Graduate Admission Essays

Overall, you want your essay to reflect your own ideas and ambitions, so it needs to be – above all else – authentic and sincere.

Do not attempt to flatter the institution in the hope of winning over the committee, but instead personalise the experience ahead of you with your goals and dreams and how they will motivate you to succeed.

What follows is some good advice for you to utilise your time and energy in a way that will be most effective in convincing an admissions officer that you not only will be an asset to their Master’s or MBA programme, but also that you have the personal motivation and commitment to succeed.

Your transcripts and standardised test scores demonstrate your ability to handle coursework and study, but that is only part of your story.

Whatever required format, your essay should be thoughtful, concise, compelling, and interesting.

Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of personal essays.Here are the two main admission essays: A Personal Statement is a narrative piece describing how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the department but the academic discipline as a whole.This is often achieved by detailing social, educational, cultural, and economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives.Illustrating how a particular school meets all your needs and wants demonstrates a fully thought-out decision-making process, which is fundamental to the entire application. How will your personal life benefit from the degree and experience you will receive by graduating from a challenging Master’s or MBA programme?Search within yourself to find what motivates you most and what that degree will mean to you on a personal level.Have you studied the various career options this degree will allow, and are you committed to this particular path of study?You cannot convince an admissions committee of your commitment if you have trouble convincing yourself. To crystallize what you want to communicate in your essay, start by listing your professional goals and noting exactly how this degree programme will further them.Whether you are given a topic or you can pick from a list, make sure your essay stays on topic throughout.Keep a focus on your objectives for the essay, and be careful not to ramble or include too much extraneous information.To get a more complete picture of you as a candidate, admissions officers will often ask for a personal graduate school application essay, which may also be called a statement of purpose or a motivation letter. You are investing in a university or B-school by enrolling in its Master’s or MBA programme, and the school is making an investment in you as a student and potential alumnus.So they want to be sure you are prepared, willing, competent, and motivated to make the best of the opportunity you have been given to excel, both academically now and professionally throughout your life.