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You might have watched our video “Should You Use ChatGPT for MBA Admissions Essays?” As you most likely know, ChatGPT is a powerful natural language processing model that can generate realistic and engaging conversations based on your input. We will admit that it is really cool technology, and we have had fun trying out different MBA admissions essay prompts with it. But overall, the responses it generates—at least for now—are too generic to use in an MBA application.

The fundamental problem is that the AI knows absolutely nothing about you! So of course, it cannot generate an essay about what makes you you! It also knows nothing about the MBA admissions process or what admissions teams want in a candidate.   

We think offering some examples will help illustrate this more clearly. Let us start with this prompt: “In 25 words, what is something interesting about you that you would want your future classmates to know?” 

For each of the following responses, see if you can guess whether it was written by ChatGPT or an actual applicant:  

• I can speak and understand over 100 human languages!
• My band, Hammond Eggplant, once opened for a band that opened for a band that opened for Bon Jovi in 1983. I am the drummer.
• I can generate creative writing, answer questions, and help with tasks.

Okay, so that might have been too obvious. (The one written by an actual applicant was the second one, about the drummer.) But ChatGPT itself understands why its responses are so obviously not personal. When we typed in “What is something interesting about me that I would want my future classmates to know,” its response was, “As an AI language model, I don’t have information about your personal experiences or preferences.” Exactly! We could not have said it better. ChatGPT can write, but it cannot write about you.

Guess what? MBA programs want to know about you and what makes you a great applicant to their program. The admissions committees want to learn about what you have done professionally and in your community. They also want to hear about personal experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. And they want concrete examples that demonstrate who you are, what you do (and have done), and the impact you have had. ChatGPT just does not have any of that information and therefore cannot write a compelling essay about you.

Let us try another example. This one is actually not as immediately obvious, but I will point out what is missing. This is the prompt: “Write an essay about overcoming a challenge.” And here is ChatGPT’s response:

One of the significant challenges that I faced in my life was the fear of public speaking. As a child, I would avoid any situation that required me to speak in front of a group of people. Even simple tasks such as giving a presentation in class or reading out loud in front of the class would fill me with anxiety and dread.

This fear of public speaking followed me into my adult life, and it started to hold me back from achieving my goals. I realized that I could no longer avoid speaking in public if I wanted to progress in my career and personal life.

I decided to take control of the situation and start working on overcoming my fear. I started by researching and reading books on public speaking, attending workshops, and seeking advice from experts in the field. I also joined a public speaking club where I could practice speaking in front of an audience in a supportive environment.

It was a slow and challenging journey, but with each small step, I began to feel more confident and comfortable speaking in public. I learned to control my nerves and focus on my message rather than my fears. I also developed techniques to help me prepare and deliver speeches effectively.

Eventually, I was able to overcome my fear of public speaking, and it opened up new opportunities for me. I was able to take on more leadership roles in my work and community and communicate more effectively with others. It also gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that I had faced a significant challenge and overcome it.

Okay, to be fair, the introduction is not so bad, but we would suggest starting off with a more engaging narrative that draws the reader in: “My voice began to crack. I lost my train of thought. Was I having an out-of-body experience? No, I was trying to speak before an audience of 20 colleagues on my area of expertise, and these were people who knew me! But I still couldn’t get the words out.”

Otherwise, though, that is a pretty impressive essay, considering it was spit out in a matter of seconds. But here is the issue—it could be anyone’s essay. Read it again, and you will see that that it includes literally no specifics. And even if you were to add specifics to make the essay more personal to you, the structure of the essay still leaves you with a narrative from childhood that is a little cliched. And this of course is not even the challenge you overcame. We could point out a litany of other problems as well, but what is most important is that the essay never discusses what you were able to do concretely and what you later accomplished after overcoming your challenge. What new opportunities did you seize at work and in your community? What did you do, and what was the positive impact of your effective speaking? These elements should be main points in this essay, but again, because ChatGPT does not know you, this ends up being a missed opportunity.  

We are interested to see how this technology evolves. If someday, ChatGPT is able to learn about your professional accomplishments, community leadership, and personal experiences; determine which of those stories make you you; differentiate you from other applicants by offering specific personal examples; and show your fit with your target MBA programs, then we can talk (or chat). But for now, stick with your own creativity. 

If you would like to discuss your application essays and school selection in more detail with an expert MBA admissions consultant, sign up today for a free 30-minute consultation!

