Sample Essays (From Great Application Essays for Business School)

Collected from http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/mbainsider/sample_essays.html

Sample essays (from Great Application

Essays for Business School)

The following are essays from the book Great Application Essays for Business School

(McGraw-Hill, 2005) that is being made available on BusinessWeek Online.

CONTENT

1. Kellogg - Career Progress Essay.......................................................................................211

2. Wharton - Personal Achievement Essay...........................................................................514

3. MIT Sloan Cover Letter Essay............................................................................................817

4. NYU Stern - Creative Essay..............................................................................................1120

5. American (Kogod) - Essay 1.............................................................................................1423

6. Arizona (Eller) - Essay 1....................................................................................................1524

7. Baylor (Hankamer) - Essay 1............................................................................................1826

8. Boston College (Carroll): Essay 1....................................................................................1928

9. Boston College (Carroll) - Essay 2...................................................................................2231

10. Boston University - Essay 1............................................................................................2433



13. BYU (Marriott) - Essay 1..................................................................................................3039

14. UC Berkeley (Haas) - Essay 2.........................................................................................3241

15. UC Berkeley (Haas): ) - Essay 3......................................................................................3342

16. UC Berkeley (Haas) - Essay 4.........................................................................................3544

17. University of California, Irvine: - Essay 1.....................................................................3745

18. UCLA (Anderson) - Essay 1............................................................................................3846

19. UCLA (Anderson): ) - Essay 2.........................................................................................4048

20. UCLA (Anderson): ) - Essay 3.........................................................................................4149

21. Cambridge (Judge) - Essay 2..........................................................................................4251

22. Cambridge (Judge) - Essay 3..........................................................................................4352

23. Case Western Reserve (Weatherhead) - Essay 1..........................................................4553

24. University of Chicago - Essay 2......................................................................................4755

25. Chicago School of Business - Essay 3..........................................................................4856

26. Columbia - Essay 1..........................................................................................................5058

27. Columbia - Essay 4..........................................................................................................5361

28. University of Connecticut - Essay 1...............................................................................5664

29. Cornell (Johnson) - Essay 1............................................................................................5765

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30. Cranfield University - Essay 1........................................................................................5966

31. Cranfield - Essay 3...........................................................................................................6068

32. Cranfield - Essay 4.............................................................................................................6270

1. Kellogg - Career Progress Essay

Vassily K. (Admitted by Kellogg)

Essay prompt: Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate

on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a

graduate degree at Kellogg. (1-2 pages double-spaced)

"You came all the way from Israel?" Though my initial reason for visiting

Honolulu was in fact a study abroad program at the University of Hawaii, my

tour guide at Olakino Life's international headquarters could have been

forgiven for getting it wrong. My personal pilgrimage to Oahu to see the

birthplace of the firm that epitomizes socially and environmentally responsible

business on the Pacific Rim was one of the true highlights and lasting influences

of my semester. My conversion was total: I studied Vance Nakamatsu's book

"Pacific Healthy," visited Olakino Lifes all across the Pacific Rim, and even sent

a letter to Mr. Nakamatsu himself. [Effective word choice ("pilgrimage," "conversion")

convinces reader that Vassily is a true believer in corporate social responsibility]

Though I had learned about Olakino Life during my international

marketing course at University of Hawaii, it only crystallized a realization that

had been forming since my first marketing class at the Jerusalem College of

Technology: marketing, not software engineering, was my real calling. [Deftly

introduces essay's second theme-marketing-by tying it into story he opened essay with] I

was gripped by the world of consumer behavior, brand management, and

marketing strategy I glimpsed through that class, and after returning to Israel

added a second major in marketing. Since that semester abroad, my career

path has become an unconsciously choreographed dance between two themes:

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corporate marketing and social responsibility. My experiences with Olakino Life

and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide have shown me that, with an MBA, it will be

possible to fuse these two themes into one. [Wisely ties story into need for MBA at

earliest opportunity]

I joined Tel Aviv Consulting after graduation because I knew that as a

mid-sized management consulting firm specializing in marketing and sales it

would offer me an ideal blend of functional focus and project variety. Over the

next two years, I helped grow its first global product marketing strategy project

to more than 35 people; rose to manager of the firm's flagship market analysis

tool, MarketTouch; and, in my last assignment, helped plan the launch of a new

$17 million data security product for one of the firm's largest clients. I moved to

Wolfgang Puck Worldwide in 2002 to gain exposure to qualitative, more

traditional consumer-focused brand marketing and to work with a corporation

with a fully developed corporate responsibility program. Starting with the

Market Research department enabled me to lead both quantitative and

qualitative consumer research market studies while I learned about the

industry. I transferred to the brand marketing team for Wolfgang Puck's

Catering & Events Group in November 2002 because I knew working in the

company's smallest operational unit would expose me to many different

functions and enable me to assume greater responsibility than marketers

working on larger brands have. I did everything from manage the marketing

campaigns, develop long-term event schedules, and create custom marketing

programs to ensure integration between reputation and execution and train the

marketing department. [Paragraph deftly interweaves accomplishments with his

explanations for his career shifts]

The responsibilities of jump-starting the Catering & Events Group were

demanding. Almost immediately after joining Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, I had

joined its Community Participation Team for the environment, where I had the

pleasure of participating in such events as a local park clean-up and an Earth

Day clean-up/celebration. Because the Catering & Events Group was undergoing

a transitional period, however, I frequently had to work 12-hour days, which left

me virtually no time for the community involvement that gave my career

balance.

To find that balance I seek a career that will marry my parallel interests

in marketing and corporate social responsibility. My long-term career goal is to

start or join a consultancy that specializes in corporate social responsibility

issues or cause-related marketing/branding like The Wishnow Group or Sutton

Social Marketing. By showing for-profit companies how to integrate values and

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social issues into their brand equity, organizational identity, and daily business

practices, I will help firms build sustainable competitive advantages in a socially

and environmentally responsible way. Toward that end, my short-term goal is

to work for one of the elite socially and/or environmentally responsible

companies or brands such as a Brand Manager for Avon or Marketing Manager

for Olakino Life or Chiquita Brands. [Compact but meaty description of two-stage

career plan]

To establish a foundation to make my career goals plausible, I chose to

leave Wolfgang Puck Worldwide in August 2003 and pursue an experience that

would bring my dual community and marketing interests back into balance

before beginning an MBA program in 2004. In August 2003, I became a member

of Points of Light Foundation, a Washington-based volunteer center and

national network that recruits and mobilizes millions of volunteers nationwide

to solve serious social problems in thousands of U.S. communities. Today,

through Points of Light Foundation's Youth & Family Outreach program I

analyze data from the national evaluation of the Points of Light Youth

Leadership Institute; help create reports to communicate results of the PLYLI

evaluation to stakeholders and funders; and help design and format the

Service-Learning Impacting Citizenship curriculum.

The Kellogg School of Management--renowned for the excellence of its

marketing program and its commitment to community--represents the same

fusion of marketing and community I seek in my career. [Nicely establishes

paragraph's theme: the tight link between his career goals and Kellogg's

program] As a dual marketing and public/nonprofit management major, I can

build an in-depth understanding of such advanced topics as product

development and design, marketing channel strategies, and sales promotion to

prepare myself for a position in brand/marketing management after graduation.

To develop a framework for socially responsible business, I will study nonprofit

management, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and change management

among other topics. Supplemental courses in subjects like finance,

management and strategy, and organizational behavior will help prepare me for

my longer-term interests in consulting and entrepreneurship.

More generally, the accelerated, flexible nature of Kellogg's four-quarter

MBA program will enable me return to the workforce as quickly as possible.

[Note shift in this paragraph from curricular to extracurricular reasons for

choosing Kellogg] I plan to participate actively in such student organizations as

the Social Impact Club, Marketing Club, and Business With a Heart. I am also

interested in participating in a Kellogg Service Initiative before the fall quarter

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and in one of the Global Initiatives in Management (GIM) in the winter. Finally,

Kellogg's noncompetitive, team-oriented culture is an excellent fit for me. Three

campus visits and conversations with Kellogg friends Norm DeVry (Class of '02)

and Sharon Weisberg (Class of '00) have already made me feel a part of the

Kellogg community. [References to multiple campus visits and specific Kellogg

people show true interest] Time and again I have witnessed students'

cooperative, supportive team spirit in my visits to the Jacobs Center to attend

classes, Social Impact Club meetings, and TGF social events. I am continually

impressed by the caliber of Kellogg students and their willingness to help

others even during this year's ultra-competitive recruiting season. [Ends

somewhat abruptly but only after making very strong case]

2. Wharton - Personal Achievement Essay

Naomi K. (Admitted by Wharton)

Essay prompt: Describe a personal achievement that has had a

significant impact on your life. In addition to recounting this

achievement, please analyze how the event has changed your

understanding of yourself and how you perceive the world around

you. (3 pages, 1000 words)

Since 1997, I have been volunteering as a Big Brother for a 12-year-old boy

named Lonnie through the Alameda County United Way's Big Brother/Big Sister

program. [Naomi's story is strong enough that she can get away with a direct,

"uncreative" lead sentence] When I joined the organization, it was clear that

Lonnie needed someone to boost his self-esteem. At the end of his school term,

Lonnie's mother told me that he did not do very well in math so I also started to

help him with his homework. We spent last summer doing extra math work, and

I tried to spark his interest in math by explaining things to him using examples

from his favorite activity: sports. Once he understood that math had practical

value for things in his own life, he was able to catch up to other students. In the

fall term Lonnie improved his grade from a C to a B. Hearing this news was one

of the proudest moments of my life.

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Later in the spring term, however, Lonnie experienced behavioral problems

emanating from his inability to control his anger at his school, and the school

authorities moved him to a special school. [Effective use of a "plot reversal":

apparent happy ending leads to deeper challenge] He told me he missed his old

school a lot and was willing to do anything for a chance to go back. He also

admitted that he knew he might get his chance if he could control his anger.

Seeing that Lonnie needed somebody to help him control his emotions, I worked

to give him a sense of security and urged him to reason out the implications of

the actions his anger drove him to. I also encouraged him to get a summer job

to develop a sense of responsibility. He listened to and practiced my advice,

and by the end of summer the authorities allowed him to return to his old

school.

My friendship with Lonnie over the past two years is one of my proudest

achievements because I have seen the tangible effect my help is having on his

confidence and his life. The feeling that I can improve someone else's life by

giving of myself is deeply satisfying. Before Lonnie let me help him, I used to

divide the world into two parts: good and bad. The Good were the law-abiding

citizens like you and me, and the Bad were the criminals we often see on TV

being arrested. I firmly believed that all criminals had to be incarcerated and

held responsible for their deeds. But by helping Lonnie through his behavioral

problem, I realized that had all those "bad" people gotten help in their

formative years, they might not have chosen the path they did. [Strong "lesson

learned": life is more complicated then she used to believe] Because of my experience

with Lonnie, my whole outlook toward society and the world has changed. I no

longer believe that incarcerating young people who break the law is the only

solution. Though incarceration might help in the short term, the longer-term

solution is to take care of the problem proactively. If we all were to devote

some time and effort and influence to the lives of the less fortunate, the world

would definitely be a better place to live in.

Motivated by the positive impact I had on Lonnie's life and the change it

had on my outlook, I began participating in other community activities where I

can make the world a better place. [Effectively uses impact of one personal

accomplishment to tell a second personal accomplishment] While reading about the

recent skirmishes between the Bosnian and Serbian armies, for example, I was

moved by the sacrifices made by the Bosnian armed forces to protect their

country from internal or external invasion. My research showed me that

although the Bosnian Army provides sufficient financial support to soldiers

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killed during war, it does not provide the same level of support to the families

of soldiers killed in internal counterinsurgency operations.

The amount of money the average American spends eating one restaurant

meal could pay for an entire month's education and living expenses for one

child of a slain soldier in Bosnia. I therefore decided to found an organization

that would establish a scholarship fund for these children. [Shows impressive

ability to translate her social concern into concrete action] My friends greeted my idea

enthusiastically, and I soon had five volunteers who were willing to support the

cause by paying a nominal amount every month for the education of these

fatherless children. However, I encountered bureaucratic red tape when I

presented Bosnia's Veterans Wives Welfare Association with my plan. To cut

through it, I contacted the adjutant general of Bosnian Army, Lieutenant

General S. L. Nemosevic, and detailed my plan directly to him. [Shows she can go

straight to the top when necessary] Impressed by the idea, he promptly offered all

the help he could give.

Leveraging my experience as a volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, I

then formed an organization, [organization name] (Slavic for "helper of brave

warrior") whose sole aim is to bring together host families and beneficiary

families. The Adjutant General's Office provides us with the contact information

and estimated financial needs of the families of the slain soldiers, and we

match them with a host family living abroad who donates up to $30 a month.

