Univeristy of Michigan (Ross) MBA Admissions Essays for 2009-2010

Today we look at The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business' admissions essays. Ross's essays actually carry over completely unchanged vs. last year, and so our analysis remains pretty much the same.

Note that when a school keeps its essays the same, that suggests that its essays are working well for the admissions office, meaning that they do a good job of helping the admissions team separate out the great applicants from the merely good ones. So, make sure you're sufficiently answering the questions they ask! That's always important advice, but in this case it's even more important (if that's even possible!).

Here are the Ross MBA admissions essays, followed by our comments in italics:

Michigan (Ross) Application Essays
Long Answers:

1. Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross? (500 words)


2. Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization. (500 words)

(Note the emphasis on leadership in the second question. Ross not only wants to know what you accomplished, but also wants to understand exactly what you did to make it happen. Also, note that this question also focuses on the impact that your actions had on your organization. More than your role or job title, admissions officers care about what positive impact you truly have on those around you.)

Short answers:

1. If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (For example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multidisciplinary problems? (300 words)
   
   (This question provides a good opportunity to show another side of you that may not otherwise come out in your application. As long as you can tie it back to one of the core dimensions in your application, don't be afraid to write about something that seems to be off the wall here.)


2. Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it. (300 words)
   
   (As is the case with all "personal growth" questions, the most important part is the second one -- describing what you learned and how you changed as a result. While many schools ask more job-related failure/challenge questions, Michigan's focus here appears to be a little more on your personal life. If your most compelling story is a job-related one, that's not out of bounds, but make sure you can tie it back to what you learned and how you grew.)

Optional Question:

1. Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?
   
   (If you really do feel the need to explain something, then address it and move on. In other words, don't dwell on it or provide that weakness with more stage time than it deserves!)
   

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Michigan (Ross) Admissions Essays for 2009-2010

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business has released its application deadlines for the coming year. The school's deadlines look the same as last year's deadlines.

Michigan (Ross) Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 10, 2009
Round 2: January 2, 2010
Round 3: March 1, 2010

Like many other top MBA program's Round 1 deadlines, Michigan's first deadline is in early October. However, unlike some of those programs, Ross will still notify Round 1 applicants of their decision after the holidays (and after nearly every schools' Round 2 deadline). So, you should assume that your other schools' Round 2 deadlines will pass before you know your final application status with Ross.

For more advice on applying to Ross, talk to one of Veritas Prep's expert MBA admissions consultants.

New Facility Opens at Michigan's Ross School of Business

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business will welcome back its students from the winter break with its new 270,000-square-foot facility.

First announced in late 2004 after the school received a record-setting gift from real estate developer Stephen M. Ross, the building incorporates state-of-the art technology everywhere. Every classroom in the new building features three mounted video cameras and instant lecture-capture technology. Each study room has its own plasma screen Plasma screens hang in each group study room, and students can print, copy, and fax documents from anywhere in the building.

The new Ross building also features many leading-edge green technologies, including the use of recycled building materials, high-efficiency lighting and and heating/cooling systems, and water conservation technologies.

Despite its large size, the building has apparently held on to the close-knit, collaborative nature that the school's students appreciate. Plenty of natural light and impromptu meeting spaces mean that Ross students will always be able to grab a seat for a quick huddle on a team assignment.

For more advice on applying to Ross, visit Veritas Prep's University of Michigan Ross School of Business information page.

Michigan (Ross) Application Essays for 2008-2009

University of Michigan's Ross School of Business has released its application essays for the 2008-2009 season. Our comments are in italics:

Ross Application Essays

Long Answers: (500 word max)

1. Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross?



2. Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization.

(These questions are the exact same as those in last year's application. Note the emphasis on leadership skills in the second question.)

Short Answers: (300 word max)

1. If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (For example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multidisciplinary problems?



2. Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it.

(Also the same as last year. The "other profession" question provides a good opportunity to show another side of you that may not otherwise come out in your application. As long as you can tie it back to one of the core dimensions in your application, don't be afraid to write about something that seems to be off the wall here.)

Optional Question

1. Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?

(The natural tendency is to explain a weakness here, but no need to do that here if your application doesn't have an obvious weakness. If you do feel the need to explain something, then address it and move on. In other words, don't dwell on it or provide that weakness with more stage time than it deserves!)

For more advice on applying to Michigan, visit the Veritas Prep Ross School of Business information page.