IESE Business School at the University of Navarra is a global MBA program that has a strong focus on developing international and ethical leaders. IESE’s application reflects this central pursuit by delving into more than just the career motivations of an applicant.
Moreover, as you prepare your application, be sure to keep an eye on IESE’s deadlines.
ESSAYS
ESSAY 1 – Who do you admire the most and why? Help us to understand who has played a pivotal role in shaping you to be the person you are or the person you aspire to be. Please provide specific examples of how they have shaped or inspired you. (word limit 300 max)
With this first essay, the terms admire, aspire and inspire are key words to take note of as they reveal the question’s central theme. Here, IESE wants to better understand what specifically motivates you beyond generic career goals. It’s important to invest time considering which specific individuals, in which specific moments, have had a strong impact on your personhood.
When it comes to identifying this impact, you want to think widely. While you might be tempted to fall back on an example when someone influenced your career objectives, that might come across as redundant given that the second essay addresses your professional goals. Concentrate instead on personal growth, on which character traits you admire and aspire to further develop, and on how those traits might positively affect others.
ESSAY 2 – What are your post-MBA career goals right after graduation and five years after? What kind of resources or opportunities offered by IESE will help you achieve them? (word limit 300 max)
This question has two main components that you have to deal with: your post-MBA goals and what will IESE’s MBA do for you. When it comes to post-MBA objectives, you need to consider both realism and exceptionalism. Taking into account your professional history and upcoming education, you want to show that, while your goals are certainly trying, they are also realizable. If you’re unsure of how to choose your goals, research professionals who have had somewhat similar objectives to you: what sort of career paths did they take?
For the second part of the essay, you want to focus on IESE. The program has a plethora of resources: courses, professors, extracurriculars, events, network, etc. So, which should you focus on? The relevant ones—meaning those that will help you achieve your post-MBA goals. It might help you to begin by listing out all your needs relative to your short and medium-term objectives, before matching them directly with IESE resources. Ultimately, you should mention only those IESE attributes that are truly pertinent to your future.
OPTIONAL ESSAY – What would you like to highlight about yourself or your journey which may have not been captured in your application? (word limit 300 max)
Take a look over your whole application. What stories are missing from it? What strengths lie underdeveloped? What key parts of your character are unmentioned? This is a great place to highlight these positive aspects.
It might be the case that you have a long list of accomplishments you’d like to mention here. However, in most instances, it’s best to concentrate on a single story, as you might otherwise struggle to develop a deep and engaging narrative.
If you’d like to build a successful application to this MBA program, be sure to connect with our IESE Admissions Experts. Additionally, technical information about the application process can be found on IESE’s official site.