The beneficiary family is required to write the host family every month about

the child's academic performance and furnish them and [organization name]

with grade reports. [Paragraph is full of specific details that make achievement

credible]

While talking to some Bosnians living in the United States about my plan to

set up the fund, I learned that they were uncomfortable with the lack of

transparency in the way funds would be disbursed. To address their fears and

ensure the appropriate disbursal of the donated funds, I am now contacting

Bosnia-based banks to help us facilitate a one-to-one transfer of funds between

the host and beneficiary families. I am also setting up a web site

(http://www.organizationname.com) to promote the cause amongst Bosnians

living abroad. I plan to recruit more volunteers and meet a target of ten host

families by year's end by starting low-cost campaigns like chain e-mails and by

setting up information booths at Yugoslavian functions. [magnifies impact of her

achievement by showing she plans to expand it]

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The change in my outlook that Lonnie effected opened my eyes to the

responsibility each of us has to serve our local community, whether it's down

the street or on the other side of the globe. Because Lonnie let me help him in

his community I was able to establish [organization name] to serve my own

community by rehabilitating the families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives

for Bosnia's security.

3. MIT Sloan Cover Letter Essay

Ingrid T. (Admitted by MIT Sloan)

Essay prompt: The cover letter serves as a sort of executive

summary for your application. It is also the written equivalent of

the first impression which you make when meeting someone for

the first time. As such, it should reflect a great deal of time,

thought, and energy. Ideally, we will finish reading your cover

letter eagerly anticipating reading the rest of the application. (500-

800 words).

Dear Admissions Committee Members:

It is with the single-minded determination to become a new product

development manager in the supercomputing industry that I am applying for a

seat in the MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2003. [This lead would be too stolid for an essay,

but because of MIT's business-letter format it works here] Pursuing an MBA at this

time fits perfectly with my career goals and eventual desire to start my own

venture.

Ambition, achievement, and acceleration are common themes in my

academic and professional experiences. I chose the Hamburg Technische

Institute (HTI) for undergraduate studies not for its top-ranked Advanced

Computing program, but for its unparalleled emphasis on developing well-

rounded leaders and managers who can take charge in tough situations, readily

address any audience on any topic, and provide effective and efficient solutions

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for challenging problems. No other college in the world offers its students such

extensive practical summer training; by the time I graduated, I had been a

contributing member of a hot-air balloon team, a Baltic resort design group, a

Berlin art museum renovation technology team, and a DM400 million

government supercomputer project. [Responds to MIT's instructions for a "summary"

by telegraphing several key projects that intrigue reader in her other essays]

I was one of only a select few engineering students to pursue a minor in

Arabic, and was among only 4% of my classmates admitted to an early-entrance

fast-track graduate program in my third year at HTI. Now, in considering

graduate business programs, I am seeking a rigorous academic curriculum with

parallel opportunities to put theory into practice. In this regard Sloan stands

out among the top MBA programs, setting the standard with programs like the

MIT $50K Entrepreneurship Competition and by providing MBA students with

special access to the world-renowned Media Lab.

The leadership and service experiences I had as an HTI honors student and

government consultant have had a tremendous impact on my interests outside

of work. Whenever possible, I have committed my time and energy to my local

community whether co-directing an orphanage in Ethiopia, helping the children

of Turkish Gastarbeiter seek job opportunities, or raising funds for the

reconstruction of the Marienkirche in Dresden by participating in cross-country

skiing events.

I feel very fortunate to be able to share my most substantial

accomplishments with you: [Use of bullets provides visual relief and allows Ingrid to

cover wide-ranging material without seeming to ramble]

- Graduating first in the HTI Supercomputing Department's Scientists

Training Program, and later ranking 1st among 35 peer HTI undergraduate

researchers assigned to the Bundes Wirtschaftliche Agentur (BWA); being

personally selected to serve on the BWA Director's East German Integration

Team

- Leading, managing, and motivating 106 scientific and business personnel

in four different organizations responsible for computer design, marketing,

commercialization, and supercomputing project evaluations

- Earning the designation Zeugnis für Supercomputing Systeme Bauweise

Fachmann (ZSSBF), earned by fewer than 4,900 high-speed computing

professionals and equivalent in the industry to the CPA and CFA certifications

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- Achieving success as a commercial project and account manager for

China's largest chemical products distributor and the world's largest robotics

manufacturing company, delivering over DM$15M in scientific consulting

services[Ingrid offsets her letter's somewhat formal tone with several truly impressive

mini-accomplishments]

My past scientific and commercial experiences involved immersing myself

in the management issues of high-tech organizations, honing my leadership and

organizational skills, and allowing me to develop extensive expertise in

supercomputing. I now wish to apply these experiences and knowledge towards

improving existing private-sector computing applications by employing

advanced computing designs, as I am certain that the next few years will

witness a surge in the efforts of businesses to exploit the data-mining and

modeling benefits supercomputers permit.

Considering my rapidly building career momentum and interests, now is

the most appropriate time for me to pursue an MBA and grow my new

technology product development skills. Sloan's MBA curriculum will supplement

my engineering background with a solid understanding of marketing, finance,

and technology management. A new product development manager must

interface effectively with different business functions, identify and manage the

best design strategies, and quickly make sound decisions on the basis of often

limited information. The New Product and Venture Development track's focus

on innovation will help me to become an adaptive and strategic-minded new

product development manager. The chance for hands-on experience through

MIT's Entrepreneurship Lab will enhance my grasp of the management tools and

techniques successfully applied by rapidly growing ventures. Immediately

following my MBA, I intend to assume a position as a technology design

manager at a high-intensity startup where I can lead teams in building

innovative, useful, high-quality, and profitable supercomputers, such as those

now offered by Siemens, Cray, and IBM.

Reflecting on the strong relationships I have maintained with my Hamburg

Technische Institute classmates, I welcome the chance to build equally strong

bonds with my Sloan classmates, enriching my classroom experiences by

interacting with them on both social and professional levels. Looking five to 10

years into the future, I would like to start my own venture involving

supercomputing technologies. Being able to tap into the extensive experience

of Sloan School alumni and the greater MIT alumni communities will be a

powerful catalyst for my efforts to create a viable business plan, secure

funding, and successfully build a profitable company.

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My direct and very recent experience as an early employee of a startup

reveals that the road of an entrepreneur is freshly paved with calculated risks

and varying uncertainty. Since experiencing the German government's rejection

of my application for research funding earlier this month, I am undeterred in my

resolve to improve myself as a leader, manager, and supercomputing

professional, and am eagerly awaiting my next opportunity for growth and

success. [Takes risk by mentioning a setback so near end of essay, but preceding

paragraphs have shown Ingrid's successes, goals, and knowledge of MIT's resources to be

so strong that her admission only enhances her credibility]

I look forward to the opportunity for a personal interview and would be

pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding my candidacy.

With warm regards,

4. NYU Stern - Creative Essay

Ashish S. (Admitted by NYU Stern)

Essay prompt: Creatively describe yourself to your MBA classmates.

You may use any method to convey your message: words,

illustrations, etc. (2 pages)

Like any other test day, I was extremely nervous on August 3, 2003, and

had slept poorly the night before. [Uses intriguing lead-in to pique reader's interest]

The horror stories I had heard about Master Chang's black belt tests had been

gnawing at me since I began my training, thirty-three months earlier. Knowing

that this test was going to be even more grueling than that for my red belt, I

was amazed at my courage in even showing up.

As I entered the gym, I remembered the beginning, the day I had asked the

owner of the fitness equipment store next door what he thought of Master

Chang. He said simply, "He offers real martial arts instruction. Most places

don't." More than two years of continuous training and countless competitions

against other schools' students had convinced me that the storeowner was





right. I was part of a training program that had no equal. As my training

progressed, I became fascinated by the philosophical underpinnings of our style

of martial art, traditional Tae Kwon Do. I learned everything I could about the

principles of sustaining determination and focus, maintaining an unassuming

demeanor, and constantly remaining attentive to my surroundings so as to

better respond to any situation. [Shows his dedication to this hobby has a deeper,

"philosophical" side] The milestones of my journey to my black belt were still

vivid: my first sparring match, my first successful spinning heel kick, the first

time one of the high-ranking students told me my technique looked good. With

each new achievement my resolve to complete the journey grew stronger

So, despite our anxieties, here we were, the seven students who had risen

through the ranks together, steeling ourselves for the most arduous exhibition

we had ever experienced: the black belt test. But as I listened to Master Chang

count us through our 1,500-crunch warm-up a feeling of calm fell over me. I was

experiencing a pivotal moment in my life, but I had been through such moments

before. I recalled the day in June 1997 when I decided to leave Indian Institute

of Technology Roorkee to gain a Western business education at University of

Michigan. [Use of flashback here shows Ashish's response to Stern's invitation to be

creative] I had enjoyed my year at IIT, from the academic awards in my first

semester and the invitation to join a prominent student club to making several

lifelong friends. University of Michigan's fit with my goals was inescapable,

however: an entrepreneurial atmosphere in the American business environment

coupled with a substantive natural resources & environment program that

would enable me to build my own environmental consulting company after

graduating. When Michigan offered me an expedited spot in the semester

beginning in January, I knew what I had to do.

At 600 crunches, I ignored the pain in my abdominal muscles and

remembered the summer vacations in Ann Arbor I had spent working at

Musgrave Enviro Systems. [Effectively uses the stages of the 1,500-crunch warm-up

exercise to work in self-revealing examples from different parts of his life] I decided to

work for Musgrave, a local environmental consultancy, because it would give

me a working knowledge of environmental consulting. At Musgrave I learned

how to do work in an analytical laboratory and gained an understanding of

wastewater treatment and solid waste management as well as familiarity with

local environmental regulations. Moreover, I was able to interact with

environmental consultants, engineers, concerned citizens, corporate

executives, and government officials-the dramatis personae of the industry.

Dealing personally with all of these individuals showed me what they were like,





what their jobs demanded, and how they responded to inevitable changes and

problems. This six-month apprenticeship became not only a foundation but also

a prerequisite for my career with my startup, New Earth Services, a colloquium

on the art and science of environmental consulting.

At 1,200 crunches the pain and fatigue were harder to ignore, but I focused

on the day two years before when I had stood glowing triumphantly in a

reclaimed greenfield site outside Flint, Michigan. As I waited for Bundy Motors'

attorneys to arrive for the final handover ceremony I reflected on the deal

about to crystallize, my most significant to date. The Environmental Protection

Agency's ruling against Bundy had vindicated New Earth Services' study of the

hazards posed by the old Bundy facility and opened the door for a public buy-

out of the site for remediation as a public park. My in-depth analysis concluded

that there was sufficient equity in the deal to turn a profit and cash out

investors. The deal made headlines in the local press and doubled New Earth

Services' business. Standing there scanning the early-spring grass, I felt a

surge of pride at my accomplishment.

At 1,500 crunches, it was time to leave my life's pivotal moments behind

and face my latest one: Master Chang. In a grueling four-hour marathon we

were required to perform every strike, block, form, and board break we had

learned before finally sparring with multiple attackers. Both our physical and

mental stamina were tested as we threw unremitting combinations of kicks and

punches with little time to stop and regain equilibrium. When fatigue brought

me to the verge of full collapse during a flurry of push-ups, I fixed my mind on

the number "10"-the percentage of students who ultimately earned their black

belts from Master Chang-and rode through the exhaustion.

Three weeks later Master Chang presented me with a black belt before the

entire advanced class. My martial arts career has taught me the same lesson as

my entrepreneurial environmental consulting career: with dedication and

determination anything is attainable. Humble perseverance is superior to

impulsive audacity. Cumulative action speaks louder than words. [Effectively

draws distinctive and well-earned lessons from his moment of truth and triumph]





5. American (Kogod) - Essay 1

Question: Why do you wish to pursue a master's degree from the

Kogod School of Business? (Your statement should include short- and long-term

career goals and your ability to undertake graduate education at this time.)

I moved to New York in 1998, intent on becoming a professional writer. In

my mind, that meant supporting myself solely by my writing and eventually

having a book published. At the time, I expected these career goals would take

at least ten years to achieve. But due to hard work, perseverance, and a little

bit of luck, I had been successful. Not only had I become a staff writer for a Wall

Street-based financial website less than two years after arriving in New York,

but had made the difficult transition into self-employment and freelancing.

Yet by the time my wife and I relocated to Richmond, this was no longer

enough. I knew that I wanted to pursue an MBA, but still had not achieved all

my existing goals. Although I was a professional journalist, I still had yet to

publish a book. I decided to pursue this goal before returning to school, and

took the opportunity to breathe new life and drive into my day-to-day work by

expanding into new areas of writing. Soon, I was no longer just a journalist, but

a ghostwriter for private clients, a copywriter for corporations, and a published

author. At the beginning of 2003, I had never published a book in my life. By

year's end, I had written four – one published under my name, and three

ghostwritten for clients published under their names.

As I worked on these books last summer, I considered the next step in my

career. Feeling proud of my ability to achieve both goals in less than five years,

I also realized that my opportunities as a self-employed writer were narrowing.

My success was encouraging, yet I had not reached my full potential. I wanted

to take my career in a new direction, and acknowledged that I am at my best,

both professionally and personally, when I am challenged to learn something

new. Although I had written for a variety of clients and publications on various





topics, and had written books both for a national publisher and self-published

individuals, I had run out of challenges in the world of self-employment.

So as I began creating new goals for myself, I realized that one thing was

essential to the next step in my career – an MBA.

I say this because although I intend to continue writing, I want to

eventually run my own publication and/or business. At this point, I'm uncertain

just what that would be, but I've learned that few executives in the publishing

world are accomplished writers themselves. By getting an MBA and working

towards an executive position at a media or publishing company, I would have

an opportunity to do something few in the business can – bridge the gap

between content and management.

