the program’s community of diverse and innovative thinkers.

Some of these questions were already covered in this blog post but I will still list them here (because not everyone carefully reads every paragraph) so here’s the TL;DR version

How long should my MBA personal statement be?

An MBA personal statement should typically be between 400-1,000 words so we have kept our examples on the lower end.

Ensure you are answering the prompt and focus on the specific program you are applying for.

Taking the time to craft a well-structured, thoughtful essay will make sure you stand out from the competition!

What format should I use for my MBA personal statement?

The most common format is the essay format, which should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

In the introduction, the reader should be engaged, and the body paragraphs should present information about the applicant’s career aspirations and commitment to the profession and social responsibility.

The conclusion should be a concise wrap-up of the statement that leaves the reader with the impression that the applicant is the right fit for the program.

What should I write about in my MBA personal statement?

When writing your MBA personal statement, it is important to focus on the questions that the school has provided, as these will help you understand what they are looking for.

Be sure to stay on topic and provide relevant information to answer the prompt. Additionally, make sure to mention any experiences, skills, or goals that are relevant to the MBA program you’re applying to.

To truly make your statement stand out, provide specific examples of leadership skills and other successes. When you are done, make sure to read your statement over and ensure that you have answered the question thoroughly.

As above, we believe that focusing on challenges as well as what you are most passionate about is a great place to start!

What are some examples of successful MBA personal statements?

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for writing an effective MBA personal statement, but there are several examples of successful essays that have helped applicants gain admission to some of the world’s best business school programs.

Examples of compelling MBA personal statements include stories of resilience, introspection, and initiative. These statements should reflect the applicant’s personality and writing voice in order to make an impression on the admissions committee.

In this article, we have provided three MBA personal statement examples for you to review.

How important is my MBA personal statement in the application process?

It is important to remember that all parts of your application are significant, but there is no doubt that the personal statement is the most significant factor when it comes to making a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

While a high GPA and GMAT score may help you stand out amongst other applicants, it is the personal statement that gives you the opportunity to show who you are, what you are passionate about, and why you are the ideal candidate for the program.

The personal statement is your chance to shine and make a statement about what you have to offer the institutions.

In short, an MBA personal statement is absolutely essential in the application process. It is an opportunity to make your mark and show the admissions committee that you are the kind of individual they are looking for.

And finally…what are the qualities that make a good MBA personal statement?

Good MBA personal statements should have the following qualities:

• Grammatical accuracy: it should be free of spelling and grammatical errors.
• Readability: it should be engaging and easy to read.
• Honesty: it should provide an honest story.
• Uniqueness: it should present a unique story without any cliches.
• Initiative: it should show evidence of initiative or an original idea.
• Leadership: it should exhibit positive qualities of unselfish leadership.
• Authenticity: it should feel authentic and make a strong case.
• Goals: it should outline the writer’s goals.
• Promise: it should demonstrate promise for success as you are an excellent candidate and deserve the chance to shine!
• Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement for University
• How to Write a Winning Scholarship Personal Statement: With Examples
• Statement of Purpose vs. Personal Statement: Six Differences Between the Two
• Residency Personal Statement Examples: Top Tips for Best Length, Content, and Structure
• Statement of Purpose Examples: How to Write the Best One for You?
• Best Internal Medicine Personal Statement Examples For Residency
• Nursing Personal Statement Examples in 2023
• How to Write a Resume Personal Statement That Gets You the Job – with Examples and Tips
• Pharmacy Personal Statement Examples: How to Write a Strong Statement for Pharmacy School
• How to Write a Personal Statement for Psychology: With Helpful Tips and Examples
• Law Personal Statement Examples to Help With Your Law School Application
• How to Write a Personal Statement for Criminology: With Helpful Examples

Partner Sites

Inspiring and informing your business school journey

How to write a successful mba personal statement.

A great MBA personal statement will help make your MBA application stand out ©Miljan Živković/iStock

Admissions expert Stacy Blackman outlines the best tips to write a successful MBA personal statement, and the biggest mistakes to avoid

Tue Sep 28 2021

Every top MBA program can fill up a class based on stronger test score applicants. But they don’t focus on accepting exclusively the highest-scoring candidates because the program’s quality is driven by the diversity of the student class, with respect to industry, experience, ethnicity, global exposure, personality and more. 

Stanford’s ‘What Matters Most’ or Harvard's ‘Tell Us Anything’ prompts resemble personal statements. 

For these and other program essay prompts, authenticity is essential. Tell your story. Harvard Business School (HBS) gets over 9,000 applications a year, and Stanford gets over 6,000; there is no way you'll come up with a theme they haven't seen before. But nobody else can tell your story.

“The personal narrative really is a make or break for MBA admit success. So many applications have acceptable credentials up to that point of the application, and it is the essay execution that sets the overall application apart and earns it the interview,” explains a former HBS Admissions Officer who works on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team . 

“One of the most memorable personal statements was a woman who said that what matters most was to make her mother proud. It seemed so banal, until she told her story, one of those single mothers fleeing tyranny barefoot on a raft, working two jobs to raise her child kind of stories,” recalls another one of our consultants on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team.

“By the end of it, you knew why this mattered, and the simplicity of it seemed like a perfect fit. What made it a winning personal statement was not the theme as such, which was quite naive-sounding, but how the story made this naive theme seem totally natural. HBS thought so, too. This client was admitted to both Harvard HBS and Stanford GSB.”

Personal statement tips

We surveyed the Stacy Blackman consulting (SBC) team to ask for best practices when crafting a personal statement. The two winning tips are:

1. For a personal statement, the key priority is to explain why you are pursuing an MBA. If you have a specific long- and short-term career objective in mind, that is one way to structure the essay. If not, you will want to explain why an MBA is the right next step for you in your life. Either way, you will want to explain what skills and characteristics you have developed in your career so far.

2. As you formulate your personal statement, keep in mind the specific needs that the MBA program defines on their website. For example, Cambridge Judge states that it is seeking candidates who “are highly motivated and ambitious, thrive under pressure, and have already exhibited clear progression within their career".

Our team also identified the three key mistakes they often see in MBA essays. The errors we encourage our clients to be mindful of are:

1. A statement that is a chronological recap of the resume with filler text to try to distract the reader from the resume-repetitive language.

2. Lack of emotion, personality or self-disclosure. Be sure to include reasons for your choices and plans and describe values that drive you. “Get personal. Make sure the reader feels genuineness and authenticity,” said a former HBS Admissions Officer who works on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team.

3. Lack of in-depth and authentic school research. Don’t forget to include classes, professors and projects you’ll pursue to prepare yourself for your next career step.

MBA personal statement examples

Curious to see examples? My team has recently added sample essays to our site. We run through some excerpts below:

Generic personal statement example

Essay #1: See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Our recommendations on how to optimize this essay:

'Why Stanford?' example

Essay#2: See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Short & long-term goals example

Essay #3:  See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Other best practices can be found on our dual admit study , which is a collection of lessons learned from our clients who got admitted to both HBS and GSB this past season. 

For feedback on your MBA candidacy and recommendations around target schools, please request a free 15 minute consultation .

Enjoy the journey ahead!

Read another Applicant Question:

How To Write A Successful MBA Resume

• Applicant Question

You might like:

How To Build Your Business School Brand

M7 MBA | Which M7 Business School Should You Choose?

Webinar | Workshop: Business Is Personal, Your Application Should Be Too!

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

Our cookies

We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.

Privacy overview

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

Functional cookies

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

Marketing cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

How to write an MBA personal statement

25 th August 2022

• Post on Facebook
• Send to a friend
• Recommend 0

Applying to business school and looking for personal statement tips? We’ve created this handy guide for students filling in their applications for MBA courses to help them with writing a personal statement. The best personal statements are ones which are well-written, tailored specifically for the course, and show what unique additions you can bring to the classroom and the wider business community. This is your first opportunity to impress admissions tutors, so it’s important to take your time on your personal statement to ensure that it’s good as it can be. Read on to learn what to write in your personal statement to help it stand out from the crowd. 

