Introduction
The essays required for admission into the UCLA Anderson MBA program provide applicants an opportunity to share their personal backgrounds and professional experiences. Admissions committees will be evaluating an applicant’s leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, drive for achievement, and fit with the Anderson culture. It is important for applicants to thoughtfully answer each question while demonstrating self-awareness and ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely. While there is no single “right” way to approach the essays, there are common themes and strategies successful applicants employ.
Essay #1
The first essay asks applicants to discuss their background, interests, and how they hope an Anderson MBA will help them achieve their personal and professional goals. This essay allows admissions to gain insight into an individual beyond just work experience and test scores. It is an opportunity for applicants to share what motivates and inspires them. Successful essays for this question:
Provide a brief overview of relevant professional and educational background to give context. Focus on 2-3 most impactful and formative experiences.
Demonstrate thorough self-reflection on personal values, strengths, areas for development and how experience has shaped goals and interests. Avoid vague generalizations.
Connect experiences and interests to specific post-MBA goals that could be realistically aided by an Anderson education. Goals should match the rigor and culture of the program.
Show passion and drive but also thoughtfulness. Discuss challenges faced and lessons learned overcoming them.
Emphasize collaborating and contributing to a diverse community at Anderson and in their career. Relate interests to community service when possible.
Maintain a positive, humble and grateful tone. Present background modestly but with confidence in goals and self-awareness.
Essay #2
The second essay asks applicants to share an example of a meaningful experience and how they grew or learned from it. This essay evaluates leadership, character, and ability to draw insights from challenges. Successful essays for this question:
Choose an experience that clearly illustrates setback, adversity or challenge they overcame through perseverance, skills developed, or lessons learned.
Provide full context of the challenge and specific steps take to address it. Showcase positive attitude and work ethic.
Reflect on how experience shaped abilities like teamwork, influencing others, work under pressure etc. Relate to Anderson core competencies.
Discuss specific, concrete realizations about self, others or industry that resulted. Avoid vague, abstract conclusions.
Maintain a humble, grateful and thoughtful tone. Do not blame others or make excuses.
Emphasize what was gained personally and professionally rather than focusing on outcome or solution alone.
Connect experience and lessons to ambitions and how an MBA will help continue developing identified strengths.
Essay #3
The third essay gives applicants freedom to discuss any additional information they believe is important for the admissions committee to know. It is another chance to highlight qualities that make an applicant stand out. Successful strategies for this essay include:
Positively discuss diversity of a background or experience that makes one uniquely qualified for Anderson.
Share meaningful community service or extracurricular commitments. Quantify impact and relate to Anderson mission.
Expand on career pivot or other non-traditional element that demonstrates maturity, purpose and resilience.
Highlight specific academic or professional accomplishments not evident elsewhere like publications, awards, notable projects.
Discuss personal hobbies, interests or values that show well-rounded character beyond work.
Recommendations should strengthen rather than repeat other elements. Provide new insight or stories.
Conclusion
The UCLA Anderson MBA essays are an important part of the application and allow candidates to share their suitability for the program in a thoughtful, multidimensional manner. With self-awareness, sincerity and relevance to Anderson’s culture, these essays can help differentiate one’s application from other highly accomplished candidates. Following common strategies of successful applicants will maximize an individual’s chances of admission.