As I discussed this with colleagues, clients, my mentor, and others, my

opinions were reinforced and I was encouraged to pursue this route. Today, I

am confident and ready to gain the business education necessary to achieve the

goal I've set for myself.

6. Arizona (Eller) - Essay 1

QUESTION: What are your current career objectives and what role

does the MBA have in helping you achieve them?

My long-term career goals are in the field of marketing with a specific

interest in brand management. The importance of well-managed brands in a

competitive market cannot be overstated. They create significant value and

consistently generate higher returns than industry competitors. Effective brand

management benefits all stakeholders: customers, shareholders and

employees. In many respects a brand is an identity, effectively managing that

identity will have significantly positive long-term effects on a companies

competitive position in the marketplace.

In order for these continuing effects to be realized a brand management

strategy must move beyond the initial placement of a product in the market.

Developing a platform on which a brand may extend its reach is critical to

success of these long-term positive impacts. Without such a strategy, products





will move in to the market and move out just as quickly. The development and

maintenance of these strategies in increasingly competitive and fragmented

markets is truly where my career interest lies.

Knowing that this is the direction in which I intend to take my career, the

next logical step is to take inventory of my skill sets and experiences. This

inventory reveals that while I have a strong background with respect to

leadership and management skill sets, I do not have a functional knowledge

base in the field of marketing. My past successes have been that result of

effective employment of my functional expertise in naval logistics and my

leadership, management and team building skills. From a functional expertise

or functional knowledge point of view, these experiences and successes have

little or no relation to neither marketing nor brand management. This is a

significant problem if I am to realize my career goals. Now that I have identified

the major roadblock to realizing my career goals what do I do next? First I

decided I had to leave the Navy. However, separating from the Navy was not an

easy decision. I had a good job and one that was largely enjoyable. However, it

did not fit into my long-term plans. Thus, when I made the decision to leave the

Navy it was paired with the decision to acquire the skill sets and knowledge

that will allow me to make my career goals a reality. My post Navy experience

has shown me that I have a base of leadership and management skills that are

well developed and competitive in a corporate environment. However, my

functional expertise in naval logistics has not transferred into a set of skills or

knowledge base that is easily utilized in the same environment. Through an

MBA program I will seek to develop the knowledge and skill sets that will allow

me to compete in the corporate world in the field of marketing.

In choosing Arizona's Eller School of Management as a perspective MBA

program I considered many factors. First, it goes without saying that Eller has

an impeccable reputation for producing top-notch MBAs. Further, Arizona is

clearly making a run up the rankings in recent years. I intend to focus my MBA

on marketing, however, I also wish to develop general management, finance

and entrepreneurial skill sets as well as to learn how to leverage information

systems technologies within the marketing arena. These areas play right into

Eller's strengths. Developing these skills will enable me to understand how

marketing fits into the larger corporate picture, utilize entrepreneurial

knowledge to compete within an organization as well as on my own and hone

the leadership and management skills required of future leaders in industry.

The Eller School of Management gives me the best chance at attaining these

skills and developing them to such a level that I will be able to achieve my long

term-career goals.





Second, Arizona's location in the Southwest and its diverse student body

are assets of which few schools can boast. The resources and opportunities that

exist in this area are unparalleled and growing everyday. The southwest offers

a plethora of opportunities for expanding both your professional and personal

horizons in a very diverse environment. Eller's efforts to embrace that diversity,

both on and off campus, ensure the students a truly robust learning

environment, one in which the free exchange of ideas is encouraged. The

University of Arizona's environment gives me the best chance to experience

culture and ideas in a truly diverse environment.

Lastly, I have chosen Eller because it is hard. I do not have the traditional

background that is required of most MBA students. Arizona's MBA program is

not a cakewalk for anyone, and that will be especially true of me. However, I

will succeed and I will contribute and I will make Arizona's MBA program a

better experience for my classmates. Earning my MBA from Eller will be an

accomplishment I will be supremely proud of and it gives me the best chance to

realize my personal and professional goals.

7. Baylor (Hankamer) - Essay 1

QUESTION: Explain how your academic background, prior

professional experience, ideas and goals would contribute to the

educational experiences of your fellow graduate classmates.

Completing my degree in computer science and mathematics has given me

a strong technical foundation in computer development. My undergraduate

work covered areas such as hardware architecture, data structure concepts and

software development. One of the most interesting programming assignments I

was given was to develop an algebra tutor software package to be used by

college algebra students. I worked with a team of developers to design a





program that could solve any set of linear equations and display a 2D or 3D

graph of the equations. The aspect I liked most about our project was the fact

that it was used to teach a difficult subject in a clear and simple manner.

I have always enjoyed teaching others. For three semesters at [deleted], I

had the unique opportunity to teach College Connection courses with a

professor. College Connection is a course designed to help incoming freshman

make a smooth transition from high school to college. As a peer leader, I

covered material such as personal responsibility, personal finance,

relationships and the study habits of a master student. My job was using my

experience as a student and young adult to give practical advice to the class.

One of the main aspects of being a peer leader was being a friend to whom the

students could come for help, advice and guidance.

I brought many of the skills I learned in the College Connection classroom

to my job as a certified pharmacy technician. Two of my prominent

responsibilities as the most experienced technician on our staff are training

new I.V. technicians and preparing new employees for the pharmacy technician

certification exam. In a hospital I.V. room, sterile technique and cautious

procedure must be followed in order to prevent the accidental infection of

patients. I have created a formal training program each new technician must

complete before meeting I.V. room qualification for our pharmacy. I have also

devised the curriculum and quizzes for new employees to follow in order to

prepare for the pharmacy technician certification exam. This test covers all

areas of pharmaceutical work including I.V. technique, drug families, narcotics

and pharmaceutical mathematics. Many of our new technicians do not have

previous pharmacy experience, and one of the challenges I face is presenting

this new pharmaceutical information in a manner in which they can relate and

understand. I look forward to the challenge and realize explaining foreign

concepts may be a large facet of my future career.

As I look forward to a profession of combining my computer science

background with the business capabilities an MBA will provide, I realize

explaining technical information may very well be a part of my job description.

When explaining new concepts to coworkers, managers or clients, it is

important to be able to present the information in more than one light. People

have diverse styles of learning and it is necessary to have the ability to adapt

to each person's particular style. It is also important to be able to convey a

sense of what information is vital and what information is supportive.

Instructing others has helped me develop both my ability to look at problems in

different ways and my ability to decipher what information is most significant. I





feel this experience will prove to be very beneficial in both my business and my

academic careers.

The prospect of both teaching and learning from others is one of the key

elements that attracted me to pursue a computer science/MBA/MSIS

combination. I look forward to working with other students from diverse

academic backgrounds. I will be willing to help my classmates with any

technical aspects I am familiar with from my experience as a computer science

undergraduate. I will be able to apply my background of teaching both at

[deleted] and at the hospital to helping my classmates with technical

information covered in [deleted] course work. At the same time, I will be open

to the assistance my classmates can give me from their particular

undergraduate field of study. I will enjoy the opportunity to work with highly

talented and motivated students. Sharing ideas and experiences will give me

the chance to improve myself while helping my peers.

8. Boston College (Carroll): Essay 1

QUESTION: What are your career goals upon graduating from the

Carroll School of Management at BC? Please be specific. What

steps do you plan to take before, during, and after your degree

program to achieve career success in this field?

I have worked in the nonprofit world for seven years and witnessed the

elemental nature of nonprofits' role in small communities. I have also observed

that they operate under their own terms, often overlooking business trends and

omitting basic strategies that could lend stability to their vital programs. While

nonprofits largely depend upon the corporate world for financial support and

expertise, they struggle to develop mutually beneficial relationships with these

corporations. This factor handicaps their ability to be both entrepreneurial

within their mission and competitive in current markets.





My goal is to become a leader in the nonprofit sector supporting the visual

arts. I hope to become an executive director for an arts institution, such as a

museum. I believe that the arts are valuable agents for social change, capable

of building tourism and economic stability, educational opportunities and

mutual understanding among people. My goal is to find creative ways for arts

institutions to take full advantage of their cultural resources and provide solid

economic development within communities. Museums have a unique capacity to

drive tourism and retail sales that exponentially increases a community's

economic strength, all while adding to its cultural breadth. I wish to develop

these facets to their fullest potential.

I envision leading a nonprofit that specifically works to build markets for

local artists and integrates arts curriculum into public schools. At the Museum

of [deleted] Foundation, I have built funding constituencies for four museums.

These museums consistently integrate education into many aspects of their

public programs and exhibitions at great benefit to local families and visitors.

While these elements are at play in museums they can also occur in a distinct

capacity, as with Aid to Artisans. This global nonprofit represents artists and

simultaneously builds their marketing acumen, facilitates the distribution of

their products and fortifies their livelihoods.

For four years I have devoted myself to the Museum of [deleted]

Foundation. Housed in a beautiful 200 year-old adobe house on the [deleted]

Plaza, surrounded by 400 years of multicultural history, the work accomplished

by the foundation brings progressive ideas to an historic community. In this

extraordinary setting, I have learned the strengths and weaknesses of the four

museums whose funding is my charge. Our dynamic foundation manages $12

million in endowment and builds private support for these state museums. The

foundation effectively ties together arts, education and economic development

by offering state museums an entrepreneurial avenue for growth. We

incorporate both the museum shops and a licensing program into fundraising

operations, and steady income streams are growing as a result. As Director of

Development, my experience has encompassed communications, funding

campaigns, finance, donor cultivation, estate planning, management, and

marketing inclusively for the museums.

Fundraising is the central focus to the foundation's mission and my work

has a major influence on our direction and success as an institution. I am the

primary liaison between the museums and their donors and my role is both to

promote institutional credibility in the eyes of constituents and to gain their

financial commitments. One unexpected benefit of working with the foundation





is that I have been given tremendous responsibility. I was promoted to a senior

leadership position two years ago, becoming the youngest woman to hold this

position in foundation history. I have excelled in building cooperation among

museum departments, involving donors in our organizational vision, and

improving intra-office relations with museum staff. Additionally, my fundraising

colleagues are primarily volunteer board members who are active community

leaders 50 to 80 years of age. The ability to gain their respect has developed

my confidence as a leader early on in my career. I have learned to work within

the [deleted] community to build private funding sources within the political

context of a state institution.

I seek an MBA degree from Carroll School of Management because it will

empower me to improve the level of professionalism and management in the

nonprofit world, while also working to increase sustainable income in a

competitive economy. I plan to build relevant finance, marketing and

management skills through business studies. Nonprofits need to better

translate their needs into a message that communicates with corporate

sponsors, engaging businesses to fulfill their corporate goals and fundraising

goals at the same time. I intend to gain a better understanding of the private

sector and apply it directly to the unique issues and politics of nonprofits.

Charles DuBois once declared that the important thing is, "To be able at

any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." This

eloquently embodies my motivation to enroll in graduate school at this time.

While I am currently in a career that offers much growth potential, I believe that

it is more important to gain skills now that will not readily be learned on the

job. MBA training will dramatically broaden my scope of business vision and I

will be able to apply this new knowledge immediately. In return, my

contribution will be to bring maturity, humor, determination and a passion for

nonprofits to the Boston College community. Carroll School of Management will

lend structured business acumen to the experience I have already gained, truly

bringing renewed creativity to my nonprofit arts career.

9. Boston College (Carroll) - Essay 2





QUESTION: Discuss the accomplishment of yours which required the

most effort to achieve. What intermediary steps were necessary?

How did you overcome challenges along the way? (1-2 pages)

As life progresses, the significance and related difficulty of achieving

accomplishments also changes. I can recall winning a photography contest in

the local newspaper and thinking it was a great accomplishment, but by the

time I reached high school, the achievement decreased in relative importance.

Similarly, the accomplishment which requires the most effort to achieve is often

the most recent one, perhaps only due to fading memories of the effort

required for earlier achievements.

During my adult life, I have tried to continually re-establish new goals

every few years. These have grown from simply wishing to see the world to

furthering my education, both personally and professionally. Attaining a patent

by the age of 30, co-founding a start-up company by 35, and now pursuing an

MBA are examples of such goals - each requiring substantial effort to achieve.

But one of my most recent goals was difficult to accomplish due to an

unexpected lack of support from my family, which was very unique for me

considering the closeness of my family in other matters.

Learning to fly had always been an interest of mine even before I briefly

considered aeronautical engineering while in college: I always requested a

window seat on commercial flights, and enjoyed small planes while traveling. So

at the age of 33, I decided to pursue a private pilot's license.

Investigating flight schools, instructors, and costs were the first steps in

my typical engineering analysis. The time commitment, both ground-school and

in the air, would be substantial and would require cut-backs in other

recreational activities, such as golf, softball, and skiing. Budgeting time

between work and personal life would also be a challenge, since family visits

with grandparents and a new niece were high priorities. My search led to a

part-time flight instructor who was also an engineer and a flight-school with

brand-new equipment and a need for students. The one initial obstacle that I

did not foresee in my analysis was that of my family's lack of support.

