The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) requires two 400-word essays of its applicants. The first essay’s topic—“tell us your story”—is so open-ended that it will likely be challenging for some candidates, especially considering the limited word count. IMD’s second essay is more traditional, asking applicants what they hope to gain from the program. Candidates can also submit a short optional statement if they have additional information to disclose. For a full analysis of IMD’s essay questions for this application season, please read on.
IMD 2025–2026 Essay Tips
Essay 1 (required): Tell us your story – We want to hear about the experiences that have shaped you as a person. Share the moments, challenges, and lessons that have influenced your life and personal growth. This is your chance to offer insight into who you are beyond your resume. (400 words)
To decide what you should write about in this essay, start by taking inventory of what the admissions committee will already know about you from the other parts of your application: your test scores and GPA, your resume, your recommendations, and so on. You want to make the most of every available word, which means you do not want to repeat any information the school will get elsewhere.
Also, do not think that IMD has any set expectations regarding what you should write about in this essay; the admissions committee truly wants to get to know you better, and a great way of doing so is by asking, as they are here, what you feel is important to share about yourself and your life. Think of this essay as a kind of “elevator pitch” about who you are as an IMD candidate. What does the committee really need to know to be able to evaluate you fully and fairly for a spot in its next incoming class? Be sincere, and present yourself as the person you truly are.
Consider taking one of the following approaches to this essay:
- Focus on just one story. Maybe you have a single standout experience that exemplifies who you are and what you stand for. If this moment truly defines you and reflects the essence of your being, discussing it on its own should be fine. Do not worry that offering just a single anecdote will make you seem one-dimensional; it will not, as long as your story has inherent strength and power. Because you have such limited space, you will need to jump directly into the narrative and let the story tell itself. It needs to be sufficiently compelling and not require a lot of explanation.
- Take a thematic approach. For this strategy, you would write about a characteristic or attribute that has been central to your life. Do some self-exploration and see whether you can identify a thread that is common to your greatest achievements, thereby illustrating its importance in bringing you to where you are today. You must do more than simply state that theme, however. Instead, you need to offer your reader specific events/moments from your life that illustrate the theme and clearly convey your values.
- Discuss several key inflection points. The most important events and aspects of your life might not be easily captured or categorized within a neat and tidy theme or illustrated by a single story. If this is your situation, do not worry. You could instead highlight a few inflection points that were instrumental in shaping you into the individual you are today. This does not mean offering a linear biography or rehashing your resume. The admissions committee does not want a mere summary of your life; they want to learn about the catalysts and challenges you have encountered that have subsequently influenced how you view and interact with the world.
- Take a “mosaic” approach that combines multiple themes and stories. As complex humans, we are not driven by just one value, but by several. Taking a “mosaic” approach allows you to combine otherwise unrelated anecdotes that reveal different sides of you. However, you must be thoughtful about how you link the different stories you choose to share. Otherwise, your essay might read like a random assortment of examples, leaving the admissions committee confused and wondering what they were supposed to learn from it. For this approach to work well, make sure that the transitions between the themes/stories are smooth and natural.
Essay 2 (required): What areas of personal and professional development do you hope to explore during your time at IMD? (400 words)
With this prompt, the admissions committee wants you to explain why you feel you need to earn your MBA degree from IMD specifically. This essay is where you can prove to the school that you have done your research and have determined that the IMD program is ideal for helping you achieve your goals. To successfully do this, be sure to familiarize yourself with all the school’s courses, clubs, and events; pinpoint the ones most relevant to your needs; and then describe how they relate to and support your objectives. While you can (and should) gain this kind of knowledge from delving into IMD’s online materials and resources, speaking directly with students and alumni will typically provide you with even deeper insight into how the program will enable you to succeed in business school and after graduation. Plus, showing that you have genuinely engaged with the school and members of its community will help you stand out from other applicants who did not put in the same level of time and effort.
This essay covers some of the same topics as a traditional MBA personal statement, so we encourage you to download a free copy of the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which explains how to effectively approach these topics and offers several illustrative sample essays.
Optional Essay: Additional information that would be helpful for the Admissions Committee to be aware of (e.g., periods of time not employed, health-related challenges, academic circumstances, or any other unique situations)? (400 words)
In general, we believe that applicants should use a school’s optional essay to explain confusing or problematic issues in their candidacy, which this prompt does indeed allow. So, if you need to, use this opportunity to address any questions the admissions committee might have about something in your profile—such as a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, or an unconventional recommender. Our free mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, offers detailed advice (and multiple annotated examples) on how best to use the optional essay to mitigate any problem areas in your application.
IMD technically leaves the door open for you to share any other information about your candidacy that you feel might be pivotal or particularly compelling, but you should be judicious in deciding whether the admissions committee truly needs any more input to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. Do not fear that not offering some kind of response to this prompt would somehow count against you. By submitting an additional essay, you are requiring the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you must be absolutely sure that the added time is warranted. If you feel compelled to impart information that you believe would render your application incomplete if omitted, keep your statement(s) brief and on point.