Ivey Business School does not demand too much from its candidates in the way of application essays, requiring just two submissions of 250 words each and a short video portion consisting of two one-minute recordings. For the first essay, candidates share their short-term professional plans and explain their interest in the Ivey program in particular. For the second, they must explore a challenge they have managed and present their takeaways from it. The videos should then round out these rather traditional essays by allowing applicants to share more of their personality with the admissions committee. For our full analysis of the school’s application essays for 2022–2023, read on.

Ivey Business School 2022–2023 Essay Tips

Question 1: Goals

What are your short-term career plans immediately post-MBA, and why is an Ivey MBA essential to those plans? (250 word limit)

With this straightforward query about your motivation to earn an MBA and expectations as to where you will go with it right after graduation, Ivey simply wants you to spell out what you have in mind as you approach this phase of your life and career. The school does not ask about your past professional experiences, but briefly providing some context for your goal could be good, especially if doing so strengthens or supports your stated aspirations in a clear way and helps the admissions committee better understand your trajectory and potential. 

To address the “why Ivey?” element of this prompt, you will need to discuss which of the school’s resources and/or what aspect(s) of its program as a whole will be most helpful to you in your pursuits, and this requires more than a pandering summarization or a stark list of offerings. This means you must move beyond the school’s website, viewbook, and related marketing materials and make direct contact with students, alumni, and other school representatives. If possible, attend an in-person admissions event or visit the campus to familiarize yourself with Ivey’s environment and resources, and if not, check out online events and options that might allow you to do so. 

Understanding what and who the school’s program truly entails, as well as how it works, is key in identifying and then articulating your need for an Ivey MBA in particular. By thoroughly doing your research on the school and drawing a clear picture for your admissions reader of how the particular offerings you have identified relate directly to your needs and how you intend to apply them, you increase your chances substantially of crafting a truly effective essay. 

The core components of this essay are elements of a traditional personal statement, so we encourage you to download your free copy of the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide, which explains ways of approaching these topics and offers several illustrative sample essays. And to learn more about Ivey’s academic program, unique resources, and other key features, download your free copy of the mbaMission Ivey Business School Program Guide as well.

Question 2: Decision 

Tell us about a challenge you have faced in your life, and what lessons you learned from it. (250 word limit)

A challenge or obstacle can be the catalyst for a powerful learning experience, whether you were able to completely overcome the impediment or not. So, for this essay, you can discuss a one-time occurrence or an ongoing issue that you deal with regularly. And because the school does not stipulate that the challenge you share be strictly professional or personal, you can (and should) consider every possible option you have from the various facets of your life—your workplace, academic background, family, personal life, community engagements, and so on. 

The one you ultimately choose should be the one that has made the most significant impact on how you view and/or operate in the world today. Ivey wants to understand how and what you learn from situations in which things do not go as planned. Your goal is to convey that you are not easily discouraged by setbacks but that you instead use them as learning tools or stepping-stones on your path forward.

Note that although the core essay prompt does not ask you directly about a decision you made in relation to this challenge, the “title” (for lack of a better word) of the essay question is “Decision.” We would therefore encourage you to select a story in which you had to make an important choice or call of some kind. If your best story for this essay does not center on a key decision, make sure to highlight other decisions you made in navigating the situation, to offer some insight into your thought processes when faced with alternatives and how you weigh options.

Consider using a narrative approach to tell your story, rather than simply stating the facts outright. Including vivid anecdotal details will help you most effectively convey the nature of your challenge. You want to ensure that the admissions reader fully grasps your struggle. Then, your explanation of what you have gleaned from the experience—and of the way in which you dealt (or are dealing) with the obstacle—will reveal your character. Avoid clichéd lessons, such as “resilience.” In what practical way have you been able to subsequently apply what you learned or expect to be able to do so in the future? Although the task might seem daunting at first, with a clearly presented narrative, you can indeed achieve all this in 250 words.

One important note: do not be afraid to reveal a weakness or error on your part. Although this is not a “failure” essay, if your actions helped create the obstacle or you failed to see the obstacle right before you (and should have), you should not shy away from an honest discussion of your responsibility. Such incidents are usually very effective learning opportunities and could therefore make for a compelling essay. The key is conveying what your takeaways are from the experience and explaining how it has influenced you and your life since.

Optional Essay Question 1: In your opinion, do your post-secondary grades accurately reflect your abilities? If no, please explain. (500 word limit)

Optional Essay Question 2: What, if anything, hasn’t this application given you the opportunity to say about yourself or circumstances you think would be important in the evaluation of your application? (500 word limit)

In general, we believe the optional essay is a good place for applicants to explain confusing or problematic issues in their candidacy, and one such issue that candidates often need to address is having a lower GPA than their target school’s average—or even just one that is lower than they feel they deserved. Ivey’s first optional prompt specifically invites such applicants to share the story behind their less-than-ideal academic background, which we assume is a welcome opportunity for some. So, if you need to, use this essay to address any questions the admissions committee might have about something in your transcript. Consider downloading our free mbaMission Optional Essays Guide, in which we offer detailed advice (and multiple annotated examples) on how best to approach the optional essay to mitigate problem areas in your application.