Virtually my entire extended family lives in the [deleted] area: Parents,

sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins - quite a nice crowd at holidays and

birthdays. They have always been supportive, even during difficult times such

as when I divorced. But learning to fly small planes was not something that they





could appreciate or support: They questioned my safety, the costs, the benefits,

and the reasons. Instead of sharing my eagerness and excitement, they only

questioned and dampened it.

Dealing with the rigors of flight training, bumpy landings, and windy

weather, all require fortitude of mind and body. Pushing personal limits of fear

and mental acuity, while making reasoned, safe decisions can be learned, so

that soft landings even in high winds can be accomplished. Soloing and a few

cross-country solo trips were major milestones where hours of training and

studying won out over apprehension and self-doubt, not to mention

complicated weather.

But the issue of my family's support of the whole endeavor was the most

difficult obstacle to overcome. Throughout life we tend to highly value family's

opinions about our life choices. Most are reasonable and do not often conflict

other than in some specific situations that can be reasoned through. But whole-

hearted disagreement and concern are difficult to appease.

Being unable to discuss my progress and accomplishments with my family

was the most difficult aspect of the learning process. Being able to share one's

goals and experiences is a key part of any relationship and separating this from

my relationship with family members was certainly a challenge I had not

expected, and had much difficulty with.

Fortunately, I have a wide and diverse group of friends who were

supportive and with whom I could share my experiences, personal

achievements, and disappointments. Without these people who are close to me,

I doubt that I would have reached my goal. But now taking friends up for short

trips has become a well-earned point of pride and enjoyment for us all.

Within my family, I have been able to break down misconceptions and

inform some of them of my recent license. A famous aviation author did not

inform her mother about her license for eight years, so my goal is to improve on

that timeline. It will surely be a slow process, but as with any difficult endeavor,

the opportunity for continued learning and growth is an on-going benefit of the

process, and one that I look forward to every day.





10. Boston University - Essay 1

QUESTION: Describe how your personal distinctiveness will

contribute to a stronger learning environment at Boston

University and will serve to further your success as a manager.

When I am asked to define myself I smile and explain that I am a "financial

translator". Professionally, I translate financial needs and transform these

requisites into effective solutions with the aid of technology. In fact, everyone

tells me I am quite a rare species because I am able to combine the best out of

economic and business knowledge with experience in information systems

creation, design and implementation. My whole array of intangible tools helps

me everyday to redefine business processes and interact with a wide spectrum

of individuals. Naturally, I have become the reference person in all the financial

departments of my company supporting the decisions made regarding financial

systems. As a teenager, I clearly interpreted that it was fundamental to

understand the best of both worlds and that this equilibrium was going to be

the key to my success as a professional. Indeed, it has been very rewarding

since.

My personal attributes are singular. I am definitely a well-rounded person,

including personal achievements, a wonderful family and extraordinary life

experiences. All of these combined with professional success and self-reliance

helps me identify the special things. For example, sharing a cooking session

with my wife on a Saturday afternoon before our guests arrive is a perfect

balance after nearly killing myself in a tough hockey match. This is special.

My mind is also ethically at ease. My core values are respected throughout

my activities and feelings towards the rest of the society. There is no use in

going forward with some kind of action that can hurt or damage anyone. I tend

to look for win-win situations in which every member gets his share. This

constant aim has focused my short and long term objectives in every new

venture. If there is anyone involved in the project who does not benefit from it,





then something has to be revised and corrected. Every participant should have

his incentive.

In Argentina, youngsters usually live with their parents until they get

married at the age of 25 or 30 years old. That was not my case. My struggle for

independence was such that at the age of 21 I was already feeling restless at

home. It was a perfect occasion for moving together with my fiancée at that

time, today my wife. This forced us to become economically independent and to

make essential decisions at an early age. However, this was of enormous help

in the years to come and forged us both as individuals and as a couple. Today I

am completely prepared for facing one of the most important decisions of my

life.

Because my father's family came from Ohio to Argentina and my mother's

directly from Spain, my education had a smooth mixture of Anglo-Saxon

rationality with Latin energy. On the one hand this may seem as water and oil

mixed together, but on the other hand it magnificently helped me to

understand how both cultures coexist and how to use the best out of each one.

At work, I absolutely know how to communicate with a local subordinate as with

an international business manager. Undoubtedly I have made good use of this

skill.

Boston University's classroom will assuredly be enhanced with my whole

set of working situations and experiences ranging from entrepreneurship in my

early days, family small business, consulting activity and current corporate

exposure. Moreover, Argentina does not fall back in all my non-formal

education and capacity: having been exposed to Argentine reality since a

teenager gave me the grip I now need to manage in easy and in difficult times.

Also, my compulsory military service showed me how to understand hierarchies.

Only now can I realize how much these experiences have added value to my

personal and professional life, and in what a manner will they continue to

mould me and enrich BU's classroom. There are really no boundaries for my

growth and the only limits that I might find are the ones created just by me.

I will definitely bring different South American point of views and creative

perspectives to the widespread classroom discussions. I hope that my complete

development as a person and personal experiences will have effects on other's

minds and feelings. Every member of the BU community should benefit from

this wonderful contribution.






QUESTION: Your reasons for applying to the Executive MBA Program

at this time, and the role you expect the MBA degree to play in

changing your future.

I am applying to the Executive MBA Program because I am confident the

program is ideally suited to my personal and professional development needs. I

believe my contributions and participation will benefit the experience for the

other participants. After reading about the program, attending an information

session including classes, meeting with current and former students and

speaking with some of the staff, I am eager for the opportunity to become a

member of the 16th EMBA class.

My background matches the EMBA Executive Profile. I have been working

professionally for 15 years and have enough experience to be familiar with

many of the problems facing business leaders today. In recent years, I have

taken on more leadership and management responsibilities within [deleted]. I

recognize the experience offered by the Executive MBA program is ideally

suited to help me meet the challenges I face on a daily basis.

While at [deleted] I transitioned from an individual contributor as a

software developer to software project lead to engineering manager. Although I

found this transition a natural progression, I recognize the need to improve in

many areas, especially as my responsibilities require me to interact with other

functional organizations outside of engineering, such as marketing and finance.

As I interact with other functional organizations within [deleted], I realize I can

better contribute in a collaborative environment if I have a more thorough

understanding of their needs and how these organizations run.

I expect my MBA degree to be more than a "resume bullet". I intend to gain

knowledge in areas that I have not studied before such as in marketing and

finance. I hope to develop lifetime friendships and forge professional

relationships that extend well beyond the completion of the program. Finally,

as I share and relive my personal and professional experiences with others, I





will gain new insights to these experiences and will be able to better internalize

them.

In addition to my personal and professional experiences, I believe my

personality and style are ideally suited for the team learning environment. I

have been recognized for my leadership, energy, drive and ability to "get the

group moving". I am consistently upbeat and maintain a positive attitude. I am

particularly proud of the following highlight from my recent performance

appraisal, "[deleted] not only makes it ok to laugh and have fun, he makes it a

part of our daily lives. Every organization in the company would be better off if

they had a [deleted] in this area."

As I have transitioned to management, I have been privileged to work for

two extremely seasoned and competent managers. The lessons, guidance,

mentoring, leadership and insights they have provided me have been

instrumental in my growth and development. They have been excellent role

models and have inspired and encouraged me to follow management as a

career growth path. I believe I can bring their lessons and experience to the

classroom.

The experiences I can contribute come not only with former managers but

also with the diverse companies I have worked for. I have worked for two

startup companies with less than 30 employees, as well as larger companies.

My employment with startup companies has given me significant exposure to

the executive staff and insight into the roles of these positions within a

company. Working for larger companies has provided me the opportunity work

in and observe more complex organizational structures.

The most critical issue facing my organization, as well as all of [deleted], is

the collapse of most of our market segments, especially the optical

telecommunications market. This collapse has impacted all aspects of our

business and poses some of the greatest challenges that [deleted] has ever

encountered.

The first major challenge we face is to remain focused on customer

centered product development and on execution of new product development

processes. Our customers have also been severely affected by the downturn in

the economy and many have been through significant reorganizations and have

radically changed their product roadmaps. It remains more critical than ever to

work and partner with our customers to ensure we can deliver product solutions

to meet their needs.





The next challenge is to be fiscally prudent, improve gross margins and

manage expenses. Gross margins can be improved through disciplined discount

management and reducing the cost to build and manufacture our products. We

continue to manage expenses through staff reductions, shutdowns and delayed

capital investments.

The final challenge is to continue to invest in our people. We need to

communicate honestly, encourage collaboration and give people opportunities

to work on exciting and challenging projects. We need to remain positive

regarding our future, continue to reward success and lead through the

downturn.

The most significant challenges I face in my immediate job are extensions

of the items listed above with an emphasis on keeping my organization focused

on creating products to enable [deleted] to make it through the downturn.

In closing I want to reemphasize that I believe I am an ideal match for the

EMBA program. If accepted to the program I assure you I will not let the school,

faculty or my fellow students down. I am mentally and emotionally ready for the

challenge of the program and will tackle it with all my drive, energy and

enthusiasm. I have shared my desire with family, friends and coworkers and

have their full support and encouragement for taking on this endeavor.






QUESTION: Describe how your personal distinctiveness will

contribute to a stronger learning environment at Boston

University and will serve to further your success as a manager.

I have never lived in a developing country. I did not have to overcome

social and economic hurdles to make a better life for myself. I am an American

from a middle-class family brought up in the suburbs of New York City. Other

than being a woman who is committed to her career during a time when

executive suites are still male-dominated, I am not the stereotypical picture of

diversity. Yet, I am also more than what I fill in on a census card. The

experiences that have shaped me have brought distinctiveness to my business

approach and to my interactions with others that is clear to those who know

me.

Perhaps the first trait that new acquaintances notice is my ability to voice

my ideas and opinions, even when they differ from those of the group. As one of

five outgoing siblings, I learned at a young age to express myself loudly and

clearly, lest I get drowned out. Although I am no longer concerned about my

voice being heard above the din at the dining room table, this training affects

my professional life. If I believe that a project is misdirected, I will let the team

know, even if I am not the team leader. I voice my ideas at meetings without

timidity. As a student, my classmates can expect spirited discussion that may

challenge their conclusions or help them learn from my mistakes, successes,

and experiences. As a manager, this trait will help my firm to improve their

thinking or processes each time that I question the status quo.

Speaking my mind, however, is not all that my home environment has

taught me. When you come from a large family, you also learn to take turns. As

a team member, I respect and try to learn from the expertise of others in the

group. As a manager, I encourage and listen to the ideas of my staff. By

appreciating differences and encouraging new ideas, I will be able to contribute

to a team-based learning environment in which innovative solutions to

problems can be discovered. This holds true in a work environment as well.

Departments I've headed have been noted for thinking that is smarter than the

competition's as a result of teamwork and collaboration. This talent will

continue to aid me in fostering innovation within my organization and among

my staff members as my career progresses.

Formative training and experiences have undoubtedly left their mark on

me, but much of my business and personal style has formed as a result of

lessons I've learned during my career. One of the most valuable lessons has





been the importance of developing good relationships both inside and outside

of the company. I have worked for organizations in which the culture has been

open and nurturing, and for others that have been elitist. In the latter case,

arrogance becomes pervasive, straining external partnerships. Teamwork is

often constricted internally as the condescending attitude affects individual and

inter-departmental relations. Furthermore, when business becomes difficult, I

have witnessed that few help as the mightiest and most arrogant fall. As a

result, my perspective on competition may differ from the "crush all

competitors at all cost" attitude that is often associated with business

students. I hope to contribute to an atmosphere of rigorous but friendly

competition within the classroom. As a business manager, I am aware that

change is constant and that it has become more rapid over the past few

decades. Sound relationships are key to survival during changing times because

today's competitor may be tomorrow's partner.

13. BYU (Marriott) - Essay 1

QUESTION: Because the Marriott School MBA program receives

substantial financial support from the tithes of the LDS Church,

the faculty and administration are committed to advancing the

mission of the Church as they operate a nationally recognized MBA

program. Thus, the goals of the MBA program include the melding

of spiritual and secular truths in your studies, as well as sharing

the benefits of your education with people throughout the world.

Please describe ways that the program might realize these goals

and what role you might play in those efforts.

I plan for the mission of the church and the goals of the MBA program to

play out through me in the actions, experiences and people that I imagine in my

"life vision." The concept of my "life vision" started in my adolescence. My

parents and grandfather were a big part of this ongoing sculpting process. My

parents always believed in me. They always encouraged, and supported me in

my goals. I remember my mother regularly staying up into the night talking





with me about my desires, my dreams, and stories of people in my life. My

mother used to say, most kids bring home stray dogs and cats, but I would

bring home stray kids. In hindsight, it seems to be true. I guess I was always a

champion of those left out. My grandfather further impacted me with the only

letter he wrote me while I was serving a two-year church mission in Argentina.

In his own rite, he had quite a personal "life vision". He was a hermit of sorts

and spent his last years writing and philosophizing, absorbed by his pursuits of

ontology, which is concerned with the nature, and existence of being. He

graduated in 1967 with BYU's first ever dual PhD in Philosophy and Ancient

Eastern Religion. He told me in that letter, among other things, that he had a

vision of me, and that he felt I would become a great ambassador some day. I

always thought it interesting that he spent his life trying to understand and

express the importance of human existence and that somehow, his studies may

have given him a more intimate understanding of my importance and potential.

