How to present your motivation/goals?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

<p>Hi, all</p>

<p>I would like to apply to a few top MBAs. I think I might have a very strong profile and am very well-rounded, but I am wondering if there are pitfalls in presenting my motivation for MBA and goals for post-MBA activity. What do they WANT and DONT WANT their applicants to aspire to and to ultimately become? I know that in most disciplines, if you dont say you want to do what they want their graduates to do (like be professors for PhD grads), your application goes straight in the trash. </p>

<p>As for me, I would like to work at a high-paying job for several years to raise capital and credibility with creditors, and then start as an entrepeneur--invest money into something like raw land development or a restaurant as a start. But my sense is telling me that they would find it way too pedestrian or calculating, and prefer someone who wants to do something edgier. Also, for the intial job, I would like to continue working in consulting (esp. marketing and strategy), but that is a particularly competitive bracket, so maybe I should avoid pitting my application against those of McKinsey associates and such.</p>

<p>I get a sense that MBAs are really for people who stay in the business world, and from a top MBA program`s perspective, they mostly accept students already with pedigree and would want them to end up in prestigious positions and industries or high-powered start-ups that make their alma mater look good. Hence, it seems that it might be much safer to say that you want to move up in the business world in the same areas in which I already have a record of success.</p>

<p>What do you guys think? What pitfalls should I avoid in presenting my interest in an MBA and my post-degree goals? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Just be honest. They can see through BS.</p>

3

<p>that is a bit naive. i suspect many people’s REAL motivation/intention would be something like this:</p>

<h1>1. well i don’t really know what i want to do, just that my current industry sucks/has no career path. i also primarily just want a higher paying job that has more of a future. i also am looking forward to a two-year partying break from my career grind.</h1>

<h1>2. i plan on going to b-school and trying to get a banking job. this is tough for career switchers though, so i will hedge my bets by interviewing with consulting jobs and general mgmt jobs.</h1>

<h1>3. ah well didn’t get banking/consulting, guess i will take the gm job.</h1>

<p>but if you write such a plan in your app, you will be dinged for sure.</p>

4

<p>Then those people shouldn’t go to b-school. They’re not ready. Admissions officers see thousands of applications. They know BS when they see it. You’ll get a “sorry try again next year” letter. Which means try again when you grow up and have direction.</p>

5

<p>there is a difference between “BS” and identifying one particular option you are interested in that is a very feasible career path for someone w/ your profile. </p>

<p>ex someone might be interested in X,Y,Z and W career paths. but Y is the most realistic, so they should focus their app on how they plan on achieving Y. i would guess the vast majority of matriculants have at least a couple paths in mind, but writing about each possible career path would most likely result in a ding.</p>

6

<p>I agree with that.</p>