What is an MBA personal statement?

How do i write an mba personal statement, what should i write in an mba personal statement, how should i structure an mba personal statement, what style should i use for an mba personal statement.

When applying for an MBA programme, you get to submit a personal statement that tells your story. This is an opportunity to portray why you deserve a place on the course.

Admissions tutors are looking for your unique experiences and how you'll bring innovation to the classroom. They want to know what motivates you, where you find inspiration, how you’re well-rounded and what makes you special.

Your MBA personal statement is tailored to a particular business school's course, as with other postgraduate applications. When putting it together, you need to be specific about why you want to study that course at that school.

Before you start writing, thoroughly research the course and find out all you need to do to apply. When you know exactly what’s required of you, make a list of:

• Your relevant work experiences and academic achievements
• Aspects of the course that you’re particularly interested in
• Anything else the business school wants you to include
• What are your long-term career goals?
• What are your relevant achievements?
• Why have you chosen this business school?
• How will it help with your plans?
• Have you learned anything from the school’s academics or students?
• Are there any opportunities (such as internships) that you’d utilise well?

If the business school provides a list of desirable candidate criteria, you can use each point as a heading and write notes about how you meet the requirements for each one.

As real-life business environments face obstacles every day, it can be good to demonstrate your ability to overcome setbacks. Sometimes, what you’ve learned from a challenging situation can show more about your character and skills than from a smooth-sailing successful project.

Next, put together all your notes into a plan and decide what to write where. Generally, you want to include:

• A gripping introduction that says why you want to do the MBA
• Interesting middle paragraphs about your interests, achievements and experiences
• A concluding paragraph that summarises why you’re the best person for the course

When writing out your statement, make sure to explain each point and provide evidence where appropriate. Try to keep it relevant, current and specific to the school you’re applying to.

Unless the school has set a word limit, aim for around one side of A4 paper. Be concise and make every word count – admissions tutors want to know that you can communicate effectively. They also want to see that you take care of your work.

• Reading it out loud to ensure it makes sense
• Using grammar and spellchecking tools
• Reading it backwards to spot any typos
• Asking someone else to read it through and give feedback

For more advice on how to write a personal statement, take a look at our general postgraduate personal statements guide.

Go to: How to write a postgraduate personal statement

DON'T MISS OUT

Receive regular newsletters packed with useful tips.

Best Universities for Medicine

It is no surprise that medicine is a popular subject for study at university – many...

Converting a Postgraduate Certificate to a Masters

PG certificates are a perfect stepping stone to a Masters degree as you’ll not only...

Law and Legal Studies - Postgraduate Guide

As it is a subject that touches many other sectors, there are various postgraduate...

Similar articles and videos

Best universities for business studies, best universities for aeronautical and aerospace engineering, best universities for chemistry, best universities for sports science, don't miss out.

Beyond an MBA

Degree Strategy and MBA Careers

• Search Button

MBA Personal Statement Examples and Strategy

A successful MBA personal statement is both engaging and persuasive. The essay carries the reader along effortlessly while convincing them that you are qualified and worthy.

Armed with a great personal statement, you have an improved chance of entering the MBA school of your choice. But what does it take to write a personal statement that could give you better prospects in the application process? Would you like some free samples?

Here has some ideas and a strategy for writing an excellent admissions essay, along with plenty of examples for you to use.

Build Your Personal Statement Around a Core Idea

The core idea — the essence, theme or central point — becomes the driver of content for your essay. Everything else in the document should support that concept.

• When responding to a specific question, your core idea should directly and elegantly answer the question.
• When writing a less-directed essay, you still need a driving concept; you just have more choice as to what the concept can be.

This core idea is your thesis. The thesis statement gives your admissions essay a clear direction.

The central theme is also what weaves your essay to make it a unified whole. It is the driving force that makes your essay strong and engaging. Here is a good example of thematic writing , with the topic in this case being how MBA studies help cultivate leadership qualities.

Without a core idea, readers may become lost as to what you’re meaning to say. There will be no binding theme and various details may seem irrelevant or out of place. The admissions panel should be able to quickly grasp what you’re attempting to convey.

Include Only Relevant Details in Your MBA Essay

Essays that are essentially resumes in prose — or which attempt to tell your entire life story — descend into the unwanted mishmash category. MBA essays that are replete with irrelevant details have strayed from their central mission. They are neither engaging nor persuasive and, indeed, bore readers.

Your MBA personal statement is a means to reveal who you are and what contributed to your character formation. But you want to avoid writing details about yourself that are not especially relevant to the application. These details can be tedious to read.

Remember that an essay has limits, including in terms of word count. Telling a story using key facts is better than making a bunch of loosely connected points that are full of details. Choose what you really want to write about. Here are some ideas you might find useful.

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

As a quality control device, you may want to be mindful about what to avoid in your essay. Here are some ideas on the common mistakes applicants make when writing an MBA personal statement.

1. Repeating or expanding on your resume

Perhaps the most common personal statement writing blunder is including an expository resume of your background and experience. This is not to say that business schools are not interested in your accomplishments.

However, other portions of your application will provide this information. Strive for depth, not breadth.

Aside from telling irrelevant details, listing down your accomplishments like you do in a resume is a no-no in writing your admission essay. You should not waste limited space by stating what can be easily found on your resume. You have to strive more for self-reflection because that is what the admissions panel wants to hear from you.

Focus on your purpose for writing the essay. This will help you put together ideas that can help back up your application and support your claim for a coveted spot.

2. Choosing a topic that could provoke negative reactions

Succeeding with your personal statement is not limited to the specifics of writing, such as grammar, style and details. Choosing a topic that won’t offend readers is equally as important.

Be sensitive to your readers and their potentially different and varying perspectives. The topic may have serious repercussions on how they perceive you as an individual or candidate for admission. Mistakes include looking unprofessional, revealing too much personal information or identifying yourself in terms of political or cultural leanings.

3. Including content that doesn’t help tell the story

An unfocused writer can rely too heavily on generalizations while also providing too many irrelevant details. The problem is that writers often don’t consider what is genuinely necessary to include or they repeat points.

Your MBA personal statement should be almost flawless. It should have a central idea to make it a unified whole. And the essay should only contain details that are important and relevant. After each draft is done, check that these goals are being achieved.

What Admissions Committees Look For

When evaluating MBA personal statements, admissions committees for MBA programs look for several key things, including:

• Professional experience: They want to see that you have relevant work experience, as well as a clear understanding of the role that an MBA will play in your career.
• Academic background: Admissions committees want to see that you have a strong academic foundation in business, as well as the quantitative and decision-making skills that are necessary for success in an MBA course.
• Goals and motivations: Admissions committees want to understand your motivations for pursuing an MBA and your long-term career goals. They want to see that you have a clear vision for how an MBA will help you achieve your goals and make a positive impact.
• Fit with the program: Committees want to see that you are a good fit for their particular program. They will look for evidence that you have done your research on the program and understand how it will help you achieve your goals.
• Writing ability: The panel will also evaluate your writing ability and communication skills. Your personal statement should be well-written, well-organized, and free of errors. It should also clearly articulate your ideas and convey your passion for business management.

Example 1: Family Business Part Owner

As the third generation to join the family business, I have always had a passion for continuing the legacy of success that my grandparents and parents have built. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take our business to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA at a top business school. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance on my current career trajectory, but also to drive growth and success for our organization and for the industry as a whole.

In addition to my experience in private business, I have a strong academic background. I received my undergraduate degree in Business Administration from XYZ University, where I learned business principles and developed analytical and problem-solving skills.

I am confident that my on-the-job experience, academic background, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for a top business school’s MBA program. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of our family business and the industry through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 2: Financial Analyst

As a financial analyst at a leading consulting firm, I have gained valuable insights into the inner workings of the corporate world. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to help me better understand the big picture and make more informed decisions.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am excited to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to make a positive impact on the organizations I work with.