Since that letter, I have been trying to better understand my grandfather's

vision for me. I knew that some ambassadors were foreign diplomats and I also

knew its basic definition to be one sent to serve and represent a great cause to

others. I haven't figured everything out about this idea of ambassadorship, but

it feels right and the idea of leading and bringing others along is what I would

like to do with my life. For the last eight years since that letter, I think time and

time again about the quest of becoming a great ambassador, the

accomplishment of which will be the capstone of my "life vision."

My BYU experience has been an important part of this quest to understand

ambassadorship. It has been a time of much self-discovery as I have

experienced the melding of spiritual and secular truths. I listened to Elder

Henry B. Eyring, a church apostle, speak about this principle to a group of BYU

student leaders. He reminded us of the importance of our example and that the

spiritual and secular are melded together as we apply the spiritual to

understand the secular. On occasion, while studying, I have felt an extra bit of

comprehension because of the spirit that was in a classroom. And beyond the

classroom, we have an obligation to bless others lives and affect them for good.

Personally, the melding of the spiritual and secular that happens at BYU is one

of the main reasons I want to continue my MBA here. Afterward, in my business

career, these classroom experiences of applying the spiritual to the secular will

guide my ethical and moral principles. My peers won't feel religion pushed on

them, but they will recognize my leadership and know me as a man of integrity.

This commitment to high ethical and moral standards is the foundation of my

"life vision".





Along with the great opportunity of attending BYU comes the realization

that I am taking a seat that many others long and wish for. Most of the people I

taught in Argentina had no access to an advanced college education but they all

knew about BYU and longed to study here. I can see the faces of these people. I

can hear their voices. I remember their dreams and while I can't help all of them

now, I feel motivated by them and someday hope my experience at BYU touches

their lives by something I do for them. I realize I have a great opportunity, and I

want to seize this chance to learn and be taught by some of the world's

greatest faculty. I am committed to making a difference for the people of

Argentina and others like them. Serving these people make up part of my "life

vision".

Later, after my career has matured, I want to do many things; most of

which don't deal with business or money. I want to give back to the people,

communities and universities that affected me for good. I want to be

remembered as a good person who rewarded others for their effort and hard

work. I want to be remembered as kind and caring. Maybe someday I'll discover

that I have become a great ambassador and maybe I'll realize that that just

means I was a great leader and friend to others. Maybe someday all those stray

kids I brought home will remember me as the person who gave them a chance,

who gave them hope and who helped them write their own great "life vision."

14. UC Berkeley (Haas) - Essay 2

Question: If you could change one characteristic about yourself,

what would it be?

One year ago I called a meeting with [Company 1]'s commercial team to

present my new Direct Marketing campaign and wrap up final implementation

details. I was excited: the company had never approved such an innovative

idea. My excitement contaminated the team so thoroughly that they wanted to

implement it quickly and unconditionally. My IMPULSIVENESS was almost

blinding my reasoning when I suddenly remembered an occasion when the





same impulsiveness brought me a big headache. Years before, as a trainee at

[Company 2], I had to launch a promotion that could be a real blast. Torpid by

my impulsiveness, however, I simply forgot that our recently hired bread

vendor might not be prepared for a fast increase in sales. The campaign itself

was a hit, but when we ordered the extra necessary bread supply, the brand

new vendor simply said: "I am sorry guys, terribly sorry! Even working under

full capacity I cannot cover your needs. I lack personnel to handle the

packaging section". I started cold sweating. I pictured the guy behind the

counter, "Pardon me, customer. We are out of bread". Terrified at this

possibility, I immediately gathered a team and there we went to the vendor's

packaging section to help the supplier (and me) to deliver the product. We

worked overnight and fortunately guaranteed that no customer hear the

infamous apology.

Back to [Company 1], I interrupted the meeting and suggested that we

implement the direct marketing action according to our commercial team's

capacity to follow up the prospects. As predicted, the piece provided a return of

over 60%, far outweighing the market average of 3%. Impulsiveness can get the

engines running, but today, whenever I make an important decision, I resort to

an ancient Roman poet, "Grant us a brief delay; impulse in everything is but a

worthless servant."

15. UC Berkeley (Haas): ) - Essay 3

Question: What are your professional goals? How do your past and

present experiences relate to those goals?

I PICTURE myself PERFORMING a Marketing ROLE in the Media and

Entertainment Industry.

In the very short term I want to be working with a large M&E company, in

charge of a significant division of that business. Among the many sectors

available, I have a special interest in the New Media and Media Convergence

sectors. But the range of possibilities within the M&E industry is so wide that I





would be naive to point one that attracts me the most; I am confident that Haas

will provide me with the necessary information and tools for a deeper

evaluation of these the segments, allowing me to make my best choice.

Moreover, I wish to hold larger responsibilities. Knowing marketing

principles is certainly an advantage in the tremendously competitive scenario

we live in, but I need to learn further, I need to improve my General

Management Skills to guarantee a successful path towards higher management

positions.

In the long term I intend to make a particular dream come true. I will run

my own business within this industry, developing an investment fund based on

the Cultural Industry in [Country] - a daring dream with potential to transform

the [Country] M&E Industry - which has always lacked financial and professional

human resources. My work experiences have matched perfectly the Marketing

career I designed in the very beginning. I have gathered many different

experiences in diverse industries, to experience distinct Marketing realities,

which can be applied in most industries. I worked with start-up companies and

large multinationals and I have been given the opportunity to cross the

traditional boundaries of Marketing touching the General Management field.

I believe choices cannot be motivated by single issues, such as financial

rewards, success, pleasure or learning but by a combination of them all. The

demanding reality of the business environment in our age, based on fast and

increasingly results, can only lead me to a career which will enable me to

deliver the expected outcomes and feel absolutely passionate about everyday.

Aligning my passions with my job will grant me with a bright and successful

future.

Thus, that is the reason I have chosen the Media and Entertainment (M&E)

industry, one in which I have been involved during most of my career. From the

publishing of [Company 3]'s first CD-ROM in [Country] when I was still a trainee

to the promotion of Sports Events for [Company 4] as part of a global Marketing

action during the 2000 Olympics. From my involvement with the [deleted] – the

largest music festival in Latin America – managing its Interactive

Communication Strategy to my own personal entrepreneurial venture gathering

people for cinema and gastronomy sessions. These are among the experiences I

cherish the most, for they are also the most rewarding in my career. My E-

commerce graduate course also helped me get involved with M&E since it

broadened my mind to the amazing possibilities that will be opened with the

convergence of different types of media and the development of new

distribution channels in the industry.





Apart from that, my most recent experience at [Company 1] – though not

directly related to the Media & Entertainment industry - provided me with the

knowledge of the particularities of Marketing in the Business-to-Business. A

knowledge that I will certainly put into practice in the relations with the trade

and the distribution segments within the M&E industry.

My decision to follow the M&E industry is also based on the great

perspectives and challenges that the segment will face in the next decade. It is

a 1.1-trillion-dollar industries experiencing great technological changes which

will soon redefine the way people consume information and joy. Development of

broadband channels will modify and expand the distribution market; traditional

retail chains will confront the growing on-line marketplaces. Analog

technologies will be replaced by digital radio and television. Simultaneously,

cautious consumers, hesitant advertisers and piracy will temper growth,

making it more difficult to implement new business models, models that will

require a comprehensive strategic analysis and combination of the economic,

cultural, and technological factors that will affect the industry's forecasted

average annual growth of 4.8% until 2007. This challenge excites me as much

as the opportunity does. It is a risky option. But no other industry could better

translate a motto that marked my whole career: NO RISK, NO FUN.

16. UC Berkeley (Haas) - Essay 4

Question: Describe your greatest professional challenge and how

you resolved it.

It's tough to launch a new brand. Now picture how much tougher it can get

to re-launch a wounded brand. [Company A] represented a huge challenge for

any Marketing professional, for its brief history in the [Country] market had

been all trouble. A combination of a mistaken brand positioning, a high price

point, and intensive competition had forced their withdrawal from the market in

less than 2 years. At the time I started working with [Company A], a customer's

perception towards the brand was probably, "Well, you know, those guys don't





offer the traditional Italian pizza and charge way above any pizza place on

every corner". Thus, my challenge was to reintroduce [Company A] in [Country],

breaking all misconceptions that customers had. The solution was a customer-

centric Marketing Strategy based on consumer behavior analysis and surveys

which I conducted. Through this strategy I decided which of [Company A]'s

products could and could not be in the Market and what message to deliver in

order to please the customer.

I changed the focus of the old operation thoroughly, redefined the target

group (from adults to young adults) and repositioned the brand to the delivery-

only market, avoiding the intensive competition of the whole market. I set up

more competitive prices and decided not to simply import the products and

concepts from the US, but rather adapt the product to the regional

characteristics and customers' expectations. Today, a customer perception

towards the brand is much different, "Man, these guys rock, there's no better

pizza to ask at home. It's always delivered hot and crispy, way different from

ordinary pizzas." I am proud to see that, through a customer-oriented strategy I

was able to change the customer's perception, set new quality standards, and

sediment the base for a consistent and effective growth of what today is a 30-

store chain in the [Country] Market. It was also a truly entrepreneurial venture

in which we made dough from flour, literally.

17. University of California, Irvine: - Essay 1

QUESTION: What are your short term and long term career goals (be

as specific as possible)? How do you feel your MBA experience will

enhance your career development? (250 words)

My primary career goal is to own and operate my own radio station. Prior

to this I will complete an MBA in order to acquire the additional knowledge and





skills necessary in order to be a successful entrepreneur and businessman.

While working towards the degree I plan to do a summer internship and

immediately after the degree work full-time in operations for an established

radio station. Besides the educational component, an MBA will allow for greater

opportunities for internships and full-time positions that otherwise may be

unavailable to me without the degree.

Once I have my own station, I have a number of marketing ideas I intend to

try such as using billboards along the freeways to indicate what is currently

playing and what is coming up next in order to encourage listeners to switch

stations. Longer-term goals focus on establishing a strong brand name for the

radio station. I want to develop a strong social aspect to the overall radio

station brand including charitable functions and fundraising along with events

to simply draw people together such as "speed dating". In time I plan to

leverage the established brand name to start sister companies, such as a

restaurant chain, then each sister company will mutually strengthen the

reputation and brand awareness of the others.

I have chosen to apply to the UC Irvine Graduate School of Management

because the strength and quality of both its overall MBA program and its

Entrepreneurship concentration will provide the knowledge, skill building and

team experiences needed to achieve these goals.

18. UCLA (Anderson) - Essay 1

QUESTION: How have people, events and/or situations in your life

influenced who you are today?





Choice. A wonderful word, filled with political napalm but wonderful

nevertheless. Given the chance to totally control my destiny, my choices would

result in a secure, promising future. Life being what it is, however, I am

sometimes faced with events or situations outside my influence. How I respond

is my choice.

When I was 19 years old my parents joined the majority of married couples

and divorced. For reasons too complex for children to understand, our family

unraveled and spun out of control. My brother was 14 and my sister was 9. Both

were too young to choose how to respond. They fell victim to the anger and

hatred that grew between my parents. I was old enough to sort through the

deception and choose how this event was going to affect my life. My faith in

marriage was put to the test. I had watched my parents' relationship dissolve

after 19 years. Did I really want to commit one quarter of my life to someone

only to end up with nothing?

Perhaps the most devastating event in my life brought the most positive,

long lasting effect. I chose how it was going to affect me. If I ever married, I

would make sure it lasted. I sought the help of someone five years my senior

whom I respected. [Deleted] had known me for four years and was my role

model. He took me under his wing and he taught me what made a marriage

work. He taught me how to communicate, the importance of honesty and the

value of being committed to my word. When I fell in love with [deleted], I was

well down the road to understanding how to make our relationship and

marriage succeed. [Deleted] officiated at our wedding in [deleted] 1981. This

year we celebrated our 22nd anniversary. We have spent over one quarter of or

our lives….together.

Shortly after my parents' divorce, I was diagnosed with diabetes. It was

the worst of times. The doctors could not even tell me what caused it. So there I

was again, swept off my feet. My life changed forever. I faced days filled with

needles, glucose testing and no candy! If the statistics were correct, I had a

good chance of developing heart disease. Because of poor circulation,

retinopathy could take my eyesight and I could easily develop infections and

lose fingers, toes or limbs. My future was not very bright.

One thing could save me from these dangers: discipline. I had to eat right,

exercise regularly, test my glucose levels daily and see my doctor twice a year.

That sounds easy, but diabetes is a shrewd disease. Lose the discipline once or

twice and no one will know. Your body does not send up a flare. Lose the

discipline for months or years and the side effects creep up on you. There is no

grand announcement. You do not notice the disaster just around the bend until





it is too late. Within a short period of time doctors must take extreme measures

to save your life.

I have lived with diabetes for 26 years. I exercise regularly and referee

soccer. I test my glucose several times a day and I see my doctor twice a year.

This is the same discipline I established when I was 20. At my last visit, my

doctor said I show absolutely zero diabetic side effects. My lab tests are normal

and my blood pressure reeks of longevity.

In my life adversity has served as a catalyst, forming my determination to

uphold the values that define me. I learned from my parent's divorce the

importance of being committed to my word, whether to my wife, a friend, or a

business associate. I can trace the balance between my relationship with my

wife, my relationships with my children, my professional career and my

personal interests to [deleted] teaching me how to make my marriage last.