Although the second optional essay prompt here technically leaves the door open for you to share any other information about your candidacy that you feel might be pivotal or particularly compelling, be judicious in deciding whether the admissions committee truly needs any more input to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. The Ivey application introduces these optional essay prompts by saying, “Please answer the questions below ONLY if they apply to your situation,” so do not feel that you absolutely must submit a response to either of them. The admissions committee pretty clearly does not want any additional input unless it is indeed warranted in some way. 

Do not fear that not submitting some kind of response to these prompts will somehow count against you (it will not). Because every additional essay demands that the admissions committee do extra work on your behalf, you must be absolutely sure that the added time will be worthwhile on their end. If you ultimately feel compelled to impart information that you believe would render your application incomplete if omitted, keep your statement(s) brief and on point.

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At most top business schools, aspiring MBAs apply in one of three application rounds: Round 1 in September or October, Round 2 in January, and Round 3 in March or April. As an applicant, you might be wondering, When is the ideal time for me to apply?

Round 1 is generally considered the best one in which to apply. The schools’ classes are wide open, and the admissions officers have fresh eyes—no application fatigue from reading thousands of applications just yet. Applying in the first round also emphasizes your interest in the program. You are showing the admissions committee that you are committed and really want to be admitted to their school. Round 1 is also particularly beneficial for candidates from overrepresented groups, such as consultants and private equity applicants. Because the programs can accept only a certain number of applicants from these crowded pools, anyone in these groups will want to grab their place in the class before the schools no longer have the flexibility to make them an admissions offer.

Does that mean you should throw in the towel after Round 1, then? Absolutely not. Most MBA programs actually admit the most applicants in Round 2. So, if you are a very strong applicant in Round 1, you should be just fine in Round 2, when the dynamic changes imperceptibly but not that substantially. And if you can use the time leading up to Round 2 to improve your profile in a meaningful way—such as by pushing your tests scores up significantly or earning a promotion—then waiting to submit until then can be very much worthwhile.

What about Round 3, or the last round for those MBA programs that have four rounds? This final round is what most schools refer to as a “shaping” round. The admissions committee has given out many offers by this point and is starting to see how the class is taking shape. So when Round 3 comes around, they might say, for example, “We need a few more countries represented. Be on the lookout for international candidates!” or “We usually have a higher number of women in our class. Let’s take steps to balance out the class in this round.” While an absolutely remarkable applicant can get accepted in any round, Round 3 is almost never the right time for an overrepresented candidate to apply. The final round is really for applicants who can help the admissions officers create a diverse class or who offer unique professional experience (e.g., an ER doctor) that might otherwise be lacking.

One last round to mention is Early Decision, which is not broadly used in MBA admissions but is available at a few top programs, including Duke Fuqua and UVA Darden. Early Decision is a way to get preferred consideration and to know your outcome much earlier in the process, but it comes with a nonrefundable financial commitment. Plus, if you are accepted, you must rescind all your applications to other schools. So, if your target school offers Early Decision, make sure that you are 100% certain you want to commit to that program before you decide to apply in that round.

To view the upcoming application deadlines for approximately 30 top domestic and international MBA programs, you can visit our deadlines page here. And if you have any questions about which round you should apply in, we encourage you take advantage of our free, 30-minute consultation to discuss your options with one of our experts.

This post was written by our resident Career Coach, Elissa Harris. To sign up for a free 30-minute career consultation with Elissa, please click here.

An effective LinkedIn profile for job searching or increasing your professional visibility requires more than cutting and pasting information from your resume into the online platform. 

You can craft your About section in lots of different ways. To help you determine what is best for you and your profile, here are five questions that can help you create an About section that makes a positive first impression:

Does it tell your story? Does it clearly convey how you add value in a professional setting?

Use the About section to explain who you are as a professional (e.g., industry, function, and level of seniority), your skills and contributions, and your passions. The About section is basically the “pitch” (or introduction) you would give verbally during a networking conversation. Do not shy away from incorporating a bit of your personality. 

Does it appeal to your target audience? Does it adhere to your industry’s norms? 

Your About section should not be a summary of everything you have done but rather a forward-looking curation of the most relevant things you have done that you want to keep doing in the future. Who is your intended audience? What information is most compelling to that audience? 