In addition to experience in finance, I have a strong academic background in business. I received my undergraduate degree in Economics from XYZ University, where I developed quantitative and other technical skills and learned management principles.

I am confident that my professional experience, academic background, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for an MBA program. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of businesses through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 3: Healthcare Administrator

As a registered nurse and healthcare administrator, I have dedicated my career to improving patient outcomes and advancing the field of healthcare. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to better understand the business side of healthcare and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am excited to delve deeper into topics such as healthcare strategy, finance, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to drive positive change for the organizations I work with.

In addition to administration experience, I have a strong academic background in healthcare and business. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from XYZ University and my Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of both fields and developed my analytical and strategic skills.

I am confident that my professional and academic backgrounds, and passion for healthcare make me an ideal candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of healthcare organizations through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 4: Marketing and Sales Manager

As a business development manager at XYZ Company, I have gained valuable experience in the field of marketing and sales. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to further advance my career and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA degree. I am eager to delve deeper into the complexities of business strategy and management, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to become a more effective leader, but also to make a positive contribution to my organization.

In addition to significant real-world experience, I have a strong academic background. I received my undergraduate degree in Marketing from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed technical and organizational skills.

I am confident that my experience, academic achievements, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of a business through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 5: Project Manager

As a project manager at a global technology company, I have gained a wealth of experience in driving cross-functional teams to achieve success. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take my skills to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as strategy, leadership, and innovation, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to become a more effective leader, but also to drive growth and success for the organizations I work with.

In addition to management experience, I have a strong educational background. I received my undergraduate degree in Business Administration from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed my analytical and problem-solving skills.

I am confident that my professional knowledge, academic background, and passion for business make me a strong candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of businesses.

Example 6: Startup Founder

As the founder and CEO of a successful start-up, I have gained valuable experience in the world of entrepreneurship and business. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take my skills to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA at a top business school. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to drive growth and success for my own business and for the organizations I work with.

In addition to my valuable business experiences, I have a strong education foundation. I received a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Michigan, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed analytical and communication skills.

My business experience, academic background, and passion for business development make me a strong candidate for a top business school’s MBA program. I’m excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to commercial growth and success through my knowledge and expertise.

Is Getting an MBA Difficult? How Hard?

Allan Duncan

A business school will typically give some weight to the MBA personal statement when assessing applications, but it is generally not the most important factor. Admissions committees also consider professional experience, academic background, GMAT or GRE scores, and letters of recommendation.

That being said, the personal statement is an important opportunity for applicants to showcase their strengths and explain why they are a good fit. A well-written MBA personal statement can help to differentiate an applicant from other candidates and provide insights into motivations, goals, and personality.

Overall, MBA personal statements represent just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to business school admissions. It is important to put effort into crafting a strong essay, but it is also important to focus on other aspects of the application.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field | personal statements samples by university.

In this Article

Importance of a Strong Personal Statement

Purpose of this blog post, length and format, tone and style, general tips for success, computer science and engineering, economics and finance, management and business, healthcare and medicine, environment and sustainability, public affairs, international relations and politics, architecture, arts and film, mathematics and statistics, religion and philosophy, phd personal statement examples, scholarship & fellowship personal statements, word count-specific personal statements, prompt-specific grad school personal statements examples, academic achievements and experiences, research experiences, work and internship experiences, volunteer and community service, personal growth and overcoming challenges, future goals and career aspirations, research the program and faculty, emphasize alignment with program objectives, highlight unique program offerings, overused phrases and clichés , excessive self-praise, lack of focus or organization, consulting mentors, and advisors, incorporating feedback and refine, introduction.

A personal statement is essential in the graduate school application process, as it plays a significant role in shaping the admissions committee’s perception of you. In fact, a survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools revealed that 64% of graduate admissions officers consider the personal statement to be the most crucial factor in the admissions process. Furthermore, according to a study by Kaplan Test Prep, a well-crafted personal statement can boost an applicant’s chances of acceptance by up to 50%.

The personal statement’s importance stems from its ability to create a lasting impression on the admissions committee. 

Consider this: the admissions committee (adcom) does not know you personally. They have never met or spoken to you, nor have they ever interviewed you. They only know you through quantifiable aspects such as your GPA, test scores, and work experience. However, they lack insight into your thought processes, aspirations, background, and personal experiences. In essence, they need to connect with you on a personal level. The personal statement serves as a bridge, enabling the adcom, who are human beings themselves, to gain insight into your personality, motivations, and aspirations beyond your grades and test scores.

Time and again, adcoms at top universities emphasize the critical role of personal statements in their decision-making process. Drafting a personal statement is your opportunity to market yourself, showcasing your unique qualities and demonstrating your genuine interest in their program. By investing time and effort into creating a powerful personal statement, you can significantly enhance your chances of securing a place in your desired graduate program.

In this blog post, I will be sharing over 100 authentic graduate school personal statement examples from successful applicants across the globe who have secured admission to prestigious programs in the United States and across the world.

These samples encompass a wide range of fields, including MBA, Law, Medicine, Engineering, and Social Work, and originate from esteemed institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. You will find examples of personal statements for various degrees, including MSc, MA, LLM, Residency, MBA, and PhD programs. You will also find examples of statements written by applicants who obtained fellowships, and scholarships. By sharing these diverse examples, I aim to achieve the following goals:

• Inspiration and guidance: I want to provide you guys with a wide range of personal statement examples to serve as inspiration and offer guidance for making your own statements.
• Addressing common topics: These samples will cover all the common personal statement elements, helping you understand how to effectively discuss your academic achievements, research experiences, work history, volunteer work, personal growth, and future goals.
• Tips for success: The post will also provide helpful tips on tailoring personal statements to specific graduate programs, avoiding common pitfalls, and seeking feedback to improve the final draft.
• Empowerment: Ultimately, the goal of sharing these for free is to empower you guys to create compelling and unique personal statements that will increase your chances of being accepted into your dream graduate program.

By providing this comprehensive resource, I hope to demystify the personal statement writing process and equip you with the tools and inspiration necessary to craft a captivating narrative that reflects your unique journey and aspirations. 

Personal Statement Basics

When writing your personal statement, it’s crucial to pay attention to three key areas: length and format, tone and style, and general tips for success.

It’s important to create a well-structured personal statement that adheres to the specified word count and follows proper formatting guidelines. Some programs, particularly MBA programs, might not request a single personal statement. Instead, they may pose several questions and require you to write a brief essay for each one. Such programs typically break down a personal statement into multiple short questions, expecting essay responses tailored to each query. 

As a result, it’s crucial to carefully read the guidelines before you start writing, as students often mistakenly create a single personal statement and try to tweak it for various programs without realizing that different requirements exist. By doing so, they lose time and waste considerable effort and energy. 

Adhering to instructions and responding appropriately will leave a positive impression on the admissions committee. To accomplish this, consider these key aspects:

• Word count: Most graduate programs provide guidelines on the desired length of personal statements, typically ranging from 500 to 2,000 words.Adhere to these limits to show that you can follow instructions and communicate concisely.
• Formatting: Use a clear and easy-to-read font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial) at a standard size (e.g., 11 or 12 points) with 1-inch margins. Ensure your document is well-organized with paragraphs and headings where appropriate.
• Structure: Start with a strong opening paragraph that hooks the reader, followed by body paragraphs addressing the key topics, and conclude with a memorable closing paragraph that reinforces your main points. This structure will ensure a cohesive and engaging narrative that effectively communicates your experiences and aspirations to the admissions committee.

In terms of tone and style, your personal statement should strike a balance between professionalism and authenticity to effectively convey your unique experiences and perspective. To accomplish this, consider the following aspects:

• Professional and confident: Adopt a professional tone in your writing, using clear, concise language. Be confident in presenting your accomplishments without being overly boastful.
• Authentic and personal: Avoid overly formal or academic language that may make your writing feel impersonal. Showcasing your authentic self will help the admissions committee connect with you on a personal level.
• Engaging storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to make your personal statement more engaging and memorable. This can include anecdotes, vivid descriptions, and a strong narrative structure. Starting with a quote that is relevant to your story is also a good way to begin your personal statement.

