Early Thoughts on UNC Kenan-Flaglers 2016-2017 Application Essay Question

Application season at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School  is officially underway with the release of the school’s 2016-2017 application essay questions. Let’s discuss from a high level some early thoughts on how best to approach this years  essay prompts: Essay 1:  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) This is a very involved career goals essay, so youll want to make sure you compartmentalize each component of the prompt to ensure you are properly answering the question. 500 words is generally seen as a lengthy word count among the essays of other top business schools  this year, but with all of the components in this essay, it is critical to stay concise with your response and move things along. Addressing your response to this prompt via a relevant story that captures your passion for your desired career path is a great way to stand out while still informing the  Admissions Committee of your post-MBA goals. Essay 2: Optional 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? (300 words) These questions  can be difficult for many candidates  to answer, but for an MBA  application, candidates must be unafraid to highlight what makes them truly unique. Remember, unless you say it, the Admissions Committee will never know, so don’t be bashful here. Focus on the â€Å"distinguish† aspect of the prompt to highlight not only  what makes you unique, but also what you could potentially bring to campus. Try to avoid basic responses here dig deep to  think through your personal and professional strengths and connect them  to UNC student life and what you could contribute to the Kenan-Flagler community. Essay 3: 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) Only answer this question if you realistically fall into this bucket. If your GMAT score is materially lower than the average score listed for Kenan-Flagler students, then the school would probably define you as a â€Å"low test score† recipient. If you have worked in an analytical function or plan to take pre-MBA coursework, this essay would be a good opportunity to  highlight these aspects of your profile to address the potential red flag of your score. Essay 4: Optional Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? (300 words) This is a more traditional optional essay, so only use it if it feels absolutely necessary (given that the school already has a few outlets to address typical optional essay topics). This essay tends to be a good area to show an aspect of your personality, passion, perspective or professional career that has not been discussed otherwise  in your  application. Just a few thoughts on the new batch of essays from Kenan-Flagler that should help you get started for this admissions season. Applying to UNC  or other business schools? Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today, or take our free MBA Admissions Profile Evaluation  for personalized advice for your unique application situation! As always, be sure to find us on  Facebook,  YouTube,  Google+  and Twitter. Dozie A.  is a Veritas Prep Head Consultant for the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His specialties include consulting, marketing, and low GPA/GMAT applicants. You can read more articles by him  here.