Does it quickly grab the reader’s attention?

Although you have 2,000 characters in the About section, only 200 characters are visible to the reader without their clicking “see more” to read the rest. Write a catchy (not cheesy) first sentence that captures who you are and encourages the reader to continue engaging with your content. Maintain the reader’s attention by writing in short paragraphs or using bullets; limit the total length of your About section to no more than 300 words.

Are you using relevant keywords? 

Avoid overused words (e.g., “passionate,” “expert,” “experienced,” “leadership,” “creative”), which can become meaningless unless you demonstrate those attributes. Consider the terms a recruiter might plug into the search bar—perhaps job titles or industry-specific vocabulary—looking for somebody with your expertise. Use those words in your About section. 

Is it error free? 

Proofread! Ensure that the content is easy to digest quickly and has no grammatical mistakes or typos. Confirm that all the information is factually accurate and appropriate for a public platform. 

If you get stuck, try the following tips to identify appropriate content for your About section:

• Reflect on your values and goals. What are your guiding principles? Why are you passionate about your current job or industry? Do you have any unique knowledge?  
• Review the LinkedIn profiles of people in your industry and/or people who have your target job. Identify what you like and dislike about their About section. 
• Read job descriptions that interest you, and take note of recurring hard skills and keywords—especially in the responsibilities/tasks section. 
• Record your verbal introduction. Write down what you said, and then tweak the language to be appropriate for the written form. 
• Ask friends and colleagues to describe you and how you contribute at work.

In this blog series, our mbaMission Career Coaches offer invaluable advice and industry-related news to help you actively manage your career. Topics include building your network, learning from mistakes and setbacks, perfecting your written communication, and mastering even the toughest interviews. To schedule a free half-hour consultation with one of our mbaMission Career Coaches, click here.

With the start of orientation less than two months away for many MBA programs, we know some of you are finishing up your jobs, planning cross-country (or international!) moves, and thinking about how to transform your career goals into reality. 

Business school will offer you tremendous opportunity for personal and professional growth, but preparation is key to taking full advantage of this opportunity. Here are five actionable steps you can take to lay the foundation for a successful internship search before you even set foot on campus:

1. Evaluate and narrow down your career goals. 

Write down each major job/role you have had to date, and for each one, record the following information: what you liked most/least about the role, what skills you developed in the role, and how the role related to and/or influenced your current career goals. Employers want to know why working at their organization makes sense for you; this exercise will help you identify information and examples you can use in your career narrative. 

2. Update your network. 

Send personalized emails to your contacts letting them know you are leaving your job and will be attending business school. Explain your career goals and thank them for their support. Change the headline in your LinkedIn profile to reflect your upcoming MBA experience (e.g., “MBA Candidate @ XXXX | Focused on XXXXX”), and in August, post about your arrival on campus on your LinkedIn news feed. 

3. Become an “insider” in your target industry. 

Identify and read trade publications and relevant industry news sources to understand the challenges facing your target industry (as well as recent hiring trends). Use the information you gather to develop a perspective on your target market. Learn how your intended industry hires MBAs. Via on-campus recruiting? Or will your job search need to be very networking driven ? 

4. Identify at least ten potential target companies. 

As you do your research, make a robust list of potential employers. Look beyond the obvious ones (e.g., Google, McKinsey & Company) and consider other firms. Which ones provide similar services? Which ones offer the opportunity to develop some of the same skills? Follow these companies on LinkedIn. See how they position themselves and what they are doing to address changing market dynamics. 

5. Write down any potential obstacles to your internship search. 

We know that the internship search can be overwhelming, and feeling apprehensive is totally normal, but discussing your concerns with a career advisor and/or your peers will help you discover actionable ways to overcome them. For example, many international students might realize that American-style networking is completely new to them. Finding ways to learn the nuances of this networking approach and gaining comfort with it will be critical for job search success.

Here is one final tip: read all emails from your MBA program—especially those from the career management office! Schedule an advising appointment with the career center as soon as such meetings are made available to incoming students. Given the tighter job market, getting an early start and incorporating job search best practices into your process will help you optimize your time and differentiate you as a candidate.  

We at mbaMission are so excited for your new journey and wish you the best of luck. And remember, we are always here to support you and can supplement offerings from your school’s career center, if needed. 

Have you been admitted to business school? If so, do you want to get a head start on defining your career goals? Do you need help preparing for job interviews or learning how to effectively network with your target employers? Or maybe you want to be a top performer in your current role but are unsure how to maximize your potential. Let an mbaMission Career Coach help via a free 30-minute consultation!