Lastly, adhering to tried and tested tips can greatly improve your personal statement, ensuring you present a polished and compelling narrative that effectively showcases your strengths and aspirations to the admissions committee. Some general advice is as follows::

• Start early: Give yourself ample time to brainstorm, write, revise, and seek feedback on your personal statement. On average. Grad school applicants spend 20+ hours in perfecting a personal statement of 1000 words. Moreover, they have their personal statement reviewed and redrafted 5 times on average.  
• Be focused and organized: Clearly structure your personal statement, addressing the main topics and ensuring your narrative flows logically from one point to the next. A well-organized statement will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and coherently.
• Proofread and edit: Carefully review your personal statement for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Use free tools like grammarly to remove any unwanted errors in your writing.
• Seek feedback: Share your personal statement with your mentors, or peers, to gather valuable feedback. I especially recommend that you show your essay to someone who has already gone through the process successfully as they know the ins and outs well. Then, incorporate this feedback to refine and strengthen your final draft.

To help you get started and see everything that I just discussed in action, here is a list of 100+ personal statement examples from successful graduate school applicants.

Grad School Personal Statement Examples by Field of Study

• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Oxford with Low GPA )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Cambridge PhD )
• Example Personal Statement Artificial Intelligence (Admitted to UCLA)
• Example Personal Statement Machine Learning (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Data Science and Analytics (Admitted to CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Data Analytics (Admitted to Georgia Tech )
• Example Personal Statement Advanced Analytics (Admitted to NCSU )
• Example Personal Statement Mechanical Engineering (Admitted to USC , Imperial )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to LSE )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Finance (Admitted to MIT Sloan )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UC Berkeley )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Accounting & Finance (Admitted to Michigan University)
• Example Personal Statement Investment Banking (Admitted to UPenn )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Georgetown )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Harvard LLM )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to NYU , Duke )
• 8 MBA Personal Statements (All IVY LEAGUES )
• Example BA Essays ( INSEAD )
• Example MBA Essays ( Kellogg Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement Operations Management (Admitted to MIT PHD)
• Example Personal Statement Management (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Marketing (Admitted to NYU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Business Analytics (Admitted to MIT , CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Management & Analytics (Admitted to LBS )
• Example Personal Statement Project Management (Admitted to UT Austin )
• Example Personal Statement Logistics & Supply Chain (Admitted to Boston . Penn State )
• Example Personal Statement Supply Chain Management (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement Teaching ( Scholarship US State Department)
• Example Education Personal Statement (Admitted to UPenn , NYU , UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Education Policy (Admitted to USC )
• Example Personal Statement Special Education Teacher (Admitted to TUFTS )
• Example Personal Statement of an Aspiring Teacher (Admitted to American University )
• Example Personal Statement Residency in Internal Medicine (Admitted to ASU )
• Example Personal Statement Counseling (Admitted to Harvard , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement Psychology (Admitted to NYU Steinhardt)
• Example Personal Statement Nursing (Admitted to Duke , Ohio)
• Example Personal Statement Public Health (MPH) (Admitted to Columbia , Emory)
• Example Personal Statement Social Work (MSW) (Admitted to Columbia )
• Example Personal Statement Veterinary (Admitted to UC Davis , CSU , Edinburgh)
• Example Personal Statement Biochemistry (Admitted to Johns Hopkins )
• Example Personal Statement Biology (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Personal Statement Anthropology (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Environment and Sustainability (admitted to Stanford , CALTECH )
• Example Personal Statement Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management (Admitted to Yale , Duke )
• Example Personal Statement International Relations (Admitted to Columbia , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Political Science (Admitted to Duke , UCLA , NYU )
• Example Personal Statement Public Administration MPA (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement Public Policy MPP (Admitted to Harvard , Brown , Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Example Personal Statement Architecture (Admitted to Cambridge , Cornell , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement MFA (Admitted to New School and Rhode Island )
• Example Personal Statement in Filmmaking (Admitted to New York Film Academy )
• Example Personal Statement Fashion and Textile (Admitted to Parsons , Royal College of Arts )
• Example Personal Statement Math (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Statistics (Admitted to NCSU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Religious Studies (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement 1 (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement 2 (Admitted to Cambridge )
• Example Research Statement (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Statement of Research Interests (Admitted to Scripps )
• Example Statement of Objectives (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal StatemenT MS leading to Ph.D. (Admitted to Notre Dame )

These essays are written by applicants who are seeking financial aid or funding to support their graduate studies. In most cases, the program does not require a separate essay or application for the scholarship or fellowship, but in a few cases they do.

Most external donors do require a separate application such as the Fulbright program.

The purpose of these essays is to convince the selection committee that the applicant is the best candidate for the scholarship or fellowship.

• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won $250,000 Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Fellowship Personal Statement Example (Won MIT Sloan Fellowship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 1 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 2 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )

Word Count-Specific Personal Statements have a specific word count limit, which must be adhered to by the applicant. These are often required as part of graduate school applications, where the admissions committee wants to ensure that all applicants are providing the same amount of information and not exceeding or falling short of the specified word count.

Writing a word count-specific personal statement can be challenging, as applicants must balance providing enough detail to adequately convey their story and goals, while also being concise and staying within the specified limit. However, meeting the word count requirement is essential for demonstrating an applicant’s ability to communicate effectively, follow instructions, and prioritize information.

Here are a few examples of word-count specific personal statements.

• 100 Word Personal Statement Example
• 150 Word Personal Statement Example
• 200 Word Personal Statement Example
• 250 Word Personal Statement Example
• 300 Word Personal Statement Example
• 400 Word Personal Statement Example
• 500 Word Personal Statement Example
• 600 Word Personal Statement Example
• 700 Word Personal Statement Example
• 750 Word Personal Statement Example
• 800 Word Personal Statement Example
• 1000 Word Personal Statement Example

Prompt specific personal statements are statements that are tailored to answer a specific question or prompt in a personal statement. These statements are typically used in graduate school applications, especially MBA apps. These essays usually have a word-limit as well.

The purpose of a question specific personal statement is to demonstrate to the admissions committee that the applicant has the skills, knowledge, and experience required to succeed in the program. By directly addressing the prompt or question, the applicant can provide a focused and coherent response that highlights their relevant qualities and accomplishments.

For example, if a prompt asks an applicant to discuss their leadership experience, a question specific personal statement would focus on describing specific instances where the applicant demonstrated leadership skills and qualities, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and effective communication.

Here are some samples on Question or Prompt Specific Personal Statements.

• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Career Goals
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Values that have Influenced You
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Leadership
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Describe a Challenge you Faced and How you Overcame it?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on My Passion in Life
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Why do you want to become a doctor?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 1 ( Responses to 6 Prompts for Fellowship)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 2 ( Responses to 5 Prompts for Duke)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 3 ( Responses to 3 Prompts for MIT)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 4 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for LBS)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 5 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for UC Berkeley)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 6 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for MIT)

Addressing Common Personal Statement Components

In this section, I will explore the various components that commonly make up a well-rounded personal statement.I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that show how you can put these components in an essay form. Furthermore, that blog post also introduces an 8-point framework designed to assist you in evaluating and rating your personal statement draft.

When applying for graduate programs that are academic in nature, such as PhD, Master of Science, or Master of Arts, it’s essential to emphasize your academic achievements and experiences in your personal statement. To effectively showcase your educational background, you can do the following:

• Highlight relevant coursework: Discuss courses that have prepared you for graduate study and demonstrate your passion for the subject.
• Showcase your academic accomplishments: Mention awards, honors, high GPA, or scholarships you’ve received, and explain their significance.
• Share influential academic experiences: Describe any conferences, workshops, or seminars you’ve attended, and explain how they’ve shaped your understanding of your field.