Discipline in my life is rooted to my experience with diabetes. Whether working

full time and graduating with an accounting degree, working at [deleted]

Company and passing the CPA exam or volunteering as an [deleted] soccer

referee and mentor…discipline was the key.

Bad things happen but I can choose a positive, constructive response that

will make me a better person. Life has taught me that I can develop and mature

through the best of times and the worst of times.

19. UCLA (Anderson): ) - Essay 2

QUESTION: Describe your most challenging team-building

experience.

I had just reported back to work after a two-week vacation. There was an

urgent call from my manager; he wanted me to take charge of product validity

testing in different languages for the complete OS/2 TCP/IP package! This $100

million product was to be built in eighteen languages at our site, and then we

were to ship it to different countries. The language testing centers in these

countries test for specific language needs and interact with us to solve any

problems.





My manager identified five members for my team to take care of the build

and testing aspects. We started well, but soon I found myself dealing with an

extremely reluctant group of people, none enthusiastic about the repetitive

work in eighteen languages. The fact that most of them were my peers over

whom I could not exercise managerial power did not help much either.

I realized that I had to do something about it. I started making

presentations about how language translations were important to maintain the

global image of [deleted], and what an important contribution it would be if we

could make a truly international product. I circulated schedules among the

teammates to solicit their opinion. After a lot of debate on the best schedule,

we came up with an extremely robust plan, one that everyone agreed to. These

intra-team interactions generated a strong team spirit that proved very helpful

when the going was difficult. Only once did we miss a deadline, and that too for

factors beyond our control. Soon everybody stood as one, and shouldered the

responsibility as a team.

Apart from gaining a set of trustworthy friends I learnt some valuable

lessons from this experience. Each person is an individual and has distinctive

character traits. A successful team leader should know how to deal with each

person in an appropriate and unique way. One individual would show

application and do well if left to work independently while another would need

constant supervision. Effective leadership is a blend of camaraderie and

authority, and is also the ability to strike a balance between them. It needs

advance preparation, an understanding of human psychology, and some

diplomacy. Any work can be made important and interesting to people by

making them understand its relevance and significance, and above all, by

granting them due importance and recognition.

20. UCLA (Anderson): ) - Essay 3

QUESTION: Discuss a situation, preferably work related, where you

have taken a significant leadership role. How does this event

demonstrate your managerial potential? (Limit to 500 words.)





On Monday, June [deleted], 200X, at 10:30 p.m., I received a call from my

boss telling me that the plant where [deleted] operates was in great danger of

flooding, it was the worst storm that Chile had faced in almost a hundred years.

I grabbed my fishing waders and rushed to the plant. When I arrived to the site,

the property was under more than a meter of water. We decided to go inside

and try to save as much as we could; files, records, computers, etc. But the

damage was done and we thought that it was the end of the group.

The next day, the management team gathered in front of the property to

plan an emergency course of action. As the Administration Manager I felt the

responsibility of taking the initiative, so I talked to the personnel and asked

them to go home for the day until the water level diminished, telling them to

get ready for the next couple of weeks that were crucial to save our jobs. Then,

some of us went into the plant. Sitting wet, in my office, using a cell phone, I

called all of our banks and major suppliers. I described to them the situation

and assured them that we would be back in business in less than a week. TV

news reporters were interviewing the C.E.O, who asked help from the

government. They sent machinery in the afternoon, which resulted in the water

retreat.

It was now Wednesday, all [deleted]'s employees arrived in "combat

clothing" and I told them the exact same thing I told the banks and suppliers,

we have a week. I explained to them how important was everybody's

collaboration and help. It was pretty amazing to watch 258 people working

together, cleaning, brushing, etc., from Security Guards to Managers. We

worked very hard and 5 days later; we were dispatching products again and

attending our customers.

Now we needed to collect the insurance money. Insurance Companies are

very reluctant to pay, at least in Chile, so the collection process was really

exhausting. I had to lead the process with my accounting team in order to

present detailed inventories to the Company and explain each item on every

financial statement that they asked for. Finally I had to present and defend my

last report on the losses caused by the rain. We were able to collect a 100% of

the losses and now [deleted] is an even stronger position than before the

flooding.

After this experience I understood that to be a leader you must not only

give orders, but also motivate people showing them how to achieve a common

goal working together. I was also able to strengthen my managerial skills that

will be useful for the rest of my career and life. I have maintained the attitude





that I had during the flooding towards my subordinates and peers and I am

convinced that we work in a much better way now.

21. Cambridge (Judge) - Essay 2

Question: Describe a project or a piece of work in which you have

been involved since university, which you found difficult or which

did not go well. What did you learn from this experience and what

would you have done differently in retrospect?

At [Company 1], nearly everyone in the company had a tense, almost

adversarial relationship with the woman who produced the films we developed.

We reported to her directly, and all of our input on particular projects was hers

to judge and critique. She did not believe in constructive criticism. As a result, I

found myself timid to introduce new writers and projects to her for fear of a

rather harsh rejection by her. When we implemented a new policy in which each

member of the company was forced to submit a number of new writers and

projects that we believed to be the promising "up-and-comers" in Hollywood on

a regular basis, several writers sprang to mind that had written quirky scripts

very far out of the mainstream.

When the time came for the first company meeting to discuss each of the

projects that we had submitted to our boss, I chose to present a safe bet –

scripts that had already been purchased by film studios. In fact, one of them is

currently in theaters in the United States under the name Cold Creek Manor,

starring Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone. I took what I believed to be the safe

route, because I found it difficult to stand up to the head of my company with a

riskier idea. As a result, I was publicly skewered for my lack of original thought.

Perhaps I would have suffered the same tongue-lashing had I chosen a

project that a believed in, rather than one that I knew others had already taken

a chance on, but at least then I would have felt that I didn't capitulate out of

fear of rejection. In retrospect, I should have presented the scripts I was

passionate about, even if I knew my boss hated them. This experience helped





me to realize that I cannot present ideas solely because I think that others will

like them – in future meetings I presented material I explicitly believed in to

much better results.

22. Cambridge (Judge) - Essay 3

Question: Describe a moral dilemma you have encountered, how you

responded to it, and what you learnt from it.

While I have always considered myself to be a person with integrity, I

initially chose to work in the film industry, a business which actually

encourages duplicity. One of the most cutthroat areas of the industry is

management and representation, where I first worked after university. From

the beginning, my job as an assistant was first and foremost to lie for my

supervisor. I was even asked to lie to his family members. Although there were

relatively few major tests of my honesty, I encountered small dilemmas every

single day. While I wish I could say that I completely disregarded my

supervisor's instructions, I did not. However, as time passed, I did choose to

remain tight-lipped when faced with questions that would force me to lie, even

knowing that I would incur his ire.

In particular, my boss was extremely slippery in his dealings with other

agents. He spent hours on end attempting to woo clients away from other

agencies, while at the same time asking me to speak with those agents to

smooth over any questions they had as to his ulterior motives. Rather than

make those calls and lie bold-faced to people that my supervisor called friends

and colleagues, I refused. I was unwilling to sully my own reputation and

integrity for the sake of my boss' own vanity. He eventually got this very

important client, but destroyed a slew of a relationships along the way. As a





result, I knew that I would never advance in the double-dealing world of

management and representation. However, by this time I had learned

everything I could from my boss and then used my newfound understanding of

the industry as a springboard to a considerably better job in feature film

development.

Though I did not disclose my supervisor's immoral and hypocritical back-

room dealings, I did choose to distance myself. Therefore, I have maintained a

positive relationship with the agency from which he has been effectively barred.

23. Case Western Reserve (Weatherhead) -

Essay 1

Question: How will your background and experiences enhance the

quality and diversity of the entering class of Weatherhead MBA

students?

"India is shining," screams the caption to the country's latest marketing

strategy to advertise a steady and growing economy to the business world.

India is the largest growing economy in the Asia-pacific region with

impressive growth rates averaging 8% every quarter. Jumping up the ladder on

the Competitive Index at a rapid pace of nine ranks a year; India surely

demands lots of respect as an investment market. Marketing to the world's

second largest democracy with a varied population and ideas is definitely a

challenge and I believe that I have the experience in such dealings in the





growing industrial sector. Business outsourcing deals are inventing the market,

turning jobs over from around the world to India. And, when I join the

Weatherhead School of Management, I plan to bring with me, the backing and

knowledge from one of the swiftest growing economies in the world, the India

that I have described above.

As an employee of a growing Indian engineering firm, I have been lucky to

literally study the growth and have also been a victim to the rising demand

scenario. Engineering goods exports have increased by nearly 35% over the last

few months, an indication in the trust and the high quality standards being

maintained. I had to take important and major decisions during this period to

keep the productions costs low and yet maintain standards. This has given me

the ideal of making bold decisions and also witnesses strong growths as a

result. Even though at the initial stages when the manufacturing lines were

tight, I had to incur a disappointing dry season, but that did not deter my

interests from experimenting with a lean budget and subsequently attain a

satisfying growth trend. With a degree in engineering from one of India's oldest

university, [deleted], I also shoulder the intellectual 'know-how' required to

take technical challenges, involving the spur in electronics and information

technology related areas, in my stride. With my mathematical background, I am

sure I have the necessary prerequisites to study the changing marketing

statistical columns and recommend suitable solutions.

Indian business managers the world over are known to have strong ethical

beliefs and discipline, not to mention the commitment to execute bold decisions

and to stand their grounds. This is an inherent quality of the India culture,

growth and education. I believe that I have these qualities and will surely use

them to my credit to strongly influence my fellow students in the course of my

graduate program. With due respect to qualifications and experience, I have an

exceptional back-ground with a mix of both technical and marketing skills which

I am sure will be productive to your school, given the highly varied background

of your previous students. This would help me understand and interact in par

with a global audience that is so obvious from your distinguished alumni

listings.

From my point of view, I find that the Indian business style differs from its

peers with the simple fact that we believe in simplifying the most complex

situations to attain simple goals that is a result of very exhaustive evaluation

procedure. More than anything, I believe that the present business motives

demands discipline to define an optimistic approach to global business

solutions. Such developments has had a positive influence on me and has





enforced my believes that the Indian individual has a lot to offer when it comes

to superior will-power and a urge to contribute to a motley crowd of

professionals from different economies, cultures, thoughts and ideas. I am sure

that with my experience and knowledge of the Indian business fraternity and its

contributions to the world, and also the impact of the Indian economy on its

Asian business counterparts, I will be able to exhibit wide and varied qualities

and ideas that will help in keeping with the ideals of the Weatherhead School of

Management, of creating distinguished global managers.

24. University of Chicago - Essay 2

Question: Why are you seeking an MBA? What are your plans and

goals after your receive your degree? (500 words)

Having been a management consultant for nearly three years, addressing

business issues in four industries, for seven clients, in five countries, I can

confirm that I want to return to that field, but I also want to rank among the

most senior executives at Fortune 500 companies. While I remain open to

opportunities I may discover at the GSB, my present goal is to become a partner

in a professional services consulting firm. To accelerate my achievement of that

goal, I would like to complete a concentration in Strategic Management at the

GSB.

Fundamentally, I seek the toolkit that will enable me to counter a complex

business problem with a creative, outside-the-box solution. And when I can't

come up with a solution on my own, I will need to assemble and effectively

collaborate with a team that can. An MBA will give me the skills I need to

develop my own innovative solutions, to recognize the talent I want on my

team, and to lead even the most diverse group to success.





In the short term, the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business

(GSB) will provide me with unparalleled analytical skills. While I believe my

undergraduate major in Finance has served me well thus far in my consulting

career, I need more rigorous quantitative coursework to develop the analytical

skills required for solving more challenging business problems. In addition, I

look to the GSB to help me become a more effective manager. For example, I

expect to implement such principles as set forth in the LEAD program as the

managerial groundwork, the feedback approach, and the teamwork principles it

sets forth. Therefore, the near-term reason for seeking an MBA is to enhance

my analytical and managerial skills.

Now, as a woman with clear career and family goals, timing of the pursuit

of an MBA is everything. I do not have the luxury of "letting things fall into

place". If I wish a family and a career, I have to move swiftly, with conviction. I

recognize this year as the right time for me for three reasons. First, I have

gained extensive and varied work experience that will allow me to contribute in

the classroom, as well as benefit from others' experiences. Secondly, I am no

longer convinced that I can achieve my long-term career objectives within my

company, given the changing focus of the company toward such areas as

outsourcing and away from strategic consulting work. Finally, an MBA is a

critical part of my personal development plan to constantly challenge myself by

pursuing learning opportunities beyond those I have already encountered.

25. Chicago School of Business - Essay 3





Question: You find yourself on an elevator with the Dean of

Chicago GSB. Please tell him why this is the right school for you,

and what you hope to contribute if admitted. (500 words)

The Coat and the Candidacy

"Good morning! Which floor do you need? Seventh? Well, you'll have some

company, then. I have to tell you I just love your coat! Very classy and smart,

not something trendy you see every day. And what a great fit! That reminds me

of my candidacy for the GSB, actually. You are Dean Snyder, right? I recognize

you from the school brochure. Well, if you have a minute, I would love to tell

you what your coat and my candidacy have in common."

