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Posted on January 28, 2025

Master the Art of Structuring Your MBA Essays

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make when writing an MBA essay is poor organization of their content. Often, even applicants with excellent English skills and a clear idea of their goals and reasons for choosing their target program struggle to structure their ideas effectively. Sometimes they focus too much on one aspect of the essay prompt, while ignoring other parts, resulting in an incomplete and imbalanced response.

Before you begin writing, carefully analyze each part of the essay prompt and allocate an appropriate space to address each component within the prescribed word limit.

Take, for instance, the goals essay for Kellogg. It typically has five parts, and each must be addressed thoughtfully within a 450-word limit:

  1. Why MBA?
  2. Career goals (very briefly, since you have discussed them in short essays)
  3. Why MBA now?
  4. How will Kellogg help you achieve your goals?
  5. How will you enrich Kellogg as a student?

Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here.  450 words)

Tips for organizing your ideas for this essay:

  1. Avoid rehashing your résumé: Your academic and professional experience journey is already detailed in your resume. So, touch upon it briefly only to provide context for your professional objectives.
  2. Follow the order of the prompt: Adhere to the sequence in which the questions are asked. Mixing different parts of the essay confuses the reader and disrupts the flow. Organize your response chronologically to help the admissions committee follow the sequence of events and ideas seamlessly.
  3. Focus on each section fully: When discussing how Kellogg will help you achieve your goals, stay focused on this theme. Highlight specific resources, opportunities, and offerings at Kellogg that align with your aspirations.
  4. Conclude with impact: Wrap up the essay by detailing your potential contributions to the program. Be specific about how your background, experiences, and interests will enrich the Kellogg community, both inside and outside the classroom.

Once you have written your essay, revisit it to ensure that each part of the prompt is given appropriate weight.

For more guidance, check out our blog on "How to Organize Your Ideas to Create Compelling MBA Essays?" https://myessayreview.com/essay-tips/organize-ideas-create-impactful-mba-essays/

Related Articles:

  1. Don't expect your prewriting Exercise to be perfect https://myessayreview.com/essay-tips/dont-expect-pre-writing-exercise-masterpiece/
  2. Overarching Essay Tips -https://myessayreview.com/essay-tips/overarching-essay-tips/
  3. Avoid These Common Mistakes in Goals Essays -https://myessayreview.com/essay-tips/avoid-13-common-mistakes-goals-essay/
  4. 12 Reasons You Should Write an Optional Essay https://myessayreview.com/essay-tips/12-reasons-write-optional-essay/

About MER (myEssayReview)

Poonam Tandon, the founder of MER (myEssayReview), is a Ph.D. in English with 14 years of MBA consulting experience and 3 decades of teaching experience in India and the US. Poonam has successfully guided hundreds of students worldwide to gain admission into the esteemed MBA, EMBA, and specialized master's programs in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Throughout her four-decade-long professional career, she has reviewed 11,000+ essays written by applicants worldwide.  Poonam was among the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club from September 2012 to December 2023.

Need help with resumé construction?  You may email Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com with questions.

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