When applying for research-oriented programs such as PhD, post-doc, or research-based masters, it’s crucial to emphasize your research background, experiences, and achievements in your personal statement. To effectively highlight your research accomplishments, consider including the following in your personal statement:

• Describe your research projects: Outline the relevant research you’ve conducted, including the objectives, methodology, and results.
• Emphasize your role: Detail your specific contributions (co-contributor, co-author, lead researcher) to the research project, highlighting your skills and expertise.
• Discuss the impact: Explain how your research has contributed to the field (maybe you got published in a journal, got a patent or published a white paper). You can also discuss how it influenced your career goals.

When composing your personal statement, it’s a good idea to show your work and internship experiences, as they highlight your practical skills and dedication to your chosen field. These experiences are especially significant for those applying to professional programs such as MBA, Project Management, and Masters in Engineering. 

However, they can also add considerable value to applications for academic or research-based programs. To effectively emphasize your work experiences and their relevance to your graduate studies, take into account the following aspects:

• Detail relevant experiences: Discuss any internships, part-time jobs, or full-time positions related to your field, highlighting the skills you’ve gained.
• Demonstrate transferable skills: Show how your work experience has equipped you with valuable skills (e.g., teamwork, leadership, problem-solving) that can be applied to your graduate studies.
• Share meaningful moments: Describe any significant projects, accomplishments, or challenges you’ve encountered during your work experience that have shaped your perspective or goals.

In your personal statement, highlighting your volunteer and community service experiences can be a valuable addition, particularly for programs that emphasize social impact or community engagement, such as social work, public health, or education.

These experiences demonstrate your commitment to making a difference, and they showcase your ability to apply the skills and knowledge gained in real-world situations. Additionally, they reflect your extroverted nature, openness to new ideas, and willingness to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. 

Emphasizing your involvement in volunteer work and community service not only reveals your personal growth and alignment with your field of study but also highlights your ability to work collaboratively, appreciate different perspectives, and contribute positively to society. To give you some idea, you can demonstrate your service to the community by doing the following in your personal statement:

• Showcase your involvement: Discuss volunteer work, community service, or extracurricular activities you’ve participated in that are relevant to your field of study or personal growth.
• Emphasize personal growth: Describe the impact of these experiences on your personal development, such as gaining empathy, cultural competence, or leadership skills.
• Connect to your field: Explain how your volunteer or community service experiences relate to your graduate studies and future career aspirations.

By sharing the obstacles you’ve faced and the lessons you’ve learned from them, you demonstrate your resilience, adaptability, and motivation. Connecting these experiences to your academic and career goals will further emphasize your determination to succeed in your chosen field and your readiness for the rigors of graduate study. Here are some ideas to get you started with this:

• Share your story: Discuss any personal challenges or obstacles you’ve faced and how they’ve shaped your character, values, or motivations.
• Demonstrate resilience: Explain how you’ve overcome these challenges and what you’ve learned from the experience.
• Relate to your academic and career goals: Show how your personal growth and experiences have influenced your decision to pursue graduate studies and your future career aspirations.

Your personal statement should also address your future goals and career aspirations. You should discuss both your short-term (3-5 year) and long-term (10-15 year) goals in your grad school personal statement. 

Explain the motivation behind them, and connect these goals to the graduate program you’re applying to. This will show that you have a clear plan for your academic and professional journey, and that the program is an essential stepping stone toward achieving your goals. Here is a helping hand that will assist you include this element in your essay.

• Outline your short-term and long-term goals: Discuss your objectives for both your graduate studies and your future career, demonstrating a clear vision of your path.
• Explain your passion and motivation: Share the driving forces behind your goals, showcasing your enthusiasm and dedication to your field of study.
• Connect your goals to the graduate program: Illustrate how the specific graduate program you’re applying to will help you achieve your academic and career objectives.

Tailoring your Personal Statement for Specific Schools

One common mistake that applicants make is submitting a generic personal statement to multiple programs. This can significantly reduce their chances of admission. 

Universities appreciate when applicants have taken the time to research the specific program, courses, faculty, and research facilities, demonstrating genuine interest and effort. 

While it’s acceptable to have a core personal statement that outlines your personal story, achievements, and interests, it’s crucial to tailor part of the essay to the particular program you are applying to. By customizing your personal statement, you show the admissions committee that you’ve done your homework.

Here I have some suggestions for you that you can use to tailor your personal statement for the specific program.

To tailor your personal statement for specific schools, it’s essential to thoroughly research the program and faculty at each institution. This involves exploring the program’s curriculum, core and optional course offerings, summer internship placement opportunities, industry-affiliated projects that are available, faculty research interests, and the school’s overall reputation in your field. By understanding these aspects, you can demonstrate your genuine interest in the program and highlight how your background and goals align with the faculty and coursework offered.

Once you have a solid understanding of the program and faculty, emphasize the alignment between your own values, objectives, and the program’s values and objectives in your personal statement. This can include showcasing your commitment to the program’s core principles, highlighting your passion for the program’s focus areas, and demonstrating your enthusiasm for working with particular faculty members on research or projects that align with your interests.

Each graduate program may have unique offerings that set it apart from others, such as specialized courses, research centers, or industry partnerships. In your personal statement, highlight these distinctive features and explain how they will benefit you. By doing this, you show the admissions committee that you have carefully considered the program’s offerings and have a clear understanding of how they will contribute to your academic and professional growth.

Personal Statement Pitfalls to Avoid

When writing your personal statement, you should be watchful of common traps that can diminish the impact of your narrative. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a nice, well-rounded and unique story that will stand out to the adcom.

I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that avoid these traps and some that fall for them.

Here are some critical pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid relying on common phrases or clichés in your personal statement. Nearly all the personal statement templates use clichés like, such as “I’ve always known that I wanted to…”, “I have a thirst for knowledge.”, “I want to give back to society.”, “Ever since I can remember…”. These can make your writing appear as copy paste, dull and boring. Instead, you should try to be creative and unique and use expressions that genuinely reflect your own individual experiences and motivations.

While it’s essential to showcase your achievements and strengths, be cautious not to overdo self-promotion. Overly boastful or self-aggrandizing language can be off-putting to the reader and you could come across as arrogant and self-conceited. Focus on presenting your accomplishments and experiences in a balanced and authentic manner, highlighting the impact and the lessons learned from them. In short, stay humble.

A disorganized or unfocused personal statement can make it difficult for the admissions committee to grasp your main points or understand your narrative. Ensure your personal statement is well-structured, with clear coherence between paragraphs and a logical progression of ideas. Stay focused on only talking about experiences that are relevant to your field of study. However, if you want to talk about something that you feel is important for the application but is not relevant to the chosen program, just touch upon it in your essay.

Again, I would recommend you to go through this post where I have delved deeper into the things you should avoid. Additionally, in that post I have also provided you with a 7-point framework that you can use to circumvent the common pitfalls often encountered in personal statements.

Seeking Feedback and Revising Your Personal Statement

Before submitting your personal statement, it’s essential to seek and incorporate feedback. Applicants who create successful personal statements spend 20 hours on average on creating the perfect essay. You should consult mentors, advisors, and peers, to refine your narrative. This section will guide you through the process of seeking feedback and making revisions to optimize your personal statement.

Seek input from individuals who know you well and have experience with the application process. I would also recommend that you should ask feedback from people who have successfully gone through the process in the past. Their feedback can help you identify areas for improvement, and ensure your narrative aligns properly.

After receiving feedback from various sources, take the time to thoughtfully consider their suggestions and incorporate them into your personal statement. Remember that not all feedback may be applicable or useful, so use your judgment to determine which revisions will enhance your narrative. Continue refining your personal statement through multiple drafts, ensuring your final version presents a polished and compelling story that showcases your strengths and aspirations.

I hope that these 100+ personal statement examples for graduate school and all the associated tips will provide you with the inspiration, guidance, and ideas you need to create a captivating narrative of your own. As you embark on this journey, remember that dedication, self-reflection, and resilience are key to putting up a persuasive narrative. Remember, there is no short-cut to success. Good luck, and we can’t wait to see where your academic journey takes you!

