For any candidate applying to business school, this is a critical question to ask. After all, why are you willing to invest your resources (both time and money) as well as your energy to pursue this degree? As you immerse yourself in the application process, you’ll see that this question comes up over and over again, such as in information sessions, essays, and interviews.
As you think about your response to this question, keep the following elements in mind.
Your post-MBA career goals
Ultimately, you are getting an MBA degree to be able to attain your post-MBA goals. But why is the MBA degree important for you to get when it comes to these goals? In others words, why can’t you just progress on the current path that you are on and still accomplish the goals that you have set out for yourself in the future? Additionally, why is now the best time for you to go to business school?
Take some time to brainstorm answers to these questions, since they will really get to the heart of why the MBA is an important step in your career path. Note that the most compelling applications demonstrate depth when it comes to these questions; simply saying that an MBA will help you get to where you want to be is not enough.
The MBA curriculum
Beyond thinking about your post-MBA career goals, which of course, is a key motivator with respect to why you are applying to MBA programs, it’s important to dig much deeper into what business schools offer their students via their academic curriculum. In particular, what knowledge and skillset will the MBA provide you with, and why will that be invaluable to you in your future career? In order to answer this question, it will be important to assess your own strengths and weaknesses and think about the core business skills that you seek.
Engagement on campus and in the broader community
Another key point to take note of is that the MBA experience is much more than just what you acquire in the classroom. There is A LOT of learning that takes place outside of the classroom as you engage in extracurricular activities both on campus and in the broader community. For instance, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with very diverse people and practically apply the skillset that you gain as you immerse yourself in your activities. How will this experiential learning help you as you pursue your goals? That is another important question to ask yourself with respect to why you are seeking an MBA.
By taking into account the above points, you will be able to provide a clear and compelling reason as to why the MBA journey is the right one for you.
About Ivy Groupe:
Ivy Groupe is a boutique MBA admissions consulting company founded by Shaifali Aggarwal, who has been recognized as a top MBA admissions consultant by Business Insider and Poets & Quants. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School and undergraduate degree from Princeton University. Shaifali’s philosophy focuses on authenticity and storytelling to help clients craft compelling and differentiated applications that stand out. With this approach, Shaifali’s clients have gained admission to top-tier MBA programs such as Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Columbia, Booth, Tuck, and Yale, among others.
Click on the links to learn more about our company and how you can work with us to maximize your chances of gaining admission to the MBA programs of your choice.
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