매년 조금씩 문항이 바뀌는 점을 고려해 Top 15개 미국 MBA 학교들의 에세이 질문들을 취합해 봤다. 매년 컨설팅을 의뢰하는 분들 또는 어플리케이션 패키지 완성 타임라인에 관해서 질문을 해올 때마다 에세이에 있어서는 전략적인 준비과정이 핵심이라고 말씀드리고 있다.
공통된 학교별 주요 질문들을 먼저 파악하고, 이에 대한 본인의 selling하고 싶은 소재를 브레인스토밍하는 것이 첫 번째 단계다. 그 다음엔 학교에 맞는 tailoring 작업이 필요하다. 이렇게 해야 동시에 많은 학교들을 준비하는데 있어 효율적인 시간관리와 본인의 candidacy의 전략적인 포지셔닝을 더 분명히 할 수 있다.

Top 15 MBA 프로그램 에세이 질문 취합
1. Harvard Business School (HBS)
Essay 1: "Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations.
Essay 2: "What experience has shaped how you invest in and lead others?"
Essay 3: "Share an example of how you demonstrated curiosity and contributed to the growth of others."
2. Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)
Essay 1: "What matters most to you, and why?"
Essay 2: "Why Stanford? How will the program help you achieve your professional goals?"
3. Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania)
Essay 1: "What is your immediate post-MBA career goal?"
Essay 2: "What are your mid-term career goals (3–5 years after graduation), and how do these connect to your long-term aspirations?"
Essay 3: "Taking into consideration your background—personal, professional, and/or academic—how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?"
- 글자 수: 350 words (Required)
4. University of Chicago Booth
Essay 1: "How will the Booth MBA experience help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals?"
Essay 2: "Chicago Booth appreciates the individual experiences and perspectives that all of our students bring to our community. This respect for different viewpoints creates an open-minded environment that supports curiosity, inspires us to think more broadly, and take risks. At Booth, community is about collaborative thinking and learning from one another to better ourselves, our ideas, and the world around us. The photos below represent some of the values described above that we uphold at Chicago Booth. Select one and share how it resonates with one of your own values."
5. Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern)
Essay 1: "Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here."
Essay 2: "Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style."
- 글자 수: 450 words
- 참고: Those applying to or listing a specialty program as their alternative choice will be prompted to complete an additional question.
Re-applicants 추가 질문: "How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be?"
6. Columbia Business School
Essay 1: "Through your résumé and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you?"
- 글자 수: 500 words + 250–500 words
Essay 2: "Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization."
Essay 3: "We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally. How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific."
7. MIT Sloan
Cover Letter: "Please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should describe your achievements and how you will contribute to the MIT Sloan community."
Video Essay: "Introduce yourself to your future classmates."
- 형식: 1 minute video (not applicable for word count)
8. UC Berkeley Haas
Video Essay 1: "What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?"
- 형식: 1-2 minutes video (최대 2분, 2회 녹화 기회)
- 참고: You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording.
Essay 2: "How will you contribute to the Berkeley Haas community?"
9. Yale School of Management (SOM)
Essay Options (1개 선택):
Option 1: "Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?"
Option 2: "Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?"
Option 3: "Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?"
Career Interests: "Briefly describe your career interests and how you arrived at them. What have you already done to pursue these interests? What do you need to do going forward?"
10. Dartmouth Tuck
Essay 1: "Why are you pursuing an MBA and why now? How will the distinct Tuck MBA contribute to achieving your career goals and aspirations? What particular aspects of Tuck will be instrumental in your growth?"
Essay 2: "Tell us who you are. How have your values and experiences shaped your identity and character? How will your unique background contribute to Tuck and/or enhance the experience of your classmates?"
Essay 3: "Describe a time when you meaningfully invested in someone else's success without immediate benefit to yourself. What motivated you, and what was the impact?"
11. Michigan Ross
Essay 1: "What is your short-term career goal, and how will Ross' philosophy in Action-Based Learning help you achieve it? Please be specific. Please answer both parts of this question."