WANT MORE AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Outstanding Examples of Personal Statements
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement
• Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
• Writing a Killer Opening Paragraph for Your Personal Statement
• Ideal Length for a Graduate School Personal Statement
• 100 Inspiring Quotes to Jumpstart Your Personal Statement

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business My journey began amidst the kaleidoscope of Qatar's landscapes, setting the stage for a life attuned to cultural nuances. Transitioning to Riyadh in my teens, I absorbed a mosaic of traditions, sparking a...

Sample Personal Statement for Family Medicine Residency

Personal Statement Prompt: A personal letter is required. We are looking for mature, enthusiastic physicians who bring with them a broad range of life experiences, are committed to providing excellent patient care, and can embrace the depth and breadth of experiences...

Harvard Personal Statement Example

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement for Harvard University. This example aims to show how prospective applicants like you can seamlessly weave your passion, skills, and relevant experiences into a compelling narrative. In...

[2024] 4 Law School Personal Statement Examples from Top Programs

In this article, I will discuss 4 law school personal statement samples. These statements have been written by successful applicants who gained admission to prestigious US Law schools like Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. The purpose of these examples is to demonstrate...

Sample Personal Statement Cybersecurity

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of cybersecurity. This sample was written by an applicant who got admitted into George Mason, Northeastern and Arizona State University. This example aims to show how prospective...

WANT AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Personal Statement Templates

Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School: Good, Bad, & Everything In Between

Your personal statement should demonstrate that you have thought deeply about why you are making the decision to go to grad school and that you are an excellent fit for your target school. Sound a little challenging? Don’t worry, these personal statement examples will break down the strategy of writing a strong graduate school application.

Comparing Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Below I will share two examples of personal statements. The first has a strong writing approach, but the second lacks clarity and may cause confusion for its reader. Then I will describe the strengths and weaknesses of each example.

Introduction Paragraph Examples:

Ex. 1-Strong) The ocean is as fundamental to our lives as any other ecological habitat, so why don’t we have systems in place to treat it that way? Growing up in Monterey, California I was first introduced to marine biology through my advanced placement biology class. While in community college I helped form a student-led monthly beach clean-up team. This rewarding experience led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Biology with an emphasis in ocean preservation. My passion for developing innovative and culturally informed approaches to marine preservation on a global scale have led me to pursue a doctorate in the field of marine biology. My desired research focus will explore solutions to the impacts of micro plastics in our ocean.

Ex. 2-Weak) Yea sure, the ocean is in a devastated condition, but what are we going to do about it? Well, with my degree in bio I plan to get a PhD in marine biology to help figure out how to address micro plastics in our ocean. I know so much already, and I just know that with a PhD I will be able to contribute on a greater scale. I know the PhD is a lot of work, but I am pretty sure I will be able to complete the program and have a great time doing so. I have always wanted to live in Santa Barbara, and that is definitely a part of my decision to apply to your program.

Diving Deeper Into Personal Statement Introductions

So, let’s discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the example introductions above!

Introduction Paragraph “Strong” Example:

• Throughout the paragraph the applicant demonstrates that they have been involved with marine biology since high school. This is important because it demonstrates their commitment to the field early on in the essay.

Introduction Paragraph “Weak” Example:

• The applicant mentions a desire to live in Santa Barbara. While it may be true, it is not a strong enough reason to pursue a PhD and signals to the admissions committee that you may be pursuing the program for the wrong reasons. Keep details like this out of your personal statement and focus on reasons for applying that are academically motivated.

Conclusion Paragraph Examples:

Ex. 1-Strong) As a first generation college student, and an English language learner, my journey to receive my bachelors of science in marine biology has been tough. Along the way I have developed leadership skills, research and lab experience, as well as a refined passion for the work that marine biologists are able to do when informed by the local community members. I desire to continue my studies with an emphasis on ocean preservation research through the innovative and unique PhD program offered at UC Santa Barbara. It would be an honor to work with Dr. Jonas Mendoza and Dr. Raquel Pacheco, two professors whose work aligns with my research interests and who have been welcoming and encouraging through our email correspondence. While my research goals are ambitious, I am confident that your program offers the resources and mentorship required for a unified effort to resolve the impact that microplastics have on not only human life, but all marine animals and ecosystems.

Ex2. -Weak) I think it’s a miracle that I even completed my B.S degree! That’s how I know that with the funding and laid back atmosphere at UC Santa Barbara I can definitely complete the PhD. I’m not so interested in the teaching part, or the amount of course work I would be required to take, but I just know that once I get out there and get into the water, it will all be worth it. My research experience is competitive and top-notch, I am a great person to work with and easily make friends. I am hopeful to hear back and excited for the next steps! Thanks for reading this far.

Conclusion Paragraph “Strong” Example

• The applicant concludes by mentioning the importance of a “unified effort” for their research goals. This goes a long way to demonstrate that they understand how important collaborative effort is. This helps make an applicant more attractive in the eyes of an admissions committee that must also consider the work ethic of all applicants.

Conclusion Paragraph “Weak” Example:

• The applicant describes their research experience as “competitive and top-notch”. Even if you have the most impressive CV, focus instead on listing what you have done, with who and what the outcomes were. Let the admissions committee decide how they interpret it.

So, what makes a good personal statement?

Your personal statement is one of many that an admissions committee will read, all to identify the strongest applicants. Remember, the committee members haven’t met you yet. They rely solely on your application materials to form their first impression. Leaving out crucial details is not an option.

Many students find it hard to talk about themselves, often worrying it might seem like bragging. But overcoming that discomfort is essential. Think of your personal statement as your first chance to introduce yourself to the committee. Make it count by addressing the following key points:

Who are you?

While your personal statement should personalize and humanize you as an applicant, remember that you’re more than just your GPA and transcripts. Admissions committees know this. However, every detail you include must work towards crafting a profile that appeals to the committee.

Are you a good fit?

What makes you prepared for the program? When discussing your academic background, be specific about what has prepared you for this program. Don’t miss the chance to showcase what sets you apart from other applicants by highlighting your years of hard work.

Demonstrating your fit can be challenging, especially if you’re changing careers or pursuing a new field. However, if you qualify to apply, ensure your writing clearly connects your current experience to your goals within the program. Don’t assume the committee will understand how your work relates—spell out every connection and detail for them.

Demonstrate that you understand appropriate and professional boundaries:

One of the most common questions my undergraduate students ask when applying to graduate school is, “How much personal information should I include in my application?” The answer: only as much as you’re comfortable sharing and only information that intentionally shapes the profile of an ideal candidate.

I advise against taking risks by including jokes, controversial opinions not already addressed by the program, or references that might cause confusion or be off-putting. Keep your focus on crafting a strong, professional profile.

What do you intend to accomplish/contribute to the field?

The admissions committee wants to know: if you’re admitted to the program, then what? Be clear about your goals and don’t shy away from specifics. What’s your “end goal”? If you know it, include it in your essay. If you’re still figuring it out, describe what you’re working towards more broadly.

However, avoid language that suggests uncertainty about whether graduate school is right for you. Always write with confidence, showing that you’re sure of your decision, even if you’re still considering your options for after graduation.

Admissions committees have been through graduate school themselves. They know it’s not a choice made just because “you don’t know what else to do.” Show that you’re ready for the commitment and hard work by clearly explaining why you’ve decided that graduate school is the best option for you right now. Highlight how your current and past experiences align with your intentions if admitted into the program.

A strong personal statement will address all these questions while respecting appropriate boundaries. Ultimately, it will show the committee that you are prepared for the program, likely to succeed if admitted, and deeply committed to a career where the training and degree you’ll receive are crucial to your future goals.

