The University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business is located in the city of Ann Arbor. Ross is renowned for its action-based learning approach, as proven by MAP, the consulting project that all first-year students must complete, as well as its comprehensive university resources and career placement in a variety of industries. That is why the value of your unique perspective in this MBA Ross application is so vital. Do you intend to apply to Ross? Here is a summary of the essay prompts as well as advice for the new resume essay question.
Short Answer Questions
Select one prompt from each group of the two groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less (<100 words each; 200 words total).
GROUP 1
I want people to know that I:
I made a difference when I:
I was aware that I was different when:
GROUP 2
I am out of my comfort zone when:
I was humbled when:
I was challenged when:
For these short answers, think about the bigger ideas of making an impact through action, having a good attitude when things don't go your way, or being self-aware in a diverse world. Ensure you have a balance of content across the set of essay questions. By putting the questions into groups, the admissions committee is conveying the message that they want to hear about separate aspects of your application.
The first group starts out with options that leave a lot of room for creativity. You can talk about a hobby or something about yourself. The second question is about the effect. You only have 100 words, so each sentence needs to move the story forward by showing something that happens or has an effect. In the first sentence, it makes sense to "complete" the chosen prompt, and ideally, this opening should include your excellent performance.
In the second group, the main idea should be how to act when things don't go your way. Being humble is a good trait that is worth looking into. It would be right to feel humbled by how big a project team is and how many colleagues worked on it. Or, you can be humbled when you climb a hard peak or steer a small sailboat through a tropical storm. This is a great time to talk about any international or cultural experiences you've had that took you out of your comfort zone. You might also have a hobby that pushes you to grow and try new things. For example, if you love dancing, you might be forced to go onstage and perform in front of a lot of people, which is out of your comfort zone. Taking on challenges opens up many doors for you. The key to this essay is to quickly give the reader the background information they need to understand your story. Then, explain how you dealt with the situation and grew as a person because of it.
Resume Short Answer
Pick one thing from your resume and tell us more. (100 words)
This year, this question is a new addition to the Ross MBA application. This extra short answer gives you a chance to talk more about an experience on your resume that you might not have had enough room to talk about in the main essays. The admissions committee said, "There is often a story behind a bullet point on a resume, and we want to give you the chance to tell it. You can talk about anything you want, from why you started volunteering or a leadership role you held on a sports team."
Booth's examples suggest looking into something outside of work, which makes sense since a resume should have a lot of information about work experience. But the question is left open. Think about how the question fits with what you've written in your other essays. For example, if you only talked about work in your first set of short answers, make sure to talk about an experience that shows your values and personality. Make sure you have something to share besides just your resume. In the details you share, be sure to talk about your impact and, if it applies to the experience you chose, how you worked as a team and showed leadership.
Career Goal Short Answer
What is your short-term career goal? (25 words)
Why is this the right short-term career goal for you? (150 words)
The Ross admissions committee saved this career goals essay for another admissions cycle, but they changed the word count to make it easier to read. Using this advice, think about the job you want to get right after school. What is the name of your job and the names of two or three dream employers?
There are many things that can make a goal "right" for you, like the impact it will have, the skills it will give you, or how it will help you move forward in your life. You should think about what you want to get out of your goals and what you want to give through them. This last point makes sense to mention in this short answer because it helps you reach your long-term goal.
Use the rest of the space to talk about why the Ross MBA program and student community are a great fit for your goals. If there's a program or elective course that seems important to your professional goals, you could talk about it to show the admissions committee why you think Michigan Ross is an important part of your career path.
Read 3 Great Midwestern Business Schools to Consider if you want to apply to other business schools in the area.
