Sometimes, MBAs are so eager to land their next role that they say yes to the first job offer they get, but we want to caution you to be more intentional with your career. Your goal is not to find just any job, it is to find the right job for you. And, to be clear, you could very likely find multiple jobs that would be right for you. So how do you avoid the wrong ones?
In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, mbaMission Senior Consultant Harold Simansky and Managing Director Gavriella Semaya tackle the topic of candidates using AI when preparing their MBA applications. Although they both see value in applying the tool for grammar checks, light research, and brainstorming, the trouble starts when applicants let AI do more than support the writing process. When the technology begins shaping a candidate’s ideas or tone too significantly, the result is a loss of authenticity and singularity.
Candidates for Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business must provide just one written essay (of a somewhat succinct 500 words) in response to their choice of three questions. Applicants can discuss how their personal attributes and experiences could be additive to the school’s community, the leadership qualities they possess and how those will enable them to contribute to the McDonough community, or a particularly significant “win” from their professional life. McDonough also requires a short video essay in which candidates reveal something they have enjoyed within the recent past that is separate from their professional life. The school’s optional essay gives applicants the leeway to discuss anything they feel is necessary, so it should be sufficient to meet everyone’s needs. Our full analysis of McDonough’s essay prompts for 2026–2027 follows.
Many business school candidates take a straightforward, historical approach in their personal statement essays. Although this can be an easy way to organize your essay, it could deprive you of an opportunity to capture your reader’s interest with a more focused and gripping introduction. Nothing is fundamentally wrong with taking a historical approach, of course, but an anecdotal approach can sometimes be more effective at helping your essay stand out. Of course, this all comes down to execution.
The application essay requirements for the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame are fairly straightforward—or at least the written one is. To start, you must provide a statement that presents your career goals and discusses how the school can help you achieve them. You also need to craft a slide presentation that offers more information about yourself as an individual, separate from your professional and academic background. In addition, you are required to respond to a series of recorded video questions after submitting your application. Finally, an option to submit an additional essay exists, but the school wants candidates to be prudent in doing so. Read on for our full analysis of all Mendoza’s prompts for this season.
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Click here for the 2025–2026 MBA Essay Tips
