Navigating IESE Essay Questions

Essay Question I: How do you expect to be changed by your experience at IESE and what impact you would like to make after your MBA? (word limit 300 max)

Another way to ask you why you are choosing IESE. Because most IESE applicants are also applying to LBS and INSEAD…along with other European schools. For purposes of yield, they do want to know that you have a special interest in their school and this is a sly way of getting that information (one idea might to be to show why Barcelona is a must for you.)

“How do you expect to be changed” this is another way of asking you how you expect to be transformed by your experience at their school; it’s kind of like why MBA + why IESE specifically.

Pretty clever question because in one go they are learning about why you need THEIR program (what’s in it for YOU? how do you need them to help transform you?) and how you will be more successful as a result of it (what’s in it for THEM? will you be an alumni who will make them proud and attract foundation dollars?)

Essay Question II: What are your short and medium term post MBA career goals and how will IESE help you achieve them? (word limit 300 max)

A bit tricky because unless you navigate this carefully, potential for overlap between the 2 questions.

My recommendation would be to focus the first essay question around personal qualities and a personal transformation and then the long-term legacy you hope to have. Using process of deduction here long-term is the only term missing in the second essay question.

For essay two, just stick to the post-MBA job and make sure it is something they can help you with.

If you are looking to become the next cleantech entrepreneur IESE might not be the right school, so take a look at their employment statistics and make sure your goal is obtainable via IESE. Medium term; the path you would take to achieve the long term legacy goal mentioned in the first essay.

Hope this helps!
Farrell