Essay 2: "Michigan Ross is proud to support a community of leaders and impact makers. As a future member of this community, we want to know more about who you are and what drives you. Please choose 1 of the following prompts to tell us more about what makes you stand out beyond your academic and work experience. List the prompt you are answering at the top of your response."
Examples:
- What makes you unique?
- Can you provide a specific example of how you've overcome a personal challenge?
- What makes you get excited each morning?
- Describe a time when you made a difference in your community or with an individual
12. NYU Stern
"Pick Six": "Provide six images that best describe you and explain why."
- 형식: 6 images + brief captions (50 words per caption) + 500 words for short answers
Essay - Change: "Change: _________ it. In today's global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern's brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern?"
Examples:
- Change: Dare it.
- Change: Dream it.
- Change: Drive it.
- Change: Empower it.
- Change: Manifest it.
- Change: [Any word of your choice.]
13. Duke Fuqua
"25 Random Things"
- 형식: List with explanations (no strict word count, but typically 750 words total)
Essay: "Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?"
- 글자 수: 500 words maximum (1 page limit)
14. UVA Darden
Essay 1: "What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you."
- 글자 수: 200 words + 200 words
Essay 2: "Please describe an example of building community within your personal or professional life. What impact did this have on you and those around you? How will this experience contribute to the way you will build community at Darden?"
Essay 3: "At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career?"
15. Cornell Johnson
Essay Options (1개 선택):
Impact Essay Option: "At Cornell, our students and alumni share a desire to positively impact the organizations and communities they serve. How do you intend to make a meaningful impact on the Johnson community?"
Unique Trait Essay Option: "What is something unique about you that others will remember you by, and how will this trait help you contribute and engage with the Cornell MBA community?"
이 가이드가 2025-2026년 MBA 지원에 도움이 되길 바란다. 각 학교의 최신 정보는 공식 웹사이트에서 재확인하는게 안전하다.
매년 조금씩 문항이 바뀌는 점을 고려해 Top 15개 미국 MBA 학교들의 에세이 질문들을 취합해 봤다. 매년 컨설팅을 의뢰하는 분들 또는 어플리케이션 패키지 완성 타임라인에 관해서 질문을 해올 때마다 에세이에 있어서는 전략적인 준비과정이 핵심이라고 말씀드리고 있다.
공통된 학교별 주요 질문들을 먼저 파악하고, 이에 대한 본인의 selling하고 싶은 소재를 브레인스토밍하는 것이 첫 번째 단계다. 그 다음엔 학교에 맞는 tailoring 작업이 필요하다. 이렇게 해야 동시에 많은 학교들을 준비하는데 있어 효율적인 시간관리와 본인의 candidacy의 전략적인 포지셔닝을 더 분명히 할 수 있다.
Top 15 MBA 프로그램 에세이 질문 취합
1. Harvard Business School (HBS)
Essay 1: "Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations.
Essay 2: "What experience has shaped how you invest in and lead others?"
Essay 3: "Share an example of how you demonstrated curiosity and contributed to the growth of others."
2. Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)
Essay 1: "What matters most to you, and why?"
Essay 2: "Why Stanford? How will the program help you achieve your professional goals?"
3. Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania)
Essay 1: "What is your immediate post-MBA career goal?"
Essay 2: "What are your mid-term career goals (3–5 years after graduation), and how do these connect to your long-term aspirations?"
Essay 3: "Taking into consideration your background—personal, professional, and/or academic—how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?"
4. University of Chicago Booth
Essay 1: "How will the Booth MBA experience help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals?"
Essay 2: "Chicago Booth appreciates the individual experiences and perspectives that all of our students bring to our community. This respect for different viewpoints creates an open-minded environment that supports curiosity, inspires us to think more broadly, and take risks. At Booth, community is about collaborative thinking and learning from one another to better ourselves, our ideas, and the world around us. The photos below represent some of the values described above that we uphold at Chicago Booth. Select one and share how it resonates with one of your own values."
5. Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern)
Essay 1: "Intentionality is a key aspect of what makes our graduates successful Kellogg leaders. Help us understand your journey by articulating your motivations for pursuing an MBA, the specific goals you aim to achieve, and why you believe now is the right moment. Moreover, share why you feel Kellogg is best suited to serve as a catalyst for your career aspirations and what you will contribute to our community of lifelong learners during your time here."
Essay 2: "Kellogg leaders are primed to tackle challenges everywhere, from the boardroom to their neighborhoods. Describe a specific professional experience where you had to make a difficult decision. Reflecting on this experience, identify the values that guided your decision-making process and how it impacted your leadership style."
Re-applicants 추가 질문: "How have you grown or changed personally and professionally since you previously applied and what steps have you taken to become the strongest candidate you can be?"
6. Columbia Business School
Essay 1: "Through your résumé and recommendations, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? Why do you feel Columbia Business School is a good fit for you?"
Essay 2: "Please share a specific example of how you made a team more collaborative, more inclusive or fostered a greater sense of community within an organization."
Essay 3: "We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally. How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific."
7. MIT Sloan
Cover Letter: "Please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should describe your achievements and how you will contribute to the MIT Sloan community."
Video Essay: "Introduce yourself to your future classmates."
8. UC Berkeley Haas
Video Essay 1: "What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why?"
Essay 2: "How will you contribute to the Berkeley Haas community?"
9. Yale School of Management (SOM)
Essay Options (1개 선택):
Option 1: "Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?"
Option 2: "Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?"
Option 3: "Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?"
Career Interests: "Briefly describe your career interests and how you arrived at them. What have you already done to pursue these interests? What do you need to do going forward?"
10. Dartmouth Tuck
Essay 1: "Why are you pursuing an MBA and why now? How will the distinct Tuck MBA contribute to achieving your career goals and aspirations? What particular aspects of Tuck will be instrumental in your growth?"
Essay 2: "Tell us who you are. How have your values and experiences shaped your identity and character? How will your unique background contribute to Tuck and/or enhance the experience of your classmates?"
Essay 3: "Describe a time when you meaningfully invested in someone else's success without immediate benefit to yourself. What motivated you, and what was the impact?"
11. Michigan Ross
Essay 1: "What is your short-term career goal, and how will Ross' philosophy in Action-Based Learning help you achieve it? Please be specific. Please answer both parts of this question."
Essay 2: "Michigan Ross is proud to support a community of leaders and impact makers. As a future member of this community, we want to know more about who you are and what drives you. Please choose 1 of the following prompts to tell us more about what makes you stand out beyond your academic and work experience. List the prompt you are answering at the top of your response."
Examples:
12. NYU Stern
"Pick Six": "Provide six images that best describe you and explain why."
Essay - Change: "Change: _________ it. In today's global business environment, the only constant is change. Using NYU Stern's brand call to action, we want to know how you view change. Change: _____ it. Fill in the blank with a word of your choice. Why does this word resonate with you? How will you embrace your own personal tagline while at Stern?"
Examples:
13. Duke Fuqua
"25 Random Things"
Essay: "Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua?"
14. UVA Darden
Essay 1: "What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you."
Essay 2: "Please describe an example of building community within your personal or professional life. What impact did this have on you and those around you? How will this experience contribute to the way you will build community at Darden?"
Essay 3: "At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career?"
15. Cornell Johnson
Essay Options (1개 선택):
Impact Essay Option: "At Cornell, our students and alumni share a desire to positively impact the organizations and communities they serve. How do you intend to make a meaningful impact on the Johnson community?"
Unique Trait Essay Option: "What is something unique about you that others will remember you by, and how will this trait help you contribute and engage with the Cornell MBA community?"
이 가이드가 2025-2026년 MBA 지원에 도움이 되길 바란다. 각 학교의 최신 정보는 공식 웹사이트에서 재확인하는게 안전하다.