The Michigan Ross has announced the deadlines and essay questions for the 2019-2020 MBA application season. Soojin Kwon, Admissions Director, stated in her blog that the admission committee decided to modify only one of the six short answer options. All other options in the first question, as well as the career goals essay, remain unchanged. Like last year, the applicants have 600 words to present their candidacy to the admission committee.
Soojin Kwon has announced some changes to the application deadlines. “We’re pushing the Round 2 deadline back a bit so applicant have a little more time after the holidays to finish apps. We’re pushing the Round 3 deadline back by a few weeks to accommodate applicants who get more clarity on their business school plans later in the winter.”
| Round | Application Deadline | Decision Announced |
| Round 1 | September 30, 2019 | December 18, 2019 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2020 | March 18, 2020 |
| Round 3 | March 30, 2020 | May 8, 2020 |
Let’s take a closer look at the essay questions:
Part 1- Short Answers: Select one prompt from each group of the three groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less (<100 words each; 300 words total). Every word counts here- the tight word count is intentional to force you to focus.
GROUP 1
- I want people to know that I:
- I made a difference when I:
GROUP 2
- I was humbled when:
- I am out of my comfort zone when:
GROUP 3
- I was aware that I am different when:
- I was challenged when:
“We encourage you to share personal examples in these short answers to allow us to learn more about who you are as a person.”- Soojin Kwon
The purpose of these short questions is to give the admissions team valuable insight into who you are as a person and how you view yourself. Therefore, answer it in such a way that allows you to tell them what you want them to know about you. For these questions, you have to introspect and dig deeper for specific stories/ life experiences when you ‘made a difference’ or 'when you were humbled’ or when you ‘taught someone a valuable thing’. Begin your response to each prompt by completing the question. Your responses to these questions will showcase your unique personal traits- your interest as well as the impact you made (Group 1), your humility, your experience of being out of your comfort zone (Group 2), and your self-awareness (Group 3). All three groups ask for a behavioral response, where you discuss one experience or situation and reflect on it. The key to all these responses is to demonstrate how you responded in the face of different situations and emerged a better and stronger person.
What makes these essays more challenging is the multiple-choice component? I can imagine applicants having a hard time deciding which option will paint them in a better light or which stories will reflect the traits that Ross is looking for. My advice is that you brainstorm ideas on all the 9 prompts and then evaluate which are your best 3 stories that you would want the Ad Com to know about you as a person. After you have finalized your best 3 stories, begin formulating your response, focusing on the challenges you faced, the action you took, and the impact you made.
It’s a challenge to discuss three different experiences in only 300 words. To meet the tight word limit, make every word count, and be as precise as you can.
Short answer questions Tips from Ross MBA Admissions Blog:
“The team has found that essays that reveal something personal- about what you value, how you think- give us much more insight into how you’ll fit into the Ross culture than an accomplishment story. And, as you’ve probably learned, fit is an important part of our decision. (It should be an important part of yours, too). There are many other opportunities in the application to share your work accomplishments, use the essays to get personal.”
Part 2- Career Goals Essay
Michigan Ross is a place where people from all backgrounds with different career goals can thrive. Please share your short-term career goal. Why is this career goal the right choice for you? (300 words)
This essay focuses on short-term goals and your reasons for those goals. When explaining your post-MBA goals, make sure to be as specific as you Specify which industry, which company, and what position you would like to see yourself after graduating from Ross. Even if you are not 100% sure, you should be clear and quite decisive about your short-term goals. Though the question asks only about the short-term goal, you may still touch upon your long-term goal, but you should not elaborate on it.
Next, provide a brief account of your career history, summarizing your skills/strengths. Then go on to explain how your work experience has inspired your career plans and discuss the gap in your skillset that an MBA would fill. You don’t want to discuss the ‘Why Ross’ part because the school doesn’t want a ‘laundry list’ of the courses offered by Ross.
With a total of 600 only words to tell your story to the Ross admission committee, you should make every word count. There is no room for elaborate details or beating around the bush. To present a well-rounded picture of your candidacy, use 300 words (short questions) to demonstrate who you are as a person and 300 words (goals essay) to showcase who you are as a professional.
Optional Statement
Is there something in your resume or application that could use some explanation? This is your chance to elaborate. You might want to discuss completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc.
As directed in the essay prompt, you may use this essay question to address a weakness in your profile, such as employment gap, low GPA/low GMAT, completion of supplemental work, or unusual choice of the recommender. Your weakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality. You may either use bullet points or essay format for the optional statement.
You may be interested in previous years’ essay questions:
Ross Essay Questions Analysis- 2018-19
Ross Essay Questions Analysis-2017-18
Ross Essay Questions Analysis– 2016-17
Ross Essay Questions Analysis– 2015-16
Ross Essay Questions Analysis– 2013-14
Video interview of a Ross student
In this video interview with Poonam, Pablo Troncoso shares his amazing experiences during his first year at Ross.
Free Resources:
10 Key Essay Tips with Examples
Essay Analysis of Other Tops Programs- 2019-20
25 Video/Chat Interviews of Successful MER Students
Since 2011, MER (myEssayReview) has helped many applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA programs. (Poonam is one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club.)
Do you have questions about your application? E-mail Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com or sign up here for a free consultation.