A Perfect Fit

"I have to start by saying that the GSB is where I belong. On my two visits,

I experienced camaraderie that exactly reflects the business school culture I

wish to enjoy. During Homecoming weekend, I went to a party hosted by some

of the GSB first-years. On my second visit, I went to "TNDC" with my friend and

current first-year, [Name], where I felt accepted into the GSB circle. I found that

I share similar goals and interests with the students I met, making 'fitting in'

effortless.

In addition to the culture, many other attributes draw me to the University

of Chicago. During my two visits to the GSB, I saw how concerned the faculty is,

was impressed by the flexible curriculum, and visited the top-rated career

services center. I also love Chicago and have returned many times since first

visiting in the fall of 2001. My experiences with Chicago and the GSB have left

me feeling that I want nothing more than to attend the University of Chicago."

Classy, Smart, Different. "I will also be a 'smart and different' addition to

your 2004 Entering Class. Two attributes that stand out in my mind are that I

am Southern and I am smart. With my Southern hospitality, I will help you with

your goal of fostering a sociable and warm environment at the GSB. As for

intelligence, I graduated in the top 1.5% of my class with a double major and a

minor. Selective admission into the Honors College at my university is

comparable to that of many top tier schools, with requirements of 1300 on the

SAT and a top 5% ranking in one's high school class. I achieved my 3.9 GPA

while heavily involved on campus, serving on the executive board of six

organizations. Which reminds me - I am excited just thinking about the

extracurricular opportunities offered by the GSB! I anticipate pursuing

membership in the Management Consulting Group and Chicago Women in





Business. I also know I will strive to become a LEAD facilitator in my second

year, if accepted to the GSB. Dean Snyder, I hope my short introduction has

demonstrated that I am as unique and well-fitting as that coat of yours. It would

be my pleasure to bring these attributes and more to the University of Chicago.

Perhaps we'll meet again on the elevator in the new GSB campus building next

fall."

26. Columbia - Essay 1

QUESTION: What are your short-term and long-term career goals?

How will a Columbia Business School MBA help you achieve these

goals? (Limit 1000 words)

My long-term career goals entail working as a positive catalyst in the

development of a more entrepreneurial environment in Canada by influencing

public policy and creating aggressive venture capital investment programs. I

intend to bring about the creation of public and private venture capital

partnerships, drawing on my professional and academic experiences as well as

the study of such programs in other countries, to stimulate growth in this area.

I believe that Columbia is the right place to pursue this goal, not only for the

school's traditional strengths in finance, but also for innovative programs in

entrepreneurship and social enterprise. The opportunity for students to take





classes outside of the Business School, in programs like International Affairs,

also fits perfectly with my career goals.

As a young Canadian with extensive international experience, I have mixed

emotions about having left the country to pursue career opportunities. While I

have grown both personally and professionally by living and working abroad, I

have often reflected on how national attitudes and government policy have

limited aggressive entrepreneurial activity in Canada. When I left Canada

several years ago, I did so with the intention of ultimately returning to apply

the skills and experiences that I gained abroad. Recently, I began working with

[deleted], a group of young Canadians working to improve opportunities for

talented young people domestically. The project struck a nerve with me as I left

Canada, in part, due to the absence of an aggressive, risk taking culture. The

aim of the group fits well with my goals and aspirations and I have had

significant input on how the entrepreneurial spirit in Canada could be

stimulated to compete for talent with the United States.

I plan to eventually return to Canada to found public and private

partnership programs aimed at stimulating opportunity growth for

entrepreneurs, implementing the skills and lessons I have learned in Asia,

Europe and the United States. I believe that there is significant need for

improvement in order for Canada to become, and remain, a country capable of

attracting and retaining talented young entrepreneurs. One of the goals of

[deleted] is to address the regularity with which talented individuals from most

every field go abroad to pursue their professional development. My primary

long-term goal is to work with government agencies and private corporations to

create a first class venture community in Canada, drawing on lessons gleaned

from similar programs in the US and elsewhere. Obviously, such ambitions are

not achieved quickly or easily and there are many short-term goals that must

be achieved in order to build a foundation from which to work towards long-

term goals.

Over the course of the next few years, I intend to complete an MBA, ideally

at Columbia Business School, which will provide me with an academic base from

which to pursue my career goals. In addition to education, I will need to develop

my professional experience in both public policy and entrepreneurial finance.

My current position, at [deleted] has required me to become deeply involved

with the Small Business Administration and specifically, the [deleted] program.

I intend to continue, and increase, my involvement with this program over the

course of the next ten months, prior to attending business school. I plan to

learn more about the workings of this program, as it has demonstrated





significant success in stimulating entrepreneurial activity. At the same time, I

do not believe that any program is perfect, so I plan to research and consider

opportunities for improvement.

An internship within a Canadian governmental agency will be necessary in

order to gain a better perspective on exactly how I can influence public policy

and create the kind of programs that I intend to. My goals in completing such

an internship would be to learn first-hand, about current public policies

affecting the entrepreneurial community and to establish contacts, in the

private and public sectors, that I will work with to make my ideas reality. During

my MBA study, I would hope to pursue opportunities abroad, in the form of a

full term or perhaps independent study for a shorter period of time. The

availability of such opportunities at Columbia certainly attracts me.

Following completion of my MBA, I plan to extend my experience in three

key fields: public policy, entrepreneurial finance and international business. I

will pursue opportunities internationally (including those in the US), working

with other entrepreneurial-minded people to study, create and implement

combinations of aggressive public policy and private financing opportunities for

new companies. In my career, I have met many people who share ideas similar

to mine that I am excited to work with. I am anxious to further develop my skills

to help me achieve all of my goals and I believe that Columbia offers the best

opportunity to do so.

Pursuing a Columbia MBA is a natural progression, from both a personal

and professional standpoint. The Columbia name is internationally recognized,

many political leaders have completed this course of study and professionals in

the private equity industry regard the program as being highly innovative. My

interests in public policy, entrepreneurial finance and international business

would all thrive at Columbia Business School in ways not possible at other

schools. Being located in New York, with international students, professors and

curriculum, there is the opportunity to focus on the aspects of my career that

are most important to me. The public policy strengths at Columbia are also of

great interest to me, as I believe that as globalization continues to progress,

there will be an increasing blurring of the line between business and public

policy. I plan to pursue a career at the crossroads of these two historically

divided disciplines.

My academic, professional background and personal interests will make me

additive to the overall learning environment of the Columbia Business School

and I would make a valuable asset for classroom discussion. I possess the

intelligence, creativity, determination and compassion necessary to excel at





Columbia and after. The combination of these attributes with the management,

interpersonal and analytic skills offered by the MBA program at Columbia would

ultimately prepare me to return to Canada to pursue my career goals. Over the

course of the past five years, I have attended university in [deleted] and

worked in Seoul, London, and New York. Each one of these living situations has

taught me something about myself, the world and has shaped my ideas about

the contributions that I wish to make. A course of study at Columbia would

enrich my life personally and professionally, but I also believe that the business

school would be enriched by my attendance.

27. Columbia - Essay 4

Question: Clearly state how you will apply the tools of the MBA in

meeting your short term and long term goals. In additions, discuss

your cultural, social, and civic commitments.

As a supplement to my initial application, I would like to address three

areas: First, I will chronicle my professional advancements since submitting my

initial application. Second, I will discuss my community service activities since

my initial application submission, activities planned for the coming year, and

those in which I intend to participate while at Columbia Business School.

Finally, I will detail why a Columbia MBA is still the best way to attain my short-

and long-term goals. At the time of my initial application, approximately six

months ago, I was a relatively new hire at [Company 1]. Because of this, my

responsibilities were not indicative of my abilities, particularly in the

management arena. While I quickly proved myself to be worthy of greater

responsibility, I kept my initial assignment until it was completed in May 2003

due to its high priority and my superior skills. I was then assigned the





management of the product design team of a major module of a different

project. After three months of successfully managing the design of that module,

two other product design teams were assigned to me. In addition, I took on the

management of the product design team of a subsystem related to the two new

teams. Responsibility for a derivative of the initial module I was managing was

also assigned to me. While the subsystem has been completed, I am currently

managing product design teams, ranging in size from three to six engineers, on

three major modules and a derivative of one of those modules. None of my

peers have managed more than two modules at one time. In a relatively short

span I have gone from a new hire with unknown abilities to one of my

department's most valued members.

Even with my increased professional responsibilities, I have continued with

my community service activities while adding additional activities, and I intend

to continue to do so until enrolling at Columbia Business School in the fall of

2004, when I will transition into new community service opportunities. I still

tutor a learner with a learning disability twice a week. Soon after submitting my

application, I participated in a four-day trip to Mexico to build houses for poor

families of which I had been assisting in the organization. I have also

participated in a number of workdays on a local Habitat for Humanity

construction project. In addition, this past July I spent a week teaching Vacation

Bible School at my church after work. I intend to continue tutoring my learner

and participating in Habitat for Humanity workdays throughout the coming

year. In addition, I expect to be an organizer and participant in the annual trip

to Mexico to build houses. While I am sure that I will not have an opportunity to

participate in all of the community service programs offered by Columbia

Business School, some of the ones I intend to participate in are the Harlem

Tutorial Program, Managers in International Development Initiative, and Small

Business Consulting Program. Community service is a major part of my life, and

it will continue to be so while I am at Columbia Business School and beyond.

While I enjoy the challenges of my new projects and responsibilities at

work, my current community service work continues to fuel my passion for

helping others. In particular, my passion for helping emerging markets develop

environmentally and socially responsible, modern economies has not wavered.

Specific to that broad ideal, my short- and long-term goals have not changed

either. I still intend to enlist in the MBA Enterprise Corps upon the completion

of my Columbia MBA, followed by several years in the private sector leveraging

my engineering background and Columbia MBA to develop and manage non-

exploitive production facilities in developing nations. After gaining a thorough

understanding of the issues affecting international development, I intend to





segue into changing some of the well intentioned, yet misguided, policies

affecting the fate of developing nations. Since my goals have not changed, a

Columbia MBA is still undoubtedly the best preparation for accomplishing these

goals. Specific to my short-term goals, a Columbia MBA will provide me with the

skills and knowledge I do not currently possess that are necessary to succeed.

Courses in areas such as emerging markets, finance, and operations will

provide me with the strong academic foundation necessary to accomplish my

objectives. From my classmates, professors, and the general populace of New

York City, my understanding of the various cultures in which I will be working

will be greatly enhanced. Columbia's proximity to innumerable corporations

working in emerging markets will also be quite helpful to me. Networking with

Columbia alumnae and other executives at these companies while attending

Columbia Business School and in the years following will be greatly beneficial to

me. Interning with one of these corporations throughout the year will allow me

to graduate from Columbia Business School with a significant amount of work

experience directly related to international development. Clubs such as the

Emerging Markets Club, Net Impact, and the Africana Association will provide

an additional avenue for improving my understanding of emerging markets and

corporate social responsibility.

Finally, study abroad opportunities and the Chazen / Berlitz Language

Program will also improve my abilities to succeed in developing nations.

Combining the skills I currently have and my passion for international

development with a Columbia MBA will assure me of great success during my

MBA Enterprise Corps service and while establishing non-exploitive production

facilities in emerging markets in the years following. Many of my same

experiences while at Columbia Business School that will help me succeed in my

short-term goals will be of great use to me as I develop policies affecting the

development of emerging markets. However, aspects of my Columbia MBA

education that may not be used as prevalently during the early stages of my

career will become more important as I segue into a career of policy

development. One of these is my coursework in public and non-profit

management. In addition, while at Columbia Business School, I intend to

leverage the proximity to and many connections within the United Nations for

networking opportunities. While many of the clubs and activities that will assist

me in my short-term goals will do the same for me during my career in policy

development, a few additional ones will also be useful to me. Three of these are

the Columbia Business School Political Association, the Social Enterprise Club,

and the Global Social Venture Competition. My years at Columbia Business

School and my experience in the years following will provide me with the skills





and knowledge necessary to develop prudent and effective policies affecting

emerging markets.

Since submitting my initial application six months ago, I have continued to

show myself to be a superior manager and a tireless worker for causes in which

I believe. These traits and a Columbia MBA will provide me with the skills and

opportunities necessary to succeed in my objective of developing emerging

markets in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

28. University of Connecticut - Essay 1

QUESTION: What is it about your background and your experiences

that would make a contribution to the diversity of the entering

class and the educational experience of the other students?

I was born in [deleted] Angola during a volcanic year that symbolized the

eruption of a colony's desire to end five hundred years of Portuguese

occupation in their country. Cultural commonalities, such as the Portuguese

language, were not enough to unify Portuguese and Angolans, nor was it

sufficient to dissipate the Angolan desire for independence. Ultimately, after

years of prolonged civil unrest and protests Angola was freed from its ties to

Portugal. As a result of beginning life on the brink of a waking volcano, I

cultivated a strong will and a sensitivity to the plights of different cultures.

