For those interested in applying to this highly-competitive MBA programme, be sure to keep careful track of the LBS MBA deadlines. Also, as a general note, London Business School has decided not to change the essay topics from last year.
Now, before you start answering any of the questions, you should take some time to fully acquaint yourself with LBS: research the programme and the wider school offering (everything from courses to student organizations), as well as engage directly with LBS when possible through its events. And it’s always helpful to take time to meet with alumni to further your research and understanding of this unique MBA.
ESSAYS
What are your post-MBA goals and how will your prior experience and the London Business School programme contribute towards these? (500 words)
To properly answer this question, you have to first zero-in on what post-MBA goals you’d like to target. Whether short or long-term, these objectives have to follow a natural and realizable career path, while retaining some sense of daring. It may sound difficult to accomplish, but your success depends on how well you understand the potential curves and detours in your target positions. If you’re unsure of how to approach this section, try to source opinions on natural career paths from your network.
For the next part of the essay, it’s vital to identify matching skills between your previous occupations and future roles. Sometimes, it’s easier to work backward from the major accomplishments that you’ve experienced towards the skills that they illustrated. To add some colour to the essay, try to elaborate on some of these successes, especially if they don’t appear in other sections of the app.
Finally, you need to show what value LBS brings to your upcoming career. The most important mistake to avoid in this part of the essay is a lack of specificity. London Business School is very open about sharing information on its courses, professors and tools, as well as facilitating meetings between candidates and alumni—so hopefully you’ve taken the advice we mentioned in the introduction to heart. LBS desires applicants to have taken the time to understand the demands of their futures occupations and to link them to a programme that best meets those needs.
Is there any other information you believe the Admissions Committee should know about you and your application to London Business School? (Optional) (500 words)
The most common question we get is, must I really answer this optional question? It’s tempting to think that your profile and first essay response are strong enough to hold up the application all on their own, but, in the vast majority of cases, avoiding this question will cost you the chance to show the admissions committee how you stand out.
While there are many topics you can choose to pen, applicants often benefit from concentrating on one of the aspects that LBS prides itself on most: internationality. You can begin by searching for stories in your history linked to foreign experiences or cultural interactions. After collecting a list of such examples, try to identify those that best illustrate your strengths, and would contribute most to LBS and its community.
If you don’t have many international experiences or diverse backgrounds, don’t despair: instead, focus on meaningful personal events that highlight the most positive traits of your character. It would be best if those stories also include instances of teamwork or leadership, especially if you can tie them to a greater level of participation at LBS.
While it’s never easy to be accepted at London Business School, maximizing your chances of entry takes fewer than five minutes—connect with the industry’s leading LBS experts today.