The importance of a clear narrative:

A clear narrative helps the admissions committee easily extract the necessary information about you. Remember, you’re one applicant among many. Don’t assume your reader will understand the significance of any detail or context unless you provide it. Keep these tips in mind when writing:

• Do not overestimate the importance of proofreading! Read your essays out loud and record the audio while doing it. Does it flow? Does it answer every question provided in the prompt (if provided one)? I recommend finding at least one person who is in graduate school and preferably within your field to read your essay.

Summary and Tips

The personal statement is usually just 1-2 pages. With a document this short and with so much importance towards your chances of admission, every word matters! Consider these takeaways and do your research at every stage of the writing process.

Before you start writing, gather all the information you’ll need. Pull details from this blog post, the program’s official website, and any correspondence with professors or graduate students at each program you’re applying to. Create a document listing every experience and detail you want to include. Use this as a reference while writing to ensure you cover every important point.

Don’t skip this step! Reach out to current graduate students or a writing service for feedback. Double-check your work for any language that’s too casual or might be off-putting or concerning to those reviewing your application.

Remember, admissions committees are made up of real people who read countless applications. Do your best to stand out by highlighting what truly sets you apart and the skills you’ve developed that are relevant to the program. Once you have your first draft, refine your language to be both professional and captivating. Don’t forget to add a little flair!

Getting More Help

The graduate application process is a stressful one and can seem overwhelming if you don’t have the right support. We’re here to help guide you through all steps on your journey to graduate school. Check out our blog for more information and tips on the GRE and graduate admissions . If you haven’t taken your GRE yet, take a free practice test to jumpstart your test prep. Consider a Magoosh Premium Plan to access expert support, real ETS questions, and real application essay examples. We’re here to help!

View all posts

More from Magoosh

Leave a Comment

Please leave any questions or suggestions in the comments, we try our best to respond within a few days! Your email address will not be published.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Oxford MBA Personal Statement: Best Examples

Featured Expert: Nirusan Rajakulendran, MBA

The Oxford MBA personal statement is as crucial as your MBA resume , when applying to one of the most coveted professional development programs in the world, according to MBA rankings . Oxford University is a hallowed name in higher education and its reputation extends to the three MBA programs hosted by the Saïd Business School. The international sheen of the Oxford name draws applicants from all over the world and international students make up the majority of every new class. This article will set out the various requirements for Oxford’s three MBA programs and give you expert-reviewed samples to help your application stand out!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 10 min read

Oxford mba personal statement for oxford mba.

Essay Prompt: Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words).

Outside of my formal commitments, I have actively engaged in volunteer work focused on empowering underprivileged youth through education. For the past four years, I have been involved with an organization called "Youth Empowerment Initiative" (YEI), which aims to bridge the educational gap for children from low-income backgrounds.

YEI is located in my hometown, Chicago. One particular student I had the privilege of mentoring through YEI was Maya Davis. Maya was a bright and determined young girl who faced numerous challenges in her academic journey, such as losing both her parents at a young age and having a severe case of asthma.

When I first met Maya, she was struggling academically and lacked confidence in her abilities. We worked on developing effective study strategies, setting achievable goals, and fostering a growth mindset. Over time, Maya's dedication and hard work paid off. She became more engaged in her studies and raised her grades.

The experience of mentoring Maya and other students at YEI has reinforced my commitment to educational equity and social impact. As I pursue my MBA at Oxford University, I hope to leverage the knowledge and experiences gained to continue supporting initiatives like YEI and driving positive change in education. I firmly believe that by investing in the potential of young minds, we can shape a brighter and more equitable future for all.

 Oxford MBA Personal Statement for Oxford 1+1 MBA Dual-Degree Program

Essay Prompt for MBA Application: Explain why you see this as particularly beneficial for you and how it fits with your career and personal development aims. (Maximum 250 words).

I have always been interested in the ways economic change have presaged seismic societal shifts, such as how the agrarian-based economy in England transformed itself because of the Industrial Revolution. The constant exchange between economy and society is why I am applying to the Oxford MBA 1+1, as I believe it is the ideal program to explore how to affect positive change through economic and social policy.

One area where I would like to affect positive change is in the traditional linear economy, which is characterized by the take-make-dispose model. This production and consumption model has led to resource depletion, environmental degradation, and waste generation. In contrast, the circular economy aims to create a closed-loop system where resources are reused, recycled, or regenerated to minimize waste and maximize value.

As a sustainability-minded professional, I would advocate for the adoption of circular economy practices within an organization. These practices could involve anything from encouraging the development of products that are durable, repairable, and modular to establishing closed-loop supply chains. But these practices can only be widely adopted if consumption patterns and marketing campaigns are also adjusted to motivate consumers to consume less.

Through the insights gained from the MBA program, I aim to champion circular economy practices within organizations. By collaborating with cross-functional teams, driving cultural change, and leveraging data and analytics, I believe we can successfully implement sustainable business models that bring environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Essay Prompt: What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words)

Since my last application to the Oxford MBA program, I have made significant improvements in several areas of my candidacy. One area that was lacking in my initial application was a dearth of international experience, as I had stayed only within the United States during my undergraduate at Stanford and subsequent internship at Roundtree Investing and Capital.

I sought out positions in new environments and also became a member of the Asia Pacific Career Development Association. It was during one of APCDA’s conferences in Kuala Lumpur that I met Anthony Wong, a senior executive with a venture capital firm in Singapore. Motivated by Anthony’s guidance and encouragement, I applied for a year-long professional development course offered by his firm.

I was accepted and spent an enlightening year in Singapore learning about the value of cultural intelligence and navigating the unique nuances that come with doing business in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, there is a cultural value placed on preserving face and avoiding direct confrontation or conflict. I learned to navigate conversations with tact and sensitivity, using indirect communication styles to address sensitive issues and maintain harmony within business relationships.

Understanding and adapting to these cultural nuances and local business practices was crucial for successfully establishing our subsidiary and building partnerships in Singapore. By bringing this firsthand knowledge of Singapore's market dynamics to the Oxford MBA program, I aim to contribute unique perspectives and insights during discussions on international business, cross-cultural management, and global strategy.

Working on your MBA resume?

Oxford MBA Personal Statement for MBA for Executives #1

My journey from being a policy analyst at the Michigan Department of Education to my current position as the Head of Policy Analysis at Altra Healthcare Systems has been one of continuous growth and learning. It has provided me with a unique perspective on the intersection of education and healthcare and deepened my understanding of the challenges and opportunities in these sectors.

After gaining valuable experience at the Michigan Department of Education, where I worked closely with policymakers, educators, and community stakeholders, I recognized the need for innovative solutions that bridge the gap between education and healthcare. This realization motivated me to transition into the private sector, where I could have a direct impact on developing and implementing strategies that address the health needs of students and contribute to their academic success.

In my role as a policy analyst at Altra Healthcare, I have had the privilege of leading the policy analysis team and driving evidence-based decision-making. I have been involved in shaping policies and programs that promote equitable access to healthcare services and improve health outcomes for diverse populations. This experience has allowed me to deepen my understanding of the complexities of the healthcare industry, develop strong analytical and leadership skills, and foster a results-oriented approach.

However, as I progressed in my career, I realized that to truly make a transformative impact and lead change at a broader level, I needed to enhance my business acumen and develop a comprehensive understanding of strategic management and leadership. This realization led me to explore the Oxford MBA for Executives program.

I am drawn to the Oxford MBA for Executives program because of its reputation for academic excellence, global perspective, and emphasis on leadership development. I believe that the program's outstanding curriculum, diverse cohort of experienced professionals, and world-class faculty will provide me with the necessary tools, knowledge, and network to drive meaningful change in the education and healthcare sectors.

Furthermore, the program's focus on experiential learning, case studies, and international modules aligns perfectly with my goal of gaining practical insights and cross-cultural understanding to navigate the complexities of the global business landscape. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to collaborate with fellow executives from diverse backgrounds, exchange ideas, and engage in enriching discussions that will broaden my perspective and challenge my assumptions.

