Blog

Essays

You are currently browsing the Essays category.

Tips for Your Yale SOM Application Essays 2026–2027

Yale School of Management (SOM) invites you to select the one that speaks most to you, so pick the question that you think will allow you to best communicate your character and values. There is no “right” prompt, so be honest with yourself about which option gives you the greatest opportunity to demonstrate your fit…

Read More

Dartmouth Tuck MBA Application Essay Tips, 2024-2025

Tips for Your Dartmouth Tuck Application Essays 2026–2027

Known for its extremely close-knit, down-to-earth community, Dartmouth Tuck wants to learn about you and how you will contribute to and support the individuals in it. The school’s admissions committee also wants to see that you truly understand and value the program’s unique culture, which has evolved away from any major city. For its application…

Read More

UCLA Anderson Application Essay Tips, 2024-2025

Tips for Your UCLA Anderson Application Essays 2026-2027

UCLA Anderson stands out among MBA programs because of its location in a large city with many different industries, its collaborative culture, and the flexibility it offers to customize your business school experience. Anderson looks for applicants who embody the school’s three pillars: sharing success, thinking fearlessly, and driving change. As you think about the…

Read More

Cornell Johnson School Application Essay Tips, 2024–2025

Tips for Your Cornell Johnson Application Essays 2026-2027

Cornell Johnson has a small, close-knit community and an amiable, internationally focused culture with an emphasis on collaboration. The school looks for candidates who will have an impact on the program both as students and after graduation. Leadership, teamwork skills, the ability to analyze problems, and strong interpersonal capabilities are key traits the admissions committee…

Read More

MIT Sloan Essay

Tips for Your MIT Sloan Application Essays 2026-2027

MIT Sloan wants you to make your pitch for admission in a somewhat unique application essay format: a business cover letter. Although the information the admissions committee wants is not that different from what most programs seek, the presentation might be a bit daunting for some candidates. Sloan also asks for a short video introduction,…

Read More

Tips for Your NYU Stern Application Essays, 2026–2027

NYU Stern’s collaborative, dynamic, and diverse culture is truly shaped by the school’s location in the heart of New York City and can be defined simply as IQ + EQ. While I believe that Stern still truly believes in supporting change, this year, the school has switched up its application essays to give you more…

Read More

Tips for Your Michigan Ross Application Essays 2026–2027

This year, Michigan Ross condensed its essay questions to one short career-related query and a multiple-choice prompt designed to provide an opportunity for you to share a story that demonstrates your resilience, grit, and community-building traits.  Part 1: Career Aspirations  What is your short-term career goal, and how do you plan to leverage the Ross…

Read More

HBS essay

Tips for Your Harvard Business School Application Essays, 2026-2027

The school’s essay prompts focus on three specific themes. In these essays, HBS seeks evidence that applicants are business minded, leadership focused, and growth oriented, and in this post, we offer our tips on how to approach these essays. Business-Minded Essay Please reflect on how your choices have influenced your career path and aspirations. (300…

Read More

Tips for Your Stanford GSB Application Essays

Tips for Your Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essays, 2026-2027

The application essays for the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) are among the more expansive and demanding of those for the top MBA programs; the GSB truly wants to get to know you. With a 650-word essay that necessitates some soul-searching, 350 words on your interest in Stanford specifically, and multiple optional short answers…

Read More

duke fuqua essay tips

Tips for Your Duke Fuqua Application Essays, 2026–2027

Duke Fuqua presents its applicants with one of the most creative, and maybe challenging, essay prompts out there — asking candidates to come up with a list of more than two dozen “random” bits of information about themselves. Then, applicants need to craft a more traditional essay in which they explain their fit with the…

Read More

Tips for Your Berkeley Haas Application Essays 2026–2027

Through your application essays, Berkeley Haas wants to get to know more about who you are and what drives you. Here are some thoughts to help you stand out in your Haas application. Demonstrating how you embrace or embody one of Haas’s four Defining Leadership Principles — Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students…

Read More

UW Foster Essay Guide

Tips for your UW Foster School of Business Application Essays, 2026–2027

The University of Washington (UW) Foster School of Business attracts candidates who are not just accomplished leaders in both their personal and professional lives but also individuals who seek a collaborative, innovative culture and possess an innate desire to solve the most challenging problems of our time. Outstanding application essays require deep introspection and a…

Read More

Start Your MBA Admissions Consulting Journey with Stratus!

Learn how Stratus’s team approach can help you get accepted to your top-choice business schools. Start with a FREE consultation with one of our Admissions Counselors. Our team is ready to dive into your goals, answer your questions about your profile and the application process, and help you boost your appeal to admissions committees!

Start Now!