Essay 1 (Required)

What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words maximum)

Tips: Unlike most of MBA essay questions that seek for your weaknesses, this one wants to know your strengths. The admission committee provides you with an opportunity to kick-start your application essays with a list of your positive skills and qualities. Grab it, but be aware of over statements. The original purpose of the committee is to assess how you can self-evaluate. Whatever you write try to support those with fact-based examples or information. Thus it will sound realistic and genuine. It’s important to explain how those strengths of yours have contributed in attaining success in your career so far. As for the second part of the question, talk about some of your additional qualities and explain how those can mould your future professional life into a thriving one. If you are a in-born skills in painting or writing or others, this part of the essay is a perfect place to articulate those.

Essay 2 (Required)

Please describe your short and long term goals post-MBA. Explain how: your professional experience has shaped these goals; why this career option appeals to you; and how you arrived at the decision that now is the time and the MBA is the appropriate degree. (500 words maximum)

Tips: This one a typical career goal essay in which you have to unfold your inner career thoughts and plans. You can start with a brief over-view of your career so far. This will help you come to the point quickly and discuss about your plans immediately after completing MBA which are termed as short-term goals. You must have some long-term goals; some ultimate targets that you want to achieve in the long run. So, focus on those, too. What is more important is to explain the significance of MBA for accomplishing those goals. The last part of the question demands a strong reason from you to justify your decision to get into a MBA at this particular turn of your career.

Essay 3 (Required)

What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (500 words maximum)

Tips: Similar to the first essay, this one again gives you a chance to stand out in the crowd. The only difference is that this one don’t want you to be confined into professional spheres, rather it expects a more intimate insight of your personal attributes. If you belong to an extraordinary background that can easily distinguish you from others, or if you possess some unique qualities for which you are popular among your friends, then this essay is a perfect place to reveal those. However, you have link those with Kenan-Flagler in the next part of the question. Here you are supposed to show that you are well aware of the Kenan-Flagler community and that the uniqueness of yours will add to the diversity of the community.

Essay 4 (Optional)

If your standardized test scores are low, or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words maximum)

Tips: This essay is for those who have low GMAT scores. This optional in true sense, so don’t attempt this one unless you really have some strong point to express. Remember that the admission committee will hate to hear any excuses from you. Take the responsibility and then try to prove that those low scores are not the only way to judge you. At the same time also focus on the actions and steps you have taken improve on your drawbacks.

Essay 5 (Optional)

Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words maximum)

Tips: This is another optional essay and you can attempt this one if you feel that you should inform about certain aspects of your personal, academic or professional character to the adcom to provide them a holistic view of your persona. However, if you don’t find something appropriate to reveal, then abstain from this.