By pursuing the Oxford MBA for Executives, I aim to develop a well-rounded skill set that combines my policy analysis expertise with strategic thinking, innovation, and effective leadership. I am committed to leveraging my experiences, knowledge, and the resources provided by the program to drive positive change, improve educational and healthcare outcomes, and contribute to building sustainable and inclusive communities.

I hold a degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Georgetown University, where I developed a deep understanding of the intersection between environmental issues, policy, and sustainable development. Following my graduation, I had the privilege of working as a research fellow at the Center for Sustainable Energy and Policy, a renowned think-tank based in Washington, DC.

During my time at the think-tank, I delved into various energy-related research projects, focusing on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of energy policy. I conducted extensive analyses of renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency programs, and the impact of policy frameworks on energy markets. Through my research, I recognized the crucial role that effective policy-making plays in driving the transition to a sustainable and equitable energy sector.

In Washington, I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of Juan Gutierrez, a senior executive at Repsol SA, a renowned energy company based in Spain. We discovered that we were both interested in the topic of divestment, which refers to the process of removing investments from specific sectors, industries, or companies for ethical, political, or financial reasons.

Many European nations have sought to reduce their dependency on energy sources from hostile nations and meeting Mr. Gutierrez coincided with Repsol’s desire to divest itself of its holdings in various problematic nations. My expertise in energy policy proved valuable and I was offered a position to spearhead their divestment initiatives, which I took and currently still hold.

In this role, I collaborate closely with senior executives, legal teams, and financial experts to evaluate the company's current holdings and identify opportunities for divestment. I conduct thorough analyses of political dynamics, regulatory environments, and market trends to assess the feasibility and potential impacts of divestment decisions. The opportunity to work with Repsol SA allows me to further expand my expertise in energy divestment and contribute to creating a fair, equitable, and environmentally conscious energy sector.

I am motivated by the potential to drive positive change, not only within the company but also within the broader energy industry, by influencing investment decisions and promoting responsible practices. With my solid background in energy policy, my role at Repsol SA enables me to apply my knowledge and skills in a practical and impactful manner.

It is this combination of expertise, passion for sustainability, and dedication to ethical business practices that fuels my desire to pursue the Oxford MBA for Executives program. I am confident that the program will equip me with the necessary tools, knowledge, and networks to further enhance my leadership capabilities and contribute to shaping a more sustainable and responsible future for the energy sector.

As an executive at Tata Group, my journey from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai has been a transformative one, shaping my passion for next-generation manufacturing processes and theories. After completing my secondary education, I enrolled in the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, where I pursued a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in advanced manufacturing techniques.

Equipped with a strong technical foundation, I began my career at Tata Group, starting in an entry-level position within the manufacturing division. In this role, I gained valuable hands-on experience working on various projects, honing my skills in process optimization, quality control, and systems engineering. My dedication, innovation, and leadership qualities propelled me through the ranks, and I eventually assumed the position of Senior Manager of Systems Engineering.

As Senior Manager of Systems Engineering at Tata Group, I am responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of advanced manufacturing systems and processes across multiple divisions. I lead cross-functional teams, collaborating with engineers, technicians, and executives to optimize operations, drive efficiency, and ensure the highest quality standards.

Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking. I have spearheaded initiatives to adopt cutting-edge technologies, such as automation, robotics, and data analytics, to streamline production processes and enhance overall productivity. These efforts have not only resulted in significant cost savings but also improved product quality and customer satisfaction.

While I have achieved considerable success in my current role, I aspire to take on broader leadership responsibilities as a vice-president or president in another organization. I believe that the Oxford MBA for Executives program will provide the perfect platform to accelerate my career progression and equip me with the necessary skills, knowledge, and global perspectives to excel in a senior leadership role.

The Oxford MBA for Executives program will enhance my business acumen, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities, enabling me to navigate complex business challenges and make informed decisions that drive organizational growth. The program's emphasis on diverse perspectives, critical thinking, and experiential learning will broaden my understanding of global business dynamics and expose me to a network of accomplished professionals from various industries.

Furthermore, the program's focus on leadership development will allow me to refine my leadership style, learn from renowned faculty and industry experts, and gain insights into the latest management practices. The program's strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation will also fuel my entrepreneurial ambitions and enable me to leverage emerging technologies to drive business transformation.

By combining my technical expertise in advanced manufacturing with the comprehensive business knowledge and leadership skills gained from the Oxford MBA for Executives program, I am confident in my ability to make a significant impact as a vice-president or president in a leading organization. My goal is to drive sustainable growth, foster innovation, and shape the future of the manufacturing industry by leveraging technology and strategic decision-making.

The Oxford MBA personal statement is an opportunity for both upcoming leaders and established executives to showcase their career highlights to the admissions committee. The personal statement along with MBA recommendation letters , MBA cover letters , and MBA motivation letters are all important when applying to one of the best MBA programs in the world . 

Yes, the program is highly visible and competitive and attracts applicants from all over the world. The program has strict MBA requirements such as applicants needing to take either the GMAT or GRE exams, as well as having to write essays on several MBA essay topics . There is also an online assessment that asks you several MBA behavioral interview questions to determine things about your personality and character. The MBA for Executives has even more requirements, as all applicants must have years of work experience to apply. 

The MBA essay prompts above give you the exact word counts, but the MBA for Executives program does not disclose its word count nor its topics, but you should always adhere to the stated format requirements according to many reputable MBA essay writing services . 

The MBA acceptance rate for the Oxford Said School of Business is somewhere between 20 and 25%, which is higher than the ultra-competitive programs at the Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business , which can be as low as 10%. 

Yes, the Oxford MBA personal statement is as important as the Stanford MBA personal statement or Yale MBA essays . It provides the admissions committee a valuable example of your communication and writing skills, your professional experiences and why you decided to pursue an MBA. 

The main Oxford MBA program asks applicants to write two essays based on their prompts – one essay is optional. The dual-degree MBA and Masters requires a separate statement for each program, MBA and Masters. The MBA for Executives program asks applicants to write three essays. 

The application for the Oxford MBA is done online, as is the application for the Oxford MBA 1+1 and the MBA for Executives program. 

The exact requirements are that every essay be written in 12-point font, Times New Roman and with a certain word count, depending on the program and essay. 

All MBA personal statements should include details about your work experience with concrete examples of how you contributed to the success of project or company. You can also talk about your motivations for pursuing an MBA and what goals you have for the future. 

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webclass: 

How to make your mba application stand out.

And Avoid the Top 5 Mistakes That Get Most Rejected

Search Form

• Applying for Graduate School: Application Essay or Personal Statement guide

The following ideas and questions can guide your development of an application essay or  personal statement.

Introduction

Ask Yourself

• When did I first consider this career?
• What elements were meaningful to me?
• What led to my commitment to it?

Tell Your Story

• Start in the middle of the action with limited lead-in.
• Describe relevant details.
• Connect it to goals related to the program.
• Specify the school and program.
• What are my career interests and goals?
• What have I done to prepare myself for this career and program?
• Why does this specific program interest me?

Make Your Case

• Identify experiences such as shadowing which gave you an understanding of the career.
• Describe how you developed your qualifications for the program and career including internships, research, coursework, or other relevant experiences.
• Share your career interests and goals.
• Connect your interests and goals to the program concentration areas, faculty, research, and/or internship opportunities.

Ask yourself

• How have my experiences affected my initial interest in the career?
• How will this program help me reach my career goals?
• How do I feel about the potential of being in the program?

Make Your case

• Reference the story in your introduction.
• Reinforce the connection between your interests and goals to the program.
• Express confidence in your readiness for the program.

Diversity Statement

Some programs may request an additional statement on diversity. Such a statement may incorporate the diversity you will bring to the program and/or your experience with diverse populations. Consider your experiences on campus, education abroad, workplaces, and social settings and think of diversity broadly as you develop your statement.

Pursuing Graduate School

• Connecting with Faculty
• Considering Graduate School
• Researching Graduate Programs
• Applying for Graduate School: Academic Resume/CV examples
• Planning for Graduate School Applications
• Developing a Parallel Plan