Living in Angola during a time of severe change, I felt the impact of the

events even as a child. It was fatal to walk through particular parts of the city

during the day. The Angolan dialectic language of Kimbundu gradually replaced

Portuguese and schools were closing to be used as shelters to provide safety

for citizens. I became intimately familiar with the feeling of separation and not

being able to exercise all of the freedoms that I normally possessed. All of

these events were poignant for me because they marked my first

understanding of adversity and the differences that divide people. Amidst this

revolution, I saw my parents work hard to salvage the normalcy of our lives and





remain hopeful that Angola would once again become a peaceful country. My

parents were my grandest teachers and they showed me through their words

and actions that our differences should unite us and create an even greater

humanity. When most parents were transferring their children to private

schools in an attempt to limit their children's exposure to the African culture,

my brother, sister and I remained in the predominantly Black public school

system. My parent's decision to keep me in public school gave me a profoundly

rich experience and made me awake to the beautiful yet complex Angola that I

lived in. I was determined to not yield to the negative ideology that was

permeating through Angola and believe that one day peace would return.

In all the years that I have lived in America I have remained connected to

the African, Portuguese and American sides of who I am. I speak Portuguese

and Spanish laced with some African idiomatic expressions. I'm immersed in the

Portuguese Community that is vibrant in its celebration of gastronomy and

religious festivals. I collect first edition novels from 20th century American

Literature authors such as F.Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway and have

traveled over the course of 4 years to 30 U.S cities. I look to share all of these

experiences with my peers and be further enriched from their own life lessons

as well.

Witnessing the devastation of civil war unravel and arriving into a New

World with the challenge of fusing three cultures has shaped me into an

individual that does not falter in the face of adversity, possesses a strong will

and a heightened sensitivity to other cultures. My observations, perspectives

and approaches are an amalgam of the worlds that I have seen and will define

my contribution to the classroom.

29. Cornell (Johnson) - Essay 1

QUESTION: Why are you seeking an MBA from the Johnson School?

What do you hope to experience and contribute here and what are

your plans/goals after you receive your degree? What factors have

influenced your career decisions to date?





My short-term goals are to enhance my knowledge base in business related

topics, meet new friends and colleagues, and succeed in my studies. Fulfillment

of those goals will lead to the longer-term goals which also constitute my post-

graduation career plans, namely, building a solid and professional career in

business or academia. I believe that an MBA will assist me in furthering my

academic and professional experience in order to achieve both short and long-

term goals.

I also believe that a business education will help me to strengthen my

capabilities in the business world. In many ways, a business education will

perfectly complement my current skills and experiences. I consider myself

fortunate enough to possess highly developed social and intellectual skills and

in addition, I have been working as an intern in a law firm and as a lawyer. This

enabled me to become familiar with many business transactions and get

involved in the drafting of numerous business oriented legal documents.

Nevertheless, during this period I was having concerns about the nature of the

job and my professional objectives. I soon realized that I need to expand my

professional horizons, and acquire a solid business education that will

complement my legal training. Currently I am working with a computer

company in which I act as the Head of the Marketing Department. In this

capacity I not only exercise my leadership skills, which I perfected during my

service in the Israeli army, but also take part in business meetings and

strategic decisions making. In my view, this gives me an advantage for

successful completion of my business education.

I believe that those experiences give me an advantage for successful

completion of my business education. Studies at Cornell will provide me with a

unique opportunity to gain access to the knowledge and the experience of a

varied body of students and teachers. In my view teamwork is a key element for

success in today's world. It facilitates interaction between students and helps

absorb information and retain knowledge. It also acquaints students with

different approaches to business problems. In addition, the exposure to

outstanding people from all areas of life does not only enrich but also helps

forge friendships that remain for life. By that I do not only mean students but

also Professors who are at the forefront of knowledge. Hence, they can become

role models, influence, and drive students for success. Another important

aspect of a Cornell business school education is the variety of courses and

subjects from which a student can shape his program to suit his specific career

goals.





I believe that my social background, personality and education can

contribute to Cornell's student body. The program can help me by providing me

with a strong education, the ability to absorb cutting edge knowledge, and the

opportunity to study with the best minds in American business education.

30. Cranfield University - Essay 1

QUESTION: What single event or achievement has been most

significant in your life? What were the results of this event or

achievement?

When my grandfather died in October 1998, I was a bit relieved.

I had been afraid of him for most of my life – not for anything he had ever

done or said, but because he was a quiet man given to complete stillness or

very measured actions that had no hesitancy or wasted motion to them. He

didn't have the swagger of my American dad or the easy bravado of the kids I

grew up with. He didn't thrill me. And I loved to be thrilled. He was so utterly

foreign that even among the Greeks of his own community he seemed a kind of

distant cousin.

But there was an insistence in his presence. You could not be in a room with

him and not feel the weight of his existence there with you. He was so different

from other men, so singular in his manner, that he unnerved me.

When he died, I realized that, despite a tentativeness on my part that had

bordered on rudeness, he had always treated me with complete kindness. He

never said a cruel word or had been, in any way, unjust to me. He was a man

composed of subtle gestures – he would give a small hop when he first laid eyes

on me during my visits, but never told me that he loved me.





Since his death, I've stopped looking for grand gestures of personality in

people. In a room, my eye seeks out the quiet, subtle, details of unassuming

kindness – details so small that they can have no other source but a deep

affection passing from one person to another.

These are his actions, and they are what I aspire to now. Because I find

that, like that revelation about my Papou's kindness, while in reverie my

memories increasingly turn to moments of just such subtle kindnesses done for

me and done by me for others, and I can scarcely recall the flitting, obvious,

spectacles that once so easily caught my eye.

31. Cranfield - Essay 3

Question: Describe yourself as a person. What positions of

responsibility have you held (not necessarily business related)?

What have you gained from this experience?

A. You as a Person

After twelve years of interesting assignments, I have built up my career to

reach a regional head position. Thanks to my diverse exposure, I have acquired

functional skills as well as practical knowledge of different industry sectors and

their unique challenges. I have worked in many organizations, each role

requiring acquisition of new job knowledge. Today, I am confident of my

capability to switch job roles and industries without wondering whether I would

be able to handle it.

I have throughout sought responsibilities that would increase my

understanding of diverse industries. However, my career has progressed largely

in the Finance & Commercial (F&C) stream, making me an F&C specialist.

Although, my job profile at [Company 1] has evolved over the years, it has

remained within the realms of F&C.

My dream role would combine the strategic elements of product

development, finance, marketing and operations. In order to achieve my

ambition of becoming a general management person in the senior cadres of a





professionally managed concern, my current knowledge and experience may be

inadequate.

I aim to build upon my knowledge base, incorporating it into a career

opportunity that offers a wider range of disciplines and challenges. To broaden

my horizons and reach the senior management cadre, I need to gain

experiences beyond my hometown and country. I would like to move into

international management for cross-cultural exposure and challenges.

I need to educate myself once again on all major business disciplines, aside

from F&C, this time from a practitioner's point of view. I therefore intend to

pursue a one-year MBA program at a world class institute. This would be a

lifetime opportunity to learn from the experiences of a culturally diverse

student and faculty body, obtain international exposure and acquire knowledge.

Another reason that I am considering an international MBA is that

sometime later in life, I would like to become an entrepreneur. I took a

conscious decision to not join my family business right after graduation. Before

taking the plunge, I wanted to work in a professionally managed concern and

learn about the business environment, and also build up some capital to act as

a financial cushion. Once I realize these aims, I intend to turn entrepreneur.

B. What positions of responsibility have you held (not necessarily business

related)? What have you gained from this experience?

My first supervisory role with a wide span of responsibilities came when I

was appointed as Branch Finance & Commercial Manager at [Company 2]. From

handling a limited function in my previous assignment, I was placed in charge

of entire North Indian operations. This was my first role as a multi functional

team leader and it augmented my technical knowledge, giving me significant

professional growth. The organization culture encouraged freedom and respect,

providing me with opportunities to test my skills and deploy them effectively.

Within eight months of my joining, my team delivered on a cost optimization

drive by achieving savings of about INR 1.6 million, the highest by any region.

[Company 2] had assigned me a position of responsibility despite my youth and

negligible prior exposure of handling teams. The fact that I was able to measure

up to their expectations gave a tremendous boost to my self-confidence.

Since then, I have held positions of increasing scope and responsibilities.

Today, I head the Commercial operations, leading a team of fourteen at

[Company 1]. In this role, I am not only responsible for various Commercial

operations, but also for administrative duties, team building, grooming my





subordinates and shaping their careers, and giving direction and focus to the

Commercial function.

When I joined [Company 1], I felt that my team found their operations jobs

monotonous and dreary. Since I feel that individuals who are not charged up do

not deliver their best, I decided to bring in some excitement. I joined a

voluntary committee titled [Company 3] (translated, the word means

'Communication') that looks after [Company 1] staff welfare. I set up a

mechanism through Sampark whereby all staff in North India have been divided

among four houses, and inter-house competitions are organized – Carrom,

music, quiz, dumb charades, family get-togethers and many more. The

[Company 3] events have been a runaway success. I have earned recognition in

the organization for this effort, which has resulted in team building on the one

hand, and better inter-departmental relationships on the other. This was my

first attempt at trying to implement an "out-of-the-box" morale boosting

technique. I introduced a new concept into a structured environment, sold the

idea to my seniors, improvised on the initial idea, and most important of all,

successfully implemented it. I was thus able to initiate a major change in not

only my department, but also the entire North region.

32. Cranfield - Essay 4

Question: What single event or achievement has been most

significant in your life? Describe an ethical dilemma you have

experienced firsthand. Other activities - give details of your

hobbies, sporting activities and other outside interests.





When I joined [Company 1], I inherited a team suffering from internal

friction. To bring harmony into the team, I employed Total Quality Management

(TQM) tools like Kaizen, 5S and Small group activity. I introduced my team to

the principles of TQM by creating a manual and conducting a workshop. I then

set up a three-member facilitator team responsible for conducting Kaizen

meetings and selecting the best Kaizens every month. I personally monitored

the facilitator team.

As judges, the facilitators had to look beyond their own desk and

understand functional diversities, handle group activities and organize

structured meetings. They were trained to ignore personal biases in order to

work as a cohesive unit. Since everyone in the department got a chance to be

facilitator through periodic rotation, all members grew to appreciate the others'

contribution to the department. Today, we work smoothly as a team, and the

department is a happier workplace. The Kaizen meetings continue.

The idea and implementation for this initiative was entirely my own. To my

mind, my biggest achievement is the fact that [Company 1] recognized the

impact of the TQM initiative to my department, adopted it as a part of its

strategic imperative in India, and implemented it across all 47 offices in India,

including the Franchisees.

B.Describe an ethical dilemma you have experienced firsthand. Discuss

how you thought about and managed the situation.

In the selection process for a position with one of my earlier employers,

one of the personal interviews focussed on my ethical beliefs. I was selected

after other rounds of interviews and accepted the offer. After I joined, I was

assigned the responsibility of day-end settlements. I collected the daily sales

proceeds from the sales team, and accounted for the stocks and collections.

Either sales or bonafide stock movements accounted for the difference between

the daily opening and closing stock balance. Over a period of time, I observed

persistent unexplained shortages from some salesmen. I questioned the

concerned sales officers, who were incidentally related to my supervisor. They

asked me not to report the shortages, and to make it up in the books through

fake transactions.

At that time, my family's financial position was not very good, and my

salary was crucial to meet the household expenses. In such a scenario, I was

tempted to close my eyes to the misdemeanours and thus salvage my job.

However, I could not bring myself to be dishonest to my employer. I not only

recovered the shortages by debiting the concerned staff accounts, but also





brought the matter to the notice of my supervisor. Much to my annoyance, my

supervisor instructed me to back up the sales officers. He was however not

willing to give this authorization in writing. I found myself in a situation where

instead of being praised for protecting the interests of the organization, I was

rebuked for the same. My supervisor also held back my promotion and

increment when they fell due.

Disheartened by such unprofessional attitude and lack of integrity, I

started looking for other job openings and soon found an excellent position.

Despite undergoing professional setback and upheaval, I have never regretted

my decision to highlight and rectify the financial misappropriations. This

incident has given me the belief that any adverse impact of following the

straight path is at best temporary. The personal satisfaction of knowing that

what I have done is fair and correct offsets any short-term upheavals that I may

have to face.

C. Other activities - give details of your hobbies, sporting activities and

other outside interests, for example work in the community.

I have recently involved myself with a Non Government Organization in

India called [edit]. I not only make regular financial contributions, but also on a

weekly basis teach English to children from deprived communities.

I also enjoy creative writing. A few of my articles had won the Best Theme

Writing competition in Siemens' in-house magazine. I am also a regular

contributor to [Company 1] India's staff magazine.

I enjoy collecting and reading books on management. I have been

instrumental in rolling out an innovative mechanism within [Company 1],

inspired by Stephen Lundin's "Fish". The idea is to boost employees' morale and

motivation levels, by making the work environment a fun place.

I love to organize events and am associated with an [Company 1] team

called [Company 3] that organizes various activities towards recreational and

social causes. Carrom and table tennis tournaments, quiz competition, music

festival, family excursions, theme parties and donations to charitable

organizations are just a few of the events that Sampark has organized in the

last year.

I am an associate member of the [edit], New Delhi and have volunteered

my services to undertake coaching classes. This stems from my desire to be

associated with academics.





I used to play as right-winger for the school hockey team and participated

in various inter-school tournaments. I still follow the game closely though I do

not play now.




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